There's so much to unpack here. Mikey and gerard with the matching crisscross applesauce hands in lap pose. Gerard staring at the camera like he's looking at god or perhaps joan of arc. The pure "coolest kid on the fifth grade playground" energy frank is exuding. Ray's...jeans. yeah. Looking at his jeans. They're nice jeans. He should wear them again. Im saying this in a normal way. That's it.

Reminder: Vote based on the song, not the artist or specific recording! The tracks referenced are the original artist, aside from a few rare cases where a cover is the most widely known.

Lyrics, videos, info, and notable covers under the cut. (Spotify playlist available in pinned post)

Summertime

Written By: Mikey Way, Ray Toro, Gerard Way & Frank Iero

Artist: My Chemical Romance

Released: 2010

“Summertime” is a ‘new wave’ song, allegedly believed to be written about frontman Gerard Way’s wife, Lyn-z Way. In an interview, Gerard said that it started as a riff Mikey had written, before evolving into a song they ‘couldn’t have the record without.’ “[“Summertime”] is one of the lyrically personal songs on the album, whereas the rest of it is just me talking about my worldview. So it’s a really beautiful song and again—no rules. We can have a soft song.”

[Verse 1] When the lights go out Will you take me with you And carry all this broken bone Through six years down In crowded rooms and highways I call home? Is something I can't know till now Till you picked me off the ground With brick in hand, your lip-gloss smile Your scraped-up knees and [Chorus] If you stay, I would even wait all night Or until my heart explodes, how long until we Find our way in the dark and out of harm? You can run away with me anytime you want [Verse 2] Terrified of what I'd be As a kid, from what I've seen Every single day when people try And put the pieces back together Just to smash them down Turn my headphones up real loud I don't think I need them now 'Cause you stop the noise and [Chorus] If you stay, I would even wait all night Or until my heart explodes, how long until we Find our way in the dark and out of harm? You can run away with me anytime you want [Post-Chorus] Well, anytime you want Well, anytime you want [Guitar Solo] [Bridge] Don't walk away, don't walk away Don't walk away, don't walk away! [Chorus] 'Cause if you stay, I would even wait all night Or until my heart explodes, how long until we Find our way in the dark and out of harm? You can run away with me [Post-Chorus] Or you can write it on your arm You can run away with me Anytime you want

Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy

Written By: Freddie Mercury

Artist: Queen

Released: 1976

The song was the eighth track on their album “A Day At The Races” which was released in 1976. The song also appeared on “Queens First EP” released in 1977. The song is about how Freddie is an old-fashioned lover, taking his partners on old-school dates such as dancing or dinner, also hinting at the fact that he is a good lover.

[Verse 1] I can dim the lights and sing you songs Full of sad things We can do the tango, just for two I can serenade and gently play On your heart strings Be a Valentino, just for you [Chorus] "Ooh love, ooh lover boy What're you doing tonight? Hey boy" Set my alarm, turn on my charm That's because I'm a good old-fashioned lover boy [Verse 2] Ooh, let me feel Your heartbeat (Grow faster, faster) Ooh, can you feel my love heat? (Ohh) Come on and sit on my hot seat of love And tell me how do you feel, right after all I'd like for you and I to go romancing Say the word, your wish is my command [Chorus] “Ooh love, ooh lover boy What're you doing tonight? Hey boy” Write my letter, feel much better I'll use my fancy patter on the telephone [Bridge] When I'm not with you, think of you always I miss you (I miss those long hot summer nights) When I'm not with you, think of me always Love you, love you Hey boy where do you get it from? Hey boy where did you go? I learned my passion in the good old-fashioned School of lover boys [Guitar Solo] [Verse 3] Dining at the Ritz, we'll meet at nine (One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine o'clock) precisely I will pay the bill, you taste the wine Driving back in style in my saloon will do quite nicely Just take me back to yours, that will be fine (Come on and get it) [Chorus] Ooh love (There he goes again) Ooh lover boy (Who's my good Old-fashioned lover boy?) (Ooh ooh) What're you doing tonight? Hey boy! Everything's all right, just hold on tight That's because I'm a good old Fashioned (Fashioned) lover boy

Here In This House of Wolves

MCR x Gender Neutral!Reader Choose-Your-Own-Ending Halloween Extravaganza!! Word Count: 1042

A/N: Happy Halloween, Ieroween, and Mcrween! Hope you guys have an amazing day and enjoy this fic! I’ll add links to the endings at the bottom of this part as they are posted :) 

Disclaimer: This is entirely a work of fiction. No part of this story is meant to be libel, slander, or in any way derogatory towards any character’s real life counterpart. I’m not delusional; I know that these characters are simply based off of a public persona and may not actually resemble the people behind those personas. Any additional characters that you do not recognize are entirely fictional, unless otherwise stated. And finally, if you got here by Googling yourself, whatever happens next is 100% on you.

You and Gerard tumbled out of the van after Brian, squinting into the bright, brisk October sky. It was My Chem’s favorite time of year- Halloween. Not only was it the birthday of one Frank Iero, it was also a time when the band’s vampiric and gothic style was in every storefront and front lawn, movie theatres showed only the best kind of movies, and the spooky spirit seemed to hang in the air. (Not to mention, fake blood was both abundant and relatively cheap, something that Brian greatly appreciated). Essentially, Halloween was a moment when all of MCR’s interests and influences came into one, perfect, horror-tastic circle.

You were snapped out of your reverie when you accidentally slammed into Gerard’s back, not noticing that he had stopped at the brochure display right inside of the gas station’s convenience store. He was staring at one lying haphazardly on the top of the shelf with wide eyes, seemingly transfixed.

“What’d’ja find, Gee?” you asked after you had recovered from the jarring collision.

“We have to do this,” he said, still not breaking his gaze. “Look, it’s for a haunted house! And there were actual murders there!” 

“Hm,” Mikey said from Gerard’s elbow, where he had seemingly appeared from out of nowhere. “Let me see that.” He snagged the brochure from his brother.

“Hey. Why are you all standing in between me and the snacks? Oooh, Mikey, is that for a haunted house?” Frank cut in, as Ray carried him in reluctantly. He then tried to grab the brochure from Mikey, which, of course, turned into round 453 of the everlasting Mikey-Frank-Gerard squabble. 

“Children,” Ray said, giving a long-suffering sigh before turning to you with a friendly grin. He dumped Frankie on the floor and moved further into the gas station in search of the aforementioned snacks.

All of this commotion had caused Brian to turn away from the register, where he had been poring over a map of the greater Midwest with the cashier. “Why is it that every time we stop for directions and gas, and only directions and gas, it always devolves into this?” He turns to stare down Frank, Gerard, and Mikey. “If the three of you are not off the floor in ten seconds, I will be calling your mothers. And you-” he swiveled around to glare at Ray, who had his arms piled high with snacks- “unless you’re planning to take out a loan, I suggest you stick to the peanut-butter sandwiches in the van.” Everyone scrambled to attention under his glare, though there was no real malice in it.

“Wait, Brian!” Gerard interjected from where he had emerged victorious with the brochure. “Come on, we have to go to this haunted house. Here, look!” 

Brian studied it. “Are you sure this is legit? It looks like it was made in MS Paint.” “That’s what makes it exciting! The risk factor!”

“Well then. If you’re sure about this… we’re still about a day out from the next venue. If you’re okay with giving up motel night tonight, we can do it, but we’ll have to drive through the night.” “Deal,” Gerard said instantly.

“Tis the season.” Mikey smiled.

“Best pre-birthday murder trip ever!” Frank exclaimed.

“What the hell, why not?” Ray grinned.

The rest of the band turned to you expectantly as you thought it over. It was only a couple days before Halloween, and you had been drumming shows literally every day since the second week of October. You had been dreaming about the hot showers at the motel for three days. On the other hand, the guys all seemed so excited, and you couldn’t deny it would be nice to spend a little extra time with… no, nevermind that. It was Halloween and this was a fun way to celebrate, that was all.

“I’m definitely in,” you nodded. “Let’s go.”

---

The haunted house was a few hours drive from the gas station, in a small town not far off the interstate. It was late in the afternoon, but the streets were empty. The shops seemed to be open, yet there wasn’t a single customer in sight. After some hectic directions from Frank, Ray parked the van in front of an old, three-story building on the back edge of the downtown area.

“I thought you said this was a haunted house,” Frank said, squinting up at it. “This looks like a hotel or a club, or something.”

“I said it was a haunted house set up in a place where real murders actually happened. Apparently, it used to be a boarding house for miners in the area, and there were a couple of killings over the years. Bar fights and prostitutes and such.” “Well, whatever,” Mikey said, glancing over his shoulder suspiciously. “I still can’t shake the feeling that the zombie horde is gonna come by any minute.”

While Ray and Brian went inside to buy tickets for everyone, you leaned against the van, taking a moment to enjoy the cool fall breeze and collect your thoughts. On the way to the haunted house, you had become both nervous and excited. Though you had tried earlier, you really couldn’t deny your crush anymore. If you were honest with yourself, it had been there since the beginning of the band, and it showed no signs of going away anytime soon. While it could be inconvenient at times to have a crush on your bandmate, you still wanted the chance for something more. And with the band’s growing success and a major record label deal on the horizon, you were starting to realize that it was now or never. However, you just couldn’t help but keep looking for the perfect opportunity to tell him…

You were startled out of your train of thought when you realized that everyone was heading inside. You glanced at them, hoping that they hadn’t somehow been able to tell what you were thinking. Taking a deep breath to steel your nerves, you followed the group into the lobby. You had no idea what was going to happen next, be it murder or maybe, just maybe, a chance to finally get your feelings off your chest. Horror movies have happy endings all the time, right?

A/N: Stay tuned for the special endings! And as always, feel free to send in requests or tell me what part you liked best!

- Mikeyway Ending

- Frank Iero Ending

- Ray Toro Ending

Tour Mom: Chapter 1

Quick A/N: I write fanfic on Wattpad pretty frequently, but I’ve decided to start it on Tumblr too. This page will primarily be MCR fanfic, which I’ve actually never written before so, we’ll see how this goes. Also, this fic takes place during the Black Parade era.

Warnings: None, except swearing if that counts.

Premise of series: fem!Reader x Gerard, basically following the relationship. But it’s a lot like the MCR x fem!Reader.

Word count: 1799

Gerard Way. Front man of the iconic 2000s rock band, My Chemical Romance. Known by many as one of the creators of the new era of rock, consisting of emo and punk themes. Having a unique voice with even uniquer songs and sounds paved the path for him to become a household names, in homes who had good taste in music. To you, he was your best friend of going on a decade, and boyfriend for half of those years.

Mikey Way. Bassist and shy guy within the band. Until you got to know him, then he became a chatter box. He could go on for hours and hours about whatever he thought of. His thoughts were basic, yet some were intriguing and could actually spark a decent conversation. Also, he was basically your brother. Your relationship with Gerard only grew that bond.

Ray Toro. Lead guitarist and the soft, nice guy of the band. Also, your best friend while touring. Ray was one of the kindest people you had ever met, he would give up all he had for the people he cared about. His hair was also great, which automatically made his better. He was, to be honest, the only other completely stable and mature individual beside you, and even then sometimes none of you could act like the civil adults you legally were. You and he would also secretly watch Food Network together.

Frank Iero. The absolute most chaotic, most childish, and most loveable individual. Guitarist for MCR, you and Frank got along very well. Usually he was busy eating something or making some dark jokes, either way he used his time in the most Frank way possible. He was secretly one of the sweetest people alive and breathing, always being able to lighten up someone’s day when it was needed most.

And then there was you. And Bob, but he was kinda irrelevant to be honest. He just kinda stayed in his lane, and you and him got along just fine. But back to you. You were technically not apart of the band, but behind the scenes you basically were. Most notably, you were Gerard’s girlfriend. But you were also the one that managed to keep the boys in line when you were away from home. You had to remind these full grown men to shower daily, to eat three meals, and to continue working on songs and not just sit and watch movies or TV all day. Without you, the tour would have been a mess behind the scenes.

“Mikey!” You called from the living room of the cramped bus.

“Yeah?” He called back from his bunk bed.

“Have you showered today?” You inquired. There was a pause which is all you needed to come to a conclusion. You sighed, “Go take a shower Mikey.” He lightly groaned, reluctantly rolling out from the mattress and walking to the even more cramped bathroom.

“Fine.” He grabbed a towel and new clothes, walking in and locking the door. Frank walked by, mouthing you a ‘thank you’. He was always big on hygiene, so were you, and so anytime you knew one of the boys had gone even a few hours past daily showering, you directed them to clean up. And they always did, reluctantly usually.

You were casually reading a book on the couch when Ray sat next to you, turning on the TV. So of course, you joined him. About 15 minutes later, after investing in one of the various cable channels you could find, you looked up to see Gerard staring you two down.

Initially, he was extremely jealous of the relationship you and Ray had. He was worried that you and Ray were more than just friends, which of course you weren’t. But, you and he had reassured your boyfriend that it was no more than just a close friendship. “Are you jealous again, Gee?” You pouted, almost making fun of him. Ray smirked. He rolled his eyes.

“I’m not jealous as much as I am worried.” Gerard now came up to you two, sitting on the arm of the couch next to you.

“Worried about what?” You looked up at him.

“That you two will run off into the sunset or some fucking fairytale shit like that.” Now it was time for you to roll your eyes.

“You’re very melodramatic sometimes, Gerard.” You told him, “We’ve been dating for five years and you still have suspicion that I’m going to run off with one of your friends.” Gerard was always extremely laid back. That was unless it was on the topic of you. Then he was protective and extremely alert. 

You two were both very independent people, and your relationship reflected that. You two were never touchy feely, or too close, or too protective. Your romance  functioned much like a friendship, which you both preferred. “You know I’ll always love you, Gee. And only you.” You lightly smiled up at him, and he sighed giving in.

“I love you too.” He got up, walking back to his bunk where you knew he would probably work on some more sketched for the various comic works he had going.

Mikey finally reemerged from his shower in new clothes, heading to the small mini fridge and grabbing some carrots. “You eat all the damn food Mikey,” Frank complained from his bunk.

“I’m hungry.” He whined, taking a bite from one of the mini orange ones.

“I wish I had Mikey’s metabolism,” You began, “Eat whatever the hell you want and not gain an ounce.” “I know right,” Ray added on, “That would be nice.”

“What’re we talking about?” Gerard shouted from his bed.

“Mikey’s metabolism. And him stealing all the food.” Frank replied.

“Oh yeah, Mikey does have a great metabolism.”

“Speaking of, what do you guys want for dinner?” You asked, “I’m texting Brian right now.” Brian, as in the manager of course.

“Burgers.” Mikey and Gerard said at the same time. You looked at Ray for his opinion. “I’m good with that.” “So am I!” Frank called out.

“Me too.” Bob finally spoke up.

“So you’re not dead?” Frank responded, looking over to his bunk. You snorted.

“Alright, I’ll let him know so we can stop somewhere.” After shooting a quick text you got up heading to your own bunk to find yet another book, or graphic novel to read. Yours was right under Gerard’s, because that only made sense.

“What’cha doin?” Gerard poked his head down to see you. You rolled your eyes knowing he would pester you just to annoy you.

“You’re a pain in my ass.” You smiled at him, grabbing one of the Watchmen comics Gerard had generously lead to you, after nearly forcing you to finally read it.

You and Gerard actually met in a comic book store, you working there when you two were in college. A friendship sparked out of that, and later evolved to a romance. He scoffed as if in offense, resorting back to his top bunk. “If you’re going to be aggressive then I just won’t even try.”

“I’m not being aggressive,” You told him, “I’m being honest.” You could practically hear the eye roll from your boyfriend.

“Hey Mikey,” He had the audacity to bring his brother into it, “Am I a pain the the ass?” “Absolutely.” It took the man less than a second to answer, as if waiting to tell him, which let’s be honest, he probably was. You couldn’t help but give a soft chuckle, then giving a high five to Mikey as he walked past you to his own bed.

“Alright, the diner we’re stopping at is in about two hours you guys.” You said out loud, reading from the text Brian had sent you just a moment ago.

So for about an hour you all stayed relatively silent, shocking for all of you, except Bob. And sometimes Mikey, depending on his mood really. But for awhile you occasionally heard huffs and groans from above you. “Hey Gee?” You asked.

“Hm?” He responded.

“What’re you working on?” You heard him sigh.

“Concepts.” “Yeah, but what sort of concepts?”

“Just for a new comic.” “Lemme see.” You rose your hand up to take it, which he handed to you.

“These look great.” You complimented, skimming your fingers over the bright array of colors on his paper. “What’s the idea?” You asked.

“I’m thinking of the groups being called the Killjoys,” He began, going into a long shortened explanation.

“I love it.” You said and handed it back to him, “I think it’ll go a long way.” “Thanks.” He said and presumably continued.

Another hour of reading and light conversation passed before you finally reached one of the various road side diners you all ate at. Brian had ordered ahead, so everyone just ran in to grab their order, him of course paying. No time could be wasted on the road.

So there, the six of you sat on the couches in the tightly cramped bus, eating out of plastic containers. Gerard reached over, ripping off a piece of one of your chicken tenders, and dunking it in the ranch you got. You immediately fought back taking a bite of his burger and placing it right back.

“I can’t fucking wail ‘till we’re in a hotel.” Frank said out of the blue. Everyone nodded and hummed agreeing, too busy with their food to talk back.

“When’re we in one next?” You asked. It was rare when you were ever in one, and usually after extended periods of time and when shows were spaced out longer than one to two days you got that luxury.

“4 shows, so 6 days.”

“Finally.” Mikey almost murmured.

“Now Gerard can fuck Y/N senseless in peace and quiet.” Franks smirked. You chocked on your food as Gerard confidently nodded.

“Hell yeah.” You slapped his arm.

“Don’t deny it Y/N,” Frank said again, “It’s bound to happen.” You rolled your eyes.

“You’re absurd.” You got up to throw away your now empty food container, going to wash your hands briefly, and climbing in bed as the guys cleaned up their own food.

It was already late, and despite the even later curfews everyone had, most of the last hours of the night were all spent in your personal cubbies doing whatever you all pleased.

“Goodnight, babe.” You heard Gerard above you.

“Night, Gee.” You smiled.

“Goodnight, baby.” You heard Frank yell from his own cubby which prompted a lot of soft chuckling and laughter.

“Love you too, Frank.” You responded.

“Not even an ‘I love you’ to your actual boyfriend?” Gerard poked his head down. You rolled your eyes, giving him a peck on the lips despite how his face was upside down.

“I love you.”

Valentine's Challenge 2019 Day 2

Pairing: Ray Toro x Female Reader Rating: General Requested By: None Author’s Note: First time writing for Ray and ummm I think this turned out super adorable and I think I wanna write more Ray in the future! Also holy crap this is the cutest gif I’ve ever seen

"Hey (YN)," you heard your friend Ray say from across the student union. You looked up and waved him over, your stomach did a flip as he made his way over.

"Hey, what's up?" You asked.

"Nothin much. It seems like I've barely seen you this semester."

You groaned. "I know, it's this damn econ class," you said gesturing to the books and notes spread out in front of you. "Ashley had this professor last semester and he was going through a divorce, so he didn't even do half the quizzes or assignments, so it was basically impossible to not get an A."

Ray nodded along.

"So I signed up with him and apparently he has moved on to the anger stage of grief. We have a huge exam on the 15th."

"The day after Valentine's?"

"Exactly. Probably would have had it the day of if we had class that day," you sighed. "At least chocolate will be on sale that day to drown my sorrows when I'm done."

"Did you have plans for Valentine's Day anyway?" Ray asked. It wasn’t a mean question, in fact you could have sworn there was a little nervousness in it. You were hoping that maybe Ray would want to ask you out for Valentine's Day, but as much as you flirted, you weren't totally sure he was into you that way.

"No," you said forlornly.

"Oh, yea. Well at least you will have plenty of time to study before then.”

"Yea I guess so, but I gotta go to class now, it was good to see you," you said getting up, putting all your books and papers in your bag.

"Yea, I missed you," he said also getting up. When you glanced up, he was holding his arms open. You smiled and accepted his warm hug. As his strong arms wrapped around you, you breathed in, he always smelled so good.

“I miss hanging out with you too! Come study with me sometime?”

“Yea, I can do that,” he said as you pulled back. You put on your jacket and waved as you left.

~

“Hey Ray, how's it going?” Gerard greeted his friend in the school coffee shop the following week. “Wait, when did you start drinking tea?”

“Oh, umm, one is for (YN), I’m gonna go study with her,” Ray replied.

“Are you guys going out yet?” Gerard asked as he picked up his coffee from the counter and walking out with Ray.

“Nah, we're just hanging out, ya know, she's my friend. I don't wanna mess anything up with her.”

“You know she's like total heart eyes every time you’re around right?”

Ray stopped dead in his tracks. “What?! Stop bullshitting me.”

“I swear! I can tell these things. Ask her out for Valentine's Day or something,” Gerard called as he headed in the direction of his class.

Ray furrowed his brow and considered what his friend said as he made his way to the library. He found a table near the front and waited for you to arrive. When you walked in you couldn’t help but let your face light up in a grin, even more so when you saw he had brought you a cup of your favorite tea.

“Hey Ray!” You said setting your bag down and siting down across from him.

“Hey!” He said sliding the tea across the table to you. “I got the green tea, that’s the one you like, right?”

“Yea, thanks for remembering,” you said, trying not to blush. “What do you have to study for?”

“Oh, I umm,” Ray stammered. He didn’t have any exams coming up, and he was really only there to hang out with you. “I have some history notes to go over.”

You both opened your books and set to work. After a couple hours the words and numbers started to jumble together in your mind, and you felt like you were somehow losing knowledge. A few seconds later, you felt the sting of frustrated tears in your eyes. You sniffled and tried to blink them away without noticing, but the silence of the library made it impossible to hide. Ray looked up and saw you wiping your eyes.

“Hey hey hey, are you ok?” Ray asked, switching to the chair next to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder.

“Yea, I’m just… frustrated with all this,” you said gesturing at the papers in front of you.

“You’ll be ok, let’s take a break and grab some dinner. That will help clear your mind,” he suggested.

You sniffled again and gathered up your things. You didn’t really want to move, you would have preferred staying in the quiet library sitting close to Ray, but he was right, you needed a break.

“Thanks Ray. You’re kinda the best ya know? Thanks for hanging out with me.”

“Anytime.”

~

From: Ray😍

How's studying? At least the misery is almost over

From: 💕(YN)💕

Ughghghhgg

From: Ray😍

Are you at the library?

From: 💕(YN)💕

No up in my room

You tossed your phone on the bed behind you and refocused back on your studying. About 15 minutes later you heard a knock on the door. You got up and opened it absentmindedly without checking to see who was on the other side. It was Ray, and you grinned at him, before noticing the bouquet he held in his hands.

"Ray, what are you doing?"

"(YN) I wanted to ask you out for Valentine's Day, but I know you need to study so I don't want to take up your whole night. But, (YN), I really, really like you. Maybe you'd like to go out with me on a date tomorrow night?"

You were grinning and nodded excitedly.

"Then it's a date! Also, these are for you," he said holding out the flowers with a grin.

"Oh duh," you laughed as you took them. You were so nervous and excited and surprised you couldn't think straight and your hands were shaking slightly.

"So I'll umm, let you get back to studying then," he said with a smile.

"Ray, hang on," you said setting the flowers down carefully before turning back to him and wrap your arms around his neck, holding him close. You pulled back from the hug and quickly pressed a kiss to his lips. "Thank you for making my day,” you said when you broke the kiss.

"Anytime," he said softly.

Masterlist

My favorite Halloween films

I talked about my favorite Christmas films and thought I’d share my favorite Halloween films. Now keep in mind that these are in no particular order, just a list of Halloween films that I like. NOTE: I am excluding “Hocus Pocus”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, slasher films, and Stephen King films. That’d be too easy.

With that being said, here’s my favorite Halloween films.

1. Trick ‘r Treat

This 2009 film, takes place over the course of Halloween in the fictional town of Warren Valley, Ohio. Its story is told in a nonlinear narrative, with characters crossing paths with each other throughout the film. At the centre of the story is Sam, a peculiar trick-or-treater dressed in pajamas and a burlap sack, who appears to enforce the “rules” of Halloween.

This film was a hit in the box office, but for the few years, no one really talked about it. In recent years, it has gained a cult following and there have been talks of a possible sequel.

This films is perfect for Halloween. It’s riddled with the holiday: fallen leaves, trick-or-treating, jack o’ lanterns, all that good stuff. See it for yourself and join the following.

2. Mad Monster Party

Hey, remember those Christmas specials? Frosty the Snowman? Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Santa Claus is Coming to Town? Of course you do. Well, the same company (Rankin/Bass Productions) tried their hand at making a special for a different holiday: Halloween and “Mad Monster Party” was that final product. 

Baron Boris von Frankenstein (voiced by Boris Karloff [yes, I mean that]) achieves his ultimate ambition, the secret of total destruction. Having perfected and tested the formula, he sends out messenger bats to summon all monsters to the Isle of Evil in the Caribbean Sea. The Baron intends to inform them of his discovery and also to reveal his imminent retirement as head of the "Worldwide Organization of Monsters". Besides Frankenstein's Monster and the Monster's more intelligent mate who live in the island castle with Boris, the invites also include Count Dracula, the Mummy, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Werewolf, The Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

The special did decently at the time of its release but since Rankin/Bass Productions was (and still is) known for their Christmas specials, the film flew under the radar and was pretty much forgotten.

Like “Trick ‘r Treat”, “Mad Monster Party” has gained a cult following in the recent years, but it’s still not talked about as much. Find the film for yourself and see why it should never be forgotten.

3. The Halloween Tree

“The Halloween Tree” is a 1993 Hanna-Barbera film based on the Ray Bradbury novel of the same name. The film tells the story of a group of trick-or-treating children who learn about the origins and influences of Halloween when one of their friends is spirited away by mysterious forces. The film stars Ray Bradbury as the narrator and the late Leonard Nimoy as the children's guide, Mr. Moundshroud.

I remember watching this film every year on Cartoon Network when it aired on the Halloween season (I don’t think they do anymore since it doesn’t fit their TTG agenda....), so it hold a special place in my heart. In the film, the children travel though time and witness ancient traditions that modern day Halloween takes inspiration from. From rituals carried out my Celtic Druids to Dia de los Muertos in Mexico; there’s something for everyone in this film.

4. Frankenweeinie (1984)

When I say “Frankenweenie”, I’m not talking about the 2012 stop-motion remake, I’m talking about the original 1984 film that got Tim Burton fired from Disney (yes, you read that right).

If you’ve seen the 2012 remake, then you already know the story. For those who don’t, allow me to give you a synopsis: The film is both a parody and homage to the 1931 film Frankenstein based on Mary Shelley's novel of the same name. The story goes as is: A young boy sets out to revive his dead pet using the power of science. It’s such a simple concept, a boy and his dog. But that concept, really never gets old. While I love the 2012 remake, I grew up watching this version and, call it a bias, I prefer this version.

5. Creature from the Black Lagoon

This 1954 monster flick is considered a landmark. It’s the film that inspired Guillermo Del Toro to make “The Shape of Water” (it’s true, I shit you not). It’s “The Creature from the Black Lagoon”. While this is not a film I grew up watching, I have fond memories of watching it in my honors biology class in high school. Yes, the film is cheesy as fuck and it at times leaves much to be desired. But, past all of that is a relic of the past and a film that helped paved the way for monster movies (and made monster fuckers dream come true).

So what’s the film about? A geology expedition in the Amazon uncovers fossilized evidence from the Devonian period that provides a direct link between land and sea animals. What follows is a return expedition to the Amazon to look for the remainder of the skeleton.

6. Freaks

Easily one of my favorite films. I could watch this anytime of the year. It’s an incredible film. The best part, the freaks in the films: all real. No make-up or special effects. You had Johnny Eck, Schlitzie, dwarf siblings Harry and Daisy Earles, and conjoined sisters  Daisy and Violet Hilton are just a few of the freaks that starred in this movie.

The film is about trapeze artist Cleopatra who learns that circus dwarf Hans has an inheritance, she marries the lovesick, diminutive performer, all the while planning to steal his fortune and run off with her lover, strong man Hercules. When Hans' friends and fellow performers discover what is going on, they band together and carry out a brutal revenge that leaves Hercules and Cleopatra knowing what it truly means to be a "freak."

“Freaks” is easily one of my favorite films of all time. I’ve always had a fascination with sideshow, freakshows and such; and to have this relic of the past is really something special.

7. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

While this film has two short stories, the one I want to focus on is “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. This segment scared the piss out of me as a kid and I LOVED IT. The second segment is based on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving and it follows Ichabod Crane, a lanky, gluttonous, superstitious yet charming dandy arrives in Sleepy Hollow, New York to be the town's new schoolmaster.

I don’t want to give too much away but I assure you this segment is so much fun to watch. Both Ichabod’s and Mr. Toad’s segments are a lot of fun to watch. If you want to check it out for yourself, I highly recommend you do (research the production history as well, really interesting stuff).

8. Beetlejuice

You all know this film. Tim Burton. Michael Keaton. Young Winona Ryder. Danny Elfman. Geena Davis. The Banana Boat Song. What else is there to say?

9. Onibaba

I’ve only discovered this film this past year is it’s easily on my top 3 list. You may not know this, but I’m a huge sucker for Japanese folklore (thank my Japanese roots for that) and when I discover Onibaba, I already knew this film was up my alley. 

I don’t want to give anything away about this because I want you to go into this film blind like I did. Let me just say this: the two women in this film are badass.

10. Kakurenbo

This.... this is film that made every second count. “Kakurenbo” is only 25 minutes long and they made every second and every frame count. You may be thinking “That’s way to short to tell a full-fledged story!” The thing with Japanese storytelling is that they make 25 minutes as good as a two hour film and Kakurenbo is no exception.

The film entails a game of "Otokoyo", a version of hide and seek played by children, wearing fox masks, near the ruins of an abandoned old Kowloon-inspired city but there is a twist: children who play disappear, never to be seen again.

I first saw this film back in 2005 when it played on Cartoon’s Network’s adult-oriented nighttime programming, Adult Swim. 10 year old me was completely engrossed by this film. The story, the designs of the demons, everything about the film stuck to me. I recently got the my hands on the DVD (thanks mom) and I’m elated that I can enjoy “Kakurenbo” on any given day and not have to scour Youtube for a “decent” version.

I know I’ve said this throughout this list, but I STRONGLY urge all of you to check out “Kakurenbo” when you get the chance. You will not be disappointed.

Wrong Apartment ( Gerard Way x Tyler Joseph)

Little advice for any kids out there who might be hearing this, always, always, always know which apartment window is yours when you're drunk as fuck and scaling the fucking building to get  home. Gerard knew that he should've taken Ray's offer to drive him home, but fuck it, he wanted to walk. Maybe he was hoping he'd get hit by a car or something, he doesn't fucking know. It was three fucking degrees outside, Gerard was kind of sobering up and that cold was hitting him, hard. He thought he had his keys, absolutely fucking wrong. Who would just have their fucking keys whenever they need them? Fuck. The logical option would be to just press the buzzer for everyone in the building until he annoyed someone enough for them to let him in he the building, but no. Of course not, because his anxiety just fucking had to come out and fuck with his brain. Anxiety fucking sucks. It sucks enough for it to convince Gerard that yes, climbing six stories of balconies instead of speaking to people is a great fucking idea. Drunk as hell and freezing his fucking tits off, he started the climb to what he thought was his apartment balcony. Key word being thought. He knocked on the locked glass doors, hoping Mikey was awake and willing to let his drunk brother into their apartment. The lights turned on and Gerard knocked again, expecting Mikey to tell him to piss of before eventually letting him in. What he didn't expect though, was a tired stranger who looked like a tiny fetus. Definitely not Mikey. Shit. "The heck, man?" the fetus spoke, his voice sounded like he was seventeen and Gerard was highly embarrassed. Well, as embarrassed as he could be with three bottles of vodka in him. "Shit, kid, thought this was my apartment, sorry," that's what was supposed to come out of Gerard's mouth, instead he said some slurred words and giggles. "Whatever man, come in. You're not a serial killer right? Eh, doesn't matter." Gerard laughed at the fetus, is he suicidal too? Not that Gerard is suicidal (anymore), just he didn't expect that of this kid seeing as how he looked like the perfect human being. Or maybe the fetus said it doesn't matter if he was a serial killer because Gerard is way too drunk to actual do any harm. Or maybe the fetus is a serial killer and can kill Gerard in half a second. He might have found out the answer if he didn't pass out on the fetus right after he walked into the apartment. And why the fuck is it so fucking bright, fuck, fuckity fuck fuck. Gerard's entire fucking eyeball is on fucking fire. Fuck shit damnit! Why the fucking fuck did Mikey fuckin Way, Gerard's loving fucking brother, put the fucking hot ass fucking sun inside their apartment. Fucking hell. "Hey, dude you good?" an annoying fucking noise fucking screamed inside Gerard's god damn head. "Quiet, fuck. Be quiet, please. Mikey, why don't you love me?" Gerard grumbled, he will always be a fucking sass queen, even when he's hungover as fucking fuck and is fucking dying. "Mikey your boyfriend?" Holy-shit-not-fucking-mikey-and-fucking-ew said, the shock letting Gerard temporarily forget he is fucking dying in the fucking sun. Why the fuck did he drink so fucking much, fuck. Also, holy fucking fuck, ew. Ew. Ew. Gross. Not- Mikey thinks Gerard's dating his brother. Fucking no. "What the ever living fuck? No. No. Fucking no. I am not dating my fucking brother. Fucking close the window you fucking child, I. Am. Dying." The child closed the open fucking window, thank fuck. Now Gerard was only wishing for death a lot instead a fuck ton. So, how did he get into the child's apartment? Obviously Gerard remembers. Kind of. He remembers a vague amount of exercise and a fetus, and that's about it. Why the fuck did Ray let him drink so much, the fucking afro man? The least he could do was make sure Gerard didn't fucking die in a stranger who could very well be a serial killer's apartment. But the kid looks like he's sixteen! Why the fuck is Gerard is a teenager's fucking home? Oh yeah, because Ray fucking Toro let him get shit-faced and didn't take him home. Fucking Ray, why does he always have to do what Gerard yells at him to do? Fucking sucks. "So, guy," the child spoke, his voice like the thousand screams of Gerard's poor, dying head, "First off, who are you? How did you climb into my balcony? Are you single? How did you get so drunk? And how are you so hot?" That is flirting. A child is flirting with a very hungover and dying Gerard. What the fuck did he do last night? "Did we fuck last night? Because you seem nice and all but aren't you like fifteen? Also hi, I'm Gerard and I'm fucking dying. Be quieter, please," the apparently "so hot" 39 year old whispered out, because even his own voice is killing him. How the fuck as he gone about life with such an annoying fucking voice? "Alright, damn. Do you fuck guys often? If so can you fuck me often? And I'm twenty two, Gerard," the child who might be lying about his age because he looks fourteen, replied thankfully quieter. Unthankfully, though, was this is fucking flirting. A thirteen year old is flirting with 39 year old Gerard, and damn was he good at it, but he's like twelve and that's weird. "Liar," Gerard choked out, " You're definitely not legal." The eleven year old looked at Gerard, smirking sexily, and said " Aw, thanks baby but I've got my ID, right here-" he threw a plastic card on the space right in front of Gerard and it indeed said that this ten year old was in fact 22 "- So you can fuck me anytime." The child winked, this is absolutely flirting and Gerard is panicking because what would anyone else do when a 22 year old -who, alright, looked his age- was flirting with them while they were dying of a hangover? "Water," Gerard, again, croaked because he is flustered and fucking dying, alright. "You're thirsty? Of course you are, I'll bring you some water, unless you want some other fluid?" the young person winked a-motherfucking-again. "No thanks, just water please, child I don't know the name of," Gerard accurately declined whatever this fuck boy was implying. "It's Tyler, but you can call me baby boy." This child needs to stop fucking winking at Gerard, how the fuck did Tyler even know that Gerard had a daddy kink? If this child continues on with that talk, Gerard will get turned on. Or he will pass out, because he is so hungover that he will pass out. That he did, Gerard fucking passed the fuck out before Tyler even got back from his kitchen. Honestly, if he passes out this much he should go to a fucking doctor, and then he remembers that he drank a lot of fucking alcohol the night before and decides against bringing up his drunken fainting to any doctor. Twelve and a half hours later, Tyler got fucked by a only slightly hungover Gerard and twelve days later they fucked again, and then they went on a date. And because the author is so lazy and tired, she has decided against writing smut and the date, so this is the end. So long and goodnight.

I Can’t Swim (Don’t Rub It In)

Pairing: Ray Toro x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Summary: Request fic for @imquiteterrifying-ijustlooksweet. “uhm, could i request a Rayxreader, with danger days Ray? and reader be ftm (pre everything)?”

You’d ventured into the California desert with your boyfriend, Ray, and his band as they shot the music video for “Na Na Na”. Filming had just wrapped up, and you couldn’t wait to see the finished product. Ray had looked so handsome wearing his Jet Star costume, and you were excited to see him wear it again when the band filmed “Sing” next week.

Now, the five of you were packed into a Jeep, driving across the dunes back towards the city.

“You guys really did great today,” you complimented as the warm wind tousled your hair.

“Thanks, man,” Frank said, grinning at you in the rearview mirror.

“Yeah, thanks, babe,” Ray agreed, dotting a kiss on your cheek.  You were relieved that his cishet bandmates never seemed bother by your public displays of affection.

“Hey, what’s that?” Gerard wondered, pointing to something in the distance as he rode shotgun.

“I think it’s an oasis,” Mikey noted, pulling down his sunglasses to get a better look.

“Get out!” Frank gaped. “There’s an uncharted oasis way out here? Screw it, let’s go for a swim!” He turned the steering wheel to the left impulsively, steering the car away from the direction of the city.

“Hell yeah, swimming sounds like a great idea,” Gerard agreed excitedly.

“We didn’t bring our swimsuits, though,” Ray reminded.

“Let’s just swim in our underwear then,” Frank shrugged. “Or naked, for all I care. We’re all dudes, so what does it matter?”

You froze. You’d come out to Ray shortly after you two started dating, but none of the others knew yet that you were trans. If you skipped down to your skivvies, they would see your binder.

And then they’ll know, you thought, heart pounding.

You weren’t sure why you were so nervous about confessing the truth to your friends. When Ray had come out as pan and started dating you, they’d been nothing but supportive.

But, homophobia and transphobia are two very different things, you reminded yourself. You thought of your ex-boyfriend, who had dumped you when he found out you were trans, because, in his eyes, you weren’t really a man.

Ray met your gaze uncertainly as Frank parked the car, already aware of what you must be thinking. You got out of the car and looked at the oasis. It was beautiful, that was for sure. A bright, blue lake ringed by palm trees. You started walking around to try and ease your nerves while you came up with an excuse to not swim.

It sucked that you couldn’t swim, because it was so hot outside today, and the cool water looked so inviting. But, you just couldn’t let your female chest give you away.

I wish I’d had top surgery already, you thought with a frown. You were planning to, at some point, you just hadn’t been able to scrape the money together yet.

“Y/N, listen,” Ray said softly, taking your hand in his. “Do you hear the sound of water rushing?”

He pulled back a palm frond and guided you down a path in between the thicket of trees. You discovered a second, smaller pool of water on the other side, out of view of the rest of the oasis.

“What are you guys doing over here?” Mikey wondered as he tromped into this hidden area.

“I thought we were all going to swim together,” Gerard frowned as he followed him.

“Umm…..” Ray stammered hesitantly. “You guys go ahead. I kind of wanted to swim in this part of the oasis, with, uh……just with Y/N.”

“Oh?” Gerard raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I guess we can give you two a little alone time.”

“Ray’s just trying to get some of Y/N’s dick,” Frank teased bluntly from behind Gerard.

Ray flushed crimson. You wished you had a dick for Ray to get.

“You two kids have fun,” Mikey grinned with a teasing voice, leading Gerard and Frank back towards the other body of water, out of sight. “We’ll catch you later!” he called over his shoulder, chuckling.

“They totally think we’re about to make out,” you told Ray, cheeks burning.

“I’m sorry,” Ray said, raking his hands through his fluffy hair with a flustered look. “I just really wanted us to be able to swim together, Y/N, and I knew you wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that if people were watching.”

“Thank you, Ray,” you said, embracing your boyfriend.

“Anytime,” Ray said into your ear.

“I’m sorry,” you said, pulling away. “I know when I start doing the hormones, I’m going to start looking different, and then we’ll have to tell them. Honestly, I have no idea why they haven’t figured out I’m trans already, when I’ve got this squeaky, girly voice this gives me so much dysphoria, and…..”

“It’s ok,” Ray said soothingly, pulling you back into his arms. “You don’t have to come out to anybody until you’re ready, Y/N. I’m sure it took a lot of guts for you to even come out to me.”

“It did,” you confessed. “I was so scared that you weren’t going to want to be with me anymore….”

“I want to be with you forever, Y/N,” Ray promised. “No matter what.”

“I love you, Ray,” you said, almost wanting to cry.

“I love you, too, Y/N,” Ray smiled, kissing you softly.

When you pulled away at last, he looked at you with a grin.

“Want to get in the water now?” he asked. “I bet it’s going to feel so good after being out in the sun all day. Thanks for coming to watch me work, by the way. Sorry if it was boring.”

“Oh, no, I had a great time,” you assured him.

You watched as Ray stripped off his shirt, preparing to take a dip. He had such a gorgeous, muscular chest. If you could look half as handsome as him one day, you’d be in heaven.

He sat on the sand beside you as he unlaced his shoes and kicked them off, followed by his socks. Then, he stood up again and took off his jeans, leaving him standing in just his boxer shorts. You couldn’t help but stare, feeling a hint of desire begin to course through your body.

You watched Ray dip his toe into the water. “Oh, it’s not cold at all,” he reported. “I guess the sun makes it all warm and stuff.”

He walked into the pond, continuing until he found the deep end, his waist disappearing into the blue. He dog paddled in a small circle, seeming to enjoy himself.

“Come on in, Y/N!” Ray suggested. “It feels great!”

You wanted to join him, but the thought of taking your shirt off made you hesitate. Ray had seen you without a shirt on before, but part of you still frowned at the thought of him seeing you with your binder, and the lack of bulge in your boxers. It was a miserable reminder that though you were both men, you were still…..different from him. You hated that you didn’t have a gorgeous, toned, masculine body like his own. How did he even find you attractive?

“Y/N, you’re handsome!” Ray encouraged. “You’re the cutest boy I know, alright? I don’t care that you’re pre-op, or whatever you want to call it. I love you, and it’s just you and me, so…….”

“You’re right,” you decided, and took off your shirt. The summer breeze felt good on your bare skin. Sweat still clung to the part of your chest contained inside your binder, but it was worth it to keep it on.

You took off your sand and sweat soaked cargo shorts, and walked into the water, letting it cover your tan-lined legs. When your feet could no longer touch the bottom, you flipped into a dead man’s float and laid on the surface of the water contentedly.

This isn’t so bad, you thought, staring up at the sun and the trees.

Ray swam over to you, and his arms encircled your body. You grew warm as his bare skin grazed your own.

You gasped and paddled away. “Don’t surprise me like that!” you giggled, splashing him.

“I’m sorry,” Ray chuckled, splashing back. “You just looked so cute over there!”

“I’m cute?” you grinned, swimming closer to him again.

“The cutest,” Ray said, kissing you again, droplets from his wet hair dripping down onto your face. You didn’t care.

“Thank you for talking me into swimming with you,” you said sincerely. “I think I’m really enjoying this.”

“That’s all I want, y’know,” Ray said, floating lazily beside you. “To make you the happiest man you can be.”