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#irl horror protagonist
brokenribcxge · 8 months
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thursdayadams · 8 months
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bruises on my leg
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constantvariations · 1 year
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When there's a show that has lots of combat but little to no killing, there's usually a reason for that. I don't just mean the target audience being children (which is a stupid claim anyway, kids can handle way more shit than adults give them credit for), I mean a Watsonian explanation
Aang doesn't kill because he believes it's against his pacifist culture
Batman doesn't kill because he believes in second chances
Vash doesn't kill because it would make Rem sad
But when it comes to the rwby world, the whos and whys of killing... aren't really there?
The villains kill on-screen often, which is a given since, yknow, villains. But our heroes have never had a discussion of how far they're willing to go for their goals
It could've been established during any of the Salem talks, but instead the writers handle it with kid gloves with that Saturday morning cartoon "How do I destroy Salem?" Like, we saw a whole ass human being turned to ash, ShawLuna, you can say "kill," I promise
Due to this, I thought the dynamic was "villains kill, heroes don't," which is fairly typical for shows with this tone
And then Adam was murdered. On screen. By two of our heroes
It was genuinely jarring. There was no lead up to this kind of action, no talk of "doing whatever it takes" or "we have to prepare to do things we might live to regret." Just BAM STAB DEAD
And not even a conversation after! There's literally nothing to distinguish the before/after murder versions of Yang and Blake, which is bad! You took a whole ass man's life! Blake knew him personally! His dreams, his fears, the way he took his coffee, the whole nine yards! Even if it had to be done, that should still have a major affect! Hell, my best friend cried for hours after a bird hit the windshield on our road trip, yet these two are totally okay with ending a person
Even stranger, there has yet to be actual blood spilled by our heroes after that. Not even a skinned knee! Deaths happen around them, not because of them
You've already opened the door for the reaper, you might as well let it settle in for tea
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sootsz · 7 months
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love the moments where the qsmp members talk about lore irl and you can see the Exact moment they remember that quackity. who knows Everything. and is directly causing their struggles. is sitting right next to them. because then they proceed to do what any good horror protagonists meeting the author should do: absolutely dunk on him
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taevbears · 6 months
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Movie Night
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When horror movies don't scare you anymore, your boyfriend wants to figure out what you are afraid of.
⤑ pairing: Jungkook x fem!reader (feat. the Daegu boys) ⤑ genre: horror, mystery, suspense, one-shot ⤑ rating: 18+ ⤑ word count: 6.1k ⤑ warnings: obsessive behavior, stalking, depictions of kidnapping, torture, and multiple murders, hidden camera, non-explicit sex, a bit of angst, open ending. this fic gets pretty dark, so please be cautious of the warnings! ⤑ note: happy halloween! this started as a little spooky shower thought i had a little over a month ago and became this lol. i love reading scary stories, but lmao, i feel like i'm not very good at writing them. thank you @angelicyoongie for assuring me that this isn't as terrible as i think it is. also please note that this is a work of fiction and i don't think IRL jungkook is like the character in this fic at all
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“No, please! Don’t hurt me!”
The shadow of a muscular, male figure looms over the female protagonist. His breaths are heavy from chasing her around, barely visible against the chilly, October air. Finally, he has her cornered. He holds up a sharp knife in the air.
The woman trembles on the ground, sobbing and pleading for her life to be spared. Mascara runs down her cheeks, and a look of hopelessness and despair fills her eyes. She holds her hands in front of her in a feeble attempt to defend herself.
The camera pans away as the killer violently stabs the woman. Her terrifying screams of pain and anguish echoes from the TV screen as fake blood splatters on the wall.
Blue and white light bathes over you and your date in the dim living room. You try to suppress a long yawn with the back of your hand.
You’re so bored, you’re practically in tears.
“You didn’t like it?” Jungkook asks you, chuckling at your reaction.
“It didn’t scare me,” you admit sheepishly, hoping he doesn’t get the wrong idea.
You love horror movies. It’s what inspired you to become a film student. You love being on the edge of your seat from the thrill and suspense that the main character acts out. You love being genuinely shocked from unexpected twists and jump-scares. You love a good ghost story that haunts you long after the credits roll, or the paranoia of a similar terrifying incident happening to you.
But perhaps, over time, they’ve lost a bit of their magic.
Although the production of movies has become phenomenal in recent years, movies these days seem to rely too heavily on shock value and nostalgia. Once popular franchises are milking out their legacies to a newer audience. There are so many retellings of the same, old stories that you can already accurately predict what will happen before you reach the ending. Even some of the most climactic scenes of the movie are so over-the-top, they’re almost comical.
Honestly, it has nothing to do with your date or even the so-called horror movie itself. You just don’t scare as easily anymore.
Jungkook peers are you curiously, a boyish grin on his face. “Then, what are you scared of?”
“I don’t know. Probably nothing.”
“Yeah? That’s a bold statement.”
“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”
Jungkook laughs. “You have to be scared of something.”
You throw the question back at him. “Then, what are you afraid of?”
He thinks about it, rubbing his chin in thought and pushing his tongue against the lip rings on his mouth. Then, he meets your gaze. There’s a sparkle in his eyes as he smiles at you. “Hmm, I think I’d be scared to lose you.”
You find yourself smiling back at him.
“You’re so sweet, Kook,” you tell him, leaning over to kiss him.
Only recently, you and Jungkook started dating officially, and you really like him a lot. He’s very cute, funny, handsome, and perfect in many ways. Butterflies flutter in your stomach when you’re around him, and there’s still that exciting giddiness and eagerness of new love whenever he messages you or visits you in the evening.
In some ways, Jungkook is almost too good to be true.
Part of you wonders if there’s a catch.
But with his lips on yours, it’s easy to push that thought aside.
Credits roll on the screen as the movie comes to an end. His fingers glide up your thigh as yours tangle into his hair. The cool piercing on his lips presses against your bottom lip as he slips his tongue in your mouth, and a soft moan escapes you.
Suddenly, Jungkook pulls away and faces the TV. He uses the remote to tap out of the movie credits and browse through the list of recommended shows on your streaming service. Casually, trying to hide a teasing smirk, he asks, “How about we watch a different movie, then?”
You stare back at him, a bit stunned and flustered. But your own smile touches your lips.
“Or,” you suggest, grabbing his wrist to lower the remote. He turns away from the screen to look at you, eyes lingering on the sultry smile on your lips. “I know something else we can do instead.”
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When you first saw Jungkook, you thought you were being catfished.
His selfie on the dating app included a slight head tilt, a pucker of his pierced lips, and a peace sign. Big, doe-shaped eyes stared back at you from your phone screen, and you noticed the tiny moles below his lip, on the tip of his nose, and on his cheek.
The second picture was of him and his brown doberman, affectionately named Bam. The picture was taken of them outside. One of his hands was holding a tennis ball and the other was gently touching the dog’s long ears. A small, fond smile tugged on your lips when you looked between them and realized that they kind of looked alike.
The third picture was him at the gym. It was a back-shot where he was using the equipment. Broad shoulders, buff arms and back, a tiny waist. You stared way too long at his strong muscles and the ink on his arm before you finally swiped right.
Turned out, much to your surprise, he liked your pictures too. The two of you were a match.
And it wasn’t long until he sent his first message to you. In your inbox, a simple: “hey :)”
On your first date, the two of you agreed to meet at a very public, very crowded bistro. You stood nervously by the building, dressed nice for the occasion. And in case anything went wrong or if this Jungkook guy wasn’t who you expected him to be, you shared your location and had a “send help lol” message on standby for your bestie, Min Yoongi.
As you waited, scrolling through and jumping around different apps on your phone, you found yourself to be surprised yet again.
Someone who looked like the guy you’ve been chatting with called out your name. And soon, he was standing in front of you: big eyes, bigger muscles, tiny beauty marks on his face, colorful ink on his arm, a charming smile, and a simple, “Hey, I’m Jungkook.”
One date turned to a second date. Then, a third. And by the fourth date, as he laid in your bed that night and snuggled close to you, it finally started to sink in that Jungkook wasn’t some figment of your imagination.
He was real, and sweet, and seemed to really like you as well.
Jungkook, like you, had an interest in filming. He especially liked editing videos for his dance challenges, short clips, and a series he called “Golden Closet Film” on his channel. While you imagined yourself to be a big director, working in movie sets, and making scripts come to life with your vision, Jungkook told you he’d like to film a project where you’re the star.
“I don’t think I’m on-screen material,” you replied, amused by the idea. You’re not an actress. You don’t think you have the kind of beauty filmmakers seek out for their lead roles. Hell, if anything, Jungkook would be a better fit for an acting gig.
“You are,” he insisted, brushing his thumb against your knuckles. “To me, you’re perfect.”
You smiled at him then, your heart fluttering by his words. “You are to me, too.”
It was shortly after that conversation when you both decided to date each other exclusively. And it felt like the kind of romance you’d see in the movies. Picture perfect, a little corny at times, and a thrilling whirlwind of laughter, teasing remarks, and intimate touches.
“Am I who you thought I’d be?” Jungkook asks you the next morning after the movie-night bust, propping himself up on the side and peering down on you. His arm flexes, colorful ink decorating it, as the thick comforter wraps around his bare body.
“No,” you confessed, still a bit tired from last night. You keep your eyes closed as you quietly murmur, “You’re even better.”
“Yeah?”
You don’t need to open your eyes to see the pleased look on his face. As you feel him press his lips against your cheek, you ask, “What about me? Am I who you thought I’d be?”
Had you opened your eyes then, perhaps you would’ve seen it. The blank look on his face as he pulls away from you, how the light in his eyes suddenly seems to vanish, as if he isn’t really looking at you anymore.
Jungkook doesn’t answer you right away. When you open your eyes, you see him shaking his head. The same, sweet boyish smile appears on his lips.
“You’re exactly what I’m looking for.”
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The topic about exes inevitably came up early on in your relationship with Jungkook. You’ve dated casually before. Even thought you’d be getting somewhere with some of the guys you were talking to.
But none of them quite compared to Kim Taehyung.
You were a film student. He was a photography major. The two of you were bound to end up in some of the same classes together in the art division.
To you, it was love at first sight. You fell for him so hard and so fast.
What started as bumping into each other at the library and helping each other with assignments led to making out at each other’s dorms with the text books left unopened. Coffee dates between classes became anniversary dinners at nice restaurants. He introduced you to his parents, and you proposed going on a romantic getaway together.
The day you didn’t think you’d ever love anyone else was when he snapped a photo of you looking out at the scenery during that weekend trip. It was just you and him, and a natural setting that looked straight out of a movie.
He smiled to himself as he looked at the picture through his camera. That day, he called you his muse.
And in return, you told him that you loved him.
When you fell for Taehyung, you fell hard and fast. Eventually, it occurred to you that Taehyung didn’t do the same.
Sure, he cared about you. Sure, he loved you. But while you heard wedding bells and dreamed about your future with him, Taehyung was just starting to put himself out there in the world. His art was being recognized, and he was getting booked to shoot at weddings, parties, and other big events every week.
Soon, the dates happened less frequently. The romantic gestures of bringing you flowers, surprising you on nice dates or small gifts, or even renting your favorite movies to watch together happened even less. He would promise that he’d make it to a party or an important event to you, just to let you down. And it felt like him giving you a bit of affection or attention was a chore.
Taehyung was the world to you, but the petty arguments and the distance that started growing between you two made it clear to you where his priorities were. And it wasn’t with you.
Breaking up with him was the hardest thing you had to do. Both of you knew it was coming. It was just a matter of who broke up with who first.
Just as Taehyung came into your life, quickly and effortlessly, he was gone. Nothing but bittersweet memories of what once was and what could have been weighed heavily on you for months.
What made it worse was that Taehyung, a man you loved with all your heart, had moved on from you so fast and so easily.
You saw him and his new girlfriend at a mutual friend’s party. You were warned that he’d be there, that he was already seeing someone. But it still hurt like hell to see him happy and in love with another person.
But if Taehyung could move on, so could you.
It felt weird at first, but you started to put yourself out there again. You joined dating apps. You went out with the people that fancied your interest. You met Jungkook.
And from there, everything was history.
With Jungkook, you started to think about Taehyung a lot less. The plaguing “what ifs” have quieted down, and the hurt from heartbreak began to heal. With Jungkook, you started to feel like yourself again: you started to smile more, laugh more loudly, enjoy watching movies again, became passionate about cinematic ideas you’d like to create one day.
With Jungkook, you’re also cautiously optimistic.
Because like Taehyung, you feel yourself falling hard and fast for Jungkook. It’s almost scary how truly perfect he is.
“I think you’re just psyching yourself out,” Yoongi tells you, sliding into the chair opposite of you with two cups of coffee in his hands. He smells like freshly-baked cookies. A spot of flour stains his apron as he uses his fifteen-minute break to hang out with you.
“Maybe,” you sigh, gratefully taking the drink he hands you. “What do you think about him?”
“Does my opinion even matter at this point? You’re in love with him,” he drawls before taking a sip of his Iced Americano.
“Of course it does, best friend. Why else would I keep you around?” you remark, taking a sip of your own drink. “Besides the free coffee and cookies. Thank you, by the way.”
He rolls his eyes. The perks of being friends with the cookie boy at your local bakery is a free cup of coffee and getting dibs on leftover treats that didn’t sell the day.
“He’s fine. Kind of annoying. A little too energetic,” he answers as his eyes flit toward the TV screen that his boss keeps on. A woman dressed in bright, business clothing holds a microphone as she reports on the recent news. There’s a grim look on her face.
You have your back turned to it, but you can hear Yoongi’s boss turning up the volume.
Breaking news. Missing woman found dead near home. The victim has succumbed to multiple stab wounds. It is believed that she has been kidnapped and tortured prior to her violent death. The attacker is currently unknown and still at large. Local authorities advise staying indoors and to please report any suspicious activity.
Your heart sinks as you look over your shoulder, seeing police taping off the crime scene and answering what they can to the news outlets. The location is so close to where you are.
“This is the second victim,” a customer mutters with a frown.
The person they’re with nods their head and asks, “Do you think they’re connected?”
“I don’t know. I hope not. We’ll have a serial killer in our hands.”
“Hey,” Yoongi calls your attention. When you look at him, there’s concern on his face. “If you need a ride anywhere, make sure you call me. Doesn’t matter what time.”
“I’ll be okay, Yoongi. Jungkook usually comes to my place anyway.”
“Still. Just let me know that you’re still alive when I check in, all right?” he says as he stares at the screen. You don’t blame him for being worried. As you follow his gaze, you see a picture of the latest victim of the ongoing case that has the whole town on edge.
This woman, like the others, kind of looks like you.
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“If you’re with me, you have nothing to worry about,” Jungkook assures you, throwing a tennis ball as Bam hurriedly chases after it. 
The two of you are at a park with his dobermann. Despite how scary it’s been lately with the news, it’s a nice day. Children are screaming and playing together on the playground as their parents watch them nearby. A group of teenage boys are playing basketball on the outdoor court. Middle-aged and elderly couples are paired up and are getting their daily steps in.
“My hero,” you joke half-heartedly, but you’re still a bit concerned. Yoongi being worried about you makes you feel paranoid.
Jungkook turns to you. He holds out his hand as Bam retrieves the ball and drops it for another throw. “I thought you weren't afraid of anything.”
“Movie-wise, I’m not. But this is different.”
Jungkook throws the slobbery ball again. Further this time as Bam barks happily and takes off. He takes a seat next to you on the park bench. “I can leave Bam with you when I have my evening shifts. He makes a good guard dog.”
He works as an editor and cameraman for a big content creator, which gives him lots of flexible hours to work on his projects when he isn’t busy filming. Since the beginning of autumn, his boss has been giving him evening work to film ghost-hunting videos and other spooky content for Halloween.
“That’ll be nice,” you reply with a small smile. The two of them have been coming to your place so often, it might as well be their second home.
From a short distance, Bam lies on the grass with the tennis ball by his paws. His tongue is out, needing a short break from running around, as he faces you and Jungkook. Even with other dogs and kids around, he’s very well-behaved.
Just as Jungkook tells you that he’ll get Bam, the sound of small, excited barks grab your attention. A familiar black and brown pomeranian approaches you like an old friend, wagging its tail and perking its ears up when it sees you.
Your heart nearly jumps when you recognize the dog.
“Tan!”
You know that voice. How could you not?
That deep, smooth baritone has haunted you for months.
Taehyung, your ex-boyfriend, stops in his tracks when he realizes why his pomeranian took off. The two of you were still together when he adopted Yeontan, and you were there to help raise him when he was still a puppy.
“Who’s this?” Jungkook asks, drawing your attention back to him. He reaches out to pet Yeontan, but the pomeranian growls at him. Almost like he wants to protect you from him.
“Sorry, he’s mine,” Taehyung apologizes, stepping closer to you two and picking his dog up. He looks at you as he tries to soothe the agitated Yeontan in his arms. “It’s been a while. How’ve you been?”
“Good,” you reply politely. Old feelings start to pull on your heart strings that you fervently try to ignore. “I’m good.”
“You look good,” Taehyung starts, but then he purses his lips in regret. It’s obvious that he’s nervous to talk to you. Maybe he feels the same as you.
Softly, you reply, “You do, too.”
“Who’s this?” Jungkook repeats. This time, there’s an annoyed look on his face as he stares at Taehyung. 
It puts you off a bit. Jungkook is usually a friendly guy.
“Oh, this is Taehyung. We used to date,” you tell him honestly. Though, the information seems to just annoy him more. “Taehyung, this is—”
“I’m Jungkook. She’s my girlfriend now.”
His arm snakes around you possessively. He holds a steady gaze, but it’s a look you’ve never seen on him before. Dark, threatening, and angry. It’s almost unnerving.
“I see…” Taehyung trails off as his gaze shifts toward him. Yeontan is still in his arms, growling and barking at Jungkook. You don’t think you’ve ever seen the pup so aggressive toward someone. Even Bam comes over, ditching his ball to guard over you and Jungkook.
“It was nice to see you, Taehyung,” you tell him, sensing the tension in the air and deciding to cut things off. He seems reluctant to leave.
“Yeah…” he continues to trail off, finally pulling his gaze away to look at you. It looks like there’s a million things he wants to say to you. In a lower tone, he tells you, “My number is still the same. If you ever want to talk.”
You frown. After the breakup, you’ve deleted his number and unfollowed him on social media. “Oh, I don’t—”
“Then I’ll call you,” he promises, firm with his decision.
You don’t get it. You and Taehyung have run into each other after the breakup before, and he’s never had an issue with you dating anyone after him. He clearly has moved on, and so have you. 
Why now?
What is it about Jungkook that has him worried for you?
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“I don’t like that guy.”
Jungkook is still heated as he drives you home. His grip is tight around the steering wheel, and the tires screech when he makes a sharp turn. Bam stumbles a bit in the back before sticking his head out the window again.
“Slow down, Kook. You have nothing to be worried about.”
The radio blasts in the car, too much in a rush to connect his playlist to the stereo. It’s playing the week’s top music, and a catchy song from a popular artist fills the car.
Curious, you open your phone and check your followers. You’ve unfollowed Taehyung a long time ago on all your social platforms, finding it hard to look at any of his recent pictures – even just his scenic photography – without thinking about how he had once called you his muse.
But Taehyung never unfollowed you. He had always kept his inbox open for you.
“Did you see the way he was looking at me? It’s like he was looking down on me,” he continues to rant, speeding over a yellow light. He glances over at you and sees that you’re distracted with your phone. “I don’t like how you were looking at him either.”
“Are you serious?” you ask, turning your attention to him. “We barely talked. What the hell are you trying to insinuate?”
On the radio, the program is interrupted. One of the hosts makes a grim announcement.
Ladies and gentlemen, we just received unfortunate news that a third body has been found pertaining to a series of brutal deaths. 
“You still love him! You’ll go back and leave me again!” he suddenly snaps, throwing you off guard.
Silence follows the tension.
Then, you inquire, “Again?”
The third victim is a young female. Hair color and eye color match the previous victims as well, indicating that this might be a targeted attack by the killer.
Not once have you been unfaithful to Jungkook. Even when you were starting to message each other, you weren’t talking to anyone else. The two of you haven’t even been dating that long.
“Forget I said anything,” he starts with a frustrated sigh. But he realizes he’s fucked up.
“No, I’m not just going to forget it. What do you mean by that, Jungkook?”
As of now, authorities have no leads on a suspect. All victims have been kidnapped, tied up, and tortured prior to their deaths. We are led to believe that this is the work of a potential serial killer. 
He nearly slams to a stop. The seatbelt around you yanks you back from hitting the dashboard. Bam falls to the floor and you gasp as the back of your head hits your seat.
Jungkook doesn’t answer you, but for the first time, it feels like the rose-tinted glasses you have on him have fallen off. He’s always been perfect to you: sweet, athletic, talented, and kind. But the Jungkook before you is someone completely different.
This Jungkook scares you.
Stay inside. Lock your doors. Call the police if you see anything suspicious. Be safe out there, folks.
“I told you to forget about it, didn’t I?” he asks through gritted teeth and a harsh look in his eye.
You nod your head, hands trembling a bit as you hold onto your vibrating phone. The screen shows an unknown number trying to contact you.
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“Is there a reason why your boyfriend called me?” Yoongi asks you from the other line. He has you on face-time, awkwardly propping up the camera to show his elbow as he mixes a batch of cookies.
It’s been about a week since you saw Jungkook.
After he dropped you off at home, he wanted to put it all behind him. He kissed you sweetly and murmured apologies for overreacting as his hands slipped under your shirt. But you sent him home before he could convince you to sleep with him. You were still upset about how hostile he was toward Taehyung, his accusations about you, and what his outburst meant.
That hasn’t stopped him from trying to get back to your good graces, though.
The number of missed calls from him keeps increasing by the hour. Ones that you leave unanswered or send straight to your voicemail. 
You don’t want to talk to him.
At your door, you hear him rapping his knuckles against the wooden frame and insistently ringing at your doorbell. From the other side of the door, he begs for a chance to explain. 
You don’t want to see him.
Clearly, after reaching you directly hasn’t worked, he’s starting to contact your friends.
“He’s probably trying to find me,” you tell Yoongi, poking at a bowl of fresh strawberries. You’re still dressed in your pajamas, sitting on a stool by the kitchen counter.
The sound of a small dog can be heard in the background of your line. It dawns on him that you’re not at your place or Jungkook’s.
Yoongi is silent for a moment. Then, he grabs the phone and asks, “What do you mean? Where are you?”
You don’t feel safe in your own home. And that day, while you were in Jungkook’s car, Taehyung called to check up on you. He was always good at reading people, and he warned you that he had a bad vibe about Jungkook.
And you’re starting to see what he meant.
“I didn’t know where else to go.”
When you turn your phone, you reveal Taehyung busy in the kitchen, cutting off the crusts from his sandwiches. He looks over his shoulder and gives a sheepish smile at the scandalized expression on your best friend’s face. “Hey Yoongi.”
“Can you please explain what’s going on? Why are you at your ex’s?”
So, you do. You tell him that Jungkook wouldn’t leave you alone, that you needed some space to cool off but he wouldn’t let you breathe. It was becoming overbearing and overwhelming.
Against your better judgment, you call Taehyung. He invites you to stay over at his place until you’re ready to talk things out with Jungkook. Because even if you’re not together, he still cares about you. Because a part of him will always love you. And at the time, it seemed like a good idea.
“I didn’t want to be alone, especially with a killer targeting women like me out there,” you explain quietly. It feels like the murders have increased in a shorter period of time. If the town wasn’t on edge before, they certainly are now. “But I was still mad at Jungkook, and he was starting to scare me.”
“So the first person you go to is your ex-boyfriend?”
“There’s nothing going on between us.”
That ship has sailed. You know it has when you walked in and saw his engagement pictures hanging on the wall.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I’m sure he would’ve figured out that I’d be with you,” you tell him with a frown.
“I just wanted to help her, hyung,” Taehyung adds as he stands behind you. “I worry about her too. That guy gives me and Tan a bad feeling.”
Yoongi sighs. “Listen, I don’t think this is a good idea either. You shouldn’t stay with Taehyung. It’ll just make things look a lot worse.”
“I guess you’re right,” you reluctantly agree. Taehyung grimaces, but he can see Yoongi’s point too.
“I’ll pick you up after my shift. You can stay with me until you’re ready to talk to Jungkook,” Yoongi tells you, looking rather serious. “Don’t do anything stupid in the meantime, okay?”
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Hey. It’s Jungkook.
You stare at the message on your phone. Three dots that indicate that he’s typing something, but he keeps erasing and re-typing them again. As if he’s trying to properly convey his words.
Are we breaking up?
You stare at that message even longer. It feels childish to break up with him without trying to talk to him. For the first time in a week, you pick up your phone and type back.
You scared me, Kook.
His response is immediate.
I thought you weren’t scared of anything.
You huff when you realize he’s teasing you, even now.
Movie-wise, I’m not. But this. This is different, Kook. You were really scaring me.
Again, you see the dots appear and disappear before a handful of responses appear.
I know, babe. I’m sorry. Can you please come over? I want to show you something I’ve been working on.
You think about it.
I miss you. Bam misses you too.
Yoongi said not to do anything stupid.
Please, baby. We can just watch a movie, if you want.
But, like in every horror movie, the protagonist finds themselves making a plethora of stupid decisions.
Okay, Kook. I’ll come tonight.
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Movie nights with Jungkook was one of the things you always looked forward to throughout the week. Nothing appealed to you more than a night-in with your boyfriend, food delivered at your door, and checking out new shows and movies.
You have your list of favorites, but nothing quite holds a place in your heart than a good ol’ horror movie. Tellings of urban legends, supernatural forces, paranormal activities, true crime, and slasher films. 
As you step into Jungkook’s house, it almost feels like you’re in one of those movies.
His place is dark, almost pitched black. You could barely see what’s in front of you.
“Come inside,” Jungkook says, grabbing your hand. He pulls you in and deadbolts the door behind you.
“It’s so dark,” you remark, gingerly stepping forward. You have a bad feeling about this. You almost pull back toward the door, thinking of waiting for Yoongi or going back to Taehyung instead.
But Jungkook has a firm grip on you. “I thought you weren’t afraid of anything.”
“This is different, Kook,” you try to reason. “You’re really freaking me out.”
He pulls you further inside. In the living room, nothing but the TV is on. The screen is paused on a homemade film.
This must be the project that Jungkook is talking about.
Everything is set. The living room is clean, a bowl of popcorn and a couple bottles of alcohol sits on the coffee table, the lights are off, and the show is ready to play. He sits you down in the middle and keeps an arm around you.
“You know, when we met, you were exactly what I was looking for,” he starts as he presses play.
The tape shows you. Bam lying on your lap as you affectionately pet his face and kiss the top of his head. You, holding Jungkook’s hand and leading him down a busy sidewalk. You, in the kitchen, trying to swat his hand away as he steals your ingredients. You and Jungkook, peering into the camera lens, and your bashful face as he kisses your cheek. 
A smile tugs on your lips as you watch yourself on the screen. Jungkook leans over, copying his onscreen self and kisses your face.
One thing you liked about filming is seeing things from a different perspective. In this case, seeing yourself through Jungkook’s eyes. You look so happy, so incredibly in love with him.
Like with Taehyung, you fell for Jungkook hard and fast.
But Jungkook fell for you harder and faster.
Your smile fades as the next scene shows.
The camera points to the bed, and a couple walks in. It’s you and Jungkook, stumbling in together after drinks at a bar. You’re laughing and trying to wrap your arms around him as he leads you onto the bed. The kiss you share is messy, heated. You tug off his clothes to feel more of him.
You remember that night, but…
“Jungkook. When did you record this?”
You had no idea he was filming you then.
You don’t realize it then, but he makes eye contact with the camera, as if to check that it’s on. He maneuvers you to get a good angle of your body as you busy yourself with your own clothes, wanting him to touch you more as well.
“Jungkook, stop. I didn’t—” 
You feel so sick to your stomach.
“Don’t cry, baby. Here, I’ll fast-forward.”
But you don’t want to watch anymore. You want to leave. You shouldn’t have come here.
The screen shows you and Yoongi. The two of you are at the bakery he works at, and you’re wearing an old cardigan that you got rid of . You smile and eagerly reach for one of the coffees in his hands and take the bag of cookies he’s holding between his lips. He rolls his eyes at something you say before he takes his first sip of his Iced Americano. It’s a typical hangout between you and him.
It looks like it was taken across the street. Your heart plummets even further when you realize that the old cardigan you’re wearing was a piece of clothing you got rid of before you met Jungkook.
The scene changes. You’re sitting at the fountain at your university, looking over a script you wrote for an assignment. Taehyung comes to take a seat next to you. He greets you with a boxy smile and a kiss. The two of you were still dating at the time.
How long has Jungkook known about you?
How long has he been targeting you?
It’s you and Taehyung again. This time, it was filmed from the other night. When Taehyung came to pick you up from your house. He helps you carry some of your things into his car and hugs you when he sees the distressed look on your face. 
“Jungkook, what the fuck?”
It dawns on you that you don’t really know your boyfriend at all.
You try to stand up, but Jungkook has a firm hold on you. His grip tightens when you try to resist him, and his hand seizes your neck as he pushes you down. Your heart hammers against your ribs when you quickly realize you can’t escape him. Jungkook is much stronger and faster than you are.
More images flash through the screen. It’s Jungkook this time, taking a mirror-selfie of himself dressed in all black. He has his hood up and a Halloween mask covering his face. 
It cuts to his feet walking across the sidewalk. Carefully, the camera tilts up, showing that there’s a woman just ahead of him. She’s about your height, her hair the same as yours. She doesn’t notice him as she listens to music playing in her earbuds. 
The scene cuts again, and the same woman is bound and gagged on a chair. Fear shines through her eyes as a shadow of a knife reflects from her body. Behind the camera, Jungkook demands, “Say your line.”
He removes the gag from her mouth. Her voice pitches in a high shrill as she quickly says, “I-I love you. I won’t leave you.”
You recognize her as the latest victim of the latest killings.
And the realization hits you like a truck. Jungkook and his night shifts, the increasing deaths, his interest in filming, having you as the star.
“I practiced, you know. I’ll get it right this time,” he tells you, pulling out some rope he had hidden behind the cushion. You’re trembling as he wraps them tightly around your wrist. “I’ll make sure you don’t leave me again.”
“You’re so bad,” the Jungkook on the screen says, showing what looks like an abandoned warehouse. It’s dimly lit, but you can hear someone running from him. But he doesn’t seem worried, his heavy footsteps casually echo across the concrete. In his hand is a sharp and bloody knife. Mockingly, he asks, “Where did you think you’d go?”
The victim has been let go, but she isn’t free. Ahead, she finds herself cornered as Jungkook catches up to her. Terrified, she holds her hands out in front of her, as if that would stop him.
It’s like seeing your own fate on the screen.
The woman begs and screams before her blood splatters across the floor. You find yourself quoting her, staring up at his darkened eyes. “No, please. Don’t hurt me.”
“What’s wrong?” Jungkook asks, staring right at you. His mouth twitches, fighting a smile. “I thought you liked horror movies.”
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Thank you for reading ♡ Comments & reviews are greatly appreciated!
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merakiui · 21 days
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VIL’S BIRTHDAY!!!! 🎂 GIVE US VIL THOUGHT OR SUFFER!!!!
ANON, PLEASE....... _:(´ཀ`」 ∠):_ have mercy on me... spare me.........
AHEM. LOL as for Vil thoughts!!!!! I think we don't discuss cyberstalker Vil enough,,, the way he was obsessively checking the status of who was most beautiful and Neige's Magicam account during book five........ there's so much potential of Vil being Magicam friends/mutuals with you but never having met you irl, only ever doing online collabs. Whenever he has the time, he's checking your account to see if you've posted anything new, wanting to know what it is you're up to. I like to think he'd try to regulate this obsession so it doesn't become unhealthy (after all, too much screen time can be very bad!), but it becomes impossible the more he falls.
Or a Vil who turns you into a living doll after using various poisons to paralyze you. <3 it's a temporary effect, of course, but he has warned you that it you keep acting out of line and trying to escape he'll employ a more...permanent means of keeping you by his side. Vil takes great care in dressing you up every day, taking the time to apply your makeup and even going so far as to deliberate over which fragrance you should wear. You're not going out anywhere; this is solely for his eyes only, but Vil insists that looking your best, even in the comforts of your home, can be a marvelous feeling.
Or maybe something where Vil is offered a role to be a slasher/horror movie villain. At first he considers turning the role down because he doesn't want to continue to perpetuate an untrue image, and he doesn't like the idea of playing a villain who won't remain on stage until the end. But then he reads through the script and sees that the villain actually wins in the end. Sure, it's a bad ending for the protagonist, but for the villain this is the best possible ending... despite this, he's about to turn the role down when he catches wind that you'll be playing the lead role, the character who is held captive by the character Vil could play. And Vil has always wanted the opportunity to be able to touch and kiss you in more intimate ways without having to trouble himself with both of your reputations or, most importantly, the fact that he's not very close with you...
Beauty and the beast au, but Vil is the beast. >:D cursed to be a hideous beast and now he lives alone in a castle in the woods. The typical monsterfucking scenario. <3
Stepbrother Vil who is your first for everything. He won't allow his precious stepsibling to settle for a subpar partner. That's why you'll practice with someone you can trust, someone responsible, someone like your brother Vil.
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eddathegreat · 4 months
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Worm and Ward and Familiarity
I saw a really great analysis of Worm working with tropes while Ward works against them by @greatwyrmgold, and it reminded me of a more general contrast that I noted:
Worm is coming from a very familiar place and being pulled out of that. The Undersiders have fairly relatable experiences (on average). Poverty, bullying, neglect and abuse by guardians. I'd argue that, as extreme as Alec's experience is, it would resonate with many who have dealt with indoctrination in their youth (like me). Brockton Bay is a city on economic decline, struggling to stay afloat, and afflicted with violent crime. There's superpowers thrown in, sure, but it's fundamentally very familiar human shittiness and problems that drive a lot of the story.
The powers are definitely weird and creative, but it's still unmistakably a superhero story. Bugs, darkness, flight and strength and durability, contact biokinesis. Superheroes and supervillains in costumes fighting each other, hijinks and blood loss.
Except that there's Endbringers, and Echidna, and Cauldron, and Scion. The culmination of the story is peeling back the mask of a familiar superhero setting to reveal a cosmic horror story.
Ward is set in the aftermath of that.
There's a massive megacity that still doesn't have a name. It's basically a country, but it's led by a mayor. Infrastructure is just barely there, lots of people are still living in tents, the internet is just barely running and not everywhere. People with superpowers are no longer just superheroes and supervillains, they're... what, exactly? So many threats that were once contained are now running free, the ratio of normal territory to gonzo hellscapes has been turned on its head. The skyline is torn apart by portals to other worlds, and it's fucking with the weather. There's a political movement against people with superpowers, and there are people affected by superpowers with their own identity, and both of those groups are very conspicuous in how hard it is to treat them as an analogy for any other groups. People are estranged from their own environment, and it's a brave, terrible new world in the shadow of a slain god.
The superpowers are less straightforward. Being unable to be pointed at, impregnation tentacles that fuck with the effectiveness of other powers, lots of cluster triggers and grab-bags, etc. The powers are more obviously reflective of the cosmic horror story people have had to wake up to, unfamiliar, weird, and deeply upsetting.
The characters are also pretty dang weird. Rain is a lot like Alec, and I think he might actually be the most normal of the bunch. Body dysphoria+, sharing a body with a sibling, attachment issues, living as a clone or as a sort-of clone. Not totally unrelatable, to be sure, there are parallels with real life experiences, but these are more their own thing, not so recognizable.
This makes Victoria kind of the perfect protagonist, matching the themes: she's estranged from who she was and her old connections; her home city is gone; she's gone through something absolutely mind-bendingly terrible that is among the worst that people can experience IRL and then some; her power has changed; she was raised into the weirdness of superheroics and is pioneering how it looks in this new world; she's knowledgeable about the weirdness surrounding powers, giving her a good eye for understanding the new world.
I think a decent fraction of Ward's relative unpopularity sadly comes from this: estrangement from the once familiar. The characters can't be related to as easily, the powers aren't so iconic, and the setting feels undefined. I don't think Ward is inherently worse for it, it's just a bit of a tougher sell.
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aqours · 6 months
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the thing about horror is that it's subjective. not everybody can be scared by the same things, horror is a study and exploration of the macabre in most modern cases
one of the main "criticisms" against tcoaal is how can it be horror when its not scary? and yeah, tcoaal isn't like, a conventionally "scary" game... but how could it be?
use jumpscares?
lots of more gore?
i can't find the post, but there's a screenshot going around twitter of somebody like "LMAO SURE TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW THE INC*ST GAME IS HORROR... i'm making my game about a blind guy put through horrible Saw traps and some maniac with a chainsaw-" and people were like, ok lmao you want a participation trophy?
i've seen people say Saw isn't real horror, just torture porn and gore, it's not scary anymore so its not horror. right now there's a post that got memed and ratio'd on twitter bc there's some upcoming movie where a kid might killed and they were like IF YOU WATCH THIS HORROR MOVIE WHERE A CHILD MIGHT BE KILLED AND TORTURED YOU ARE FUCKING DISGUSTING BLOCK ME NOW!!!" and people in the replies and qrts were talking about horror movies like Halloween 3 and The Blob (1988) where kids get killed
and there's people who will say that if you rely on a kid dying in your horror movie it's not actually horror its just edgy and should be discarded. other people will find it disgusting and horrifying beyond words.
while the game is very crass and sarcastic, tcoaal does explore a very macabre topic that would make anyone uncomfortable beyond words if it happened irl, and while it does also make it hot (i should make a post about that later) it doesn't shy away from the fact it's protagonists are horrible awful fucked up people and realistically the only way they can ever be truly happy is if they got restraining orders against eachother but they refuse to do anything to break this thing off and just keep descending into the muk. if chapter 3 doesn't have at least one murder-suicide ending i will be very pensive face
horror is a. very subjective thing. some people actually do find jumpscares scary other people find them annoying. society will never reach a consensus on what is scary and what is not bc people are scared by different things. tcoaal may not be a particularly scary game, mostly disturbing, but the idea that it's not horror in any capacity and how its an insult to REAAAAAL horror is... lol
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bobparkhurst · 1 month
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Hi! I come to you for advice, as I trust your opinion in matters like this. Me being just a casual viewer of war shows, not interested in it just for the genre, should I watch Masters of the Air or not? Thank you in advance! 💖
Augh, I answered this, then my browser crashed not helpful. Anyway, the gist of this is, I am not a casual war shows enjoyer, but I am going to do my best on this front given I know the one war show I know that we both enjoy.
tl;dr: I think MotA has good characters, doesn't sacrifice telling a good story for historical accuracy and I've watched it like, three or four times now already.
So actually yeah, I'd suggest giving MotA a shot. I will not be offended if you don't like it, but I do think it's worth it.
Longer answer under the cut (and sorry, I did get rambly):
While MotA looks from the outside as more of an ensemble piece, it's really about four guys, and two of those guys are a Set. It is also very historically accurate, but it doesn't feel like they got super hung up on that, they get the balance that this is still a historical fiction show.
They do change things up in places for the sake of the narrative. This doesn't always work, a couple of plot threads get dropped in what I feel are clunky ways. Honestly, I think they just tried to do too much and it meant some things didn't get the weight they needed. Still, I found it a mostly cohesive story and strong enough to follow each of our main guys.
Be warned though: there are timeskips a lot in the second half of the series. These are telegraphed quite well but can be a little jarring. This does cause some minor characters to appear to randomly disappear.
They also do not shy away from injury or other horrors of war, so be prepared for that. If you want fuller content warnings, up for that.
So really, it comes down to if you think you're gonna enjoy these four guys:
Gale "Buck" Cleven and John "Bucky" Egan
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The very quick way to describe these two are the classic quiet guy/wild child pair, but I think that does them a bit of a disservice because there's depth to both characters that really gets borne out over the course of the nine episodes. Bucky gets a lot more to work with outwardly, but I think they're both gorgeous characters. Their love for each other and how it is tested and reinforced and drives them is a huge part of this show. Austin Butler and Callum Turner have great chemistry, and in both cases, there is a real solid presence of the other when they're in scenes alone. Loved their dynamic with each other and with the men they lead.
2. Harry Crosby
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Understated protagonist. He also gets a great character arc over nine episodes. Anthony Boyle is incredible in the role and makes him one of the most likeable and engaging characters I've ever seen. IRL Croz wrote a memoir A Wing and a Prayer which is refreshingly frank and quite funny in parts too, and I think that really serves here.
3. Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal
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We don't get to meet him till a few episodes in, so he doesn't get as grand an arc as the others, but I think that works because we get to really hit the story of a guy who just wants to serve justice being flung immediately into an ongoing horror. We get to immediately contrast him with the guys who have been around longer. Also he's really beautiful and SO GOOD AT HIS JOB my God.
Also, while there are supporting characters, none of them really get the focus these ones do, so expectations should be managed on that front. That said, the actors are all great so I personally feel you do get a hold on who they are. Nobody expects you to know everyone's names. I am still only 70% sure I know who Murphy is.
(as usual, my favourite guy is a supporting guy but at least he gets some narrative explicitly discussing him and his job and also he's Raff Law so like, his face is distinctive).
Also Corin is in it for a couple of scenes so you should watch those if nothing else.
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apologies for that getting long i love my boys but i also tried to be conscious of my war media nerd hat
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ruinedxxdoll · 2 months
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┌──❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚─┐
You can call me Doll or anything you like~
Bisexual (heavy preference for women), TME genderfluid girlfag boydyke. I am simultaneously a man and a woman so if you’re very firmly only attracted to one maybe don’t interact with me. Can switch but primarily a sub. Cis people can interact but I’m primarily t4t. I use many pronouns, preferring ze/hir/hirs or rotating thru he/it/she (dependent on the scene or whoever’s fronting). I prefer for my hole to be referred to as my cunt/hole and use clit/dick interchangeably.
Also disabled, I have C-DID, autism + ADHD, BPD, hEDS, and endometriosis. Buyer beware lmao /j
⚠️All posts are fantasy ofc, we’re a guy with career ambitions and do happen to enjoy having personal autonomy more often than not. Always practice personal risk-aware informed consent and keep constant open communication with all partners, and remember that aftercare is MANDATORY
⁂ Kinks ⁂
CNC, free use, somnophilia, intox, double/triple penetration, oral, anal, petplay, objectification (specifically dollification), bimbofication/dumbification, knifeplay, cumplay, waxplay, bloodplay, gangbangs, praise & degradation, orgasm control, overstimulation, BSDM (sub and masochist ❤️‍🩹), rigging, teratophilia, corruption/hypnosis/mindbreak. Open to trying new things
⚠️ Breeding is hot but I’m not rly into pregnancy and would rather catch Every Plague than get pregnant IRL. Cum in me as much as possible please just remember this uterus has room for zero
⚠️Into fauxcest but NOT with a “Daddy” scene partner or any cg/l overlap. Mommy dommes welcome but not if you want me to act age regressed in the bedroom
❌Hard no on piss, scat, detrans, unprepped anal, organized sex trafficking fantasies, raceplay, misogyny/patriarchy, cg/l or nsfw age regression
❌‼️‼️Ableists, racists, transphobes, homophobes, and zionists DO NOT INTERACT. We are the cringe cripplepunk leftist of your nightmares and we want you dead. It should also go without saying but Actual Sex Criminals DNI and DIE
[i’ll add my OF link here later when I finally have free time to run it 💀]
Asks always welcome, and DMs are open, but I may not reply to DMs (I’m shy). I will not respond to blank blogs.
└───❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚┘
More about us personally under the cut~
We’re a C-DID system and have a few alters running this blog. Our body is white, 5’9”, 108lbs, B-cup, pre-T and pre-op, brown eyes, and naturally black hair we dye semi-regularly. Transition goals include vagina-preserving phalloplasty and hrt. Our collective pronouns are ze/hir/hirs and our collective names are Ari/Doll, but feel free to address an alter directly! Outside of kink we’re finishing up an art degree and enjoy writing, drawing, reading, literary analysis, video game development, and are a big horror enthusiast.
Ariel - he/they/it, introject of our book protagonist (gothic horror WIP), elf prince, polite academic type. Primarily a sub but enjoys soft domming on occasion. Is into rough cnc/rapeplay (bottom), free use, dollification, gangbangs, intox, rigging/bondage, impact play, manhandling, knifeplay, bloodplay, royalty roleplays (prince), medical roleplays, teratophilia, fisting, praise and degradation, masochism, cnc stalking, mindbreak
B. - he/him, gothic horror WIP introject, sea monster man, dom. Is very possessive over his in-system husband (Ariel) and will mainly interact with posts pertaining to their dynamic. Is into leather, bondage, soft cnc, musk, teratophilia just by nature of being the monster in question
Honey - she/her, another gothic horror WIP introject, human, switch. Is into latex, soft cnc (switch), fauxcest, mommy dommes, royalty roleplays (princess), rigging/bondage, teacher/student roleplays, body worship, praise, breast/nippleplay, voyeurism
Puppy - pup/it/she, doggirl, sub. Is into petplay, breeding, free use, bondage, intox, cnc, exhibitionism, teratophilia, dumbification
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fuel-me-coffee · 4 months
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How hard can it be to draw an Aeon's gaze?
((shitty midnight analysis))
Yaoshi–More than happy to give out their blessings and attention. Good luck getting rid of all the negative consequences of anything coming from them tho.
Aha–Will happily share their power if they think you're funny lil guy™ enough. If you're an internet troll or irl menace u stand a pretty good chance of receiving a blessing. Bonus points if you're a bit unhinged and are trying to pull off things like, let's say, an assassination of an aeon.
Akivili–Are you down to go on a space journey? Done. Attention gathered, blessings received.
Lan–antisocial mf but if you're dedicated enough to the path of the hunt you may draw their gaze. The entity of Loufu somehow did it so it's not that improbable. Might need to put in more work on a personal scale.
Fuli–literally a cryptid. Unless you're quite literally making history you are NOT seeing them and they are NOT looking.
Nous–you have to be a cosmic level super genius so the general populace will not be harboring their gaze
IX–if you get existential dread and/or experience ✨the horrors✨ for long enough you probably will get their gaze
Nanook–literally have no idea what Nanook's standards are except that their intentions have to be "pure enough" are because I am YET to find a person that's not the trailblazer mc ((and phantylia maybe)) that successfully managed to get their attention. Like bro they don't even like the people that walk their own path? 😭 idk, have u tried to put a ticking time bomb inside yourself? ((Warning: do not attempt if you are not confirmed to be the script's protagonist and always ensure to keep a senior man around to come bonk u before u go berserk))
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brokenribcxge · 8 months
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this dress <333
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amethystsoda · 1 year
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your personal top (10?) manga? :))
Hello!!!
I am going to preface this with the fact that I only got into anime around 2014/2015 (Fullmetal Alchemist + Brotherhood) and then read the manga around 2016.
I only started avidly reading around 2019 with digital copies of JoJo and fell into loving manga from there and genuinely becoming a reader/keeping up with new releases and starting to learn Japanese (basic hiragana, etc) in 2021.
My other qualifications for these picks are that I am an irl artist (illustration and stained glass), taught an art history course for 1 year, and I read/write as much as possible outside of work.
I will also say that I may not have finished reading all these series yet, but they are the ones near and dear to my art-loving heart.
Also sorry it’s a few more than 10 *sweats*
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Fullmetal Alchemist — Hiromu Arakawa
My very first manga.
Knowing that Arakawa taught herself art while still working on her parents’ farm and used her nights/time off to write it made me so in awe of her drive and skills. The ways the story deals with humanity, war, power, and love make it a timeless classic.
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Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure — Hirohiko Araki
It’s bonkers. It’s off the wall. It’s been going since the 80’s and Araki is still working. There’s so much to love. There’s so much to hate. But no matter how you feel about JJBA, it’s undeniably a masterpiece.
Araki’s dedication to the art is one of the biggest draws, with his fashion and art history references and use of bright colors. You can feel his love for the medium shine through his full color pieces!
My personal favorite parts are Phantom Blood, Diamond Is Unbreakable, Stone Ocean, and Jojolion (ikik all the “boring” parts, but I think that’s where the characters are most interesting)
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Jujutsu Kaisen -- Gege Akutami
My next big read after JoJo. After watching season 1 of the anime, I knew I needed more. The way that Gege uses the classic shonen tropes combined with explorations of life and death is very strong storytelling.
We learn from the start about curses, cursed energy, we witness a major death in the protagonist’s life and he’s given a goal:
“You’re a strong kid, so help others. Even if it’s only those closest to you, just save the people you can. It’s okay if you lose your way, and don’t worry about whether they’ll thank you or not. Just save as many people as you can, even if it’s only one.”
The series often shows us what it means to save even one and the self sacrifice that comes from protecting others, even if it’s painful or difficult. Throw iconic characters into the mix and you have the basis for an already notable classic shonen manga.
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Spy x Family — Tatsuya Endo
Found family slice of life with a big dose of action and fluff?? Literally the perfect comfort manga. I saw enough promos on tumblr that I finally caved and started it in 2020 and I LOVED it.
More people are familiar now bc of the anime’s popularity, but I definitely recommend reading it as well! The art is consistently high quality, the face expressions are hilarious, and the main concept of fighting for peace is re-stated throughout the storyline.
Loid took on this mission and his spy position to bring peace. He never wants to see the horrors of war again. He never wants to see another child cry. The family may be “fake” but the feelings are real.
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Witch Hat Atelier — Kamome Shirahama
I cannot stop giving high praises for this series!!!! It’s like if you mixed Ghibli’s nature and art with Narnia or LOTR’s fantasy vibes. The magic system is based on drawing and it’s such a treat for artists to read.
Shirahama also uses a lot of traditional art references for her work, like rococo, art nouveau, classic illustration, etc. She’s won awards for the series and every one is deserved.
Also the two main witches, Qifrey and Olruggio, are definitely in love and take the best care of their witch students (cough daughters) in the atelier. Qifrey is like if you mixed Howl Pendragon with Gojo Satoru. Olruggio is the traditional tsundere with a heart of gold.
The series also talks a lot about disability and how we can improve others’ lives to make them more comfortable and accessible! It’s a very unique world and story that draws you in and makes you feel at home.
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Chainsaw Man — Tatsuki Fujimoto
Yes, the series everyone is currently talking about. And I’m not going to call it peak or goat, but I think the concept is very strong and well-executed.
Fujimoto pulls you in from the intro (esp Pochita, how can you not love a cute little chainsaw dog!?), he makes you care about the characters, and slowly rips your heart out chapter by chapter. It’s won awards for good reason.
Not everyone is morally black and white. There’s giant battles and dynamic art. The main character just wants to touch some boobs. The other main guy is basically a househusband after work hours. Add in a pretty girl blood devil who doesn’t like vegetables. An Angel Devil who can kill someone through a touch and loves ice cream. A sopping wet kitten of a girl who works at her family’s burger place and hunts devils on the side. etc etc.
The characters are one of the strongest aspects of Chainsaw Man and their dynamics with each other. Hate, love, control, fear… The series talks about our basest desires and anxieties and explores them in a fictional playing field with all the flare you expect from a Shonen Jump title.
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Toilet Bound Hanako Kun - AidaIro
THE ART STYLE THE ART STYLE THE ART STLYE. This series is done by a two person team (AidaIro - one for art, one for writing) and I appreciate that each brings their strength to this manga.
The coloring and art are so dreamy and whimsical, while still using strong jewel tone colors (instead of only pastels or earth colors as you might expect in a western fantasy series).
The work uses the “seven school wonders” as its base and Nene Yashiro as the protagonist who just wanted to get a date with her crush and called on Hanako’s help. Through her impulsivity, she ends up under a mermaid’s curse and makes a pact with Hakano to make it more bearable, getting pulled into the carryings-on of spirits around the school.
The art/story combo is engaging, dynamic, and emotional. There’s a lot of hilarious face expressions in this manga as well and little visual gags/jokes that make it fun to read. The series started in 2014 and is still ongoing!
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The Way of the Househusband — Kosuke Oono
a former yakuza member marries a designer and becomes a stay at home househusband. Hijinks ensue. Add in his former gang friend Masa and their cat Gin and you have a recipe for domestic comedy.
I’ve genuinely laughed out loud so many times reading this manga. The chapters are pretty short and are good when you need a little break to not stare at a screen. It’s another good comfort manga when you need something low intensity.
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Dorohedoro -- Q Hayashida
I have to admit I found this one because of the anime MAPPA did, but I immediately explored the manga and mud and sludge art book. Q Hayashida trained in fine arts before becoming a mangaka and it shows through the quality of her work.
From the heavily detailed manga panels, to the mixed media covers, and bonus comics done in color, the world is rendered in a blend of gritty realism and surreal fantasy.
Dorohedoro is one of the most unique pieces of worldbuilding I’ve encountered, with the smoke magic system, use of doors for traveling between Hole and the sorcerers world, as well as including devils in the lore.
Again, characters are a big draw of the series, but the art is just mind blowing to me as an artist, knowing the level of craft she put into them. I still flip through the artbook for inspiration when I’m feeling drained.
I haven’t finished all of the manga, but I’m slowly collecting the volumes (some are out of print). But I believe all the pdfs are up on archive.org (also please keep in mind there is an Adult Only/18+ content warning on this manga as there is gore and some nudity)
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Blue Period — Tsubasa Yamaguchi
I started collecting this when they released volume 1 and just kept collecting. If you’re an artist at all or appreciate art, this is a series for you. It describes the struggles of finding your voice as an artist so deeply and you will feel understood and seen.
There are quite a few characters in the series, so I suggest looking at the wiki for this one to keep everyone straight. I also recommend watching the anime, as the colors and voices help distinguish the characters further.
The art history references in the chapter art makes this a scavenger hunt for art nerds and the messages of self searching, acceptance, and discovery are something anyone can relate to. (edit: I looked up the series more and it's another woman author!! :D )
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The Case Study of Vanitas — Jun Mochizuki
Another I started collecting because of the anime, but it’s SO so beautiful (Arakawa sensei even gave a recommendation inside the front cover of volume 1!)
Also!!! Another woman author!! I’m so happy to give lots of women author recs. If you like gothic romantic vampire dramas set in alt history steampunk Paris with a dash of horror, then this is for you.
Bisexual vibes from literally all of the main 4 (Noe, Vanitas, Dominique, Jeanne). Some moments of sensuality, but it never goes into overtly sexual, making it more accessible for teen readers.
Her watercolors are instantly recognizable and stunningly gorgeous. Noe’s delight in the world is balanced by Vanitas’ grumpier realism. Also, the concept of a vampire that can read memories through blood blew my mind. Definitely recommend.
Special mentions:
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Yotsuba&! (a classic first manga for kids. Heartwarming. Funny. Adorable)
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Skull Face Bookseller Honda-san (also a good anime. Only 4 volumes. All the crazy things that happen in a bookstore/publishing. Funny and a great autobiography by the author Honda)
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Kaiju No. 8 (an up and coming Shonen Jump that’s already slated for an anime!!!! Kaiju battle action + a 32 year old protag that had an accident while working and can now turn into a Kaiju >:D Monster lovers rejoice)
I also have a few singles of older shojo manga that I’m getting into recently like Cardcaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Kitchen Princess, Host Club!
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ckret2 · 15 hours
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Hello. 
I read chapter 49, and I really liked the way you portrayed what it’s like to have a paranormal experience. One could either brush it off and go on with their lives, or spend a long time obsessing over it and potentially have their worldview turned upside down. As someone who has had several experiences, the line "Once your eyes have been too dazzled by the sunlight to see the dim shadows, you'll never be awed by a candle again." is going to stick with me for a while.
I was wondering if you’ve had any paranormal experiences yourself. If you would be comfortable sharing them, of course. I write original fiction, and I’ve used my own experiences as inspiration. 
Sorry if this has already been mentioned somewhere on your blog. I still haven’t read the entire fic yet.
Have a nice day.
Nope! I just read a whole lotta paranormal horror and cosmic horror, have taken a lot of philosophy, and listen to a podcast that does nothing but play/read people's firsthand accounts of paranormal experiences they say they've had so at this point I've heard hundreds if not thousands.
There's a commonality in the alienation that comes from experiencing something that not only nobody around you has experienced, but also nobody around you believes. I wasn't specifically thinking about irl paranormal experiences—I was thinking about Plato's Cave, the Square trying to explain the third dimension to Flatlanders, and how to convey the maddening dread of a Lovecraftian protagonist while undermining Lovecraft's insecure white man "it goes against the natural order when the universe doesn't revolve around me" theme—buuut no doubt some of those ghost stories subconsciously crept in somewhere.
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yardsards · 7 months
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today i decided to take a lil walk after my haircut and i was like "i'll just go down another block on this road" but didn't realize the block system had ENDED on that road. and then i was like "well i don't feel like turning back around, i'll just keep walking til there's a turn" but there were no turns even after over a mile of walking
so i pulled up my phone gps and saw that the two options for getting home were "turn around and walk that shitty road home" (easier but more boring) or "walk farther down this road, go into the public forest, and cut through there to get home" (more fun but more difficult)
and i ended up going with the latter
but i had then realized by the time i was entering the forest that the sun was setting. and my phone battery was getting low.
and my legs were getting tired but i couldn't stop and rest because i needed to be out of the woods before dark and i was cutting it awfully close
so like. irl horror game protagonist simulator.
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silvermoon424 · 4 months
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the straight woman raising their standards high reminds me of many sh*tty shoujos out there with god awful MLs and FLs that don't have even tiny bit of brain cel to figure out that dip sh*t ain't good for her. Just my opinion. (gets rly interesting when you hear same situation irl and vice versa). Long story short, never settle for sh*tty people, sadly this planet is full of them and good people are hard to find, but don't let that discourage you and end up with someone who doesn't even respect you as a human being.
UGH YES I don't really read shoujo romance manga myself (horror is more my forte lol) but why do many series have an asshole male lead who always disrespects the female protagonist?
Like Mamoru and Usagi were kinda assholes to each other in the first arc, but once they actually start dating they show love, respect, and appreciation for one another. Of course you can still have a playful snarky element to your relationship but in way too many series it just feels mean.
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