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bearpillowmonster · 3 months

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Sixteen 2023 Movies Ranked

I didn't say top, because I only saw 16 movies that actually released this year. There are some really good ones that technically released at the end of last year (like Puss in Boots) that I didn't see until this year but I guess I won't count those. But I will include Suzume because it released in the US this year.

16. The Boogeyman - This one wasn't even my choice, it was my dad's and I told him it was going to be stupid and it was yet it has great reviews. I just can't get into horror movies though, it's very rare there will be one that spikes my interest.

15. Rebel Moon - Ugh, yuck, regurgitated Star Wars.

14. Shazam - It wasn't as horrible as some people make it out to be and I wasn't that big of a fan of the first one but it just didn't make the villains all that interesting, except Anthea, felt like it did some things right and other things wrong, never really "improving".

13. Ladybug and Chat Noir - It's really just how you like your burger done, because it does a lot of what the series already did and then recontextualizes it, adds cruddy music, and a few new scenes and ending. It's an origin but also an ending, it's a franchise all in one movie. Really weird how it's set up, the animation is good but really best suited for the Youtube clips.

12. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - Mindless, doesn't really accomplish anything, becomes really cheesy.

11. The Marvels - Wow, this is weird putting this so high but once again, not as bad as they say, the villain is pretty bad though despite a cool set-up. It has the gimmick too but doesn't make as much fun with it as I would've liked. Ms. Marvel is the highlight, the ending sucks and really I'm just reiterating popular opinion.

10. No Hard Feelings - Another one I'm surprised is this high. The premise could've been better as well as the twist but I can't say it wasn't memorable or a fun time.

9. Five Nights at Freddy's - Not a horror movie, more a kids movie. Some changes I liked, most I didn't. Cool to see all this on screen though.

8. The Flash - The CGI is horrendous but it has Supergirl, it has Flash, I don't care much for Michael Keaton's Batman, I just really like the fast scenes and the ending.

7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - Yeah, it wasn't the end all be all like everyone was saying for me. I look back at the others and think how great they are, even during the film I questioned myself. Rocket's story is really the only thing I liked about it, cut away way too much from what you actually want to see and replaced it with goofy stuff you don't care for. Even the music was weak for the most part.

6. Suzume - I was invested with the chair and the doors and cats were cool but it switched to a different movie for the second half and tried focusing on her relationship with her aunt where it didn't seem earned, needed more conflict in that area where not everyone is the good guy.

5. Super Mario Bros. - Mario and Luigi and a Donkey Kong too, A thousand troops of Koopas couldn't keep me from you- I just really wanted this movie. It was fun but for one, Chris Pratt did a really good voice in the beginning then it just became Chris Pratt. The whole dad thing was shoehorned and was unneeded, they could've had some characters be actual characters when they were stock NPCs and very generic music choice, would've been better to just keep it all score.

4. Barbie - Already? Wow, this was one of the highlights too. Great music. Great style and personality, smart dialogue and plot.

3. TMNT Mutant Mayhem - I saw this in theaters and I just couldn't stop laughing because of how it's a kid's movie and all Superfly ever says is "What the hell?" It got my sister to be a fan of the franchise, the animation was excellent, we have some of the best versions of these characters (I said some). Really fun.

2. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning - I'm a fan of Ghost Protocol but the rest are just action flicks to me, I just really like the setpieces of some of them is all but this one actually gave me a run because it kept my attention steady and on the edge of my seat despite the strange plot. This is where I actually felt it could be matched up against the likes of any other spy thriller like James Bond.

Across the Spider-Verse - As if it could've been anything else but in all seriousness one of my favorites of all time and really stepped up the game. I haven't stopped thinking about it and it was summer when I went to go see it in theaters. I didn't think I would experience something like that again and here's to hoping its sequel is just as good or dare I say that it's even possible to be better.

#2023 ranking #movies #2023 movies #films #cinema #ranked

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devilfic · 2 years

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Wait! Although, yes, the gender neutral thing is in all 3 projects, I actually meant that iswm was the only one that didn't show skin. I can't remember if the other projects were like that too, so i rewatched them (just the first parts) and unfortunately adwm showed skin, like a full hand, while ahwm showed a little bit between their long sleeves and gloves. Now i remember being sad about it... But what can i say... it's not like i've seen many representation of my kind in media anyway. So yeah, as someone with darker skin, i feel you 😔

In iswm, there is no skin color shown ever. It was always covered with gloves and socks/shoes. I feel that they learned and realized that's what it should be like, for the figure to be as neutral as possible so that everyone can identify with them. I wish they did that for adwm and ahwm, but it is what it is. I just hope they will continue to be as inclusive in their future projects.

I wouldn't say that my august and september would be completely stress-free, but yeah!!! Again, i feel so relieved, i'm glad i told you about it, and thank you for your encouragement!! Also, OH MY GOD. Okay. Well. I actually have read boogeyman part 2 a few times as of the moment i'm writing this ask. I don't want to sound like i'm repeating myself so i'm gonna put all my thoughts about it in the reblog tags. Oh and i will be sending my next request soon! Just in case tho, how detailed do you prefer your request to be??

What we do in the shadows sound interesting! I might give it a go, but for now, i'm actually in the middle of the sandman! I started watching it because of that gifset you reblogged, comparing battinson and sandman. I've heard of the sandman ever since the trailer came out, but i didn't know what it was, so i just.. didn't really pay attention to it, but then it's trending often and i saw that gifset and so i became curious about it!! Ugh there's so many things i wanna doooooo

Anyway, that letter from eddie looks so cool?????? If you told me that its a canon thing from the show i would believe it, like, the handwriting just suits him??? And the pictures!!!!!! Honestly it feels so weird but so cool at the same time??? I can't really explain it jdxhdjccjdb oh is it like a customized thing or??

-cain

ahh yeah, I went to watch ahwm and I noticed in some shots the hands were shown. but it didn't take me out of it too much! but you know the feeling. I had to pretend when I watched one direction's night changes mv at 15 that that was my white hand holding onto harry styles, what's a little more pretending I didn't see anything :)

yeah!! it's good they learned it'd be better to be more inclusive. I know some directors and stuff don't want things like that to interfere with their "creative vision" but going a little extra mile to make the audience feel included does wonders.

you're very welcome!! always happy to help. AND I SAW. it was a lot longer than the first one (almost twice as long? I think). I got carried away with it, I'll be honest. I know you really like the story so I thought I'd put in the extra effort ^^ thank you for continuing to support that story and reading it so enthusiastically!! it's so refreshing. as for requests, I give a few examples of requests that are too detailed in my guidelines, but honestly as long as you can leave me a little wiggle room, I can work with most anything!

OH SWEET YOU STARTED THE SANDMAN!! it's kinda crazy that dream's actor and robert pattinson used to be roommates (and I think they're still friends as well?). small world for goths. do you love death as much as I do? I love the usually broody, emo personifications of death in other media but her portrayal was a breath of fresh air.

and RIGHT. it feels like getting inserted into the canon in a little way. definitely on my nightly scenario rotation now. and it is customized to an extent, I believe! you tell them your name (my friend did it for me so I'm not sure of all the details) and I guess some other small details and they put something special together for you. like that playlist (I've got it saved on my spotify now OTL) ;-; I'm a sucker for playlists.

#cainsau #mjanswers

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bunnimew · 3 years

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5 Times Pitch Used Terrible Pick Up Lines and the 1 Time It Kinda Worked

Fandom: Rise of the Guardians Pairing: Jack Frost/Pitch Black Tags: Fluff, Crack, Pick Up Lines, Post-Movie, 5+1, rating for themes, Pitch Black is a ridiculous man, Jack Frost you little shit Rating: T Words: 1884 Summary: Does what it says on the tin.

For RotG Bingo 2021: Terrible Pick-Up Lines On AO3 Here.

Jack hadn’t seen Pitch since the nightmares dragged him away.

The image was never far from his mind. The panic, the despair. And the children were so carefree now that Jack began to wonder if the Boogeyman would ever return.

Which is what made it such a shock when he finally heard that voice again, that silky smooth tone Jack thought locked away in his past, out of the literal darkness.

“If you were words on a page, you’d be fine print.”

Jack gripped his staff on instinct and spun to face his opponent before he realized that wasn’t an insult at all.

That was a pick-up line.

Pitch Black had just laid a pick-up line on Jack. Frost. One of the Guardians.

What.

The shock was so complete that all the fight melted out of Jack and left him reeling in confusion. Pitch’s lines were meant to sting, right? They weren’t supposed to be–

“Did you just call me fine?” Jack had to ask. Just to make sure.

Pitch’s expression remained smooth and suave, but his body, what little of it was solid, began to waiver and… was the Nightmare King fidgeting?

“Of course, Jack,” he said. “Surely you know how appealing you are?”

Jack nodded. He did. He definitely did. “Surely you know how weird it is that you said it?”

Pitch tilted his chin up, straightening his spine and assuming a very carefully composed stance. He looked uncomfortable as fuck. “It’s not that strange, Jack. If you’ll recall, it’s not the first… offer I’ve made you.”

That was a fair point, and Jack almost gave it to him. “Taking over the world and taking me to bed aren’t exactly the same thing, Pitch.”

His eyes widened in feigned surprise. Pitch leaned forward just enough to make Jack feel his height, and then he said, “Aren’t they, though?”

He vanished into the dark before Jack could come up with a good reply.

“Kiss me if I'm wrong. But dinosaurs still exist, right?”

This time, Jack was less surprised. Surprised, yes, but Jack didn’t jump into a defensive stance or anything, which was good for his sense of pride.

Instead, he thought about what Pitch actually said. Dinosaurs did not exist, and that was one of the saddest facts Jack knew. “These are supposed to be Pick-Ups, not Put-Downs. What are you doing?”

Pitch didn’t miss a beat. He turned his head coyly to the side and made himself look very unassuming. “You know, I’m actually terrible at flirting. How about you try to pick me up instead?”

That was… a pretty good line, if Jack were honest. Unfortunately, fraternizing with the enemy was frowned upon in most establishments, and also Jack was not going to reward the Boogeyman for bad behavior. “I’m not falling for it.”

“Are you sure?” Pitch looked up, all innocence. “Maybe you should check again.”

Jack snorted a laugh. He knew Pitch was witty and all, but somehow the Guardian had thought it limited to nasty insults and setting traps. Speaking of…

He looked right into Pitch’s eyes when he said. “You’re wrong, but I’m not kissing you.”

Pitch’s lips twisted, but it looked more playful than aggrieved. “Well you’re no fun.”

Jack skated to the edge of the lake, the one he liked to think of as home, and tipped joyously over into the soft snowbank to rest. Figure eights were a lot of fun, but figure skating was a lot of work.

“We’re not socks, but I think we’d make a great pair.”

Jack almost jumped right back out into the lake and through the ice. Instead, he used his unwillfully gained momentum to turn and smack Pitch’s shoulder for scaring him. That was no way to woo a man.

“Antarctica hit you hard, didn’t it?” he accused.

Pitch did look off-put by that, but he didn’t leave so Jack figured he was over it enough. It was only fair, too, considering the whole Antarctica thing was largely Pitch’s doing.

Jack brushed off the snowflakes he’d thrown all over himself in his panic and settled down into the bank the way he’d meant to before Pitch so rudely interrupted. “You know, you’d get further if you stopped sneaking up on people.”

Pitch looked even more offended by that. “I am the Boogeyman!”

“Yeah, so?”

Pitch tossed his head. Dramatically. Jack hid his grin. “Sneaking up on people is what I do.”

“Sneaking up on targets is what you do,” Jack corrected mildly. He stuffed one arm under his head and made sure to have a good angle on Pitch’s face for what he said next. “Sneaking up on a pull is how you go to bed lonely.”

Pitch drew back in shock, and Jack loved to see it. His eyes were wide and everything.

Jack raised his eyebrows and said, “That is what you’re trying to do, isn’t it?”

Pitch sputtered. It was hilarious. He recovered quickly, and that was fun, too. “And who are you to give me dating advice?”

Jack shrugged. “Just the guy you’re trying to date.”

Pitch walked right into that one, and he clearly knew it by the way he kept his mouth shut and looked at everything that wasn’t Jack. Finally, he licked his lips and said, “Yes, well…”

“Well?” Jack prompted. He would have sworn Pitch’s high cheekbones were looking darker than usual.

“Have a nice night,” Pitch said in a rush of breath and vanished into the shadows from whence he came.

Jack grinned. He didn’t care if Pitch was actually still there and could see. “Oh, I’m sure I will.”

If Jack was the kind of person to compliment his arch nemesis, he would give him props for materializing slowly this time. Was Pitch trying to learn?

All the same, the Nightmare King stopped Jack in his tracks by blocking his way with a long gray arm and a beautiful purple rose.

“I just wanted to show this rose how beautiful you are.”

Gorgeous as the rose was, that line was transparent as hell. Jack dropped his shoulders and stared at Pitch, hoping his expression was as lame as that line.

To his credit, Pitch held his ground. His face was the picture of innocent interest, maybe even with a dash of hope.

As they watched each other, waiting to see who blinked first, Pitch’s arms slowly lifted to place the rose, de-thorned thankfully, over Jack’s ear.

...Well played.

Jack tried to maintain his stare, but it was hard to stay mad when he felt pretty. That didn’t mean Pitch’s line was working; it just meant Jack liked roses. Who didn’t like roses?

Jack gathered his wits and tried to look casual when he asked, “If that’s all you wanted, then I guess your job’s done here, isn’t it?”

Pitch didn’t look upset the way Jack thought he would. His eyes were roaming over Jack’s face and the flower tucked against it in distant admiration and Jack, for the first time, really started to think Pitch might mean something by these lines he was using.

“Yes, I suppose it is,” he said as if waking from a dream. This time, when Pitch melted into the dark, he sank slowly into the shadows and it didn’t feel anything like the running away it had every time previously.

He could have taken three times as long to leave and Jack still wouldn’t have found his tongue in time to reply.

This time, when Pitch appeared, Jack was reclining lazily up in a tree. Which Jack would have considered his home turf, except the way Pitch dripped out from the shadow of the branch above him to hang upside down, comfortable as any bat, made him feel at a distinct disadvantage.

It was creepy, but Jack could admit it was cool, too. Pitch had style.

Jack waited patiently for the line he knew was coming.

“I'd like to take you to the movies, but they don't let you bring in your own snacks.”

Jack snorted a laugh. He couldn’t help it. And yet, after all of this, Jack could admit to feeling flattered by it, too. A snack, huh?

“Why can’t you just tell me you like me and get it over with?”

Jack hadn’t realized any part of Pitch was moving until all of it, extended shadows and everything, came to a screeching halt. “Wha–” He stuttered, and it was music to Jack’s ears. “No, That’s–I don–”

The Boogeyman didn’t know how to handle it when he wasn’t in control, but rather than lash out the way Jack feared, the way he was used to, he flailed in embarrassment and conceded all ground to Jack. That, more than anything else, told Jack what he needed to know.

“Goodbye, Frost.” Pitch said with what little dignity he could muster, and dropped right into the ground.

Pitch wasn’t even a surprise this time.

Jack was in the middle of a long brick walkway, icing up the ornate lamps and decorating the bare trees on either side with snow. There were plenty of shadows to pick from, but Pitch walked over from some distance away giving Jack more than enough warning to know he was there.

Jack was tempted to interrupt him. To see if he could wrongfoot him again, get Pitch to trip over his own words and obvious desires and flee.

It would be easy. Jack could think up dozens of ways to call Pitch out before he even spoke a word.

But then Jack wouldn’t get to hear him speak a word.

And he was curious what words Pitch might speak.

“Your eyes are bluer than the Atlantic ocean,” Pitch spoke softly, poetically. He must have practised to deliver the line this well. “And I don’t mind being lost at sea”

It was worth it, Jack thought: the practice and letting Pitch say it. That smooth tongue was meant for promises on the wind and romance in every word.

Jack stared for too long and only realized when Pitch’s eyes gleamed and he took another breath.

“I wish I were a tear,” he whispered as he moved closer. His cool fingers brushed gently along the side of Jack’s face and Jack felt no fear. Pitch was telling him just what he wanted, and Jack held all the power here. “...So I could start in your eyes,” Pitch said, “live on your face…” His fingers drifted down along Jack’s jaw. He knew what Pitch was going to say before he said it, “...and die on your lips.”

But it was so much better out loud, in Pitch’s voice, than in Jack’s head.

It was Antarctica all over again, but this time Pitch was offering something whose price wasn’t Jack’s soul. It was Antarctica all over again, and Pitch was brave to come back a second time, a third time, a sixth time to risk rejection and hurt and wounds reopened that maybe only just healed.

Jack watched Pitch glow in the moonlight. Watched him take a deep breath and open his lips to speak—

“You can stop now,” Jack said, and grabbed the back of Pitch’s neck to pull him in for a kiss.

Pitch’s lips tasted just as sweet as his lines.

#TheBunni #Rise of the Guardians #rotg #blackicerotg #blackice rotg #blackice #Jack Frost #Pitch Black #Pick-up lines #Rotg Bingo #rotgbingo

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mhdiaries · 4 years

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13 Wishes Twyla Diary

The Sixth of September

When you spend your unlife living in the shadows you get used to seeing things that are missed and missing things that are seen. Lately though, I feel like I’m missing more than I’m seeing, like today, for instance. There is a little garden cemetery not far from Monster High where I like to go and contemplate the simple joys of monsterhood. It has a little fountain with a park bench and a simply ginormous creeping willow tree. It’s like a giant umbrella that casts the most amazing shadows. Most of the time I am the only monster there except on Wednesday when a group of troll ladies show up to play bridge. Anyway, I was sitting in my usual spot today with my back to the tree facing away from the fountain. I heard footsteps and voices approaching. I thought it was probably some monsters coming to pay their ghast respects and I didn’t want to disturb them, so I just sat still. If I am in the shadows and I do not move or open my eyes I cannot be seen. As the footsteps got closer I recognized the voices - it was Lagoona and Gil. They were arguing about something and they stopped right next to the fountain. Now I could have just stepped from the shadow I was in to a shadow somewhere else, but I didn’t. I stayed because I’m a bad monster. I am not going to write down what they said though, because if some other monster ever reads this it’d be like betraying a trust. But I was sad the rest of the day over what I heard. They are both so sweet and make such a great couple that I had no idea they were facing such outside pressure on their relationship. I guess I was looking but not seeing. I really wish they could get this problem resolved, but some things can’t be wished away, only worked through. Eventually Gil left, but Lagoona stayed a little bit longer. She sat for a while, and I could hear her crying. I guess at that point I wanted so much to just run over and hug her, but I couldn’t. I know, I know, I’m a terrible monster, but I didn’t know what to do. That’s not true, I mean the terrible monster part is, but I should have just gone over and given her a hug...epic fail. I waited a bit after Lagoona left and then I left too.

The Tenth of September

Being able to jump from one shadow to another without having to step into the light means that I can avoid talking to other monsters if I don’t want. It’s not that I don’t like other monsters, but I feel kind of awkward sometimes, like maybe I’ll say or do something wrong and embarrass myself. I remember I’d been at MH for a while but I hadn’t really made any friends. Not because the other students hadn’t been nice to me, they were, I just always sort of disappeared before I let them get too close. I remember the day that I got cornered, literally. I was sitting by myself in the very back corner of the creepateria at a table underneath a burned out light that was casting a nice big shadow. I was just eating my lunch and watching when Howleen started walking my way. I sat still knowing that she wouldn’t be able to see me but I didn’t want to leave either cause I was hungry. So she came over and sat right down across from me. She sniffed a couple times and said, “PB&J?” “Eww cam seef me?” I answered with a mouth full of sandwich. “Nah, but I can smell you.” “Nobway!” “Of course I can, I’m a werewolf, and the nose knows. You smell like dust and strawscarry jam.” I started to excuse myself, but Howleen asked me not to, “I really don’t feel like eating lunch by myself - would you mind hanging out?” So I didn’t disappear, I stayed and I made a friend for unlife plus I didn’t embarrass myself even once. #WinWin

The First of October

Usually Dustin meets me at the door when I get home from school, but he wasn’t waiting for me today. I called for him but he didn’t come. I checked all his usual hiding places: under the bed, behind the doors, in all the corners, but he was nowhere to be found. I started to get worried. I even went outside to look, although he hasn’t been out on his own since the day a big wind flew him into the blackscary brambles. I went back inside and was just about to start making lost posters to hand out around the neighborhood when I heard thump scratch - thump scratch - thump scratch. I looked up and there was Dustin, covered in glitter, double stick tape and beads. He had taken a nap in my craft box, and the end from a roll of necklace wire had wrapped around his foot while the spool had gotten stuck in the box. I would have taken a picture with my iCoffin, but he just looked so pitiful. It took me two hours to get him all cleaned up. I’ll have to save dryer lint for a week to patch all the bare places.

The Fifteenth of October

I went to Howleen’s house for a sleep over. It was cool getting to know her family. I mean I’d seen Clawd and Clawdeen around school, but this was the first time I really officially met them. I wish now I hadn’t waited so long because I feel like I missed out on some good times being so shy. I also got to meet another one of Howleen’s sisters. Her name is Clawdia and she’s going to college in Londoom. She actually wasn’t “there” so we talked to her online with video chat. She is studying to be a writer. She’s really funny and she had everybody in the house cracking up about what it’s like living in Londoom. Clawdeen left and went to fang out with Draculara and Frankie at Frankie’s house, so Howleen and I stayed up late talking. We’ve got like tons in common, we like the same TV shows, the same music - Catty Noir ‘natch, the same kind of styles and we even think the same boys are cute. The one thing that we don’t see eye to eye on is the need to be popular. I don’t care if I am and Howleen feels like is she isn’t she’ll disappear in the shadows of her older siblings. I told her that living in the shadows wasn’t all that bad, but she was totally focused on being in the spotlight. Eventually though she got out of her funk, and we spent the rest of the night watching movies. We had a scary cool time, and I can’t remember when I have ever laughed so hard. When Howleen fell asleep I snuck out and grabbed a late nightmare snack. I got back before morning and woke up to the smell of banana scary pancakes and bacon coming from the Wolf’s kitchen. So much fun and so happy to have a friend! Maybe I’ll try and spend a little more time out of the shadows from now on...maybe.

The Twenty-fifth of October

Most monsters stay away from normies as much as they can, my family not so much. We have what my dad calls a “symbiotic relationship” with normies, only they don’t know it. They think the Boogeyman hangs out under beds and in their closets to scare them, but that’s not it at all. We are “dream eaters” -- well, nightmare eaters, actually. We hide in the shadows and watch for them; then when we see one we pounce! It’s why our eyes glow in the dark so we can see the dreams. Of course we can’t see what’s in the dreams, we recognize them by color. Yellow for happiness, red for action, blue for flying, green for fantasy and lots of in between colors and shades that mix different kind of dreams together. Nightmares are the color of storm clouds, all grey-black and menacing. I only wish my dreams could be pounced on, too, but it doesn’t work that way for us. I dreamed a dream last night that I was on a frightly lit stage in front of the whole school. I was supposed to give a speech and I forgot the topic, so I just stood there looking for a shadow to hide, but there weren’t any. Then every monster started laughing at me. I turned to run and tripped off the stage, which was suddenly at the top of a very tall tower and I was falling an falling and falling. Then I was back on the stage again, and every monster in the audience was giving me a standing ovation. I looked behind me, and there were a panel of judges holding up scorecards.

9.5 9.5 10.0 9.5 4.0

So I started arguing with the judge who gave me the 4.0 and she told me that I flapped my arms too much as I was falling. Then I woke up. I told my dad about it, and he said it was probably just something I ate. Dads are so weird.

The Twenty-eighth of October

Howleen is not enjoying her popularity as much as she thought she would, and there are shadows in places where they should not be. I am worried, and no monster seems to be listening to me. I must find a monster that will.

#monster high #monster high diary #twyla #13 wishes

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thisblogsaboutbooks · 4 years

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Series #4 down! (15 out of 35)

(Not gonna lie: The main reason I picked up this series is because of the covers. I mean, look at them: they’re just SO pretty!)

So, I’ve never been a person who believed in or followed horoscopes closely. Never thought anything about zodiac signs or planets being in retrograde(?) or whatever. (My birthday was kinda planned, so growing up, I never felt like I fit the mold of a Leo.) With that being said, that’s not what the Zodiac series is about. I’m really glad I picked this up as part of my reading challenge this year. Had a really good time making my way through these books.

Summary (stolen from Goodreads): At the dawn of time, there were thirteen Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only twelve remain . . .

Rhoma Grace is a sixteen-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life—so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories.

When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens—including its beloved Guardian—Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancrian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts.

Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus—the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend—has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho—along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard—must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians.

But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

My thoughts: The world building was insane! As the books follow Rho as she travels across the Zodiac, each House literally was it’s own world with different types of environments, cultures, modes of transportation, technologies, etc. that was so fantastic and whimsical to experience.

Being shot out of a cannon on House Sagittarius. Getting to ride Pegazi (winged horses) on House Aquarius. Underwater shuttles on House Scorpio.

This was really cool spin on traditional astrology, to the point where I’m kind of interested in learning more about each sign.

Throw in clear blue waters and bungalow homes on House Cancer. A castle in the sky on House Aquarius. Getting to live out your wildest dreams on House Leo. If someone took the (non-terrifying) parts of this book and made it into some kind of amusement park (Westworld style?), like, bro, 15/10 would visit all the time.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book with a potent love triangle. Personally, not my favorite part, but the entanglement didn’t take away from the story at all.

I always really enjoy when a fiction book’s themes reflect what’s going on in the real world. Even though one of, if not, the biggest plot point in the series was ‘defeating the boogeyman’, issues just as big came to light in the process of doing so. Like how people with too much power will often abuse it. How people sometimes believe that someone who looks differently, thinks differently, or loves differently is actually inherently different. How people who don’t fit the norm or are marginalized are often shunned and isolated, their problems and their fates disregarded, and how, in order for change to occur, people—regardless of race, skin color, financial stability, social standing, etc.—have to stand together.

Overall, very fun read. Would definitely recommend. Solid 4 out of 5 stars from me!

Thanks @rominagarber!

#zodiac #wandering star #black moon #thirteen rising #romina russell #astrology #rhoma grace #hysan dax #mathias thais #2020 reading challenge #ya book review #ya book series #ya book series review #booklr

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sweetsmellosuccess · 4 years

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The Best (and Worst) Films of 2019

In many ways, 2019 served as a crucible, and no more so, at least cinematically, than with the venerable superhero flick. After a deluge of big studio films on the subject of capes and spandex (the MCU includes 22 films since the 2008 release of Iron Man; the nascent DCU, running it fits and starts has seven), we saw the explosive close-out of the previous “phases” with Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame; as well as the rise of pseudo art-house comic book film, Joker, in the same bloody year.

The talk on Film Twitter — the living definition of ‘tempest in a teacup’ — was all about those films, and Martin Scorsese’s now legendary take down of the genre by referring to the super hero films, collectively, as “theme parks.” But in truth, there were many, many other films that came out during the year, some of them utterly brilliant, some of them ridiculously awful. Here are my picks for both, with some of what I wrote about them at the time in my review.

10. Avengers: Endgame

“There are so many small but noteworthy details -- opening the film with Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy"; the name drops, and special shout-outs to comics' fans; the small character beats that allow each protagonist more than just a quip or two; the closing credits, which give singular notice to the stars who have been there from the beginning, and wisely do not use the signature Marvel trick of teasing out the next film, which gives the series, at last, a sense of real closure, if only temporary -- the film feels as if it has been created and calibrated with the utmost care. For a film destined to break the bank no matter how shoddy they might have made it, Marvel has poured enough genuine soul into it to earn its inevitable bounty.”

Full Review

9. Her Smell

“In some ways, the film takes on a sort of Raging Bull aspect, Martin Scorsese's classic film about a boxer's rise and fall, only to turn the ending on its head. In Scorsese's picture, we see Jake LaMotta, now fat and retired, attempt to break into showbiz as a comedian, the scenes draped in cutting sardonicism. Perry gives Becky a much less punishingly ironic turn, but instead a hero's journey, venturing away from the abyss into something a good deal less grandiose and realized.”

Full Review

8. The Last Black Man in San Francisco

“It's also a film about the versions of the stories whose ideas lend depth and valor to our otherwise nondescript lives, the things we hope make us the heroes of our own narratives. In this way, Jimmie's story is conflated with that of the city itself, and the palpable sense of loss he feels about his family's house is mirrored in the city's own loss of identity.”

Full Review

7. Under the Silver Lake

“Mitchell fairly stuffs the film with portents, symbols, and runes, some real, some imagined. Squirrels mysteriously fall dead at Sam's feet, a parrot in his courtyard keeps calling out something he can't decipher, a dog killer stalks the neighborhood, and graffiti strewn about the area calls out to him. Films are always encoded with symbolic meaning, utilizing visual language to instill emotion and establish significance for the audience (think of Spielberg's girl with the red coat in Schindler's List, or James Dean's red windbreaker in Rebel Without a Cause), Mitchell's film gives us so many options, almost everything can be read symbolically, which perfectly captures the paranoia his character feels, and the pointlessness of trying to make sense of it at all.”

Full Review

6. Marriage Story

“Noah Baumbach’s latest film, about the dissolution of married couple – played extraordinarily well by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson – will no doubt get comparisons made to Bergman’s brilliant Scenes From a Marriage. But whereas that 1972 film concerned the relationship itself, its highs and lows and metamorphoses, Baumbach’s film is much more about the logistics, legal and otherwise, of ending a very much shared life together.”

Capsule Review

5. Midsommar

“Viewing Aster's films is a bit like walking into an art installation -- quite literally, as he populates his frame with stunning compositions and art-focused mise en scene, as with the beautifully designed wooden structures of the compound, or the exquisite murals and art displayed on the building's walls (a huge shout-out to his production designer, Henrik Svensson, and the art directing crew) -- but, as with Hereditary, behind all the sumptuous, hand-crafted beauty, there is a cruel, brutal core of humanity's continued savagery. If art represents the best sort of impulses of humankind, in Aster's hands, it becomes yet another facade, hiding -- or in this case, exemplifying -- our instinct for vicious barbarity.”

Full Review

4. Parasite

“By the end, as it swerves inexorably into blood-soaked violence, the film reveals to be a bit of a con itself, drawing us in with its enticing humor, then opening up into a much darker vision, before ending on an emotional note of surprising vulnerability. Through it all, Bong shows a mastery of odd tones, from the opening comedic salvo, to the final emotional beats.”

Capsule Review

3. Uncut Gems

“It’s one of those pressure-cooker films, where the steam builds more and more intense as Howard gets in and out of trouble through his ability to constantly shift the playing board. There’s a scene about midway through, with various aggrieved characters coalescing at once in his office, as he’s trying to have a speaker phone conversation with his doctor, that’s so stressful, you will want to avert your eyes and remind yourself of the exit signs.”

Capsule Review

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

“It's also an unexpected joy to watch the nonchalant swagger of Pitt match up with DiCaprio's more high-strung ministrations. Two of the biggest film stars alive playing mostly washed up TV actors may stack the irony, but both of them settle in so well into their characters, you can't help but admire the result. Rick is a dude whose ego has gone from tumescent to shriveled -- he parks his car miserably in front of one of his own old movie posters -- but beneath all his hubris and despair, he actually has a lot of talent. As always, it's pure joy to watch Pitt smoke up a screen, a middle-aged Redford speaking every line with a sinfully breezy smile, whose confidence extends around him like the golden hue of his deep suntan.”

Full Review

1. Knives Out

“More than the plot itself, an ingenious and kinetic thing that's as satisfying as a hot bowl of soup on a raw and windy day, there's the sense of joyous chaos from the cast. Those scenes where the family is all together, in the drawing room and continually at each other's throats are so delicious, they should come with a napkin. The interplay between vets like Shannon, Johnson, Curtis and Collette is filled with fractious energy, the characters revisiting age-old disagreements ("Your kid's a brat!" -- "Your kid is a Nazi!") with sadistic glee. Even when they band together, in moments, against what they believe to be a common enemy, it's clear the harmony between them is more Iggy and the Stooges than Beach Boys. In short, Johnson has devised a perfect ensemble of dreadful characters and set them all against one another in a narrative fishbowl filled with lye.”

Full Review

Other Worthy Mentions:

Amazing Grace, American Factory, Apollo 11, Bacurau, Birds of Passage, Charlie Says, Cold Case Hammarskjöld, Dark Suns, Dark Waters, Ford v Ferrari, Greener Grass, In Fabric, John Wick 3, Jojo Rabbit, Luce, Midnight Traveler, Ms. Purple, Pain and Glory, Rewind, Something Else, Terminator: Dark Fate, The Farewell, The Hole in the Ground, The Irishman, The Lighthouse, The Nightingale, The Report, The Souvenir, The Vast of Night, This is Not Berlin, Us, Varda by Agnes, Vitalina Varella

Best Upcoming Releases of 2019

The Personal History of David Copperfield

The Burnt Orange Heresy

Bad Education

First Cow

The Worst Films of 2019

5. Greta

“In short, Jordan turns Greta into a Michael Myers-esque boogeyman, everywhere and no place at once, almost a phantom, but for her high heels and French condemnation. In this way, the filmmaker loses his grip on his material.”

Full Review

4. Ma

“Apart from a truly absurd script, director Tate Taylor's film performs ungainly political gyrations -- asking us to root against a survivor of sexual abuse and humiliation for trying to gain (albeit misplaced) revenge on her attacker. Sort of a rape-revenge thriller set upside down, such that nothing makes any ethical (or emotional) sense. It quickly becomes an awkward mishmash of impulses, wanting to provide cheap scares while fostering a deeply schizoid sense of sympathy, while managing to fail mightily at both.”

Full Review

3. The Dead Don’t Die

“Jarmusch's proclivities have always leaned toward such lightly affecting material -- as if the act of actually generating emotion is somehow vulgar and unseemly -- which has also endeared him to his faction of fans. For everyone else, though, it doesn't leave much to look at. Filmed without fanfare (albeit with a few more special effects than usual, and a kind of cool splattering of sand-like mist when the zombies are beheaded), and with the intensity knobs all turned down to their lowest setting, he continues his sous vide-style of filmmaking. Whether you like the dish he's serving, or want to throw your hands in the air and go somewhere else for dinner is all in your temperament. Whatever you choose, you can be certain the same menu will be available the next time you venture back.”

Full Review

2. Dark Phoenix

“The clearest loss, however, is with the story itself -- its legacy struck deep in Marvel lore -- once again being studio nitpicked, and focus-grouped to within an inch of its life. If Endgame audaciously proved a superhero movie could rise toward an emotionally satisfying arc, this failed attempt proves the opposite is also true: Chronic incoherence, even if spread out among a multitude of titles over 20 years, just feels like a soulless money grab. Adding to the sense of this film's slapdashery, the trailer features lines and moments unused in the actual cut, which is never a good sign.”

Full Review

1. Lucy in the Sky

“The film is meandering and pretty much pointless, a major flaw that Hawley himself indicated in his introduction (“we work as hard on the bad ones as we do the good ones,” he told the audience in an example of supreme foreshadowing. Portman does her best, but the film sputters pretty hard, and is never able to justify itself.”

Capsule Review

Other Dishonorable Entries:

The Aftermath, The Curse of La Llorona, Gemini Man, Glass, Hellboy, Joker

Inexplicably Overrated: Joker, The Dead Don’t Die

Biggest Welcome Surprise(s): Ford v Ferrari, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Most Bitter Disappointment(s): The Lodge, Wounds

Film That Critics Got Wrong: Waves

Best Film I Saw Last Year, Period: Scenes From a Marriage

#sweet smell of success #ssos #piers marchant #films #movies #the best and worst films of 2019 #knives out #parasite #once upon a time in hollywood #uncut gems #marriage story #the last black man in san francisco #midsommar #avengers: endgame #under the sliver lake #her smell

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breanime · 5 years

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Heartworm (Part Six)

Double posting takes so long! WARNING: this part has mentions and descriptions of violence, read with caution!

*gif not mine*

You decided that Detective Mahoney was the only good cop in New York City. After he’d introduced himself, he’d asked if there was a place you could go to talk. You knew Trish would have questions if you stayed at the office, not to mention your coworkers, so you took the detective to a small deli a few blocks away. He had assured you that he only wanted to talk, and you decided to play it cool until you could get a final read on this guy. So far, all you could tell was that he was a genuinely concerned cop who was actually interested in justice.

It was his poor luck that you were only interested in Billy.

“Is this okay,” he asked, “I mean, you won’t get written up for leaving early or anything, will you?”

“No, this is fine. I was on my way out anyway,” you answered, “So, um, Detective Mahoney—”

“Call me Brett.” He smiled.

“Brett,” you faked a smile back, “How can I help you? Oh,” you widened your eyes, pretending to remember something, “is this about the noise compliant I made with the city a few months ago? I told the super people had started loitering outside, but he didn’t seem to care…”

“No,” he shook his head with a chuckle, “That’s unfortunately outside my realm of influence,” his smile turned into a serious look, and you braced yourself, “Actually, I’ve, uh, I’ve been looking for you for most of the day. There’s something I need to tell you—to warn you about.” You nodded, silently encouraging him to go on. “Billy Russo has escaped police custody.”

This was, obviously, not news to you, but hearing it from the detective made your breath hitch. “When?”

“Yesterday morning,” he answered, “We have cops staking out his last known addressed and every badge in the city is looking for him.”

“That’s… That’s good,” you swallowed. You tried to bring back all the confusion and helplessness you felt when Billy had first been arrested and recreate it now. Mahoney—Brett—seemed like a kind man, but you couldn’t let him get to Billy…not yet, at least. “But why are you telling me?”

“It’s on record that you and Russo were a couple.”

“That was over three years ago,” you shook your head, “I haven’t seen Billy since then—at least not in person.” You ducked your head down shyly. “I did… I did watch the coverage on the news.” You looked back up at Brett. “But that’s it. I hadn’t heard from Billy since we broke up.” You shrugged. “I could give you a list of places he could be, maybe? I don’t know if it would be any help…”

“I would appreciate that, Ms. Y/LN,” he said, “but I don’t think you understand the danger you’re in. Russo’s dangerous, unhinged. It was reported that he asked for you by name the day he escaped. Now,” he folded his hands on the table, “it’s been three years since the two of you have talked… Why would he do that?”

You shrugged. “I don’t know,” you answered, “I mean, he was locked up all this time, maybe he was just going through a list of exes and my name happened to be the one he said outloud.” You shook your head. “I imagine Billy wasn’t doing well in a cage.”

“He wasn’t in a cage,” Brett said, “We were keeping Russo under constant surveillance at a psychiatric hospital.” You made an effort to make a confused face. “Russo sustained some major injuries and some significant memory damage,” he explained, “His therapist said he might not even be competent to stand trial.”

“So he’s faking,” you said, knowing he wasn’t, “Billy’s a smart man, I’m sure he knows it’d be better for him to get off on a plea deal than admit he’s guilty.”

“It’s possible,” Brett shrugged, “His therapist and doctors think he’s legit. Either way, you might be in danger.” He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a card. “I want you to give me a call if you hear from Russo,” he instructed.

“Of course.” Another lie. “I mean, I don’t—I don’t think he’d bother coming after me, but I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”

“I appreciate that.” Brett gave you a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry to have to come to you with this, I can get a squad car to stay outside of your apartment if you want…”

“Oh no, no,” you shook your head, “That’s not necessary, I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking up police resources. Besides,” you gave him a weak smile, “I’m telling you, there’s no way Billy would waste time with me. He’s probably halfway out of the country by now. And even if he’s not, Billy never tried to get in contact with me theses last three years, there’s no reason he’d try now.”

“Maybe,” Brett agreed easily. Too easily. “But still, keep an eye out; make sure you’re locking your doors. Maybe see if you can stay with some family or friends until this blows over.”

You chuckled. “You make Billy sound like the boogeyman.”

Brett didn’t laugh. “He’s dangerous, Y/N. He took down a room full of guards and killed at least two men in the last 24 hours.”

Two? You knew about Arthur, who could…? Your mind conjured up an image of Billy in his blood-soaked clothes. He probably didn’t get that hideous shirt and fur-lined coat from the hospital. “So,” you took a steadying breath, “it’s all true? Billy… Billy really did betray Frank?” You had spent so much time trying to block that out, to ignore and deny it in your head, but you had to know—especially since Billy, as he was now, didn’t know.

The detective nodded. “And that’s the other thing: Castle will be looking for Russo. If he comes to you…”

“Call you,” you waved his card at him with a half-smile, “I will.”

Brett stayed with you at the deli for a while longer before he had to head out. You waited until you were sure he was far away to finally take a breath. You whipped out your phone and typed in ‘NYPD Detective Brett Mahoney’ into Google. Of fucking course. Your hunch about him was right—he was a hero cop. There were pictures of him next to Daredevil. He arrested Frank back when he first became “The Punisher”—Brett was a badass with the face of a choir boy. Your respect for him grew as you scrolled through the news reports, interviews, and list of accolades connected to his name. He was vocal in his disdain for Wilson Fisk—a bold move for anyone who lived in the city, let alone a cop—and was an active member of the community. He seemed like a really nice guy, a good guy…

…a threat.

As much as you didn’t want to, you decided to take the long way home. You lingered in the deli for another 20 minutes after Brett left, then made your way to a bookstore, a pet shop, two music stores, three boutiques, and killed an hour watching some teenagers breakdance on the sidewalk. You were pretty sure Brett wasn’t watching you, you got the impression that wasn’t his style, but Frank… Frank would totally do that. You considered what you knew as you wandered around the city: you loved Billy, Billy didn’t have his full memories, Billy still thought he loved you, Billy was guilty, the cops were after Billy, Frank would want revenge, revenge would mean death, and that would leave you… Alone again. Hell, as far as you knew, you were already alone again. How in the hell would you know where Billy was if he wasn’t directly in your line of sight? You sighed to yourself, stepping into a pawn shop and staring unblinkingly at the assortment of things. You had no idea what you were going to do—you knew what you were supposed to do, what common sense and decent protocol would call for—but your common sense had taken a back seat to your emotions. Sighing again, you looked at a glass case of knives and your mind immediately went to Billy.

“What do you do if I come at you from behind?” Billy had asked you.

You wanted to make a dirty joke, but the seriousness of the situation and Billy’s face made you reconsider. “I go for the eyes and create a distance between us while you’re distracted.”

“Good. But what if I grab you by your hair?”

You swallowed down another inappropriate comment. “I stomp on your foot or try to kick you in the shins to get you to lose your grip.”

Billy nodded. “Good,” he stepped over to you, put a hand on the back of your neck and kissed you, “Now let’s practice how to disarm a man.”

You sighed, but complied. Billy whipped out a knife—because he almost always had at least one blade on hand—and took an offensive stance. This wasn’t a new practice between the two of you; Billy had taken it upon himself to teach you how to defend yourself months ago, after reading about some guys on the subway harassing a woman. His dedication to your safety was sweet, you knew for a fact that the number of people he cared about was a low one, and that these impromptu training sessions were his way of making sure you were taken care of. You took a defensive stance, placing your feet slightly apart and raising your hands to protect your face—just like Billy taught you. He made a move to approach you (much slower than he would if he was really attacking someone), and you side-stepped him, avoiding any close contact before slapping your hand over his wrist, twisting it, and grabbing the knife out of his hands.

“Nice,” he licked his lips, “Very nice. Let’s try it again.”

So you did. You spent the next two hours going through drills. Billy was an excellent teacher, he met you where you were and catered the lessons to best fit your size, strength, and style. You weren’t nearly the natural fighter Billy was, and you damn sure weren’t a Marine, but Billy always said you were skilled. He took pride in telling Curtis how you knocked him on his ass on Tuesday, or showing Frank the bruises on his chest from when he made you practice shooting with himself as the Kevlar-wearing, moving target. You liked the training a lot, too. You got to wrestle Billy and learn useful defensive moves all in one. Truth be told, you almost looked forward to the day some asshole mugger tried to come at you.

You would never forget the day that actually happened.

You had been walking home from the corner store. Billy had texted you saying he’d be home late since he was viewing some properties for Anvil’s home office, so you decided to run out and get some snacks for the house. You had your burlap bag hanging from your shoulder, full of chips and a six-pack of beer, and you were a block from your apartment when you felt a tug on the strap of your bag.

You were yanked forward, and you turned to see a tall man in all black. You stumbled over your own feet as he dragged you back into an alley. He pushed you against the concrete wall and you felt the breath rush out of you. You didn’t get a second to scream or cry out before he shoved a knife under your throat.

“Drop the bag, cunt,” he ordered, hot breath fanning your face. “Or I open your goddamn throat all over the sidewalk.”

You did as you were told, heart racing. The blade was cold against your skin, even in the warm summer weather.

“Now kick it,” he gestured behind him with his head, “over there.”

You gave your bag a feeble nudge with your foot.

“Do you think I’m playing with you, bitch?” He hissed, nose pressing against yours as he glared down at you. You felt the sting of the blade cutting into your skin. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. He was still glaring at you when you opened your eyes and punted your bag across the alley. Your eyes scanned his face, trying to memorize every detail. Billy was going to lose his shit over this. The man sneered at you, and you felt a chill go through you. “Good girl,” he grinned, “now take your clothes off.”

You froze. Suddenly an image of your downstairs neighbor’s daughters popped up in your head. They were 15 and 13, nice girls, and you knew for a fact that they walked to the corner store all the time, night or day. Rain or shine. What was going to stop this guy from doing the same thing to them? What was going to stop him from hurting someone else?

You were going to stop him.

You lifted your arm and grabbed his wrist. You twisted it with all your strength, ignoring his shocked sound of surprise. His grip loosened and you took that moment to snatch the knife out of his hands. The blade sliced through the palm of your hand a little bit, but you didn’t even feel it. You punched him in the face with your free hand, making him fall back a bit. That gave you the perfect opening to kick him in the chest, knocking him on his ass. You tackled him to the ground and straddled him, putting all of your weight on him to prevent him from moving. His eyes widened when you put the knife to his neck.

“Whoa, whoa,” he gasped out, voice shaking, “I was just playing,” he attempted a laugh, “Don’t—don’t you know we were just playing, you and me? It’s a joke.”

You pressed the knife harder onto his neck. You watched the blood bubble up and felt a surge of excitement bloom in you. “A joke?” You asked, smirking down at him. “Would it be a joke,” you watched his eyes water when you grabbed his hair and forced his head back, “if I open your goddamn throat all over the sidewalk…” Your smirk turned into a full-on grin. “…bitch?”

He had started sobbing now. “No,” he begged, “no, please, I’m sorry, I won’t ever do this again, I—”

“—Shut the hell up,” you hissed, pulling his hair. He cried out. You looked down at this man, this weak piece of shit, and wanted nothing more than to stop him from ever drawing breath again. You wanted to be the last person he terrorized, the last women he called a bitch.

You wanted to watch the life drain from his body.

But you couldn’t.

You flipped the knife around so that the handle was against your fists and pulled your hand back. Then you punched him right in the face with all your anger guiding you. You felt his nose crack, but you didn’t hear it because he was screaming. You hit him again, and again, and again. The handle was wet with blood, and your heart was pounding. You kept punching him until he wasn’t screaming anymore. A quick glance showed he was still breathing, so you got off of him, grabbed your bag, and walked home.

You thought more about that day as you waited in line at the pawn shop. You had tried to block it out, to forgot about the fear that went through you that day, followed by that feeling of absolute power and control…it had been intoxicating. It had been frightening. But Billy had been there, and he had been your safe place.

You waited until you got home to call Billy and tell him what happened. You barely got the words—“I was attacked”—out of your mouth before he was asking you a hundred questions and rushing home to you. You assured him you were fine, and you were, but he hadn’t seemed to hear you. By the time he got home, you’d bandaged your hand, cleaned off the knife, and put the snacks and beer away. You were on your third beer when Billy came bursting into the apartment.

He didn’t say anything, just pulled you towards him and engulfed you in a crushing hug. You closed your eyes and wrapped your arms around him. This was where you were safest, where you belonged. Billy provided everything you needed just by existing.

“I’m okay,” you said into his chest, “I’m okay. I knocked him out.” You had pulled back then. “Oh shit, I should have called the cops. I should call the cops.”

“I already did,” he said, voice muffled as he spoke into your hair, “Left an anonymous tip, saw the squad cars on my way home.” He exhaled, and you felt him relax against him. “I’m so—fuck,” his hold on you tightened, and you leaned into it, “I want to kill him.”

“I wanted that too,” you admitted, looking up into Billy’s dark eyes. They were electric with rage and emotion, and you knew yours were too. “I was going to.”

He kissed you, long and slow, and you kissed him back. You wanted to absorb him, to keep him this close to you always. He stared down at you, unblinking, when you both pulled back for air. “I’m so fucking proud of you,” he said, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” you breathed out. “I—Billy, is there something wrong with us?” You asked. “We shouldn’t be so comfortable with this. Because I’m not joking, Billy, I was going to stab him. I was gonna kill him. I—I—”

“—The only reason he’s not in a body bag at this very moment is cause the cops got to him first,” Billy interrupted, eyes hard, “I’ve killed for less, Y/N, and anyone who hurts you,” he put a hand on your face, eyes boring into yours, “is gonna die bloody. It’s you and me, Y/N, I’d do anything for you, and I want you to know that I love you, every part of you,” his lips brushed against yours as he spoke, “and if you had killed him…I would have helped you bury the body.”

That was it. The last thing you needed to make your decision. Billy was a killer. He betrayed Frank, he hurt Curtis, he was a traitor to his country if the news reports were right. Hell, Billy had told you himself that he’d committed multiple war crimes. Those were all facts, undeniable, inexcusable facts about him that you could never change or hope to ignore. But you loved him—that was a fact too. You had never felt more alive, more like yourself, than when you had been with Billy, even up until the very end. He was it for you. So you were in. You were all in, wherever he would go, you would follow.

You practically ran home, heart pounding with your revelation. It was like a bomb went off inside your head—everything you had, you were ready to throw it all away for Billy. You were made for him, and he was made for you. You knew, as you clutched your bag, that from this point on—nothing but death would keep you from him. You had given up on him once, and you had tried to move on with your life, but it hadn’t worked. You had been operating on auto-pilot, just going through the motions and pretending to be okay with being without him, with living in black and white. But now Billy was back, and he brought color back into your life. This time, you would fight for him. You would fight with him.

You practically ripped the door open when you got back to your apartment. You ran into the living room and felt yourself deflate a little. Everything was exactly the way you left it. You checked your room, the bathroom, and the kitchen. Empty. Sighing, you sat down at the kitchen table and put your head in your hands. Where could he be? What if he was hurt? What if Frank got to him? What if… what if he left you? Feeling trapped, you went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine. You decided to drink instead of panic. It was getting late, but there was still time in the day. Billy could be back any minute. You poured yourself a drink and went to stand at the counter, contemplating whether you should bother cooking while you waited for Billy to get back when you noticed a manila folder on the counter. This was new…so Billy had been back. You put your glass down and picked up the folder. It had his name on it: Russo, William. The file was packed with papers and packets, full of details of his life. There were little color-coded tabs for Castle, Frank, Hoyle, Curtis, Madani, Dinah, and Rawlins, William. There were notes from what you assumed were his therapy sessions, and pictures of him in the hospital. Words like ‘dangerous’, ‘killer’, ‘psychopath’ jumped off the page. You flipped through the contents of the file, a sense of dread creeping into you. Finally, under all of the papers, was a handwritten note from Billy that had your breath catching.

Y/N,

I’m sorry. I want you to know that I love you. And I’m so sorry.

Goodbye.

******************************************************************************************

Hohohhohohoho! So this was my first time ever writing Brett, how’d I do? Also, anyone recognize where Y/N works? And ohhhh man, let me know what you thought of these last two chapters. Your feedback fuels me! Love you guys!

TAGLIST: @floralpeaceofmind @delicatelilyflower @dylanobrusso @ladyblablabla @banditthewriter @something-tofightfor @starsfragments @blackcoffeeandgreenteaforme @hisgirlwednesdayaddams@fictionwillneverdie @maria-beretta @sadnessxvodka @ymariejp @sunnycolors @moonlightsay @its-all-o-kay @damagelove @keyeluh @itsmylife98 @funerals-with-cake @littlemermaidprobz @teacuplotus @king4thesirens @mrsjaxtellerfan @thebabblingbook @tartelette-aux-fraises @madamrogers @charlylama @iaintnofurry @k-buggz2001 @whitewolfslittlesilverfox @drinix @elanor-of-imladris @blah-blah-fuckit-shit @julliiaaq @holamor @ymariejp @shadowhunterscloset @songtoyou @anabella-baby @sssilverssserpent @heyitslexy

#billy russo x reader #billy russo imagine #the punisher #heartworm

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leilani-lily · 5 years

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Lost and Found (ToothxPitch)

.:For @heypapergirl:.

“London, sector 3, bottom left second molar! Sydney, sector 5, top first incisor!”

The sun was slowly descending on the Tooth Palace, indicating the end of a perfect day. The fading light sparkled against the tiles of pillars hanging high in the mountaintops, the colours reflecting off, creating tiny light rainbows all over the walls. The gold decorations sparkling and giving off a warm glow. Tiny, iridescent fairies were busy at work as always, flitting with either tiny tooth treasures or shiny coins. Thousands flew in and out of the every busy palace, the hustle and bustle never ending.

In the middle of it all was the Mother herself; the Tooth Fairy. She darted here and there from each fairy, giving commands, gushing over specific teeth or silently scolding certain children for not brushing properly. However, her eyes were bright and alert; feeling completely in her element as new memories flowed into her Kingdom and were safely stored in sparkling cylindrical cases. Toothania couldn’t be more at peace.

A soft yawn escaped her lips as she rubbed her eyes, not realizing how weary she was from such a long day. Baby Tooth instantly noticed her Mother’s sudden fatigue, and zipped up to her right away, chirping like a bird in her ear. Tooth giggled to herself.

“Baby Tooth, I’m honestly ok. I don’t need to rest.” she smiled sweetly to her companion, but the little fairy was having none of it. She gave her a glare as she angrily chirped again, using her tiny hands to try and push Tooth away. As if that would do anything. Tooth openly laughed.

“Alright! Alright!” Tooth snickered, turning towards the tiny fairy, “I’ll just have a quick nap. You’re in charge while I’m gone. And make sure the daytime workers switch with the nighttime ones! If I’m having a break, I want to make sure everyone else gets one too.”

Baby Tooth gave a small salute, making Toothania beam at her little prodigy.

“What would I do without you?” Tooth smiled, kissing one of her fingers and lightly tapping Baby Tooth’s feathered head. Baby Tooth chittered happily, nuzzling into her finger for a moment before zooming off, determined to make her Mother proud. Tooth sighed happily and fluttered up into the palace towards her room, feeling absolutely high on life and love for her little baby fairies.

Her mind was in a daze as she entered her room, joy filling her heart, but drowsiness clouding her eyes. It was no wonder she had a near heart attack when she realized she was not alone in the room.

“I must say Toothiana, these are really the most luxurious pillows I have ever laid on. You must tell me where you got them.”

Tooth’s tired body instantly snapped awake as she turned to her bed, seeing a long, dark figure casually sprawled on her mattress, surrounded by cushy pillows and blankets. Pitch Black had made himself at home as he admired the patterns on the pillows, not seeming to care at how shell-shocked Tooth was.

“Persian? Very nice; though I shouldn’t be surprised. You always did seem to like this style, just like your mother-!”

Pitch didn’t even get a chance to finish as Tooth suddenly bolted towards him, screaming a warrior cry as she raised a clenched fist. Pitch practically fell off the bed, getting tangled in the sheets as he narrowly escaped a swing from the fairy. He quickly ducked and dodged each of her blows as she advanced towards him, a yelp of fright occasionally escaping his lips.

“Tooth! Toothania stop this! Too-! Moon above! Would you- Ach! Would you stop this?!”

Feeling his blood begin to boil, he quickly grabbed onto Tooth’s wrists and pushed her backwards until she was on the bed, him pinning her down beneath him. Tooth struggled and squirmed beneath him, grunting and angrily crying out. Pitch rolled his eyes as a wave of black sand shimmered over her mouth, silencing her growls. She continued to squirm, trying to escape his clutches, making him all the more irritated.

“For Moon’s sake Tooth! Will you just stop for a moment and listen to me??”

The look of shock and angered bewilderment on Tooth’s face was almost priceless, but given the certain circumstances, this was no time to laugh. Pitch could tell Tooth had something to say, so he hesitantly commanded the sand away, allowing her to speak.

“And why on Earth would I ever listen to you??” she roared, causing even Pitch to flinch ever so slightly, “After everything you’ve done to me?? My fairies?! What more could you want Pitch?!?”

Pitch’s grip on her wrists tightened, feeling his anger begin to grow. But he knew very bloody well that she spoke nothing but the truth. Eventually, his grip on her weakened ever so slightly. He sighed heavily, finally looking her in the eyes again. Tooth was shocked to see such a serious look on his face.

“…. I need your help. Please.”

Now Tooth knew for sure something was seriously wrong. Pitch never said please. Ever. She momentarily lost herself in his eyes as they looked so solemnly into hers. She never realized how fascinating his eyes were: golden rimmed with a cool gray, almost like a solar eclipse. She had never seen eyes so intriguing. She quickly shook her head, focusing back to the matter on hand.

“You can’t be serious. Why in Manny’s name would I ever help you? I should tie you up right now and throw you to my fairies. They would be more than happy to have their revenge on you.”

A smirk slowly grew on Pitch’s face as his eyelids lowered.

“Hmmm. Yes. You would like to see me tied up now, wouldn’t you~?”

Tooth’s face suddenly erupted in heat, her cheeks turning bright red against her pale skin. Suddenly realizing the position she was in, she felt her face grow even hotter and all the more embarrassed. She began to squirm again under his clutches, not noticing the smile of amusement growing on Pitch’s face.

“Toothania! You’re so flushed! My my, are you thinking naughty thoughts?”

Tooth’s heart kept into her throat at those words as she struggled more. She looked up angrily at the shadowed man, trying to keep her composure but finding it rather difficult.

“Get off of me.”

“Hmmmm. No, I think not. This is far too amusing to pass up.” Pitch was practically giddy as he leaned in closer, making her even more shy. Her eyes flashed with anger.

“Pitch-!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll get up.” Pitch finally drawled, making Tooth breath a sigh of relief. But Pitch’s grip tightened, his face suddenly growing very serious once again. “But only if you promise to help me.”

Tooth groaned in irritation. How could she possibly help him? What could he possibly want from her? She continued to struggle, but she found herself trapped underneath him. It seemed she didn’t have much choice. She gave him a sideways glance, still not trusting him.

“If this effects the children in any way, or harms anyone I love-!”

“No. Nothing like that. I promise no harm will come to you, or your precious fairies or Guardians, or, heaven forbid, the children.” Pitch almost gagged on that last point, but made sure to keep his composure.

“Once this is over, I’ll leave you alone. I promise…. I would cross my heart or even go as low as to pinky swear if it made you feel any better, but, as you can see…” His eyes flickered to his hands holding onto Tooth’s wrists, then back to her eyes, “My hands are a little full at the moment.”

Tooth gave him a long, hard stare. She had gotten very good at being able to tell whether someone was lying or not. Children often lied about whether they had brushed or flossed their teeth, and after centuries of being occasionally lied to, as innocent of a lie it was, she had gotten rather good at revealing the truth from someone. Pitch was still staring at her, the smallest of playful smirks on his face. But as she continued her glare, his smile slowly fell, and a look of pain replaced it.

“Tooth…” he almost whispered, making Tooth’s eyes widen in surprise, “… You’re the only one who can help me… Please.”

The sorrow in his eyes baffled Tooth completely. She had never expected to actually feel… sorry for Pitch. Whatever this request was; it certainly meant a lot to him, more than his lifelong goal of creating a new Dark Age. Something personal. And she knew, without a doubt, he was not lying.

After a long hard stare, Tooth finally gave a sigh of defeat and nodded her head. Pitch seemed surprised she said yes, because a look shock and hope suddenly filled his face; a look Tooth wasn’t used to seeing on the dark man. Pitch, realizing he was showing his emotions, quickly shook his head and grunted in irritation, finally removing himself from the feathered female. Tooth immediately jumped to her feet, feeling relieved from finally being freed and out of that embarrassing situation. After quickly composing herself and smoothing down her feathers, she turned to the Boogeyman.

“Alright Pitch,” she stated, “What is it you so desperately need help with?”

Pitch slipped a hand into his dark robe, making Tooth realize there was a hidden pocket in his clothing. Curiosity was getting the better of her. When he pulled it out, he opened his hand and looked at it, and a tiny, fond smile spread on his face. Finally looking at Tooth once again, an amused smirk rose.

“I believe you might remember this little souvenir.”

Laying in the palm of his hand was a white, pearly molar. Of all the things Tooth was expecting, it certainly wasn’t this.

“That morning… on the lake…” She whispered, remembering that fateful battle years ago. When she had decked him right on the jaw before he disappeared in the night. The tooth that she knocked out of him…

She snorted.

Pitch looked on unamusingly as she tried to cover her laughter. She couldn’t help but snicker a little bit; it was one of her most fulfilling memories. She had never been so satisfied. And the look on his face was just the icing on the cake.

“Alright yes yes, laugh it up.” Pitch sighed, “Please, do continue to laugh at one of the most humiliating moments of my life. It doesn’t hurt me at all, I swear.”

Tooth’s giggles simmered down as she wiped an eye, clearing her throat as she collected herself. Finally taking a breath, she fluttered closer to him to look at the tooth in more detail.

It was his bottom, second molar to the left, and Tooth was surprised to see how clean it was. Not a cavity or chip in sight. Not only that, but it seemed polished; as if it was a rare jewel. No dust nor dirt to be seen. It seemed like Pitch had taken good care of it. Tooth wondered how many night’s he spent studying the molar, keeping it close to him almost like a sacred treasure.

… But why?

“You’re probably wondering why I still have this,” Pitch began, jolting Tooth out of her deep thoughts. After a solemn pause, the dark man continued.

“… I wasn’t joking when I said Frost and I had a lot in common. Being all alone, not being believed in by anyone… and not knowing who we used to be.” Tooth found her heart sinking as the spirit spoke, guilt seeping into her bones. She thought about Jack, about how tortured the poor boy was and how awful she felt for him after hearing his story. She never fully realized that, in another life, Pitch was just like him; young, alone, confused, and afraid.

“… I don’t remember the man I used to be… Whether I had a life before this or not, if maybe I was a better man than I am now… I have no idea where my baby teeth have gone; probably turned to dust at this point.” Pitch paused, looking down at the little bone in his hand, “But this… This could be the key to something. A memory locked away in my mind that can only be opened with your help.”

Pitch looked up at Toothania once again, and she had to catch her breath at the look on his face. So full of sorrow, yet the spark of hope that shone in his eyes made her stop breathing for a moment.

“I don’t know whether this will work or not… but if there’s a chance, I want to know. Toothiana… Help me to remember who I used to be.”

A shiver ran down Tooth’s feathered body as the dark figure; the man she had fought for centuries and hated all her life, was basically pleading on his knees for her help. It was such a strange situation to be in. Her mind was screaming for her to refuse; to yell and scream and hurt him, especially after everything he had done to her. She should be furious.

And yet…

Her kind, giving heart. A heart that would leap at the chance to help someone remember precious memories. A heart so motherly, loving, and protective over anyone who seems to be suffering. A heart that, no matter what, would do anything for the sake of others… even if they had wronged her.

Silence hung in the air as the two figures stood still, each looking at the little pearl in Pitch’s palm. Finally, Tooth reached out and gently took the molar, inspecting it more up close before finally looking at Pitch. He straightened up and looked at her, determination in his eyes.

“… Are you ready?” she spoke. Sometimes seeing the memories tied to a tooth wasn’t always easy. Most were good, some not so much. She had to make sure he was prepared for whatever the outcome.

Without even a second thought, Pitch gave a quick nod of his head, as if he had rehearsed it. It seemed like he had preparing for this moment for a long time, and Tooth knew that he was going to go through with it. That being said, she reached out her free hand and slipped it into Pitch’s long, cold palm. Too busy concentrating on the task ahead, she didn’t notice the startled look on Pitch’s face or the embarrassed grunt as he averted his now slightly flushed face. She closed her eyes and relaxed her body, focusing all of her energy on the tooth and Pitch’s hand.

“Let your mind relax,” Toothania breathed, bringing the loose molar up to Pitch’s forehead and pressing the tiny bone up to his head, “Try to think back on the past, as far as you can remember. Delve deep into you subconscious, let memories of the past flow forward.”

A blinding light started to shimmer from the tooth, growing brighter and brighter with each passing second. In a moment, all was white around them, and Pitch found himself scrunching his eyes closed tight against the intense light. Finally adjusting to the new brightness, the Boogeyman slowly opened his eyes and gasped softly as colourful images played before him. Tooth, still holding his hand and holding the tooth to his head, looked around the white abyss as well, watching reels of Pitch’s past float around them, like little bubbles floating by on a summer’s breeze.

A royal family of Lunar people. Pitch smiling in a general’s outfit covered with shining medallions. A woman with long, dark hair and a kind smile. A little girl with that same smile and Pitch’s eyes. Darkling’s surrounding them both, but the little girl barely escaping. Pitch trying to save them, but then being surrounded and consumed by the darkness…

… A little girl, alone and crying on a shooting star.

Tooth watched each memory come and go, amazed by such a story. It was like nothing she had ever seen. She knew Pitch spoke of having a dark past, but this? This was much worse than what she could have ever expected. No wonder he was the way he was…

Pitch could hardly breath as these memories flashed before him, like tiny pieces of a puzzle slowly fitting together into a tragic backstory. He felt his lungs squeeze in on himself as he remembered, tears falling freely as he remembered everything that had happened. He couldn’t breathe, it was like he was drowning, deeper and deeper into the blue. He thought he was ready for whatever may come his way. But not this.

“S-Stop it.” He barely whispered, making Tooth quickly turn back to him, “P-please… make it stop.”

Tooth didn’t need to be told twice. In an instant, she removed the molar from Pitch’s forehead, making the white room and memories softly melt and fade away, eventually leaving the pair back in Tooth’s bedroom. A heavy silence hung in the air, both too afraid to even move or speak.

Finally, Pitch felt his legs give out beneath him as he fell to his knees, the tears never seeming to stop from pouring down his face. He made no sounds, no cries or moans of anguish. He simply knelt there, the tears flowing like a never-ending waterfall. Tooth stood looking over him a moment, still shocked at what she saw, and not sure what to even say to him.

“I… I had a family.”

It was barely a whisper, but as soon as she heard those words, Tooth immediately stooped down to his level, safely placing a reassuring hand on Pitch’s shoulder. He flinched at the contact at first, but relaxed under her warm hand. He didn’t look at her; he simply stared ahead; his mind clearly in another world. She kept his eyes locked on him.

“I… was a warrior hero… I…. I had a wife and-!” Pitch’s voice broke, “My beautiful daughter…”

This was too much, even for Tooth. She knew what it was like to lose someone special. Her own parents were taken from her far too quickly. She knew exactly what Pitch was feeling. Boogeyman or not, she knew what she had to do. She did to him what she had needed all those years ago when she found out of her parent’s passing.

She leaned forward and brought Pitch into a hug.

Pitch’s lean body was extremely stiff against her own soft curves; he clearly wasn’t use to this kind of affection, which made Tooth’s heart break even more. But finally, the man’s long back finally curled up unto her, loosening with each passing second. He never lifted his own hands to reciprocate the hug, but he pressed his head against her shoulder, leaning against her so much she was afraid she would topple over. She felt her heart rate quicken as he melted into her touch, but she immediately pushed it away, trying to soothe the pained creature before her.

Minutes passed between the two until finally, Pitch lifted himself until his back was straight again. His eyes were still damp, and slightly red, but he seemed to have calmed a little as he finally looked at Toothania straight in the eye. His eye’s were still like a solar solstice, but Tooth could have sworn the gold hidden between the grey was slightly brighter; more coloured.

“My daughter…” Pitch finally breathed, “My sweet Emily Jane… She’s still alive…” A broken, single laugh escaped his mouth, which he quickly covered with his hand, but the smallest of smiles still remained on his lips. Tooth gave a sympathetic smile and nodded, trying to encourage the shadowed man. The two sat in silence again as both thought to themselves, reflecting on the night and its events.

Finally, Pitch rose to his feet, making Tooth look up curiously at him and his sudden change of behaviour. Mere minutes ago he looked like the most broken man she had ever seen. But now. Now there was a glimmer in his eye, his mouth set in a determined line as he took a deep breath and stood tall.

“I have to find her. I have to know what happened to her.”

He continued to look forward for a moment before looking down at Tooth. The sudden head swivel made Tooth jump ever so slightly, but she looked up at him awestruck. Suddenly, a small, peaceful smile grew on Pitch’s face as he offered her his hand. Her fluttery heart once again leapt into her chest as she accepted his assistance, placing her tiny bird hand into his own strong one. In one fowl swoop, he gently helped lift her to her feet, both eyes locked on each other.

“Tooth, I-!” Pitch hesitated for a moment, “I never thought I had a real purpose in this world. But you just helped me realize that there’s still something out there for me. That I’m…” not completely alone? “That I’m still around for a reason… And it’s all thanks to you.” Pitch’s free now rested on top of Tooth’s hand, now sandwiched between both of his grey ones. Tooth’s eyes flickered from his hands to his face, feeling some heat beginning to warm her cheeks.

“… Thank you, Toothiana, Queen of Flight. You have my deepest gratitude.”

And with that, the shadowed man sunk to the floor, a mass of black sand shifting and swerving along the floor, up the wall, and flying out into the setting sun, leaving Tooth completely alone, as if it had never even happened.

Tooth stood, dumbfound, trying to wrap her head around everything that had happened. As her mind finally processed everything, the smallest of smiles crept up her face, her eyelids finally relaxing and drawing heavy. What an eventful night it had been; so many different emotions skirting here and there. From anger to peace to sorrow to hopeful. At least it had a somewhat happy ending. Or at least, Tooth thought so.

She still couldn’t believe Pitch had such a past. She still despised everything that he had done to her friends and fairies, but now… not everything seemed so black and white. Some of it was beginning to meld into different shades of grey; just like the shadowed man himself. Maybe he wasn’t so black and white. Maybe he was just a shade of grey himself; maybe Tooth needed to look him over once again before finally deciding who he truly was. An enemy? A loving father? A good man?

A small smile crept up her mouth as she shook her head. She was too tired to think of this any further. She was tired even before all of this craziness had happened; now she was utterly exhausted. Finally beat from such a day, she fluttered to her bed and flopped on her many pillows, sighing happily as she snuggled into the comfort of her sacred haven. She couldn’t help but giggle tiredly to herself as she felt her eyelids grow heavy.

They really were the most luxurious pillows ever.

HELLO HI I’M SORRY THIS IS LATE BUT @heypapergirl SURPRISE I’M YOUR SANTA BEOTCH

I hope this is what you were looking for!! I had so much fun with this prompt ^^ Sorry its long? I got carried away?? And sorry if there’s any spelling errors, didn’t have time to edit ;A; Anyways, I hope you enjoy!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! :D @rotgsecretsanta

#heypapergirl #rotgsecretsanta #rotgsecretsanta2018 #toothania #pitch black #tooth #toothxpitch #pitchxtooth #fanfiction #cavity #rise of the guardians #rotg #leilani lily #im fanfic shipping trash #and i love it

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darksideofparis · 5 years

Text

Some writing I’ve been working on..

This is from an as yet untitled Criminal Minds Hotch/OC. And yes, it was inspired by the TV show, Castle.

Takes place in season 2 between ‘The Boogeyman’ and ‘North Mammon’.

Also, this is a rough draft so forgive me if some stuff seems off! And, yes, I AM working on ‘Pros and Cons’. This is just to get Delaney’s voice out of my head for a little while. :)

The sound of a door opening jarred Delaney out of her flashback. Her eyes darted to Agent Hotchner, now holding a small stack of files. She eyed him as he took the seat across from her.

For his part, Hotch was also eyeing her. He suspected, going off her physical appearance alone, that most people did. Delaney Tyler was unquestionably an attractive woman. She had dirty blonde hair that hung several inches past her shoulders. Her face was heart-shaped and nearly dominated by her big brown eyes. ‘Doe eyes’, Hotch thought they were called.

As evidenced by where he’d found her, Delaney was dressed for a party. She wore a long-sleeved royal blue dress with a laced-up front. The revealing front dipped down to just above Delaney’s belly-button, perfectly showing off her cleavage and a nice glimpse of her breasts. Her shoes were five-inch snakeskin patterned stilettos. Her only jewelry consisted of a pair of dangly black crown earrings. Her other accessory, a pair of oversized black Gucci sunglasses, rested on the table beside her.

Her face had been made up but not extravagantly so. Her eyeshadow was neutral, serving only to accent her large eyes and her lips were painted a vivid, but not overly bright, shade of red. It had been presumably chosen so as not to look too harsh against her pale, porcelain skin. Overall, her appearance, while extremely daring, was also remarkably classy. An interesting contradiction, in Hotch’s opinion.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Ms. Tyler,” he said as he opened a file. “You know most bestselling authors don’t have a rap sheet.” Keeping one eye on Delaney, he perused the contents Garcia had dug up. “Public intoxication in October 1996.” He looked up. “You’d have been what? Fifteen? Sixteen?”

Delaney’s lips were pinched. “Fifteen,” she said coolly. “I was at a friend’s Halloween party. Neighbors complained about the noise, cops showed up.”

“Yes, it says here the neighbors were complaining specifically about you standing on the sidewalk singing ‘Neon Moon’ at the top of your lungs.” Hotch raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Never heard that song before, Agent Hotchner? That’s a shame. It’s one of Brooks & Dunn’s best. I’d be happy to sing it for you, if you like.” Delaney gave him her mega-watt grin. She highly doubted this man, whose countenance was as cool as a cucumber, would take her up on her admittedly ridiculous offer, but she couldn’t help herself. The guy was hot.

Not to mention, but she didn’t really want to dwell on that particular memory. It wasn’t one of her favorites. The circumstances behind her arrest that night were occasionally too much to bear thinking about.

“I’ll pass,” was Hotch’s dry response. He went to the next arrest. “December 1996. Taken into custody at a movie theater for suspected public intoxication, no alcohol involved.”

Delaney put her hands in her lap. She didn’t want Agent Hotchner seeing them start to shake. “They let me go. Didn’t even do a drug test. I reacted badly to the movie I went to see. I shouldn’t have gone to see Scream. The events of which it was based on were still pretty fresh in my mind.”

This surprised Hotch. He remembered when that movie came out. Most people who weren’t law enforcement hadn’t dwelled on the real life murder spree that had inspired Scream’s screenwriter. “The Gainesville Ripper? That freaked you out so much?”

Delaney shrugged, though she was inwardly sighing with relief that Agent Hotchner had bought the lie – at least the no drugs in her system part. “My parents are university professors. Nowhere near Florida, but the murders did disturb me at the time. I was scared a copycat would start up where my parents worked.”

“I see.” And he did, probably much more than Delaney Tyler wanted him to. Her story about being freaked out by Scream because it had been based on real events she worried somehow impacting her parents had a ring of truth about it. But she was holding something back. He suspected it had to do with the ‘suspected public intoxication’ the police hadn’t bothered testing.

He also hadn’t failed to notice her putting her hands in her lap. That action seemed to indicate she was trying to hide something.

“Her hands are shaking, Hotch,” Morgan informed him via earpiece.

“Classic sign of anger,” Gideon remarked.

Hotch noted their observations, but continued with the arrest record. “Then quite a few truancies, and then in April 1997, arrested for heroin possession.”

Delaney clenched her hands into fists, though she knew it wouldn’t do any good. She could feel her shoulders starting to tremble as well. So much for hiding it, she thought dryly. “I was not in a good place at the time.” The words were spoken slowly but even Delaney could hear the unsteadiness in them. She had no doubt Agent Hotchner could as well.

Hotch didn’t give anything away, but Delaney’s response was telling. She was clearly annoyed about her past teenage arrests being brought up, but this arrest in particular was causing her to literally shake with rage.

“Why are you even talking about this?” Delaney demanded. She didn’t even care that she was nearly shouting. “You didn’t bring me here to read me the riot act on things I did a decade ago! You brought me here to discuss murders.” She let out a scoff. “Where did you even get those records anyway? If you’ll care to look, you’ll note I was put in rehab after that last arrest. The judge dropped the charges and expunged my record after I got clean.”

“We have a very good technical analyst.”

Delaney looked like she was about to say something scathing in response, but she surprised Hotch by closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She sat like this for a few seconds before slowly exhaling. After another moment, she opened her eyes. The big brown orbs stared right into his.

“You have not answered my question, Agent Hotchner.” Her words were slightly clipped, but spoken in a much calmer tone. “Why are we talking about an expunged arrest record from ten years ago? You said you wanted to speak to me about some murders.”

After staring at her for one long moment, Hotch grabbed the second file. He slid a photo across the table. “Jenny Kavanagh,” he said as Delaney studied the photo. It was a standard DMV photo, showing a pretty young woman in her late twenties with long, platinum blonde hair, brown eyes, and dimples on each cheek. She wore a simple green t-shirt and a necklace with the astrological symbol for Leo as the charm.

Delaney suddenly felt a sickening feeling in her stomach. “What happened to her?” she asked as she slid the photo away.

Hotch produced another photo. “She was found two weeks ago like this.” Jenny Kavanagh was now lying on her couch, eyes closed and arms crossed over her chest in the classic coffin position. Perched atop her pristine white blouse was a single white card with the words My Sincerest Condolences written on it in black cursive.

“Your Condolence Card,” Delaney gasped. Her doe eyes were huge as she stared first at the photo, then at Hotch, then back at the photo. She swallowed thickly before saying, “I’m guessing no outward cause of death except for a puncture wound on the back of her neck?

“Correct,” Hotch nodded. His eyes didn’t move from her. It was very hard to fake genuine concern for victims, especially people you’d never met. However, Delaney Tyler’s eyes were wide and unblinking. She stared at Jenny’s face, as though willing her eyes to open and show that everything was alright.

There was no way Delaney Tyler committed the murder of Jenny Kavanagh. Nor the others, if Hotch’s profiling was right.

Wordlessly, he slid another DMV photograph across the table. “Brian Tanaka.” The young man was barely out of his teens. His hair was cut in a bowl style and he wore a sweatshirt from the University of Florida. Before Delaney could really study him, she was being handed another photo. “Metro police found him like this straight out of Love to Hatred Turn’d about three hours ago.”

In terms of ways to die, Brian Tanaka had drawn the short straw. Delaney winced at the image of him lying on his back on a dark wooden floor, presumably in his apartment, limbs spread akimbo and an absolutely terrified look on his face. The reason for his terror was the gaping hole in his chest. Delaney knew without having to ask that his heart had been removed while he was alive. She glanced at his wrists. Ligature marks, presumably from the rope used to restrain him.

Just like in the book.

“Looks as though I have a fan,” she observed.

“A deranged one, yes,” Hotch confirmed.

Delaney suddenly looked up and smiled broadly. “Oh, I don’t think you’re deranged, Agent Hotchner. Far from it, actually.”

Hotch blinked, then blinked again. “Excuse me?”

Delaney’s smile grew. She knew exactly what he’d meant, but really, how could she resist? The man was hot with a capital H.

Aloud, she said, “Oh, come on, Agent Hotchner. Love to Hatred Turn’d? A Siren takes the hearts of the men she sleeps with to sustain her so she can continue living on dry land?” Delaney snorted. “I only wrote that ‘cause I needed rent money. The story sucks and I know it. Only die-hard Delaney Tyler fans read that.”

Hotch struggled to maintain his composure. Admittedly, this wasn’t a difficult thing for him to do, but damn if Delaney Tyler wasn’t making a dent in his stoic armor. Instead of rising to her bait, he asked, “Have you ever met Ms. Kavanagh or Mr. Tanaka before? Book signing? Charity event?”

Delaney studied the DMV photos again. Try as she might, there wasn’t a single flicker of recognition for either victim. “No, I’m sorry. It’s possible at a book signing, but I sign so many books during those, it’s impossible to remember everyone’s faces or names.” She gave him another grin. “But I assure you, I’d definitely remember yours.”

Ignoring the snickering in his earpiece, Hotch reached into the file again. He saw Delaney’s eyes widen and her face become paler than it already was. He could practically hear her thoughts. Dear God, another one?! “Dominic Cavalleri. High school softball coach. Do you recognize him?”

Dominic Cavalleri’s DMV photo could have come straight out of a fashion magazine. He had tousled sandy brown hair, shining blue-green eyes, and the kind of tan that came not from a salon but from spending time outdoors. There was a light sprinkling of freckles across his nose and cheeks, giving him a kind of boyish charm. Overall, Dominic Cavalleri was one good looking man.

Delaney smiled appreciatively at the photo but it dimmed as she remembered he was now dead. Dead because some lunatic was running around killing people like she did in her books. “How did he die?” she asked quietly.

Hotch’s expression revealed none of his inner revulsion and slight nausea as he gave her the crime scene photo. “A Scythe for Schuyler. Three weeks ago.”

Delaney took one look at the photo and immediately whirled away with a gasp. Shutting her eyes, she did her best to block out the image she’d just seen. Dominic Cavalleri’s body had been lying on the floor of what was presumably his apartment. His head was several feet away, having rolled partway under a leather couch. The scythe that had sliced his head off lay right next to his body.

“Are you okay?” Hotch asked as Delaney put a hand over her mouth. “Do you need a trash-can-,”

Delaney hastily swallowed back the bourbon threatening to make a reappearance. “I’m fine,” she said, voice slightly strangled. “Just . . . just give me a minute.”

Delaney tucked her head between her knees. She wasn’t sure if there was any scientific basis on this position curbing nausea, but right now, she figured there was no harm in trying.

As she breathed in and out slowly and evenly, just like the rehab therapist had taught her, Delaney’s mind whirled over this latest information. Not only was someone killing people the way she did in her books, they’d chosen A Scythe for Schuyler as one of them. Her breathing grew a touch harsher. Her eyes narrowed. How dare they! She thought.

When she rose back up, Hotch noticed an immediate change in her demeanor. Delaney’s jaw was tightly clenched, enough to where he could see a muscle in her cheek twitching. Her eyes flashed with barely concealed anger. She clasped her hands together. Her French-tipped nails rather resembled claws.

“Interesting,” Gideon mused. “She was upset about the other murders, but this one has her really incensed.”

“Almost like it’s affected her personally,” Morgan added. “More personally than it has already.”

“Is everything alright?” Hotch asked. His tone held a touch of wariness.

“I’m fine,” Delaney said, her words curt.

Hotch inwardly snorted. Yeah, right. “You really don’t seem to be,” he said, not unkindly. “There’s a muscle in your jaw ticking. In the past minute, your heartbeat has accelerated and your hands have started shaking. I suspect that’s why you put them in your lap earlier and have them clasped together now, to keep me from noticing.”

Delaney’s mouth falling open proved he was right. She gaped at him as he went on. “It’s a clear sign of anger. Interestingly, you haven’t reacted like this to any of the other murders I’ve showed you. Upset, certainly, but not this . . . infuriated.”

Delaney tightened the grip on her hands. Not that it would do much good, but maybe it would keep Agent Hotchner from commenting on them again. How did he even notice that? She wondered. She would have noticed it in someone, but she had trained herself to notice body language and behavior. Do FBI agents study it? None of the ones she’d seen on TV had, but then again, that was television. This was real life.

“I wrote A Scythe for Schuyler at a pretty low point in my life.” She kept eye contact with Agent Hotchner, making sure that, if he did study body language, he would know she was telling the truth. “It was . . . cathartic, I guess you could say.”

“About someone important to you?” Hotch asked. There was a little itch in his brain, but for the life of him he didn’t know what it was about.

Delaney’s eyes became slightly moist. “Very important,” she said softly. She averted her eyes for a moment. When she looked back up, they were clear.

“So what exactly is it you do?” she asked.

Hotch stared at her. His brow furrowed in confusion. “I’m an FBI agent . . .?”

“Yes, I know that,” Delaney said with a roll of her eyes. “But you’re clearly not some run of the mill FBI agent since you noticed all the minute aspects of my body language and what they meant in reference to my emotions.”

“You’re right,” Hotch nodded. “I’m a profiler with the Bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.”

“Never heard of it.”

“We profile criminals. Basically, by studying the particulars of a crime scene as well as the victims – also called victimology – we can tell law enforcement officials who, exactly, they should be looking for.”

Delaney was amazed. This man could actually study a crime scene and come up with an idea of who had committed it? “So . . . you’re like Sherlock Holmes,” she summarized. “You can tell if someone committed a crime in an organized fashion or a crazed one, why their particular victim was targeted the same way Holmes could tell that Dr. Watson had a clumsy, careless maid.”

Hotch couldn’t quite keep a small smile from appearing. “I’ve never heard anyone liken it in that way, but yes, if you like.”

Any other time, Delaney would have made a remark about his smile, maybe a little come-on about offering her assistance in getting him to smile by use of other, more intimate activities, but she didn’t for two very good reasons. One, there was this case to concentrate on. Finding out who the hell was copying her crime scenes and why was far more important than her getting laid.

And two, she had just noticed the gleaming gold ring on Agent Hotchner’s third index finger.

Typical, she mentally groused. All the good-looking ones are either married or gay.

“So if you can give a profile of a criminal based on the crime scene and victimology, why bring me in?”

Hotch silently thanked God for his poker face as he said, “We wanted you to see if there was anything in these photos that might tip you off on anyone who would do this.”

“I can’t think of anyone I know doing this.” Delaney studied Brian Tanaka’s crime scene photo. Unlike Dominic’s, this crime scene she had no problem scrutinizing.

There was, she thought, something off about this photo. Something to do with the crime itself? Delaney wasn’t sure. Her brain was more preoccupied in replaying Agent Hotchner’s words. For some reason, she suspected that he hadn’t been telling her the whole truth. It wasn’t anything in his body language or his expression; the man would have no difficulty in cleaning up Vegas if he ever set his mind to it.

No, it was something else. Something Delaney couldn’t name. Maybe it was the writer part of her brain, the part that said that in every scene she wrote where things were going great, there had to be some kind of catch involved.

She decided to test it.

“Of course, I highly doubt you brought me in just to act as a consultant.” She glanced up from the pictures just in time to see the startled look on Hotch’s face. She smirked. Two for two on surprising, she thought victoriously.

Again, Hotch struggled to maintain his composure. How does she keep doing that? He wondered. He pushed that thought to the backburner and forced himself to focus on the matter at hand. “That’s right,” he said simply.

He expected Delaney to react with indignation, expressing contempt and fury for them having the audacity to consider her a suspect, but was once again shocked when she merely shrugged and went back to studying Brian Tanaka’s crime scene photo. Hotch stared at her for a few moments. “You’re not upset?” he finally asked.

“No. In fact,” Delaney looked up, “I’m impressed. In cases like this, your first suspect should be the creator of what the crime is based on. Gotta check and make sure the author isn’t some Catherine Tramell wannabe.”

Hotch frowned. “Who?”

Delaney stared at him. “Catherine Tramell?” she repeated. Seeing Hotch’s blank look, she added, “Played by Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct? Crazy author who kills people, then writes the murders into her books? Has a lot of hot as hell sex with Michael Douglas? During interrogation, she infamously crosses her legs and shows off her bare vul-,”

“We’re getting off track,” Hotch cut in. Delaney noted with a bit of amusement that the tips of his ears were a little pink from the word she had been about to utter.

“Right,” Delaney nodded, but she couldn’t resist adding, “Too bad my skirt’s too long to do what Sharon Stone did.” She turned back to the photos and smirked at the sound of Hotch choking on air.

As Hotch struggled to get the provocative images Delaney had painted out of his head, he heard a bunch of snickering in his ear-piece. “I like this girl,” Gideon was chuckling.

“Me too,” Morgan agreed. “Can we keep her?”

“H-have you ever received any disturbing letters?”

“Most of my fan-mail is disturbing. I haven’t read it since a few months after Your Condolence Card came out.” Delaney grimaced. “At nineteen years old, I was understandably freaked out by how many marriage proposals I was receiving from ex-cons. And I’m guessing the reason you’re asking is because you think whoever did this might be trying to contact me?”

Rather than being surprised again, Hotch was impressed. Delaney was incredibly intuitive to the team’s thought processes. Must be the writer part of her. “It happens a lot in cases like these.”

“I’ll tell my editor to deliver all my fan mail from the last six months here in the morning,” Delaney promised. “Or do you want it from further back than that?”

“Six months should be fine. We’ll let your editor know otherwise. And speaking of your editor . . . Would he happen to be a tall man in his early fifties with a slight French accent wearing . . . um . . .”

“Wearing a bright red suit and a red and white plaid fedora? Kinda looks like a pimp?”

“I . . . I wouldn’t have said it exactly like that . . .”

Delaney chuckled. He’s so adorable when flustered. She wished she could keep being the one to do that to him, but alas, he was married. Lucky girl. “Don’t worry, Agent Hotchner, you wouldn’t be the first to think that, nor will you be the last. I’m guessing he’s outside?”

“Insisted on waiting for you.”

With a nod, Delaney stood. Hotch did the same. “Well, if that’s everything . . .” Delaney trailed off as she watched him place the crime scene and DMV photos back in the file.

“Yes, I believe so.” His voice was a bit curt, in full-on ‘official’ mode. “Thank you for your help, Ms. Tyler.”

“I only wish I could’ve done more.”

#delaney #delaney tyler series #hotch/oc #criminal minds #sneak peek

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worldwrestlingfanatic · 5 years

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Classic Review: Royal Rumble 2006

This is definitely a "spur of the moment" idea for me to review. I have no idea what brought me to wanna watch and review this pay-per-view. As I'm watching the intro while typing this I dont remember any of the feuds or big matches going into this event so I've got an open mind going into the pay-per-view.

Kid Kash (C) vs. Funaki vs. Jamie Noble vs. Nunzio vs. Paul London vs. Gregory Helms

This match feels so weird. A match name so complicated and long I didn't even bother including it in this review, its pretty much just a six man free for all with the first person to score a pinfall or submission winning the match. To me it kinda just feels like around this time the cruiserweight title picture didn't have much going on but WWE still wanted to include all these guys so they were just all put together last minute to make this match. A few quick notes, Jamie Noble looks a bit odd to me in any attire other than jean shorts and it's insane to me how Paul London wasn't better utilized. Hes easily my favorite in this match and arguably the most talented. That being said, Paul London did attempt a shooting star press off the top rope into the crowd of opponents and he kinda just missed everyone and landed face first on the outside of the ring. Another quick note, does anyone actually remember Kid Kash or anything he did in WWE? I knew of him before watching this but other than this match I can't name anything he did during his time with the WWE. Gregory Helms ended up winning by pinning Funaki. The cruiserweight championship, a smackdown exclusive title was won by a Raw superstar. Not only that but he kinda had the lowest amount of impact in this match. He hit a neck breaker on Paul London off the top rope but other than that he was kind of a nonfactor. Last quick note, on commentary they mentioned that Gregory Helms used to be the Hurricane. That's crazy to me, that's like if WWE referred to Stardust as Cody Rhodes. Weird way to start the show. Not boring, not overly exciting, just... weird.

Odd Rant: I dont typically speak on backstage segments in these reviews but watching Vince McMahon interact/touch on the "Divas" was pretty uncomfortable to witness, I feel the further I go back to do these reviews, the more common stuff like this is going to be and I'm not looking forward to it. But in this same segment we got to see a young Randy Orton and that's always great.

Mickie James vs. Ashley - Special Referee - Trish Stratus

Ah yes, the storyline of unrequited love between Mickie James and Trish Stratus. Not too sure what role Ashley plays in this storyline but I'm guessing it isn't because she was super over with the fans at the time considering the crowd was pretty silent as Ashley made her way to the ring. I was confused seeing Trish be the special referee of this match since at the time she was the womans champion. Just odd to see a champion at a ppv with her championship but not defending her title. Mickie James gets the win and immediately tries to celebrate with/hug Trish but was just met with Trish not wanting anything to do with her. Neither Mickie or Ashley were really.... the greatest wrestler at this point in their careers to say the least.

Odd Rant: its increasingly getting more uncomfortable to watch Vince interact with the "Divas". If we're going to keep cutting here between matches I'm pretty worried how far these segments will go

JBL vs. The Boogeyman

The man who ate worms for real for the sake of the character who gave me creeps as a kid taking on the corrupt wall street millionaire. Wrestling has certainly given me plenty to talk about over the years. I cant even imagine how people who faced the Boogeyman planned for these matches. "Oh you're going to spit a worm into my mouth at this point in the match, okay sounds good". The Boogeyman was more entertainer than wrestler. A guy that wasn't very diverse when it came to in ring talent and was very reliant on his gimmick to get him over. Boogeyman wins in a pretty uneventful match. His finishing move was a pump handle slam and just one was enough to put away JBL which is odd because I've seen this man bleed buckets in an I quit match against John Cena so I guess Boogeyman and his pump handle slam was just that damn strong.

Royal Rumble Match

Weird that the selling point for this pay-per-view takes place less than half way through the event but like I said, I don't know any of the matches going into this show so maybe they just have a big main event planned. As I'm watching I'm now a little more than half way and this certainly isn't a very star studded rumble match. Out of the 17 entrants so far the only notable superstars have been Triple H, Rey Mysterio, Big Show, Kane, Chris Benoit and Bobby Lashley. Not even surprising returning legends its just been some mid carders who aren't too great and jobbers like Simon Dean. RVD now comes in at number 20, hopefully this is a sign of things starting to pick up. Matt Hardy is now being dry humped by Viscera in the middle of the ring and before I could even finish typing that sentence Viscera eliminates Matt Hardy. I just felt that was a notable highlight to add. Now that I've seen all the entrants I feel like I can now fully discuss the match since I already know the winner. Rey Mysterio wins if you don't know. The lack of star power in this match caused really legitimate possible winners to be a bit of a short list. It's very disappointing that it took the death of Eddie Guerrero for WWE to give Rey Mysterio a title run. A pretty forgetful title run but a title run nonetheless. The match wasn't really much to talk about until we hit the final five. I do wanna add that I appreciate that this match was also treated as a Raw vs. Smackdown event. I mean, it was everyone for themselves but on commentary they frequently added who in the match currently was on which brand, which makes sense because Raw and Smackdown are competing against each other and whenever theres a match where superstars from both brands are present, on commentary at least, it should be treated as a competition. Just something I wish WWE would do more of today, I hated when Raw was just one big "supershow" I prefer the brand split, but that's a different topic for a different time. Overall the match did feel like a bit of a chore to get through but in the grand scheme of things I did appreciate the story they told of Rey Mysterio overcoming all odds with the deck stacked against him to make good on his promise that he dedicated a victory to his best friend, Eddie Guerrero.

Edge (C) vs. John Cena

John Cena came to the ring in what Joey Styles called a "Spaceship Catwalk" and I cant really think of a better name for whatever this was so I'll just go with that. Cena isn't even the champion and he got a wrestlemania style special entrance and Edge didn't. It was such an odd touch, could've went without it but at least it looked cool I guess. Edge was such an absolute heat magnet, he knew what to do and what to say at all times to make the crowds boo him it was a bit of disappointment to see Edge drop the title in this match. I understand that in the long run Cena winning was probably the smarter move but if their plan all along was to send Cena to wrestlemania as champion I wish they didn't tease us with an Edge title run. I mean, in 2006 everytime Edge won the title, he beat Cena to get it and everytime he lost it, it was to Cena. Edge had a nice title run as world heavyweight champion on smackdown years later but in relation to this event, that smackdown title reign felt like it was an eternity away. If nothing else this WWE title run turned Edge from a midcarder to a main event talent and he was deserving of it. All in all, I just wish Edge had a more lengthy run with the title instead of losing it in a month after being the first superstar to cash in money in the bank.

Kurt Angle (C) vs. Mark Henry

Listen, I get it, Mark Henry is a cool guy, but he isn't really an amazing athlete. Maybe its just me but I've never been able to get behind anything Mark Henry has been apart of, besides the hall of pain storyline but doesn't have for another few years. I don't know the story going into this match or the full smackdown roster at the time but I just feel like this match shouldn't have main evented. After seeing that this was the match they picked to go on last I wish they would have just saved the royal rumble to be the main event, they would've sent the crowd home happy with Rey Mysterio winning. I know we got a surprise Undertaker return at the end and that made people excited but looking back, Undertaker vs. Mark Henry at wrestlemania wasn't really all that great. Kurt Angle is fantastic but he cant carry everyone to a good match. Angle retains but other than that there just isn't too much to say about this match, it was slow paced and just didn't pack any real punch for me.

I cant really make a pros and cons list for this event, nothing was overwhelming entertaining and nothing was offensively bad. It was just a pretty "meh" event. Rey Mysterio won the royal rumble and Kurt Angle did an interview that made me laugh a little bit before his match and those are the highlights for me. The real lowlights I guess would be just how underwhelming this event was and how bland everything felt. Say what you want, I love womans wrestling today but watching the story progress between Mickie James and Trish Stratus was mildly entertaining too. I'm really reaching here.

2/5

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baek-beauty · 6 years

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Just For You - Chapter 02

Characters: Baekhyun x Reader

Genre: Fluff, Romance, VampireAu, Action, Thriller, & Smut (in later parts)

Just For You: Plot Mini Masterlist

Length: 2.68k words

Previous Chapter

After that long relaxing shower, you slipped your pyjamas on, and went to brush your teeth, as soon as you finished and stumbled back into your room while closing the bathroom’s door, your phone vibrated indicating a new message, you went and picked it up checking it only to drop it on the floor the next second, your eyes wide open in shock, your heart beating so quickly that you can feel it in the palm of your hands, tears showing in your eyes at the thought of the name on your phone: ‘BAEK ♡’

Dreaming?! That’s what you thought! But is it reality?! Well… That definitely wasn't one of your main expectations.

Staring at the phone not even noticing your mouth wide open, good thing a fly didn’t get in there. Still believing that you were actually hallucinating, you blinked a few times, looking at the lightened screen once more, “Baek”, you whispered his name aloud, trying to sink in the events and hoping that there was some truth behind it and in fact, there was.

You never changed his name since you two got a phone together at the age of fourteen, when your parents decided that you needed one after that long night both of you ended up at the lake until sunrise.

You sat on the bed, lowering both of your trembling hands to pick the phone up; with the way you were shaking, you weren’t sure if one palm would be able to lift the heavy metal. Your breathing hitched and you felt anxiety rushing through your body when you tapped on the message to see it:

‘Y/N ♡ it’s Baekhyun, but I hope it’s still Baek for you, I don’t know if you still have my number, but I never lost yours. I know it’s been four years, I got all your messages but I never had enough courage to respond back to you. Even now, despite my parents being there for a month, I still couldn’t text you a single word because I was afraid. I never stopped thinking about you Y/N, I never could and never will, every day we spent together is stained into my memory. I could never stay away from you even if I was far away; I know what you went through those four years, your parents told me everything. I asked them about you everytime we called, I was aware that I gave you a lot of pain. It is unforgivable. But I miss you Y/N, everyday, I miss you and I can’t wait till the day I come back to see you. I know of what was said to you about our cause of departure from home, and I still remember how stubborn you are that you won’t believe that it’s the reason, but I promise you in time you’ll know everything. And hopefully when you do, you’ll forgive me and understand why I had to leave. I’m not sure you will reply me, but I hope you read it at least! It won’t be the last message I send, so expect more from me till I’m there in front of you! Holding you in my arms, but I won’t let you go this time. I Love You Y/N <3 ’

Tears were streaming down your face effectively soaking the sheets. You read the message over and over again, till your eyes dried out all the tears bottled inside you. Not believing that this was real, that Baekhyun actually texted you, telling you how he feels, that he knew everything about you in those horrible four years from your parents when you knew nothing! It all felt like a dream.

Your parents... ‘Why didn’t they ever tell me that Baekhyun called them? Why didn’t they manage to tell me that he asked about me when I assumed that he just forgot me?! Why is so much being kept from me? What s the deal? I trust my parents, I trust Mr. and Mrs. Byun, I still trust Baekhyun, I believe his every word, I just want to know what is that big secret that made them leave?’

Then it hit you, the last sentence he said!

‘He loves me? What did he mean by that? ’

The thought made you blush.

You didn’t know what to do now, to answer or not to. What could you even respond back with. You decided to wait until the morning, and to just head to bed instead. But you knew that you’re in for a long night ahead, all the tiredness you felt vanished the moment you saw his name, as all you can think of was him.

It was passed twelve am when you decided to go down to the kitchen to make some tea, sitting on the counter lost in your own thoughts, you didn’t hear the footsteps down the stairs getting closer till you heard a cough sounding from behind you. Your mom was standing at the kitchen door looking at you with a sweet smile;

“Why are you still awake sweetie?”

You weren’t sure if you wanted to reveal to her that Baekhyun contacted you, or just ask her why they hid so much from you?! It was a dilemma. So you decided to just be honest, hopefully she might give you a straight answer.

“I was going to bed when I got a text.”

You saw your mom look at you with a tensed stare which was full of worry like she knew who texted you, so you just decided to continue.

“I- It was Baekhyun, after all these years… he texted me telling me he never forgot me, that he wanted to talk to me since the day he left but he couldn’t, he was scared for some reason, but he told me I’ll know everything soon. He even told me that he was in contact with you, that he asked about me everytime, which you and dad didn’t consider mentioning to me… he even told me he’ll keep contacting me till he comes back.”

Tears started falling on your cheeks.

“He misses me and he said he can’t wait to see me mom.”

You were sobbing uncontrollably, your mom sat next to you and embraced you in her arms, your tears soaking her pyjama,

“He told me he loves me.”

You turned towards your mother and held her tight, like a little child wanting her mom to save her from the boogeyman haunting her bed at night. When you started to cool down all thanks to her, she took your hands making you look at her:

“Honey listen to me okay? I am sorry your dad and I had to keep this from you, but it is for a good reason believe me, the Byuns are like family to us, and they want you to be safe as much as we do. Yes we knew why they left, we even knew they were leaving years back, you’ll know soon sweety I promise you, and you’ll be okay with it, I can tell you that, cause I know my daughter and I know you’ll forgive Baekhyun. He loves you dearly. More than you can imagine, he never wanted to leave you, he had to but he’s coming back just for you!”

Her words struck to your heart ‘just for you’, you can sense the honesty in her eyes sparkling with tears and care and her voice filled with emotions.

Baekhyun loves you, he always did and still does, not like a friend but romantically, just like you always have and still do, it’s like you were magnets to each other, collided together even with the distance separating the both of you.

With your mother’s words, you knew what you need to do next, it’s as if she knew what you actually needed to hear to help you decide on your next move; she never failed to amaze you, of how well she knows you, her own daughter that she cares deeply about.

You hugged your mother with a small smile creeping on your face, grateful for her warm embrace and her true words; you mouthed her a ‘thank you’, then got up and rushed to your bedroom, picking up your phone, thinking of what to reply to him.

It took you almost an hour to write the text, typing and deleting over and over, till you were kind of satisfied with the last one, you viewed it one last time before you hit send;

‘Hello, I’m sorry but do I know you? Funny story though, I had a friend named Baek… until one day he just vanished without a word! Such an ass right? ;) Just so you know, your name is still the same as the day you wrote it on my phone, it never changed Baek and won’t ever, just like many other things… I hate to lie and say I feel happy now, because that would be half the truth, but I guess half a truth is better than a complete lie! What do you expect me to say?! Four years now and I couldn’t seem to forget about you one single day, even though I did try many times! The days felt longer somehow, and the nights shorter crying myself to sleep. God how much I wished for the sun to disappear, just like did. You did hurt me, but I still love you Baek. And if it wasn’t for mom, I might’ve made a bad decision and you wouldn’t have heard from me. There is many things that I need answers to but I guess I will have to wait to find out. I trust my mom when she tells me that I would forgive you, as much as I trust your words somehow even with all the pain. How do you still have that effect on me?!’

SENT.

Anxiety rushed into you once again, the excitement and fear longing deep within you. ‘Was I too mean? No, he deserves this! He should know how hurt I am as well as how much I’m missing him’

With that your thoughts drifted back to the day you last saw him, how could you ever forget it?! Remembering all his features, from his dark hair which was always styled casually, some of his bangs falling onto his forehead and covering those beautiful brown eyes, always filled with adoration to you and provided you safety; you never were scared with him, never feared anything, he gave you protection with his embrace and the sweet words coming out of his cherry lips. You would lie if you say you never wanted to taste them, but to your relief he felt the same hunger for you.

The sound coming from your phone woke you from your reverie, only to see another text from Baekhyun,

‘Can I call you? Please’

You did not want to make it so easy for him, but every cell in your body was working against you. You wanted to hear his voice, you desperately need it, deciding to shove away your ego, you replied to him with a simple YES.

Not a minute later, the phone rang, picking it up to your ear when you tried to answer but the pounding of your heart was not helping you at all. You managed to let out a breathy

‘Hello’, only to hear you voice being called by that beautiful angelic voice, god how much you missed hearing it,

“Y/N, Y/N are you still here?”

You haven’t noticed that you zoned out on him, how can one word from him make you melt into a pound of thoughts?!

“Baek, hey.’ You were shaking by now,

“I can’t believe I’m hearing your voice after so long, god I missed it, I miss you Y/N, you still sound the same, as beautiful as you are.”

You felt a burn in your cheeks,

“God, it’s really hot in here.” You didn’t notice what you actually blurted out until you heard a small chuckle coming from him, you buried your face in your hands, cursing yourself for what you just uncovered.

“Y/N Isn’t it spring there?! Why are you hot?”

You swear you can feel him smirk on the other end, cursing him deep inside for turning you into this hot mess.

“Uhh, no actually it was quite the weather today, very hot today, hot wind, yeah really hot wind.” What was even hot wind?! ‘Great job Y/N, why can’t I say a simple sentence?!’

“Oh, I see then”

You wouldn’t miss the teasing sound in his voice, you took a deep breath before saying all confidently,

“Yeah anyway, why did you want to call me now Baek? You know it’s really late so what do you want?”

“I- I’m sorry but I wanted to hear your voice after those years Y/N, I really miss you, I don’t want to bother you but please just talk to me, please I promise you, you’ll know everything, I promise you that I never wanted to hurt you, I know you suffered, but I did too, we didn’t leave because we wanted to, we left because we had to, I had to protect you Y/N.”

You froze when you heard Baekhyun choking on his words, his voice filled with pain but too honest. You wanted to take that pain away, to run into him, hold him in your arms and make him forget it all, but reality was harder than that, since you were feeling the same pain, as you thought.

You did not know what to say, you did not even understand what he meant; your heart shuddered at the sound of his sobs, you urged yourself to reply him

“Baekhyun, Baek… What is happening, please stop crying, I miss you too, god you have no idea how much I want to see you and hold you close to me! Baek please calm down for me please.”

He did not stop, he couldn’t, he wanted nothing but to be there with you, holding you tight to his chest, smelling the lovely scent of the girl he loves the most.

You wanted to say more since he is unable to speak

“Baek what did you mean by protecting me? You left to protect me? Why? Why do I need protection even?!”

You noticed him calm down, he hummed telling you that he listened, voice steadier than before

“Y/N I promise you soon, when I come home, I’ll find the right time to tell you everything, please believe me. Believe that I missed you as much as you did, that I kept thinking of you every single day, believe me when I say I love you Y/N, trust me as you always did!”

You didn’t need Baekhyun telling you that because you already knew it, even after four years, the way he sounded just made you know he is the same Baekhyun, you knew him, you always have, YOUR Baekhyun.

You didn’t hold back your feelings anymore, you let the truth out to him, you believe in him, you trust him and you’ll wait, he went through as much as you did, and maybe even worse?!

That night you ended up talking until sunrise, you shared many stories that occurred through these years of being apart, you felt at ease again, being able to talk to Baekhyun, just as if those haunting years never took place.

The days went by, with you anticipating the sunrise now, just to be able to talk with him; you texted, you called, but Baekhyun never agreed on Video Calling, you found it weird at first, but he told you he wanted to see you live for the first time after those years not through a tablet, you laughed at this, finding it cute not questioning him.

You believed it, even though it wasn’t quite the truth, because Baekhyun had quite a reason for not video calling you…

Chapter 3

#baekhyun #reader #byun baekhyun #baekhyun scenario #romance #fluff #vampire #slight angst #slight smut #baekhyun ff #baekhyun fanfic #baekhyun fic #exo #exo fluff #exo romance #kpop #fanfic

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jules-hoard-of-stuff · 6 years

Text

Guys guys GUYS I HAVE AN IDEA

Okay okay, I KNOW everyone is really sick of the Disney Live action films. Most of them suck or weren't done right. The new renditions of old fairy tales, sure. The new renditions of their own fairy tales, not so much.

But hear me out.....

....

Wait for it...

...

Live Nightmare Before Christmas rendition.

Literally, as long as you get Tim burton back in there nothing can go wrong!!! Like, get a gangly actor who is also a good singer, dress him up, a little cg, BOOM, it's Jack the fucking pumpkin king. Find an actress with long hair, who can also sing (ANNE HATHAWAY PLEASE???) AND you have sally! The mayor could be jack black, and you could have so many cool other monsters, you could even have a super good voice actor as oogey boogey idk I just LOVE this idea guys

And I bet you there would be tons of people lining up to play the monsters in the town, cause you are gonna need a town's worth of extras for Halloween town, and a town's worth of extras for the humans.

Plus!!! With today's cg effects!!! Imagine how fucking cool and terrifying Boogeyman would look!!! Imagine how amazing the landscape would come across if it were done in Burton's style! Imagine how cool and crazy the gifts from halloween town would look!! Legit, just use the same script, but make it live action AND YOU CAN'T GO WRONG ANYWHERE

Who's with me?! I wanna see this honestly because if Disney's remaking their old movies this is one we can't fucking miss out on

(I only have one condition: leave Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp out of it bc they're legit in every Tim burton movie and I love their works in the past but I wanna see other actors being super spooky! Give others a chance!! Nothing against anyone's acting but plz let me see Anne Hathaway as Sally please)

#disney #nightmare before christmas #disney please this needs to happen

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archivingspn · 3 years

Video

youtube

Channel Ten: Supernatural The Inside Scoop (part 1)

Story of Supernatural Kripke: Supernatural is about, uh, two brothers cruising the dusty backroads of America in their vintage muscle car with, uh, chainsaws and shotguns in their trunk, basically battling various things that go bump in the night out of, uh, American ghost stories and urban legends and folklores and stuff like that. (...)

1:57 The Goals of Supernatural Kripke: The fist mandate of Supernatural is to scare the crap out of everybody every week. Uh, we are- we are definitely aiming to have a, uh, weekly horror movie. I mean, and when you look at the Grudge, and Boogeyman, you know, which I wrote, and uh, and all the stuff that’s in theaters right now that everyone’s paying their tickets to see, it’s like, well, let’s- let’s do that as a weekly series, in a way that we’re not even sure anyone’s really attempted before. I mean, Twilight-Zone was genius, but not really scary. And X-files was a lot more aliens and paranoia. And so, the attempt to do, actually do, just to scare the hell out of you every week. Um, but then on top of that, like, the characters have to be really funny, and the dialogue has to be really sharp. And I come out of comedy, as well, and so we- we’re feeling like, if we can make ‘em laugh a couple times and scare the crap out of ‘em a couple times (holds double thumbs up) then, y’know, we’re really in business.

youtube

Channel Ten: Supernatural The Inside Scoop (part 2)

0:12 The Concept of Supernatural Kripke: The concept came about in that I had- I have sort of for years - for seven or eight years - wanted to do, uh, a show that was about American urban legends. It happens to be a subject I’m fairly obsessed with. Uh, and I had like a million different versions of that show. And then it was sitting down with- at various times with, uh, y’know, Len Goldstein and Susan Rovner, and Heather Kadin at Warner Brothers, but then also with, uh, McG and Peter Johnson at Wonderland. And we all sort of talked about, what would be like the best engine in on that show. And- and out of it came this idea to do a- a route 66 show about Americana, like, a road show, where you could drive from town to town literally in every episode and find that local ghost story or urban legend that, like, all the teenagers grew up with in that town and just experience that, uh, every week. And, so this kind of like, faded Americana sorta vibe, uh, kind of came out of just, you know, really all of us sort of figuring out the best way to do that urban legend show.

1:12 The Look of Supernatural Kripke: Yeah, we- we’re really going for a very unique and distinctive look on Supernatural that we don’t think has ever been on television before. Which is just sort of what- what we’re calling “decrepit Americana.” It’s sort of, like, this sort of Route-66 ‘50s chrome culture. It’s like 1950s American optimism sort of rusting and gone to seed. Where it’s like, it’s very uniquely American, like faded farmhouses with uh, a peeling paint house, and sort of lonely roadsides, and like, uh old, y’know, old Route 66-style motels with kind of faded neon signs. And sort of dusty and- and really American. And- and it’ll- it’s a show that’s gonna be very uniquely the look of our country, but with just the slightly ominous kind of a- a, y’know, golden look to it, which- which I think is going to be really special. And David Nutter is doing an incredible job of- of capturing that look. And it really looks like nothing else on TV. I mean, just faded Americana is gonna be (holds thumb up) It’s really gonna look cool, I think.

2:12 Audience Connection Kripke: Audiences are going to connect with this show because it’s gonna scare the living crap out of ‘em. And- and they’re gonna sit there, and they’re gonna sit on the couch, and they’re gonna grab the arms of their significant other, and they’re gonna throw their popcorn, and, uh, and they’re gonna love it for that. And then on top of that, they’re gonna love it because underneath all the scares, and all the comedy, and all the production design, and everything, this is a show about two brothers. And this is about two brothers coming together and falling apart, and fighting, but exhibiting fierce loyalty towards each other, and it’s a show about family sticking together. So that’s- I- I think people are going to connect on all those different levels.

#2008-Jul #2008:July3~#*SMT #Eric Kripke #Channel Ten

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mhdiaries · 4 years

Text

Diary of Twyla

The real nightmare would be if you read my diary!

The Sixth of September

The Tenth of September

The First of October

The Fifteenth of October

The Twenty-fifth of October

9.5 9.5 10.0 9.5 4.0

The Twenty-eighth of October

#monster high #monster high diary #text post #13 wishes #twyla

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