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artist-issues · 12 days

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I saw you answer an ask on Toy Story, which was super interesting, and also say:

"It’s an incredibly good movie series. Not Toy Story 4. But the rest of the series."

I didn't actually see Toy Story 4 because I felt the first three tied the story up very well, and we got a really good arc through those first three. It just felt unnecessary, and what I did see from it didn't make me eager to go out and watch it.

Could you expand on where you think Toy Story 4 goes wrong? If the other three convey selflessness, living and finding purpose, then what does that Toy Story 4 try to convey? Does it contradict the others?

I think Toy Story 4 goes wrong by trying to make Woody selfish. I mean, you could say that he isn't selfish to leave Bonnie and his friends and embrace the "Lost Toy" lifestyle. You could say "he just went from taking care of one kid who didn't really need him anymore to taking care of every lost kid who could need him, and finding lost toys homes. That's what was happening with the lost little girl at the end!"

Okay, you could say all that, but you'd be wrong, because 1) that is not what was happening at the end. And 2) even if it were, that is not a selfless ending for Woody. Furthermore 3) it undoes all his character development and progression from the first three.

You didn't see the fourth movie, right? So let me break it down a little.

Woody's character progression goes like this:

1: Obsessed with being The Most Important Toy to Andy --> Remembering that what's great about being a toy is being there for Andy when he needs them, regardless of how often or special that is.

2: Fine with no longer being The Most Important Toy to Andy, but considering leaving because Andy will eventually not need him, ever --> Realizing that being there means being there, even if it's just to watch and love from a distance, instead of protecting yourself to no end.

3. Committed to Being There even if he's not needed --> But this includes being there for his friends, even after they choose to abandon him and the mission. (It's important to note that Woody only offers ((by getting in the box to Bonnie's)) to leave Andy if Andy chooses to give him to a kid who needs him more.)

The whole idea is that Woody belongs to someone. He's not his own. He's a toy. Toys belong to their kid; they don't have the right to just leave. If they did, they'd be bad toys. Because you never know how much a kid will be heartbroken, or whether or not they might need you down the road. Every movie before Toy Story 4 is Woody doubting that, but then coming back to it. That's why in Toy Story 3, when everyone is in Andy's Room sad because he won't play with them and he's about to leave, Woody is totally onboard with staying in the Attic for years—because maybe they'll get to be played with by Andy's kids. He's loyal, and selfless, because he knows he's not his own. He's willing to go to Bonnie only because it'll mean staying with his friends where they're needed; but ONLY if ANDY willingly gives them up.

Enter Toy Story 4.

Woody's having a hard time adjusting to Bonnie's Room because 1) he doesn't get played with, his role in the games is taken by Jessie. So he's right back where he was in the first movie, stuck in a closet watching another toy get played with. And 2) Dolly is the leader of the room, so he's not even really allowed to be helpful to his friends during their off hours, because she's got that covered. So he feels directionless.

UNTIL Bonnie goes to school for the first time. She's not allowed to bring toys. Dolly is fine with this but Woody goes anyway because he's sure Bonnie will need something.

And in this beautiful first portion of character development for Woody, he does not sneak out of the backpack and get Bonnie to gain comfort from him, her one and only toy, at daycare. Even though he totally could've. He could've seized his moment in her heart. But he didn't. Because he already learned that lesson in Toy Story 1-3: he doesn't need to be everything to the kid. He just needs to do what's best for the kid, and to do that, he has to be there.

So instead he throws her a bunch of craft supplies to play with when nobody sits with her. She gets distracted by making Forky, a toy made from a spork and some pipe cleaner.

Bonnie is, from that moment on and throughout the rest of the movie, without exception, OBSESSED with Forky. There is no other toy in her mind. But Forky is a lot like Buzz was in the first movie after learning he's a toy: he doesn't understand what's so great about that, and would rather go back to being trash. He keeps trying to jump in garbage cans while Bonnie's family takes a road trip. And for some inexplicable reason, none of the other toys really care about this. But Woody, knowing what Bonnie needs, basically posts a 24-hour suicide watch on Forky and keeps pulling him back over to Bonnie, out of the trash.

The problem is, Woody isn't that excited about this. He is just doggedly resigned to it as his duty. He keeps rescuing Forky and getting no love in return; Buzz sort of tries to be supportive and offer to help, but nobody else seems to care about Bonnie and Forky, and Woody thinks this is his only way to be useful so he really doesn't want their help.

Which is stupid. Because if he were really committed to being selfless and loving Bonnie, he'd let everyone help. Because the point isn't "how will I feel if I fail to do this on my own? What's my purpose?" That's selfish. It's "you-focused." The point should be "How can we get this job done best for Bonnie?" with no consideration of "self." That would be selfless, which is the point of Toy Story movies.

Anyway. I'll speed up.

Basically by Act 2 Forky comes to understand (thanks to Woody) how great it is to be a toy. But no sooner does he want to go back to Bonnie (on the road trip) than Woody suddenly gets distracted. His whole life's mission of doing what's good for his kid is derailed because he finds Bo Peep again. Meanwhile, Forky is captured by a villainous antique doll with no voice box, who is fixated on being bought by a little girl and thinks that if she had Woody's voice box her dreams would come true.

Bo Peep has been living as a Lost Toy. Basically the movie sets this up as if Lost Toys take care of each other, patching up injuries and having fun together even when no kids are around: they're just doing the same sort of thing that the reformed toys at Sunnyside Daycare do. But in a playground/fairground setting.

Bo Peep doesn't want to be with one kid. She wants to keep doing this more selfish lifestyle, where she can be played with whenever she wants, help toys whenever she wants, and avoid the heartbreak of a kid abandoning her.

Understandable.

But thats the opposite of everything Woody's learned in the last three (and a half) movies. He could've made the decision Bo Peep is making at any point in Andy's childhood. But he's already learned that being there means Being There, regardless of what the kid can do for you.

I mean, I hate to point it out, because I know people will try to make it an allegory for "staying in an abusive situation," even though that's NOT what I'm saying, but seriously—think back to Sid's House in the very first movie. They don't lead all the broken toys to a life of freedom. They force Sid to be a better kid, but the broken toys stay there. Because they're Sid's Toys.

Contrast that with the "hardship" Bo Peep has been through...Bo Peep just...got pawned off. She didn't have body parts removed and sewn onto other toys. She didn't get strapped to a firework or melted down. But she's treated like this revolutionary, independent, strong-woman toy who's introducing this great concept of freedom to Woody.

That's all wrong for Woody. And for most of the movie, he resists it, so that's good.

But what it comes down to, at the end, is Woody deciding to choose what he wants over his ideals of selflessness and loyalty. He wants to stay with Bo Peep (because romance) and he wants to be needed. Lost Kids and Toys "need" him more than Bonnie.

To be fair, they try to build up to this in a way that makes sense for his character. They try really hard, they do. They show that Woody is still selfless when it comes to the happiness of kids and toys; he willingly gives up his voice box so that Forky can go back to Bonnie, and the doll villainess can have a shot at her dream. They show that he's ready to support that villainess and help her find a kid she could be true to even after the kid she wanted rejects her. They show that he really was going to leave Bo, even at the very end, even though he didn't want to—and it takes Buzz insisting that Bonnie will "be all right" without him for Woody to give it all up.

They do try.

But that's the thing. The only way they could set up Woody's decision to abandon his friends and his kid for life as a Lost Toy was by centering it around this idea of "where I'm needed."

But 1) "where I'm needed" is too self-focused for Woody, because of all the reasons in Toy Story 2 and 1, and 2) you can't have it both ways. You can't say Woody's all about "where he can be of service best" and all about "what he wants." Those two focuses contradict one another, in Woody's case.

That's what it boils down to. They took the characters that are literally made to say, "live your life for others, love regardless of whether or not you're loved back," and they try to say, "nooo, actually, that's toxic, you have to do what you want, what feels most fulfilling to you, self-care, etc." And they do their best to shoehorn Woody into that by saying "what he's most fulfilled by is being needed."

That's all wrong for Toy Story. Woody developed away from making all his decisions based on where he's "needed" in Toy Story 2. Woody expressed loyalty to both Andy and his friends perfectly in Toy Story 3 by putting himself in Bonnie's box and letting Andy decide, his owner decide, where he should be.

And then Toy Story 4 comes along and says, "No, Woody gets to decide, and he decides where he's needed, and he's fine with separating from not only his kid, but his friends."

This post is already too long but also, if you try to spin it so Woody's still in-character and selfless by helping Lost Toys find kids, it starts to make no sense. If the Lost Toy lifestyle is so great, because you can pick up playtime with kids and put it back down whenever you feel like it—and you should, because kids will always get older and throw you out—why should Woody ever help Lost Toys find a kid to go home with? Why wouldn't he say, like Bo, "hey that's nice but eventually they'll grow up, it's a dead-end, just stay out in this playground with us. That's what's best for you. Be a Lost Toy like us."

The only possible answer to that question, which IS supposedly Woody's fulfilling ending, is, "Because maybe some toys just 'want' to go home with one kid. And if they do, they should be allowed to do what they want. And Woody can help them, because helping them is what he wants."

Allll back to "what YOU want" which is the opposite of being a toy. Anyway. The horse is dead, I'll quit beating it.

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dairydaycat · 8 months

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☆Hey, I have Moomins OCs!☆

My first encounter with the Moomin universe didn't go very smoothly. The very first cartoon I saw was a Soviet puppet cartoon. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was extremely scared then! The cartoon was intimidating, obscure, mysterious. And with such a visual, it's not surprising!

I think I saw a series about a comet then. And I was extremely frightened by this atmosphere of the fact that something terrible and unknown is about to happen, with this music and some kind of echo in the voices of the characters. Since then, I vowed not to watch anything related to the Moomins, for fear of repeating that unpleasant feeling. However, then I met my beloved Jessie! She was familiar with the old cartoon in 2D graphics, which is considered a classic. I myself became interested, and, having nothing to do, since I was in the hospital at that time, I asked my cousin to bring me her book about Moomin. It was a collection of original translated and adapted stories that were quite interesting to read! And while I will always have this feeling of mysterious pressure deep down in my soul, I found this world extremely pleasant, as well as the animated series that I looked at later.

Sniff is my favorite character. I like his design and cautious nature, I think he is a nice guy! However, I didn't see any more Sniff-like creatures, so I decided to create my own! This is Scrap. He doesn't have the most pleasant personality. Rough, harmful, but with a soft and even sweet soul.

Meanwhile, my girlfriend came up with a little mumrik girl Yuta. She is the brightest, bravest and sometimes brazenest girl you can meet! She quickly became the focus of the forest she settled in, and was even able to befriend Scrap.

I also came up with other characters in this wonderful world. The Doctor is a rather strict and serious Moomin. He lives in the distance, leading a reclusive life. He likes peace and quiet, and therefore the sudden appearance of Yuta became a bright flash of fireworks! At first, he drove her away and grumbled, but, realizing that she was alone at such a young age, he took her in. The third character was Yuta's uncle, Juxafi. A fun-loving and playful adventurer, an easy-going sailor who brings his niece a bunch of gifts every time he sails by. Mumrik would like to take his niece with him, but Moomin Doc prevents this, saying that she is too young, and this klutz cannot take care of her. And finally...

¸.☆¸.♡.¸• Jakar • ¸.☆¸.♡.¸

I don't know why, but out of all of them, he's become my favorite. Cold and unsociable, he is the complete opposite of his brother and even his daughter. He prefers to spend time alone, enjoying the beauty of nature and the singing of birds. Jakar's legs are pulling him into uncharted paths because he can't just sit still. He is a wanderer who sometimes likes to return to familiar places. Who knows what is on the mind of this taciturn and mysterious mumrik? He can't stop, even for his own daughter.

I also have profiles for Art Fight, if anyone is interested in reading more! Jakar: https://artfight.net/character/3030088.jakar Juxafi: https://artfight.net/character/3031400.juxafi Moomin Doc: https://artfight.net/character/3031929.moomin-doc

Thank you for reading this incredibly long post about my silly characters!

#moomin #moomintroll #moomin oc #mumrik #my oc character #SORRY FOR LONG TEXT #I JUST WANTED TO SAY A LOT #my ocs

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summersunqueen · 5 months

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SAVE SHADOW AND BONE 3 & SIX OF CROWS SPIN-OFF

Netflix HAS to get its act together. The fact that they keep on canceling absolutely phenomenal shows is actually devastating because we love them. We love them and laugh with them and cry with them, and then Netflix just ends them, even though our shows are amounting to something so much greater. But I’ll admit, my breaking point has to be the cancellation of Shadow and Bone 3 and the Six of Crows spin-off. Learning that just broke me completely because all of GrishaVerse, especially my gorgeous Crows, have been so important to me. And seeing it all come to life in front of me…that’s a kind of beautiful I can’t explain. But then suddenly finding out that this show is done and the cast aren't going to film together, especially regarding the fact that six amazing people - Freddy, Amita, Kit, Jack, Danielle, Calahan - will never be seen on screen together ever as our Crows…and reading their goodbye posts…

So, I’M DONE. I’M COMPLETELY FED UP WITH NETFLIX TAKING UP OUR BELOVED FANDOMS AND DROPPING THEM ON THE GROUND WHILE PUTTING UP TRASH ON PEDESTALS. So once we're done, there will be no mourners, and no funerals! (Except for maybe five mourners and one funeral, but that’s not anything new…)

Also, please sign the petition ((I’ve linked it below)). It takes nothing to do so, and I know that we, this incredible fandom, will come for them, for this. And if we couldn't walk, we’d crawl to them, and no matter how broken we end up, we'd fight our way out together - pencils drawn, keyboards blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting. We SHALL never stop fighting for our GrishaVerse, and everything Leigh Bardugo has created for us, because that is what we do. We are lovers and we are fighters, so with our love and with our fight, we are going to get our show back.

~Thank you, Vee

Petition Link:

Netflix Requests: (it would be such an inconvenience if an entire fandom were to spam this)

The Cast's Good-Bye Posts:

Freddy Carter (Kaz Brekker)

Kit Young (Jesper Fahey)

Amita Suman (Inej Ghafa)

Calahan Scokgman (Matthias Helvar)

Jessie Mei Li (Alina Starkov)

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cwarscars · 5 months

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Ngl that trailer was, a lot to take in (Seeing a pattern here with these trailers lmao) i loved what i saw and seeing the gang was like my own reunion lmao

(( literally - everytime i watch one of the rebirth trailers, i have to then rewatch several times just to like - take - it all in ! but my god, i'm so excited !

( dont get me wrong, scared heidegger will only get 2 mins of screentime - something i understand but am GUTTED by )

but holy shit!

cid looks so amazing! i am concerned about his character and i'm hoping that his whole 'i'll help you uwu' spiel in the trailer is him either taking the piss or after aerith does something for him. after all, i love me a nasty cid. i think because of the kingdom hearts series etc, people think cid is the wholesome dad type character and seem to forget that the guy is a chain smoker who regularly verbally abuses his only friend lol.

vincent looks incredible - i keep seeing peeps say he looks like seph but bro, he looks like rufus! if you gave him blonde hair and blue eyes, he'd legit be rufus. not sure if that's a case of same face courtesy elena / tifa or they wanted him to look similar to rufus. but trust - compare their noses they look super similar!

dyne just...urgh, my heart. i used to write dyne a very long time ago because i love his story and im glad to see that they're largely keeping it the same. LOVE his look and am hoping he kills himself like in the original. we need more powerful punch storytelling like that in games again, i hope they don't wimp out on that.

biggs looks incredible and im interested in the idea of him surviving where the others died. i am a little so-so on the alt timeline stuff. not a fan, didn't care for the whispers etc but im sure i'll appreciate it.

seeing jessie made my heart skip a beat because she looked so lovely and i love @svnsworn's rendition of her and instantly thought of her writing and seeing jessie again and ahhhhhh

im very excited to see characters like cait sith and dio and such - nobody is talking about dio's body but i have taken note of this lol. im also hoping - by seeing this trailer - that aerith does die. i love her but her death is so important and i dont want them to chicken out of fear of fan backlash. i also really liked that the trailer included lines from the original (such as the bugenhagen bit and aerith's line at the end etc).

overall, i am SUPER excited and really looking forward to what they give us. like remake, i dont think it'll be perfect but i do think it'll be wonderful and im crazy hyped to see my childhood memories looking so fresh and beautiful in today's graphics

(also dios hairy chest) ))

#(ooc)#(answered)#bby it looks so good i cant-

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autisticempathydaemon · 5 months

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I wanted to try this!

The song I am hyper fixated on at the moment

Right now it’s Mess It Up by Gracie Abrams. My favorite part is the outro, it just makes me ascend.

My Enneagram Type

I don’t know what mine is, but my personality type is INFP

Video Essays

I don’t really watch them, but one of my favorite videos is by Brittany Broski where she is flirting with ai.

My childhood friend

I don’t remember if I had one, but I remember creating a character with one of my friends and her name was jessie

My go-to way to fall asleep

I usually just put on an sleep aid audio (usually it’s the milo one)

If i had to change my name

I would change it to ella, because that’s what I was originally going to be named

My favorite audio

My favorite right now is “Resting on Your Tsundere Boyfriends Lap While He Games”

The redacted boy who holds no appeal to me

Ivan, I just don’t like yandere characters.

A tv show I know all the words to

Alexa and Katie on netflix. I watched that show so many times during 2020 and I can remember almost every detail about it.

The Redacted boy i’m platonically attracted to

To be honest i’m picking Porter. He sounds like he would be so much fun to just gossip with.

The go-to thing I ramble about when im tired

I usually just start talking about the most random things with no context

My go-to gas station drink

it’s either dr. pepper or one of the starbucks coffees that come in the glass bottles

my favorite playlist at the moment

it’s a playlist that consists of my favorite non taylor swift songs (I am a really big swiftie)

My guilty pleasure media

Right now it’s Call of Duty. I just got sucked in one day.

Extra Information

My zodiac sign is a leo and i like reading. (I would have said more but I really couldn’t think of anything else.)

Ooh, a Leo. A beloved friend of mine is a Leo, so I know they are characterized as unique, passionate, prone to strong feelings and instincts, the kind of person that would work well with Vincent Solaire.

To expand on that, I think you’d work well with him, because he has these characteristics as well. Vincent is canonically a little impulsive, intuitive, having seen Lovely (and by proxy, you) and taking action, throwing covert to the wind. Yet, he is also steadfast, faithful, and incredibly devoted once he falls, and he falls hard and fast. These similarities would build a beautiful relationship based on magnetic attraction into something loyal and immortal.

Speaking of, you two would have such a fun, immortal life- after all, he’s a vampire prince! Vincent strikes me as a Swiftie- he likes the fun vibes and all-out party of her new tour- so you know he gets y’all VIP tickets for your local Eras stop. There’s also quieter, less ostentatious moments, like you teaching him how to play Call of Duty (It came out after his turning so I don’t think he ever quite took to it till you.) or him asking you to read to him as he lays his head on your lap. Also, being immortal with Vincent means you’d get to gab and chatter with Porter for all time as unofficial family, so bonus.

Song:

I just wanna be your favorite (I just wanna be your favorite)/ Pretty boy (pretty boy)/ I get a rush when I make you blush/ So I got no choice (so I got no choice)/ I just wanna be your favorite (I just wanna be your favorite)/ Handsome man (handsome man)/ Big and strong, don't care how long/ Don't got no plan (don't got no plan)

This is a cutesy song that just screams Vincent Solaire! It’s flirty, but it’s also silly and goofy and fun just like him, you know? It makes me think of when that flirty, smooth, “little one” schtick is up, and all that’s left is that goofy dude who held Stranger’s hand in the Surge line and just now happens to be vampire royalty. Beyond the money and cars and clan, he’s just a dorky dude who wants to be your favorite.

Runner-Ups:

Asher, I like as a runner-up because it’d be really fun to imagine you two have a little CoD versus Halo feud over which game is the best. Also, he strikes me as a good match for a Leo. Geordi, however, is a runner-up just because, of all the Redacted bois, he’s the one who I feel is most likely to be a Swiftie with you!

note: thank you so much for waiting; I hope you enjoyed your match-up~

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

#redactedasmr #redactedverse #redacted asmr #redactedaudio #redacted audio #redacted #busybee matches

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sleepingdeath-light · 6 months

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jessie smut hcs ; 18+

requested by ; anonymous (24/05/23)

fandom(s) ; pokèmon

fandom masterlist(s) ; here

character(s) ; jessie

outline ; “Jessie and James smut hcs? I’m over 18+👍”

warning(s) ; sexually explicit content, switch!jessie, slight sadist!jessie, marking kink, lingerie kink/kink for dressing up, bath sex, collaring, edging, impact play

minors and ageless blogs will be blocked

jessie is a pretty versatile switch and can go from sadistic dominant to submissive waiting to be doted on depending on her mood — with her submissive side emerging most often when she’s failed a mission or been rejected in one way or another (such as with the beauty contest)

she has a very slight sadistic streak that goes hand in hand with her marking kink: she’ll use her nails to scratch thin trails up and down your back and chest before kissing her way down from your throat to your naval, leaving a trail of lipstick marks in her wake; she’ll nip at your lower lip playfully before kissing you, in much the same way she kisses every hickey she leaves on your neck and shoulders; she’ll smirk and glow with a possessive sort of pride whenever she sees you walking around displaying those subtle (and not-so-subtle) marks because it lets everyone know that you’re clearly very happily taken

she loves dressing up for you and makes a whole show of seducing you when she’s staying with you at home: doing her makeup and hair (and redoing it to make sure it’s just right), putting on the pretty lingerie (in her favourite complimentary colours) she bought during her last shopping spree, and going all out with her flirting and showmanship to get you into bed with her (which basically always succeeds, but if you’re especially oblivious to it then she’s going to get incredibly frustrated and you’ll see some of her infamous temper)

she’s also a big fan of having sex in the bath with you as a way to unwind after a long day — bonus points if it’s a steaming bubble bath with scented candles, flower petals, and her favourite songs playing in the background as you make love gently and slowly (partly because it’s just relaxing, partly because you don’t want to get water all over the floor)

as a dominant she’s very confident and sadistic, making you work for your pleasure and beg for her touch whilst leaning into the things she knows you love to make you all the more desperate (such as wearing clothes that accentuate the parts of her body you prefer) — she also relies on lots of rewards and punishments with you depending on how obedient you are

rewards vary depending on if you get off more on touching her (in which case she’ll reward you by giving you the privilege of touching/kissing/pleasuring her in one way or another), or on being touched (in which case she’ll lean into things like going down on you, letting you use her body to pleasure yourself, etc.)

she also has a soft spot for using her strap on to fuck you until you’re all thoughtless and stupid — bonus points if you’re also covered in marks and scratches with a collar and leash around your neck when she does this because that makes it all the better for her

when it comes to punishments she will, again, default to whatever you’re comfortable with — e.g. bending you over her knee and swatching you with a cane or paddle if you’re okay with being hit, or edging you until you’re almost in pain and crying with frustration if you’re not comfortable with impact play — but either way she will make you thank her for every round (hit/denied orgasm) and she’ll go on until she’s satisfied

(it’s very cathartic for her to take out her frustrations like this, but no matter how frustrated and angry she is going in, she’ll never go too far for you and is constantly mindful of your boundaries and use of any safe words/actions during foreplay or sex)

as a submissive she’s something of a pillow princess (though she’d never admit it) — she loves being spoiled and pampered, being able to lay back on a bed far more comfortable than any she’s ever owned whilst you lick, kiss, grope, finger, and fuck her until she forgets her own name

(she can get a bit snippy and bratty if you decide to try and tease or edge her, but it’s easy enough to put her back in her place if you’re stern enough and know exactly where and how to touch her in order to make her vocal)

#sleepingdeath #minors dni #minors fuck off #minors will be blocked #ageless blogs dni #ageless blogs will be blocked #gender neutral reader #smut #smut hcs #pokemon smut #team rocket smut #team rocket jessie smut #pokemon jessie smut #pokemon jessie x reader #team rocket jessie x reader #team rocket x reader #pokemon x reader

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hellraiseher · 4 months

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Hello Imogen! I hope you're doing great!

So I reread your Halloween book for probably about four times. The amount of details and love you put into it is fascinating. Truly remarkable. If that's your first time writing something so lengthy I'm truly impressed! It would have been interesting to hear about your influences and inspirations!

The character of Laurie is very complex and exquisite. She is rigid, stubborn, sometimes sassy, yet delicate and vulnerable.

I just love how carefully you designed her femininity. How you didn't shy away from it, but embrace it. The small things in her room displaying her girlhood, her relationship with her sexuality, her friendship with Annie and Lynda, how she perceive her beauty and just how she wanted to know if Michael finds her beautiful or not!

And that scene when she killed him... lives in my mind rent free to this day. Obsessed just how you merge and conjoin violence and sex and love. How the things that are so obscene and debaucherous can truly show their devotion to each other. So animalistic and carnal and sensual an-

The way you portray erotica and their intimacy are incredible. It filled with so much of that youthful curiosity and shyness, yet so sensual and sexy. Love Laurie's exploration of Michael's body, the contrast between his emotionless persona and very much real man's body is striking. How she herself having that realization during her close proximity to him. How she explores his humanity and pushes it even further and further, until she gets every piece of him. Laurie is a greedy girl.

And I want to emphasize just how I appreciate the fetishism in your work. Specifically the mask fetishism. I know it's bad manners to compare, but so far, your depiction of it has been the most validating and visible to me. Not only in Halloween fandom. The way you let Laurie acknowledge his plastic features, their unique shapes, how they changed after her passionate touches. How she sees and understands his every emotion, every mannerism. Searching for hints of the glimmering eye in those black pits of his. Hungry to take every clue that his mask will allow.

The scene when she cuts the hole where his mouth is. So perverted and so dear to my heart. Wanting his tongue and mouth, yet not wanting to part with his real face. The vision of a man desperately shoving his tongue, through plastic imitation of a mouth, to taste her, is very erotic.

Most of the times when I read stories with mask kink, it just, like, never or rarely mentioned, or the focus goes to what underneath the mask, which is quite disappointing... So I definitely want to compliment you on that!

The man that unleashed upon her such trauma and horror is the one that, in a way, freed her. He will always embrace and welcome her ugliness and rage. Because it mirrors his own.

His overall insanity over her, the surrender to her feminine force. She is his goddess of love and passion. She tempers his masculine and bestow the power of immortality and killing victories. He begs to serve and wants to love her to death.

Speaking of song references, I adore your Playlist for s1 of The Devil You Know ( haven't thoughtfully listened to the second one yet! Not in the right mood, my apologies!). The song choices and their lyrics definitely reflect the depth of your work. The collection of songs are very unique and some of them are definitely now in my listening drafts. Nora Guthrie, Dusty Springfield, Joyce Heath, The Shangri-Las, Jessie Ware to name a few. Filled with that girlish and feminine perspective, the lyrics and delivery are so touching. It's so refreshing to hear that type of style.

(Love how Laurie calls him tiger. Could be wrong, but something tells me it's Lana's influence...)

Also your blog is very thought-provoking and aesthetically pleasing to me! You're very intriguing and interesting young lady!

hello tsotsou!!! thank you so much for this gift of an ask, everything you've said will feed me well into 2024 🤍

i have tried to properly structure a response to all the aspects you've touched on, i'm prone to tangential infodumping when given enough incentive and if the platform allows. even trying to condense in my notes app was a challenge... but since most chapters clock out at around 17k-20k words, i don't think a modest 2k essay will overstay its welcome 🤭

my major inspiration/influences feature:

angela carter (namely the bloody chamber)

david lynch (namely twin peaks)

obvious but clive barker (also obvious namely: the hellbound heart/hellraiser. extending from this, i would say candyman but mainly the bernard rose adaptation)

emily bronte's wuthering heights, alongside charlotte bronte's jane eyre. while i think their works are ubiquitous and unspoken/spoken touchstones within a LOT of gothic romance/female-led horror fiction, i feel the formative influence their novels had on me is so potent that they can't go unmentioned.

helene cixous' essay the love of the wolf.

park chan-wook (namely thirst and stoker)

margaret atwood's power politics and the robber bridegroom

eiichi yamamoto's belladonna of sadness (our third eyes are looking directly at each other)

music!! which will undoubtedly be referenced now and then throughout subsequent paragraphs... i don't think there is a single instance where i can't link a certain scene i've written back to some kind of song or soundtrack!

anything that visually, thematically, conceptually or even emotionally to me if i decide, channels the death and the maiden trope.

originally i was going to detail why each feature had such an impact... but then this answer would be equally, if not just as long, as my chapters... and this reply is already a whole dissertation. if you (or anyone reading this) wants to know any specifics though i am more than happy to answer!

moving on!! to the most important topic: laurie laurie laurie!!

with her i feel like i was able to take advantage of what was already provided in the source material. teenage girls' bedrooms in contemporary horror are especially evocative of a decade and genre-specific youth, revealing so much about their interior lives in set-design that script may not allow ... (whoever pinned up that james ensor poster, thank you for my life etc.) but i think what i found the most endearing about her was how she's capable of being incredibly confident (babysitting tommy, answering a philosophical literary analysis question in class even after being distracted, girlchat with annie and lynda) but also painfully shy whenever BOYS are brought up - to such a degree that she relies on annie to call out michael stalking her.

however, as hesitant and dismissive as she is with annie's teasing about pursuing her crush on ben tramer, she is clearly a romantic - what with the lyrics of the song she sings. people use this as s diagnostic reason for michael stalking her, but it also reveals so much about her!! when she thinks she's alone, when she's just walking to school in the town she knows so well, she is fantasizing about Not Being Alone but Alone with Someone Else.

relevant digression but there is an interview with howard ashman, who wrote the songs for disney's the little mermaid and beauty and the beast, in which he pinpoints how the introductory songs that these heroines in musicals sing describe an ideal life. and i always interpreted laurie's introduction aligning with this paradigm. except while the likes of ariel and belle describe the desire to transcend their current provincial or inhibiting circumstances, wishing for a freedom they can only dream of comprehending, laurie sings of a lover she can only dream of comprehending, a companion who is peerless in mutual devotion - 'i wish i had you all alone, just the two of us' (although the attraction to rejection of societal expectation and norms is tied up in this, too). her fate also exists within the same constellation as the older, more brutal iterations of those fairy tales (hence angela carter influence). it's why chapter 6 of tdyk directly acknowledges snow white, sleeping beauty and references cinderella. the fairy tale heroine being the grandmother of the final girl.

she longs for fairy tale romance !! yet as soon as she's presented with the opportunity to pursue anything romantic - annie threatening to ring ben - laurie immediately shoots annie down. i don't think this is just her voiced insecurity from the lack of male attention she receives but that she also has more traditional and exacting standards of wanting to be courted.. but she would never say this because she is a Liberated Woman like her friends who is supremely self-sufficient and mature in all other aspects of her life!!

as much as she may consciously enforce this commonality with her friends, maybe she has less in common with them than she thinks. her distinction from them is obvious in her wardrobe design. her femininity is noticeable compared to annie and lynda's, her floral skirt and tights contrasting with their bell bottoms. she is comfortable in this femininity. her gait and mannerisms while she's walking to and from school have this graceful stride, almost floating... which makes her outfit change to a more masculine michael-coded blue palette so inchresting. when she changes after repeatedly seeing michael throughout the day, especially after seeing him watching her through the more invasive framing of her bedroom window, there's this awkwardness to her: when she hurries to annie's car struggling to carry the ridiculously large pumpkin, when she tries to smoke weed and just coughs and chokes, her fidgeting and twirling her hair. of course, this is understandably the anxious aftermath from being stalked but i do think there's a general discomfort displayed in this 'new skin' she's trying to assume.

it's why i wrote her as being envious of michael's masculinity - chapter 6, again - which he embodies to a patriarchal degree without any effort at all. in the next chapter there's more overt insight into this but on a more attraction-level-basis; an attraction to masculinity that laurie is able to consciously register and accept. now, she is much less concerned with being inaccessible to him by trying to adopt his infallibilty because he has increasingly made himself accessible to her... which brings us to...

THE KILL !!! i knew from the first chapter that Something Like That would go down, and it wouldn't be difficult considering DBD's Whole Deal to configure a plausible cresting point. that, and i wanted it to clearly be laurie's choice (deranged, albeit). and i wanted her agency to be integral. there is clearly a difference between attacking out of self-defense and attacking as a form of outlet. just as there's a difference between being groped and making sure michael is doing the groping right. from michael's perspective, much like how he doesn't just want to watch her but be watched by her, he doesn't just want the infatuation reciprocated but ALSO for her to reach the realisation the two of them are not so different after all. this reciprocation of attention and ego is so very key to me. if each boundary between them is a wall then michael isn't so much as demolishing through them kool-aid man style (anymore) but is the sledgehammer laurie is using... and this inevitably involves a convergence of languages they are each fluent in !! laurie in romance and michael in violence... except laurie is learning his very effectively!! vice versa! vice, indeed..

and on that note, greedy laurie, indeed!! not just biting but devouring the hand that feeds (literally in next chapter. somewhat. 🤐) did laurie effectively exercise girlpower by taking advantage of michael's sexual ignorance, essentially granting him with a sexuality?? probably not !! but where michael has (previously) been sexually ignorant, laurie has (previously) been sexually ignored. their navigation of this new mysterious world (and each other) has to consider this lack of experiental knowledge, resulting in this youthful curiosity as you phrased it (💓) but also that visceral physical communion and emotional/spiritual completion that comes with Two Becoming One... it is not enough to self-recognise through the other but to demolish the self and become the other!!

in terms of their sexual intimacy, from a writing perspective i trace a lot influence back to depeche mode's discography, especially their track in your room. a lot of their songs have an not-so-implicit eroticism in which the narrator (engendered as masculine with dave gahan's baritone vocals) embraces the subjugation in devotion, unashamedly worshipping his partner. this also relates to your point on michael easily and essentially deifying laurie. in your room is the pinnacle sex song (to me), just soooooooooooo heady and theatrical. the lumbering rhythm of the bass, the ghostly backing vocals, those synths that just build and build! and the lyrics !! how the narrator only finds true liberation in this clasutrophobic physicality - through this communion and only by completely possessing his partner, the lines 'i'm hanging on your words / living on your breath / feeling with your skin' parasitically merging subject and object, can his and her obsession be reconciled with.

i'm surprised michael's mask isn't fetishized more! but it just makes common sense to me that laurie's attraction to him would include the mask and this involves her gazing and touching and sometimes changing it... in chapter 4 i compare him to a hellenistic sculpture because it was a period of sculpture that valued expression. however, it's also paradoxical in the material being so rigid - the face is immobile but the action is hyperbolic. this comparison immediately mythologizes him but laurie has indellibly left her mark with his neck scar, thus creating a keyhole she can peer through when she wants to glimpse any of his humanity-inhumanity. and then of course the mouth she carves for him turns the keyhole into a door (into another door into another door)... and much more !!!!!!

if we are going to get even more Laurie Freak Strode... when considering michael doesn't have any eyes for show, the mask gives the sense that he can gaze at her without needing to blink - his voyuerism is eternal and omnipresent. there can be a 'guardian angel (demon)' value in this, and when laurie knows that the only person he wants to look at - and the only person he cares to acknowledge as a woman with thoughts and feelings - is her... while that should be horrifying, she eventually can't deny the pride that instills. because of this, instead of the fear that the mask would ordinarily evoke in others, there's an emotional inversion that laurie would experience as attraction and arousal. it turns out that laurie likes being watched equally as much as michael likes to watch.. everybody wins! (apart from anyone else who impedes on michael's view of her)

michael 'freeing' her, despite all previous crimes and abuses, is definitely apt!! it's safe to say that, at this point, any animosity or abuse laurie encounters (and has to tolerate) is in trials from other killers. if there are any destructive or abusive interactions with michael, she is often the instigator... which michael doesn't mind at all. he is more than happy to witness and enable any extremity of her emotional state!! if laurie is charging into the Coping Mechanism Store and picking the worst ones that are kept behind the adults only curtain, then he is carrying her shopping for her...

on a more sincere note, i've always kept the challenge of laurie trying to maintain her agency at the forefront of tdyk. she has very little within the confining context of the fog but then, by stark and overwhelming contrast, she can do whatever the hell she wants to (and with) michael. this strengthens her dependency on him and, in turn, makes the tenuous relationship she has with her team more frail. this major conflict is obviously apparent throughout tdyk but is especially so in the next chapter, laurie balancing her infatuation with him - the addictive affirmation of Being Seen and Being Known and Being Loved (to devastating degrees and effects) vs The Team conforming to a desensitisation and resignation to each other's routine deaths which is necessary for their survival. she is trying to balance on a thread-bare tightrope and it's only a matter of time and missteps until it snaps.....

i am glad you liked act one's playlist!! and of course no pressure to listen/like act two's! finding the right song with the right lyrics and atmosphere can really make a scene / chapter for me, and it's an ideal way to visualise how a certain scene will play out.

her nickname of 'tiger' mainly stemmed from the playful aspect of acknowledging and declawing his predatory status while he is pawing all over her.. but miss lana's influence can never be overstated !!!!!! NFR is a frequent album i put on while writing, how can it not be with those opening lyrics ....

and i'm glad you enjoy my little blog!! 💗i love the curation of yours, too, and adore your art of course!!!! (another inspiration). how you capture their likeness is so masterful and the depravity in their intimacy makes me lose my mind!! the size difference in their proportions 🥰 if it were safe to do so i would print out your galleria and liquefy it to directly inject into my veins ..

#i never talk about tdyk on here unless prompted otherwise this will happen #but thank you for the lovely review!! 🤍#i've almost finished the first draft of chapter 15 so i'm hoping to post it early 2024 🤗

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hungergamesheadcanons · 4 months

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Because I'm weak and anyone who follows me must suffer my immediate train of thought:

Behold some kpop artists that remind me of Hunger Games characters.

Katniss is a difficult one. I flitted between a couple of different artists, but ended up settling on Dreamcatcher. A lot of their songs are powerful, which shows the impact she has on people, but they also have some beautiful ballads which remind me of her softer side.

Songs that remind me of Katniss: Scream (Quarter Quell), You and I (relationship realisation), Polaris (singing for Rue)

Rosé from BLACKPINK has some solo songs, although anyone who listens to them is very aware of that. A lot of her songs really remind me of Peeta though, especially because she has an undeniably softer tone but still carries a lot of power, like how Peeta is physically weaker than Katniss but is incredibly skilled with his words and pinpointing weak spots in the Capitol's front. Special mention of Somi's Fast Forward though BC accurate.

Songs that remind me of Peeta: Hard To Love (hijacking), On The Ground (post first games), Gone (Peeta realising the first love was an act (even though Katniss wasn't sure herself))

Ok for Finnick we've got two, and that's because his personality in and out of the Capitol are two sides of a coin. In the Capitol, it would be a crime if I didn't say Taemin. Soft, sensual and sexy, Taemin's music makes me think that if Finnick had at any point sang, he would have been turned into a performer like Taemin. Outside of the Capitol though, I lean towards Red Velvet. The mix of upbeat pop that shows how fun and silly he can be, to slower more r&b songs, to emotional ballads, really just encompasses the main facets of his personality.

Songs that remind me of Finnick - Taemin: Guilty started this whole post, and I have to throw Slave and Thirsty in here too.

Songs that remind me of Finnick - Red Velvet: One Of These Nights (Annie in Capitol), Rose Scent Breeze (filming reveal propo), Red Flavor (can't pinpoint it but I can see him vibing to this idk)

I don't really think Johanna would listen to much music, but I will shoehorn her into liking kpop because this is my world now Suzanne (and Finnick survived). So Johanna I would say probably listens to Jessi? Jessi's music gives off bad bitch vibes and she's sometimes criticised for her attitude etc etc, so I think Johanna would resonate with that. Also, confidence is sexy y'all.

Songs that remind me of Johanna: Nunu Nana (idk just vibes man), What Kind Of X (interview), ZOOM (feels like she mocks Finnick with this song but jokes on her he vibes to it too)

I wanna say Twice, because I think it'd be really funny, but I'm gonna go with Lee Hi. She has a lot of easy listening music that wouldn't bungle his brain when he's drunk out of his skull, and also some jazzy tones that I think he'd appreciate.

Songs that remind me of Haymitch: Special (mourning his family), Am I Strange? (realising he's incredibly fucked up but also realising so is every other Victor), Scarecrow (joining the revolution and being hopeful for the first time in a while)

Twice, unironically this time. Young Prim in particular is so happy and hopeful, and I think that slightly-older-revolution Prim would hold onto those cheerful songs like a lifeline in the darkness of 13.

Songs that remind me of Prim: Cheer Up (when Katniss comes back alive), Dance The Night Away (vibing at Finnick's wedding), What Is Love? (Pure vibes again idk)

#the hunger games #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #finnick odair #johanna mason #haymitch abernathy #primrose everdeen #dreamcatcher kpop #blackpink rosé #taemin #red velvet #jessi kpop #lee hi #twice #idk why i did this #im so tired #enjoy i guess #make playlists or whatever

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captainninej · 1 year

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shadow and bone season 2 thoughts!!

me and my sister finally finished season 2 of shadow and bone last night and HOLY SHIT. despite everyone shitting on it for some reason, i actually fucking loved it!! there were some absolutely incredible moments and overall i think they did a really good job blending the books; some decisions i may have slight reservations about but i can see the logic behind each of them from a writing perspective (except for maybe one of them, which i'll talk about later). every single character got their moment and i don't think anyone can say that there was a single flaw on the acting side. these actors BECAME their characters and we are so so lucky we got such an amazing cast, who care about their characters this much!!

SPOILERS BELOW

things i liked:

Alina's storyline. i actually have not read the original trilogy past halfway through siege & storm, but i know what happens in the books and how her story ends. jessie mei li gave alina her absolute all in this season and i thought she did an incredible job. i like how she got a bit messy and power-hungry, doubted herself and her leadership, snapped a few times. her reaction to mal being the third amplifier absolutely broke my heart AND THE SCENE IN THE FOLD WHERE THEY KISS AND IT ALL TURNS RED AND GLOWING WAS SO BEAUTIFUL. i also like how she's part of the grisha triumvirate (though david in my view 100% deserved to be there :( ) because her ending in the books to me would be really unsatisfying. she didn't go through all that shit to become a housewife. ALSO THE ENDING??? HER GOING KINDA BAT SHIT??? EVIL ALINA??? since i haven't read the books i actually don't know if this actually happened at some stage BUT I KIND OF LOVE IT FOR HER. i think if they can pull it off (and give me white haired alina i will die on this hill) it could be super cool, and not something we see in media very often, especially with female leads. without mal to ground her, i want to see how dark she can get.

Mal!!! someone is going to send me a death threat for this (which is very messed up how liking a character can cause someone to do that) but FUCK IT i like mal. i really love the humanity archie gives him, and his own little moments like paying the shop owner in novyi zem and bantering with nikolai. also his morozova storyline was done really well, and you can see how crushing it is for him to realise that he has to die for alina to succeed. also his outfits idk just really suit him? he really grounded alina throughout the season and i'm honestly not sure why it's a crime to like him. i think he's severely underrated and will hopefully be appreciated more in the years to come, just like how peeta was dragged for years but now everyone is starting to see how wonderful he always was. i also did not see his ending coming, but i really like it now that i think about it. his character has always been so attached to alina, and like he said, now that the morozova side of him is gone, he doesn't know who he is. while it was sad to see him say that he doesn't know if he loves alina anymore, i also really respect the 'choice not destiny' thing and how he wants to make sure that he loves her for her, beyond the amplifier bond they shared. it's been a common theme throughout his story that he's been forced to be a soldier his whole life, but has always just wanted to explore the world and now he gets to do that!! i like the idea of mal having his own adventures and his own leadership role beyond alina, and i think their relationship will be better for it.

NIKOLAI LANTSOV. listen my friend has been simping for this man since high school AND I UNDERSTAND WHY NOW. i've read the KoS duology and adored him but PATRICK FUCKING GIBSON LITERALLY ROSE RIGHT FROM THOSE PAGES AND BECAME NIKOLAI. i hope the girlies who trashed his casting are very embarrassed right now, this man was BORN to play nikolai. he was my highlight of the season and i think i am in love now. he fit in with the s1 cast seamlessly and provided the perfect bridge between the crows and the s&b gang. i am a little upset we didn't get any interactions between him and zoya, but we got some hints AND the demon king tease so i'm willing to wait for it in season 3 (another reason i will be fucking furious if this amazing show is cancelled).

KANEJ. KANEJJJJJJJJ. i, along with many others, was TERRIFIED that netflix would butcher their relationship. there were a few moments (the hallucination scene, the bandage scene, etc) that i couldn't even enjoy because i was so scared they would kiss or something. BUT they didn't, and now i can go back and actually enjoy the scenes because they did them so well!! they were perfectly in character and honoured the books amazingly. their bond was strengthened so much this season AND THE FINAL SCENE IN THE CHAPEL THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS JUST SAYING THE WORDS ALONG WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE RIGHT FROM THE BOOK!!!! freddy and amita CARRIED and their chemistry is so good sometimes i felt like i needed to look away omg

kaz being the messy, anti-hero bitch he was born to be. i think a lot of people who haven't read six of crows who watched season 1 didn't really get the fuss about kaz, but i think they do now. they really masterfully unpacked his character and freddy absolutely blew it out of the water with his acting. they really did kaz justice and somehow ended up adapting crooked kingdom before six of crows but i get why they did, the ice court heist needs to be its own focus, and the parts from crooked kingdom that they cherry picked for this season were purely for character development that was really needed for the crows. i liked how the audience was left guessing just how far he would go, like the scene with albie. AND THE SCENE WITH PEKKA IN EPISODE FOUR HAD MY JAW ON THE FLOOR, IT WAS PERFECT. also him hating on wesper was fucking funny, and his dynamic with nina was EVERYTHING I WANTED

GENYA SAFIN MY BELOVED. this entire season had me rooting for her and wanting to jump into the screen and give her a gun. daisy head CARRIED, she did such an amazing job and had me literally sobbing. genya's story is so devastating but she's such a powerful and kind character who really got to be in the spotlight this season. she and nikolai and zoya are my favourite og trilogy characters, and HER AND DAVID WERE SO FUCKING CUTE SHE DESERVES ALL THE HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD.

nina!!! danielle galligan absolutely nailed nina's energy and her being added to the crows at last was worth the wait. i love how she outsmarted the others and just got shit done.

we sadly didn't get as much zoya in this season as i wished however i ate up every scene she was in and screamed when she said she could fix nikolai lmao

WESPER MY BELOVED THEIR SCENES WERE SO CUTE AND WERE LIKE LITTLE POPS OF HAPPINESS AMONG ALL THE CHAOS HAPPENING THIS SEASON. the piano scene?? them under the cart during the shoot out?? them fighting in shu han and then wylan telling him he was the first person he wanted to tell about the butterflies?? i am on the FLOOR

WYLAN. wylan stepped right out of the books and he was GLORIOUS. jack wolfe nailed his energy, and i loved the details they included - like how he labelled his bottles with music so he could read them!! he and kit had incredible chemistry and i loved the conflict they had about jesper's grisha abilities and wylan's dyslexia, it felt really true to the books. ALSO HIM BEING SO EXCITED ABOUT THE BUTTERFLIES and then feeding them to the crew LMAO i will protect him at all costs.

tolya and tamar!!!! they were so fucking cool!!!!

the hallucination scene, for all the characters

the little hints to king of scars!! the bee landing on zoya's arm!! thought that was really clever

I WILL HAVE YOU WITHOUT YOUR ARMOUR KAZ BREKKER OR I WILL NOT HAVE YOU AT ALL. MY GIRL SAID I AINT FIXING YOU FIX YOURSELF

the beautiful colour alina's powers turned when she connected to mal and destroyed the fold

'i'm sorry, did you say mal is a bird?'

'everyone's lost their minds'

did i mention nikolai because nikolai

the costumes??? were so fucking gorgeous??? i couldn't take my eyes off them everyone looked AMAZING

THE ENDING HAD MY JAW ON THE FLOOR. I DID NOT SEE IT COMING AT ALL, I THOUGHT WE WOULD GET IDK SOME SEMI-HAPPY ENDING WITH THE CHARACTERS LEFT OPEN ENDED BUT HOLY SHIT IT WAS SUCH A GOOD CLIFFHANGER and a perfect segue into both six of crows and king of scars!!! it also makes sense timeline wise that it would happen, so i'm really happy with it and can't wait to see what they do with it!!

things i did not like

...wesper. or more specifically, the way they did wesper. i really don't see wylan as someone who would be going out having one night stands with people?? this was the writing choice i didn't get. idk, it just felt really out of character for him and it also just removed all of the tension from jesper and wylan's relationship. no 'just girls?', no 'i kind of like your stupid face', none of the pining that was so crucial to their relationship in the books. don't get me wrong, there were moments i loved, but the foundations of their relationship in the show were a weird choice that's only just balanced with the sheer joy of seeing them onscreen together.

matthias. mans spent all eight episodes in literal jail. with all the promo and stuff with the six of them, i really thought we were going to get all six of them onscreen together this season!! i think it was a waste to just keep him locked up, sometimes i forgot he was even there until they randomly cut to him in hellgate. idk with everything else going on this season they couldn't have let calahan skogman out of the prison set and have one scene with any of the characters?? i really feel like they wasted him here and i get that they're going to break him out for the ice court heist, but surely there could have been room for him with the other characters somehow this season.

alina and nikolai getting married and going through with the engagement??? PLEASE i do NOT want them together, not married, not nothing. i like how they had a *few* suggestive moments, but that was sort of enough. zoyalai is one of the best ships and i really don't want alina to be in the middle of them. i like their friendship but the idea of them actually getting married is just not it for me. i can see them like getting married but then nikolai and zoya falling for each other, if they can manage that then fine but it takes away the focus from zoya and nikolai and idk if i'm about that

DAVID. my boy did NOT deserve to die so early. his scenes with genya were so sweet AND THE STEEL PART FROM THE BOOKS HAD ME WEEPING. i'm really holding on to the fact that we didn't see his body and that genya couldn't feel his heartbeat because she wasn't amplified by baghra because fuck i want him to live and marry genya like he deserves. i am okay with being delusional

WHATEVER THE FUCK THAT LOOK WAS BETWEEN TOLYA AND INEJ GET RID OF IT I HATE IT

i can see why people are frustrated that they took a lot of crooked kingdom elements and put them before the ice court heist. the feud with pekka rollins was crucial to kaz's motivation to even go to fjerda. inej leaving (on a ship that kaz did not buy for her hmmmm) with mal to hunt slavers, how is she going to rejoin the crows? wesper already being together. i can see why they did these things but i can also see why readers would question it. i guess it's just switching the order of things, we'll see...

it did seem rushed - but i think the reason people are really noticing it is because of how slow season 1 was. don't get me wrong, i love season 1, but they really faithfully adapted book 1 of shadow and bone across the entire season; compared to season 2 where they adapted siege & storm, ruin & rising, and elements of the lives of the saints, crooked kingdom, six of crows and king of scars. i honestly think if they shaved off a couple of characters - like that annoying tidemaker chick, pekka rollins even, vasily - there would have been a bit of breathing room. it sort of felt like BAM massive thing happens and then BAM switching to the next scene with a different set of characters. i understand again why they did it - they don't know if they're getting a third season - but it does stand out as a bit of a flaw.

maybe this is a personal thing, but i kind of like how king of scars moved away from alina and mal's story to focus on the other characters. i completely understand why they've kept alina and mal in the show - they're the two main leads, and to get rid of archie and jessie would be sad - but now that their story is more or less finished, i hope alina doesn't take up too much of what is going to be king of scars. i am 100% down to see her evil era and her white hair, but i also want there to be room for the other characters beyond just alina and i'm curious to see if they'll be able to pull that off with her still around.

for all the fuss about the fold, it being gone within the first ten minutes of the finale was kind of funny lol

overall i really loved this season despite a couple of gripes, and i don't see why everyone is being so shitty about it. yes it's not accurate to the books, but i think more importantly it's really accurate to the characters and that's what matters!!! ALSO PLEASE KEEP STREAMING BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET A SEASON 3 WE WILL NEVER SEE ZOYALAI OR THE ICE COURT HEIST OR THE ACTUAL SIX OF CROWS COMING TOGETHER MATTHIAS WILL STAY IN JAIL FOREVER DO IT FOR THEMMMM

#shadow and bone #shadow and bone season 2 #sab spoilers #alina starkov #six of crows #mal oretsev #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #kanej #wesper #sab netflix #crooked kingdom #king of scars #nikolai lantsov #zoya nazyalensky #genya safin #zoyalai #malina

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ameliawarnerr · 2 years

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Pov: Jake’s eyes tell everything he's feeling. Especially possessiveness (Part 1)

Overview: A dinner night with Jake, Phil, Dan, Jessy and Lilly. (You and Jake decide to live in Duskwood. It's been one week and you are staying at Lilly’s place with Hannah.)

Thinking of it from a third person’s perceptive, it's a little crazy that you, Hannah, Lilly and Jake are under the same roof. You found everyone nice in the group from the start except for Lilly. From Lilly, you also know that Hannah had a thing for Jake which may or may have not changed over the years, keeping in mind Hannah didn't know that Jake is her half brother until recently. You had been working so hard to find this one person still you can't properly communicate with her.

And between you and Jake, things have been slow and favourable. He doesn't show the resistance he always did over chat. And you found out that he's not at all a person who find it hard to express his emotions. Over the chat, it was inevitable to assume that. There's isn't a drastic change in his words— they remain limited, to the point and brutally honest. Even if his words are lacking, his eyes tell everything. They don't whisper, they scream. His eyes are the most beautiful shade of green you have ever seen. The black of his hair only makes his gaze more intense.

Right now, you are lost in the familiar green. With a hand under your chin and elbow supported by the arm of the couch, you stare at him as he works on his computer. You don't even try to hide it. What could possibly be the outcome of it? Him looking back at you? That's an incredible possibility.

His hands, his hands, constantly typing, suddenly stop. His face still on the screen. “You know, I have used backspace key five times now which I rarely do.” He says, and turns towards you. His eyes on you now. “In other words, I can't concentrate if you keep staring at me.” He sounds like he is complaining but his eyes tell a different story.

“Am I making you anxious?” You ask.

“Anxious? You are making me want to turn this thing off which is a new feeling.” It makes you smile.

“Maybe that is my intention.” You get up, with your phone in your hand and walk as if you are just taking a walk which randomly leads you to where he is.

He looks at the screen. Looks at you. And sighs before turning towards the screen and turning off the computer. While doing it, he whispers, “Evil. You are evil.”

“Ouch.” You bring your hand to your chest, pretending to be hurt.

He finally switches off the computer and turns his chair towards you, opening his arms for you. You take a step towards him ready to fall into his embrace. But suddenly you regret having a phone as it rings.

You look at the screen. Jake looks at you.

“You really need to take that?” He pleads, not asking who it is. And you just know he won't be pleased to know but you feel the urge to let him know.

“Its Phil.”

His soft expression change drastically into an annoyed face. You fight the urge to laugh but fail.

“God, why’s he such a plague upon our existence?” He leans back on the chair, putting his index finger and thumb on his closed eyes.

“Your existence.” You correct him, and he opens his eyes, raising his eyebrow. You continue after a shrug, “He’s fine with me. Not to mention, but I can't deny his efforts for being respectful and less of a flirt.”

“Well, that's the whole problem, is it not? He’s nice to you and in return, you have to be nice to him which is annoying.” He gets up from his chair, standing in front of you.

You take a step closer to him and suddenly you both forget what you were talking about. It's just him in front of him and you infront of him. His hand touches you jaw softly and you feel yourself melting at his tenderness.

He leans in, you close you eyes.

Lilly opens the door. “God, I designed the do-not-disturb board especially for this.” She says, eyes covered with her hands. “Why can't you just hang it on the door?”

“Another plague upon my life.” You hear Jake whispering as he mover a little back. You fight a smile.

“Well, we do not discuss before doing something do-not-disturb board worthy.” You reason as you move towards her.

“Anyway, just put your slow make out on a pause. Dinner is ready. And we have a few guests on the table. You might know them. Jessy, Dan and Phil. Heard of them? Cleo couldn't come. Hannah asked to eat in her room. So come on.” She says.

You wonder why Phil called if he was just one storey under you.

“Can’t we eat here too?” You hear Jake saying from behind.

“No.” You and Lilly say at the same time.

“You need to socialize at times.” Lilly reasons. Jessy calls Lilly from downstairs. “I need to go. Hurry, okay?” She says before leaving.

Jake walks and stands beside you. He sighs and looks at you. “And what's your reason for denying such an opportunity?”

You shrug. “Dan is here.” Dan has become your bestfriend. And being Dan’s bestfriend, you now know that he secretly admires Jake.

Jake looks around and says, “Another plague—”

You cut him off with a kiss on the lips. He stares at you in a short lived shock and looks away, hiding his smile.

#duskwood #jake_duskwood #dan duskwood #phil duskwood #richy duskwood #writing #jessy_duskwood #duskwood fanfic #lilly duskwood #duskwood fanfiction #duskwood fandom #jake x mc #duskwood jake #possessive #fanfic writers #fanfic #fanfiction

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ariadnes-red-thread · 2 years

Text

Fields of Gold

Summary: Jesse is home on leave and he has a special surprise planned for you.

Pairing: Jesse x GN!Reader

Warnings/Tags: 18+, MINORS DNI!; Smut, Oral (male receiving), Penetrative sex, Nauseating levels of fluff because it’s Jesse and I love him

Word Count: 2.5k

A/N: @cobaltbeam created this ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE artwork of Jesse taking a well-deserved nap in a field of flowers and butterflies and it sent me into a spiral because Jesse deserves the whole world. Comments, reblogs, and feedback are always welcome! And go show the original art ALL the love too!

Ao3

It’s late afternoon, almost early evening, and the light glows golden as it falls on Jesse’s face. He’s lying with one arm resting on his chest and the other bent above him, his hand cradling the back of his head. The yellow and white flowers surround him in a bright sea of delicate colors, moving in waves as the buds sway in the light air. His eyes are closed, and the soft breaths that leave his slightly parted lips tell you he’s walking in that fragile land that lies somewhere between wake and sleep.

You could lie here for hours staring at him. You watch as a gentle breeze flutters his dark eyelashes. You trace the lines of the cog tattoo with your eyes, wanting to reach out and touch him but also wanting him to have the rest that he so deserves. You’ve never seen him look this serene. A small smile sits at the edges of his lips and you wonder what he’s dreaming of.

It was Jesse’s idea to go for a picnic. You were just happy to have him planet-side for a while and would’ve been content no matter what, even if the two of you had just holed up together in your apartment for the whole weekend while he caught up on sleep. Instead, he surprised you, as he always did in one way or another. Even after dating for so long, Jesse never failed to keep you on your toes, whether with his sense of adventure or sense of humor.

Today, it was the former. It started with a knock at your door. Even though you knew who would be there when you opened it, your heart still skipped a beat when the durasteel slid open to reveal your boyfriend. Jesse stood, leaning on the frame, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, with an easy grin on his face and his hands pushed into his pockets.

“Come on, mesh’la.”

He reached out and tugged you from your apartment. He twirled and spun you as you made your way down to the first floor of your building, asking after your day and admiring your outfit. His speeder bike was parked just outside your building and in moments, he whisked you off across the city.

It was a beautiful day on Coruscant. The weather control system meant the temperature was always pleasant, but a breeze today kept the usual smog from amassing over the tops of the buildings. Jesse flew through the skylanes until you reached the highest levels of the city. You held your hands wrapped tight around his waist. Speeder bikes always made you a little nervous, and while you trusted Jesse with your life, he wasn’t a slow flyer.

Finally, he pulled to a stop in front of an ornate durasteel building on the very top level of Coruscant. He helped you from the bike with a hand, and a small, flourishing bow quickly followed with a goofy smile. You finally noticed the basket when he reached to take it from the back of the bike. It was a wicker basket, just like the one from the holofilms, the ones full of couples who wooed and were married and could do all the things that you and Jessie never could with this war going on. You gave him a questioning look, but he returned your raised eyebrow with a wink and teasing words.

“You’ll see, cyare.”

Then, he nudged you down the alley behind the building with little other direction. There, you found a fire escape that led up to the roof. Jesse took the basket in his teeth and began to climb, leading the way up the ladder. You gulped as you watched him ascend, but, one limb at a time, you pulled yourself up and followed him. You would always follow Jesse.

When you got to the top, Jesse was there to help you clamber over the railing and onto the roof. A large glass building took up most of the space. The windows were tinted, and you couldn’t see inside. But even through the dark cast, the building seemed to glow, and you could sense, beneath the stillness of the glass, a vibration, like whatever was inside was anxiously waiting to burst forth into the world. Jesse frowned, scrunching his nose as he glanced around, looking for something. He spotted it, tugging you along again to a window on the east side of the building. After feeling along the frame, he pushed in two spots and slid the window upward, revealing an opening big enough for him to crawl through. He pulled himself up on his forearms and scrambled through the window before he turned back to you. You couldn’t see behind him. Whatever was inside created a radiance that shone golden around Jesse as he held his hand out to you. You could hear what almost sounded like the call of birds.

“What is this place?” You asked, trying to peer around him and past the bright light.

“Some senator had a biodome built from their home world.” Jesse glanced around again, making sure no one was watching from other rooftops while you hesitated. “Trees, flowers, animals, and all that.”

A senator? Your jaw dropped a little just and you could feel your heart thud at the risk of it all.

“Jesse, are we going to get in trouble?” You found yourself doing your own frantic glance around.

“Nah, she’s off-world.” Jesse shrugged. “Besides, Fives told me he comes here all the time.”

“That’s not reassuring.” You wrinkled your nose as you turned back to him.

“Come on, you think I didn’t do my own recon? It’s safe.” Jesse held out a hand. “Trust me?”

You sighed and weaved your fingers through his.

“Always.”

He pulled you through the window, settling you gently onto the ground. You looked down to steady yourself and found your feet had disappeared into long grass. You snapped your head up to look at Jesse. He grinned at your shock. Then, the both of you turned to take in the terrain. A gasp left your lips.

“Wow.”

You’d never seen colors like this. Lush, emerald trees hugged the edges of the building and towered over the two of you. The leafy giants brushed the glass ceiling and obscured the city outside, letting only the sunlight in. The long grass beneath your feet rolled up to a small hill, where it was overtaken by ankle-high yellow and white flowers. Cerulean butterflies swooped from one delicate petal to the next. From deep within the trees, you could hear birds singing and rustling the branches as they made their way along invisible flight paths, well hidden by the dense canopy. You felt your eyes go wide as you took it all in. Next to you, Jesse didn’t seem as surprised by the scenery. Instead, his face was brimming with joy. He had been to planets all over the galaxy; some you’d heard of, many more you hadn’t, and a few that weren’t even on any holomap. He had seen more landscapes than you could even imagine. The difference was that this was just for him. Just for him and you.

Excitement barreled down on the two of you as the freedom and beauty of this small heaven overwhelmed you. Jesse whooped as he took your hand again and pulled you, running through the field until you were tripping over each other. You both tumbled to the ground, rolling through the soft, tangled meadow. Letting out a loud laugh that echoed off the glass and sent the unseen birds flapping from their perches, Jesse pulled you into his lap and captured your lips with his.

He nipped at your bottom lip, begging entrance to your mouth, which you gave without hesitation. The kiss became furious and it was as though he had been holding himself back since the moment you opened your door for fear you never would have made it from your apartment. You were panting by the time he finally pulled away from you. A glint remained in his eyes and he bit his lip as if he was having second thoughts about breaking the kiss, especially at the sight of you breathing just a little heavier. Finally, he sighed and a sideways smile crossed his face.

“Come on,” He reached for the basket, spared in the tumble to the ground. “Let’s eat, cyare.”

Now, after being sated with the simple meal of bread and cheese and the little bit of wine that he had brought, you both laze among the wildflowers. The small blue butterflies dance around the two of you, flying along the nectar sweet breeze that permeates the air. You watch as one butterfly flits closer and closer to him, lazily flying from one yellow flower to the next until it, drunk on its own sweet meal, finds a rest on Jesse’s nose.

He slowly blinks, sleep falling from his eyes.

“Hey, little guy.” He says, making cross-eyes at his new friend.

Your heart swells. He feels you looking at him and turns to you with a crooked grin. The butterfly lingers for just a moment but then Jesse stretches both of his arms above his head and the butterfly spins back up into the air, onwards in its search for the sweetest flower in the field.

After he stretches, Jesse reaches for you. He pulls you up into him so you’re laying on his chest. You start to giggle until you look up to meet his eyes and then it dies softly on your lips. The look in his eyes is hungry. He tucks his chin to his chest, staring at you as he brings a hand to your jawline. His lips surge forward and meet yours. The kiss is just as hungry as before and he doesn’t pull away this time. Instead, he deeps it, slowly sucking on your tongue and making you moan into his mouth. You press yourself to him. You feel him begin to harden beneath you.

“You said no one is here, right?” You ask as you glance around one last time to be sure.

He nods, gaping just a little bit at the suggestion. Even in the heat of the moment, the idea of Jesse being at a loss for words brings a small smirk to your face. Sliding down so you’re sitting on his knees, you reach for his fastener and undo his pants. You grip the waist of both his pants and his underwear and pull them down under his hips to reveal Jesse’s hard member. You glance up at Jesse to find his slack-jawed look replaced with a dewy-eyed smile. He’s in awe of you and you want to spoil him for it. He brings his hand to your cheek and you tilt your head into his palm, pressing your lips against his rough pad. Then you turn your attention back to his already weeping cock.

You take him, thick and wanting, in your hands as you lower yourself down to meet him. He lets out a little whine as you give his heavy cock an experimental squeeze. Slowly, you lick a long stripe up the underside, tracing your way along the soft skin until you reach the spongy top. You take him into your mouth, teasing the sensitive tip with your tongue. You look up at him. His eyes are closed again but this time, you know what he’s thinking of. You watch his brows furrow in an effort to control himself as you take him further in, letting him hit the back of your throat. You hollow out your cheeks and suck, pulling a groan of pleasure from him. He begins to pant as your tongue swirls around him, bringing him closer and closer to the edge.

“Fuck, mesh’la.” The words that fall from his lips are heated.

You relax as best you can before you swallow, taking him whole in your mouth. He lets out a cry, and his hands shoot to your shoulders as his hips thrust upward. You feel a tap on your cheek and look up, releasing him. You find Jesse looking down at you, already wrecked, but you know what he wants. Quickly, he pulls you up to meet him. You slip your own garments off your legs, tossing them to the side.

You straddle his hips as you rise. You kiss him again. The way he meets your lips is sweet and gentle, a stark contrast to the way he moves beneath you, searching for friction. After a moment, you pull away, pushing yourself up off his chest. You lift your hips so that you’re hovering over him. He slots his cock at your entrance. Jesse’s eyes lock onto yours as you slide home. You still for a moment, completely connected with him in every way.

“When all this is over, we’re going to find a place like this.” Jesse’s voice is low, and his hands find your waist, gripping you with a strength that reminds you of the soldier that he was bred to be. “A place where I can have you like this all the time.”

After giving you the moment to adjust, he slowly starts to roll his hips up into you, letting you feel every inch of him while he moves at a languid pace. He doesn’t stop moving as he keeps speaking.

“We’ll go on picnics, and I’ll pick you flowers, and maybe we’ll get a tooka.”

You giggle, joining his movements with your own experimental roll of the hips. His eyes darken.

“You want a tooka?” You raise an eyebrow at him.

Jesse just groans.

“No more tooka talk right now.”

He thrusts up into your warmth with a new force. You moan at the sudden friction. Jesse bites his lip. He does it again and then again until you’re riding up and down on his length until he’s stretching you out and filling you up. You pushed his shirt up to run your hand along his core. He reaches for your most sensitive place, sending new pleasure coursing through you as he plays with you in the way he knows will turn you into a writhing mess. It isn’t long until you’re coming apart for him. You call out his name as your legs stiffen and you release. Pleasure courses through your body and you collapse onto him. A few more thrusts and Jesse quickly follows. Bliss and exhaustion overtake you, and you crumble fully into his arms. He holds you tight as he runs his fingers through your hair. You close your eyes, and as you whisper praises of love to the man holding you, you drift into your own half-dream, no sweeter than the one you’re living now.

It’s late when Jesse rouses you. The only light coming through the glass now is that of the neon city lights. He helps you dress, and the two of you gather up the last remnant of the picnic. With one last glance back at this little bit of paradise, you and Jesse slip out of the window and into a more familiar world. You carry the empty basket this time. Jesse has a bouquet of wildflowers that he insisted on picking for you. The stars are out over Coruscant now. Before you can reach for the fire escape, Jesse pulls you in for one last rooftop kiss, and you swear he’s still glowing with that golden hour light. You hope it never fades.

tags: @sleepingsun501, @cobaltbeam

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paigenoelchas-blog · 10 months

Text

Feels Like Home

33: Friendship

Mahri's POV:

Phil and Dan stand in the garage admiring the bike I had picked out for Jake's Christmas present. Jake told me that the best gift that he had received was a bike from his mom on his tenth birthday. I wanted to remind him of that gift and let him know that there could still be a world filled with amazing Christmases and unbelievable happiness.

"He is not going to know how to handle this beautiful machine." Dan starts, "Are you sure I can't take this off your hands for you?"

"He is an excellent driver," I say defending Jake.

"And this, "Phil adds, "Is an excellent bike. Well done, Em."

"Thanks." I beam. I am proud of this bike, a 1977 Indian Chief. Of course, it has two seats, a priority of mine in case he decides to take me for a ride. He will. I think about the adventures that we are sure to share and smile. The bike had one previous owner and low mileage. She is a beauty, black and retro and classy... very Jake-like.

"He will love it, the lucky jerk," Dan says sincerely and nods his approval, "Did you get a helmet to match the bike? Seriously Mahr, he needs a cool helmet."

Panic sets in. Phil notices. "I can handle that for you. I know a guy. It isn't a problem. Besides, I couldn't think of the perfect gift for my buddy. This seems just right." I am so glad that Jake and Phil are friends now, so grateful that he is dating Betty. I am also more than thankful that Dan and Jake have reconciled.

"Phil, I am impressed that you have your Christmas shopping done. three whole days beforehand." I quip and nudge him in the arm. He winks at me, understanding that I am teasing him. He is actually much more responsible than people give him credit for. He is also much more thoughtful since he met Betty. "Thank you, that would be amazing and if you get him a helmet, that is one more thing I don't have to stress over. I hug Phil and then Dan, "Thank you so much, thank you both so much for all of this. I haven't had friends like this in a while. I don't think Jake ever has, It means a lot to us."

Dan stiffens and clears his throat, trying to hide emotion, "When does he get his bike and how are you getting it to him?"

"I was going to blindfold him and have him see it here."

"I have a better idea," Dan blurts out, "Leave it to me. It will be there on Christmas morning. I will deliver it myself, red ribbon and all."

I nod and hug each of these wonderful friends. Quickly, their attention turns back to the bike. They continue to stand there after I turn to walk away, I am not sure they even notice I am leaving. They just stare at the bike and occasionally grunt things at each other. They don't approach the bike, just stay back with their arms crossed in approval. I shake my head and leave the garage. "Boys and their toys," I whisper over my shoulder. I have no idea what men think when staring at a vehicle, but these two obviously see something I don't.

I just hope that Jake is as delighted with the bike as they are.

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

Jake's POV:

The girls were supposed to be here five minutes ago. I need their help today of all days. I begin to pace. I am not nervous about my decision. I know that Mahri is the one that I want to spend all of life with. I just want to make it perfect. I have to get this right. This is the only proposal that I will make.

While I haven't confirmed that I am planning on proposing to Mahri, Betty knows. She knows everything and never stops reminding me of that. Confidence like that is a gift and someone that can have that without making other people feel small is a wonderful thing. Betty is incredible and I am so glad for our long friendship.

Jessy has an idea that I am going to propose. I know that she will be overjoyed. She is one of the rare sorts of people that truly delights in the happiness of her friends. Mahri's joy will fill her up. I am glad that the two of us are at a place where she can trust me with Mari's heart. We have become good friends. I am lucky to have two such tremendous women in my life. Three of course, if you count Mahri.

I am about to text Betty to ask her location when I hear her laughter and see her peek around the corner, arms interlinked with Jessy. They are in the middle of a discussion, no doubt about Dan or Phil. Their faces light up like two women in love.

It is odd, I think that those two particular men occupy their hearts. But I am odd and Mahri loves me. Dan and Phil have proven themselves to be reliable and I trust them to love these women properly. It is another thing that I am thankful for this morning. Being in love makes me appreciate all of the glories of this life. It makes me appreciate love in all of its forms. Happiness makes me a sap, but I wouldn't go back to living the other way, not for all of the money in the world.

"There he is, " Betty begins. "I am surprised that you haven't called yet. We are five minutes late."

"Six minutes," I correct her. "and my hand was on the phone." Betty's smile is broad and deep, the smile of a friend that knows you inside and out. She leans over conspiratorially into Jessy's ear but whispers loud enough for me to hear, "Look at the man who is about to make the second-best decision of his life. Have you ever seen such a sap?"

I smile, "What was the best decision?" I ask. Remembering that her love language is name calling.

"It was the day you decided that we should be friends. I have carried you a long way, brother." She responds.

"Indeed you have, but I don't think I had much say in the decision. That was all you. You have always been bossy." I say, acknowledging the impact that she has had on my life. She nods in agreement, knowing that I have loved her for all that she has been to me. "Care to help me with one more task?"

She nods again as Jessy runs up to give me a hug which I happily return. Betty slugs me in the arm before doing the same.

"I am confused about a couple of things," Betty asks blankly. "I thought you were going to ask her to move in with you? I also thought you were unsure about her response."

"I am going to ask her to move in with me before I propose. I couldn't wait to ask her any longer life is too short to waste a second. I have already waited all of my life for her. I am confident that she will comply." I answer.

Jessy giggles. I am confused.

"Comply?" Betty makes a face. "Please tell me that you aren't going to ask her to comply with your request for marriage. Not romantic, dude. Please, please tell me that you have something less formal prepared, maybe use phrases like 'I love you' and 'the sun rises and sets in your eyes.'"

"I think I have something better to say, but nothing about the sun rising. Do I need to add that?" Now I am panicking. Am I going to mess this up? Do I need a speech written? I had been planning on speaking from the heart like I usually do with Mahri.

"NO!" Betty stopped me, "You don't need a speech and you will do fine. I am just razzing you. Just stay away from your big words, they make things seem too rehearsed, the words lose their meaning."

Jessy is nodding in the background. She finally speaks, "She adores you. There is nothing to worry about. Just tell her how you feel, she will say yes and remember this moment for the rest of her life." I begin to feel my nerves gurgle again at this thought. What if I mess this up and we are stuck with an awkward memory for the rest of our days?

Betty side eyes Jessy, "No pressure. Just be honest. She can't resist you. I should know. I helped create the stud that you are now."

She always knows the right thing to say, "Right," I mumble with my head down. I have a lot of practical things to consider. I fidget with my keys.

Betty notices my nerves and breaks the silence, "Shall we go inside or stay out here and freeze our butts off?"

Jessy is more than excited, "Go inside of course. So, Jake, what kind of cut were you thinking of, and what metal?" She grabs my arm and pulls me through the door.

I shrug, "Let's go see what we can find. I have the two best people with me to find the perfect ring for Mahri."

Jessy smiles and continues running through the options. I had no idea that she knows so much about this stuff. "You could do a platinum princess cut diamond, which is classic or a...." her voice trails off as we continue inside. Betty looks at me with a pitiful smile. She knows that in about two seconds, I am going to shut down.

Betty leans in, "Hang in there, friend. This part will be over soon enough and you will be the happy sap that I have grown accustomed to." She pats me on the back as she walks ahead and tries to find an employee.

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

MC POV:

I finish my work quickly spurred on by the knowledge that it is the last thing I have to do until after Christmas. It is officially vacation and tonight I was ready to go out. Getting caught up after the storm has been exhausting and I can't wait to spend a few more days in bliss with Jake. I am hoping that I can stay with him over the next week.

The second I walk out of the door, I text Jake.

Mahri: Guess who is off on vacation until after Christmas?

Jake: The woman I love?

Mahri: Assuming that is me, yes.

Jake: You know that it is you. It is only you. It will always be you.

Mahri: :)

Mahri: Can we go out tonight, maybe to the Aurora?

Mahri: We have been cooped up a long time. I bought a new dress.

Jake: I have some things that I have to get done at the house.

Jake: Do you want to come over?

Jake: Wait. I have a better idea. Hang on.

Jake: I happened to run into Betty and Jessy in town. They want to know if you would like to join them for a girl's night. You haven't been out with them in a while.

Mahri: You wouldn't mind?

Jake: Of course not. I love the affection that you all have for each other.

Mahri: Then I would love that. Have them text me.

That instant, I receive two texts.

Betty: Ditch that loser boyfriend of yours and hang out with us girls tonight.

Jessy: Please come hang out with us tonight. We miss you.

M: (to both women) I would love to hang out with you both. It has been too long. See you tonight, 6:30?

Jessy: Yay! I can't wait!

Betty: See you then, Sunshine. We have some things to talk about.

Jessy: I will invite the other girls as well if you are alright with that.

Betty: OOOH, new people. I love meeting new people.

I don't know whether to be scared or thrilled by that last statement. Hopefully, Jessy can prepare Betty for the three women that she is about to meet. Hopefully, Betty can tame her tongue a bit, for Hannah's sake.

Then I remember how good Batty is at reading people. She is someone that I trust implicitly. My nerves turn back to excitement.

I am about to put away my phone when I think of one more thing.

Mahri: Jake?

Jake: Yes, Love.

Mahri: I won't see you tonight....

Jake: I know. I hope there aren't many more nights that we have to say that.

Mahri: Me too.

Jake: You could always stop by after and stay the night if you want.

Jake: I would always like that.

Mahri: I may be drunk, you won't like me when I am drunk and you have work in the morning.

Jake: I like you in every possible scenario, but I do have work. Work would never stop me from wanting to spend the night with you.

Mahri: You are the sweetest man.

Jake: No, I am just in love with a wonderful woman. If you don't come tonight, stop by tomorrow morning. I will make you breakfast and my hangover cure.

Mahri: Love you

Jake: ...and I love you. Be safe and CALL ME if you get into trouble.

Jake: Actually, call me BEFORE you get into trouble.

Mahri: ;)

I head home to change and see the girls. I wonder if this is what my life will always be like. Will I always be surrounded by such wonderful, amazing people who love me and who I adore? I can't imagine a better future.

My drive home is quick. I hop in the shower and change into a tight black dress. It has lace cutouts in all of the right places. The back dips to just above my ass. Jake wouldn't let me leave the house in this dress, not because he is controlling, but because we wouldn't make it that far before he ripped the dress off me. The thought makes me blush and miss him. Maybe I will stop by tonight. I add some red, very high heels that would make any boy's head spin. I can't wait to see what Jake thinks of me in them. I am going to have fun with the girls, but who is to say that I can't also have fun with my man.

I am on vacation after all.

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

Jake's POV:

I wasn't entirely honest with Mahri. I am really busy, but never too busy to be with her. Mahri and I had been ignoring our friends for quite a while. It is easy to do when you are in love the way that we are. Spending time with Betty and Jessy today made me realize how much Mahri must miss them whether she realizes it or not.

Betty and Jessy were so excited by the thought of being together that I wanted Mahri to have that chance as well.

So, after I told Mahri I was busy, I did something that I never do. I invited Dan and Phil over for dinner and poker. I even invited Thomas, the idea of him was growing on me. I had almost forgiven him for his willingness to sacrifice Mahri's life at the mines. Almost.

He is Hannah's fiancé, after all, we had to work things out eventually. I may never forgive him for his dismissive attitude toward Mahri, but we can be cordial. I am going to deal with my sisters eventually so I have to deal with him. But not tonight. Tonight is for fun and celebration.

I am nervous and excited. I haven't hosted a party. I haven't spent time with many people. I still haven't become that acquainted with social norms. To say I am slightly nervous is an understatement, but I appreciate these men that have been added to my life and hope that tonight becomes the start of a really good thing.

I feel anxious, but I channel my inner Betty and toughen up, make snacks, and set up the poker table. I make sure the beer is cold and the pizza is hot.

I take one last look around the room when I hear a knock on the door. Taking one last breath, I think about how proud Betty will be that I did this and how happy Mahri will be that I consider these men friends. I smile and open the door.

"Welcome to the cabin. Allow me to rid you of your extra cash."

#duskwood jake #jake duskwood #jake x mc #duskwood fanfiction #duskwood fandom #duskwood jake x mc #duskwood everbyte #iamjake #duskwood

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joemuggs · 3 months

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Albums of 2023 part 3

And - continued from part 2 - some more! This one does what it says on the tin. Levon Vincent knows the old chestnut "dancing about architecture" is accidentally profound: this is 11 pieces of holy four dimensional architecture exquisitely designed for your body to move through.

It's been a great year for old school BRAINDANCE, in no small part thanks to Mighty Force records releasing thick and fast, and this from Kams, straight out of Beckenham, is the best - just warm-hearted, melodic, acidic, danceable, classic electronica.

My old mucker Culshaw is a scholar, a gent, an adventurer, and on the sly a great musician. This comeback to the studio is MAGIC - global and spiritual and incidentally Balearic in a Jose Padilla sense - but its connections are based on highest common factors, never dully fusioneering.

Just fries my mind that Boris seem to get creatively hungrier and angrier with every passing year. This collab brings in all sorts - goth, thrash, synthwave - but what I really love is the unironic POWER METAL energy. Music to be struck by lightning to.

It's been an incredible year for electropop - and this album from producer turned singer songwriter Avalon Emerson is the *sweetest* of the crop, lighter than air, a gentle digital dream, but with surreptitious emotional heft. Reminds me a little bit of millennium era Morr Music, Tarwater etc? Must listen as a whole: it draws you in and in....

Even heavier than the Boris, and the record that made me fall in love with grindcore all over again - had to order the vinyl even given transatlantic premium. Nepalese band in New York Chepang TAKE. NO. PRISONERS. HUURUUUURURRGGHGHHH.

I was NOT expecting this from Anhoni - but I'm a sucker for Muscle Shoals style country-soul grooves, and though they risk getting "a bit Jools Holland", here they're delivered with total assurance plus the bleakness of the lyrics, fierceness of delivery and a few noises moments all adds some serious edge.

More electropop - this one from Jessy Lanza is not a million miles from the Avalon Emerson in its pristine futurist sound, but it's a bit spikier, eerier, like she is setting puzzles for you.

My most played record of the year. Like the Culshaw, a bit Cafe Del Mar in the most urbane possible sense - Sissoko & co's blend of jazz, classical, W African & European folk is done with unbelievable poise and emotion and is completely addictive.

This has been all-conquering this year and rightly so. It's not just the fearsome doom bits, it's the straightforward folk that's great: Lankum remind us of dreadful, beautiful paradoxes of being human that don't really change through the centuries.

Paul Simon says this was written in dreams, and it really sounds like it. Genuinely transporting, surreal, gorgeous and - I have to say it - roughly 10,000,000 times more interesting than anything Bob Dylan has done this century.

Completely UN-deconstructed trance... the way Romy taps into the melancholy of the most globe-conquering of 90s pop dance is something quite special and will serve as a real cynicism test... go on, let it twang your heartstrings!

I've kind of idly admired King Krule's music from a distance previously but that changed last year - he really is something special eh? Way more than the sum of influences, and a proper world-builder.

One of many where I missed the promo at the time (sorry PRs) but then discovered it via my sp****y recommends. Just beautiful post-classical, post-ambient musing music from Audrey Carmes that sounds like austere but lovely perfumes and crisp clean cotton.

Of course death is at the heart of Depeche Mode's music so how tragic but appropriate that it took Fletch's death to turbocharge them creatively. This is like a telescoping together of their whole history - but also still in love with new sounds...

More death, more darkness, with Amy Winehouse serving as a dark angel muse drawing together and crystallising the ambient, abstract and dream cabaret influences Kevin Martin has been incubating in his solo KRM albums since 2019. Crushingly sad and great.

Espec after seeing him rock it in the morning at We Out Here, I do feel like Joshua Idehen is in danger of becoming a late-blooming star, you know. Explicitly connecting David Byrne, Mike Skinner, Maxi Jazz and a finger-jabbing Nigerian preacher, he ROCKS.

Yes, Yussef Dayes really is all that and a packed of Pickled Onion Space Raiders. Brit jazz just seems to have been in a consistent triumphant state these last five years or so and there's no sign of it stopping being that way with albums like this still coming.

Ben Howard is an artist who'd completely passed me by despite being really quite big - but again the sp****y algorithm brought me this and it's really amazing, thought provoking, grown up pop. I *instantly* guessed it was Bullion on production too, no lie. ❤️

I've said for a long time that "mumble rap" has deep atavistic echoes of the blues and psychedelia - and here's the mumbler in chief Lil Yachty joining the dots back through the decades. Funkadelic, Hendrix, Beck, Outkast, BUTTHOLE SURFERS? Yeah it's all here. Not saying it's one those levels, but it's great and

Holy shit is Dot Allison on a roll or what? This is effectively 2021's Heart Shaped Scars growing in all directions: bigger, grander, more cosmic, even more beautiful. The partnership with Hannah Peel as arranger is front and centre and works incredibly.

Alright it's not as unique as Bad Bunny's 2022 masterpiece Un Verano Sin Ti - this is more trap, less overtly "Latin" - but it's really, really good. Sometimes not knowing the language can emphasise the emotion in the sound: the blues in the trap, the Spanish derived "tristeza"...

My fave Villalobos moments are often him working his wonky magic on "real" instruments and songs (see his Tony Allen / ECM reworks) so a whole album of him tweaking A Mountain Of One's Balearic soft rock is a real treat. Gets progressively "more Ricardo" as it goes on.

I love how Young Fathers have become such a beacon of what a "big festival band" CAN be when it broadens its influences out and grooves a bit. This album is such a big step up for them, and I really hope they keep this momentum because it's BIG FUN.

And talking of Scots "big festival bands" with diverse influences pushing the envelope and having fun with loading in more pop, dance, rap etc, The Djangos really went to town on this one and I was surprised not to see it getting more hype. A proper weird and wonderful party of an album.

Okayyyyyyyy last part is here, get stuck in!

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