#gutted me as a kid watching the movie and guts me now as an adult reading the book

[psychwxrdd]

Chapter III - Whats your favorite scary movie?

Summary: Everything goes downhill once Kate hurts Rafe Cameron. Well, should've known better than to break the Kook's king heart. Now she'll have to pay with her loved ones life.

Warnings: 18+, dni if you're a minor, death mentions, murderer, horror, stalker themes, possessive behaviour, ghostface! rafe, slasher, smut, obsession, yandere, rape mentions, Rafe is really unhinged

Kate couldn't remember when she felt asleep, but when she woke up, it felt weird. Not just everything that had happened at that night, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. At her own place, something around her.

She checked her phone and realized it was 2am, and there was a bunch of calls from JJ and Pope, unread messages from Kie and Sarah. All of them asking if she was okay. Kate furrowed her eyebrows, what was going on?

Her house was empty, she was home alone at that night. Her parents were out of town for the night, her siblings wouldn't come home this weekend, but mom and dad surely would be back in the morning. The emptiness and silence started to bother her, it felt uncomfortable. She was used to being home alone, and she was no longer a kid, but she felt a weird sensation on her guts. Her heart was beating faster, like the beggining of a panic attack. It was a cold night, but she was sweating under the blankets, she needed air.

Kate decided she would drink a glass of water, maybe watch some tv show too. Her heart still felt heavy, her eyes still felt like crying, but she needed to get herself together. Later, she would text her friends and boyfriend back, but now she really needed to calm down.

The moment she opened her door to step outside her room, she felt chills all over her body. Something telling her she should go back to bed, to stay there. Maybe lock the door... But Kate wasn't one to believe these kind of things. She knew it was just her fear of being alone in the dark talking louder.

Following downstairs, she was paying attention to any sound she could hear. Wind outside, her own footsteps, the loud, terrible silence. It was so quiet she feared anyone would scream all of sudden, at any moment.

Quickly walking to the kitchen, not staring at her sides to avoid seeing something she would regret. She hated being like this, a tall child trapped on a adult's body. She surely would remind herself to bring this topic on therapy.

Putting the water on her bottle, she stared outside the window, amazed by how dark the night seemed. It wasn't just inside her house, then, the sky looked so black. But when her eyes followed to her backyard, realizing her parents car were parked there.

What the fuck?

She thought they would only be back at morning, and why were they still inside the car, tho?

She jumped slightly when she heard her phone ring. Already nervous, she didn't even checked who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Kate." The voice sounded weird...deep.

"Who's this?"

"Whats your favorite scary movie?"

She rolled her eyes, realizing it was one of those pranks.

"Seriously?"

"Why would i be playing?"

"This is so corny, you should be more creative"

Kate chuckled, about to hang.

"I'm sure you will be more than surprised in a few hours"

"What do you mean?"

The voice went quiet, but she could tell the person was probably smiling.

"Whats your favorite scary movie, kitten?"

She thought it was better answer, maybe then the person would stop bothering.

"Halloween"

"Nice pick. Are you a baby sitter?"

"No"

"Better then" the deep voice chuckled "You're one of those girls who have a thing for Michael Myers, then?"

"What? No, i'm...Shit no" Kate laughed "Why would i have a crush on a psychopath?"

"Well, you tell me. Aren't you and Maybank dating?"

Kate frozed. Serious?

"Rafe?"

"It's not him, sweetheart."

"Who is it then?"

"Someone who wants to play a game with you"

Kate's heart was racing, this was all so weird. Of course that was Rafe, what did he wanted from her? Was it some kind of joke? Was he aware she was such a scared little baby? Cause it was fucking working.

"What kind of game?"

"I still haven't named it, but it's cool, you'll like it! You just have to answer my questions, do as i told you, and if you do everything right, you win!"

"And what if i don't?" she sounded annoyed, but in reality, she was just scared.

"Then i'll gut your parents in front of you"

She frozed. Her eyes teared up, her hands were shaking and almost dropping the phone on the floor.

"Fuck you, asshole!"

"I will"

She cried like a kid, staring at her parents car and still wondering if this was just a very bad joke.

"They aren't inside the car, sweetheart"

"What do you want from me?" she yelled.

"I want you. Just that"

"Please..." she cried "Don't hurt them, i'll do as you ask, just leave them"

"It only depends on you, pretty girl. Now c'mon, lets play the game."

She sits on the floor, hugging her own legs.

"Tell me about the first time JJ fucked you"

She closed her eyes, realizing what this was all about. Where this was about to go.

"Why?"

"I want to know, tell me"

She sighed, trying to stop her cries. "What exactly do you wanna know?"

"Everything. Did you threw yourself for him or what? How did you guys came to the point where he fucked you?"

He wasn't just asking. His voice was exasperated.

"We were talking, and..." she whimpered "and he kissed me. Then it just happened"

"Just happened, huh?"

"Yes!"

The voice let out a dry laugh.

"Did you got wet for him? You fantasized about it?"

"Yes..."

"And did Rafe crossed your mind while you were spreading your legs for that dirty pogue?"

Kate couldn't stop crying.

"Stop fucking crying and tell me, bitch!" he shouted.

"No, Rafe didn't crossed my mind!"

There was a brief moment of silence.

"You know what? I should've raped you when i had the opportunity, fucking whore. I always thought about it, always fantasized about it. Just pinning you down and forcing myself into you, while you cry for me exactly like you're crying right now. But i loved you, i wouldn't actually hurt you. It would be a rape for you, but for me... I would be making love to you."

"You're so fucking sick" Kate felt repulsed. She much rather Rafe to just kill her instead of hearing him saying those words.

"I know. But i love you, honey, can't you see that? I wanna hurt you with all the love i have inside me. Why did you do that? Why did you go for JJ instead?"

"Because you make me feel bad, Rafe."

"For now you call me ghostface."

"I'm gonna call the police, i'm serious!"

The voice sighed. "Yeah, i think your mom wants to tell you something before i stick my knife on her throat, wait a second."

Kate's eyes widened, remember what was at cost.

"Kate..." her mother's voice sounded so desperated, it broked her heart deeply "My beautiful girl, i'm so sorry."

#rafe cameron #dark fanfiction #dark rafe cameron x reader #outer banks #drew starkey #x reader #obx imagine #ghostface #yandere concept #yandere #horror #stalker

[apollyonsdarksecrets]

Safe by my side

Joel Miller X Fem!Reader

Summary: Jackson is supposed to be the start of a new life, but when the danger of your past is standing right in front of you you find yourself ready to bolt. Can Joel convince you otherwise?

Warnings: 18 plus minors DNI, I tried to use Y/n as little as possible but I think it comes up once or twice. angst, talk of past trauma, reader is fearful, talk of anxiety, panic attack. Swearing, (un)established relationship between reader and Joel, age gap (reader is 29 Joel is 56). Sexual assault, almost rape, fighting, cussing, talk of vomiting but never actually depicted. Joel being our big daddy hero that he always is, blood, the infected.

A/n please message me if I’ve forgotten to tag anything in the warning that you believe should be mentioned!

Joel Miller Master List

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Four weeks.

Four weeks is all it took to feel the small town becoming a home to you. Hell, even Ellie called the room she was staying in hers for the very first time last night, and you and Joel? Things were slowly creeping in the right direction to say you two were a thing.

Stolen glances, late night talks, shared pasts, and a few touches here and there in the comfort of a place that was solid, unmoving, safe; were really all it took.

Everything was feeling right.

*~*~*~*~*~*

“Hurry up!” Ellie demands, trudging up the street ahead of you and Joel. “It’s gonna fucking start soon and I don’t want to miss it!” It’s movie night and you were almost as excited as she was, Treasure Planet was found on a run and the kids were abuzz with excitement that they get to see something new.

Joel huffs a laugh beside you, “We’re behind you, just go on. Maria and Tommy are there already.” Ellie’s face lights up before she turns on her heel and takes off. “Christ that kid can run.” You hum in agreement, lacing your fingers with his as you two continue your leisurely walk.

People and kids are mulling about, laughter and songs being sung, Christmas is around the corner and for the first time in 20 years you are thinking about what you could get for the two people in your life.

20 years… it still surprises you. How fast time can go and yet how it’s dragged you down with the weight of it. You were 19 when the breakout happened. So very long ago.

You try and shrug off the creeping sadness that comes along with thinking of your past life, the family and friends you will never see again, the what ifs and could of been. Glancing up at Joel though, watching him watch everyone else with the tiniest hint of a smile, this is what it all boils down to. This was life now, and you were going to make the most of it with the people you have beside you.

A snowball whizzes through the air, barely inches from your face and pelts the building on the other side of Joel. A chorus of children’s laughter follows and the tense muscles in the two of your bodies relax, you turn to the group of kids, a smile on your lips to show no animosity when someone catches your eye.

You feel ice drip into your blood. Your happy mood vanishing in an instant.

He stands on the other side of the kids, taking with a group adults, head still buzzed short, beard a little longer than the last time you saw it. He’s smiling and laughing, taking a drag from a cigarette looking like everything you’ve ever feared.

Everything feels like it’s suddenly been ripped from underneath you.

Your fingers shake in Joel’s grasp, he doesn’t notice right away, lecturing a little boy about how he had to be more careful where he throws things. You open your mouth, you want to get Joel’s attention but you’ve become paralyzed, fear forming low in your guts, clawing through your heart and into the back of your throat tenting your skin pale green.

It’s only when Joel starts to walk again and you stay rooted to the spot does he turn to look at you. In the few years of knowing you Joel can’t say he’s ever seen that exact look of fear plastered across your face. His first thought is that you see an infected, his own heart sinking but then as he glances around he sees nothing. When he turns back to you Joel can see the tremble in your lower lip, the tears brimming your wide eyes. “Darlin’?”

Joel steps closer, hand moving to your back and he can feel your entire body shaking, he calls your name, concern and fear growing when you don’t answer. You hardly blink, zeroed in on one thing in particular and he follows your gaze, only seeing a group of men.

“Honey… What’s the matt-.”

Your name rings out in the street, shocking you from your trance and you suck in a shaky breath you didn’t know you were holding as he starts across the street towards you, arm up in a wave with a smile that sends the contents of your stomach up faster. On instinct you turn, running face first into Joel’s chest sending him stumbling backwards, his arms locking around you to keep you both upright.

“Woah, woah, what’s-?”

“We have to go! We have to go now!” You croak, the tears you’d held back now pouring down your cheeks, the desperation in your town shocking Joel into doing as he’s told, taking your hand again as you nearly run away from the spot. Joel looks over his shoulder once, a man from the group standing there looking nearly as bewildered as Joel feels.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Tapping softly on the bathroom door Joel waits until he hears your timid voice telling him he can come in. You’d ran straight for the house, Joel begging you to slow down and tell him what happened the whole way but you wouldn’t answer, afraid you’d spill your stomach in front of whoever might be around, afraid he was following.

Joel’s heart breaks when he pushes open the door and sees you huddled against the toilet with your head resting on the rim. You won’t look at him, shame and embarrassment taking hold of you. “I’m sorry…” You manager, feeling him sink down onto the cold tile beside you.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about, just tell me what’s going on, what happened back there?” His large hand finds the back of your neck, rubbing the tight muscles trying to coax you into the conversation.

It takes you another minute, letting the warmth of his palm sink into your muscles before you lift your head from the toilet. “Before I met you… I was at another QZ. It wasn’t as big as the one we were at… but it was somewhere.” Though you aren’t looking straight at him, Joel is nodding, onyx eyes trained on your face. “Met a guy while I was there, Chris… we… I don’t know fooled around for a while, nothing serious, at least on my end. Friends with benefits.”

You feel dirty talking about it even without having given away the worst part, all you want is to climb into the tub behind you and scrub yourself raw. How is Joel going to take it? Is he going to think you’re… used? No good? Easy? Your heart begins to pick up its pace.

“I understand, it’s normal to find… comfort in other people.” Joel’s even voice is reassuring, if only a little. You give him a sad smile, glancing his way for the first time.

“Well… I meet another guy, Joshua, very nice. I genuinely liked him, he was a good man. But… Chris… He didn’t take it well that I didn’t want to continue our friendship in… that way. One night he sees Josh and I talking outside my building. I guess I was giving him the eyes a little to hard. After Josh had told me goodnight I went upstairs, wasn’t looking, wasn’t really thinking…” You suck in a breath, closing your eyes to force back the tears, Joel’s hand move to your shoulder pulling you against his side.

“Chris jumped me as soon as I got into my apartment…” Joel feels like a weight just dropped in his stomach, dread eating at him as the realization dawns on him.

“He…”

“He pinned me to the wall by the throat… asked me what I thought I was doing seeing another man… told me I was his and his alone and that he needed to teach me my place… things got worse because I tried to fight back… But he is so much bigger than me, Joel… I… I just couldn’t get him off of me.”

The sob that rakes your body crumples you with the force of it, and Joel doesn’t think, just pulls you into his lap, cradling you against him as you cry harder, small fingers curling into his flannel.

Joel has known you for just over three years, has seen a piece of humanity and hopefulness you carry that he hasn’t for many years before you walked into his life. Not since Sarah. Not since before the world ate shit. He watched how you cared for those around you, giving your food rations up because ‘you had enough’ when he knew damn well you didn’t. He knew you from late night conversations on the road and in his apartment, how carefully you watched over him on every run, simple gestures of kindness to people who probably didn’t deserve it and the way you take care of Ellie…

He remembers the night it was pouring rain and ice at the QZ, and you stood outside, face to the sky, taking it all in as everyone rushed around you to get out of the cold. That was the first night he laid eyes on you, and that was the first time he felt something in his heart crack open without even knowing your name at the time.

How anyone could ever hurt his girl… His girl.

Rage simmers in Joel’s chest, his face hardening, arms tightening around your body as he presses a kiss to the crown of your head.

“I’ve kept you safe this far, I’ll keep you safe as long as I live.”

You hiccup slightly, eyebrows drawn together in confusion as you lift your head to look at him. “W-what?”

He cups your face, the gentle gesture such a stark contrast to how he looks, and wipes away a trail of tears. “As long as I am around, I will not- will not- let anything, or anyone hurt you ever again.” Joel takes his own steadying breath, this wasn’t how, or when, or really even where he thought he’d be confessing those deep buried feelings he’s been fearful of letting loose. But that look on your face, the way your eyes search his…

Joel leans forward and presses a soft kiss to the corner of your mouth. He pulls away before you can fully register it, the scrape of his beard more defining than the press of his lips.

“I care about you more than anyone I have met in many years, love. This is my promise to you that you are safe by my side.” Your body sinks against his touch, the first moment you’ve relaxed since seeing Chris and you can feel all of the unspoken words from the gentle touch of his hands on your face, the pleasing in his eyes to trust him.

And you do.

“Thank you Joel.” You whisper, leaning into him, wrapping your arms around his neck as he holds you. The two of you stay like that for minutes, your face buried against his chest as he strokes your hair, running his fingers through it slowly.

“Do you want to come with me to get Ellie?” He finally asks, trying to peak down at your face.

“I think I’d like to take a shower. I don’t really want to leave the house right now… ya know?” You mumble back, staring at the wall across from you.

“I can stay.”

You shake your head, peeling yourself from his chest. “No, go get Ellie, she’s probably already pissed we ditched her.” When he doesn’t look convinced you run your palm up and down his arm, giving him another smile. “I’m okay… really. I just… I need a little bit. To myself. I want to take a shower and just… work through it.”

He watches you for a moment longer before nodding, pulling you to him by the back of your neck and planting a warm kiss to your forehead.

“I’ll be back soon.”

*~*~*~*~*~*

After Joel had left you turned down the house lights, keeping the little lamps on and took a burning shower, letting everything flow down the drain with each swipe of soap across your skin.

You knew, with Joel beside you, you could get through anything. Could walk out that door and face whatever the world threw at you and come out on the other side because you had him and Ellie now.

Ringing out your hair, a purple robe wrapped tight around your body, mulling over the symphony of thoughts in your head, the door to the bathroom suddenly rattles. You jump, not having expected them to be back so soon. Your heart leaps into your throat and before Joel can start to say anything you let everything you feel pour out.

“Joel I… I just need to tell you… and I know this seems silly just bear with me please.” You lean your head against the wood, closing your eyes and take a deep breath. “I know you’ll keep me safe, I know you will because from the moment I met you that’s all I’ve ever felt is safe. From the moment I ran into you at the food center, nearly knocking you down I felt it, this big rough and tough guy was… was going to be so important to me. And the years that have followed of me getting to know you, learning about your life, about your daughter, about your family… I’ve fallen Joel… I’ve fallen so deeply in love with you that I hope I can never crawl out… you are my everything, and I know with you beside me we will make it through anything and I… I just.”

The tears spilling down your cheeks cut you off, no longer able to continue, you throw open the door, rushing into his chest and throwing your arms around him. Every nerve, every emotion laid bare at his feet and yet you can’t look him in the eye as you press in tighter. His hands run up your back, gripping your shoulders and you hear the rumble in his chest as he starts to speak…

“Who the fuck is Joel?”

Your body tenses, heart stuttering as panic eclipses you. Your head shots back, eyes locking on Chris’s face and a scream bubbles out of your throat as you try and get away. “NO!”

But he has you, arms around your shoulders, iron like grip crushing you to him as you squirm and kick and fight. He hardly struggles as he steps back, taking you with him and suddenly something comes to mind that Joel had once taught you a few years ago.

You crane your neck back before slamming your head forward, making contact with his nose, you both let out your own screams of pain but it works. He drops you to the ground, your head spinning, pain blooming in your forehead but you push through, staggering to your feet as Chris spews profanities clutching his nose.

You make it three feet to the door before Chris wraps a hand around your arm, swinging you around throwing you across the room. Your body slams into the dresser, everything on top crashing to the floors as you cry out, your back taking most of the impact.

Chris steps towards you, his body between you and the door, and memories of every way he has ever hurt you flood you, suffocating, and drowning

“I asked you a question woman. Who the fuck is Joel?”

Joel. Joel. Joel. “He’s the man who is going to kill you if he finds you here.” You spit back, trembling as you force yourself to make eye contact, Joel will be back, he will save you.

Chris laughs, making your muscles clench, the sound like nails on a chalk board. “That little old man you’ve been parading around with? Going to kill me? You’ve always had such a since of hummer.” He takes another step forward and you stumble to the side, the bed to your right and a wall to your left. Your eyes flicker to the door.

“Do you know how long I have searched for you little lamb? Do you?” He stays still, watching you cower, the fear radiating off of you giving him a high he hasn’t felt in years. “It doesn’t matter, I always knew you’d come back to me, one way or another, I would get you back.”

“I will never, NEVER come back to you.” You edge closer to the bed, voice trembling uncontrollably as you speak. “Y-you ruined my life, Chris. You ruined ME. Of all the things I fear? Of the horrible fucking things in the world, the r-raiders, the fucking infected… You. You have ha-haunted me from the moment I escaped you and I will never come back to you C-Chris. I would rather kill myself than ever let you touch me again.”

Now your thigh is against the mattress, your chin lifted high as you level a glare at Chris, his face impassive and hard to read. “I would rather gut you on this floor, and feed you to the pigs than be with you.”

He lunges for you, just as you planned and your scramble over the bed, he cusses fingers barely grazing your hip as you push yourself forward, feet hitting the floor and sprinting to the door with wobbly legs. You grab the brass handle, yanking it open but he’s on you.

He’s always faster.

He’s always bigger.

Chris’s arms wrap around your body, lifting you off the floor as you scream, sobbing as you kick and flail against him. He drops you onto the bed, flipping you onto your stomach pinning you down with a hand to your neck and leaning his weight against your ass.

“No! No please! Please don’t!” Your screaming and blubbering, tears soaking the sheets below you and your scratch and claw for any leverage point to use, pushing and pulling to try and get up, to try and over come him.

“You owe me everything, you owe me your life. I picked you up off the side of the road, I am the one that gave you somewhere to stay, food to eat, clothes to wear.” Chris leans in more, his breath hot and sticky on the side of your face. “I fucked you so good you were crying my name and begging for more.”

Repulsion hurls through you and you squeeze your eyes shut, continuing to struggle as he palms your hip, bunching up your robe with each grind of his hips into your ass.

“Maybe you just need a little reminder. Maybe you’ve forgotten who you truly belong to.”

“NO! NO GOD PLEASE!”

Chris only smirks, pressing his weight onto the back of your head as he reaches for his belt, muffling your cries against the mattress, “Keep struggling, women. You know how I-.”

There’s a loud smack before suddenly all the weight is gone off of you, something heavy drops to the floor. Your eyes fly open, head wiping around to find Joel, a stone bookend clutched in his hand staring down at Chris’s limp body.

“Y/n?” You turn around fully, Ellie staring at you wide eyed.

“Come here.” Joel drops the bloodied bookend to the floor, holding his hand out for you.

Everything feels distorted, like you’re watching from outside your body as you take his hand and Joel and Ellie guide you out of the room.

Joel’s telling Ellie to go get Tommy as he sits you down on the couch, and she doesn’t hesitate before sprinting out the door. He’s asking you questions, where are you hurt? What did he do to you? When did he get into the house? But you can just stare at him, glossy eyes and trembling limbs. He cusses, loudly, hating himself that he let this happen to you.

Moments later Tommy and Maria are bursting into the room, Maria instantly coming to your side and wrapping her arms around you, talking to you in a much softer voice.

“What the fuck happened? Ellie comes kickin down my door saying something about a guy on top of Y/n-.” Tommy is cut off by Joel grabbing his arm and hauling him towards the bedroom, confusion taking over as he sees the man laying face first in the wood floor, a small pool of blood gathering around his head.

“I need one last favor from you.”

*~*~*~*~*~*

Joel and Tommy return hours later to find the house quiet, Maria and Ellie in the living room. Ellie’s asleep on the couch, sprawled out taking up most of the space as Maria combs her fingers through the young girl’s hair.

“Where my girl?” Joel startles her, her hand coming to rest over her chest.

“She’s in your bedroom upstairs… she’s asleep… she’s okay, physically, asides from some bruises and cuts on her forehead and back… listen Joel…” Maria wants to say more but he’s already taking off at the first pause, tracking mud behind him as he ascends the stairs.

He finds you curled up in his bed, covers pulled tight around your shoulders like Maria may have tucked you in. Joel stares at you silently, taking in your face, the rise and fall of your shoulders with each deep breath, he can see the bruise forming in your forehead like Maria had mentioned.

His hand comes to his chest, gripping at his shirt and pressing in, his body suddenly feels too hot, anything too tight on his skin.

Joel couldn’t keep you safe, he wasn’t there for you, so much worse could of happened. Joel realizing his greatest fear would be to lose you.

Tears prick his eyes as he sinks down onto the mattress beside you, “Honey…” Joel rests his hand on your shoulder and you jolt awake, for a split second not recognizing who’s above you until Joel speaks. “Hey. Hey it’s okay baby it’s me. It’s just me.”

Instantly you’re throwing yourself into him, crying uncontrollably. Joel holds you tight, his own tears being lost in your hair. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry darlin’. “ He mutters, pressing kisses to your temple, your cheek, the side of your neck, wherever he can reach, wherever he can touch to show you are safe and whole in his arms.

You pull back, looking at him still in a daze of sleep. “Why are you sorry?”

“I promised, I promised no one would hurt you. I couldn’t keep you safe.” The softness in his voice is heart breaking, the tears slipping down his tan cheeks into his beard makes your stomach tighten and you’re cupping his face gently shushing him.

“No, no Joel you saved me, you saved me. You stopped him, you didn’t let him…” You choke on the memory of Chris’s body against yours, shaking your head. “I remembered what you told me… about how to head butt someone.” Joel looks surprised, maybe confused at your sudden turn in topic. “I didn’t know it would hurt so bad.”

You both are silent for a moment before he chuckles, the sound warm and addictive and you’re copying him, dropping your hands to his shoulders, twisting the lapels of his jacket between your finger. “I should have been there.” He whispers, resting his forehead against yours lightly, careful not to hurt you. “I should have never left you alone.”

You sniffle, tugging at his collar slightly to occupy your shaking fingers. “We can’t always be with each other Joel, you and I both know that.”

“I should of though, I should of payed more attention when I left the house, I-I didn’t even fucking lock the do-.”

“Hey.” You cut him off, leaning back to get a good look at his face, Joel looks more defeated, more worn down, like the life has left his body.

“I never wanted to fail you.” He breaths. Your face softens, hands smoothing down to his chest.

“Oh honey… you never failed me Joel. You’ve taught me how to survive, how to overcome, how to fight. If it weren’t for you I would be dead.” He flinches slightly at your admission but you continue. “You saved me, you saved me the moment you met me, I… I have never in my life felt more safe with someone that I do with you, four years almost right? You have protected me and I’ve…” You swallow thickly, no longer a piece of wood to hide behind as you finally lay everything bare.

“I’ve fallen in love with you, I think I feel in love with you when you asked me to help celebrate Sarah’s birthday. I think I feel in love with you when we stopped on that run to stare at the night sky because it was so clear and pretty and you laid the sleeping bags in the back of the truck. I think-.”

You don’t have to finish because Joel’s lips are on yours and he’s pulling you into his lap, pressing your body against his like this is that last chance he will ever get. And for a man of little words his actions speak volumes. Years of tension, years of built of feelings, stolen touches and simple gestures break down to this very moment.

And It’s just Joel, it’s just you, just this moment of uninterrupted joy the two of you have worked so long and hard for.

One large hand sinks into your hair, the other brushing across your hip up your back and you jolt at the touch, pulling away with a gasp. “M sorry.” He breaths, “I shouldn’t a-.”

“Stop apologizing, you didn’t do anything wrong Joel… just my back hurts.” You whisper pressing back in an closing off any argument with another slow kiss.

This time a knock at the door interrupts, and Joel looks over your shoulder to see Tommy. You climb off of his lap sheepishly, face hot with embarrassment as Joel stands going to his brother. They exchange hushed words before Tommy gives you a nod and is walking away.

“Tommy was just sayin Maria got Ellie to bed, they’ll come back tomorrow with a doc to check your back.”

You nod, watching him toe out of his boots, the mud staining up to his knees. Really looking at him his hair is damp, the cuffs of his jacket wet also as he shrugs out of it.

“Joel?”

He looks over at you, eyebrow cocked slightly.

“Where is he now?”

*~*~*~*~*~*

A man jolts awake, groaning as pain blossoms through his skull, he reaches for his head but is stopped, rope bites firmly into his wrists. Panic sets in as he finally cracks open his eyes, blinking to adjust to the sudden star littered darkness blanketing him.

Snow is falling heavily in the dense woods, the tree he is tied to cutting into his back as he struggles, panic morphing into fear as he calls out, screaming for anyone to answer him, the feral need to escape squashing his logic and reasoning.

He searches frantically for anything in reach, anything he can use to cut himself free as he cusses and splutters with each painful tug of his arms against the bindings.

A twig snaps, his body goes taught.

Another snap.

Tears fill his eyes as he cranes his neck back, a whimper falling from his lips.

Something moves in the branches above his head.

Click, click. Skrrr. Click, click.

The noise comes to life all around him, his fate sealed.

Click, click. Skrrr. Click, click.

#joel miller #joel miller x y/n #joel x reader #joel miller the last of us #the last of us #dark #hurt #safety #apollyonsdarksecrets #no smut #friends to lovers

[bowiebond]

TW dubcon/mention of SA? (Ace character who doesn’t know they’re ace is belittled into sex — it doesn’t go into detail)

Jason never realising he’s asexual until he marries a girl and goes “oh fuck I waited until marriage like a good Christian boy, but I’m supposed to do the deed now…”

He holds off as long as possible. Makes excuses. Until it’s been months and his wife snaps at him.

“What, is your dick broken or something?! Am I not attractive enough for you? I married you in hopes of having an easy well off life with children that I could put my love into and you can’t even give me that?!”

Jason relents. He has pride and he wants to hold onto it and…well, it’s uncomfortable. It feels nice, physically, but he can’t focus on the pleasure when his skin is crawling, his stomach churning.

She’s gorgeous. Beautiful, really. He knew that. He doesn’t understand why his body doesn’t.

She doesn’t make him do it again for a while. Waits a few weeks but when there’s no positive test, she asks him to try again.

It takes four tries before she falls pregnant, and Jason is relieved. She’s gotten her baby. She doesn’t need him for anything more than a paycheck and a father now. She seems happy with that; he’s come to realise she never loved him. It explained the quick engagement. He had been swept up in his desire for a girlfriend, a wife who he’d come home to and kiss on the cheek and maybe watch a movie with that he never considered that maybe she didn’t want that too.

It feels like a break up, Jason thinks. He’s only been through one before with his highschool sweetheart, Chrissy.

Jason wonders if maybe he’s gay. It’s a thought that makes his gut clench and his throat tighten up. Hell, he even tries to watch some stuff. It does little to nothing for him. He stares hours at his screen, switching between pornos, straight and gay and even lesbian, but nothing strikes him as appealing. He half-considers the videos where men would pet their kneeling boys, interested in the gentle flushes it would induce, but it didn’t stir anything that made his dick hard. It just made his heart race, really, the intimacy of it.

He decides he’s not gay. Just…fundamentally broken. Or maybe he had been born for priesthood, celibate for life. Fuck, that sounded like a good life to him.

So he does it. He joins the priesthood. He’s married, sure, but it’s an easy excuse to why he can’t sleep with her anymore. He’s devoted to this way of life, he told her. To God. And he was. He had grown up looking towards the sky.

After a year, she divorces him. It’s hard, and rocky, but she finds a new man within two years who she actually does love.

He gets a son anyway, Joseph, even if he only sees him three days out of the week and he’s unable to stay the night most days because his mother is clingy regarding her baby. The few times he does get his boy for the night, he curls the five year old into his chest and reads him storybooks until he nods off, all chubby cheeks and tousled blond hair like his father.

He hopes he never grows up. Never gets bigger. Because one day he won’t want to share a bed with his father, be held by him, or even visit because he had his stepdad in the picture and his ex-wife has snippy comments on her tongue about him at the ready always.

But he gets older. Of course he does. Joseph is thirteen when he begs Jason to take him to see a metal band.

“I know, ‘it’s the devils music’, but they’re really good, Dad. Can’t you just do this for me, for once? Mom won’t let me go without an adult and she refuses to go with me. Or let David.” His stepdad. Joseph scowls as he spits the name. David isn’t all that bad, but he refuses to argue with his wife, and it gets on the boys nerves. Jason’s also aware there’s a bit of favouritism when it came to Joseph and their other two kids, Lauren and Peter.

Jason can’t say no. Not when his son is obviously being slighted instead of just being told no by his mother. She could be a real petty woman at times. What did Jason ever see in her?

“Fine.”

“Yes! Thank you, dad!” Joseph is buzzing the rest of the week, even offering to pay for his fathers ticket out of his saved up pocket money since Jason hadn’t been keen, but like hell was he taking his kids money.

“Keep it, ‘Seph. Buy yourself a shirt or something from the concert instead, okay?” Jason ignores that it’s a petty move on his end too. He knows his ex-wife will chuck a fit at their son wearing heavy metal merch, but the idea delights Jason. The satisfaction would be better than sex by tenfold. He would know.

Jason almost regrets coming when he sees the crowd. They’re all draped in black with wildly coloured hair and he feels like a sore thumb with his baby blue polo and white cardigan tied around his shoulders, blond hair swept back. He also feels a tad old for the crowd, but he sees a few men and women much older than him, so at least he knew he wasn’t the only grown up.

God. A priest at a heavy metal concert. What a scenario.

“Dad, dad, they’re coming on stage, oh my god.” Joseph is jumping on his toes, trying to see over the crowd and Jason, who never dropped his strict regime, figured he could chance one evening of carrying a barely teen on his shoulders. Joseph almost falls at first and laughs when Jason clamps down his hands. He’s heavier than he used to be and it makes Jason’s heart (and shoulders) ache.

He squinted over the heads to look at the stage and found himself feeling a strange sense of familiarity as a shaggy dark haired man in black and chains walked onto stage, taking the microphone in hand.

“How’re my undead fans going? You all still alive?” The crowd roared, including Joseph, and it made Jason wince at the volume. The leads voice is nice though, low and just a tad rough around the edges. “Any newbies in the crowd? First show with us?” Joseph cheered along with a few others and the lead laughed.

He pointed at Joseph, the easiest one to spot with his blond hair and elevated height.

“Good to see some fresh faces. Little white sheep here needs a shirt, seriously, you look like you’re about to puke from excitement, kid.”

“I love you, Eddie Munson!” Joseph screamed and Jason’s eyes widened in shock, jaw going slack. He almost dropped Joseph before gripping tighter.

Prays be to God.

Eddie cackled, almost falling with how low he leant back. He swung back up with a weird grace to him, hair swinging forward with the force. He stomped towards the edge and pointed harder at him.

“You — you, kid, you buy a shirt and I’ll fuckin’ sign it, you got spirit, squirt!” He spun around, still laughing as he grabbed the microphone stand. He looked over his shoulder after a moment with wide eyes. “Apologises to the parental figure. But coarse language is advised.” He grinned and grabbed his guitar with flourish, tossing the strap over his head.

“Enough talk, let’s fuckin’ let loose.” The lights shut off with a scream from fans before red bled onto the stage, fog curling around Eddie’s shadowed figure, three more figures making themselves known behind instruments.

“Let’s knock open our Coffin, boys.” The purr rumbles through the speakers, followed by a low vibrating note that makes Jason’s breath hitch and hair stand on end.

The concert is a blur. Jason had taken a few songs to get used to the volume, but he couldn’t lie. They were good. With the crowd, with their instruments — Eddie’s voice could go from warm honey to gruff, animalistic almost, within moments. It was an experience, that was for sure.

“I have to get a shirt, dad. He said he’d sign it. You think he really will?” Joseph is shaking all over and Jason is only mildly concerned. He’s pretty sure he’s shaking too, but it’s in a good way?

“I’m sure he will.” Jason decides he should probably avoid going backstage with his son. Eddie and him hadn’t been…friendly. Less than. Jason had thought Eddie annoying as all hell and he’s pretty sure Eddie hated his guts.

Unfortunately, Joseph’s too young to go backstage alone according to the bodyguard.

“Please, dad? It’ll only be a few minutes, I promise, this is a once in a life time. I’ll never ask for anything ever again!” He begs and Jason had already folded to his whims when he said please.

Seeing Eddie up close is staggering. Makes his heart stop and start and sputter like an old car. When Eddie looks at him, he knows he’s put a name to the face in moments.

“Carver?”

Joseph’s eyes widen as he looks between Eddie and his father.

“Munson.” He greets back. Joseph’s mouth fell open in shock.

“You know Eddie Munson, dad?” There’s stars in his sons eyes and Jason wants to kick his younger self in the rear for being a dick to Eddie because now his son is going to reap what he sowed in his youth.

“I…We went to school together.” He thinned his lips and Eddie was watching him intensely. It made his cheeks hot. He had never been able to hide his embarrassment or shame with how pale he was.

“You haven’t changed.” Eddie remarked, eyeing his outfit with a smirk. Jason bristled at his words.

“And I see you’re still a—“ A scowl was growing but it fell apart when his son spoke.

“You were friends with Eddie Munson, dad?! Oh my god, I can’t believe this, this is the best day of my life! My boring priest dad was friends with a rockstar!” Joseph’s voice cracked, squeaky like every boy starting puberty. Jason’s heart plummeted. Anxiety swirled in his gut as he realised he was about to disappoint his only child, opening his lips to refute his claim.

“Oh, yeah, totally, little dude.” Eddie interjects, grinning. “We go wayyyy back. Best friends, really.” It was a bold faced lie and even his band mates seemed to agree it was a total farce from the looks on their faces, ranging from bewilderment to eye rolling exhaustion.

“Why did you stop being friends then?” Joseph frowned.

“I got busy with my career, obviously!” Eddie gestured to their surroundings. “I didn’t have a lot of time to phone and catch up. Totally my bad, really.” Holy shit, he was really going the full mile on this one. Jason wasn’t sure whether to applaud him or not.

Joseph elbowed his fathers side and looked at him expectantly.

“Maybe you should get back in contact so you have some actual friends. Ones that are cool.” He barely whispered it and Jason’s ears burned.

“I have friends. Everybody at church is my friend, Joseph.” He snipped out between clenched teeth, glaring at his son who scoffed. When had he become such a snarky kid? He used to be so sweet.

“That doesn’t count.”

“I’m too busy, Joseph.”

“You don’t even do anything when I don’t visit—“

“I do so—“

“Yeah but not like, a lot—“

“Hey, quit punching your old man while he’s down. You should know better.” Eddie laughed, pinching at the blond boys Corroded Coffin tee that he had thrown on over the top of his other shirt. “Come here, let me sign this thing. I’ll even add in a Polaroid you can frame.” He winked and Joseph’s eyes sparkled.

“Please!”

“So he has manners when he wants something.” Jason muttered. Eddie grinned and pulled Joseph closer, signing the shirt with his name. He called over his bodyguard to take a photo. Jason stood off to the side awkwardly, waiting to leave.

“C’mon, you too, old pal.” Eddie pulls him in last second and Jason’s pretty sure his wide eyes will be immortalised on his sons dresser, along with the blonds mused fringe flipped up against Eddie’s frizzy dark locks. He looks ridiculous, he bemoans to himself as each member autographs the Polaroid.

“Okay, come on, we have to head home now or your mother will throw a fit.” Jason ushers Joseph to say his goodbyes.

“Tell your wife I said hi, Carver.” Eddie drolls on his way out and Jason huffs.

“She’s not my wife.” And he was glad for it.

Just as they made for the door, Jason felt a hand on his wrist. He jumps and nearly trips over his own damn feet when Eddie tugs his arms around to expose his forearm, squiggling down several digits with his tongue peeking out between his lips, concentrated.

Jason tugged his arm away with his heartbeat in his ears when Eddie caught his eye, grinning.

“Call me sometime. You know. To catch up.” He winked and Jason was thrown for a moment at the gesture.

“Uh…sure.” He cleared his throat and left quickly with Joseph who was gushing about the fact that his father had Eddie Munson’s phone number.

Jason doesn’t intend to call it. So he doesn’t. It’s two weeks later and he’s happy to forget all about the meeting when a familiar face walks right through his church doors.

“What’re you doing here?” He hissed quietly, making his way down the aisle. It was after his service, so there wasn’t anybody except Thomson, who always stayed an extra hour to pray alone. His wife was going through a hard battle with cancer, so Jason never disturbed him. Sometimes, he’d even pray with him, or before bed, he’d pray on his behalf.

“Checking if I burn when I enter holy ground.” Eddie mimicked his whisper, a crooked grin on his lips and hands stuffed in the pockets of his tight black pants. “Seems I’m still safe after fifteen years.”

“How did you even know this was my church?” Jason looked back towards Thomson and huffed, leading Eddie back out of the door and closing it behind them. He wasn’t going to disturb the poor man. “Are you stalking me or something?”

“Your son told me.” Eddie shrugged and Jason blinked a few times.

“How did my son tell you?”

“You didn’t use my number, but he sure did.” Eddie smirked and Jason’s face burned with realisation. Joseph must have memorised the number on his forearm. That sneaky brat.

“I’m so sorry.” He sighed. “He’s a good kid but he’s nosy at the worst times. Gets it from his mother. I’m sure you have plenty of things to be doing instead of entertaining a thirteen year old.”

Eddie snorted.

“Kid worships the ground I walk on. I’m happy to entertain him.” There was a long pause between them, and Jason hated how cool Eddie seemed with it. Jason could never stand the quiet.

“I’m…also sorry about high school.” He forced the words past his lips. He was, to a degree, sorry. He had been a douchebag. His years in service had humbled him greatly, especially with how many folks he met from different walks of life. Becoming a priest had made him reevaluate a lot about himself.

Eddie was still a prick though. He had antagonised Jason just as much back then, even if Jason had had the popularity to back him unlike Eddie.

“Honestly? Me too. We were stupid, teenage dicks.” Eddie conceded and Jason rolled his eyes.

“You were a freak though.”

“And you were a preppy shitstain jock.”

They stared at each other, and after a long silence, Jason’s lip quirked up.

“Forgive and forget?”

“Something tells me if I don’t say yes now, I’ll have to say a dozen Hail Mary’s instead later.”

“Only half a dozen. I can be nice.” Jason shrugged and Eddie cackled, head thrown back.

“God, Carver, man, I never thought this would be how we met again. A priest. I mean, it makes sense, you bible thumper.” He teased, trying to hook a finger under the white band of his collar. Jason smacked his hand away with a huff.

“My church is about sharing Gods teachings and Jesus’ love with people who want it. I wouldn’t call myself a bible thumper. That implies I’m out rallying against gay marriage and abortions in my free time. I don’t care what folks outside my church do. I learnt that early on.”

“Oh wow. You’re all ‘love thy neighbour’, huh?” Eddie seemed genuinely surprised. “Not gonna stone a whore in the front yard?”

“Gosh no!” Jason put a hand to chest, appalled. “If she finds pleasure in flesh, good for her, but I will pass. And perhaps advise her to be safe. And evaluate why she prefers one night stands to a healthy, long term relationship with an active partner and plentiful sex.” He crossed his arms with a shrug of his shoulders and brows.

Eddie laughed. Full belly laughed, bent at the knees and wheezing a little.

“Oh my god! You’re literally — full one-eighty! You’re a whole new guy! This is…god, this is kind of hilarious.”

“You didn’t change, from what I’m seeing.” Jason mused. Eddie grinned.

“Nah. I mean, I grew up, had to to be in the biz long term, but I’m still everybody’s favourite freak.” He joked with a good-natured shrug.

“And now you’re standing outside my church.”

“The kid is convinced we have to reconnect. Be friends again.” Eddie chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m a sucker for kids, man. Can’t disappoint them.”

“Do you have any?”

“Nah. I mean — I could have.” Eddie admitted shyly. “Didn’t work out. Got too wrapped up in my career, couldn’t settle. And groupies, try as they might to convince you I hooked up with them, and knocked them up; I didn’t.”

“Why not?” Jason quirked a brow. “Isn’t that the big things with rockstars? Drugs, music and women?”

Eddie barked a laugh.

“Drugs? Some hard stuff in my youth. Some weed when I need to mellow out during a writing sesh. Music? Ear-aching amount. But I’m proud of it. As for women…” He leaned in closer, voice low as he spoke. “Not really my type.” He pulled back with thin lips and Jason’s heart thumped harder in his chest, his collar feeling too tight.

“I told you. I don’t judge people. Only the Creator can.” He looked up at the clear blue sky. “And he doesn’t make mistakes.” He assured softly and Eddie smiled. “So…you’re gay.”

“Not exactly.” Eddie shrugged, looking a bit shy. “Not really interested in anybody. Not in that way.”

Jason frowned.

“Is that why you aren’t married?” Despite his many rings, Eddie’s left ring finger was bare. “You don’t…can’t love anyone?”

“I do. I can.” Eddie affirmed. “Just, uh, not interested in showing it through…physical means.”

It clicked in Jason’s head then. His eyes widened, lips parted in surprise.

“I see.”

“Must suck. Being a priest. Celibacy and all.” Eddie suddenly said, shifting his stance to something faux-casual. Trying to move the subject off himself and his lack of desire.

“Not really. It’s why I went into it.” Jason admitted, Eddie’s confession making him feel brazen.

“You went into priesthood for…the abstinence?” Eddie frowned, squinting in confusion.

“Well, I had faith, and I was in a marriage I was unhappy in. She had the child she wanted. It seemed like a good option at the time. I’m glad I did it, actually.”

“Wait, just let me— are you…” Eddie gestured vaguely and Jason smirked.

“I’m not gay. I’m not really straight either. I…don’t desire sex. At all.”

“You have a son.” Eddie reminded, like Jason didn’t know.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but…I’m glad I had him, even if I wasn’t comfortable making him.” Jason truly meant that. Joseph was his pride and joy.

“So you’re asexual too?”

“Asexual?” Jason frowned. “Like a plant?”

“No, you, uh…you’re not attracted to anyone. Physically.”

“No.” Jason’s brows furrowed. “There’s a word for that?”

“Yeah.” Eddie chuckled. “There’s a lot of words for a lot of things. I am curious though; do you like anybody romantically?”

Jason thought about it. He had thought he loved his ex-wife. He knew he had loved Chrissy before they spilt. He had had plenty of crushes as a kid and even in his years as a priest, he had pined for two women, and a man for a brief time.

“My heart doesn’t discriminate.” He decided with a soft blush. Eddie grinned.

“I feel you there.”

They stared at each other a long moment and Jason’s heart only raced faster, all too aware of it. Eddie offered him a dazzling smile. The show stopping kind.

“Maybe we should hang out. Properly. I’m pretty sure the little dude is already bragging to all his friends about his uber cool dad anyway.”

“I’m only ‘uber cool’ dad when you’re mentioned.” Jason clicked his tongue. Eddie smirked.

“Obviously. I’m the uber cool part, you’re the dad.”

Jason rolled his eyes with a shake of his head, trying to hide his smile. He was doing a poor job of it.

It took him thirty five years to realise he was asexual, but it took him thirty six to realise he was in love with Eddie Munson.

Go figure. The Lord really did work in mysterious ways, huh?

#eddie munson #jason carver #asexual jason carver #asexual eddie munson #munver #TigerFreak #carson #priest Jason carver #rockstar eddie munson #Joseph Carver

[momolady]

I saw your tags - Do you want to share maybe a happy story about your brother? I'd love to hear one if you do.

Awww oh my gosh this is so sweet! Thank you.

We had a five year gap between us, so we never really were close until we got to be adults. Like any big brother, he always liked harassing me. He loved to get reactions of me by telling me racist jokes (he wasn't he was just an asshole). But he also got me into a lot of things I really love today liek Star Trek, Star Wars, and Batman (his holy trifecta if you will.

My brother was this pretty sterotypical southern guy. He had a beard, big gut, and liked to put on a tough exterior. But I had seen him in some really vulnerable and sweet moments. He was a person who cared a shit ton about people, though he'd never really show it. He was the kind of guy to tell me I sucked at video games, but then go and buy me the walk through book int he same day. He left behind him a legacy of people who had a wealth of good stories about him. How he helped them build things for their home, fix cars, take care of their kids, etc. He cared so much about the people in his life, but he'd never let you think he was anything than an asshole.

It's also because of my brother I got into Predator and Aliens, also Transformers and the Ninja Turtles. When he 'had to watch me' from time to time, he'd make me watch the things he liked. I remember we had gotten this X-Men cartoon VHS from Pizza Hut (yes, I'm old. But back int he nineties we got VHS with our fast food and it was awesome!) and I remember thinking Beast was so dreamy. But apparently that was weird and he made me watch Star Wars instead. (Jokes on you, that movie also had a huge hairy creature. You can't stop seven year old me.) I also remember watching Alien for the first time. The Xenomorphs were terrifying to me as a kid, but I also could not stop looking at them. My brother had action figures from the movie, and I wanted to play with his Alien Queen so bad! I hated her, but I loved her. I hated her, but I loved her. I now have a word for that as an adult, and it's scareroused. My brother was a pretty big collector, he kept almost all of his childhood toys. So when we started going through his things, it was relly cathartic to go through memories and recall things I hadn't thought about in ages. I have a Venom figure of his that sticks his tongue out. I have a Yautja mask my brother owned on my wall. I also have his huge collection of Ninja turtle merch that I'm still trying to find a place for. I also have his Gargoyle figures! Which, yes, he also got me into as a kid but never let me play with his figures. Whose laughing now, bro?

I think his influence, along with my mom's, really helped me discover this fun little niche of monster romance.

Thank you again, I really do enjoy sharing stories about my brother.

#personal

[authoralexharvey]

INTERVIEW WITH A WRITEBLR — @jezifster

Who You Are:

Astro || He/him

I'm Astro, I'm a trans guy, I'm 24 and native American, I have ADHD and it's a dragon I'm either riding or fighting.

What You Write:

What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?

Action, comedy, fantasy, paranormal, and romance. New adult.

What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?

Romance probably. It's the constant in all my WIPs. I'm corny and I enjoy it, I love to see a couple (or a few) people trying to die for each other. That first kiss is one of my favorite scenes to write. I just love seeing what people in love will do for each other and to each other. It's cute, it's devastating, it's hot.

What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?

High fantasy. I'm not into worldbuilding, so most of my stories are set in the real world with fantasy elements. I also don't think I could write royalty stories. I think they're neat, but I just much prefer the perspective of the grungy street rat.

Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?

People who like violence and sex and drugs and anti-authoritarian themes. I think some people do read for my characters, without necessarily loving all the darker topics, and there's always a message that I think would resonate with everyone in my writing. Mainly that those in power don't give a f*ck about those under them and you should tear them down.

What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?

Anti-authoritarian is definitely a big one. Kill God, fight the government, question the system around you. Are monsters actually the monsters and don't heroes just uphold the status quo? I think I channel a lot of my feelings about the real world into my WIPs. I love a lot of tropes, especially the romance ones. Enemies to friends/lovers is so fun. Corruption arcs. ADHD x Autistic pairings is something that's so special to me.

What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?

The main one is the main character being too good of a person. I don't think it's bad, but I love when they get dark. Like yeah pull the trigger, the villain deserves it. Don't be upfront about your feelings and let them rot instead until you do something you regret. I think it's just way more interesting to read.

What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?

Bones and Bullet is my focus right now. I've been writing it off and on since I was 13 so I'm on year 11. I really like how it's turning out this time and I know more about the politics and espionage so plotting is a lot easier.

Why do you write? What keeps you writing?

I'm mad at the world and that's part of it. But mainly it's just a lot of fun. I have a blast watching my characters do wild stuff in my head, and I love entertaining others but I've always been the best at doing that through writing.

How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?

Since I was 8 or 9? I loved reading and I read The Lottery and felt so gut-punched by it I was like… I gotta do that to someone.

Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?

The state of the world is a big one. I don't think there's a god but if there is, then why are they letting things happen the way they are? I can make that character and actually ask. For my current project, I really liked action movies as a kid. Especially the really wild ones like the Mission Impossible series. Ghost Protocol where Tom Cruise is suction cupping outside the Burj Khalifa? That changed me. And then later I understood more about politics and the themes of songs like Born in The USA and I was like oh we're not the good guys, so my Agents aren't technically agents anymore, but exploited and discarded ex-agents who are permanently changed by what they went through.

What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?

Bones and Bullet for sure. I think the plot really works and I've always struggled with that, but I'm so excited for the climax of the first book. Plus Shadow and Veronica are characters that I really know very well and I think it shows.

Have you published anything? Do you want to?

No, I just post online. I don't want to do traditional publishing and I'd probably just make my finished project available online and printed independently if people wanted a hard copy.

What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?

None of it appeals to me. Editors scare me, I struggle with constructive criticism, I do not think I could handle a negative review. So that's why I'd make my stuff available for free. Why would someone complain about something free? I would judge them for it instead of taking it personally.

What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?

I love learning more about my characters. They really become so well fleshed out that they seem like their own people making their own decisions. I just manage the outside influences. The least appealing is the tedious. Keeping track of dates, or names of minor characters, worldbuilding a fantasy transportation system. I just much prefer the people part of it.

Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.

Oh it's pure chaos. I plan a lot of scenes while I'm driving in the car listening to music. I write random scenes on my phone, chapters on my laptop. I write when I'm overcome with the urge to, and I don't force it if I'm not. I usually write laying on the couch with my laptop or phone.

Your Thoughts on Writeblr:

How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?

I can't remember exactly but it's been over a year. I initially joined Wattpad but I didn't like some things I'd heard about it. And someone on there recommended tumblr. I've always liked tumblr but never was a part of the creative side.

Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?

I always follow people who have cool projects, and sometimes they follow me back and we start talking. It's a blast. I have a lot of favorites and I know I'm going to miss someone but @calicojackofficial, @vacantgodling, @multi-lefaiye, @addisons-damn-dialogue, @written-in-gold, @mrnauseam, and @kingkendrick7 are all super cool creators who are a lot of fun to talk to.

What is your favorite part about writeblr?

That you can do whatever you want here pretty much. It's not Twitter or tiktok and that's a good thing. It feels real.

What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?

I think there should be a way to engage more with readers. It's always nice to get feedback from other writers, but I know there are people who aren't writers but are mainly readers who would like to follow writblr projects who have no idea that's an option.

How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?

I try to read and reblog when I can. I like to participate in ask games. My dms and asks are always open for rambling at me about projects in. I would like to do more but my mental focus has been struggling lately due to life stuff so once I get that sorted out I'll be more reliable.

What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?

Character posts are a lot of fun. I love seeing art and moodboards too. Ask games are a blast. Excerpts, of course.

What kind of posts do you most like to make?

I like to share the weirder lines I write as short excerpts. I also enjoy making ask games and full chapters.

Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?

Discord in my pinned. I have an instagram and Twitter but I don't use them really.

Questions For Fun:

1. Got a favorite pairing, either in your work or in someone else's? What about it makes it your favorite?

What is the weirdest line you've wrote? What inspired it?

Some that come to the top of my head are Gwaine and Asher by @calicojackofficial , Hector and Ari by @written-in-gold and @addisonsdamndialogue, and Hya and Amon by @vacantgodling . All very fun couples with fantastic dynamics. It's hard to choose between my own pairings, but Shadow and Veronica have such a special place in my heart. They've known each other since childhood, fight a lot, know way too much about each other, act like they're divorced, but ultimately are incredibly loyal to each other. I have such a hard time deciding if I ship them more as friends or romantically.

"Oh, the sexy but fragile human body, boo hoo, you're hot, walk it off, have a potato, since you're so fond of them."

If your writing was a plant, what plant would it be and why?

It's a scene with Gabe and Satan from Rarely Reverie. Gabe is mad because Satan accidentally shot him. Satan is both flirting with him and annoyed that he's being blamed for it. They're just a lot of fun to write together because they're at odds a lot but have excellent chemistry.

Well I write a lot of stoner characters so I've got to say weed. Cannibis Sativa since there's a lot of action scenes.

#iwaw #writeblr celebration #writeblr event #writeblr #writing community

[hacash]

Series asks:

• The Terror

• The Musketeers

• the last movie you watched

Marvellously the last film I watched was LOTR, which makes this beautifully easy! Also I want to sue for making me choose just one husband-candidate from the Terror character list, this is nothing but pure biphobia.

The Terror

Character I’d want as a best friend. - Depending on my mood it would either be Bridgens (sweet, gentle, loves books, will clearly be a comforting presence) or Fitzjames (gossipy, kinda bitchy, would enjoy drag brunch and hopefully sharing his fabulous wardrobe with me).

Character I’d want as a parent. – I was going to say MacDonald, as he’s just so nice and dry-witted and shaped like kindness, but honestly one of the fundamental rules of life is that you can't think your parent is hot and Charles Edwards remains an absolute dish, so it's gonna have to be Captain 'Grumpy Pants' Crozier here.

Character I’d want as a sibling. - Irving, my troubled dweeby little baby queer: I have so many queer Christian groups to share with you.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – SOL TOZER. LOOK AT MY TAGS. THIS MUCH IS APPARENT. He's loyal, he's snarky, he's genuinely protective of his men, he's the hottest one of the bunch and clearly takes orders well: which is basically my dream husband. Because I'm greedy I will also dub Fitzjames and Hartnell as very close runners-up: two absolute Good Eggs who also happen to be very pretty.

Character I’d want as a child. – Honest to God, if I could pop baby Thomas Evans into a sling like a baby kangaroo and carry him around all day, I would, with his curls and his pinchable cheeks and his heartbreaking loyalty to his buddies.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – There is only one possible right answer for this, and that answer is Thomas ‘Monsterfucker’ Blanky.

BBC Musketeers

Character I’d want as a best friend. - Porthos, 100% the best musketeers of the bunch.

Character I’d want as a parent. – Obviously Captain Treville; apparently a specific blorbo-type I have is ‘gruff figure of authority who would die for anyone under their command’ and Treville was definitely a foundational blorbo here.

Character I’d want as a sibling. - Sylvie only had a single series and I'm still gutted about it; not only do I think she'd be a great sibling but we could overthrow the government together.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – I didn't spend several years spamming your feeds with reams of d'Artagnan gifsets and meta not to dub him my honorary husband now.

Character I’d want as a child. – Aramis: granted he’s an adult man but I feel like he needs a full-time parent just to tell him what not to put his dick in.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – Can you imagine going to family dinners and having Louis as an in-law? Those meals would be so messy, I would absolutely love that.

LOTR

Character I’d want as a best friend. – I would argue that pretty much the entire point of the trilogy is ‘you will never get a best friend better than Samwise Gamgee’, so obviously my answer’s gotta be Sam. We both like gardening, planting, being snarky little shits and loving Frodo Baggins so we’d probably get on.

Character I’d want as a parent. – Absolutely Theoden: Bernard Hill’s delivery of ‘no parent should ever have to bury their child’ ruined me twenty-two years ago and honestly I’ve never quite recovered. (He makes such a good dad!!)

Character I’d want as a sibling. – Boromir is the archetypal big brother; I would bond with him over adorable hobbits and being aspec so so much.

Character I’d want as a significant other. – My little eleven-year-old self’s crush on both Pippin and Merry was a significantly formative period in my life, so honestly, either of them. They’re both Good Eggs, we can bond over cooking, Pippin can make me laugh lots and Merry can compensate for my utter inability to plan anything ever.

Character I’d want as a child. – Those two adorable baby hobbit kiddos played by Peter Jackson's kids.

Character I’d want as a weird inlaw. – Gandalf is the only weird inlaw.

#the terror #lotr #bbc musketeers #answered ask memes

[proudfreakmetarusonniku]

the way you discuss media makes it really obvious you only engage with content made for literal children. maybe if you try graduating to at least young adult books now you’ll be able to handle something with more complexity than a disney show by the time you’re thirty

you do realise that adult media =/= hopeless and depressing. and adult media =/= portraying serious shit in a way that’s thoughtless. and adult media is not inherently better nor inherently worse than media for kids and it’s literally fine to like both. and that kids media can be complicated just in a different way to media aimed at adults. or do you just hate anything that’s not blood and guts edgy? because y’know that’s way more immature than me liking to watch cartoons every now and then.

also til my favourite video game the binding of isaac is incredibly appropriate and designed for children. or one of my favourite movies silence of the lambs is disney material. you do realise that this is a tumblr blog and not a document of the content i engage with in my life.

[marciabrady]

i rewached the hunchback of notre dame on friday for the first time, in a long time, and i'm still in shock.

hond was a film that was around when i was a child, because it had just come out, and the merchandising was still prevalent. it was being pushed a lot, so to speak, and growing up in the era that i did, the kids on the playground or online were either belle, meg, or esmeralda girls- there wasn't room for anyone else. as a child that gravitated more toward the classic princesses and femininity, it was not a movie that spoke to me and the fact that i felt it was shoved down my throat turned me off of it for a time. too much happened, even in the first five minutes, and there was constantly a wild series of events that i would try to reel my head in from. it wasn't a universe i wished to inhabit and, frankly, i think the crux of the reason why i didn't like it was because esmeralda was really the only female character (aside from laverne) and there wasn't enough for me, as a child, outside of the violence and shouting men and misery showcased. i revisited the film when i was twelve and i loved it so, but i think parts of me valued it at even higher a premium because of how rare and forgotten it had been. i even wrote esmeralda for a time. needless to say, it didn't last, and until now i've kind of been undecided about it

but watching it on friday...wow. i'm filled with both wonderment and despair. after craving quality content from disney for so long and continually being disappointed with tangled and frozen and moana and brave and raya, and every other movie i've tried to watch, i was instantly transfixed by how adult hunchback was, from the opening frames. the epic scale of the art, how ambitious it seemed, how elevated the jargon was- but mostly, how raw and realistic the storyline was. this movie threw no punches- it contained swear words, topics relating to disabilities, religion, death, genocide, se*ual assault, you literally name it. it exposed an underbelly of society that could be flattering and unflattering. while parts didn't age well, i'm surprised at how nuanced the conversation was around certain topics- decades before me too and social activism became more commonplace. i couldn't believe how beautiful it was and how much guts it took for the artists and writers to really go there. i was in disbelief for how evolved their viewpoints seemed, and this was before the internet was commonplace and they could've gotten as many viewpoints as readily as we can get them now...but then it filled me with instant sorrow, because i know they all got so much pushback and this film was so discouraged, we never saw the likes of it again.

it's funny because this film came years after the little mermaid, and you can tell how much of a higher budget this crew had to work with. the film's crew had sharpened their abilities and skills from previous years and made astounding technical advancements. that, mixed with how varied and diverse their topics became really signaled them finding their footing- or trying to. can you imagine, if they didn't give up on these types of movies, where we'd be today? how many more diverse stories, in diverse settings, we would've gotten- all adult in nature? the beautiful 2d designs and animation mixed to heighten the effect and impact and how it would've rounded out walt's vision, of wanting these films to not only be kid's stuff but genuinely be able to compete as a film genre unto itself? how different this movie was from any other??? and compare that to now, where they're all the same. what's the difference between dreamsworks, pixar, and disney movies anymore? and the activism they push now is 20 years too late, nothing cutting edge, and it's all the same. this female character is this much more badass, our first (minor) gay character that actually has no weight, addressing x about generation trauma, etc. even the topics we address in films now have been so sanitized and vetted out for audience approval that there's no real risk or edge to anything anymore, it's all monolithic and as safe as you can get.

but that's the thing with how experimental these later movies were- pocahontas, hunchback, hercules, mulan...while certain elements aged better than others, these movies should've been the beginning of an entirely new genre, not the last of their kind? how disturbing and offputting is it that tangled and brave came out decades after these films? that we've replaced the 'hellfire' villain type song with 'shiny?' we really could've had so much and it's sad that everything collapsed out from under us in that last breath of disney creating true art

the only thing that gives me hope is that we, the generation that grew up on these films, are the marketplace now. perhaps that will make these films come back into vogue and disney start producing them once more? but can they ever pick back up after such a long hiatus, without the original creative teams? is it all just a lost art form? also disney is making more money than ever with their marketable, but soulless, movies that are coming out now...also if these movies are to be in the spotlight again, does that just mean they'll be primed for another unnecessary remake? don hahn recently said disney only did animation because they couldn't make the special effects look real, but now that there's cgi to achieve hyperrealism, there's no need for 2d anymore and that's so sad to me. just because photorealism is in (which looks dated by the minute) and 3d is what people prefer, does that mean 2d is banished forever? that's like saying the invention of photography justifies the banishment of art. idk i just hope our generation can get these renaissance style movies back and to stay

#mine #marciabrady #the hunchback of notre dame

[tomatoteddy]

Thoughts while watching Hirogaru Sky! Pretty Cure Episode 18:

Cure Butterfly debut let's gooo!!!!! Spoilers ahead, but thought I would chronicle my thoughts here as I'm watching it on my tablet!!

btw I just finished my exams this is the best way to celebrate it perhaps

NEW SUMMER OUTFITS!? I LOVE THEIR OUTFITS SO MUCH MAN MASHIRO AND AGEHA LOOK SO CUTE!!!!

Seeing how small these kids are reminds me of what small I used to be oh my god

"I'm not a Precure" *stares at the episode title skeptically*

Tsubasa enforcing the fact that things could get dangerous if their identities are revealed meanwhile Sky and Prism reveal themselves to an old lady to help her get to the airport (no shade tho love that episode)

Also him trying to be serious while in bird form <3

Also his little orange v-neck sweater is so cute need me one of those for the trans vibes

Also also love Ageha's bouncy and excited animation hope they hold that up for her transformation

Love that Ageha gets to stay over with them! Pretty Cure sleepover!!

Love that little dance Ageha does with the girls.

Takeru, punching your classmates for cutting in line isn't the same thing as punching sentient robot magic beings that can kill and might destroy the universe

Ageha I love you I love you I love you so much allfhkrbekhskfbn (⁠●⁠♡⁠∀⁠♡⁠)

Tsubasa I know you want Elle to see what's happening but it's gonna be pretty obvious if you're holding a purple-nette baby above your head

BATTAMONDA NOT THE ELEPHANT WATERING CANS NOOOOOOO

Also just saying Butterfly joining the team means we'll have a new eyecatch and opening!! So excited!!

Battamonda is such a pathetic loser (/both affectionate and hostile)

Also also I can't wait for them to add her to the pose screen of the transformation

YOU LEFT THE BABY BEHIND!?!? YOU LEFT THE INTERGALATIC SKY PRINCESS WHO'S CURRENTLY BEING CHASED BY MONSTERS BEHIND!?!?!?!?!?!!

"I don't like picking on weaklings, but I will" Me when I tease my little sister

NOT THE DARK BLAST OF ENERY NOOOOOOOO

"Now you're birds in a cage-" Shut up you fucking grasshopper I could literally kill you with a shoe

He is such a sore loser you're a full grown adult (assumedly) beating up teenagers for a living

I miss Kabaton btw

I love you Ageha 🦋🩷💖

Go run girl!!!!!

Battamonda's shocked face when his Ranborg faints from a girl running around it <3

Also also I really love her ponytail (it must be annoying for me to point out every little detail but this is what happens when I hyperfixate on stuff)

True true- nursery school teachers really do have guts, especially if they willingly agree to just be around children all the time. Can't imagine it's easy, I was a bit of a rascal as a kid I would know

Takeru finding connections between Wing and Ageha just strengthens my "Tsubasa and Ageha are siblings" heart

Tsubasa enforcing the fact that things could get dangerous if their identities are revealed meanwhile Ageha transforms in front of a child

IT'S ALMOST TIME LET'S GET EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also the lesbian colours on that Sky Tone do not go unnoticed

CURE BUTTERFLY TRANSFORMATION LETS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My thoughts on her transformation it's like- it's so different but in a good way from the others?? It's not as fluid as Sky's or Wing's or as strangely stiff as Prism's. It's like jittery and energetic in her own unique way? Like obviously her hop step jump screens don't like pan out like Sky and Wing's, they're more like Prism's. But I feel like the absolute energeticness of the transformation makes up for it?????? Also can I just say I love all the butterfly shapes in her transformation, gives me early 2000's Barbie movies vibes.

ngl kinda dissappointed the sky in her pose scene isn't pink or purple like how wing's is orange and prism's has a rainbow, but I'll give it a pass since I'm a simple fan who just really wants Ageha content

I'm really here for Battamonda and Cure Butterfly bug rivalry 🦋🦗 fight fight fight fight

We really doing the Coral X-Shield now but with the butterfly let's gooooo!!

SHE JUST EXPLODED AN ELEPHANT WITH A KISS AKFHDOBSNHAGAKNAVOAGDNRBGIDH

Her stealing an entire building blanket (is that what they're called) while Battamonda is standing on it

SHE STRAIGHT UP NAPPY WRAPS THE ELEPHANT DKSHDKFHKDIJEN

Love that literally she gets to crush the enemy to purification 💖💖 Closest thing we'll get to her hitting someone with a bat me-thinks

My feet are going staticky right now wtf I don't wanna get up though

Yesss giiirllll go threaten the twink stick-ass bugman 💖💖

Takeru being a Cure Wing and Cure Butterfly fan just strengthens my "Tsubasa and Ageha are siblings" heart

throwback to her debut ep where she jumps onto Sora at the door + Sora somehow carrying an entire eighteen year old woman carrying a suitcase on her back (what sort of training do they do in Skyland???? I'm older than Sora by a year and I'm weak as hell!!)

YAYYYYY PRETTY CURE SLEEPOVER!!!!!!!

Also can I just say her hair looks so tasty?????? Like the yellow looks so appealing???

AGEHA AND TSUBASA GET THEIR OWN DUO ATTACK NEXT EPISODE I'M SO FUCKING EZCITED DKSJKABDOSGWBBWOZHXB

Overall, I really loved this episode!! I'm usually not one for making reviews as my thoughts usually add up to "omg magical girls!! Skehoeishaohjeidohagjajh" but they really did my girl Butterfly justice!!

#pretty cure #precure #hirogaru sky pretty cure #hirogaru sky precure #hirogaru sky #hirogaru sky spoilers #hijiri ageha #cure butterfly

[harapeveco]

miss harapeveco since we are in the topic of anime pls drop some recommendations I don’t have anything to watch 

Omg oks so I have a very shitty taste in anime so this will be a very disappointing list but the ones I mostly recommend are:

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun: literally every scene is funny and iconic, it also invented m/f yaoi don’t ask it makes sense

Owari no Seraph: I mean this very unironically this anime fucking sucks but in a good way like nothing is ever explained, nothing makes sense and they gaslight you into believing the main boys are gonna be endgame by showing you a homoerotic scene of blood drinking. Just roll with it and don’t ask questions it’s better that way

The Persona 3 movies and the Persona 4/5 anime: the movies are really good they did a good job condensing +80 hours of gameplay in 4 movies (except the third movie but we don’t talk about that). Now when it comes to the persona 4 anime you can tell they didn’t give a shit that thing is just 24 episodes full of jokes and comedy the game wishes it had holy shit it’s really funny for no reason. The persona 5 anime is more complex in the sense that it’s very unwatchable if you go to it expecting something good. It’s bad it’s very bad it’s poorly animated and rushed and it’s just borderline unwatchable but it is really funny if you wanna have a good laugh about how bad something is I recommend it

Osomatsu-san: the first episode of the first season being yeeted into oblivion bc it was very much illegal to show all of it makes it worth it. Keep in mind this is an adult show (even if it doesn’t look like it) so there’s a lot of crude humor and sex jokes but all the characters are such trashy people I like to see them suffer 

Kiss him not me: if you are a shipper this one is for you. Basically the MC is a yaoi obsessed fan girl who wants to see her classmates date each other yaoinly but they want to date her instead 

ID Invaded: really good anime with a really good mystery and plot! Main character did everything wrong but I still love him also Sou did the opening for it 

Happy sugar life: very fucked up horror about a high schooler in love with a literal child but it doesn’t go like you think it goes, they don’t portray it as romantic or cute they very much portray it as the fucked up thing it is and how wrong it is. It’s good if you like feeling unsettled and like to watch things go from 0 to 100 real fast

The promised neverland: amazing series with an amazing mystery and atmosphere! It’s a shame it only has one season tho I hope they make a second season of it in the future but it’s a shame it only has one

Dr stone: it has science, it’s horny, you have over the top characters, what more do you want

Natsume book of friends: you love to cry? You wanna cry after watching every single episode? Ofc you do! This shit will hit you in the gut so hard you will never recover. A beautiful story about acceptance, platonic love, found family and yokai with the best and most realistic character development I’ve ever seen 

Gegege no Kitaro: this one is very broad bc no kidding this anime gets a new adaptation every decade. There’s a 60s version, a 70s version, an 80s version, a 90s version, a 2007 version, a 2008 version that is more adult and follows the manga and a 2018 version too if you like recent stuff more. Most of these are lost media tho good luck trying to find any version that is not the 2018 one. I forgot about the plot of it yeh uhhh basically a kid ghost is a medium between humans and yokai but he mostly play favorites with the yokai and sometimes fucks the humans over so idk if he’s really a medium, he’s very biased about it

The dangers in my heart: I talked about this one before but I’m talking about it again idc. Really cute and wholesome the MC is kinda horny but he’s like 14 boys at that age are pretty horny we have to stop pretending they aren’t. The first 3 episodes are so cringe they are very painful to watch but if you can go through them you will witness what I think it’s the cutest romance after horimiya. I don’t usually read manga bc I have the attention span of a rock but even I did a binge read of it bc it was just so good

King’s game: edgier than shadow the hedgehog 2006, it’s painfully bad like I can’t even begin to explain how horrible this anime is but good lord it made me laugh all the way through 

Chuubyo gekihatsu boy: one of the main characters is a catboy called Rei Tsukumo and another character is a cringe Utaite what more can I say? It’s just dumb cringe kids being dumb as fuck for 12 episodes and you know what? It’s very good at it

Horimiya: just watch it for the love of god just watch it

Sasaki to Miyano: you have miyano who is like “I wonder if I’m gay??? I’m not sure???” While he reads gay manga and straight up imagines himself kissing his guy friend in the mouth like bestie COME ON

Thats all the anime I can think of the top of my head, well adding anime classics like fullmetal alchemist brotherhood, haikyuu, my hero academia (I only follow it bc the Todoroki family drama is the only thing well written in it), dragon ball (not dragon ball z bc as much as I like it I prefer dragon ball and the cutesy adventure aesthetic it has) and ofc how to forget sonic x 

#answered ask #anime reviewer juju harapeveco #i hope this helped anon! if you watch any of these feel free to spam me about it i need more anime besties

[theamd426]

@interestinglittlerelationship- I’d love to hear so much of together we think that we can make it. The first snippet you shared a while ago took my brain hostage for days.

Okay, so This one is a bit different from the original snippet I posted, because Caleb is no longer Reggie's foster dad. I made this a good dad Caleb fic, because I have sweet and sad plans for Caleb and Willie.

Reggie yawned as he sat in his hospital bed waiting for or a nurse to come back with his test results. It felt like hours  before his nurse from came over holding a clipboard and he had absolutely nothing to do.  "So Dr. Donner, one of our on-call hematologists wants us to admit you overnight so we can run a few more tests," he said giving him a gentle smile. "I called your caseworker and he said he said that one of the employees at the group home will be down here within the hour." "What kind of tests are you guys running?" Reggie asked, slightly concerned. The nurse sighed and looked down at his clipboard. The nurse knew he probably shouldn't share what was going on without an adult present, but he had a gut feeling Reggie's current caregivers couldn't care less since nobody has yet to show up for the poor kid.  "Your white blood cell count was unusually high and Dr. Donner thinks you may have Leukemia," the nurse said gently. "He wants to do a bone marrow biopsy first thing tomorrow to confirm and figure out which type of Leukemia you have and how much it's progressed." Reggie looked at her in shock. "I-I have cancer?" "I'm sorry," he said with a small smile.  "I-I can't afford to go through treatment though. There's nobody is going to pay for," Reggie said, tearing up. "I'm gonna die." "The state and Medicaid should cover the cost of everything," Reggie's nurse said shaking his head, "If you want treatment then you will get treatment." Reggie nodded his head and started to process the information that was given to him. He couldn't believe his luck. Not only was he an unwanted foster kid, but he now had cancer. He was positive the universe was out to get him.  "Is there anything I can get you to pass the time until everyone gets here?" he asked, hoping she could lighten the air a bit. "Normally kids come in here and they just scroll on their phone or tablets, but I'm guessing you don't have one?" Reggie shook his head.  "Okay," the nurse said nodding his head. "Well if you want I can grab one of the tablets from the surgery department and you can watch a movie until they move you to an actual room with a tv or I can bring you a coloring book and some crayons?" "What's on the iPad?" he asked, biting his lip. "It's Disney+, I'm pretty sure we have just about every Disney princess movie downloaded," he said with a small smile.  "So I'm guessing you guys don't have Star Wars?" Reggie asked not feeling like watching a Disney princess movie. "I'll see what I can do," he said with a smile.   "Can I watch a movie on the iPad and color?" Reggie asked, batting his eyes.

Ask me about my current WIPs

#julie and the phantoms #reggie jatp #reggie peters #alex mercer #luke patterson #reggie julie and the phantoms #jatp fanfic #jatp #cancer #fanfiction #fanfic #wip excerpt #my wips #current wip

[trulyinspiringmovies]

DC League Of Super-Pets

“DC League Of Super-Pets” is a decently watchable film for a corporate cash-grab.

Krypto is Superman’s dog who’s starting to feel like he’s being replaced by Lois Lane. When Superman is kidnapped by an evil, psychic guinea pig, Krypto tries to save him. The only problem is that he’s ingested some kryptonite, essentially depowering him. Now Krypto must team up with a group of newly superpowered shelter animals to save the Justice League.

I thought this movie was exactly what I expected it to be. It was watchable and had a few funny moments, but was ultimately a licensed movie of a recognizable brand made to try and make kids laugh. The few creative people inject their comedy and love for DC into this movie, only for out-of-touch corporate-mandated cringe to take up significant screen time. The cast is full of celebrity voice actors that they can afford because they’ll recoup the loss through the inevitable toy sales. But, that’s just business which I can respect. Then how did the movie turn out? As I said, it was watchable. These types of movies usually are for the most part. I’m not completely cynical and jaded to the point I can’t enjoy the movie for what it’s trying to be. I still feel the need to call it out though. What makes this movie watchable? Well, I’d say a few great jokes and surprisingly strongly written main characters. The classroom guinea pigs were probably the funniest part of the movie for me. I feel like if the tone of the entire rest of the movie was more akin to those guinea pigs, this movie would’ve been a gut-buster. Instead, you have those out-of-touch scenes like I mentioned before like Krypto eating ice cream and listening to Taylor Swift. With all the celebrity voice actors, I thought this movie would at least have some talented performances, but I was wrong. Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart really phone in their performances for this one. This was probably a paycheck for them because their line deliveries felt like a table read. The only two actors that were notable were Keanu Reeves and Kate McKinnon. Keanu Reeves is always a win, but his voice lends perfectly to the more obliviously humorous Batman in this film. Kate McKinnon was actually the MVP of this movie. Her voice work for Lulu felt like the only one having fun. I was actually surprised when I looked her up after I finished the movie. I thought she wasn’t that great in either “Yesterday” or that god-awful 2016 “Ghostbusters” reboot. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she is a really talented voice actress. I thought the characterization and motivations for Krypto and Ace were good, especially for Ace. He had a surprisingly compelling backstory that caught me off guard. It’s too bad that literally everyone else feels uninspired and flat. Like, they try to give an arc to the pig, but it’s all just verbal. The turtle annoyed me a bit too. It felt like the character was just banking on shock humor for kids. Her jokes all boil down to her being crude and having a potty mouth. I also don’t understand why her cursing was censored. It took me out of the movie pretty hard. Either have her almost say curse words or just don’t have her cursing at all. Adding bleep sound effects feels out of place in a theatrically released movie and more at home with reality television or YouTube. I was contemplating whether or not I liked the character designs because they’re clean, but ended up deciding I didn’t after remembering what Cyborg and Aquaman look like in this movie. I think at the end of the day, the most important thing about this movie is if the kids liked it. My theater had a bunch of kids, and even some of the adults, laughing which is okay in my book.

★★★

Watched on August 25th, 2022

#DC League Of Super-Pets #July #2022 #Animation #Action #Comedy #Superhero #Adventure #Science Fiction #Fantasy #Crime #Family #Animated #PG #Jared Stern #August 2022 #3 stars

[multiversalchick]

Movie commentary : Captain America Civil War 2016

So I watched over the movie and i can finally say I AM TEAM CAP !

Now that I am older and can get a better viewing of it . Cap really was in the right don't get me wrong tony is y guy but he tends to not listen to other people POV thus create a conflict .

here is my understanding :

(team ironman)

Vision : He does have point . With the whole process and he is an "android" so he is possibly 99.9% correct in these cases .

Natasha : She is right in the case that they need to win back the publics trust . Humans do have a big role in this . Especially when dealing with the government .

Rhodes : Professional as usual .

Tony : Personally i understand him but he is doing this more as a way to cope with guilt . From the damage they did in Sokovia . His mind and feeling are not in the same place . Until the truth is told to him when he investigates it . Telling us he is only really going to depend on himself . NO HATE TO TONY THO RIP , SIP .

T'challa : Wrong , he acted without thinking first . I respect him for trying to defend his father but he didn't even looked into it himself . He just heard a name and attacked . Once again no hat to the character RIP , SIP Chadwick Aaron Boseman .

Peter : Honestly he had no part in this just doing what he was told to do my little innocent muffin.

(team cap)

Steve : I understand what he was doing protecting buck but I wished he didn't have to go through all that to do so.

Bucky : My baby did what he had to do to survive . I understand his past but it wasn't his fault .

Clint : He would have join team ironman if Natasha had ask he really would just support his friends .

Sam : He can have his own opinion but I think he was really harsh in showing it . But he just followed his gut and stuck with right hand man Steve .

Wanda : She was just a kid handling he emotions . If they hadn't tried to keep her in the tower it could have been different . So she turned to the adult she trust most aka Steve hence her team . Clint saved her from the tower so she felt safer with them .

Scott : Just came to help , he even made Wanda smile .

So in conclusion my choice is Team Cap , this is from my point of view . Then again I can watch the movie when I'm older and have a different saying in the future .

#marvel #bucky barnes #steve rogers #tony stark #peter parker #natasha romanoff #sam wilson #clint barton #scott lang #wanda maximoff #james rhodes #vision #black panther #avengers endgame #avengers #captain america #captain america civil war

[cassieuncaged]

Grave Bound - Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Summary: Elias is shot.

TW: gun violence, wartime violence, friendly fire, blood, brief medical gore, language, etc.

WC: 3 K

1973

Maura sucked another French fry into her mouth, giggling as she did.

“Careful, don’t choke on your food.” Maggie doted on her niece nervously.

“She’ll be alright, Mags.” Elias winked covering her hand with his.

“I’ll be all right, Mags.” The girl sang out as she grabbed for another.

“That’s aunt Mags to you,” Bopping Maura on the nose, the girl crinkled her face before abruptly turning to Elias.

“Can you carry me on your shoulders? On the walk to the movies?” Eyes wide, Maura puffed her lips out. Blushing, Elias looked to Maggie for approval. She nodded encouragingly before he turned back to the little girl. Mousy curls shined in the low light, topped off with a red velvet bow.

“Sure, kiddo.”

Children made him nervous, how they could easily see through the façades adults worked to uphold and cut through to raw emotions. They never missed a beat; Maura was no exception. Especially as she watched the two stealing coy looks or stroking the other’s hand.

“Are you going to get married?” It was said casually as someone asking about the weather. Maggie’s jaw slackened, red flushing her face in a wave.

“Maura-” She began before Elias squeezed small fingers in reassurance.

“It’s alright. She’s just a kid.” Flashing a gap-toothed grin, he turned his attention to the girl waiting patiently for an answer. “I can’t tell you that, squirt. What I can say is that your Aunt Maggie is one special lady that I like a lot.”

“Do you love her?” It was shocking how a child could so easily ask a question without feeling the weight of the words themselves. Maggie tried to placate herself, patting her niece’s head while the man struggled to form a coherent sentence. He did. But what if he bore his beating heart to a person he’d thought long gone only to be sliced apart? It seemed unlikely, yet he was far too fragile to find out.

“That’s a difficult question.” Sighing, he avoided the gaze of Maggie and the scoundrel who didn’t know any better.

“Nuh uh,” Shaking a head of mousy locks, she was adamant. “You do or you don’t. That’s easy, ‘Lias.”

“She’s really holding my feet to the flames, ain’t she?” grabbing a stray French Fry, he leaned back in the booth while the woman shook her head. Maura’s attention was thankfully turned back to the wind-up toy that came with her meal.

“You don’t have to answer her. I won’t be offended,” Tidying up the table, Maggie tossed any stray garbage atop the bright red tray. “But I think we should get this trouble-maker out the door before we miss the movie.”

Reaching over to tickle an unsuspecting Maura, Mags started a bout of laughter with any prying questions forgotten. Watching in awe, Elias tried to ignore the butterflies in his gut. Instead, he followed the two as they lead the way out of the burger joint. The veteran kept his promise and hoisted the girl atop muscular shoulders when they were on the sidewalk.

“It’s not gonna be that great of a view, kiddo.” Two chubby hands wound into his hair like it was the reigns of a horse.

“I can see the whole world.” She gasped in awe, watching as they trudged through throngs of people.

“This is very sweet.” Maggie leaned in close, heart hammering at the sight of him sweetly looking up past a mop of hair, hands wrapped around tiny ankles in case gravity tried to pull Maura away.

“Piggyback rides?” Arching a brow, he couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

“No. For helping me with the munchkin. You’re really good with her.”

“You want your own now?” he teased, elbow lightly jabbing at her arm.

“Didn’t you promise me a cottage on the countryside where we’d have a bunch of kids?” eyes fell nervously on the concrete, afraid to meet his gaze. Elias smiled to himself, remembering the conversation like it was yesterday.

“That was a long time ago.” Glancing upwards assured the girl was still safely balanced on his shoulders. “How about the cottage with a herd of dogs?”

“As long as you’d be there with me, I’d be happy.” Looping an arm with his, Maggie leaned into to the rough fabric of his military jacket. Onlookers would think them to be a family; she beamed at the thought.

1969

They had to ship out at dawn, snipe out the NVA stragglers before there was an entire battalion on their hands. It was bound to be messy, more than half of the leading ranks in the chopper as the others scouted on foot.

Elias loaded his gun, trying to ignore the scalding look Barnes shot from across the way. Thankfully, King and Chris sandwiching the man from either side was enough to keep Bob and his cronies at bay. The return from R and R had been brutal with Barnes, O’Neill, and Warren riding his ass nearly every day. Harris was too busy to call off the dogs while Wolfe didn’t have the balls to.

Caldwell had the infirmary bustling, all of her girls running around like chickens with their heads chopped clean off. Hell, he’d barely seen hide nor hair of Maggie since they were back on enemy soil. It was a difficult transition, having her warm and cozy against his chest to not being able to even so much as brush hands in passing.

Pushing the thought from his mind, Elias attempted to focus. All of the men were silent, except for Red.

“Nice hickey, Grodin,” he spat, earning a smarmy laugh from Bunny. “Fire crotch responsible?”

“Nah,” the skin over his clavicle was burning, the love bite purpling a bit. “Got this one from your mother. She’s a bit of a fire crotch herself.”

“Bastard,” the sergeant muttered amongst the chittering. Even Warren and Bunny cracked a smile while Barnes finally broke his scalding gaze from the sergeant as the chopper prepared to land.

“Get ready to move.” he announced harshly, everyone checked their weapons once more as the helicopter landed. Elias felt his heart thudding; there was always the possibility they wouldn’t make it back.

The thought continued to gnaw at the back of his brain. Would this be it? Anytime could be, so what made now any different? Half his team wanted him nailed to a damn cross for altruism alone. Strapping his rifle across a broad back and pushing a camouflage headband over a wild plume of hair, he was ready to head out into the jungle as soon as strategizing ceased.

The rain was coming down heavy, immediately soaking them to the bone. Most of the boys dawdled, bitching about the oncoming monsoon while Elias began legging it. Taylor jogged to the man’s side.

“Need any cover?” the kid was winded, adjusting his helmet under the force of the rain; Elias ditched his own. One large hand clapped Taylor’s shoulder. “Watch your back?”

“I move faster alone,” he added with a grin and a wink before charging through sheets of rain and taking shelter in the thicket of teakwood trees. Chris watched as his superior darted into the jungles, disappearing from sight. He hosted nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for the sergeant; but something felt off.

Barnes barked orders in the distance before following his compatriot’s steps into the jungle. Taylor assumed to cover Grodin; yet a nagging thought was moving his feet forward. Keeping a safe distance, Bob hadn’t the damnedest idea that the private was tracking him like a wild buck.

……

The enemy squadron dropped like flies, tumbling to the jungle floor as bullets pierced their chests, throats, and heads. Elias was fast on his feet, darting from behind one tree trunk to another. Gunfire splintered bark in his wake; swallowing hard, he took one steady breath before picking off another two men.

It was dirty work, killing. Supposedly it was in the name of the U.S.A., eradicating communism once and for all. But they weren’t any different than the Vietnamese men doing the same exact thing. The most he could do was afford their enemies a quick death. He wouldn’t stoop to becoming animal, like the brutal death Manny had endured or Bob terrorizing innocents.

Elias had one job, and that was keeping himself alive. He was a killing machine and would pay for his sins later; right now, he’d gun down the rest to stop a bullet from zipping into his own body.

Rain filtered in from the canopy of trees. No more soldiers were lingering, any survivors likely sprinting to alert the rest of the squadron. More would be charging soon, but he had to keep one step ahead. Branches snagged bare biceps as he toted his M15.

Water droplets trickled down the back of his neck, sending a shiver down the man’s spine. Spinning on one heel, mud was ground into boots as a sound was investigated. Jade scales shimmered as a snake slid up the trunk of nearby tree.

“Jump at the damned wind, why don’t ya?” he scolded himself before continuing down his path. The brush was thick, impeding his vision. A figure stood across the clearing.

Shit.

Blue eyes were quick to gaze through the scope, aiming at the target. Then the crosshairs were being dropped as he let out a sigh of relief. Sergeant Grodin had never been happier to see Bob. Barnes was obviously annoyed, rifle lowered momentarily. This wasn’t the first he had to find his equal after Elias decided to go rogue.

A genuine smile broke out across his face.

He was safe.

Giving a half wave, the other sergeant remained stone faced. In a cruel twist of fate, Bob cocked his rifle once more before shooting his benevolent counterpart. The perpetual thorn in his side. Shell landing in his shoulder, the reverb nearly knocked Elias to the jungle floor.

You’re fucking dead!

The words had hardly registered over the blood pounding in distracted ears, his own men forced to restrain their leader as Elias wanted nothing more than to beat Bob’s face in. To let their men rape and pillage like human decency didn’t matter any more.

Was it all because of the court martial? Christ, they were on the same team! Though that felt questionable as another shell hit him in the left pectoral. The pain was unimaginable, gravity pulling him down to the mud. Dark red blossomed across his fatigues; it felt as though his lung had burst like a balloon.

Finish me, you bastard.

Yet the words stuck in his throat as long fingers dug into the soggy earth below. Not wanting to draw the entire NVA, he’d die silently for the sake of his platoon. In a moment it would all end, taking the hurt with it. His whole life would flash by like a slide show.

Necking with Jeannie in his pop’s car, the Grodin family vacation to Mesa, the last time he, Paul, and Jules were close. The gaggle of nieces and nephews that adored him. Maggie May and that pretty smile of hers. That Lady of Guadalupe pendant that still burned against his skin. He’d think of his Wild Child for as long as he had left.

Which wouldn’t be much longer.

……

A chain of soldiers had tracked each other into the depths of the jungles. King had followed Taylor when he ditched the squad before disappearing on his own. The more experienced man watched as the kid held his sights steady on Barnes. That runt had some massive balls to think he could pull this off alone. King was grateful for internal intuition, feeling something to be off when two of the sergeants were nowhere to be found at the beginning of a crucial strike.

“Think we can get him?” Rhah whispered. King didn’t respond, wiping rain from his brow. If they played their cards right, there was a chance they could get Elias back to the medic on the chopper. One wrong move and Bob would slaughter them all quicker than shit.

“Go find Harold,” King demanded, “We’ll need someone to carry boss man.”

“What about us?” Rhah cocked his head, “Elias is a scrawny fucker, I think we could manage.”

“If he makes it, that’s first thing I’m telling him. Harold can carry that little son of bitch like a sack of potatoes. We’ll need all the fire power we got on Barnes. Now go!”

Rhah bolted as King continued to watch the scene unfold. It was like waiting for an asp to strike, filled with venom and rage. As soon as the kid got Barnes to drop his rifle, the larger man quickly took control of the situation. One beefy forearm was wrapped around a thin neck, pulling that skunky bush of hair closer.

The shining tip of a push dagger glinted in overcast light before the blade dug into Taylor’s cheek, eliciting a cry and giving King mere seconds to plan. Taking his chance, he capped Barnes in the left knee. The sergeant howled loud enough to alert the entirety of the NVA.

Shit.

“Grab his rifle and kinfe, Taylor!” the kid doubled back to see King charging, Rhah and Harold clomping through the foliage in the distance. The private nodded as Bob growled. “Where’s he at, kid?”

“Over here,” the youngest man ran about fifty feet away to a cluster of trees. King beckoned for Harold to follow while Rhah pushed the barrel of his rifle into Barnes’ scarred cheek. The other two were on Taylor’s heels, as the private dropped to the mud.

Elias grinned with bloodied teeth, barely clinging to consciousness. Seeing his best friend alive made the entire ordeal a little easier to swallow. Grodin was a tough fucker; maybe he still had a fighting chance if they were quick. King fell to the man’s side.

“What’s…what’s your plan, private?” Elias tried his best to keep his spirits high, considering how lucky he was to even be found.

“To get your pasty ass to the chopper. Can you breathe?”

“Through the blood?” he chuckled, red bubbling up against his lips. “Barely.”

“Shit,” King attempted to suppress the bleeding unsuccessfully as red trickled from his chest at a steady pace. They had to be quick to find a medic and get some morphine and sutures until they got back to camp.

Harris was going to be pissed. The amount of paperwork this little ordeal cost would be monumental, and their captain was already spread thin enough.

“Sounds promising,” Elias choked, eyes glazed over; death was uncomfortably close.

“Now’s not the time to be a smartass,” King sniffed, holding back the urge to sob.

“Now’s not the time to be a hero, either. Save your own asses. Just tell Maggie that I love her.”

“You’ll get to tell her yourself.” Looking to Harold, the man nodded before carefully taking Elias into his arms. Groaning in pain, he begged to be put down like a dog while the soldier carried him with ease. Chris flanked them as they ran towards the mouth of the jungle.

King helped Bob to his one good foot, he and Rhah doing whatever they could to make the process more uncomfortable. But they weren’t him. No matter how much he wanted to paint the trees with the traitor’s brains, the private wouldn’t stoop that low.

……

The chopper touched down, bringing a gust of wind in it’s wake. Nurses gathered at the mouth of the measly infirmary, headed by a nosey Mariano. Maggie refused to interact, wary of what gore she’d be destined to see this time.

Rachel liked getting an idea od what to expect, knowing it couldn’t be anything good if a helicopter was returning half of them already. The soldiers had only set out at dawn and it was hardly ten o’clock. The vehicle held more men than expected, several medics hopping off before pulling down a stretcher.

Dust swirled around scuffed boots as they hauled ass to MASH as a worried Rhah followed closely behind, pulling a bloody Barnes’ at his side. The sergeant’s kneecap was blown open, forcing the man to limp. The rest of the injured were remnants of Charlie and Delta squads. Crossing her arms, Rachel steeled herself as Bob’s bloody justice was most definitely a harbinger of something worse.

Where there was smoke, the flames always lapped close behind.

As the gurney loomed closer, Rachel recognized a bloody Elias. Dark eyes widened as she saw how bad the man’s condition was. Head lolled to one side, blood pooled in the center of his uniform, morphine drip piercing one arm to dull the pain.

King and Wolfe hopped from the carrier next, arguing before being met by Captain Harris. It was impossible to make out what they were saying exactly. The older man chastised them both while the young lieutenant pointed angrily at King.

Rhah met Rachel’s worried gaze, tired and remorseful. Before she could even inquire about what transpired in the jungles, there was a blood curdling scream that resonated from inside the MASH tent. One that had them all frozen in place. It was an animalistic sound, feral and unrelenting.

Rachel ran to the bustling tent in rushed fervor. Doctors cursed at Caldwell to keep her girls in line while the major struggled to hold Maggie back. Mary held the red head’s other arm, looking to the brunette desperately. The woman attempted to reason with her subordinate, ending with a sharp smack to a rounded face.

“Mariano,” Caldwell commanded, “Take Wilson back to her bunk now. She’s gonna cost the man his life if she stays here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” saluting, the woman ran to her subdued friend who had dropped to her knees. Caldwell and Kelly rushed to help medics once they realized Maggie wouldn’t interfere. Face swollen and blotchy from the sobbing, her blue eyes looked up in desperation. “We have to get you out of here.”

“He’s dying, Rachel,” her voice was oddly flat, considering the outburst, “Elias is dying.”

#fanfiction #otp fanfiction #otp: dog tags and flower crowns #maggie x elias #platoon 1986 #q

[whoslaurapalmer]

@littlestsnicket tagged me in the get to know you better tag and I love a good tag situation

three ships: I too must go for lemonberry ice and doctor/master. they both live rent-free in my brain at all times. but the third one……..kakashi/obito/rin. naruto always lives rent-free in my brain as well and those three for sure. let kakashi be happy goddammit

last song: all I want by kodaline! I’ve been looking for songs for a Specific Character I Cannot Reveal For Fic and that song does not fit on her playlist at all (very few songs do…….) but I was thinking about it so I went to listen to it.

last movie: oh my god, I rewatched camp rock last night. I’ve been digging through a lot on disney+ lately. it was, fine? always fun to see super young jonas brothers, at least. and I think the songs were pretty good. I remember really disliking the sequel so I will probably not rewatch that.

currently reading: rereading t*witches; literally JUST finished the fifth book, don’t think twice. I don’t necessarily recommend them but it’s nice to relive the childhood nostalgia. as I’ve mentioned the dialogue is almost DISTRESSINGLY so 2001 it’s alternately painful and hilarious, and it gets me every time. my favorite book when I was a kid was the ninth one, split decision, like my copy of it got really beat up bc I reread it so much, and I’m really excited to get to that one.

I’m also like a chapter and a half into the first lord of the rings book and really looking forward to reading more and I BOUGHT THEM but sometimes like, reading a physical book is not enough to fully distract my brain from the 28 Long Years Of Rampantly Unmanaged Anxiety I’ve been dealing with, but reading on my phone or my laptop has been usually fine??? but I’ve been reading t*witches on the internet archive and lotr is also there so when I finish barreling through t*witches, I can read lotr there if I want!!

I also usually have a ramona ebook on my phone right now for when I just need something Without Any Stakes At All, Whatsoever, and the one I have right now is ramona the brave. it was my FAVORITE when I was a kid and my first grade teacher read the books out loud bc it has the story where ramona shouts GUTS! when she wants to say a bad word. THAT was intense, to a six year old. as an adult I think my fav is ramona and her father, bc it’s very sweet.

currently watching: AS WE SPEAK I am binge-watching lizzie mcguire. well, binge-watching-in-the-background. (I’ve also been working my way through my childhood disney sitcoms.) BUT ALSO I keep up with abbott elementary and animal control and I’m hoping animal control gets better? it’s okay, it’s decently funny, but I’m still not sold on it yet. abbott elementary is gold, though. (not a current watch BUT spring baking championship starts on the food network next week!!! I love the themed baking championships. also kids baking just ended on monday and every single season I cry over all the sweet tiny kids doing their baking they are so damn adorable) oh my mom and I have stalled in our murder she wrote watch with a season and a half left bc the quality has kinda, dipped. I think the first seven seasons are the most entertaining.

currently consuming: water! I never drink enough of it. it is, a struggle. I am drinking more than I was, for sure, but it is, still not really like a GREAT amount. I am……...working very hard at it………...and it’s very frustrating.

currently craving: something I can really take a bite out of. a big cinnamon bun…...a hefty piece of cake…...not necessarily craving this but some day soon I am going to get delivery from red robin and get the MADLOVE BURGER. by god, that burger.

additionally, if it's gonna rain I think it should thunderstorm. we've had a lot of rain lately but like NO thunder and you can't really hear the rain at all and it would just be nice to have a good decent NON THREATENING thunderstorm. and for a while, too!!!! the last one we got was a hot ten minutes. I want some substance.

#IF I'VE EVER //NOT// DONE A TAG THING IT'S VERY MUCH BC I'VE FORGOTTEN AND MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES #also I'm so delighted to know people are watching seinfeld it's been a favorite since i was. the tender age of. 10

[critical-chris]

Mouse Hunt (1997)

That's right, folks. Today we're talking Mouse Hunt.

I know what you're thinking. Why? When I've spent most of my reviews discussing recently released or relevant films, why would I suddenly take the time to watch and write about a forgotten 1997 comedy vehicle driven by Nathan Lane and Lee Evans?

Dollar, dollar bills ya'll. This is my first ever commissioned review, and the sick individual willing to cough up some cheese for Critical Chris had to hear my thoughts about Mouse Hunt. What an advertisement for my services.

I had never seen Mouse Hunt as a kid and frankly had never heard of the movie until college, when a friend of mine insisted that we take time out of our busy drinking hours to watch one of his beloved childhood movies. The same friend who spent prime weekend days clicking away at League of Legends, or whatever that stupid World of Warcraft ripoff is called, on his laptop at our kitchen counter. Like smart, intoxicated adults, we declined every time. Instead, we focused on finer films like Anchorman and Katy Perry: Part of Me. You know, classics.

I would classify myself as a Nathan Lane fan, but in the sense that what I've seen of his I have enjoyed and not that I've seen all of his movies. I loved him in The Birdcage, found him to be one of the only good parts of The Producers, fondly reminisce on the life he brought to Timon in The Lion King, and liked a few of his bit parts here and there. Lee Evans, on the other hand, I truly only remember from There's Something About Mary, but enjoyed his performance quite a bit in that movie.

For context on my state of mind going into this movie, I had just watched Aftersun for my upcoming blog on Oscar nominations and predictions, and was still wiping the remainder of the tears I cried at the ending when I decided I needed a pick-me-up. If you've seen Aftersun, and you should, you can understand that mentally I was in a very depressed space once the credits rolled. That movie kicks you in the gut when you least expect it. What better way to pull an emotional 180 than chase that film with a battle of wits between a couple bumbling buffoons and a rodent.

The setup for Mouse Hunt is simple enough: Two rather distant brothers reunite when their father, the proprietor of a string manufacturing company (because that's common), dies and leaves them not only the company but an aging and decrepit mansion. Oh, and he left them a piece of string. Nathan Lane plays a stubborn, indifferent renowned chef uninterested in his father's legacy unless it comes with a payout. Lee Evans plays a simple unemployed man with more of an emotional connection to his father who has recently been dumped by his controlling wife. Lane only desires to sell his father's company, while Evans sees an opportunity to continue the family business.

Both brothers are shocked to learn their father owned a mansion that is now passed down to them, and even more astonished that it ends up being the work of a historically renowned architect. The brothers cannot believe their luck as several magnates descend upon them offering fat checks and millions of dollar, dollar bills ya'll. There's just one issue, the house is occupied by a sneaky, relentless mouse. Oh, did the title give that part away?

There were some really brutal uses of outdated CGI effects through the film that reminds you the quality of movie you are watching. The setup of Nathan Lane inadvertently serving the overweight mayor a lavish meal with a cockroach inside, which had been hiding out in Lane's father's cigar box, was decent enough, but the cockroach itself looks like something made for Jaws 3D or a clay-mation project for film school.

However, I found Mouse Hunt to be funnier and better made than it had any business being. The opening joke of Nathan Lane criticizing his brother for not owning a black suit to wear to his father's funeral, and the subsequent gag of dropping the casket and sending their pops' corpse flying into a manhole, set the tone for the film. There were a handful of funny, well-executed gags and some good back and forth ridicule volleyed between Lane and Evans.

The joke of Lane and Evans rigging an insane number of mousetraps and accidentally trapping themselves in the same room hints at the gag to follow, and the mouse sending a cherry flying to set off every trap on the brothers is another great moment.

The scene where Evans is firing a nail gun into the walls in an attempt to kill the mouse in his territory, and seeing the grand interior destruction and mouse dodging the seemingly massive metal spikes, was fantastic. It not only has you sympathizing with the mouse, but gives some great disaster movie-esque effects. The same can be said towards the end of the film when Lane attempts to 'flush' the mouse out during their mansion auction by stuffing a running hose into one of the mouse's holes in the wall.

I had a funny feeling that we may have a surprise cameo in this move as well, and when CHRISTOPHER WALKEN enters this thing as a crackpot exterminator with an assortment of gadgets, it sent me over the moon. Walken is cranking up his schtick to an eleven, and has a funny moment when analyzing mouse droppings as he subsequently eats one. He, of course, is outsmarted by the mouse as well, but I loved his addition to the movie.

The other side characters are fine. Evans' wife, portrayed by Vicki Lewis, plays her part okay, leaving him at his lowest only to come back into the fray once she hears of his potential payout from the mansion, only to leave again when the mansion crumbles to dust. Maury Chaykin plays an eccentric millionaire obsessed with the famed architect offering absurd checks to Lane who dismisses him in favor of an auction to drive up their earnings. Everyone else is in the movie just for moments or are forgettable.

The ending was fairly cheesy (pun intended) as well. After the mansion crumbles and the brothers are seemingly left with nothing, they enlist the help of the mouse to convert their father's string factory into a string cheese factory. I suppose they had to come up with some happy ending, but I thought it was kind of a cop out to go with a play on string cheese. However, I probably couldn't think of anything better in 5 minutes, which I assume is how long the writer spent drafting the closing scene.

I don't want to praise the movie too much because, at the end of the day, it is a goofball comedy that is far from a classic. The laughs and gags provided do make it a much better comedy than you would expect by the cover photo and title, but don't go in expecting to find your new favorite laugh riot. Fans of Nathan Lane, however, should be pleasantly surprised.

In conclusion, thank you to my first ever paying fan for sprinkling a handful of singles into my bank account so I could take 90 minutes out of my evening to sit back, turn off my brain, and indulge in this comedy. I'd also like to mention that I was correct for all those years in college and beyond, and this was not a classic movie we were dismissing in favor of watching other movies or drinking our nights away in its place.

Mouse Hunt - 6.3/10

#mouse hunt #lee evans #nathan lane #christopher walken #comedy #comedies #prime video #oscars #oscar nominee #throwback