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weatherman667 · 2 months

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RWBY: Ice Queendom

I have a well earned reputation as a fandowner, but the real reason I didn't watch it's initial run, (aside from a long running argument with sony/crunchyroll/funimation/rightstuf), was RWBYxJL.

Despite my pessimism, I am willing to give series another chance, if I see progress. If we take Star Wars, they utterly ruined it. But, then we got The Mandalorian. I didn't watch it, but to anyone that asked, I said i would, if we got a second good Star Wars thing. They then fired Gina Carano because she wouldn't submit put her pronouns in her bio, and then wouldn't get onto a livestream with 50 pissed off Communists to be shamed about it.

For RWBY, Justice League was that chance. It gave us Jess, (let's be honest, we fucking stole her), and... added nothing to either RWBY or JL.

But, Ice Queendom looked like it was a work of love. It looked like it was made by people who genuinely loved the series, or at least had a good idea of the characters and story.

For off, the quick list:

Animation is sub-par.

I have to watched it subbed.

Now, I've been a weeb for nearly 30 years, so neither of those matter. How the characters move is wonderfully planned out, the movements themselves are simply stiff. The subtitles is really fucking weird, considering they are doing this with the approval of the rights holder, and so could easily get the voice actors, and crew, to dub it. But, neither of those are especially important.

No, the true sin of RWBY: Icequeendom is FRAMING. It's framed like it's a manga, as the start and end of the movements are beautifully decided, it's simply getting there. The camera is way too close to the action, because with this much action, the characters move way too much that the narrow framing doesn't let the eyes adjust to the movement. They honestly would have been better off if they had Weiss prepare to lunge, lunge, and then you just see her blade piercing the Arma-Gigas, (mild not spoilers).

The biggest problem RWBY had is that nothing was planned. They threw a bunch of cool shit into a pile, and it was great. Until they had to actually connect the dots, and come up with an extended story.

Well, Icequeendom has the benefit of hindsight. They include a number of story and world elements, and introduce them in a much more organic way. Even to the point of having the mysterious narrator... narrate. They even add a counterpoint, so firen lhain is not said out of malice nor enmity.

The characters are all much more rounded then they were in RWBY, (we can forgive CRWBY, as there is only so much you can do with 5 minute episodes). They do the Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood thing, where they expect you to know certain details, and so don't need to explain them. The characters and their motivations are introduced in a much better way, so that novices to the series can get just out as much out of it as veterans. Characters are introduced much earlier, and in a much more organic way. Jacques Schnee and Adam are made more monstrous, and more Human at the same time. Taiyang is made more fatherly, and less male feminist coward. Yang's motivations to Ruby are are lot clearly, (she wants to enable her, no, not that kind, you perverts). Whitley has more vitriol but less hatred. Bumblebee makes and early appearance, along with actual detail into the White and Black trailers. Last but not least, Zwei is present from episode one.

When RWBY was animated in Poser, they focused on high-octane, over-the-top fights. When they switched to Maya, they focused on making them more realistic, but forgot they are supposed to be using over the top anime fights. Ice Queendom takes a middle ground. The animation for the fights is not as smooth as either, but has far, far more weight. They decided how strong the characters are, how strong their Aura is, how strong their Semblance is, and stuck to it. Most of the firearms use actual bullets, and the effects of dust are actually quite well thought out. Grimm have realistic toughness, at least for creatures made out of enmity and darkness. Maybe I should say they have an established and consistent toughness. This makes the fights feel both a lot more dangerous for the Humans, and a lot more possible. In theory, a mundane Human could kill a Grimm, if they could get their sword into it enough times. Instead of Grimm being invincible, and only defeatable with Aura, they instead act like realistic creatures.

#rwby #ice queendom #anime

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sokumotanaka · 7 months

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The post where I get on my soap box about Fable 4's style (but also on the video game industries reliance on realism)

Long as post below, also if you disagree know that you don't have to engage with the post, you don't have to argue or have a take on everything. Thanks, now let's move on down!

I'm remembering the recent Fable 4 trailer again and lamenting the lack of stylized art going into it. I've always hated that the video game industry, at least in the west always has to follow the same bog standard "realism" for no real reason or gain. For example looking at starfield most of the companion characters faces never change expression, so you're hanging out with someone like Sarah starfield, that's her full name, Todd coward told me so /sarcasm -

and she always looks like she's got so much cologne in her she can't emote. (Apparently they don't use facial muscles which is such a bethesda thing it's funny.) I heard someone say that if they gave Starfield a stylized different style from Fallout and Elder scrolls that it could give it it's own identity and I couldn't help but agree.

This goes on to my point and franky my argument in fable's lack of style.

(This was the only image of both of the hyper realistic characters I could find in short notice)

I think that Fable should of never "graduated" from it's cartoony/shaded style, the series has always been about kicking chickens and shrek esk humor, sticking to it there's a fairy in the opening, that looks pretty and cute and when she gets grabbed by the frog, her face goes from dainty, to an exaggerated expression you would expect from you know- getting attacked!

(obviously this is the first trailer and we'd get an update a couple of years later.) But it almost feels like they're embarrassed to be goofy or silly! This game- no this series would of been so better going for a Cel shaded look like many old and new games for example: The wolf among us, Hi fi Rush, No more heroes 2 and Ultimate spiderman (ps2) And they still look great despite three of these being older titles sans Hi-fi rush.

Fable would look phenomenal and you can still work with great expressions, exaggerated humor, a unique art style too, something different! ( while also taking it easier on your workers ) Everything looks hyper realistic and it also takes an age to come out because every follicle of hair needs to look great, every wrinkle and hairline has to be perfect, so perfect it can flow in the wind in the same direction as the grass; and that's the problem!

Fable is a comedic medieval fantasy game, and there's no problem with looking realistic, Baldur's gate 3 looks GREAT but it also has the most issues, with characters hair disappearing, or invisible NPCS and other hilarious glitches- that's not a jab, the same game happen in the above but I feel with a stylized look it could be something set aside from the constant hyper real games we constantly keep getting, something new, something with personality and a style that could turn heads! Cringe anime game take below! vvv

Not to bring this up (cause for some reason people get really mad at people even mentioning one of these for some reason) but Persona 5 looks very cel shaded and stylish, Gravity Rush too! And I can't help but wonder how amazing fable could be with such defining artistry and how much cartoony and silly and outlandish things it could get away with, with a more storybook or painterly art style.

And I can't help but see people clearly are drawn to the style of games like South of Midnight and again there's a massive fanbase of the wolf among us, to the point they're making a sequel to the tell tale game as we speak! (for the lack of a better term)

And know this doesn't come off as me saying that if the game is good that it won't matter, I just think games and media as a whole, shouldn't restrict themselves by going for one style or way of presenting themselves; especially western RPGS. This sadly extends beyond fable!

This should be a discussion that goes towards the entire video game industry, I mean look At Beyond good and Evil 1 in comparison to it's sequel in production (I think, it's been YEARS!)

The first obviously has a cartoony style, and this style suits the word and characters! Then its younger sibling looks expressive to a degree but I mean- we can tell why it's taking so long to come out, making indivisual worlds, and trying to apply realism to a world with animal people and future tech is a recipe for crunch!

We shouldn't have to stick to one style, just because it's become the norm in the industry, the point of the industry, should be to make video games and to experiment and try something new cause making video games IS an art!

#fable 4 #fable #video game industry #video games #fable 2023 #microsoft

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westaysilly · 9 months

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I'm just here because I love explaining fnaf lore. I'll explain it in q really weird way, by explaining how it's changed game by game. So, fnaf 1 gives us the basic premise. Someone killed 5 kids and now we have haunted robots. Fnaf 2 expands and introduces the puppet. In a previous location someone murdered a kid who went on to pusses the puppet and then the puppet gave gifts to the kids who died after it. Also introduces a guy in purple who killed the kids. Also FNAF 2 is a sequel.

FNAF 3 is when it starts to get fun. Now you have the dead purple guy be killed by a bunch of ghosts while he's in a suit that he later on goes to posses. Purple guy always comes back, it's in the ganes trailer, he always comes back. The FNAF 3 location (a haunted horror house) burns down and frees the souls of the children tormented by this accursed franchise. But watch out, purple man survives and he's still around in his yellow bunny suit that has his actual rotting corpse inside.

Now we have FNAF 4, has been retconned. It originally said that the entirety of the first three games was AlL jUsT a DrEaM oooOoo. That's why the ones you play against this time are called nightmares and they're in a child's bedroom. But nah, throw this away because no one liked that and Scott, the coward, said now there's lore (and in come the Afton's).

I'll mention the books (the first 4, at least which are full length novels) now, which are best treated like fanfiction of the Lore. They hold hints but aren't the truth. They introduce two important characters Henry Emily and William Afton. William Afton is the killer, and Henry is the founder of Freddie's. Henry is an engineer and the father of Charlotte Emily the main character of the books.

The first book follows Charlotte and some friends breaking into the old Freddie's location when they run into the serial killer and killer anamatronics. Here William is alive but has the scars from what killed him in the games.

Now we move on from those characters to FNAF world, the FNAF rpg. Not a joke, we have an rpg and it's pretty fun actually. FNAF world just thematically reinforces a lot of things but doesn't provide much. It introduces the idea of going too deep and meeting some fisherman at the end of everything called old man consequences. Also you set up some stuff that happens in FNAF 3 but no one knows what it actually means. It's heavily tied to fnaf4 somehow but again, it's all vague.

Okay, now onwards to fnaf: sister location. SL starts with some asking one Mr. Afton why his clown robots are designed to kidnap and murder children. Because afton, who's now canon to the games made a bunch of clown anamatronics that kidnap children. His first victim? His daughter. Oops! He killed his own dau6hy accident. Now she's haunting the killer robot and has daddy issues. After beating the game the player character has his insider scooped out by every single robot in the facility and they wear him like a meat suit to crawl out if the facility. But the meat suit rots and they abandon it. Surprise! Now instead of having someone haunting an anamatronic now we have someone simply haunting his own corpse. The player character is out there just as a walking rotting neat suit. Double surprise, you're Afton's sons and also probably the player in every previous game except FNAF 4 since that's your little brother (who you accidentally got killed using an anamatronic).

So, to recao while I'm here. This is now the story of the Afton's, one of the two families that run Fazbear entertainment. The eldest son accidentally kills the youngest son, bullying turned fatal. The father goes mad, and makes children killing robots (and experimenting with ghosts, it's implied but still not stated) that accidentally kill his daughter. He butties the robots in an underground facility and starts murdering the children himself. He stuff the corpses into anamatronics. The ghosts come back and kill him using a faulty suit (the suit also doubles as an anamatronic, it changed from suit mode to anamatronic mode with him wearing it.). The protagonist goes down to the facility looking for his dead sister, who along with her robot friends kills him and wears him as a suit. Now we have three dead Afton's possessing one thing or another roaming about. (Four, the youngest is still around but he's just a ghost, no possession. The protagonist gets a job as a night guard at different Fazbear locations but gets fired for tampering with the anamatronics (probably trying to free the souls, which he does in FNAF 3) and for smelling like the dead body he is. Eventually, someone finds Willam Afton's corpse inside the suit, and just places him in a walk through horror attraction (dead body and all? Huh?). Father and son meet, and son burns down the horror attraction freeing the children's soul but not killing his father.

Okay, that was a lot so process that because now we need to introduce the Emilie's into this story, and they mostly show up in the books so this will be weird. In the books, Henry Emily has a son and a daughter that die young. I cannot remember how, it doesn't matter. He builds 4 robots of the daughter, baby, kid, teen adult. Or kid, preteen, teen, adult. He puts his heart, soul, agony, misery and grief into making these and they develop sentience. The way it's meant to work is that he would boot and turn them off carrying the daughter from one robot body to the next. The books follows body number three, the second to last in maturity. Around 18 years old I think. She doesn't know she's a robot. Body number 4 is stolen by afton and used for his own dead daughter. None of this matter yet, or will but it sets some ideas up.

In comes FNAF 6, pizzeria sim. (5 was Sis Loc) where you play as the same guy only this time you're opening your own pizzeria instead of merely working nights guard at others'. The franchise owner tells you to collect the robots that show up in the back alleyway. Amongst these are, your sister, your father, the amalgam of machines that wore you like a suit (minus your sister, she had beef with the amalgam and left it. Good for her!), the puppet (the puppet is inside another anamatronic). At the end of the week, the franchise owner sets the whole place on fire and you all die happily together. It's implied you were in on this, or at least stated that you want it this way. We also learn a lot of lore. That franchise owner? Henry Emily. His daughter? The puppet. So the puppet is one Charlotte Emily, nice. We don't know wether Henry died in the fire. And so ends the sane part of FNAF and we enter

AR VR generation. This zone is a lot and a bunch of books release confirming or denying thing so here's the run down. Pain itself can haunt things beret of soul. Maybe any strong emotion can! So pain filled boards are scanned from the wreckage of the FNAF locations in order to use in a VR game except woops, the game is now haunted and possessed some chick named Vanessa who looks exactly like Afton's daughter. Yippee. She gets a job as the head security guard at a Freddie's themed mega mall called the pizzaplex. And here is where we reach the modern mysteries. I'll send them later since this is getting long but that's basically the lore for the first 6 games and some of the books. It's downhill from here. (If I don't send the new lore in a day bother me for it)

holy shit i already knew the lore was big, but i but this is BIG big

amd tysmm <3 i'll dm u for ur prize!!!! :3

#hoooooooooot #<-def didnt get the username right #fnaf #fnaf lore

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player-1 · 1 year

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Welp, I'm back on the N:E theory dump again... Long story short-ish, when I was looking back on the previous trailers of N1 and the DLC, I noticed an interesting trend despite not showing too much about the story.

Switching out primary characters

Including/Excluding important dialogue

The prologue revealing the main character's "defeat" against the final boss

It doesn't seem like a lot, sure, it puts everything into a flashback sort of scenario to build up the tension. Then I looked back at the Extinction prologue...and it's literally framed the same way.

If you don't want to scroll through my rambling, here's a TL:DR for funsies:

You're still here? Then let the rambling begin! :)

youtube

(Putting in the clip from the official channel since it's literally copied word for word; minus the flavor text for dramatic effect)

While I don't want to completely cram the post with picture examples, the main piece of divide is Amelie's speech against the MC (ie. Luke for continuity). Here's the quick transcript from the prologue vs. the final battle:

"Luke...That boy betrayed us all! Everything that we built...Everything that we've been fighting for...[Edward: A-Amelie! We must retreat now! It's not worth it-] -SHUT UP, EDWARD!! Listen to me, and listen well! If we are to save our planet, Luke must be annihilated! Stand with me! Tall and proud, against the face of evil! Our people will rise as Luke falls! ...I will never forgive you...YOU DOOMED US ALL, LUKE! YOU ACCURSED BRAT!" ~~~ "[Edward: A-Amelie, this is beyond our control! Can't you feel it? We must retreat now! This fight is not worth it-] -Shut up, Edward! Our people shall rise as Luke falls! Annihilate him, Vados! Do not hold back!"

Of course, they cut a lot of the previous monologue since we already know the full gist of the story up to this point, but for Luke to get broadcasted Amelie's hatred for Tyrants (and later you) just before you meet her should've given him some kind of a shock. And even before that, he seems to forced to question his name and appearance from an unknown/unseen voice (Presumably multiple times just from the question "What was your name again?"). Looking back at it post-story, it's easy to see the connection between Solus and Vados as "two heroes on opposite sides" and "two Tyrants fighting for their own vision of world peace", but this could've also been the first instance of Luke doubting who he is as a Nexomon in human skin...

With that in mind, imagine his reaction when, on the very day he's supposed to go out in the world of Nexomon as a tamer, he has a "prophetic" dream where: -He doubts his name -He doubts his overall appearance -A giant fire lizard is destroying the world -A angry lady brands him a coward, traitor, a cursed brat, and practically has all of humanity turned against him as he doomed the world itself -Said angry lady (Amelie) is supposed to be his role model for the Tamer's Guild the second he steps out of the Orphanage and meets her for the very first time

He should've been nervous, deja vu going into overdrive; and after meeting Deena afterward (freezing time itself and giving him the very real warning of something dangerous north of Pinewoods), the only thing he wants is get out of this exam unscathed... And almost like in his dream, as he looks up at the afternoon sky, he sees a shining star:

Even if it was Coco doing the wishing here, it's still sad to know that Luke will never have a normal adventure up to this point...

But if that's the case, where does the whole prologue fit into the story if most of it doesn't come true? There's only so little that made it to the final showdown, and everything else was made for fear factor (in Luke's eyes tbh) And besides, how does the shooting star motif fi-

...Maybe? Of course, there's no real explanation on Byeol's powers (or anything else in that case), so let's just assume that it might have the power to send out prophetic dreams, no matter how twisted or ambiguous they are. And of course I need to look into the angel connections here, so what kind of angel fits the bill? Apparently the angel of dreams, Jeremiel, and oh boy I might've hit the gold mine.

...Now where have I seen that before?

So...Does that mean the prologue revealed Byeol talking to you? It makes sense in a way, all the Tyrants have human-like intelligence and they can talk, so Byeol seemed like the odd one out...at first. Though the only thing that confused me was the "lad" comment, though the only thing I could think of is their connection to Palmaya and there being a pirate npc/tamer on the docks nearby...Maybe they just learned pirate lingo for some reason?

BUT STILL! Even if the game didn't delve into the existential crisis Luke clearly would've gone through the moment he finds out he's a Nexomon in disguise (and Omnicron's heir/grandson), Byeol just gave him that dose on the very day he was supposed to become a Guild tamer (and also get hounded by dragons along the way wouldn't help his affirmations in the slightest). In conclusion, if this little munchkin comes back in any way in N3, I'll be happy to know that Byeol was holding back on some serious hurting behind that cheeky smile of theirs.

#nexomon #nexomon extinction #nexomon spoilers #nexomon extinction spoilers #nexomon byeol #Pulling up all the stops from the official channel here #the longer I wait for N3 the more the theories fester #But just like Metta they're putting Byeol on the backburner here #If no one's going to give the menace a chance then I will!#Youtube

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nerdyrocker · 2 years

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Follow Wayne Munson through the the hardship, love, and joy in his life of raising his rambunctious nephew Eddie Munson.

FANART NOT MINE

TW:

EATING DISORDERS

DRUG ABUSE

ALCOHOL ABUSE

ABUSE

ABANDONMENT

Wayne paced the trailer waiting anxiously for his brother and nephew to arrive. The trailer was clean for once, all bottles of alcohol thrown away and the drugs he had been using out locked away in his room where the young boy would have no contact to them. He knew he'd have to quit for the well being of his nephew but he knew that would be hard. He had been doing hard drugs since he was a teen, he had gotten ahold of some of his father's and the alcoholic druggie Munson cycle continued through the generation. Even his brother, Drew, was a long time user of heroin and other drugs.

Wayne walked into the room that would soon belong to his nephew, Edward also known as Eddie. It was plain but he managed to get ahold of some blankets that had ducks and other animals on them for the childish look. He got some children's toys from local churches giving them away.

All seemed perfect, well not perfect. Perfect seemed to be stretching it. Everything seemed fine. Eddie would be comfortable in their little house, they had enough food to Las them a while until Wayne's next paycheck, the beds were comfy, and Eddie had a bunch of soft pillows and blankets with ducks and trains. All would be well. Eddie would be comfortable.

The sound of a car pulling up in the driveway knocked Wayne of his thoughts. Heart racing, he ran to the door and swung it open just in time to see Drew helping three year old Eddie out of the car. The boy held a stuffed bat close to his body, bandages all over his skinny legs from his childish activities. His hair slightly curled but very short on his little baby faced head.

"Drew! It's been a while!" Wayne tried to make conversation but Drew looked at his brother coldly. He looked horrifying, he was skinny and covered with scabs from the drugs he was abusing. Drew hardly acknowledged his brother as he pushed his son forward toward Wayne. Wayne had not seen Eddie since he was a baby, the boy was nervous and shy. He coward behind his dad and looked up at him through scared eyes. "Go on, kid, I don't have all day!" Drew said shoving the young boy forward. "Easy!" Snapped Wayne kneeling beside his nephew. "He doesn't know any better he's only a kid. And a shy one too. Hi, I'm your uncle Wayne, I'll be taking care of you from now on!" Wayne said his voice changing soft as he talked to his shy nephew. "Can I call you Pops, Drew doesn't let me call him that!" Eddie asked. Wayne cracked a small smile. "Of course you can, son!" Wayne said. Eddie smiled and attached himself onto Wayne's arm. "I love you, pops!" Eddie said. "i

I love you too, Eddie," Wayne said hugging his nephew.

Wayne stood up, Eddie in his arms, and he turned back to Drew. "I'll see you then?" Wayne asked with the tilt of his head. Drew shrugged and walked back to his car. "BUY DREW! I'LL SEE YOU MONDAY!" Eddie yelled. Drew didn't reply, he just got into his car and drove away. Wayne knew his brother was not coming back for Eddie.

"Let's go inside, I'll show you your new room!" Wayne said walking to the trailer. "Well, I can't sleep alone in new places, can I sleep with you maybe?" Eddie asked. "Of course you can kid! What silly question is that!?" Wayne asked. Eddie laughed. "I love my knew home!" He said smiling brightly as he looked around the trailer.

The trailer was bigger than Eddie's home as he lived in a RV since he was born, he was an accident. His drug addicted parents failed to use a condom one night and had him. Eddie never had any toys other than the stuffed animal bat gifted to him at birth from Wayne. Eddie never had the cute bedding either and he slept on the couch.

Already life was looking up for him as he was introduced to his new bedroom full of toys and a comfortable bed in the corner.

Yeah, Eddie loved his knew home.

#eddie munson #stranger things #hellcheer

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jixiani · 2 years

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Ok, I don't normally post my writing, and this is far from polished because I'm exhausted and I keep not having time to go back and edit it, but I wanted to share it anyway. I really enjoyed stranger things volume 4, but I have a lot of feelings about it. I've know a great many Eddie Munsons over the years, and it bothers me that everything just segues to another scene after with out showing certain reactions to events or answering questions I only realized I had much later: How did everyone get out of the upside down? What happened on that side during the earth quake? What did they do with Eddie's body? What happened to the guitar and how did Dustin get the necklace Eddie used to play his solo with that he later gives to Wayne? Everyone just moves on, but the others had to have found Dustin and learned that Eddie had died. Dustin had one of his best friends and mentors die in his arms. I understand the cinematography of why they cut that out, but damn it I need closure. So, what happened after the bats?, Obviously spoilers for season 4, and apologies that this isn't great, but yeah.

Stranger things: closure

"I love you too." Dustin says, the words tumbling out almost automatically but he means it, he really does. Eddie has been like the big brother he never had, even if they had only known each other for a year. He tells Eddie this, he's gone, he knows, but it just spills out of him with the tears.

Dustin is distraught but there are still bats and other monsters, and the others will be coming back…he hopes. He can't leave Eddie like this though. He goes back to the trailer to check on the portal and grab something to cover him with. The sheets are on the other side, having been used to tie together for their climbing rope, but there's a chunky crocheted blanket on the back of a chair. He finds the necklace on the ground outside on his way out, where Eddie had dropped it when they fled the roof. The guitar is still up there but he's in no condition to climb. He gets back to Eddie's side as the earthquake hits.

At first he's terrified because he doesn't know what's happening, then he sees the trailer crumble and the rift spreading towards town and he's even more frightened and upset because he knows what's happening. They failed. Eddie died and they still failed and then he realizes that Eddie isn't the only friend he's lost tonight because if they failed then Max is gone too. He isn't sure if the others are ok, if they're coming back for him, if he's all alone now, or what. They hadn't really planned for this. He and Eddie were supposed to be safe on the other side waiting for the others to get back, now he's not sure if they're coming or if there even is a way back and he's scared, but more than that he's mad. He's pissed at Vecna. He's pissed at himself and Eddie and the world and he has no idea what to do.

He talks to Eddie, he knows he's not there to hear him, but he needs to do something because he's all alone in a strange world full of monsters and his friends are dead and they lost. So he talks. Every memory of time spent together, he never thought Eddie was a coward, a freak, or a loser, he only ever looked up to him, and yeah, he loved him. And now the jerk has gone and gotten himself killed and left Dustin alone and he's going to have to tell everyone what happened. If there's anyone left to tell, and how dare he leave him here to deal with this shit by himself?

Steve knows they fucked up when the earthquake hits and they scramble out of a collapsing house. They had been so close, they had thought vecna was dead, he should be dead, but no. Max was dead. She had to be. They biked back across town to the trailer, not knowing what to expect, not really knowing if the way out would still be there, or how their friends had made out on the other side. He doesn't realize just how badly he fucked up until they pull up in front of the trailers and he sees them.

He would have missed them, distracted by the wreckage that had been Eddie's trailer, if not for the movement. A fluffy head lifting from a crumpled heap. He never should have left them alone. He should have known that they'd disobey his direct order not to be heros. Robin and Nancy slow to a stop behind him but Steve has already abandoned his bike. He wants to yell, he wants to cry, he wants to go back and stop them, something anything to make this not be real. He hugs Dustin, pulling him close and holding him tight, kneeling on opposite sides of a shitty crocheted blanket covering Eddie's body. He's vaguely aware of Robin and Nancy in the background, and cold blood on the ground beneath them. Eddie's blood.

Dustin doesn't care that he's covered in it, hadn't registered his friend's blood seeping into his plant legs and cooling as he knelt, head on the older boy's still chest. He didn't think Steve had made it either, and had begun to think that it was just him and Eddie and the monsters he knew would eventually show. Steve gets the kid up. Gets him to Nancy and goes back to check on Eddie.

It's bad. He knew it would be. There was so much blood. The bats had gotten him. Dustin had said, through hiccups and tears. They had distracted the bats and they had come through a vent and Eddie had led them off, but they got him. They had to check the portal. Robin went with him. It was a mess. The trailer was a twisted mass of metal and insulation. There was no getting back out through that. Nancy was the one who remembered the portal near the Byers' house. They couldn't get out through the trailer, but that should still be open, and if not that then maybe the labs. They found Eddie's guitar in the rubble, somehow intact. It only felt right to lay it to rest with its owner. They couldn't bury him, they didn't have time or equipment. Vecna was out there somewhere and there were other monsters that would be drawn to the scent of blood. But they couldn't just leave him there either.

Together they half dragged, half carried his body into a neighboring trailer and got him onto a bed, his guitar on his chest. It wasn't the funeral he deserved, only the four of them in an alien world, but it was the best they could give him. Robin was the one that suggested they still had some moltovs left. As they biked towards Will's old house, the trailer going up in flames behind them, he couldn't help but feel that Eddie would have appreciated the send off.

Dustin was quiet the whole trip, which was worryingly out of character. Steve and he were sharing a bike, since they only had the three and Dustin had twisted his ankle chasing after Eddie and was in no condition to peddle across town. Not that Steve was much better off at the moment. But he had literally put his life on the line for this kid on more than one occasion, he could pedal a bit further with him perched on his handlebars if it meant getting him home again.

Dustin had kept Eddie's pick necklace. He probably should have left it with Eddie, with the guitar, but he wanted something of Eddie's to remember him by. Not that he would ever be able to forget him. It was a small, selfish impulse to keep some small part of his friend. He couldn't visit his grave like he could with Hopper, they had given him the most fitting and metal send off they could and he knew Eddie would have thought it was awesome, but no one would know what he had done, or who he had really been, and Dustin had felt that he really needed something to take back with him to prove to the world that Eddie had existed.

He felt bad that Steve had to peddle both of them out to Will's old place, he had already been through so much and none of them had gotten sleep for some time, and he was still wounded, but Steve hadn't taken no for an answer. They didn't know exactly where the portal was, Nancy got them to the general area where she and Johnathan had gone through the tree, but it took them some time to find the right one. Dustin kept expecting something to jump out and get them, or for them to keep searching and searching and not find it, but then they were home, back right side up, exhausted, bloody, broken and missing a hero.

They wanted to check on their friends, on the town, the sun was coming up and there were sirens and the distant glow of fire. They made it a few blocks from the Creel house before being swarmed by emergency services. The rifts had been much more destructive on this side. The town had been torn apart. They reunited with Lukas and Erika who were huddled under blankets beside a firetruck. They filed each other in on the night's events between paramedics checking them over.

They were taken back to Nancy's. They all crashed in the den in the basement, not wanting to separate. Dustin curled up between Nancy and Steve. Steve was too tired to even appreciate getting to sleep near Nancy again.

There were excuses to be made and clean up. Max was in the hospital. Alive, but barely. They were alive. Eddie was not, and the world would never be the same. But they were together, they were alive and tomorrow was another day.

#eddie munson #closure #first draft #stranger things

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blooddeathwords · 2 years

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Belonging to Hades

People are cruel I am cruel I am an outsider.

By: Agnes Blackwood

Ch. 2 Quite Like Me

What is it like being the grim reaper? A question perhaps that’s on everyone’s tongues. Being right there when someone dies but never going to funerals never going anywhere that requires happiness or life. Wandering on your own on a lonely night down a street that was effecting the way she walked. Uneven road with potholes and gravel filling her shoes as she refused to empty them. Her birthday was on memorial day. She was cursed the day she was born. Her father was the devil and abused her every chance he got. Her mother ignored it cause she was vain and selfish. She was dumbed down when she should have been smarter.

You made her lose her last friend from the past. She wants you to pay because they both love horror. She was abducted by an alien when she was younger. She didn't know any better. This is how you become the grim reaper. She doesn't need a scythe. She's always dying and no one notices. People die around her and everyone else lives their life. Lilacs are her favorite perfume. They smelled like death. She has more than a curiosity for death. Death was her life. Her life was death. It was her lifestyle.

In the country kitchen the water faucet was running as the window was open and a breeze of blueberries wafted through the kitchen. She took out the broom as she swept up the remnants of crumbs from the floor. She made mistakes like everyone but she wouldn't think that she was in love. In the end it was better for her that way. She was better off alone.

He may not have thought that, he may have thought that he could save her. She made herself unlovable on purpose. She just didn't want to commit to something. To anyone like that ever again. To him. You don’t want to commit to me. That’s why we don’t work. You're too afraid we'll end up like your parents. Splitting up and getting back together again. Is it so bad? That's what we do anyways. No labels, no tools, no idea what we are doing. Apparently we're liable for what we do to each other in our dreams to. You know you've done things in mine. Who are we to judge each others dreams so harshly? Ain't nothing change baby this is just how we are.

People are full of contradictions and you wont own up to your feelings, I've made mine clear. Tell me, just once. That you love me. I know your damaged, you get scared when I try to do what you think i want , but you don’t want that either. It's not that you don't want me, but if you don't take me, I'll make sure you are forever alone. If you really want to be on your own then fine, but if you're not with me, then you won't be with anyone else either. I won't let you. I can't see you with anyone else. Even when you're a mess, you try your best. You give up. Run away like a coward, you don’t trust in me. That’s what kills us. Take the dive and let yourself be happy. Let go with me.

Replacing your brain isn’t the answer you just don’t know what you're doing to begin with. Someone's a bit of a crybaby and it's you. I'm not strong enough to face you. You aren't strong enough to face me. I just don't care. Then fine be on your own. You are alone. I made sure of it. You're welcome.

The other didn’t show their face like they were supposed to. They betrayed you. They said you were their face. That’s why no one gets it, they don’t know that the other is uglier. You proved we were shallow, except your old friend, they knew you weren't the other. Cause they are extended family. You are ugly and stupid. You aren't. Ugly but not stupid. Trailer park kids all of us. Growing up on a monsanto farm makes you privileged in your own way. Didn't stop you from being just as stupid as the rest of us. I created a monster. I'll give you a new story. You won't like the new you, no one will. The new you will show them up and be filled with contradictions. Chemicals in the sky, corn fields and creepy trees.

Attention and coldness instead of love. We need a little change here baby. Are you going to challenge me? I'm a soul for body guy. If you give me permission to come in I'll take whatever you don't want. I'll turn you into a symbol. It must just mean I'm disgusting. I'm a monster. You're a monster. You know you are. Why couldn't you love me instead of him? You hate women. You love him, he loves you. It's not fair. You are tearing me up inside and I'm supposed to be a princess. You act more like a princess then I do. I'm ashamed. I'm ugly now. Plastic surgery makes you a monster and you've never had it. You don't care what I think either. You think you need it, you don’t not if you're going to die anyways. Just live with your fantasies like the other. You are worthless to anyone. You know you're a freak, a bookish type living in shadows reading books. What good do they do you when you go to talk to someone? Does it improve your language skills? Improve your understanding or empathy? No. It just makes me feel guilty, I didn't spend any time reading. I can't talk about things. That's why I copy what you say and make others talk like you around me.

I can't understand you. You belong to death. I belong to death. We belong to each other.

I can't live and I can't die. I am my own horror story. So are you. I took it out on you again. I'm a monster in plain sight they all think that I am gentle. That I am intelligent because I steal your words. I say you are mine when you haven't agreed. It's not possessiveness it's sick. You don't belong to anybody, I abused your identity. I shapeshifted into you without your consent. That’s why you glared at me at the library. I tried to steal you for myself when you didn't do the same to anyone else. He's smiling at you, you won. You defeated me.

I was stalking you both.

You hate that author, everyone does. They are the most hated author. They stole you for themselves because your grandmother gave you to them. You weren't even asked in the beginning. Give out your ideas and your words. Keep redoing it till it sounds like you. Better hang on child, something is going to change the more you write. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Everything is fading you are becoming death again. You can't be shy around words when you're truly a good writer. Any word that scares you will keep you trapped. Write those words that you block out in your head. I'm getting you to expose those things you wouldn't even dare touch. Even in writing you try to be polite. You need to be rude with your words make them see the harsh truths.

Where is the love for death. For the rotting smells and farty scents around a body as it decays into nothingness? Everyone loves those who are alive, no one likes those who die. Dying means you smell, your breath rots and your teeth fall down. The body breaks down and gasoline releases itself through your pores. Diesel smells like peaches and lilacs. Peach tea, lilac perfume. Reaking of death. Rum and cherries smells like the milky way. Alcohol has a clear clean smell.

You don't drink that.

Get lower, let's go down, look deeper, where there's nothing left to lead you into darkness. It's all about digging through the garbage. Find that bottle you threw away. Wash it out and use it anyways. Whose gonna tell that's where it was to begin with. Rewind things again. Death isn't pretty it's disgusting and old. Around old, disgusting freaks makes you soaked in blood by association. Being afraid to admit you worshiped that nonsense is going to free you up. Just looking at something strange, I'm coaching you. Get back, show them they were all wrong. Becoming death. Wading through bogs, filtering through worms and stroking your hands through grease. Getting splashed with pee by a walking dog. Crushing a stink beetle. Nails being caked with peeling burnt skin as you stare at your golden red blood blistering under a lamp in surprise.

Every time you bleed its a mix of yellow and gold, not pus yellow shining gold. They injected your blood with morphine. It's in your bloodstream still. You're sleepy, and wrong when you're right. The floor sticky with the wrong solution, got switched out in front of you again. Lucky there's only one me, no one to switch it out with. There's only one you. Better lick that wound like a cat licking it's leg. Why pick me as a coach? Because you are making me better to. Let's get lost in words, let's runaway on the page. No one can make stories like this anymore. I would even show up to this. New gospel, new credit, nothing can kill me. I need you to hurry up for me baby. I've been on you for years. Death follows every step you take. I'm Hades you are my persephone. Demeter's your overprotective mother. You're starting to get the picture. When we're together there's never anything that can stop us.

It's not like I never told you. We're making this all up in our heads. We're only making the writing world stronger. Destroying the empire. Destroying those old paradigms. Who wants a prince when they can have the devil? Absinthe and ecstasy are the drugs of choice. I can tell you want it. You want that rush. Slipping up your legs and into your body channeling that loving energy into the words. Your magic coming from other people's dying bodies. Their souls being dissolved into your skin with the scent of a dirty hospital rag being thrown on your head.

Going down in your head. It's not all I did. I did a little, not gonna lie. The fantasy was there, it still is. I'm happy again. I got my friend back we're doing this. You are happy to. This is all you wanted. Riding the wave of adrenaline as you absorb another soul from those cantankerous fools. Nothing I can teach you, you know more words than I do. It may not mean nothing to you, but nothing was ever done to me. You are stronger than I could ever be. I'm telling you that you were never mine either. I thought you were happy. You were miserable without me. I never should have let go of your hand.

Becoming the grim reaper again. People are gonna be hating you so much. Words are so loud when you write them from your heart. I've been drinking and smoking in my own way to. It's just you. Only you. We got to find a way to fuck em all over. They see you writing and being happy. That's all you need to do. Never meant to make you cry. Not true I did. I'm the one whose gonna lose though. I'm single and hating it I'm trying to trap you. its not working. It's not working. I'm gonna lose you. I'm gonna lose you . I'm gonna lose you. Death in disguise and guided by him to. That silly jerk wasn't interested to begin with. He made a deal with the devil, that devil was your grandfather.

Writing nothing, more nothing less. You really don’t like being alone do you?

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ethan-torchio-angelo · 3 years

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Isn't It Lovely

Summary: two girls in a town where if anyone knew of their feelings towards each other, they'd be locked away

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: sadness, angst, a love that feels illegal, a few swear words

A/N: so I was in my feels. You're welcome for this sad little bit

2 a.m.

“I can’t stop thinking about you.”

The words tumble from her mouth before she can even think to stop them. When she gets no reply she fears she’s messed up, ruined the night like she’s done so many times before. A hand touches her cheek, her head moving to face the girl laying beside her, and she’s met with a warm smile that calms all of her nerves.

“My mind constantly races with thoughts of you.”

It’s whispered so quietly, afraid the loudness of a confession like that could break their peaceful bubble right apart. There is a fire that burns in both their veins, fueled by words unspoken, words that feel illegal to even think. They can’t say what they really want to. In this small little corner of the world, the words I love you seem like a death sentence if anyone hears them coming from the two girls. So it stays between them and the three boys that are more their family than anyone else.

They’re laying on the roof of Victoria's trailer, it is dark and quiet, the stars being their only company. There’s a bottle of Damianos moonshine and a pack of cigarettes stolen from the corner shop being split between them. The closest thing they can get to a real date.

“One day, we’ll leave this place behind. I’ll take you to the ocean and we’ll get married, right then and there. And the best part is, no one can stop us.”

Victoria is always the optimistic one, always telling her of the things that seem impossible. “What about the boys? Lord knows they’d be lost without us.”

She sits up to face the girl, a goofy grin on her face, “Well, they’ll come with us of course! We’ll need someone to protect us from the scary sea monsters.”

She laughs, sitting up now too, and takes a swig of the bitter alcohol. She loves how Vic talks about the life they could have. It’s nice to dream, she thinks.

The wind picks up suddenly, a cold breeze floating through the space around them, and they’re reminded of the quickly changing seasons. Victoria shivers and she’s quick to wrap the girl beside her in one of the blankets. The summer had been short and autumn was quickly approaching, a reminder that this could be the last few hours they’d have together.

Victoria had gotten accepted to Julliard on a full scholarship, something she’d applied to on a whim with no real hopes of getting in. She’d be gone in the morning, off to live the dream she’d always wanted. While the other girl still had no idea of what she wanted from life, no connections anywhere, she’d most likely be stuck here working at the corner shop for the rest of her life.

Victoria huddled into the warmth of the blanket and took a long drag from one of the cigarettes. She could feel eyes on her, turning her head to look at the girl beside her, “What’re you staring at, pretty girl?”

The girl blushes, caught in the act of trying to commit her face to memory. “You. Trying to make sure I never forget what you look like.”

Victoria sighs, “I don’t have to leave, ya know. I could stay here, with you and the boys. We could be trailer park trash together.”

“No. You’re going to go off to New York and live the life you’ve been dreaming of, don’t worry about me.”

She takes another swig of the burning liquid, trying to drink away her sorrows. They’ve talked about it before, Vic staying here, but she’s always refused the offer. She knows it’d make her miserable and she can’t bear to be the reason why her love is sad.

“Then come with me. We could get a little apartment, you can find a job while I’m at school. We could be free.”

She’s got a line of tears pooling in her eyes, a flush covering her cheeks, and the alcohol is running rampid in her veins. She can’t help but hope, wanting nothing more than to have the one thing she knows she can’t.

“I can’t come with you Vic, you know that. I’ve got nothing going for me, I’d only keep you from doing what you want. I can’t do that to you, it’d break my heart.”

Another sigh leaves the girl. She dreams too much, she knows that, but is it so awful to want to be happy? “Do you love me?”

It’s a question that strikes her right in the heart. “You know I do.”

“No, I don’t. You’ve never said it, and you only act like you do when we’re alone. I’m the one who always says it, but I’ve never heard those words leave your lips.”

There’s a fire burning through her. She wishes she could blame it on the alcohol, but the question has been haunting her for weeks now, it was just a matter of time before they were brought to light.

“You know what it would mean if anyone heard us say it.”

Vic stands up abruptly, throwing the blanket from her body and pacing the length of the rooftop. “I don’t give a damn about anything but you! I love you, and I don’t care who knows it! They can burn me at the stake for all I care, I just want you.”

There are tears running down her cheeks now and she feels like her body is on fire. Her next words are barely above a whisper, but the girl hears them loud and clear, “I’ve only ever wanted you.”

She stands and walks over to Vic, reaching out to grab her, pulling her into her arms. She rubs circles into her back as she freely cries. Victoria gasps for air, feeling like she’s drowning. “Am I not enough for you? Am I not good enough?”

“No, no. That’s not it,” She takes a deep breath before pulling away to look into her eyes, “I love you. There’s no doubt about it.”

“Then what is it? Why does everything have to be a struggle with you? I feel like I’m trying to convince you of something I’m not even sure is worth fighting for anymore.”

She’s taken aback by the confession. “You don’t mean that Vic.”

“Maybe I do. Clearly you don’t know me that well if you don’t think I’d give up everything to be with you!”

She’s shouting and pacing again, and she knows someone could hear her, but she doesn’t care. She’d climb the tallest building and declare her love for the girl if it meant she could convince her. “Is it really so horrible to think that we could get away from all of this and be together?”

“You know we can’t.”

She stops her pacing, turning to stare at the other girl. “You’re the only one saying that. There is nothing keeping you here, nothing. But yet you keep saying you can’t leave. What is so important that it’s keeping you from being happy?”

Everything falls silent, and moments pass before she can bring herself to speak. She starts crying and it takes everything in her to speak her next words, “I’m pregnant.”

The words hang in the air like a knife over their heads. Victoria feels like all of the air has been sucked from her lungs. “How? Who?”

“At the graduation party Thomas threw. We’d been fighting, and I saw you hanging with another girl and I got jealous. I needed something to distract me so I got drunk and when he kissed me I didn’t even think of pushing him away. I don’t even remember his name, I don’t think he even told me. I regretted it the second it was over. We used a condom and I took plan b, but it clearly didn’t work. I found out last week, Dami drove me into the city. I’m sorry, I’m so fucking sorry.”

It is silent for what feels like hours. The wind whips around them, a storm forming overhead. They stand facing each other, staring into the other's eyes.

It’s Victoria who breaks the silence, a laugh escaping her lips. It is loud and ugly, strained by the tears still falling from her eyes. It’s not the time to laugh, but she can’t help it. “I hate you. Not because you’re pregnant, because if you had just told me we could have gone through this together. But because you’re choosing to subject it to the same life we were so desperate to escape. You could leave with me and we could raise that kid in a life far better than either of us had, but you’re a coward.”

The words feel like venom on her tongue. She can see the hurt cross the girl's face, a feeling of guilt settling in her gut, but she can’t take the words back now.

“Maybe I am. But that is my choice to make.”

Victoria turns away, heading to the ladder, whispering words that hurt them both, “Then It is your choice to make alone.”

Sometimes the hardest thing in life is loving someone and letting them go.

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h4mm132l1c3 · 3 years

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OXENFREE II: Lost Signals Speculation

Because holy fuck y’all am I excited about this oh my god it’s a new Oxenfree game in the year of our lord 2021 and I want it now. All of the information I’m about to give to you has been gleaned from the new Indie World Showcase trailer that was on the recent Nintendo Direct (though I watched it on Youtube), and is simply speculation on what the next game has in store. None of this could be canon, or all of this could be canon, I have no idea! That’s what makes it fun. It also got long, so I unfortunately have to put this under a read more.

For starters, we know based off of the video description in Youtube that this game is set five years after the original OXENFREE, with an (assumedly) entirely new cast of characters. The player character, Riley, is the one we see the most of in this trailer. But I’m going to list things as they come in order of appearance, along with images, so the first thing we have is:

These strange masked people, sitting by a campfire. From what I can tell, it looks like two females and one male, but I could be wrong. Their masks are white, half-white and half-black, and a 1/3 majority black with a crescent of white. I think this has to do with the next clip we see in the trailer, with the moon glitching out and turning from full to half-and-half:

Although there may not be a connection at all. For a second point, I think that Riley will probably be an adult, based on the voice that speaks to her over the radio later on in the trailer. More importantly, I think she may be a meteorologist, thanks to the line, “I need a weather report on the clouds over Edwards Island?” and the first appearance of her walking up toward a broken light house, seen here:

It’s just after that we see who I think will be her companion for the game, like Jonas was to Alex, that for now I’m calling Hard-Hat man. I say this because he looks like he’s wearing a hard hat with a light built in, and I think he may be an electrician, from the line “Residents of Camena have reported strange interruptions in their radio broadcasts-” before cutting out. You can see the two of them pictured on a cliff below:

I also think that most of this game will take place in Camena itself, rather than Edwards Island, or perhaps in both locations. This is due to the very obvious clips right after this zoomed-in image of Riley and Hard-Hat man, where you can see Edwards Island to their left, and what is presumably the Sunken to their right.

As a side note, I think that Hard-Hat man is going to be the “coward” of this game, or at least the reasonable one as said by my friend. The final image that I want to bring attention to is during what I believe is Riley “tuning into the source” like Alex did, except this time, she’s tuning into the source in Camena:

If you pay close attention, you can clearly see that the radio waves are physically cutting through things now. They have a greater bearing on the real world than they ever did before. One line has chopped entirely through both a solid rock and a tree, not only that, but set the tree on fire. It’s an entirely new ballpark of power here, folks. That ends the images part of this, but I do have an idea as to why Riley could be so interested in Edwards Island, based on nothing but my own hubris and what I think would be interesting.

Consider this: Riley is one of Alex’s old classmates who wasn’t able to make it to the “bash on the beach,” and ever since Alex went missing in the loop, she’s been trying to search for her. For five years, she hasn’t had any luck, until tonight. Another one of my friends, @onewhoturns, suggested the idea that Jonas could be with her looking for the girl he barely remembers. I don’t know how Hard-Hat man will fit into the story, but his body language in the trailers makes me think he may not know Riley well, or that he prioritizes his safety over everything else.

I think the loop has grown past Edwards Island now, and into Camena. It’s backed up by a line in the original game, too- “And we will grow. And we will engulf.”

But, this is all speculation. If you have any other ideas, please please tell me about them in the notes of this post. I’m dying to talk more about Lost Signals, and I can’t wait to see what Night School Studio has in store for us next.

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alpacaparkaseok · 3 years

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Mine

3. Stalk me all you want, just bring refreshments.

Genre: Yoongi x OC

Warnings: some stalking lol

Word Count: 3.1k

We’ve made it to Paris by the time the first stalker finds me.

The past week has been spent in England popping in and out of interviews and press conferences. For the most part, it’s been pretty quiet. Granted, each interview never fails to bring up BTS, one even going so far as to pull up a quiz to see how similar I am to Suga.

I got 62%.

Sebastian demanded to take it as well. He got 43%. I still can’t tell if he was relieved or upset. Either way, things have been a little strange between us ever since that morning when he woke me up post panic attack. I can’t tell if it’s just because we’ve both got a lot of things on our minds or the fact that we’re back in civilization now, but I find myself seeking out the company of friends through phone calls and facetimes more often.

Stacey has been working nonstop to deflate the situation as much as possible. Truly, I owe her everything. She’s quick to remind me just that as I make my way to my hotel room.

“You know, this is very different from any other case I’ve had before. This fanbase is hard to get around.”

I roll my eyes even though she can’t see me from the other end of the phone. “You really have to stop referring to this as a case. It sounds like I’m some type of criminal.”

Sebastian passes me to go to his room while I fumble with my keycard. Stacey is in the middle of explaining the reasoning behind calling this a case when I finally open up the door and nearly drop the phone at the sight before me.

A girl sits on the edge of the bed, phone held up and hat low on her head. She stands up, walking over to me.

“Look who it is! Cara Richie!” For her surprised tone, I know she isn’t surprised at all. Stacey pauses on the phone as she picks up on the other voice. I remain frozen in the doorway, utterly confused. Did I get the wrong room?

Sebastian is the first one to react. “Keep your head down Car, and walk over here. Come into my room, I’ll get security.”

I do as he says, hesitating only a moment longer before turning my head down and heading down the hall. Stacey is demanding answers in my ear, but I can’t bring myself to answer her. Not as the girl is rushing out the door in an attempt to capture more footage.

“You think just because you’re a pretty face that Yoongi would be interested in you? He probably felt bad for your sorry excuse of a career and wanted to help. How do you feel about being a pity case?”

The words fling themselves at my back, but I focus on putting one step in front of the other. Sebastian is speaking quickly on the phone, motioning for me to walk faster.

“C’mon, c’mon…” He mutters under his breath, opening his door wide.

“I think you should know that this is live on Instagram. You look like a coward. Why would he like a coward like you?”

My feet refuse to move faster, my measly pace being the only thing I can manage. There’s a piece of me that really wants to turn around and give her a piece of my mind, but I know that’s the last move I should take. Not when she’s filming. Not when we’re just beginning promotions and my career is already barely hanging in there.

When I’m within arm’s reach, Sebastian grabs me and hauls me into the room. I just glimpse the dark clothing of security bursting out of the stairwell before Sebastian closes the door behind us.

“What was that?” Stacey demands to know. I watch as Sebastian scours the room, checking the bathroom and even under the covers for any unwanted visitors. Once he gives me a thumbs-up, I finally speak.

“I...I think that girl was stalking me.”

🌙

To say the least, Paris and I don’t get along well. Yes, the world-famous city of love. The irony of it all isn’t lost on me. I’m stuck in the city of love all the while trying my best to avoid crazed would-be lovers of some man I’ve only ever seen through a screen.

On the bright side, people who work for the tabloids are having a heyday. I haven’t managed to get my hands on any of the magazines they’re working for, but I do have a phone and said phone is in a constant state of buzzing and ringing.

One the down side I still have no clue how I’m supposed to make it through these promotions in one piece. A part of me hopes that BTS will step in and basically tell everyone to knock it off, but I have no way of knowing how their PR teams works. Either way, they seem to be very good at keeping things on their side very quiet while my side is barely holding the barricade.

We’re driving back from an interview when my phone rings yet again. Sebastian looks at me.

“You gonna answer that?”

Sighing, I yank my phone out of my pocket. No doubt it’s yet another nosy friend or reporter that got my number from a nosy friend.

“Oh!” I gasp. It’s an actual friend. “Bong-Cha!” I all but scream into the phone. It’s my crazy roommate from my senior year in college that convinced me to pursue another degree with her in Seoul.

“Wow, you actually sound happy to hear from me,” my friend teases.

“There’s a first time for everything. How are you?” It feels like it’s been years since we’ve last spoken.

Sebastian looks at me with a puzzled expression as I slip into Korean. I’ve never spoken it around him, but I’ve never had a reason to. In fact, it’s about time I got a call from my friend. I need to keep practicing.

“I’m...great.”

I furrow my brows as I study the Parisian streets we pass. “Are you sure about that?”

Bong-cha’s sigh carries through the phone. “Yeah, I think so. It’s just...remember when I told you before you left for the Congo that I had a really big gig coming up? Like, really big?”

The conversation we had less than a week before I left for the Congo comes back to my mind. Bong-cha and I originally went into the university to study acting. When we were both accepted to a prestigious school in Seoul she was elated and I was confused. I didn’t apply to the school. I didn’t even speak the language, why would I apply? Bong-cha took things into her own hands and filled out the application for me. It took a lot of puppy eyes and convincing, but eventually I realized that a fresh start on a new continent and even with a new language would be exactly what I needed.

The program took two years, but it only took Bong-cha six months to realize that she wanted to focus more on the music part of filming rather than the actual acting. The little punk switched programs, but we still lived together for the duration of the two years. Looking back, she made the right decision. She can weave and create a soundtrack that puts people under a spell. She even helped with the soundtrack for one of my very first indie flicks.

Thanks to her I had something of an advantage going into the world of cinema with both American and Korean acting experience. But the best part of it all was the building up a friendship that will last for decades.

“Yeah,” I come out of my walk down memory lane. Paris somehow makes me nostalgic. “What happened with that? How did it go?”

“Well, it went well...it wasn’t exactly for a movie, though.”

“What was it for, then?” I can sense the hesitation in her tone and urge her forward. “Are you releasing a mixtape or something?” We both chuckle at the notion.

“No, not that. Although I would take the world by storm if I decided to drop a mixtape. It would be pure genius.”

“Yeah, yeah. What was it for? Now you’ve made me curious.”

Another sigh. “I was working on a comeback trailer for BTS.”

My heart stutters for a moment. “You- you what?”

“I know, and I should have told you all of this-”

“Daebak!” I shout into the car, Sebastian jumping a little at my sudden exclamation. “That’s so cool, Bong-cha! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me before!”

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, it is amazing, isn’t it? They’re kind of going for this intense dystopian feel and somebody recommended me to them because they’d seen ‘True Lies’, isn’t that great? I still can’t believe it.”

Bong-cha deserves every ounce of credit that comes her way, I couldn’t be happier for her. Then I remember my current situation, and the questions I’m dying to ask her are all jumping for attention. I bite them down, reminding myself that this isn’t about me.

“I told you that the soundtrack for ‘True Lies’ was perfect, didn’t I? See, you should listen to me more often.”

A half-hearted chuckle from the other end of the phone. “I guess I should. But Cara, that’s not the only reason I called. I think I may have screwed something up.”

If my heart keeps stuttering I may die. Trying not to jump to any conclusions, I struggle to keep the apprehension out of my voice. “Ok...what happened?”

“Well...I worked a lot with all the boys, they’re very hands on in the whole process.”

“Ok.”

“I especially worked a lot with Suga because he’s very talented at producing music and all that, so he had a lot of say in the overall vibe and feel of the piece. Anyways, as you can imagine, we had to spend a lot of time together and we actually became pretty good friends...”

A yellow bike is being parked in a bike rack painted with red flowers and vines. It’s outside of the kind of cafe you only see in movies, and a young woman sits by the window with a book in hand. She’s lost in thought, no longer looking down at her book but instead watching the cars as they pass by. One hand rests idly around her drink which is still full. We make eye contact for a single second before I speed by, and I know that I’ll never see her again but I can’t help but wish I was her.

If I were her I could sit there calmly, not worried about much except for not spilling my drink on my novel. I would admire the yellow bike in the rack, and think up bike routes that I could enjoy. I would pack my book in the little basket between the handlebars and I would wait for a sunny day to go out and read.

Just my bike, book, and me.

Jumping a little as we pass over a speed bump I’m ripped from my alternate reality and drink in the words that Bong-cha speaks as delicately as possible.

“...we talked a lot, and eventually I started talking about my friends. You know, pretty normal, isn’t it? Everyone talks about their best friends. I mentioned you, of course. Explained how we lived together for however long, like what, four years? Two in the states and two in Seoul? Anyways, I was going on about you because ‘Under Nine’ has been so huge and it’s like you finally had your big break.”

Coaxing my jaw to move from its stiff position, I form a sentence. “Bong-cha, just tell me.”

There’s a two second pause before she dives back in. “He’d seen the film, said that you seemed cool. And I just started thinking about it and I thought that you two would be so cute together. And he just seems...lonely. Is that weird? And you’re always so stressed with trying to find the next big project so I just talked you up but...I- I didn’t tell him to date you or anything, I swear! I just said that you two should be friends. That’s all, I swear.”

Somehow the spike in heart rate I was expecting never comes. Instead, I almost feel more at ease. At least I’m starting to understand how this got started. It all seemed too disconnected before, like he just picked my name out of a hat and decided to have some fun with it.

“So...do you know why he said those things in the interview? Because that wasn’t exactly a call for friendship. At least, if that’s how he meant it, he failed. Big time. And now I’m paying the price.”

I can’t keep the bite out of my voice toward the end, and Sebastian doesn’t need to be fluent in the language to understand that tone.

‘You ok?’ he mouths. I nod and roll my neck in an attempt to relax. I don’t want Bong-cha to think that I’m mad at her. If anything, I’m flattered that she even thought to act as a sponsor for me to one of the most famous rappers in the world, however misguided her intentions.

“I know. I know, trust me, I talked to him about it.”

I wasn’t expecting that. They must be pretty good friends if Bong-cha feels comfortable calling him out on this. “You did?”

She chuckles. “I know, shocking. I just feel partially responsible for all of this. Then when I saw that video in your hotel room-”

“Wait, you saw that? I thought they were able to take that down in time.”

“Well, it was live when she was filming it. So she had to stop the filming but it was already out in the world. If it makes you feel any better, most people feel bad for you. You reacted really well in the video. Didn’t even say anything. Yoongi felt horrible when-”

“Hold up, hold up.” The words tumble from my mouth before she can continue. “You’re telling me that he actually saw that? And you talked to him about all of this? What is he saying?”

“I would tell you if you would quit interrupting me.”

“Sorry.” A hint of a smile tugs at my lips, the head strong Bong-cha I know so well reappearing.

“Anyways, as I was saying he felt horrible once he saw the video. Obviously we knew that it was probably a little crazy for you, especially with interviews and stuff. But I think even the guys were surprised to hear about you having stalkers and stuff.”

“The guys as in…”

“As in the guys. Jin and Jimin and-”

“Yeah. Yep. Got it.” I’m not sure whether I should laugh or cry, so I settle for shock.

“I talked to Yoongi about it, though. They all feel horrible about it, really. I guess after I talked about you so much he got curious and started doing some research and trying to figure out who you were. You know, kind of like friend shopping.”

“Is that a thing?”

“Sure, when you’re that crazy famous it is. You have to make sure the person you want to befriend isn’t some psycho in disguise.”

I snort. “I am a psycho, though. I don’t even try to hide it.”

Bong-cha chuckles, in full agreement with me. “Trust me, I know. But I don’t know, maybe he thinks it’s endearing? I mean, look at his closest friends. Compared to the rest of the members, you’re pretty tame. They’re all nuts.”

Just from the way Bong-cha speaks about the band I can tell that she really loved spending her time working with them. It would appear they all became fast friends. I can’t say that surprises me; she’s always had a knack for making friends.

“Alright, if you say so.”

“Anyways, I guess the guys were just giving him a hard time because he was always watching your stuff. Everyone took it too far in that interview. I mean, honestly speaking, I think they want him to get a girlfriend as badly as I do, but,” she keeps chattering away as she senses my impending interruption, “they realize that this wasn’t the best way to go about everything. Trust me when I say that their agency practically skinned them alive when the interview went viral.”

I suppose it makes sense to a certain point, but there’s still one outlier in all this information. If this is purely just an innocent mistake, then why on earth would Yoongi fan the flame by inviting us to the film festival in Seoul? And publicly RSVP?

I ask Bong-cha as much, the skepticism thick in my voice. “I just don’t get it, I guess.”

Bong-cha curses on the other side, and I can practically see her rolling her eyes. “That is precisely why all of the boys have basically been in time out for the past couple of weeks. Remember when I said that the other boys want Yoongi to get moving as much as I do?”

“Yeah? I don’t follow…”

Bong-cha laughs at the situation, the sound of it only worrying me more. “That wasn’t Yoongi that invited you guys and RSVPd.”

I nearly choke at the new information. The anger I feel is red-hot. Somebody really is trying to sabotage my career, aren’t they? “W-who? Who would do that? Why haven’t they said anything about that? Clearly someone is trying to ruin my career, and possibly his as well. Wouldn’t BigHit do someth-”

“Hey! Listen to me you psycho!” Bong-cha yells through the phone, barely able to get me to shut up for more than two seconds. “Are you even listening to me at all? I just said that the others are pushing for you and Yoongi, too. Nobody is trying to destroy your career.” She pauses, and for once I don’t interrupt her. Instead I wait with bated breath for her to continue. “You should have seen Yoongi’s face when Jin told him what he did.”

Jin? Kim Seokjin? What did he do?

“What do you mean? What did Jin do?”

A sigh of long-suffering. “He’s the one that invited you guys. And made sure Yoongi would have to be there to face you by publicly RSVPing him. Got it?”

“Why would he do that?” I ask myself the question more than anything. Bong-cha still responds though, the smirk evident in her tone.

“You’ll just have to ask him in person when you get here, won’t you? Make sure you save me a seat. I want to be there for this.”

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kevin-thompson · 2 years

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i can’t stop thinking about how dirty they did dewey on scream (2022) and as a big fan of the character and scream in general i think i should share my thoughts because i just feel like i watched a different movie instead of the one everyone talking about.

for context, riley has always been a sweet and goofy character, a little bit fearful but never a coward, a brave man as gale said. back in scream 2 and 3, both aren’t in woodsboro. on the second one, dewey appears up on sidney’s new city because he wanted to make sure sidney was okay and safe. on third one, dewey lives peacefully in a trailer at hollywood helping on stab’s movie. on scream 4, we’re back to woodsboro, honestly, dewey is a little bit cranky but had a development close to the end and promises gale that he would never left her again

“no more on you on, it’s you and me forever”

now having this acknowledgment, we look to dewey on scream 5 and see a totally different character, still sweet but less goofy, way more mature and smart - but living his worst life in a smelly trailer because he left gale in the middle of the night, couldn’t handle staying with her on new york city. he also became a drunker and left the forces.

now i ask: why?

woodsboro was for sure important to dewey, but he left the town amount of times and was okay with it - now, they made him 'not handle staying out of the town' and broke the promise he made to the woman he loved during all those years without a strong reason, just because he couldn’t handle being out of woodsboro when he have been out for less two times?

they also made him a drunker, another character choice that’s hard to believe since dewey was absolutely not this type of guy, on scream (1996) they changed him smoking a cigarette to an ice cream because it would fit better the character - now, he’s a drunker?

so basically all the character development and choices were ignored, bringing dewey in a lonely dramatic storyline to kill him in the middle of the movie for shock value, because it would give an “emotional thing” for the movie and it was “the only way” to bring sidney back. plus, his death ended becoming a plot hole - the killers had no intentions to bring the legacy cast for their movie, even tho amber freeman mentioning that he had to die, there was no plan for that and his death was accidental and so does sidney appearing on the city.

honestly, i think david arquette made a great job because of the wonderful actor he is. i just feel bad about the fact he accepted be on it without reading the script and when he read he had to deal with all those things and yet his character dying. he even tried to ask the directors to remove the drunker thing part, got ignored. courteney cox warned the directors to film a shot that dewey survives because wes craven would do that, they ignored. neve campbell already said she will read the script first and see how she feels about it to join scream 6, and we all know why she’s saying that. i feel bad for what they did to dewey and i feel bad for those actors who played these characters for so long and now someone new shows up and do this to them, yet using wes craven’s name as mershan “#for wes”.

anyway it was a fun movie but my concerns about it are larger than my hype for having another scream, full of nostalgia just to stuck me on it - i wish i was hyped enough to not see those things.

#breaking my silence????#i feel so much better now #vent #text #i'm not even gonna added the scream tags or something imagine being canceled for saying the truth

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princess-of-the-corner · 3 years

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An overly stressed bug themed miraculous holder in possession of guardian knowledge and their non bug themed partner attempt to reclaim two powerful miraculouses by emotionally manipulating those around them into becoming their superpowered pawns who’s power comes from an object inhabited by a supernatural entity. Am I talking about Gabriel or Marinette?

Okay okay okay so like look

I could write a fucking essay on the parallels that already exists and the ones that should exist if the writers decided to go there.

Marinette and Gabriel do have a lot of fucking similarities. You don't notice at first because Mari is usually very sweet and kind while Gabriel is a cold bastard.

But! But but but!

Both are very fucking determined and will do what they think they have to to get what they want. This especially applies to those they love.

If Marinette lost Adrien? She would totally go full Hawkmoth.

And yeah Marinette does still have her kindness. If she does something shitty, she'll feel regret. For example: sabotaging Kagami's chances with Adrien. She was on board yet regretted it and went to fix it. Give her a more drastic situation, and I could easily see her justifying "it's for the greater good".

I think we can start to see this in Season 4!

Defeating Hawkmoth is the ultimate goal. And she's willing to sacrifice her social life. But she also begins to sacrifice any kind of life as well. To the point of "yeah my friends and family will miss me and be fucking concerned, but it makes sense to be Ladybug full time!"

Which is... Literally exactly what Gabriel is doing as Hawkmoth. Gabriel has closed himself off from the world, and even from his own son, pursuing his goals.

Another thing we'll probably see: Marinette disregarding everyone's safety.

We see in some of the trailers and stuff that despite their identities being revealed, the temp Heroes are still being brought in.

Season 1-3 Marinette emphasised how dangerous it was if their identities were revealed. She even benched Chloé and tried to bench Kagami until her own selfishness got in the way, and that resulted in fucking everything up by making Chloé think Ladybug fucked her over so Miracle Queen happened.

Season 4? She's beginning to care less about the consequences. The other Heroes are good fighters with experience. Why replace them? They're already in danger now might as well use them! And the sooner Hawkmoth is defeated, the sooner they'll be out of danger!

The same thing Gabriel uses to justify creating Akumas. The sooner he wins, the sooner it stops.

This could be a fun and beautful show of how easily someone as "good" as Marinette could become someone as "awful" as Gabriel, along with how Gabriel still sees himself as the "good guy".

Quick similar note:

While the Mari=Gabriel thing should mean Adrien=Emilie, Adrien's narrative foil is actually Nathalie.

A hero/villain in their own right. Willing to do anything for the person they love, even to the point of self sacrifice, despite that person possibly not liking them back. And yeah I compared Adrien's more cold and calculating side that he showed in scenes like the deal with Lila to how Gabriel acts, but tell me he's not also channeling Nathalie. On the flipside, Nathalie is known for being the softer one between her and Gabriel, usually the one reminding him of things like "hey maybe give yout kid a hug sometimes??".

Last point: Lila could be a good foil for Alya, Chloé and/or Nino if the writers weren't fucking cowards who keep the focus on the Lovesquare Drama.

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prettywarriors · 3 years

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Fate The Winx Commentary

Good morning internet! Today is the drop of Winx: Riverdale edition! I sure hope you're ready for my aggressive and unnecessary commentary, because it is coming for you either way!

The netflix landing page lets us know:

Fate The Winx Saga

6 episodes, 48-53 minutes each

"Genres: Fantasy TV Shows, Teen TV Shows, Italian TV Shows"

"This show is: Emotional"

As mentioned elsewhere, my Winx knowledge is limited, so I will be coming into this fairly fresh and will try to be unbiased. As I have seen trailers, the keyword here is Try.

Episode 1

'To the Waters and the Wild'

CW: Animal Death, Swears, Implied Child Death, Blood, Implied Teen Sex, Burns, Weed, Fatphobia, Whatever the term pussie falls under

Episode 1 TL;DR: We meet everyone, learn their dynamics, have the basics of the magic system beat into us, meet our monsters, and name drop Harry Potter. Standard first episode stuff.

I do want it on record before we start that I got about halfway into the first season of Riverdale, and the first season of Netflix Sabrina. They were, well, bland and boring imo? I did get through a few seasons of Teen Wolf, but that's because it was capable of Fun and Jokes. My current expectations are a few unintentionally funny lines, maybe some almost decent magic effects, and because it's 2021, one whole gay character (I did hear one of the boys (there are boys?) is bi, but also an asshole so I'm hoping for some wlw)

TV-MA LANGUAGE AND SMOKING OH FUCKING BOY Almost full moon (waxing) in opening shot- I Will be tracking moon inconsistencies if it keeps showing up that is a pet peeve but hey look a bunch of sheep That's a good start (it's ominous though. don't hurt the sheep) Swears count: Feckin' 2 Mystical portal barrier. Oh yeah s5 of the magicians is on netflix now WELP THOSE ARE SHEEP GUTS RIGHT OUT THE GATE HUH For CW it's up a tree, and the dripping blood is a good warning of what's about to be seen :( oh and then the man who was looking for the sheep dies offscreen save for a spray of blood. THIS ISN'T YOUR CHILD'S WINX CLUB it seems to say. I assume. How much blood was in the original winx because this is already at least a full cup. (Also the monster noises for whatever was chasing the man (werewolf it was a werewolf trailers are bad guys) were not very good)

Opening credit scene is 5-6 different blooming elemental wings. They're pretty, but it's unclear if the last one is secret 6th member wings (because the second to last ones are fire which is the main character's element right?) so maybe we'll get a late 6th addition? (I am in I.T. please give me the most relatable character you cowards)

KIDS IN THE CORNER BY AMBER VAN DAY PLAYING I like where they shot this but that might just be european woods pretty. The opening location was nice and mossy save for the sheep blood Fancy big stone school establishing shots (it's nice, and huge) and we land on a red head who seems less than pleased to be here Courtyard shot of... whatever the name of the replacment plant girl is, holding a tray of various potted plants for an older man (father? first day of school send off maybe?) Aisha(?) walks by, not talking to anyone, Stella(?) is taking Magical!Selfies with at least 3 other girls, Musa(?) has a suitcase and headphones and smiles at a passing girl Oh boy a boy with a pocketknife doing little tricks with it! Nothing says edgy like an actual knife edge. Gonna take this moment to point out I have some level of face blindness and while the girls all look fairly different from one another, if there is more than one tall blonde white boy as I fear there may be, I WILL NOT be able to tell them apart. Not through maliciousness, just general incompetence, so anything I say about the boy characters (I want to say they're the knights to the girl's faeries? is that right? this whole thing smacks of gender) should be taken with a heap of salt I've come to accept tv just. displaying text messages on screen as a storytelling method. It's never my favorite but it just Is a modern story element. Also Bloom needs to meet stella at the alfea gates Alfea I presume is the school- does the name mean something? It sure feels like the word elf and therefore fae but I don't feel like googling anything this early in Oh look two more blondish tall white boys. Pocketknife was wearing something else i think, one guy has a brown jacket and pink shirt (bad combo), the other looks old even by tv highschool/college standards and his jacket has a jock vibe. Jock jacket also has an earring? Is this the bi character who is an asshole? From this one second of him, only in profile, I will assume yes, he is an asshole I like Bloom's backpack Pink shirt looks at Bloom from across the quad. I am already tired of this romance Cool he walks up to someone he has identified as lost, and is 'impressed with [her] confidence in the face of complete ignorance' COMING OUT OF THE GATE WITH A NEGG HUH PINKY He even states he wasn't offering help Then Why Are You Talking To Her Jackass Subs are going with the fairy spelling, and Bloom confirms she is a fairy and we confirm this is College. Unless this is a european thing where they call schools different things. I think that's just for public and private? And maybe just england? I'm American all they teach us is 1492-ww1 over and over for like. 10 years sorry Rest of the World 'What Realm are you from?' 'California' Speaking of ameri-centric, I'm gonna Guess that original Winx, the italian cartoon, didn't have their main character be from cali usa? I am presuming this is a side effect of making this property for a more global distribution than I'm guessing winx was originally conceived as back in the early 00s The Otherworld. I assume this is the fairy realm and whatnot? And the magic school. Seems to be located behind a magical barrier in the earth realm?? If that's right it seems weird if basically everyone who goes to the school is from the otherworld Pinky doubles down on his rudeness but in a Fun and Cute way because :/ and the Specialist hall is Very Pretty, oh and there's a fairy hall. Are specialists the boy...things? magi knights? bros of the blade? guys who wear those 'here come a special boy' sneakers from that one comic? Stella sees this conversation which is great because they drop the term mansplain. why would otherworlders know that term even??? Edgey(?) sees Pinky and they hug it out Stella knows Americans are the type to wander off so I guess there's a lot of inter-world connections?

Miss Dowling- is this teacher going to be like the pedo in riverdale who got *checks notes* killed off by one of multiple serial killers later on? Dowling is the headmistress, gotta keep the otherworld a secret from earthers, time and place for portal making. all standard fantasy stuff so far, nothing to make this stand out Stella has a gateway ring, and frankly isn't too nice? all the backgrounders clothing is Bland and very normal 7 realms of the otherworld, Solaria is where Alfea is, i like magic globe Incase you forgot this was a modern tale, people update their insta stories here. 'I was kindof bummed I didn't see a single pair of wings' YOU AND ME BOTH BLOOM 'We had wings in the past, transformation was lost, tinkerbell was an air fairy' This is either a cop out for your glittery cowardice, or a set up for the main girls re-finding transformation magic later. I did like the Tink bit Bloom is a fire fairy and the subtext of this conversation is that bloom's magic did Something bad. I hope it was burn down her old school's gym a la buffy movie I like miss Dowling but in the I wouldn't Be Surprised if you turned out to be Evil way, and I guess Alfea is a very privileged upper crust school. What types of college do normal fairies go to then huh? damn privileged fairies 'our students have gone on to do amazing things like re-discover long lost magics' We Get It. You will give me Wings, but Only If I'm Patient Dowling throws a jab at Bloom about power control, but I like her necklace so It's Fine

Bloom video calls her parents while unpacking in the dorm, which may have come pre-fit with a heck ton of board games? Love it. Or new plant girl brought them along with her many plants Stella has a fancy mirror and lots of jewelry and fashion photos and makeup, Musa has a laptop and apparently not much else, gotta get those establishing personalities down I guess 'Ladies of the Flies honey don't be sexist' Bloom's dad for feminist of the year (these jokes are bad but i guess we can call it a dad joke as justification) Asiha gives Bloom a look and saves her from the call with her parents- yay friendship step one achieved Blooms parents think she's in the alps because magic secrets and what not Aisha asks bloom if she's never read harry potter and I guess Bloom is a potterhead (that's the term right?). Is this self awareness that all magical school fantasy series have the same basic bricks? Bloom is a ravenclaw sometimes slytherin, Aisha is a Gryffindor Stella is changing because she's the fashion one and has a fun pastel rainbow skirt, and uses magic to make a real aggressive lamp. She's also a mentor (maybe older than the others by a bit?) I am assuming Stella here is something along the lines of a diplomats daughter the way she talks about appearances. She better get down and dirty later on to show her growth about how some things are more important than looks yada yada Fairy magic powered by strong emotions, i am waiting for bloom's backstory to be movie x-men rogue style tragedy Terra! Which. Of course is the Plant Fairy's name. Stella is a little mean to her about the plants and she takes it with a smile and some subtle snark back using classic literature Oh that's fun Terra points out the name-plant thing, and name drops her cousin Flora. That's. The one they replaced with Terra right? Terra's dad works in the greenhouse at the school which explains earlier (and her mum is named rose) Stella is indeed a second year and Musa's eyes change for. Lie detecting magic? and loves her headphones (Overstimulation?) Aisha wants somewhere to swim and we cut to a 'pond' by specialist training. Assuming she wants to sim because she's a water fairy, why Don't they have a pool? also this pond looks. Unpleasant for swimming

Girl specialist! Does that mean we have boy fairies? Boys. Fighting. Talking about girls. All gingers are nuts. Thanks edgelord AMAZING SHAGS THOUGH 'I didn't realize your hand was a red-head' it's not truly edge if we don't talk about sex every 10 minutes Subtitles earlier only said boy 1 boy 2 but now pinky or edgy is Riv Edgy smokes weed, and pinky is a big brother figure to him, and the head? of the special boys doesn't like edgy. Me neither older guy Bit of swordplay, more girls, every specialist has black training outfits, very military Pinky is Sky who is son of Guy of Place. an important lad. without context this is meaningless to me There's a giggly boy who laughs at the idea of a war in the future and gets a talking to. I suspect this boy will be re-occurring enough to die- he has those tertiary character elements with his intro and such (and he's black so I am prepared for your standard racist murder choices) Burned Ones exist outside the barrier, which makes me wonder if dead shepard was in the otherworld? There was nothing establishing that he was in any type of Other place but :/ Oh look edgey is having a smoke cross the barrier while we learn about the creatures that live beyond it. Time to find out these creatures no one young has ever seen are still kicking Specialist leader had to kill his own pa after a burned one got him. They also. Used a shotgun when trying to fight it. Do specialists even have powers or are they just good with weapons? Edgey finds the shepards corpse. Mostly blood 'it's been 16 years since the last sighting' 'Rosalind killed all the burned ones' ahh magical creature genocide hey when is abarat 4 coming out. and is rosalind hot?

School, gossip, Aisha and Musa are snarking at Tera for thinking the guy died of natural causes because we need to have these characters not actually like each other to make it stand out when they do Aisha talks about how she eats a lot and if she didn't swim she'd be massive and we cut to the plus sized tera looking uncomfortable are we really doing this? Tera points out that Musa was ignoring her earlier and it's all just uncomfortable and not great character conflict (but I thought I saw Musa holding an honest to god ipod? it's blue but it could be a phone case. Her hand is in the way) tera and dad interaction is nice, i'm also convinced they couldn't afford more than 3 magic adults

Girl with braids and metal in her hair! There were witches in winx right? Like 3 minor antagonist girls? I assume this is one of them. Because she has alternative fashion and is therefore evil /s Beatrix. Names in this series leave something to be desired (that something is subtly. I get it, they're carry overs from a series for a younger audience, she-ra had the same issue, but i can still poke fun) Swear count: Arsehole 2 Bollocks 1 Shit 1 She's a weird ass kissing with clearly ulterior motives

Bloom is Studying and her notebook is just FAIRY MAGIC POWER = EMOTIONS LOVE FEAR? HARTED? FIRE FAIRY CONTROL? in case you weren't paying attention Oh a flashback already to the magic triggering event? Her mother had pointed out she's an introvert, and past!Bloom doesn't Party. She goes Antiquing and is a Weird Loner (her 'basic bitch' of a mom's words) Swear count: Bitch 1 Bad daughter count: 1 Bad mother count: 1 Magic glowy eyes for Bloom: 1

Bloom Hates Parties and asks Pinky I mean Sky where she can be Away from People and he fears he'll be Mansplaing to her to. vague that it's dangerous outside instead of saying 'hey there's monsters and someone was just killed by possible one of them stay in the barrier' Stella wants to talk to Sky because they have History. I did hear there was a love triangle between these three. I am bored and everyone at this party is a nosey bitch who is watching their tense conversation. Also Something? Happens when Stella gets upset [mystical warbling] Random magic effects in the (very pretty) forest Bloom is trying to practice her magic on her own, and to do that she's gotta look at sad teen pics. And look, her burnt bedroom from her first power usage The fire magic is pretty good. I think fire is like. the opposite of water when it comes to cg where it almost always looks pretty good, while I swear i've seen the actual ocean look like a shitty render Magic out of control, bloom can't control her emotions, Aisha can stop her with water magic which makes some nice steam Bloom is angry at aisha for saving her. So far 3 of the 5 girls are abrasive at best remember when people made characters likeable? Swear count: Shit 1 (but it doubles as the literal meaning because of flooded toilets) Swear count: Bitch 1 Ass 1 Taking away your teen's door is. Really shitty. Not almost burn down your house worthy but damn cheerleader mom I do not understand sleep shirts with buttons. That seems painful if you lie the wrong way? Her mom was seriously burnt by first magic usage that's a backstory Shit count +1 Main character aspect time: dormant fairy blood line? awfully strong magic for that. baby who died day after it was born and now she's here? ...I was going to say changeling thanks aisha A Barbaric practice loving hints at long term world lore Hell is a bad word for kids!! Cutting to headmistress and her secret passage after finding out bloom is secret pureblood? this really is a harry potter thing

edgelord offers giggly some booze, and says pussies twice because he's Edgey and does peer pressure Tera calls him out and knows he's a sad nerd in disguise not a 'badass' and he says she's 'three people in disguise' because fatphobia shit +1 arehole +1 tera. chokes out edgelord with a vine because she's had enough of this shit. good for her edgelord is Riv, and he lived

OBLIGATORY GOOGLE SEARCH FOR THE TERM CHANGELING REMEMBER BELLA'S VAMPIRE GOOGLE GOD I LOVE TEEN FANTASY AND THEIR INSTANCE ON GOOGLING COMMON FANTASY TERMS OH hey the lamp bloom brought with her is the one she was fixing at home that's a nice touch Stella bonds with Bloom about homesickness, and the takes a selfie Musa is a mind fairy. So she. Is a telepath with purple eye magic? Oh there's types of 'connections' Memory, thought (others but i am cut off from the lore) Stella did Something to someone who Talked To Her Man last year and now lent Bloom her teleportation ring to send her some because miss mentor really cares more about her shitty man then helping the girls she's in charge of First World- earth Old Cemetery? Very Sexy. and bloom sweetie don't leave a mystical gateway open, and how will you explain to your parents how you're back so fast Wait she's only 16? SO this really is some european college where that's a funny way of saying High School Fire guilt, bad feelings about life shattering revelations, better connection with mother. I gotta say I have low expectations of this show carrying the family connection through the rest of this. That conversation felt more like a Hey We Made These Movements Onto Other Stuff Now

Lighting choices are interesting, with green, orange and purple for creepy warehouse. THE Creepy Warehouse where she would sleep without her parent's knowledge wow right that GIRL DROPS THE DAMN RING AT THE FIRST SIGN OF burned one looked more alien than werewolf-y here Decent Horror movie looks, and dude stole her ring. Rude. Saved by the headmistress, and tera/aisha/musa are here to great her Stella can't be here though because she has to greet a half naked freshly showered sky because life is suffering and producers insist people like to see teens half naked (who. Who?) shit +1 and she dumped him. pity part of one and using it to try to get your bone on. HEY A SONG I KNOW. IT'S WHATSITCALLED FROM THE BAYONETTA COMMERCIALS WAY BACK WHEN. in for the kill la roux. I do wish netflix would either commit to telling you what song was playing or didn't tell you at all

Riv offers Beatrix a hit from his joint because what Is a Bad Kid hasn't changed in like 70 years Blowing pot smoke into someone's mouth isn't as sexy as ya'll seem to think it is Musa has cute sleep socks with little pom poms, and I love Tera's floral jammies Tera offers a bluetooth speaker so they can listen to music together Musa also calls out Tera's fake happiness this is the good shit character interaction i live for Musa Empath Mind Fairy 'somber indie music'

If you kill a burned one in the human world Something? Extra bad happens? So the headmistress knows Bloom's a changeling, and ohhh that's the last time a burned one was spotted. Is Rosalind the famed Monster Slayer the birth mother of Bloom? Tera text flirts with Giggly who IS NAMED DANE and has a thing for. Sky? Riv? I told you these boys all look the same to me so if it's a half naked pic on fairy insta i'm out of context clues. Crymeariv is the insta name that answers that. Is this the slow burn enemies to lover mlm i can't finish this sentence i don't care riv is a dick Stella and Sky are in a bed and she doesn't seem to have a top on so Implied sexy times? MYSTERIOUS HOODED AND ROBED FIGURE CROSSES THROUGH THE BARRIAR AND SHOOTS THE BURNED ONE WITH LIGHTNING MAGIC OH IT'S beatrix

alt-J – Adeline as an ending song

#fate the winx saga #text #commentary #hey tumblr thanks for deleting all my text because I resized this window #we're off to a great start #fate episode 1

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holylulusworld · 4 years

Text

Ms. Bodyguard - Codename Sweetheart

Summary: Jensen is used to be the hero on his show. He’s not a coward, not at all - but when he gets attacked by an unknown man the studio insists on a full-time bodyguard. Specialist in protecting people while living with them - you agree to protect Jensen but he doesn’t like the fact a ‘small’ girl shall protect him. Will you be able to protect the unwilling actor?

Pairing: Jensen Ackles x Bodyguard!Reader

Characters: Jared Padalecki, Clif Kosterman

Warnings: angst, mentions of stalking, mentions of blood/murder, characters death tension, slow burn

A/N: A shorter chapter to get to know more about Y/N's past and the case.

Ms. Bodyguard Masterlist

“Yeah, I know. I have no authority, and that this is your case, but my client got attacked. The girl stalking him got brutally murdered and you are telling me shit.

Now we can play nice and you tell me if you found, the same fingerprints the attacker left at Mr. Ackles trailer, at the crime scene of the latest murder or not.

I want to clarify if it’s the same perpetrator. I know you couldn’t identify the man and I know you wouldn’t tell me a name.

All I want to know is if the person killing the poor girl is the same man trying to kill my client.”

Jensen listens to you yelling at the cops. He can imagine your hands on your hips, a dark look on your face and your lips, oh your lips contorted in anger.

“Phew, she will kill those guys if she won’t get information.” Jared snickers.

Clif shrugs not hiding the grin on his face. “Y/N can get the information in no time from someone else but, she tried to play nice and exchange information with the local police.”

“They won’t give her shit,” Jensen grumbles while your voice gets louder. He presses his ear to the door when the cop’s mumble something and you finally snap.

“Keep your information. I’ll call someone above your pay grade to get the needed information to save my client’s life. Thanks for nothing.” The door gets ripped open and Jensen bumps into your chest, nose-first.

“Care to explain?” Smirk on your lip you look at Jensen who tries to part his face from your breasts. “I know they look inviting, but this doesn’t mean you can just throw yourself at me.”

“Sorry, I was just trying to hear what’s going on.” When he finally manages to get up Jensen sheepishly looks at you. “I didn’t try to…I mean.”

“I get it, Jensen.” Looking at Clif you give him an eye-roll. “Waste of time but at least this way they can’t blame me for not sharing information. We will have all we need back at Jensen’s house. A friend of a friend owes me one.”

Jensen still doesn’t know how to react around you. Again, you have to take the lead and grasp for his hand. “Arm around my waist, no talking to any reporter. We will use the front entrance.”

“Isn’t the back entrance better?” Jared rubs his arm nervously, not wanting you to press him against the wall again.

“Let’s say someone leaked that Mr. Ackles and Padalecki will leave the police station using the back entrance.

The front entrance will be crowded too but at least most of the reporter will be at the backside of the building.” Clif snickers, watching Jensen glance at you, impressed.

“Good. I’ll use the back entrance, act as if I am waiting for you and we’ll meet at Jensen’s place. Do you need help with your equipment?” You smile but shake your head. All your belongings are already in the trunk of your bulletproof car.

“I got everything I need. Let me bring sweetheart home and we can talk about the shit going on here. I got no clue why the guy should kill the poor girl.”

Leading Jensen away from the office you try to wrap your mind around the case.

“Maybe she was part of his plan. A confused young girl with mental health problems. If he was gaslighting her – maybe…fuck…”

“Something wrong, Terminator?” Jensen grins, looking at you while his hand squeezes your waist. “You know, everyone will believe we have an affair.”

“No, they will believe we are deeply in love if you can put on a great show. Whoever is after you wants one of two things.” Humming Jensen glances at your lips while trying to follow your explanations. “He wants you, or he wants you dead.”

“Honestly, both options don’t sound appealing. I mean, not that I would have anything against a nice guy flirting with me, but that guy is ten times flying above the cuckoo’s nest crazy.”

Now you chuckle and Jensen gives you a cocky smirk. “Knew I can make you laugh.”

“Stop acting, sweetheart. I know you are scared to hell and back. Just relax and trust me. I will not let anyone hurt you, Jensen. All you need to do is following my order.”

Not convinced by glad you agreed to protect him Jensen nods silently. “This situation is hard; I know but we need to outsmart whoever is after you.”

“Okay…”

“Good, now back to the Batcave, sweetheart.” Smirking you lead Jensen out of the police station.

Your skilled eyes search the area for any threat. You know, sometimes five seconds decide if your client lives or dies. “Just relax, Jensen. I am with you…”

“Good. Cameras are on; the alarm system too. Not too bad, Jensen. I will have a friend come around tomorrow to check on the windows downstairs and the security. He’s an expert in breaking and entering.” Eyebrows furrowed Jensen watches you built up your equipment.

“A lot of monitors and…” When Jensen tries to touch your equipment, you slap his hand away. “Ouch, what’s that over there?” Pointing toward a strange device he gapes at you.

“Movement detector, newest generation. While you were sleeping like a princess, I checked on your house and prepared everything.

Any movement outside the house, I’ll get alerted. Any movement inside the house, I’ll get alerted so…” Patting Jensen’s chest you smirk. “No late-night dates or girls sneaking into your house.”

“You’re a freaking…I got no clue who you are. I mean, you look like a cute girl, but then you push Jared against the wall as if he weighs nothing. You could take anyone down and…” Humming you activate the last monitor. “Who are you?”

“Sweetheart, if I ever tell you who I am, you are as good as dead. Let’s say a friend of a friend offered me a job during my time at a university which’s name I will not drop.

It was a good offer, an interesting one but sometimes – the things sounding too good to be true are nightmares.” Your voice is steady, your face stoic but your eyes betray you this time.

“CIA? NSA? Someone we do not know about?” Jensen tries but all he gets is a gentle pat to his cheek. “I get it, top secret. The thing with the girl and the knife, Yakuza…”

“I can only tell you that I had missions and I always accomplished them. I was their good soldier, the one they sent when everyone else gave up. Like with the little girl I told you about. I was loyal…until…I wasn’t…” Now your voice cracks and you turn your attention back toward the monitors.

“Someone fucked you over…huh?” Jensen looks over your shoulder, laughing as Clif and Jared walk toward the house. “Dudes look awful on those monitors.”

“Not someone fucked me over. I fucked them over after getting a mission I did not want to accomplish. They didn’t give me a chance…you know.

When you are in, you are in. Or you are out and no one gets out alive…” Walking toward the front door you turn around to watch Jensen frown.

“I don’t know you, but I guess they wanted you to do something immoral.”

“All I did for them was kinda immoral, Jensen, but that’s part of the job. They do not send you to save a girl. They send you to save the girl to blackmail her powerful father to cooperate.

Not that this ever happened, of course…” A blink later you fall silent, remembering Jensen is only a client, not a friend. “This was all hypothetically…”

“Sure…pure fiction…”

“The friend of my friend sent me the file. Let’s see…shit…” Your eyes narrow and you feel the pit in your stomach grow.

“This is too perfect. I mean…fuck me…” Tossing the folder onto the table you get up to shove Jensen's shirt upward.

“Whoa, buy me a coffee first. What are you...?” When you rip the band-aid off his wound your frown deepens. “Something wrong? Terminator?”

“I guess someone tries to fuck me over once again. The wound, it’s like I would’ve attacked you to make sure everyone believes I wanted to kill you, without killing you.”

Jensen watches you carefully check on the wound while his heart beats a mile in a minute.

“You mean, a Terminator tried to kill me?” Chuckling Jensen tries to lighten your mood, but you don’t have nerves to laugh now. “Y/N?”

“The girl, whoever killed her was an expert. The cuts were precise like a surgeon slit her throat open. She must’ve been dead in the blink of an eye without pain.

This wasn’t a crazy fan’s doing, that guy is skilled…” Putting a new band-aid onto Jensen’s wound you try to wrap your mind around the new information.

“He had to get rid of her, Jensen. This was an execution hidden behind a murder. I don’t know what’s going on, but I suggest you stay close to me and do not meet up with anyone.”

Looking at Jensen you take a deep breath. “Tell me who you fucked over for them to send a killer sending you more than one message…”

More tags in reblog. Maybe this way they work...or not.

Dean/Jensen Forever Tags

@spnfamily-j2

@supernatural-bellawinchester

@negans-lucille-tblr

@deans-baby-momma

@thefaithfulwriter

@squirrelnotsam

@roonyxx

@neerness

@deansgirl-1968

@spn-dean-and-sam-winchester

@butifulsoul125

@lyinginthegingerlocks

@neen-illustrates

@janicho88

@woodworthti666

@thevelvetseries

@dreaminemz

@akshi8278

@midnightsilver16830

@mrspeacem1nusone

@ria132love

@caligraphee

@the-witch-in-silence

@justanotherwinchester

@multisuperfandom

@jason-todd-squad

@jadesupernatural

@psychicforest

@luciathewinchestergirl

@magssteenkamp

@palefiregiver

@tranquility-or-chaos

@jxackles

@michellemxndes

@addictedtofictionalcharacters

@gabifernandessn

@waywardrose13

@team-free-will-you-idjiot

@myopiamystical

@rintheemolion

@isthatabutterfly

@bluecornflowers

@rosalynshields

A/N: If your name is crossed out Tumblr won’t let me tag you.

----------------

Ms. Bodyguard Tags

@healojane, @bitchwhytho, @marvelouslysherlockedhunter, @mimzy1994, @couldabeenamermaid, @abbessolute, @vicmc624, @fantasydevil2002

#Ms. Bodyguard Masterlist #Jensen Ackles #jensen ackles fanfiction #jensen x reader #jensen ackles x reader #jensen ackles x bodyguard!reader #jensen x bodyguard!reader #bodyguard reader #jensen ackles x you #rpf #Supernatural fanfic #Supernatural RPF #angst #mentions of murder #blood

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in-a-pynch · 3 years

Text

Talk to Me

A Pynch Fic

Words: 2919

TW: Abuse (typical Robert Parrish bullshit), Food issues due to anxiety

Ronan paused in the entry way to the dorms at Harvard, struck by what some might call anxiety. Except it’s not. Because Ronan doesn’t get anxious.

What if he doesn’t want me here? What if everything is fine and I’m overreacting?

Ronan clamped down on that idea fast. He knew Adam. And because he knew Adam, he also knew that things have been off, and Adam was trying to pretend that they weren’t. At first, Ronan was going to wait for Adam to come to him, like the adults they were. Ronan didn’t like the idea of him having to beg Adam for information any time something was wrong. But that was before Adam’s roommate, Eliot, texted Ronan. Ronan swiped at his screen to look at the message again.

Yesterday 5:30 PM

Crybaby 1

Hey, I hate to do this but I’ve got to ask, is anything up with you and Adam? He’s been acting strange and distant for like 3 weeks now and every time we mention it he says he’s “fine.” The man is running exclusively on 5 hour energy drinks and granola bars twice a day. We’re getting worried but he won’t talk to us.

That text was what put Ronan over the edge.

He’d hoped that if Adam wasn’t talking to him, he would at least be getting support from his other friends. He hadn’t seen it until late, but he had immediately sent a response.

Yesterday 10:03 PM

No idea. Be up tomorrow.

Ronan paused, then:

Don’t tell Adam.

So now Ronan was in Cambridge. Standing outside his boyfriend’s building like some sort of coward. He knew Adam missed him. At least, he sure missed Adam. Still, the fear that Adam wouldn’t tell him what has been bothering him or, worse, Ronan is what has been bothering Adam, kept him glued to the sidewalk.

Deep breaths. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Ronan decided to take the stairs. For exercise, obviously. Not because he was nervous. Despite his racing thoughts, Ronan had to admit he was excited to see his boyfriend. Adam hadn’t made it back for spring break this year, and it had been far too long since Ronan had a chance to see his Magician. Stopping in front of Adam’s door, Ronan shrugged his backpack more squarely onto his shoulders, gave his trademarked slouch, rolled his eyes at his own ridiculousness, and then knocked.

The door opened. Adam stared. Ronan blinked. It was Adam that broke the silence.

“Ro? What are you doing here?”

For a second, Ronan had to gather himself, not really believing his eyes.

What the fuck Parrish?

Ronan wrapped his arms around Adam and pressed his cheek to the top of Adam’s head. Rather than give a real reply, a reply which Adam certainly would not have liked, he shrugged into the embrace and simply said,

“I missed you.”

Ronan doesn’t lie, but he also loves his boyfriend enough not to tell the whole truth. Yet. Instead, Ronan squeezed tighter.

Fuck he’s lost weight… Eliot wasn’t kidding about the granola bars.

Adam pulled away enough to look at Ronan’s face, likely trying to read his expression to see if there was more. Whatever he decided, he didn’t elaborate, replying with a tentative smile and a kiss.

“Yeah, well I missed you too, you sap.”

Ronan scowled without any real malice. “Shut up Parrish.”

Adam pulled away fully, but linked their fingers together, using them to tug Ronan into the dorm. Ronan shut the door and followed Adam into the tiny, but still cozy, bedroom. Ronan tossed his backpack on the floor and turned around to Adam pushing himself up onto the slightly elevated twin bed. Ronan stopped and took Adam in for just a moment.

As sexy as his boyfriend was, it was not a good moment.

Despite the smirk on Adam’s face as he watched Ronan get situated, his face showed the marks of what could only be pure exhaustion. Dark circles lined his kind eyes, and his bottom lip was chapped from where Adam nervously chewed on it. Just like he was doing right now, as Ronan so obviously analyzed his appearance. Fuck. Ronan forced himself to smile, he didn’t want to ruin the reunion.

We’ll talk about this tomorrow, Parrish.

“You know, Opal’s going to kill me for coming to see you without her,” Ronan admitted.

Adam laughed.

Damn if I didn’t miss that laugh more than anything.

“Oh yeah?” He replied, “Chainsaw isn’t enough to keep her occupied for the weekend? What ever will she do without you there to brood at her?”

“No you idiot,” Ronan vaulted himself onto the bed, planting himself firmly on the pillows. “The problem isn’t that I’m not there. The problem is that she isn’t here with your smiling face…” Ronan faltered for a second, realizing that if Eliot was being honest, this is probably the first time Adam has smiled in a while. Ronan pulled his leg onto the bed to untie his combat boots. Pulling one off and chucking it at the wall, before repeating the process with the other to procrastinate starting another conversation other than, ‘What is your deal?’. Adam must have sensed his hesitation, quickly saying,

“So, have you completed any of those projects you had set out to do on the farm the last time I was home?”

Ronan glowed at Adam’s description of the Barns as home and, just like that, Ronan and Adam talked as though nothing was wrong. Chattering about the new floors Ronan was putting in one of the stables and the new cow Opal had taken a liking to. Time slipped away as the two boys filled each other in on things too trivial to be worth mentioning in their phone calls. Not that Ronan didn’t notice Adam deflecting questions about himself or how his classes were going or what he had been up to with his friends lately. Ronan absolutely did, and each denial and topic change had his hackles raising because why won’t he just tell me what’s wrong?

Ronan was uncomfortably reminded of the early days of his and Adam’s friendship. When it had been clear that they had more in common than Gansey’s unyielding loyalty, but still didn’t quite trust each other with the things that mattered. The days when Adam would show up with a black eye and reply “Oh this? My hand slipped at the shop and I dropped a tool on my own face while under a car, dumb right?” Or the weeks after that god-awful dream when Ronan didn’t sleep because “fuck off Parrish, if I needed another Gansey I’d let you know.”

Ronan went to pick up pizza so as not to absolutely lose it.

And it worked. Mostly. Well, it worked until Adam sat there on the bed claiming he was full after having only picked at one small piece of pizza. Ronan ignored him, shoving another slice of veggie into Adam’s hand.

“You need to eat. Chainsaw eats more than you.”

Adam sighed, putting the pizza back into the box, not doing anything to help Ronan’s already stellar mood.

“I eat.”

“Fuck off with that bullshit, Parrish. When was the last time you ate a full meal?”

“Ronan,” Adam rolled his eyes playfully, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “You’re overreacting—“

“Am I Adam? You see, I don’t think I am, because it appears this isn’t the only thing you’ve not been upfront with me on recently.”

Adam’s eyes went cold.

“Cool, I was wondering when we were going to get to the actual reason you’re here right now.”

“Can I not just want to see my boyfriend after two fucking months apart?”

“Don’t lie to me, Ronan. You’re bad at it.”

“That’s fucking rich coming from you.” Ronan combated dryly, trying to restrain his frustration.

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

Ronan laughed without humor. “It means that for some fucking reason my boyfriend has been falling apart at the seams for weeks and didn’t tell me shit until it got so bad that his roommate texted me to see if he was okay! It means that you don’t look like you’ve been sleeping enough and you definitely haven’t been eating enough but you still start every phone call with ‘I’m doing fine how ‘bout you, Ro?’ It means that for some reason I’m being shut out, and you won’t tell me what I did wrong!”

After airing his frustrations, Ronan deflated. He rubbed his hands over his face, then through his hair to rest on his neck, curling in on himself. He sighed, resigning himself to whatever answer his boyfriend had to give.

“What did I do wrong, Adam?” His voice cracked.

Ronan looked up at Adam, who looked smaller than Ronan had seen him in a long time. As soon as the question had sunk in, Adam was immediately shaking his head, reaching to hold Ronan’s face between his warm dry palms.

“No, no.. Fuck, Ro, this isn’t your fault at all.”

Ronan put his hands on top of Adam’s, whose thumbs were rubbing small circles on Ronan’s cheeks.

“Then what is going on Adam? If it isn’t me that’s the problem, then why won’t you open up to me? I haven’t felt this distant from you since before you left that fucking trailer—“

Adam froze, a look in his eyes that Ronan hadn’t seen in a while: fear and… is that guilt? Ronan grabbed Adam’s hands tighter as the realization seeped in.

Robert Fucking Parrish.

“When?” Ronan said with steel in his voice, lowering their hands from his face but still gripping them tightly.

Adam avoided his eyes and gritted his teeth. “When what?”

“When did he fucking contact you Adam?”

“Ro you don’t get it. This is my fault.”

“In what universe has anything he’s ever done to you been your fault..”

“I told them they could—“

“Could what?!”

“Could contact me and—“

“And why the fuck did you tell him that?!”

“For god’s sake Ronan would you let me finish?” Adam said harshly.

Ronan closed his mouth, took a deep breath, and then opened it to use a word he’d been practicing.

“Sorry. Go ahead.”

Adam’s face softened, and then returned to the guilty look from earlier.

“When I graduated..” Adam swallowed. “When I graduated I went back to see my mom. I did it while my dad was at work. I had some crazy idea in my head that now that I had graduated and made it into an Ivy League that she would maybe listen to me for the first time in my life…” Adam trailed off, lost in his thoughts.

Ronan squeezed his hands and Adam’s eyes focused again.

“I had gotten it in my head,” he continued, “that my mom wanted to leave just as bad as I did. That she too was tired of my da— Robert’s behavior and would want to leave if she had another option. I asked her to move to Cambridge with me.”

Ronan inhaled sharply. Why didn’t he tell me?

“I figured that we could get an apartment and drop off of Robert Parrish’s map. It wouldn’t have been easy, but god if I didn’t want to do for her what you did for me.” Adam’s eyes went glassy and he squeezed Ronan’s hands tighter. “She said no, of course. Told me that she loves him and everything that happened was my fault, but it was obvious she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince me.” Adam took a big inhale and then exhaled. “I said okay. I know as well as anyone that you can’t leave a situation like that until you’re ready, and even then sometimes it just doesn’t work out like that.” A tear leaked down his cheek, which he wiped clumsily on his shoulder as to not let go of Ronan’s hands.

“I gave her my phone number, just in case she changed her mind. I wanted to let her know that there’s a way out, even if she chooses not to take it.” Adam stopped, trying to calm himself, but Ronan could tell that wasn’t the end of the story.

“She called for the first time about a month ago and told me she was done, that she wanted to leave. I was so relieved. I told her to pack a bag and let me know a time and place, that I would drive down to pick her up. That we would figure something out. I immediately got online and started looking for apartments… I even applied for another job so that I could pay for it. But then I didn’t hear from her for a whole day, and I was getting worried. I didn’t want to call her in case he picked up because then she wouldn’t be safe, so I waited. A day and a half after she called the first time she called again and said she had made a mistake. That I needed to stop planting ideas in her head and that their marital problems were all my fault anyway. I could tell she didn’t mean it, that she was scared, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.” The tears were flowing freely down Adam’s face at this point, but he seemed not able to bring himself to care.

“To make things even better, somehow Robert got ahold of my number,”

Ronan felt his shoulders tense.

“And, now, he calls me three or four times a week to remind me of how I ruined him and my mother, how his drunkenness is a result of how difficult I have made their lives, and how my entitlement was really the root of his inability to hold a job. Somehow.” Adam managed a watery chuckle in spite of himself, and then sobered. “I can’t block him because mom might change her mind. I can’t possibly imagine where I would be if you and Gansey gave up on me every time it caused you a bit of trouble.”

Ronan’s heart ached in his chest, knowing Adam was never any trouble to either him or Gansey, but also knowing Adam was not in a place to hear this. Instead, he pulled Adam into his arms, as if cradling him to the source of the hurt would soothe the pain. In some ways it worked. Ronan took a minute to gather his thoughts (also something he had been practicing) before he spoke.

“You have the kindest heart of anyone I know and the patience of a saint, Adam Parrish. You shouldn’t be punished for that kindness.”

Adam shook his head and the tears ran faster down his face as Adam turned around and swung his leg over Ronan’s. Now straddling him, Adam leaned his head on Ronan’s chest, hearing his voice vibrate through his good ear.

“I know you think that there is no other way to deal with this other than continually putting yourself through the very abuse you worked so hard to escape from. I want you to remember that, as much as your mom is a victim, she also had a duty as your mom to protect you and care for you.” Ronan kissed the top of Adam’s head. “She hasn’t held up her end of the bargain for the last 20 years. It’s a lot to ask of yourself to play the part she should have been playing all along when it means you have to face the very same verbal abuse she was complicit in.”

Adam nodded, but Ronan could tell that, while Adam knew logically that his mom’s situation is not his burden to bear, he couldn’t yet make his emotions reflect that reality. Suddenly, Adam sat up, face to face with Ronan.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Ronan,” he said softly. “I was embarrassed I got myself into this, and I knew you wouldn’t have approved of me talking to my mom again. I didn’t want to burden you with a problem that you would have been able to avoid.”

Ronan scoffed gently. “Idiot. I wouldn’t have known if I could avoid that problem or not because I’m not you. As much as I care about your experiences and try to empathize, it would be very unfair of me to make assumption based on my own life. I need you to talk to me. It sucks feeling distant and hopeless.”

Adam sniffed though the slowing tears, but smiled slightly. “Yeah, okay, Ro.”

“And we can handle this however you want. I am here for you regardless.” Ronan pulled his sleeves over his hands and used them to gently wipe off Adam’s face. “I just need you to work towards being okay again. Eating, sleeping… you know the basic bullshit we have to do as humans.” Ronan said with a half-smile.

Adam just looked at Ronan for a minute, giving him time to think, damn I’m lucky, before being pulled into a gentle kiss.

“Now,” Ronan said with a yawn and a smile, “it’s time to catch up on some of that sleep you desperately need.” He ran his thumbs feather-light over Adam’s dark circles before tipping the two of them over in bed.

Ronan tangled their legs as he pulled the covers over them both.

Fuck, I missed this.

“Tamquam,” Adam whispered into Ronan’s neck.

“Alter idem.”

Ronan closed his eyes as Adam snored softly.

This was my first fic so I’d love to know your thoughts!

AO3 @ in_a_pynch

#pynch #ronan x adam #ronan lynch #adam parrish #pynch fanfiction #hurt/comfort #abuse #food issues

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blancheludis · 3 years

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@whumptober2021 Day 1: Bound / Gagges / “You have to let go.”

Fandom: Batman, DC Characters: Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne Tags: Dick Grayson Whump, Kidnapped, Emotionally Repressed Bruce, Trauma Words: 2.874

Summary: Dick remembers vividly how all he wanted to do as a child was to fly. He is all grown-up now, though - becoming an orphan does that – and he wants nothing more than solid ground beneath his feet and the memory of snapping bones scratched out of his mind.

But when Bruce tells him to let go and jump, he tries. Right until he is shot out of the air.

---

The first rule of working with the trapeze is to never let go unless he is completely sure he will land again safely. Dick’s parents told him that long before he was ever allowed to even begin training with them, before he made his first longing steps on the high wire, already imagining himself soaring through the air with them.

So, when Bruce tells him, “You have to let go,” the first time he is dangling mid-air over a rooftop because nobody told him that working with the grappling hook would throw him right back to his first trapeze trainings with his parents, it is all he can do not to curl up into a ball and hope someone will catch him.

“What’s wrong?” Bruce asks, somewhere below him, gentle in his own way, even if he has nothing on Dick’s father.

Dick remembers vividly how all he wanted to do as a child was to fly. He is all grown-up now, though - becoming an orphan does that – and he wants nothing more than solid ground beneath his feet and the memory of snapping bones scratched out of his mind.

“Is it safe?” Dick asks, his voice too high and too thin. If he had ever sounded like this at home, his mother would have pulled him to their trailer and hugged him close, feeding him cookies and hot cocoa.

“Yes.” Bruce’s tone is gruff, not impatient but like he is wondering why Dick cannot see the obvious. No explanation, no reassurance, no gentle guiding through the motions.

Dick never wanted too many instructions as a child, too eager, too fearless. His parents had to teach him patience. And life taught him fear.

What if I fall? Dick does not ask. He has always known what falling meant, even before it claimed his parents. He just never thought it would ever be an issue for him. The Flying Graysons – it is in the name. Flying, not –

“Robin,” Bruce says with a sigh.

His mother’s nickname for him jars Dick enough that he lets go abruptly, curling up to cushion his fall. This name has no place here, even though Dick proposed it himself as his alias. He is not brave anymore.

“Good.” Bruce is already turning, ready to return to patrol, but he briefly lays a hand on Dick’s shoulder.

Something in Dick’s mind screams. Never let go unless you’re sure. Never jump blindly. Never rely on somebody catching you. But the rules have changed.

When Dick gets to his feet, Bruce has already moved on.

---

The bat signal lights up and Dick knows this night will be an unpleasant one. Their slow patrol has just now changed into a chase. Bruce never said something out loud, but after Dick’s almost panic attack the first time he was using the grapple, they have been taking longer routes, travelling from rooftop to rooftop instead of rushing at neck-breaking speed through the night.

Dick is not sure whether to be grateful for that. In small doses, fear is a useful tool, life-saving even. But his entire life has changed and safe does not really have any room in it anymore.

“Keep up,” Bruce calls and then he is off, vanishing into the night without any more directions. Well, it is clear where they are going, Dick just has to follow.

Perhaps he is a coward, but he keeps going slowly, at first, walking when he could fly, but he has trusted his parents for longer than he has trusted Bruce, if he does at all. Gotham does not have any safety nets, no helping hands. Worse, he is the helping hand and Bruce trusts him to keep up.

The first two times he uses the grappling hook, everything goes well. He knows the motions, has the needed strength and agility. It is just his head that is the problem. But he manages it. Grapple, jump, fall, land. Grapple, jump, fall, land. Grapple, jump, fall –

Something hits him in mid-air, hard enough to loosen his grip. Years of practice make him cling to the line, knowing his life might depend on it. Breathing heavily, Dick chances a glance around, suspended in the air. The city is dark and nothing is moving. Bruce is long gone by now and –

Another hit, this one needle-sharp in his upper arm. Burning spreads across his skin, jolting him from his stupor. He still does not see where it is coming from but Bruce’s voice sounds sharp and clear in his head. You have to let go. Because right now, he is nothing but a target. Bright green and yellow, a beacon in the darkness.

Sweat covers Dick’s forehead as he stares into the dark, trying to see where he will land. Only his vision swims, going blurry from more than just adrenaline. And his skin is burning even hotter now and – he feels his hands slipping and then he is falling.

---

When Dick comes to, he remembers the fall but not how he landed. Just that terrifying, exhilarating moment of weightlessness before the crash. His entire body hurts, so he guesses he is not dead.

There is something wrong, though, he notices as his sluggish mind tries to make sense of what happened. He is sitting upright, too upright for having only woken up, and his eyelids are heavy. He has to put serious effort into lifting them. And then he wishes he had not.

He is not out on the rooftops anymore but in what looks like an abandoned workshop. Metal floor and metal tables, a lone lamp giving light somewhere behind him. He is sitting on a chair, pressed against the hard surface.

“My, my, look at what the cat dragged in. A little birdie,” a voice calls out as footsteps come close.

Dick barely notices that. All he can do is stare at his hands, bound to the metal chair with barbed wire. And there, around his chest, another piece bound several times around him. The pain does not even register over the pounding behind his eyelids. It is the blood that gets him. A dozen tiny trails of crimson run down his skin, reminding him so eerily of his parents bleeding out.

What happened? He was trying to follow after Bruce when he was hit by something. And now he is bound – with barbed wire – in a strange place with someone who does not sound like he is here to help-

Focus, his father’s voice sounds, if you let your mind wander, you’ll get hurt.

Dick has already broken one of his parents’ rules today and see where it got him. So, he takes a deep breath and tears his eyes away from his hands, trying his best to stay utterly still.

A man steps into his sight. Average height and build, small eyes that light up when he notices Dick looking at him. If he strains his ears, there are a few more voices talking quietly in his back, and Dick does not know what to make of that. It only makes his situation worse, but at least he was not taken out by a single opponent.

Considering the position he is in and how little care they have taken with his body, like they do not care if he ends up broken, it might not matter. Bruce will not bother to lecture him, if he is dead.

Dead. Dick might die today. All his life he has done things defying death. Soaring through the air with only ropes and his parents’ hands to save him. But it never felt like he was in any danger. His mother taught him to respect the height, and his father trained him to trust himself. He always knew the danger before he gave himself over to it.

This is different. This man does not care for Dick’s life. If the way he shot him out of the air and bound his battered body to a chair is not enough of a hint, the manic condescension in his face as he looks at Dick definitely is.

“Let’s see how long it’ll take for Batman to come for you,” the man says, his tone almost conspiratorial like he is just a concerned citizen trying to help Dick find his way home.

Dick knows Batman will not come, because Dick was supposed to keep up but could not. The rules here are very simple if not as clearly communicated as they were at home. But Dick was always a quick learner, even if it takes him some time to forget old lessons.

He only realizes he must have spoken some of that out loud, when the guy in front of him grins, full of crooked teeth and malice. “Then we’ll have to make you scream for him.”

The first punch hits Dick square in the jaw and the unexpectedness of it is probably worse than the pain. At least until Dick instinctively wants to shy away, trying to raise his hands in defence. The barbed wire bites into his already raw skin like a thousand tiny teeth hungry for blood. It starts as something sharp and then it burns, worse than anything Dick has experienced before. An entirely too rational voice in the back of his head that sounds suspiciously like Bruce tells him to relax, that it will only get worse if he fights against the wire. But he does not know how. He just wants to get away, but it follows his movements, digging deeper until it feels like it is clawing right through his core.

“I wouldn’t struggle so much if I were you,” the man says, caressing Dick’s face as if he had not just hit him. “You want to keep those pretty hands, right?”

Blind panic floods through Dick. Surely the barbed wire is not enough to cut through muscle and bone. Right? He is nothing without his hands. He cannot be Robin anymore and Bruce will not have any more use for him. He will have to leave, live out on the streets because what does anybody want with a circus brat without hands?

Despite his best intentions, Dick tries to free himself, fights against the bindings even though that only makes the pain worse. His breath comes in gasping bouts, barely enough to fill his lungs with air, but he cannot calm down. He is burning up from the inside.

He jumped before he was ready to and now he will die just like his parents, cut loose and with nowhere to land. This is not how this was supposed to happen. Bruce wanted to give him a second chance but Dick could not even do that.

Distantly, he hears the guy laughing, a full-bellied sound that belongs anywhere but here. “Scream, little birdie,” he taunts. “Scream or I’ll make you.”

Dick tries not to. It is not a matter of pride but merely that he is fighting to hold still despite the futility of it.

“Oh, well,” the man says, stepping closer. “This way will be more fun.”

The next punch hits Dick right in the stomach and he doubles over – or tries to if not for the barbed wire around his chest. And then he screams.

---

It is over as quickly as it began. Bruce arrives without noise or warning. One moment, punches rain down on Dick, a sickening drum-beat of pain, the next there is only cold air and burning skin.

Later, Dick will be ashamed by how easily Bruce dispatched of the men who took him while all Dick did was panic. Later, he will think he is not ready to fly again and yet he will jump with less caution. Because falling is surely better than being left behind.

He can barely concentrate as Bruce frees him from the barbed wire, peeling off the metal teeth with an unreadable look on his face. Dick can imagine what is happening beneath the mask. Disappointment. Anger at having to double back to get Dick out. Doubt he did the right thing when taking Dick in.

For all that Dick does not have much experience with disappointing other people, he is catching up on it very quickly. Perhaps his parents were simply wrong about him.

“Let’s go home,” Bruce says, not letting go of Dick after he helped him up to his feet. He looks like he is contemplating carrying him.

“What about the signal?” Dick asks, making sure he is steady on his feet before he pushes Bruce’s hands away. His mind is in disarray, but pain is still filling every corner of it. It leaves him strangely calm. The panic is sitting right beneath the surface but it cannot reach him and Tim really wants to keep it that way. Even without another full-blown panic attack is he afraid this might be the last time Bruce wants to take him home.

“Gordon will take care of it.” Despite the dismissive sound, Bruce is clearly frustrated.

The bat signal is explicitly for the cases where Batman is needed. If Gordon wanted to handle it on his own, the signal would not have been lit.

Guilt rises in the pit of Dick’s stomach, almost more powerful than the thousand tiny wounds marring his skin. “I can get back on my own,” he says, even though the world is threatening to tilt to the side, still blurry at the edges.

That must be the drugs. But they will wear off, and he can really take his time now. It will be fine, certainly.

Bruce does not look like it will be fine. He puts an arm on Dick’s shoulder as he turns. “Come.”

Dick wants to protest, wants to do at least one thing right, but he almost falls as soon as he takes the first step and only Bruce’s hand keeps him upright. The back of his eyes burns but he blinks furiously, desperate not to make this night any worse. He keeps his gaze down so Bruce will not see and concentrates on walking.

“You make a target of yourself if you stay too long in the air,” Bruce says while they are walking slowly, one step after the other. He does not make it sound like a reprimand but what else could it be? “You have to let go.”

“What if I don’t know where I’ll land?” Dick asks quietly. He does not want to bring his parents into this, because they are dead and will not be able to catch him.

“We’ll practice until you do.”

That sounds as if Dick will not be thrown out as soon as they get back, as if he will get a third chance. It does not reassure him as much as it probably should. His entire body is throbbing with pain and someone just used him as a punching bag for no other reason than to attract Batman’s attention. All his life, he was taught safety is the most important thing. If this is what the alternative looks like, he is not sure he wants to unlearn that.

But he nods anyway, because all he wants right now is something for the pain and Alfred’s hot chocolate and a warm bed. He wants to forget this night ever happened.

“Are you all right?” Bruce asks later, once Dick is bandaged up and out of uniform.

Dick bites the inside of his cheek. No is not the right answer here. He is not a child anymore, not a son. He is Robin, whose task is to assist Batman.

Living here with Bruce and Alfred in a mansion where all his needs are taken care of – that is his safety net. This is perhaps not the kind of safe his parents wanted for him, but it is the only thing he has left.

Not trusting his voice to hold steady, Dick nods. He keeps his head up while Bruce studies him, searching for any doubts.

Finally, Bruce says with that barely-there smile of his, “Next time, keep up.”

And Dick does.

---

Much later, when falling has become second nature and Bruce has found himself another child to teach self-destructive skills to, Dick composes a list.

If you need something, tell him, because Bruce won’t ask. If you’re feeling unwell, get Alfred involved, he’ll know what to do. If you’re hurting, stop. Never jump unless you know where you’re landing.

There are a few points at the very bottom of the list that he crossed out again. He has learned by now not to make promises he cannot keep. He won’t throw you out, even if you’re not perfect. Your home in the manor is not dependant on being Robin.

The first time Dick meets Jason, he knows he will never hand that list over. This is a boy with a chip on his shoulder if he ever met one, eager to prove himself, with already too many scars.

“Call me, if you need anything,” Dick still says when it is time to go, tone as insistent as he dares with Bruce hovering in the background. “Anytime.”

They all need to learn to jump, but Dick still thinks they still should have someone to catch them.

#whumptober2021 #no.1 #barbed wire #dc #fanfiction #whump #dick grayson #bruce wayne #my writing

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