#its alison with one l right?

[lajeunefilleenfeu]

Alison Humphrey's painting (the one Lily's buyer bought) was totally about her issues with Rufus in their marriage.

#rufus humphrey #gossip girl #gossip girl meta #alison humphrey #its alison with one l right? #livetweeting tv

[notbecauseofvictories]

I think I saw you shared a list of books you’d read a couple years ago and was it you who read something like 350+ books in a single year? If so that’s absolutely remarkable and I’d love to see a list of top ten (or twenty or whatever number) of books you’ve read this year that you recommend

Don't be ridiculous, I only read 303 books in 2021! That's much more reasonable than 350. And I've read fewer and fewer each year since---this year I don't think I'm going to crack 50, though I still have a couple days.

Still, always happy to talk about what I enjoyed. Books are listed in vaguely chronological order, though I make no promises.

Patricia Wants to Cuddle, Samantha Allen

I've mentioned this book before, but essentially I put in the library request solely for the improbability of the premise---The Bachelor heads to the PNW and encounters Bigfoot? Fortunately, it delivered on that promise magnificently. A breezy and delightfully gruesome little novel with a bodycount.

Are You My Mother?, Alison Bechdel

I didn't viscerally connect with this one as much as "Fun Home" but I think it might be because it's…closer to the bone for me. When Bechdel writes about the longing for a mother that can't be answered, pulling back, pleasing, an anger that becomes unspeakable, re-routed to anxiety…it's uh. well it's churned up the silt, let's put it that way.

Greener Pastures, Michael Wehunt

I love short stories, but finding those authors who hit the right notes unerringly, in such a brief space, can be tricky sometimes. Wehunt is the rare exception, strange and unique as a writer, dream-like in his descriptions and images. "October Film Haunt: Under the House" was my favorite, though I can't say for sure whether it's because I recognized the framing device or it was just fun to read…

Running with Scissors, A Wolf at the Table, Lust & Wonder, Augusten Burroughs

I read these out of order (Lust & Wonder first, then the other two) but even so, I was wildly impressed. Lust & Wonder was a revelation; I stumbled on it in the library and walked out with it the same day. No wonder people tell you to read his books, he's got such a clear-eyed meanness, an interesting sort of canniness to his depiction of himself, the people in his life…it really does demonstrate that there is no such thing as a boring life, just a boring narrator. But if Lust & Wonder is Burroughs at the height of his power, Running with Scissors and Wolf at the Table are the necessary steps up to it. More unfinished, more raw---a litany of horrors, not even leavened by that same canny, mean humor that flashes through L&W. It's just horrifically sad to watch every person around this kid fail him, leave, or both; terrifying and unexpectedly funny and yet tender as a sucking wound.

The Princess Bride, William Goldman

I picked this up entirely by chance and ended up being deeply charmed. I don't know what I was expecting---well, no, that's not true, I was expecting the film. But what I got instead was something almost real, pleasantly rough around the edges as Goldman's caustic narration winds its way from Florin to the machinations of S. Morgenstern's lawyers, to his struggles with raising his son. (One of the funniest scenes was when he goes to meet S. Morgenstern's lawyer, and the ravishingly beautiful attorney becomes a horrible old hag the more she talks about how he won't be granted a license.) I was afraid the book would be twee, but at the center of it is a pure (if slightly embarrassing, but truth generally is outside of Florin) love of stories, and wanting stories told.

In the Woods, The Likeness, Broken Harbor, Tana French

As I've said before, I started reading this series because I was traveling to Ireland and thought it seemed appropriate. I didn't go too deep into French's oeuvre, mostly because I couldn't shake wanting the books to be urban fantasy rather than gripping psychological portraits with a decidedly noir sensibility. Still, the books themselves are taut and fascinating, the portraits they paint of the Dublin Murder Squad (all of whom are staggering, wounded in their own ways) and the blighted, post-Celtic Tiger Ireland, are deeply compelling. Also, I do still think The Likeness is a perfect answer to The Secret History.

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century, Kim Fu

There's something truly powerful in a short story that doesn't answer any questions or provide you with any sort of guidance---just walks in and rearranges your photographs so they're slightly off-kilter, leaves you with that destabilization. It's almost spiritual, that sense. In particular, there's a story in the collection about the world's sense of taste disappearing; a woman begins crafting art installations to try and recreate the experience of eating a pear, what your favorite family meal tasted like. Short stories are like that.

Perilous Times, Thomas D. Lee

I was surprised by this one. I know that's how I've described half the books above, but truly, this surprised me---not so much the rising action or plot (there's a sleeping king, knights around a table, a dragon) but I loved the setting so much. The depiction of a slightly-futuristic UK as drowning land sold off for parts; figures like immortal spymaster Marlowe coexisting with reborn Lancelot and Kay; the fay hovering around the edges; and then just….all the factions, the Welsh royalists and men's rights group propped up by military contractors; environmental activists, the references to the hodgepodge that existed in the 4th century AD too. More than anything, the novel conveyed how Britain's always been a place of change, the movement of people and permeable barriers, and that more than anything worked for me. (Also, it's a small thing but I loved how the Camelot crew translated modern concepts and objects into their language and knowledge of the world. It was always shown as hesitation rather than total shock, and I found it both moving and persuasive.)

A Cup of Salt Tears, Isabel Yap

I read this in a series of speculative novellas, which impressed on me yet again how hard it must be to write novellas. (Last year, one of my least favorite books was a novella; I still think about it with joyful hate.) However, Yap takes care to focus on single, brief narrative, concerns herself solely with the very small yet very significant issue of a woman, her husband, who and how she loves, wrapped up together with a kappa. Excellent, haunting.

Books of 2020 | Books of 2021 | Books of 2022

#from the bookshelf

[l30ra]

My fav domestic chainshipping headcanons :3

they decided to not move in together right away because they both needed to return to their regular daily routines for a bit to process the trauma before making such a massive change

(they're both autistic. this is important)

(extremely scheduled x extremely unscheduled bfs)

despite that, Lawrence would visit Adam almost everyday, as Adam struggled to get out of the house more and Lawrences divorce still needed to be finalized

After visiting Adam, Lawrence realizes he has... absolutely terrible habits in his home;

Barely any furniture, unstocked kitchen, not done laundry, etc.

And the worst offender of all: the paper plates

Adam absolutely HAAAATES doing the dishes, so for as long as he's been living independently, hes always eaten off paper plates, to throw them away afterwards

or.. to not? One night after a dinner Lawrence had made, with groceries Lawrence had brought over, Adam starts tearing up the plate and just starts. Eating it.

He was eating the paper plates. Because he thought they were food safe (they aren't)

"Hey, are you going to eat that?"

"Adam, my plate is empty. What do you mean?"

"The plate dumbass.. if you aren't, give it to me, I'll have it."

"Adam... Paper plates are very.. not edible."

"They say 'food safe on the box? That means they're edible. You sound dumb lol"

Lawrence immediately makes plans to take him shopping for actual dishware, all the while going on a ramble of the potential impacts of eating such things!

he decides then also to try and set Adam up on a good schedule, because he knows he'll be away for a few weeks as he finishes moving out of his old house, and he won't be able to see him

Adam says he'll only use plates if they're fun colored or with cool designs so.. thats what they get!

they also end up getting him one of those chore chart things

lawrence insists its not because Adams a baby, its just because he will literally forget to do certain things otherwise

lawrence has a great memory and a strict routine he always follows but adam (probably due to years of smoking the good lord green) has a shit memory and struggles to follow a routine but desperately needs one

Lawrence promises if Adam gets all his stuff done while hes gone they'll go out an do something

Lawrence LOVES plants, and Adam loves taking photos of him, so he chooses a botanical garden

Lawrence loves it, obviously, and Adam takes loads of photos of him to put in the scrapbook he refuses to show Lawrence

Speaking of, he loves scrapbooking, and still takes stalker-y candid photos of Lawrence (old habits die hard, I guess), so he scrapbooks loads about Lawrence

but he keeps it shut TIGHT. he refuses to tell Lawrence, and hides the scrapbooks at the back of his closet in the spare room he converted into a photo development room

Lawrence has some idea about Adam taking photos of him, but not to that extent

Once they finally move in together, they end up getting a three bedroom apartment. One room for them to share, and then a room for Lawrences plants, and a room for Adams photography

Lawrences room is filled with shelves and shelves on shelves of propagating plants and herbs

Adam begs him to grow weed, but Lawrence always says no

Despite having a room dedicated to it, the entire house is filled with plants, including Adams photography room because some of his plants grow better in little to no light

Despite that, he absolutely NEVER goes in there without explicit permission from Adam. He respects his privacy IMMENSELY

Even then, He probably won't even go in unless Adam is there to supervise

Whenever he goes in there, he always chastises Adam about all the chemicals, telling him he really should be using a mask, be careful with that one and that one, and you really should be airing this room out

despite the divorce, Alison and Lawrence are still on good terms

They talked things over after Lawrence escaped the trap, and ended up at "Even though we still care for each other we don't love each other and thats alright because we can just carry things on platonically"

he still sees Diana as often as possible, and Diana loves Adam

"Heres my mom and my dad and my dads boyfriend!"

Adam LOVES showing up to her school events (sports, talent shows, etc) with Alison and Lawrence and bringing his super fancy cameras so he can take action shots of her because she thinks its SO COOL

Her and Adam make Lawrence take them to laser tag and amusement parks n shit

Lawrence loves that they get along, and it means so much to him that Adam gets involved so much in Dianas life

He feels bad sometimes though, because he worries Diana blames them both (Adam and Lawrence) for the divorce, no matter how healthy it was

Adam calls Lawrence dude and bro, with the occasional babe

Lawrence calls Adam dear and love

Adam always wears his heart on his sleeve around Lawrence, and although sometimes he struggles with it, Lawrence tries to do the same

Lawrences odd work hours actually work better in the couples favor, because of Adams insomnia and other sleep issues, he also keeps extremely irregular hours

Despite that, sometimes there are still days on end where they just go without seeing each other, whether it be because Lawrence was out while Adam was awake or Adam was awake in between Lawrences shift

In the meantime, they leave little post it notes for each other

yellow is Lawrences color and blue is Adams color (blue and yellow by the used... starts tearing out clumps of my hair. thats a them song.)

Adam will wait up on the couch for Lawrence to get home but sometimes he just... passes out there... so Lawrence carries him to their bed

They share a wardrobe for the most part. They do have different tastes when it comes to style but theres still some overlap in some areas

Lawrence doesn't actually have a drivers license, and he hates driving

Adam knows how to drive but doesn't have his license and thinks its too much of a hassle to get one so him and Lawrence just transit together

back to the botanical idea... Adam loves buying Lawrence flowers. But not bouquets, Lawrence hates Bouquets because they die so fast, so Adam buys him little potted flowers for him

Lawrence has an entire shelf in his green room just for the things Adam brings him

Thats all I have for now but... maybe part two if I think of anything more :3

#saw 2004 #adam faulkner stanheight #chainshipping #adam stanheight #saw franchise #lawrence gordon #headcanon #saw #dr gordon #adam x lawrence

[purplelupins]

Sweet Dreams

|The Black Phone|

Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V

Part VI

Grabber/Albert x fem!reader

Summery: Getting away from her life as a human punching bag took her somewhere she never could have imagined. But it seemed that even a basement with a masked man watching her could become home.

Warnings: depictions of physical and verbal abuse, manipulation, pet names, power imbalance, sexual tension, mild swearing, mentions of medical trauma, nsfw

Note: PLEASE READ

This is a nsfw DARK story so if you are a minor DO NOT ENGAGE. If you are offended or triggered by the mentioned material, DO NOT ENGAGE. Simple as that. Please note that I do not condone what the Grabber has done in cannon, and I am only using him as a character in my story. If you message me with negativity or harassment, I will not respond. This is Tumblr, not Twitter. Please block the Grabber x reader tag if you are disgusted.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

That night began as many did.

Slowly.

It was always the same deceiving cycle that she always thought would be better than the one previous, but she was always wrong.

It would begin with dinner. A nice, family dinner with her little sister, her mother, and her father. Aside from her father, the family remained quiet and well-mannered. Her father, Stewart or Stew for short, would talk about his long day at work, and poke a few jokes about his eldest daughter being too quiet, and ask why the house isn’t cleaner to her mother; she would crack a nervous smile and try to redirect the conversation.

And it would work.

For a while.

Until it didn’t.

Y/n and her mother would clean up after dinner, and she would help her sister with homework while her father sat in front of their old Sony television from 1965 with a can of off brand beer. He was a cheap man and barely handed over enough money to buy his children clothes that fit them let alone bring the technology in the house to the modern age.

She would wash herself up in the bathroom and put on her pyjamas that she had made from old bedsheets. It was such a strange contrast that existed in that house; on the inside, everything was off somehow. Clothes didn’t fit right, it was quiet save for the television, and there was a tension in the air that made you nauseated. But on the outside, it was just another suburban family from Denver. A beautiful housewife, a older daughter working to save for university, a younger daughter in 6th grade, and a working father who brought home the bacon.

Every household had its problems, but not every household had demons, and the l/n house most certainly had one.

When she was fresh and clean, she would walk past the living room to go to bed; her father would call to her. She always hoped she would be quiet enough, or quick enough that he wouldn’t catch her out of the corner of his eye.

But it was never enough.

“You finished?” He would say to her.

“Yes dad.” She replied robotically, her eyes glazing over.

Then he would look her in the eye, stand and stalk over to her. He glared down at her and would strike her once across the face. At one time she would have wept and clutched her cheek, but not anymore.

“Don’t fucking lie to me you whore. Go upstairs and wait for me…” he would slur and push her towards the stairs. She was numb at that point. She didn’t even bother to look at her mother for help- she wouldn’t do anything.

It had all started when her sister, Alison, was born. She was the apple of his eye now, and he never laid a finger on her. But y/n was old news to him, and he had grown tired of her. His reasonings changed from day to day as to why he would beat her until the neighbours complained, but they never made sense.

His most reliant one was that he was tired of having her in the house. That she needed to move out and stop freeloading. But he knew how many times she had tried to do exactly that. She worked from sunrise to sun down just so she would never need to rely on his money and grovel to him. She had looked for apartments and cars to buy so she could be free. But if she left, then he would have no punching bag; he wanted her to hurt more than anything else. To feel the shame that he refused to take accountability for. He was a cruel man. Narcissistic and selfish.

So just like she always did, she would walk up the carpeted stairs, and sit on her bed. It was a hot July night, and she was already sweating. She knew the blood he would draw would join it soon as it pooled down her back. She hoped that the beating that night wouldn’t open the deep wound by her spine from where he had drank an extra beer and used his belt buckle instead of just the leather. It had needed stitches, but he didn’t let her go to the hospital. A few large bandaids was all she got.

The familiar dull ringing in her ears began again. It was her brain’s way of helping her cope. It would start in her head and a fuzzy vibration would go down her arms and her legs until she could feel nothing. She would sing to herself quietly until he was done. New songs that she had heard on the radio, or old ones from her childhood.

But that night, something changed. As she sat on the edge of her floral bedspread, she noticed that he was taking longer than usual. Her anxiety began to rise as she wondered if he was finding something worse than his belt to beat her with.

Before she could stop herself her feet her on the floor and she was walking to her door. She stared down the stairs and could still hear the television on. Y/n waited there a moment, listening and staring.

Then, something in her snapped.

Without a second thought, her legs carried her down the stairs at a lightning speed. She barely registered her father getting up from his seat or her mother and sister watching her dash through the front hall. But she only had one focus.

Run.

She unlocked the front door and threw open the screen so hard that it rattled against the frame. The warm night air hit her as she bolted across the deck and down the stairs, across the front lawn and over the perfect white picket fence. She didn’t care where she went, her adrenaline was guiding her.

She ran as fast as she could possibly go, taking cuts and corners through yards and streets to lose her father who had taken off after her. She ran and ran and ran even as her feet grew raw from the pavement.

She ran until she looked behind her and she could not see the looming image of her father or hear him screaming her name.

But as she turned back to view the street in front of her, she collided with something. She would have fallen to the ground if they hadn’t caught her and set her upright. Then they spoke.

“Woah! Hey look out.” He cried, though it wasn’t wholly angry. A man.

But she barely heard him, “Please. Please you have to help me sir!” She pleaded, tears beginning to form. She clutched at his shirt and looked everywhere to check that her father wasn’t right there.

What if he just turned me back to my father?

She couldn’t see whoever she was pleading with due to her tears, but she knew he was not small or weak, and she saw the large dog by his side.

He shook his head, “What are-“

She tried to suck in breaths to stop her hyperventilating.

“I’m begging you! He-he’s going to kill me-“

“Y/N?!” As if on cue, she heard the sound of her father scream her name, not caring about the neighbourhood. She spun around in the direction she heard it, then finally looked up at his eyes; they were the only thing she could truly see in the dim light of the evening. They were bright blue.

They were beautiful.

He seemed to asses the situation for a moment before speaking again, “ That man’s your dad?” He asked glancing at the figure coming down the far end of the street.

She looked behind her frantically, then turned back to the man in front of her. “Yes. Yes you have to help me he beats me and after tonight I think he’ll just dump me in a ditch.” She was almost sobbing.

The man sighed.

“Alright …shh. Here.” He said gently, and slipped off the jacket he wore over a grey t-shirt and hung it over her shoulders. “Take my hand, okay? You need to act like you’re with me.” His voice was calming, like he was trying to coax a scared little animal to come with him. And in a way, he was.

She nodded obediently, and pulled the the fabric around her; it smelled nice. Just like he told her, she took his hand, and he gripped the leash of his massive hound as they began walking calmly away from the road that her father was barreling down. As they drew further down another street, she could hear the sound of her father’s running feet by the intersection they had just left, and to her horror, the sound stopped.

“Hey buddy!” Came the voice of her father shouting from the end of the road. The man next to her slowed his steps, and whispered, “Don’t turn around.” She nodded and busied herself with looking down at the brutal dog by his side. She truly could not have chosen a better person to run into.

“Can I help you?” The man called back.

“You seen a girl runnin’ down the street? Pretty face, and about this tall?” Her father yelled, though he was clearly out of breath; holding his hand up to be around his eldest daughter’s height.

The man shrugged and shook his head, “Can’t say I have. Just been out with my girl and my dog but we haven’t seen anything, did you sweetheart?” He turned to her and she shook her head. She was unbelievably thankful for her father’s intoxicated state and the darkness of the street, otherwise he probably would have noticed her bare feet and pyjama shorts sticking out under the cardigan around her shoulders. “Yeah, no we haven’t seen anyone aside from yourself. Lost someone?”

“Yeah my fucking daughter ran off. She’s a stupid little thing…thinks she’s better than her old man.” Her father said. She could hear him start to walk again, and she began to panic when she realised he was coming closer.

The dog next to them let out a deafening bark that made her jump.

“Sampson here doesn’t do well with strangers…he’ll bite your hand clean off.” The man said with a light laugh, nodding down the the now growling hound. His hand still held hers, and she found herself gripping his tighter.

She heard her father’s steps come to a quick stop, “Don’t want any trouble, my guy. Thanks.” She could hear his slurred words as he backed away and started off jogging in the other direction. It wasn’t until the sound faded away that the man next to her turned back around and began walking.

She held in a sob from the close call, and it came out in a slight whimper.

Her heart felt as if it would beat right out of her chest and onto the pavement. Her hands shook like a leaf in a breeze, and the man seemed to feel it.

“We’re almost there.” He murmured, pulling her along.

She only nodded, her jaw too tight to say a word.

They arrived at a small house, and she let him take her inside. It was plain and simple inside, but anywhere was better than the hell she had just run from. The man sat her down on a chair, and took his dog out to the back door where she assumed was where he would stay. She stared down at a tiny crack on the floor, jumping at every sound until the man came back. She still hadn’t seen his face properly, even then in the kitchen there was a very dim light that kept half his face in shadows., but she liked his voice. It was light and kind sounding.

When he returned, he looked through a cupboard, then knelt down in front of her and held something in his hand. “Open up. This’ll help, sweetie.” he whispered. She looked at his hand with a twinge of worry as common sense began to set in to not take food from strangers, and he chuckled. “It’s just a chocolate. You don’t like chocolate?” He asked in a voice that reminded her of how parents spoke to their child. It was playful.

She stared at his large hand, and opened her mouth after a moment. He unwrapped the sweet and popped it onto her pink tongue. While she still didn’t look at him as she chewed the chocolate, she could feel him watching her. A part of her was ashamed for literally crashing into the poor man on his nightly walk with his dog, and begging him for help; that side was winning at that moment, and thus she could not meet his eyes.

“I…I can’t thank you enough…I don’t know how to repay you…” she managed to say, a sob threatening to sneak out.

He tsked her a few times, and brushed some of her now messy hair back, “I couldn’t just leave a pretty girl like yourself out there all scared now could I? There’s some real weirdos out there…” he said. She laughed a little, and found that her body felt unbelievably tired. The adrenaline was wearing off, she supposed.

“…I…I feel sleepy…” she whispered, rubbing her forehead.

“Well you ran like a bat outta hell, I’m not that surprised.” He laughed.

She laughed weakly, holding her head in her hand and she slumped forward. His voice was the last thing she heard before her vision blurred into darkness, and three words rang in her head.

“Sweet dreams, y/n.”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

@dogmatic255

#ethan hawke #the grabber #the grabber x reader #the black phone #albert shaw

[aurorawest]

Reading update

Arthur and Teddy Are Coming Out by Ryan Love - 3/5 stars

The Fate of Stars by SD Simper - DNF at pg 32

A Gathering Storm by Joanna Chambers - 4.75/5 stars

I kept getting the Madame Leota room from Haunted Mansion stuck in my head as I was reading this (not a bad thing!). This book has a surprisingly low rating on the Storygraph, and I'm not going to torture myself by looking at the reviews, but I'm assuming it's because of the power discrepancy between Ward and Nick. Clearly it didn't bother me as I really enjoyed the book!

Dionysus in Wisconsin by EH Lupton - 4.75/5 stars

At some point I might get tired of Mid-Century Modern romances, but not this day. This book was super fun, with an interesting world and lovely characters. And a Midwest setting! I've spent a lot of time in Madison, Wisconsin, where this book is set, so I got the added bonus of knowing most of the places pretty well. There was even a shoutout to an obscure piece of Madison history, the Lost City in the Arb. I have to get the second book in the series now!boy

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan - 3.25/5 stars

I gave this book an extra quarter of a star for being written in 2003, when it would have been genuinely pretty groundbreaking. Reading it in 2024, it's very twee and pretty cringey (the queer utopia town would have been a magical fantasy in 2003, not so much now in a lot of places). When Levithan credited Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat books in the acknowledgements, I though, ah. No wonder. Hated those as a teen.

All that said, there's some genuinely lovely writing in this book, and it has its place in the queer canon.

The Greywacke by Nick Davidson - 5/5 stars

Super interesting nonfiction about the discipline of geology and how the early geologic epochs were figured out. Also gave me an idea for a historical romance about gay Victorian geologists.

Home Grown Talent by Joanna Chambers & Sally Malcolm - 5/5 stars

I think I loved this one more than the first in the series. The social media scandal was perfect, in that it was exactly as absurd as every social media scandal is, and thus hilarious, but also chilling in how even something so stupid can ruin people's lives.

The First Bright Thing by JR Dawson - DNF at pg 1

Prince of the Sorrows by Kellen Graves - DNF at pg 30

Reuben's Hot & Cold by M Arbon - 3/5 stars

Slight Foxing Around the Edges by Melissa Polk - DNF at pg 132

Restored by Joanna Chambers - 5/5 stars

Balefire by Jordan L Hawk - 4.75/5 stars

A Rulebook for Restless Rogues by Jess Everlee - 4/5 stars

The Mars House by Natasha Pulley - 5/5 stars

See my brain vomit about this book here. If you've been around here for any amount of time you know all Natasha Pulley's books make me feral. Absolutely no exception here. I cannot believe her first UK publisher dropped her over this book. Idiots! It's wonderful just like everything she's ever written.

In the Case of Heartbreak by Courtney Kaye - DNF at pg 181

The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason - DNF at pg 21

The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun - 5/5 stars (reread)

Just as good as the first time I read it!

Exhalation by Ted Chiang - 4.5/5 stars

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic - DNF at pg 84

Crisped + Sere by TJ Klune - 4.75/5 stars

It actually kind of makes me mad that this series isn't Klune's most famous work, because it's real good. At this point it seems kind of unlikely he's going to continue it, but man, I'd love another book.

These Silent Stars by Chani Lynn Feener - DNF at pg 68

Trailer Park Trickster by David R Slayton - 5/5 stars

See below.

Deadbeat Druid by David R Slayton - David R Slayton - 5/5 star

I LOVE this series. Love love love love. Absolute must read. If you're a fan of KD Edwards's The Tarot Sequence, this series is right up your alley. It seems like there will be more after this initial trilogy, and there's also a spinoff book coming soon which I'm super excited for. Read them!!

#a gathering storm #joanna chambers #dionysus in wisconsin #eh lupton #boy meets boy #david levithan #reading tag #trailer park trickster #deadbeat druid #david r slayton #crisped + sere #tj klune #the mars house #natasha pulley #homegrown talent #sally malcolm #the greywacke #nick davidson

[mygeekcorner]

Book Ask game:

8, 20, 32, 44, 48, 54, 133, 135

8 a book you finished in one sitting

Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi, I think I devoured it in like 10 hours. Got a wicked sunburn but I couldn't put it down. It's the (mostly) stand-alone sequel to The Star-Touched Queen following her younger sister and her adventures as she ends up in the underworld. It has a much faster pace but just as beautiful writing and I'm very grateful to @imaginarydragonling for buying it for me when the library took to long to get it here <3

20 a book that got you out of a reading slump

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman kicked me out of my novel paralysis when I finally picked it up after having left it on my shelf for like a year. Don't judge me, we all do it. But it was so easygoing and full of life and joy for the world of demons and corseted demon fighting they were telling us about and I think I read the first two in like a week and was then bouncing off the walls waiting for the last one to be released so I could know if my theories were correct. (They were, it's YA not rocket science. But that's still rewarding too)

32 your favourite nonfiction novel

Prins Solsken (Prince Sunlight) by Ebba L Levenhaupt, it's the published diary of Sophie von Fersen from when she was 17 to about 19, documenting her romance with Prince Fredrik Adolf. My grandmother had it and I would always read it when I came over so when I was in like 8th grade she gave it to me and I still think about certain diary entries from time to time

44 your favourite fantasy novel

Fuck this is so much harder than the next question since that's like 98% of the stuff I read, the selection pool is way too big lol. Since a certain boy wizards memory got tainted I don't have any one book that I'm quite as .. obsessed with .. so I'll just take something I really really enjoyed reading and haven't already talked about in this ask game. I really liked The Belgariad Series by David Eddings when I was growing up. I haven't actually read it in years now so I'm sorry for not going on as long a rant as it deserves, but I have a huge fondness for Garion and his Aunt Pol and one of these days I really should pick them up again.

48 your favourite sci-fi novel

I haven't read much sci-fi but I really did enjoy Neuromancer by William Gibson. My old DM lent it to me when we were going to start playing Neotech to get me in the right headspace for space adventures. Not really a genre I pick for myself but it's not bad, just something I'm unused to so it takes more brain-power to get what's happening than in fantasy where I'm more familiar with the tropes going on.

54 a book with the best opening line

Ok so like it's not the opening-opening line. But it's the last line of the prologue so I'm still saying it counts since it's how the story starts. It's from Elantris by Brandon Sanderson and it goes

Elantris was beautiful, once. It was called the city of the gods: a place of power, radiance and magic. Visitors say that the very stones glowed with an inner light, and that the city contained wondrous arcane marvels. At night, Elantris shone like a great silvery fire, visible even from a great distance. Yet, as magnificent as Elantris was, its inhabitants were more so. Their hair a brilliant white, their skin an almost metallic silver, the Elantrians seemed to shine like the city itself. Legends claim that they were immortal, or at least nearly so. Their bodies healed quickly, and they were blessed with great strength, insight, and speed. They could perform magics with a bare wave of the hand; men visited Elantris from all across Opelon to recieve Elantrian healings, food, or wisdom. They were divinities. And anyone could become one. The Shaod, it was called. The Transformation. It struck randomly - usually at night, during the mysterious hours when life slowed to rest. The Shaod could take beggar, craftsman, nobleman, or warrior. When it came, the fortunate person´s life ended and began anew; he would discard his old, munndane existence, and move to Elantris. Elantris, where he could live in bliss, rule in wisdom, and be worshipped for eternity. Eternity ended ten years ago.

That line, "Eternity ended ten years ago", lives in my head rent-free ever since I read it over a decade ago. I don't know, it just comes with such a gut punch but also intrigue, don't you just want to Know More? OwO

133 a book that you came across randomly and fell in love with

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, I needed something to read while waiting for the bus and this was the only pocketbock I could afford that sounded somewhat cool. I've never picked a better bus-book in my life! Every line is perfect, the way it just flows and every line is more gorgeous than the one before? The way it builds up all the characters and environments and both breaks and heals your heart? Amazing, absolutely breathtaking.

135 recommend any book you like!

I had a good time reading old school fantasy when I was gifted The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan a few years ago. Very classic story of a poor girl being taken in and showing them all that she's the best. And of course plenty of politics in the wizard tower, as it should be.

Thank you for indulging me in this!

#books #ask me stuff #krippe90 #crown of wishes #the dark days club #prins solsken #the belgariad #neuromancer #elantris #night circus #The Magicians' Guild

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Ramble of the month May 2023: 90’s MCU Phase 2 (1996-1999)

It’s now been a year since I did the last of my monthly rambles outlining how to do a 90’s MCU fan-cast properly, in response to the inaccurate memes on the subject.  To mark the anniversary and in lieu of a better subject, we’re now going to look at the next round of films I would have in such an alternative MCU. Before we look at this, however, let’s recap what the right way to do a 90’s MCU is and what’s come before.

 First of all, Marvel film rights in the 90’s were different to today; it was in the mid-90’s (1995, if memory serves) that Marvel had to sell the film rights on its characters to various mainstream film studios in order to avoid bankruptcy. It’s for this reason that the X-Men and Fantastic Four films to date have all been made by 20th Century Fox, Sony has handled Spider-Man solo films and so on.  The MCU is comprised of films (and now TV shows) made with film rights that lapsed back to Marvel due to sometime passing without those film rights being used.  As such, a proper 90’s MCU will capitalise on all Marvel properties, provided you don’t leave things too late in the decade to start (if you do, a 90’s MCU would be impossible).

 Second, the source material was different back in the 1990’s.  The Ultimates continuity of comics that made Nick Fury a look alike for Samuel L Jackson hadn’t been done yet (that was all turn-of-the century/millennium stuff), no Winter Soldier arc bringing back Bucky, the Peter Quill iteration of Guardians of the Galaxy wouldn’t be done in comics until 2007, Civil War didn’t hit comics until 2006, and so on.  Because of this, the storylines for any films would be different and you’d have a different standard of comics-accurate casting, etc. to the MCU we know at the moment.

 Finally, as goes without saying, it’s a different group of actors to go at, which is part and parcel of asking what a 90’s-centric MCU would be like.  So, let’s do a very quick recap of my 90’s MCU phase 1;

1992: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man

1993: Thor, Spider-Man, Ant-Man & The Wasp

1994: Captain America: Fantastic Four 2, Iron Man 2

1995: X-Men, Avengers, Daredevil

The 1992 films give us introductions to the title characters via their origin arcs, as do each of the films thereafter which aren’t sequels or about putting the Avengers together.  More of the films are New York-centric in places (most notably Thor’s opening film), and of course there’s some quite different characters, actors, etc. worked in, which you’ll get some reminders of from the role reprisals seen in the phase 2 films, which we’ll now dive into.  First, here’s the quick overview of the 90’s MCU phase 2 line-up;

1996: Spider-Man 2, Thor: Land of Enchantment, Silver Surfer

1997: Hulk vs Wolverine, Fantastic Four: Doomsday, Iron Man 3

1998: Captain America: Society of Serpents, Daredevil 2, X-Men 2

1999: Avenger 2, Spider-Man 3, Doctor Strange

As you can see, this phase is very much weighted towards sequels as much as the MCU phase 2 we know from real life, but like that phase, we also get a couple of original films.  So, without further ado, let’s look at what these various films involve.

Spider-Man 2 (1996) Directed by John Hughes

Peter Parker/Spider-Man = Wil Weaton

May Parker = Marg Helgenberger

Flash Thompson = Ben Affleck

J. Jonah Jameson = J.K. Simmons

Joseph "Robbie" Robertson = Denzel Washington

Betty Brant = Parker Posey

Jacob Conover = Steve Buscemi

Randy Robertson = Taye Diggs

Norman Osborn = John Travolta

Harry Osborn = Ryan Phillipe

Gwen Stacy = Reese Witherspoon

Captain George Stacy = James Cromwell

Mary-Jane Watson = Alison Hannigan

Sergei Kravenoff/Kraven the Hunter = Gerard Butler

Dmitri Smerdyakov/Chameleon = Brent Spiner

Spider-Man gets to headline this phase of my 90’s MCU, and with the first film having occurred during his time at high school, this one goes into his college years.  This enables us to add Harry, MJ and Gwen to his supporting cast, all of whom he only met when he went to college in the original comics.  As such, this is an element of source material accuracy no adaptation of Spider-Man has ever got right.  That being said, some accuracy to the source material has to go when making films of superheroes, and here the trade-off is Gwen’s dad being killed by a different villain to the comics iteration.  However, when you’ve got Gerard Butler and Brent Spiner as your villains, I think we can understand this.

 The film very much plays up the sibling link between Kraven and Chameleon and keeps them relatively away from Peter’s personal life.  This is to help avoid the over-unmasking of Peter prevalent in Spider-Man films as they’ve been made by Sony, and given the on-going presence of the Osborns in these films, even going back to our phase 1 film where Peter and Harry haven’t met, I imagine most of you can guess why I want the Spider-Man dual identity better secured.  For those who can’t guess, fret not, I’ll explain when we get to Spider-Man 3 later in this phase.

Thor: Land of Enchantment (1996) Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Thor = Dolph Lundgren

Loki = Gary Oldman

Odin = Anthony Hopkins

Frega = Glenn Close

Fandrall = Cary Elwes

Hogun = Tony Leung

Volstagg = Thomas Haden Church

Sif = Demi Moore

Heimdall = Keith David

Balder = Sean Bean

Jane Foster = Courtney Cox

Amora the Enchantress = Charlize Theron

Skurge the Executioner = Jean Claude Van Dame

Dr Donald Blake = Matt Damon

Hercules = Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ares = Russell Crowe

Zeus = Brian Blessed

Pluto = Michael Shannon

Hera = Michelle Pfieffer

Aphrodite = Jaime King

Apollo = Heath Ledger

Hephestus = Jonathan Frakes

Hermes = Josh Hartnett

Our return to Asgard in our 90’s MCU is meant to capitalise on yet more notable 90’s actors, while at the same time working in Marvel’s take on Olympian deities and more notable Thor villains than Thor: The Dark World did.  In this film, it’s Amora the Enchantress and her bodyguard Skurge the Executioner who come to the fore, Amora enthralling the Olympian Hercules and setting off an incident that puts Asgard and Olympus on the verge of war with each other. Only by travelling to New Mexico on Earth in search of the “real culprits”, who in turn out to be conspiring with a supposedly banished Loki, can Thor hope to save the day.

 The film also works in Dr Donald Blake, Thor’s human alter ego in the comics, as a separate character and romantic rival to Thor where Jane Foster is concerned. Action stars like Dolph Lundgren, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean Claude Van Dame provide the action leads while the likes of Anthony Hopkins and Brian Blessed deliver a nice helping of gravitas, and there’s no shortage of acting skill and ability in the various other roles.  As you might guess from the cast list and plot description, the title is a deliberate nod to both Enchantress and the parts of the film that would occur in New Mexico.  The film also results in Hercules being banished to Earth, setting him up for further use elsewhere in this 90’s MCU.

Silver Surfer (1996) Directed by Leonard Nemoy

Silver Surfer = David Wenham

Mephistopheles = Jeffery Combs

Shalla Bal = Liv Tyler

Al B. Harper = Levar Burton

Our Silver Surfer spin-off from phase 1’s Fantastic Four sequel is quite small on main cast because it’s very much a shorter film compared to what I imagine most of our 90’s MCU films would be.  In large part that’s because like the comics, we’re dealing with a Silver Surfer trapped on Earth after defying Galactus, and struggling to see in the wider race the virtues he found in the Thing’s girlfriend Alicia Masters.  His lone friend outside of the F4 and Alicia is a scientist named Al Harper, and into this situation enters the demon Mephistopheles, who spends the film trying to tempt the Surfer into abandoning his nobility.  Part of this involves reminders of Shalla Bal, the woman the Surfer loved before he became the Surfer, and perhaps the one thing he might prize above his wish to defend humanity.

 As a result, the film would be less cosmic adventure and more psychological thriller, which is why you might not get a longer film with a major action spectacular at the climax.  In part, that’s why I’d want Leonard Nemoy taking up the directorial reigns on this film; someone from the alumni of Star Trek would be necessary to direct this kind of character exploration and issue discussion.  Having other Trek alumni in the cast by way of Levar Burton (TNG’s Geordi La Forge) and Jeffrey Combs (multiple DS9 secondary recurring characters by this time) also help with this.

Hulk vs Wolverine (1997) Directed by Tim Burton

Bruce Banner/Hulk = John Cusack

Betty Ross = Jennifer Connelly

General Ross = Sam Elliott

Major Talbot = Steve Guttenberg

Wolverine/Logan = Tom Cruise

Sabretooth/Victor Creed = Tyler Mane

Maverick/David Nord = Tom Jane

Silver Fox = Salma Hayek

Sasquatch/Walter Langkowski = George Clooney

The Professor = Robert Picardo

Dr Cornelius = Colm Meaney

James McDonald Hudson/Vindicator = Val Kilmer

Heather Hudson = Samantha Mathis

I’m sure by now anyone who didn’t know I was a Trek fan could tell by some of the casting going on here.  Aside from Wil Weaton and Brent Spiner in our Spider-Man Franchise, Frakes (Riker) appearing in Thor 2 and the various alumni cited in our Silver Surfer spin-off, our Hulk vs Wolverine film has Voyager’s EMH (Robert Picardo) and Chief O’Brien (Colm Meaney) showing up in certain roles.  Of course, more will be showing up as we go on, and I’ll highlight them where appropriate.  For now, though, let’s look at how I’m looking at pitting Hulk and Wolverine against each other.

 In this film, Hulk strays north of the US-Canadian border, and does so right when US army intelligence picks up chatter about a rogue group trying to restart the Weapon X project that produced Wolverine.  To that end, Ross and Talbot manage to convince Wolverine to go Hulk-hunting before the green goliath can be grabbed.  After the obligatory Hulk/Wolverine clash unearths a resurrected Weapon X program, it’s Wolverine and Hulk trying to free several captured super-beings, backed up by Canadian superhero and future Alpha Flight leader Vindicator.  This film would create a spin-off Alpha Flight TV series to follow-up on Vindicator, Sasquatch and their team-mates.

 Everyone down as far as Wolverine on the cast list is a reprised role, while the remaining roles are all fresh cast.  Tyler Mane is my one carry-over from Fox’s run of X-Men films, though this version would play up his antagonism with Wolverine far better than the original X-Men films did.  Tom Jane being cast as Maverick is down to the German accent he put on for Frank Castle’s undercover identity in the Punisher film of the mid-2000’s.  As for Clooney and Kilmer, I think each as a bit mis-cast as Batman, but I think they could each do better in other roles, such as Sasquatch and Vindicator.

Fantastic Four: Doomsday (1997) Directed by Steven Spielberg

Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic = Tom Hanks

Susan Storm (Richards)/Invisible Woman = Meg Ryan

Johnny Storm/Human Torch = David Spade

Ben Grimm/Thing = Bryan Cranston

Wyatt Wingfoot = Robert Beltran

Alicia Masters = Heather Graham

Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom = Goran Višnjić

Hauptmann = Ronald Guttman

Matt Murdock/Daredevil = Christian Slater

 After waiting through a few F4 films, we finally get the pay-off of Doctor Doom showing up.  Fox always went to this guy too quickly, and I hope Marvel gets this and holds off on Doom for a while with their films.  However, in this 90’s MCU, we bring Doom in on the third film, which is meant to combine elements of Doom’s comics intro and backstory with a later story where the F4 are depowered, attacked by Doom and have to rely on some assistance from Daredevil to re-enter their headquarters and regain their powers.  As with most third-instalment MCU films as we’ve come to know them, this film has to involve some loss.  As such, the F4 lose their original headquarters, and Ben loses a chance for his perceived happily ever after with Alicia Masters.

 The only new roles here are Doom and his aid Hauptmann, and for these roles, we’re diving into European actors to get the accents right.  Goran Višnjić is my usual front-runner for characters like Doom or Magneto, but since a 90’s MCU would more likely use Ian McKellan on the latter, I think it’s better to use him as Doom and see how he’d do playing against a Tom Hanks version of Reed Richards.

Iron Man 3 (1997) Directed by Sam Raimi

Tony Stark/Iron Man = Tom Selleck

James Rhodes/Iron Man II = Samuel L. Jackson

Pepper Potts = Uma Thurman

Happy Hogan = Sylvester Stallone

Jasper Sitwell = Bill Paxton

Nick Fury = Tommy Lee Jones

Justin Hammer = Christopher Lee

Bethany Cabe = Julia Roberts

Mark Scarlotti/Whiplash = Jason Lee

Donald Gill/Blizzard = Robert Duncan McNeil

Clayton Wilson/Force = Will Patton

Unlike the Iron Man 3 of 2013, this one isn’t playing fake-outs with the Mandarin or dealing with a PTSD-suffering Stark. Instead, the film combines elements from the ‘Demon in a Bottle’ arc and his later relapse into alcoholism under the influence of Obadiah Stane.  As a result, you get a film where industrial sabotage by a true-to-comics Justin Hammer and mounting pressure from SHIELD sends Tony to rock bottom, and as a result, Rhodey has to step in to salvage the Iron Man name, setting up for his eventual progression to War Machine.  In fact, it’s trying to get Rhodey’s pre-War Machine past as a substitute Iron Man into film that is the whole reason for this plot arc in our 90’s MCU.

 Cast-wise, we’re largely dealing with reprised roles from Fury on up.  It’s Justin Hammer on down where the new roles come in, and of course there’s a Trek alumni in the mix by wat of Robert Duncan McNeil.  As for why Hammer is played by Christopher Lee, anyone who has read proper, pre-Ultimates Iron Man lore, would know what Hammer is an older man and a British ex-patriate living in the United States.  As such, it makes far more sense having Christopher Lee play the role than Sam Rockwell or someone like him.  I leave the irreverent humour in this one to Jason Lee as Whiplash, plus some appropriate protagonists in the cast.

Captain America: Society of Serpents (1998) Directed by Peter MacDonald

Steve Rogers/Captain America = Brad Pitt

Nick Fury = Tommy Lee Jones

Sam Wilson/Falcon = Will Smith

Barbara "Bobbi" Morse/Mockingbird = Rebecca Romijn-Stamos

Sharon Carter = Nicole Kidman

Viper/Ophelia Sarkissian = Rose McGowan

Cobra/Klaus Voorhees = René Auberjonois

Diamondback/Rachel Leighton = Neve Campbell

Rattler/Gustav Krueger = Christoph Waltz

Death Adder/Roland Buroughs = Ed Begley Jr

Constrictor/Frank Schlicting = Stephen Dorff

Baron Von Strucker = Udo Kier

Clint Barton/Hawkeye = Kevin Costner

Apparently the second MCU film for Captain America was originally titled Society of Serpents, and sometime before it went into production, Kevin Feige announced it would be Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Since our 90’s MCU lacks the Winter Soldier source material, we’re going down the route not taken by the real MCU. It’s still about Cap struggling to adjust to the modern world, but this time he’s surrounded by a slightly different crop of characters and we’re not tackling Hydra infiltrating SHIELD. Instead, Cap is leading a small group of specialised SHIELD agents in trying to take down a terrorist group called the Serpent Society, not realising that their leader Viper is a total nihilist and fighting for no other cause than to wipe out all life.

 As we’re dealing with a Cap in the late 90’s, the role of Falcon ends up with Will Smith, and for those seeking a Trek link in the casting, the main one is René Auberjonois (DS9’s Odo) in the role of Cobra.  However, Ed Begley Jr also guest-starred in a Voyager episode, and features as the character of Death Adder.  The film also uses Blade alumni Stephen Dorff and Udo Kier in a couple of villain roles, and for the lead villainess, I’ve been tapping into the Charmed casting pool and setting up Rose McGowan as Viper.  Hawkeye also comes in on this film, but later in the sequence of events, hence his being separated out on the casting lists.  Since original comics Hawkeye married Mockingbird, I concluded any film including one character had to include the other and get that set up.

 In terms of romance for Cap, we actually have a kind of Bond girl situation here; both Sharon Carter and Diamondback have been among Cap’s romances in the comics, so the dynamic here would be almost akin to such notable Bond double-acts as Xenia Onatopp and Natalia Symonova, or Miranda Frost and Jinx, or Electra King and Christmas Jones.  The only difference is Cap’s more old-fashioned in a positive way, so he’s not going to be philandering his way through his love interests like Bond does.

Daredevil 2 (1998) Directed by Paul Verhoeven

Matt Murdock/Daredevil = Christian Slater

Foggy Nelson = Jon Favreau

Karen Page = Denise Richards

Wilson Fisk/Kingpin = Bruce Willis

Joseph “Robbie” Robertson = Denzel Washington

Ben Urich = John Spencer

Elektra Natchios = Leonor Varela

Frank Castle/Punisher = Liev Schrieber

Silvermane = Roy Schieder

Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone = Wesley Snipes

Leland Owlsey/The Owl = Bob Gunton

Mary Walker/Typhoid Mary = Drew Barrymore

Matsu'o Tsurayaba = Hiroyuki Sanada

Kwannon = Kelly Hu

Daredevil 2 puts everyone’s favourite man without fear in the middle of a gang war that’s been sparked by the downfall of the Kingpin in the first Daredevil film.  As a result, the film includes several major Marvel characters that fall into its stories regarding organised crime, and also expands the supporting characters on the side of the heroes, including the additions of Elektra and the Punisher. Again, I’ve tried to be racially and nationally accurate to characters that come from abroad, and I think it’s lead to some good selections.

 Now some less observant readers may wonder why I’ve cast Wesley Snipes as Tombstone considering the character’s extremely white skin.  Well, the simple reason is the character is African-American, but also an albino.  As such, it’s best to get a good actor of the right ethnic background to play the part, then use make-up/prosthetics to create the albino appearance. Tombstone’s inclusion also gives us a chance to bring in Joseph “Robbie” Robertson from the Spider-Man films, especially since Ben Urich works for the same newspaper as Robbie.  That means you’ve got Denzel Washington in the mix as well, and adding in all the other great actors on this list, I think this would be a very cool sequel indeed.

X-Men 2 (1998) Directed by Jonathan Frakes

Professor Charles Xavier = Patrick Stewart

Cyclops/Scott Summers = Patrick Swayze

Jean Grey = Milla Jovovich

Warren Worthington III/Angel = Neil Patrick Harris

Storm/Ororo Monroe = Halle Berry

Beast/Hank McCoy = Alec Baldwin

Banshee/Sean Cassidy = Liam Neeson

Polaris/Lorna Dane = Jeri Ryan

Havok/Alex Summers = Kevin Bacon

Kitty Pryde = Selma Blair

Sam Guthrie = Paul Walker

Roberto Da Costa = Mario Lopez

Tabita Smith = Anna Faris

Wolverine/Logan = Tom Cruise

Sunfire/Shiro Yashida = François Chau

Yukio = Vivian Wu

Mariko Yashida = Shu Qi

Viper/Ophelia Sarkissian = Rose McGowan

Silver Samurai/Kenuichio Harada = Hiro Kanagawa

Ogun = Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Senator Robert Kelly = Robert Hays

Henry Peter Gyrich = David Caruso

Calisto = Carrie-Anne Moss

Sunder = Kevin Nash

Ape = Gotz Otto

Annalee = Rosemary Harris

Plague = Gates McFadden

Caliban = Joe Pantoliano

Healer = Brian Cox

Sally Blevins/Skids = Amy Smart

For our second instalment of X-Lore in the 90’s MCU, we get two plots for the price of one film.  As former X-Man Angel is abducted along with several others by the underground mutants known as the Morlocks, heightening human-mutant tensions due to Angel’s public persona as a wealthy heir to a business fortune, an old foe of Wolverine’s kidnaps certain X-students.  The two plots loosely adapt the introduction of the Morlocks and the Wolverine/Wolverine and Kitty Pryde mini-series.  In terms of new characters, Angel and everyone from Calisto down is new and centric to the Morlock story arc, while Sunfire down to Ogun are the new characters for the Wolverine-in-Japan arc (not counting Rose McGowan’s Viper, who is reprised from our phase 2 Captain America sequel).

 In terms of Trek alumni, the film has Frakes in the director’s chair, Patrick Stewart as Xavier, and even Dr Crusher actress Gates McFadden is worked in, giving us three TNG alumni.  The film also allows Wolverine to begin a story arc involving his romance with Mariko Yashida, and it retains Senator Kelly and Henry Peter Gyrich from film 1 to maintain the face of the human fear of mutants.  Some Marvel films fans may also be able to spot a couple of people cast in other Marvel films given new roles in this hypothetical MCU.  More specifically, Rosemary Harris has gone from being Aunt May in the Maguire/Raimi Spider-Man trilogy to being one of the Morlocks, while another Morlock is playing by Brian Cox, the man cast to play William Stryker in Brian Singer’s X2.

Avengers 2 (1999) Directed by Andrew Davis

James Rhodes/Iron Man II = Samuel L Jackson

Steve Rogers/Captain America = Brad Pitt

Thor = Dolph Lundgren

Hank Pym/Ant-Man = Michael Douglas

Janet Van Dyne/Wasp = Catherine Zeta Jones

Clint Barton/Hawkeye = Kevin Costner

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow = Famke Jansen

Nick Fury = Tommy Lee Jones

Jasper Sitwell = Bill Paxton

Maria Hill = Marina Sirtis

Ultron = Marc Alaimo

Vision = Casper Van Dien

Edwin Jarvis = Mark Rylance

Col. John Jameson = Daniel Gillies

Michael O'Brien = Tony Curran

Bill Foster = Laurence Fishburne

Fabian Stankowicz = Tom Sizemore

David Canon/Whirlwind = Colin Cunningham

Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff = Kate Beckinsale

Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff = Robert Sean Leonard

 This film has loose ties to Avengers: Age of Ultron, but it’s not an exact match.  First of all, no Infinity Stones in play, as I’d want that story arc much later in this MCU.  Second, I’ve brought the original Ant-Man and the Wasp into this group of Avengers already, enabling Ultron to be Hank Pym’s creation and not Stark’s, better matching the comics.  Third, in these films, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are trying to become heroes and get misunderstood, so there’s less of them fighting the Avengers.  Lastly, Stark’s at the bottom of a bottle in this continuity, meaning this film has Rhodey as Iron Man.  However, plot elements like the creation of Vision are retained, and we also get the Wasp’s recurring stalker/antagonist Whirlwind to hand. In fact, in this film, Ultron is created by Hank in part to protect Janet, who Hank has become noticeably controlling over, and the events of this film see this behaviour escalate to a relationship-ending point.

 Also worked into the film are some of the Avengers support staff, which helps to show the team’s evolution and gives them stakes beyond the immediate membership.  For those trying to spot the Trek alumni, we’ve got Marina Sirtis (Counsellor Troi) back as Maria Hill, plus Marc Alaimo (DS9’s Gul Dukat) playing the role of Ultron. As for other new roles, my use of Laurence Fishburne in this film and Carrie-Anne Moss in X-Men 2 nod to this being the era of the first Matrix film, Casper Van Dien is a bit of a shout-out to the Starship Troopers fans, and those who read my ramble on phase 1 will know that Robert Sean Leonard and Kate Beckinsale are reprised roles from X-Men 1. That said, they’re in part selected as a nod to Ken Branagh’s 1993 adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, thus maintaining what I know to be strong 1990’s casting links.

Spider-Man 3 (1999) Directed by Frank Darabont

Peter Parker/Spider-Man = Wil Weaton

May Parker = Marg Helgenberger

Flash Thompson = Ben Affleck

J. Jonah Jameson = J.K. Simmons

Joseph "Robbie" Robertson = Denzel Washington

Betty Brant = Parker Posey

Jacob Conover = Steve Buscemi

Randy Robertson = Taye Diggs

Norman Osborn/Green Goblin = John Travolta

Harry Osborn = Ryan Phillipe

Gwen Stacy = Reese Witherspoon

Mary-Jane Watson = Alison Hannigan

Herman Schultz/Shocker = Patrick Muldoon

Ned Leeds = John Barrowman

Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino = Jake Busey

Now we come to Spider-Man 3, and since my cast list is now crediting Norman Osborn as also being the Green Goblin, I’m sure you can understand why I wanted Peter’s secret identity better secured in these films.  Yes, this film is all about going down the death of Gwen Stacy story arc, but unlike Raimi or Webb, we’ve not rushed to this or anything like it.  We’ve had two films before this to lay groundwork, to get the audience invested, and so when this film gets to the third act where Gwen, and subsequently Norman, go down for the count, there is some actual impact even before you work in performance, scoring, etc.  That impact is also added to by Peter’s dual identity being more closely guarded, and thus it’s a real shock when Norman goes after Gwen instead of it being “oh, Peter let the truth slip again.”

 Casting-wise, it’s only two supporting villains and the introduction of Betty Brant’s love interest Ned Leeds that are new roles, and I’ve not got much to say on them.  This time, my focus is more on who is directing, which this time is Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont.  I’m sure anyone who knows that film would agree the bloke could probably work wonders with this tragic moment in the history of Spider-Man.

Doctor Strange (1999) Directed by Tim Burton

Dr Stephen Strange = Johnny Depp

Wong = Will Yun Lee

The Ancient One = George Takai

Clea = Keira Knightley

Baron Karl Mordo = Michael Dorn

Dormammu = Bernard Hill

Dr Nicodemus West = Alan Rickman

Dr Christine Palmer = Helena Bonham Carter

 To close out our 90’s MCU phase 2, we bring in sorcerer supreme Dr Stephen Strange, which loosely bases some elements on the MCU film we know from 2016 while also working in more comic-accurate elements.  The film shows Strange’s origins in backstory, featuring Christine Palmer there but not in the present day, and Wong is more like Strange’s apprentice rather than the man-servant or drill sergeant roles we’ve seen previously. Another retention from the 2016 film is Mordo’s racial shift, which allows me to work in TNG actor Michael Dorn. George Takai (the original Sulu) is also worked in as the Ancient One because I didn’t want to retain too much MCU revisionism from the 2016 Dr Strange film.  The film also includes Clea, Dr Strange’s first major romance of note from the comics.

 Beyond the Trek alumni, this film is notable for reforming that notable cinematic trinity of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, while also working in Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean colleague Keira Knightley. Other notable cast members include Bernard Hill from Lord of the Rings (played Theoden, King of Rohan) and Alan Rickman (do I really need to rattle off his resume?)  In terms of the present-day plot, that’s mainly about Clea being found by Strange, a refugee from Dormammu’s dimension, and her and Strange teaming up together with Wong to beat Mordo and Dormammu.

 And that’s basically it for our 90’s MCU for now.  Future instalments, if I do rambles on them, will of course be dealing with phases set after the 1990’s, but it’ll still be a 90’s MCU.  So, until the next ramble, ta-ta for now.

[sciencespies]

Telling the story of Antarctica through 100 objects

https://sciencespies.com/humans/telling-the-story-of-antarctica-through-100-objects/

Telling the story of Antarctica through 100 objects

The 250th anniversary of the first documented crossing of the Antarctic circle is being marked with a new book that traces the continent’s history via 100 artefacts from around the world

Humans 28 December 2022

By Alison Flood

Herbert Ponting/Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images

THE first documented crossing of the Antarctic circle was made on 17 January 1773 by James Cook on the HMS Resolution. Now, 250 years later, Jean de Pomereu and Daniella McCahey are marking its anniversary in Antarctica: A history in 100 objects, a book that tells the story of the continent via 100 photos and artefacts from around the world.

The main image is an iconic photograph taken from a grotto in an iceberg in 1911 by Herbert Ponting (pictured below). Ponting was the first professional photographer to travel to Antarctica, after being invited by Robert Falcon Scott to join his ill-fated expedition. The ship is the Terra Nova and the men are geologist Thomas Griffith Taylor and meteorologist Charles Wright.

Herbert Ponting in Antarctica in 1910

Herbert Ponting/Royal Geographical Society via Getty Images

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Shaun O’Boyle

Pictured above are the South Pole Telescope and BICEP (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization) experiment at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The telescope helped to capture the first image of a supermassive black hole in 2019.

L: Vestfold Museums: R: United States Navy History and Heritage Command

Leather goggles to protect against snow blindness, made during Roald Amundsen’s 1910-1912 Antarctic expedition, are shown above left. Pictured to the right of them are mittens knitted by Edith “Jackie” Ronne during an expedition in 1946-48. Ronne was one of the first two women to winter in Antarctica as part of a geographical expedition.

G. H. Mumm & Cie

The  image above shows Ernest Gourdon and Paul Pléneau sharing a bottle of champagne in July 1904. This was intended to promote Mumm Cordon Rouge, since the Mumm family was a sponsor of the trip.

Pablo de León/University of North Dakota

A spacesuit tested in Antarctica in 2011 for possible use on Mars. (pictured above).

Sebastian Copeland

A humpback whale skeleton (pictured above) reconstructed by conservationist and film-maker Jacques Cousteau on King George Island in 1972-73, to raise awareness of whaling.

Frédéric Perin/Météo France

An anemometer from a 1908-10 expedition.

Pictured above is a New Zealand $5 note commemorating Edmund Hillary, whose team was the first to reach the South Pole using overland vehicles, in 1958.

Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images

The 1602 Kunyu Wanguo Quantu map from China, (pictured above) featuring a vast “Terra Australis” with the inscription “Few have reached these southern regions. So the things are not explored yet”.

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

Coryphaenoides lecointei, a fish specimen collected in the Antarctic on 15 March 1899 (pictured above).

More on these topics:

#Humans

#Humans

[fat-ugly-bus-driver]

Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Born in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift moved to Nashville at age 14 to become a country artist. She signed a songwriting deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2004 and a recording contract with Big Machine Records in 2005. Her 2006 self-titled debut album made her the first female country singer to write or co-write a U.S. platinum-certified album entirely.

Swift's next albums, Fearless (2008) and Speak Now (2010), explored country pop. The former's "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me" were the first country songs to top the U.S. pop and all-genre airplay charts, respectively. She experimented with rock and electronic styles on Red (2012), which featured her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one song, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", and eschewed her country image in her synth-pop album, 1989 (2014), supported by chart-topping songs "Shake It Off", "Blank Space", and "Bad Blood". Media scrutiny inspired the urban-flavored Reputation (2017) and its number-one single "Look What You Made Me Do".

Exiting Big Machine, Swift signed with Republic Records in 2018 and released her seventh studio album, Lover (2019), followed by the autobiographical documentary Miss Americana (2020). She ventured into indie folk and alternative rock in her 2020 albums Folklore and Evermore, whose singles "Cardigan" and "Willow" topped the Hot 100. Swift began re-recording her first six albums after a dispute over their masters, re-releasing two in 2021—Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version). The latter's "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" became the longest song to top the Hot 100. Her tenth album Midnights (2022) and its lead single "Anti-Hero" broke numerous streaming records. Swift has self-directed music videos and films, such as All Too Well: The Short Film (2021), and had supportive acting roles in others.

Having sold over 200 million records globally, Swift is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. She is the only act to have five albums open with over one million copies sold in the US. Among her accolades are 11 Grammy Awards, including three Album of the Year wins; an Emmy Award; 40 American Music Awards; 29 Billboard Music Awards; and 84 Guinness World Records. Swift has been featured in rankings such as Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time, Billboard's Greatest of All Time Artists, the Time 100 and Forbes Celebrity 100. Honored with titles such as Artist of the Decade and Woman of the Decade, Swift is an advocate for artists' rights and women's empowerment. Her music is credited with influencing a generation of singer-songwriters.

ohDO I L/ 9OOO L KR I CA RE .

#wom an

[raineydays411]

Trauma really does bond

The umbrella academy x teen!reader

Summary: It’s time for you to meet your siblings. But what happen when your introductions don’t exactly go as planned?

You were trembling as you walked behind Pogo and Grace. Its ironic, you’ve waited your whole life for this moment. To finally meet your siblings and expand your family. A childish hope of your siblings one day returning to the mansion and accepting you with open arms. 

But now that you actually have a chance to meet them, you’re terrified. You realized that you have no idea how to talk to people. It’s different than when you talk to Pogo or your mother. These are complete strangers. No matter how many stories you’ve been told, how many times you read Vanyas book, you truly didn’t know these people. How were you meant to be a family? How are you supposed to-

“Y/n? Dear?” 

You’re snapped from your thoughts by your mother calling you.

“Yes, momma?”

“Momma? Pogo, who’s that?”

You turn, again surprised by an unfamiliar voice. There she was. Alison Hargreeves. She’s beautiful. 

Her hair is curly and blonde, with beautiful high cheekbones and glowing brown skin. Her as were kind even as she squinted at you skeptically in confusion.

“Alison, this is Y/n Hargreeves, or Number Eight. She’s your sister.”

Grace again gives you a light nudge, and you move in front of her. It was then that you realized that you are shorter than Alison, having to glance up to meet her eyes. 

“My sister?” She looks at you in disbelief, “How come we didn’t know? This wasn’t mentioned by the press or anything...” 

“Your father decided to keep our dear Y/n a secret.” Grace said wrapping her arm around you, “ She’s been our little secret for 17 years and 4 months.” 

“A secret? But why? I mean, what was the reason?”

“Your father, believed that the world wasn’t ready for a new superhero. Nor was Y/n ready to face the world.” Pogo said with a grim face, “ He had hoped though, that one day he would be able to take her out...but it seems that for now, Y/n shall remain inside.”

You frowned, holding back tears at the thought. You didn’t know that your father had wanted to let you out, nor that he wanted to be there when you were. But, what truly upset you, was that you had to stay in the mansion. Freedom was at the tip of your fingers and you didn’t even know it.

“Stay inside? You mean she’s never been outside?” Alison said horrified.

“Well she has been out in the courtyard and such, but Mr. Hargreeves prohibited her to leave the premises. Nor was she allowed to be in contact with the citizens”

“She’s been here all alone?” Alison asks sadly, “ With no one to talk to? No one her age?” 

“I’m afraid not” Pogo says sadly, looking at you.

You didn’t understand the big deal. Of course you were lonely, and wanted to explore the world, but you knew why you had to stay. You can just hear your fathers words.

“You have a duty Number Eight. A duty to your people and to me. It may not be ideal but sacrifices are hardly ideal.”

And everytime you thought about leaving, you’d remember his words and stay put. Besides you wouldn’t dare disobey your father.

Not after the last time.

“Well,” Alison says gently, leaning down to your eye level, “ Hello Y/n, I’m Alison Hargreeves, your big sister.”

Your eyes widened at her words as your heart filled with joy. For so many years  you imagined those words. You wondered how this whole thing would play out, how meeting your siblings might be. And to hear Alison so readily accept you, it brought tears to your eyes.

“Hello, Alison” You say beaming as you carefully step forward, “ I’ve been waiting a long time to meet you, Momma says you live in California, what is it like?” 

Alison smiles at your question, your demeanor like a small child. It reminded her of Claire...

“It’s very nice, maybe when we have time I’ll be able to tell you all about it.” 

Your smile widens as you turn to your mother excitedly, she smiles back and says, “ That sounds wonderful dear, but you should go and change. You know the rules. You don’t want your father finding you in your night clothes, now would you?”

You furrow your brows,” Momma...”

“No buts now march” She says with a grin. You smile at Alison but see the worried look on her face. 

“So she did notice how weird momma acting” You think to yourself. You stay in a daze as you walk towards your room. Worrying about your mother, grieving your father, and thinking about how you’re finally meeting all your siblings. Then as you turn a corner into the hallway that leads to your room, you’re knocked to the ground as you bump into a wall of a body.

“Ow!” you squeal as you hit the ground, rubbing the back of your head and peering up at the person you bumped into.

“Uh..sorry Y/n” 

“Luther!” You shout, your pain overridden by the happiness you felt at seeing your brother, one that actually knows you exist.

He helps you up, which to him is like picking up a feather, and  before he knew it, your arms are wrapped around his midsection. Luther awkwardly pats your back, not really expecting to be hugged.

“It's great to see you Luther! I read all your mission reports, or rather the ones that Father let me read. I always wished you good night though! Pogo always caught me looking at the moon with that telescope, I hope you don’t mind that I used it. It's just that I missed you so-” Your happy ramblings cut off by a Luther clearing his throat.

“Ahem...right, um hey Y/n, I gotta go...check on something.” He says gently pushing you away, “It was nice seeing you though.”

And with that he walks away, leaving you in the hallway as you stare at his retreating form.

“oh...okay then! I’ll see...see you later.” You say, disheartened by his brief acknowledgement. You sigh, walking into your room. 

“I don’t know why I try...” You mumble to yourself. “ It’s not like he was ever happy to see me before.”

You go into your closet, trying to figure out what to wear. Usually, Grace picked out your outfits, ordered by your father, but she didn’t leave anything out for you today. So, you settled for a black turtleneck sweater, a black and white plaid skirt, black knee high socks with some mary janes. It wasn’t really your go to look, but you felt like it was appropriate given the circumstance. You let your hair loose, curls falling into your face as you let it out of the bun you quickly put it in. 

You go to walk out of the room when you’re stopped by a gleam. You see the necklace your father gave to you after the incident. You stare at it, debating on whether you should put it on or not. You sigh, deciding to wear it, it was his funeral after all. You put it on, the cold metal never truly seem to heat up, the pendant heavy on your chest. You never grew attached to it. It just served as a reminder that you’re stuck in the mansion. You can never leave. Not until he let you and now...

You shake your head. Trying not to get into your thoughts, that's when you heard it. Little scratching at your window. You turn to see Despereaux, the little mouse  you saved when you were younger. Ever since that day it was like you and him formed a bond.

You open the window excited to see your little friend.

“Hello Despereaux, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you.” You whisper as you let him climb on to your shoulder. “ you’ve missed quite a bit since I’ve last seen you. How about some cheese?”

You walk out of your room, Despereaux nestled on your shoulder. As you walk through the long hallways, you bump into another body.

“Ouch, again?” You whisper to yourself, rubbing your forehead.

“Hey watch it...teenage girl?” A male voice said in a perplexed tone. 

You look up to see a man in some rather tight clothes and kohl ringed eyes.

“Hello” You quietly mutter with a soft smile. “I’m Y/n”

“You are adorable.” The man says, “ Where has the old man been hiding you?” 

You blush looking down at your feet, you were never really complimented. Only by Grace.

“ Aww” The man squeals, squishing you to his body. He smelled like booze and sweat but the hug was nice, “ I have no idea who you are but I’m your uncle Klaus from now on.”

“You’re Klaus?” You say excitedly, “ I’m so glad to meet you!” 

You wrap your arms around him, feeling the outline of something hard and metal in the back of his pants. You ignored it though, happy to meet another one of your siblings.

“Ugh it’s so nice to be around someone who isn’t a total stick in the mud.” Klaus says letting go of you, “ Like Luther, all that rage in that big body” 

You giggle at his words and eccentric behavior. It was a stark contrast to the ridgid stoic behavior that you’re used to. Klaus’ grand gestures and silly nature was new to you.

“I’ve heard alot about you.” You say happily, “ Mama always tells me stories about how you used to steal  her shoes and skirts and Father said--”

“Father?” Klaus asked, “ You mean ol’ Reggie bought you too? Or are you like..his offspring? Eww! I don’t want to think about that, shut up Ben.”

Ben?

“Father adopted me, I was born with powers like you.” You clarify for him. 

“Huh, so he managed to create another trauma case before he croaked.” Klaus said in a light voice, “Well. I always wanted a little sister.”

You smile, glad that at least two of your siblings liked you. But what did he mean by trauma case.

“Anywho, I have some... inheritance I need to collect. I, will see you at the funeral, das Kind” 

And with a wiggle of his fingers he was off, gone as quick as when you met him. Leaving you yet again, alone. You shrug off his odd behavior when you heard two voices speaking. 

“ah no, not to my knowledge.”

“But..the spine is broken and there's notes in the margins.”

“ Yes, that would be the work of.. ah Y/n, there you are.”

You jump in surprise, although you should’ve know. You can never eavesdrop with Pogo around.

You walk down the stairs, slowly towards Pogo and.. Vanya!

Out of all the siblings, she’s the one you wanted to meet the most. She, like you was isolated in this mansion. You felt a connection to her as soon as you were able to pick up that book. Your heart raced as you made it to the final step, reaching the first flower and into the living room where Vanya and Pogo were talking. You can see that she is shocked, as all your other siblings were.

“Pogo, who is this?” 

“Go ahead dear, introduce yourself. Just like you practiced.”

You smile widely, “Hi I’m Y/n Hargreeves, I love your book. I’ve read it almost five times now.  You’re Vanya! I’ve been waiting to meet you! You look exactly like the picture on the back of the book! It really is a good book, I-”

“Y/n, take a breath. Let her get a word in.” Pogo chuckled, glad to see that you’re comfortable around Vanya. 

“Oh, right. I’m sorry, father did always say I..tend to talk to much” You say looking down at your shoes. You didn’t notice the frown on both Pogo and Vanyas face.

“You...you read my book?” Vanya asked, still trying to figure out who you are.

“Yes, multiple times. It...well, besides the stories Mama and Pogo told me, this was the only way I got to know all of you.”

“Why didn’t you just come find us?” 

“Oh well..I wasn’t really allowed outside”, you say glancing at Pogo, “ Father said the world and I weren’t ready for each other.”

“You mean, you’ve been alone...all these year?”

“No, not totally alone! I had Pogo, and Mama, and and father too. Plus there were the robots he built, although I did destroy them...and the books and and..”

“Y/n...that’s..that’s not..” Vanya stopped herself. She knew that this must be a sensitive subject for you. The way you listed everyone in your life was practiced. Like you’ve said it to yourself over and over again. And by the grim look on Pogos face, she can tell it wasn’t only you who was sensitive about this subject.

“Well, Y/n..perhaps you should go on in the kitchen and help your mother. Your siblings will be meeting here shortly, it would be nice if they had some snacks, don’t you agree?” Pogo says, forcing a smile at you.

“Oh! Okay” You beam, “ It was nice meeting you Vanya!” 

And with that you scurry off into the kitchen, leaving Vanya and Pogo behind in silence.

“She’s been alone for...” 

“For seventeen years. Yes”

“Pogo...”

“You know your father...once he made up his mind...there was little I can do.”

Vanya sighs and pats Pogo on the shoulder, “It’s good to see you Pogo.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You skip into the kitchen, seeing your mother humming at the sink. You walk up to her and notice that she’s cleaning the same plate over and over again.

“Hi momma!” you say suddenly

“Oh, hello dear. What are you doing in here?” Grace asks putting the plate in the drying rack.

Pogo said it would be nice to make snacks for my siblings” You ask, then feeling movement around your neck, “Oh and some cheese please.”

You forgot Despereaux was on your shoulder, its a wonder that no one has seen him yet.

“hmm snacks we can do.” Grace says with a smile. She goes to the fridge and pulls out some cheese.

“How about some cheese and crackers? Its simple.” she says, “ ans Despereaux here can have his fill as well”

You freeze, caught again by your mother, “ Thanks momma.” 

You both giggle, and side by side you work on cutting the cheese and presenting the crackers. You feel a sense of calm wash over you. You usually do when you’re around your mother. She makes you feel safe. 

“Ahem.” 

You both turn to see Diego in the kitchen doorway.

“Diego dear, you startled us.” Grace said with a smile, “ Come help, we’re making you kids some snacks.”

He barely spares a glance at you.

“Pogo wanted me to come tell you that the meetings starting.”

“Oh, well go on darling, run along and I’ll bring out the snacks later.”

And with that she kisses your forehead and waves you away. She turns back to the  sink and starts humming again. 

You glance back at Diego. He’s glaring at the wall and to be honest you’re surprised he even waited for you. You pick up Despereaux and put him on your shoulder again, and grab some grapes and cheese then stuff it in your skirt pocket. Then you walk up to Diego with a small smile. 

He glances at you and scoffs, then walks away. You have to jog to catch up to him.

“You uh, you walk pretty fast” You say huffing a bit. 

He doesn’t answer you, he just keeps walking in the same pace. You stay silent as well, the trip to the living room longer than you remember.

You finally make it, and you see all your siblings in the room, spread out. You take a seat next to Vanya. You smile at her and take a glance around the room. Luther is sat at the couch across from you and Vanya. Allison and Diego are sat on some chairs, and Klaus is at the bar. 

The six of you sit in an awkward silence until Luther clears his throat.

“ So I guess we should get this started.” He says standing up, “ So I figured we can have sort of a memorial service. At the courtyard at sundown, say a few words. At dad’s favorite spot.”

You nod along and hear Alison speak up, “ Dad had a favorite spot?”

“Yeh at the oak tree, we used to sit out there all the time. None of you did that?” Luther asks.

“Oh yeah, after training” you chime in, causing the adults to look at you. You heard Diego scoff again and saw Luther quickly furrow his brow then smooth out his face again.

“Will there be refreshments?” Klaus asks walking out from behind the bar, “ Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner.” 

He goes to take a seat next to you when Luther speaks up

“What? No, and put that out. You know dad didn’t allow smoking in here.”

You roll your eyes. If you had to choose one thing to hate about Luther, you’d choose his insistent need to always be on your Father's good side. He can be such a downer sometimes.

“Is that my skirt?”

You hadn’t even noticed Klaus in the skirt. If you had to be honest, it did really suit him. You let out a small laugh, hearing Klaus mention his “bits”.

“Listen up.”

Oh boy, you’ve heard this tone before. You really forgot how stern Luther could be.

“There’s still some important things that we need to discuss alright ?”

“Um Luther” you squeak out, “ what more is there to talk about? Its not like Father had many friends we can invite. And his only family is us...”

“Yeah. The kids right, what else is there to discuss?” Diego asks.

You turn to him in surprise, this is basically the first time he acknowledged you unprompted. You send him a smile that, as expected, he ignores.

Oh well, small steps.

“ The way he died.”

“ And here we go”

You scrunch your eyebrows, “the way he died?”

Klaus sits next to you, throwing an arm around your shoulder as Vanya speaks up,

“I don’t understand, I thought they said it was a heart attack...”

“A heart attack?” You ask, realizing that no one’s really did tell you how your father died..

You’re question gained a suspicious look from Luther and confusion from the rest.

“ Y/n...you didn’t know?” Alison asked gently.

“ no one told me...” You say quietly, feeling nervous from the sudden attention.

“Well, According or to the coroner it was.” Luther continues.

“Well wouldn’t they know?”

“Theoretically..”

“Theoretically??”

You don’t understand. You don’t understand why nobody told you how your father died. You don’t understand why everyone was acting weird. And you don’t understand why Luther was bringing this up.

You feel a hand on your forearm, breaking you from your thoughts. You turn your head to see Klaus.

“ you lost in space?” He whispers playfully, “ I would be too, having to listen to Detective Daddy issues over here.”

You let out a small chuckle and whisper back, “ well technically we all have daddy issues.”

This earned you a quiet laugh and a pat on the arm. Then Klaus went to drink whatever was in his cup. And you tuned in again.

“ i’m just saying at the very least something happened. ” Luther says looking around the room, “ The last time I talk to dad he sounded strange.”

“Oh quelle surprise!” Klaus gurgles through his drink.

The rest of the adult ignored him, only sparing him a quick glance.

“Strange how?” Alison asked, continuing the conversation.

“ he sounded on edge”, Luther said, “ told me to be careful who to trust.”

He then gave you pointed look. You looked back at him perplexed, not knowing why he looked at you that way.

“Luther,” Diego chimed in, “ he was a paranoid, bitter old man who was starting to lose what was left of his marbles. ”

You frown at that statement. Sure your father was old and sort of eccentric, but his mind was sharp.

But come to think of it he was acting really weird the week before he died. He started telling you more about your siblings, about your place in the world and how you were meant to help it. He spent more time with you more than he ever has your whole life. He was, in his own way, nicer to you. Nicer in training, nicer on your free time, nicer in general. He took you out to the old oak tree more often, and just sat there with you, no lectures, no tirades, he just sat in silence.

It was almost like... like he knew he was going to die. 



“I can’t just call dad in the afterlife and be like, “ hey dad can you stop playing tennis with Hitler really quick and take a quick call?’” Klaus says exasperatedly.

Oh right you forgot, he can talk to ghosts.

“ since when? that’s your thing.” Luther asks

“ i’m not in the right... Frame of mind!!” 

“ You’re high?” Alison asks

“Yeah!” Klaus laughs, “ Who wouldn’t be listening to this nonsense. Right kiddo?”

He nudged you gently look at you for confirmation.

Your eyes widen and before you can even answer Diego cut you off,

“ Don’t bring her in this, she probably isn’t even know what being high is.”

You most certainly do. You’re not a child.

“ Look, just sober up this is important!” Luther demands , then continues on, “ and then there’s the missing monocle.”

“Who gives a shit about the missing monocle?” Diego mutters.

“ Father is missing his monocle?” You ask, getting ignored again.

“Exactly, it’s worthless.” Luther states, “ so whoever took it it must’ve been personal.”

The group starts to actually pay attention to him

“ Someone close to him, someone with a grudge.” He determines.

Wait...he’s not implying..

“Where are you going with this?” Klaus asks

“Oh, isn’t obvious Klaus?” Diego taunts, “ He thinks one of us killed dad.”

Luther grunts, but doesn’t deny his accusation.

The room goes silent as everyone tries to come to terms with what was revealed.

“ Luther...” you start sadly, feeling hurt and betrayed.

“You do?” Klaus asks in disbelief

“How could you think that?” Vanya chimes in

“ is it really that far-fetched?” Luther defends himself, “ I mean, it’s not secret how much you all hate him.”

“Luther.” Alison says sternly

“ That’s not fair accusation, there’s no evidence or anything...” you say defending your siblings, “ Besides, no one came home until today. Trust me, I’d know.”

But that just turned him on you 

“ And where were you when he died?”

Your breath hitched, “ what?”

“ You’re the one who can heal people right? So where were you? Why didn’t you heal him?” He demands, “ Or did you let him die?”

“ Luther!” Alison shouts at him

You stay silent as you can’t think of anything to say. You already felt horrible about not being able to save your father. But yo hear it from Luther...

“I..” you start to say but get choked up. You feel the walls close up around you and the heavy gaze of these adults. You quickly stand up and run out of the room sniffing.

It was then that Luther realized what he just accused you of.

“Y/n wait..” he starts but you’re already gone by the time he spoke up. He turns to the rest of his siblings, facing their glares and betrayed looks.

“ Great job Luther.” Diego says sarcastically, “ Way to lead.”

And with that he walks out the room.

“That’s..that’s not what I’m saying”

“You’re crazy man. You’re crazy.” Klaus said getting up from his spot and grabbing his things. “Crazy”

“I..I wasn’t finished”

“ Okay, sorry I’m just gonna go get Y/n and have her help me murder mom.” Klaus sneers, “ You know, after I get her to stop crying, be right back.”

“That’s not what I was saying!” Luther says, “ I didn’t—“ he cuts himself off, seeing as everyone but Alison left.

Then she gets up to leave, but says this

“ That little girl has had it rough enough growing up here, she doesn’t need anymore from you.”

Then she walks out ignoring what Luther tries to say.

Leaving him all alone.

“That went well.”



#the umbrella academy x reader #the umbrella academy #klaus hargreeves x reader #diego hargreeves x reader #alison hargreeves x reader #vanya hargreeves x reader #five hargreeves x reader #luther hargeeves x r #klaus hargreeves #five hargreeves #comics #netflix

[straighttohellbuddy]

how the light gets in {Corpse Husband}

2. you’ve gone way too fast for way too long.

Summary: Supernatural Creatures AU. Them/Them Reader. After the success of your first stream, you find yourself wanting to get back to your YouTube roots, and what better way to do that than with a cover by one of the bands who holds a special place in your heart? And maybe you’re using it to distract yourself from thinking about how coming back to YouTube means coming back to the things - the people - you’d left behind. 

Maybe it’s selfish, but Corpse kind of wishes you hadn’t come back to YouTube; honestly, if anyone else had taken the world by storm, he wouldn’t complain half as much, except it’s you and he’s still mostly convinced that you might be an angel like him... Except better. Because of course you would be a better angel, you’re talented and driven and personable and essentially everything an angel should be, and - bar the talented bit, Corpse at least knows some of his worth - you’re everything he’s pretty sure he’s not. Except it seems like everyone loves you, and he doesn’t exactly have a good enough reason to be bothered by you the way he is, so he has to act like he isn’t. Which is a lot easier said than done, when you barely say a word to him and it feels like all of his suspicions are confirmed. 

A/N: 8471 words. Reader in the fic is stated to be 24. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SUPERNATURAL THE TV SERIES. me, trying to walk the line between 3rd person omniscient narrator and trying to make the narration feel like its somewhat coming from the POV character?? it’s more likely than you think! as always, i really appreciate feedback.

{ m a s t e r l i s t }

Taglist: @nanasort @meme-lord-and-savior-sebastian @theboywhocriedlupin @taikalinna @jaychirps @bingusmode @divine-artemis @realmejay @lovemelikepercy @balla-deer @miniritzcrackers @loraleiix @ppopty @easygoingtheatre @insanedeathwish @siriuslystupid @losvertown @janiathecat @wineandionysus @moonlightsimp @allylyew @chokingonflxwers @sicnesa @xxniksxx @mishisamess @preciousskye @yashinosakura @meleekabenjamin @whatamievendoinghere01 @lxurxn-02 @liljennyx3 @the-fusionist @benjaminka @lilysdaydreams @a-lonely-bic @letsloveimagines @melmachh @tama-chan-suneater @shio-yuki @fairywriter-oracle @easygoingtheatre @pixelbxtch @dreammoutlouddd @abysshaven @mediocrearistophanes @tsukishimawh0re @inkbyajm @jordiee95 @honkcorpse @kaiihaan @takenbyheartstrings @mrtony-stank1 @dangeroustreebread @xibrokensunriseix @corpseglider @artsyally @ellsbells2143 @machine-gun-casie @marvelsmurphy @bigmac-papi @danielle143 @fivedicksinatrenchcoat @starstruckllamapuppy @youretheonlyonewhomakesme @fee-btheweeb @parkerpeanuts @fanfictionenthusiast @evans-dejong @pancakebinnie @minbunbun @sabrinarahaman @thefangirl05 @jades-bullshit @fo-love @roses-and-grasses @thirstyfangirl @lovelysmp @325575 @wrongcielo @lukathecrime @lunariasilver @delicrieux @rebloogggs @kookiesandtae7 @mizxkii @effielumiere @happyyyandcrazyyy @teenageguitarist @prettylittlealiengirl @aroyalharknessblr @kylie-writes-stuff @annshit @haunteddeputymugpersona 

taglist is always open! message me if you’d like to be added xx

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The day after your song drops, it’s on Spotify’s Top 50 Viral playlist, it’s charting on iTunes, it’s splattered across the internet, according to your manager, who sees fit to text you, congratulating you on what she assumed to be a masterful marketing tactic; releasing the song and immediately streaming alongside huge YouTube creators who have a wide and diverse fanbase, all plugging your music. She thinks it was a carefully calculated move, which makes you feel all kinds of scummy, like you were using your new friends. Thankfully, when you fire a somewhat defensive response about how you had no ulterior motive, that all you wanted to do was have fun and make friends, your tone apparently reads loud and clear, as you receive an apology a few moments later. Backtracking, she simply mentions that, even unintentionally, you had great timing, and she’s glad you had a good time, which is better, and you try not to dwell on your initial assumption. Years of your life had been spent worrying that the people you were close to just thought you were using them for views or fame; her words did little to quell that worry, so instead you tried to distract yourself, or at the very least, focus on the good that yesterday had brought about.

The best, of course, was Sykkuno, the hellhound who’d endeared himself to you almost immediately. Something about him makes you feel safe, though perhaps it’s that you’re unused to someone feeling so familiar; you like to think you’re a good judge of character, so for now, you’re trusting in your instincts, trusting in Sykkuno. The next best thing was a tie, between friends and freedom. Yesterday you’d been doing what you wanted to do, not what you thought you should be doing, not what was on brand, or carefully scripted; you were messy, stumbled over your words, and you laughed and deceived your friends as was the aim of the game, it was so freeing to be unfiltered. People kept saying it was nice to see you smile, to hear you laugh again. Huh. Part of you really doesn’t like that you know exactly what they mean, and more importantly, why people are saying that at all. But things are different now, are freer now; your brand was built on you, it’s nice to get back to that.

By mid-morning, you’d been sprawled out on your sofa for almost an hour, glad to be alone, to not have to worry about being seen, as you’ve phased your tail back into reality, and have it holding up your phone as you scroll through Twitter with one hand and fidget idly with the other. More and more you’re seeing supportive comments from people gushing about the few bars you’d sung of 5 Seconds of Summer’s Youngblood on stream yesterday. First your chat had loved it, now it seems the general consensus was that people would love for you to cover more than a few bars. While you tried not to listen too much to what other people wanted, you couldn’t help but admit that it was something you definitely wanted too.    

When you text your manager, new idea already taking hold of your focus, your earlier unsavoury text conversation seemingly forgotten, your manager reminds you that you should be working on your new album, putting together the tracklist for your EP. Ugh. 

It’s not that you didn’t have ideas, quite the opposite; you’re exploding with ideas, brimming, overflowing with them, for songs you wants to write and feelings you can’t express any other way, but the songs and collaborations you’ve already completed, their mp4 files sitting neatly on your desktop, you wanted to save them for the full album, like it was some sort of penance for getting to collaborate, getting to become friends with people you looked up to, people who inspired you. To you, their contribution was worthy of your full album. 

Well, that was part of the reason, the other part was that the songs you had designated for the album had a different vibe to your EP songs; albumtouralbumtour and imposter syndrome had both been written in lockdown, about very specific concerns you were having at the time. The EP was shaping up to capture a very specific moment in time, while the album was so much more than that. You couldn’t put read at five am on the EP, the collaboration you’d done with Troye, a lyrical-lament with a dissonant, upbeat melody, an apology for when you’re the one who cuts off contact with someone you’re close to and don’t know how to say why, and don’t know how to come back; yes, the fact that you and Ethan are talking again means that the song is technically relevant to this period of time, but it’s three years of regret and indirect apology compressed into in three minutes. It’s going on the album. 

But being stuck at home all day for months had made you all nostalgic for your roots, for when you’d started uploading all the way back in 2012, at 16, with no idea what a few videos would lead to. You missed covering songs you loved, the songs other people had written and that you had still connected with, the songs that made you want to write your own. Yes, you loved your own content, obviously, but from idea to video publishing, you knew a low-effort cover would take you maximum a day and a half if you were particularly inspired, which you clearly were. By now, you’d been doing this for so long that you knew the legality of it all like the back of your hand, and were in a stable enough place to be more than happy to pay royalties to the band you’d co-headlined alongside for your first international tour.

“What if I call the boys and ask them?” You decided to just call your manager directly, tail curled securely around your phone where you’d put her on speaker, pottering around your kitchen trying to find something to eat. Alison, on the other end of the line, sighed deeply, having been fielding these sorts of calls from you about once a fortnight since lockdown had started.

“Have you finished moment before impact yet?” She countered, and you wrinkle your nose; its as if she can hear the expression through the phone with the way she continues on, not giving you a moment to cut in, “listen, I won’t tell you what to do, but you need to make a decision about your EP tracklist soon, okay? The label’s breathing down my neck, you know you have more than enough songs for it.”

“Alison, the vibes -”

“The vibes, Y/N, I know,” she sighed deeply, but you could hear the faintest smile in her voice.

“I promise I’m working on my own stuff; I think moment before impact is gonna be a collab, but I’m not sure who with yet, but if it makes you happy, once I record this 5SOS thing, I’ll work on a demo of moment for the EP,” you concede, and you hear her hum in approval, “I promise I have all the songs in my head, I just gotta make sense of which ones are the right ones for now, you know?”

“I really don’t,” you could hear her actually smiling now, so you let yourself relax for a moment, hands braced on your kitchen counter as you looked to your phone, “but I suppose that’s why you’re the musical one and I’m the manager.”

“My favourite manager,” you told her sweetly, and her answering laugh is more of a snort. 

"Call the band, maybe they can work something out for you regarding royalties, if you plan to monetise it," she suggested, and you hummed, "keep me updated, okay? Make sure you're still working on your own stuff though."

"Alison you're a national treasure," you tell her feelingly; you don't even have to see her to know she's rolling her eyes.

But you take her advice, sending 'what if I covered Youngblood and posted it to YT? I'll pay you royalties' to the mostly dormant WhatsApp group you have with 5 Seconds of Summer, despite it being about six in the morning in Australia. Callum sends back a thumbs up almost immediately. Its all the confirmation you need to get started.

As you’re hunting through your house for a pick, turning over cushions, looking through junk drawers, you hear your phone go off, and you take a moment to check, surprised by what you see. A message from Sean. Huh.

[I see you’ve finally decided to join us in the gaming community, took you long enough 😊 If you ever wanna play something, just gimme a yell, you know Id be glad to have ya on my team.]

Considering the fact that it had been three years since you and Sean had properly been in contact, you find the message both surprising, and strangely heartwarming. There were a few people you’d purposefully fallen out of contact with, plagued by your own fears and self doubts. The people who you’d seen in person almost daily were the ones who you’d felt the absence of the most, but Sean, just by his close association with those people, along with a few other international friends, had been regretfully left behind also. Here and now, you can feel just how much you’ve missed him, how guilty you feel for giving in to your own anxieties and the negativity spewed by others. 

But you know you can’t dwell on the past, on your mistakes, all you can do is be grateful for the opportunity to reconnect, and take it.

[ID: A tweet and reply conversation between @yourtwitter and @goldeny/n, followed by a single tweet by @ZeRoyalViking, and a tweet and reply conversation between @yourtwitter, and @5SOS.

@yourtwitter: someone yell at me for doing another cover instead of my original stuff. quarantine got me feeling 17 again. might do the cinnamon challenge next. or finally do that Roast Yourself trend 4 years too late. | @golden_y/n: BRUH YOU BEST NOT BE PULLING OUR LEGS | @golden_y/n: I would empty my bank account to see you roast yourself. | @yourtwitter: Please Don't Do That YouTube Is Free | @golden_y/n: 😳💀💖

@ZeRoyalViking: stream today with some familiar and not so familiar faces!!

@yourtwitter posted an image of Griffin McElroy from the My Brother My Brother & Me TV show. Griffin is a Caucasian man wearing glasses and a blue checked shirt. He is visible from the chest up and is sitting behind a desk with one arm in front of him, with his thumb out, as if counting. The image’s subtitles have been edited, now reading ‘My friends are very much into the following: Bullying me on TikTok.’ | @yourtwitter: @luke5SOS is just mad im gonna sing his song better than him. he doesn’t use twitter anymore so i have the upper hand here. | @5SOS replies with a gif of Jason Momoa, who is incredibly muscular, with dark hair down to his shoulders, a black tank top, and sunglasses on, holding a microphone, standing in a confrontational manner, captioned ‘No, no, no. By all means, speak your mind. You got a problem with my boy?’ | @yourtwitter: HE WENT LIVE UNPROMPTED TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT HOW I WROTE NOTIMETOSLEEP IN THREE DAYS WITH NO ACTUAL SLEEP, OPENED FOR THEM IN ARIZONA, AND IMMEDIATELY PASSED OUT FOR 16 HOURS AFTER WALKING OFF STAGE | @5SOS: we just miss you tho... and it is kind of funny. | @yourtwitter: the minute im allowed to safely leave lockdown im coming to australia to german supplex the lot of you. ❤️

End ID.]

Corpse’s whole ‘not thinking about you’ plan goes down a lot smoother when you’re not actively stealing his friends- what kind of Angel goes around stealing another person - another Angel’s, no less - friends?! Except, right, he doesn't actually have proof that you're an angel, just a hunch he’s apparently committed to... and, okay, you don't know you're stealing them... Sykkuno and Rae are allowed to have more than one friend. Obviously.

"Honestly, I'm still kind of riding the high from yesterday's stream," Sykkuno’s all kinds of elated in the voice chat, and Rae's quick to chime in, matching his tone, his energy, as she agrees.

"I cannot believe Y/N played with us! I’m sorry you missed it, Corpse, I think you'd love them," Rae is adamant, to which Corpse, from behind the safety of his monitor, makes a face.

"What makes you say that?” Even as he says it, as he tries to keep the negativity from his voice, his nose wrinkles, the expression shifting his eyepatch just a little.

“I don’t know, just something about...” Rae’s voice turns thoughtful as she considers, though Sykkuno takes the chance to pipe up, voice brimming with his trademark sincerity.

“You guys have weirdly similar vibes, like kind of a similar energy?” He tries to explain before a faintly embarrassed laugh escaping him, even with Rae humming in agreement, “not the exact same, obviously, but like, I don’t know, I think you’d really like them.” The problem with having Sykkuno for a friend is that he’s almost always trying to be genuinely kind or helpful. The problem is that Corpse can tell he believes what he’s saying. 

An angelic ability that often goes overlooked, even by angels themselves, is the innate ability to tell whether or not someone’s lying. It’s like a faint buzzing, low grade tinnitus, at the sound of a lie, something that can actually be pretty effectively ignored and forgotten, but right now, the lack of buzzing with Sykkuno’s words is frankly irritating. Not that Corpse can say that, he has no real reason to be jealous of your fast forming friendships with his friends, well, not any reason he can admit to on stream.

"You know what,” Sean muses, finally joining the conversation, “It’s been a while since I properly spoke to them, but I totally get what you mean,” fucking great; of course he agrees, “did anyone invite them to play; would love to have them here if they’re up for it.” 

"I think they're working on a thing today, but I can message and ask?" It’s Sykkuno who speaks up, the barest hesitation in his voice, and to that Rae makes a proud little noise in the back of her throat. 

"You met yesterday on the stream that I organised, and suddenly you're all best buddies? Gonna be honest, I’m a little jealous,” she admits, to which Sykkuno huffs a soft laugh, uncertain of what to say, though Rae’s tone is fond and she continues on, “seriously though, good for you, dude, finally getting the recognition you deserve -"

And on the one hand, yes, Corpse would agree that Sykkuno deserved infinitely more recognition and praise than he currently received, but on the other, the speed at which you two had aparently become close - a day! It had been a day! - sets Corpse’s teeth on edge. It was all he could do to keep quiet as the others chimed in, all their sentiments mirroring Rae’s.

All this frustration and resentment was almost definitely unhealthy, he was more than aware, but something about you had fixed in his mind; if it had been anyone else, anyone less talented or personable or productive, he could have probably handled it, but you...

All he gets is two games worth of peace before Sykkuno announces that he’s gotten a reply. Aparently you’re in the middle of recording a cover. Something about knowing that fills Corpse with discomfort, with envy, like he should be working on his music instead of being here. 

"But they say they're gonna take a break in an hour or say, so they might join us for a few games," Sykkuno’s tone betrayed his bright smile, and suddenly the voice chat was flooded with excitement from almost all in attendance. 

"Wait, really? Just like that, we'll be playing with Y/N?" Leslie sounds disbelievingly hopeful, but thankfully it’s only a few moments until the next game beings. While none of the others had picked up on Corpse’s silence, his chat seemed confused. Purposefully ignoring their questions and comments on the matter, he instead gives a few comments on the game, trying to come off lighter than he was feeling. 

He’s not quite sure what he’s going to do if you join the stream, he’d never actually considered that he might one day talk to you, have to confront the person whose very existence got under his skin, who might very well be the only other person like him on this side of the world. Unsurprisingly, his head’s not in the game.

"Did you get enough sleep last night?” Rae feels the need to ask when whatever response he’d given in a meeting had just come out as an incoherent mumble. Of course he straight up laughs at her question, which is answer enough, and she clicks her tongue disapprovingly, “you’re impossible.”

“Have you drunk any water today -?”

“Sykkuno you’re dead,” Sean interrupts Sykkuno, who had broken one of the main rules of the game simply to question Corpse about his health; he’s far too caring for his own good, but moments like this make for good entertainment, “dead people can’t talk,” Corpse is grateful for all of five seconds before Sean turns on him, reiterating Sykkuno’s question like a traitor; “Corpse, have you drunk water today?” In lieu of a proper response, Corpse groans, playing at being annoyed.

“I say we vote him out because if he is the imposter, we win, and if he isn’t, he has time to go drink a glass of water,” Rae proposes matter-of-factly, which just leaves Corpse spluttering with disbelief.

“That’s fucking stupid; I’m not the imposter, you’re basically throwing the game -” but the votes are already popping up, and unfortunately, for the first time all stream, everyone seems to be in agreement.

“Drink water, Corpse,” Rae, clearly the leader of this mutiny, orders, as Corpse watches his character get flung into lava, and very begrudgingly heeds her words. He takes his sweet time drinking a full glass of water and refilling it to take back with him, intermittently glaring from his kitchen at his computer, despite the game still going on; he’s got several tasks left, if they don’t catch the imposters, they’re doomed, and honestly he doesn’t care. Once the game ends, with the crewmates’ loss, as he’d suspected, they all find themselves back in the lobby. Maybe they’re waiting for him. They can wait longer.

As he settles himself back into his office chair, he pulls on his headphones in time to hear -

“- earlier than I thought because of a whole thing on TikTok and then Twitter, and then my manager texted me telling me-” It’s like he’s turned twenty again at the sound of your voice; you, bright, earnest, rambling to probably Sykkuno or Sean or Rae, probably not even aware of him, but he’s never been more aware of you. Not that he’d ever admit it to anyone, but your second EP, hyperfocus, had been in heavy rotation on his Spotify since he’d discovered it, since he’d listened to the crack in your voice, the exhaustion with which you spoke on i’m going through some stuff when Lofi had just been taking off as a genre. He’s... conflicted, going through an internal crisis while you keep talking, blissfully unaware, “- anyways, I think she’s just worried that I’ll end up threatening to German Supplex Harry Styles, or the late, great, Prince, and I’ll end up cancelled.”

“Y/N,” your name sounds equal parts amused and concerned as Sykkuno says it, with the air of someone who’s been privy to you and your antics far longer than just one day. The response you give is just as bright and cheery as your rambling had been, assuring him that you wouldn’t threaten to German Supplex Prince.

“You sure about that?” Sean was obviously grinning, judging by his fond tone, “sounds like something you’d try -”

“I’ve changed, Jack- Sean- fuck,” your muttered swear undercuts your attempt at earnestness after you correct yourself, clearly not used to calling him by his actual name. To that, Sean gives a fond chuckle, before going right back to ribbing you.

“I’m pretty sure there’s still video evidence of you trying to square up with Mark in person,” Sean points out, to which you grow huffy and defensive, playing up your frustration. 

“Well, that was for a completely reasonable reason!”

“Which was?”

“I thought it would be funny,” tone flipping completely, the words come out so sincere and bright it’s almost tooth rotting; if he didn’t know any better, Corpse would probably find himself being endeared by it, “and it was! Plus,” though here you give pause, and something about the tone of the conversation shifts as you chew on the words you’d almost said without thinking, “it was funny,” you said, softer this time. Sean, sensing the shift, does his best to pick the mood back up, reminding you that both you and Mark lost the competition you’d been taking part in anyways, and asking if you really had changed.

Before you had time to answer, however, Rae spots Corpse’s avatar moving ever so slightly, and immediately jumps on him.

“Corpse! Did you drink water?” She asks. He unmutes so they can all hear his deep, beleaguered sigh. “I can and will bully you into taking care of yourself,” her heart’s in the right place, and it is mostly a bit, so he can’t be too put out by the fact that she cares.

“I can’t believe you all voted me out because of it,” he chooses to respond instead, and Rae’s cackle echoes through the voice call.

“She also was the imposter, so...” Ze trailed off, a little sheepishly, to which Corpse rolled his eyes, not that anyone can see. Of course she was. But he’s not even given a moments before -

“You must be Corpse!” The moment the words leave your lips, every single goddamn nerve in Corpse’s body feels like it’s alight; everything overwhelming, unfamiliar,. white-hot, he’s suddenly desperately trying to keep his various abilities in check, since he really doesn’t want to short out his whole system, end the stream early, and probably cause his building to go into a blackout, just because of whatever this is. The whole world has changed with four words; better and worse and more more than anything. It’s... it’s a confirmation of some kind, and he tries to hold onto that vindictive feeling in his chest. You are familiar, you are something he recognises like no-one else he’s ever met before; you are like him. Is it better or worse now he knows it’s the truth?

“Must I be?” He manages to respond, keeping his voice as level as he’s able, shooting for vaguely amused and trying not to let any of the past few seconds sudden overwhelming panic and triumph bleed into his voice. But the moment you hear him, there’s a sharp gasp; that same something, understanding, recognition he’d felt, you feel it too.

“Y/N, you okay?” Ze had asked, and you made a vaguely muffled noise of unconvincing confirmation. Out of sheer, idle curiosity, Corpse opened a new tab and searched up your YouTube channel where you were streaming.

“Maybe we should have warned ya’,” Sean offers with a light laugh, before lowering his voice, immitating and announcer as best as he could, “warning! Corpse is about to speak!” Which at the very least got Corpse to laugh, though he refused to give anything away as your stream loaded, and the banter continued in his ears.

“Har har,” you muttered sarcastically into the voice chat, right as the stream finished loading, and - you. Well dressed, face in your hands, heels of your palms pressed against your closed eyes; honestly, he doesn’t exactly have any prominent initial thoughts about you, watching you scrunch your face up in your hands, dealing with the same thing he had to, though your face was live to thousands. Beside you, the text chat for your stream was going almost too fast to read, but he managed to follow a few threads of thought here and there.

[an eye thing! they’ve got an eye thing!] [someone @ y/n_creature_spec on twt!!] [who has an eye thing??] [lmao love that they were so shocked hearing corpse that it set off their eye thing] [hello!! vampire here!! we have eye things!!] [u cant be a vampire it’s the middle of the day] [THERE ARE COUNTRIES OTHER THAN AMERICA YOU KNOW] [i am willing to put MONEY on the idea of them being fae of some kind.] [^^yeah they just didnt want us to see their eyes sparkling like an anime character.] [that feels like smthn corpse could bring out in people]

And then you’re blinking back to reality, bringing him from his thoughts as for one terrifying moment, it’s as if his gaze locks with yours. Expression so bright and inviting, despite the way your eyes were watering just a little, you hold eye contact with your camera for a moment before looking at your screen, mumbling something about an eyelash in your eye; Corpse lets out a shaky breath. Chat seems unconvinced, but at least the other streams take you on your word. For a few more moments, he quietly watches you, watches the way your eyes roam your screen as you order your thoughts, and for all that he’s thought of you, he’s never properly looked at you. It’s taken him until now to acknowledge that there was definitely a reason for your success beyond just your talent; certainly you could have become successful from your music alone, but your career certainly wasn’t hindered by the fact that you’re actually quite- suddenly, Corpse is overcome by the sense that he’s intruding, exiting out of the window immediately, even going so far as to push back from his desk, fingers spread wide, braced against the edge, trying not to think too hard about... any of it. If he thought too hard about what it meant to have another angel in LA, he would drive himself mad.

“Well, Corpse, it’s good to meet ya, been told great things,” to him and him alone it’s so clear you’re trying so hard to play it cool, though Corpse couldn’t fault you for that, doing the exact same thing; again, when you speak to him, it’s like his whole being is hit with a rush of warmth; it’s less overwhelming this time, somehow scalding but bearable now.

“I see Sykkuno’s been spreading lies about me,” Corpse fires off instinctually, to which Sykkuno splutters protests at the implication, despite your bright laughter, and Sean’s shout to the contrary.

“Don’t be mean, Corpse, Sykkuno would never lie about you,” Sean is adamant, and Corpse can tell he’s being honest, just as the tell-tale ringing in his ears knows the next words from Sean’s mouth are utter lies; “me on the other hand? Y/N whatever you do, do not listen to Corpse’s music, it’s just the worst.” Before the implication, the reality of what he’s saying sinks in, for just a moment, Corpse feels a rush of affection for Sean, so clearly and earnestly plugging his music, right before your voice re-joins the chat and Corpse remembers exactly who Sean is plugging his music to.

“Fuck you, J- Sean, I do what I want,” while you played along, amused and light, Corpse himself was at a loss for words. You ask him - him specifically, he knows, he knows with absolute certainty you’re asking him - if he’s a musician, and everyone else chimes in before he can even think about finding his voice.

“Don’t search him on Spotify! Don’t do it!” Sean, on the verge of laughter, seems delighted by the turn this conversation has taken as the sound of aggressive typing fills the chat from your end. What the fuck. What the fuck?! No matter his thoughts and opinions about you and your possible supernatural origins, you were still Y/N, literal Grammy winner and Golden Child from the Golden Age of YouTube, playing along as Sean used the world’s worst reverse psychology on you to get you to listen to his music. Oh fuck, this is not how today was meant to go.

“I don’t wanna hold up the game, I’ll listen as I play,” you tell them, almost painfully polite, though Ze agrees to start the next game. If Corpse’s mind wasn’t in the game before, there’s no way in hell it was now.

Three minutes into the first round and he’s failing miserably at card swipe when he chances a look at his chat; people were spamming lyrics from Miss YOU! and Cat Girls Are Ruining My Life! which was sweet but nerve wracking, since he’s pretty sure it means you’ve already listened to one and moved on to the next. If you’re an angel, and you know he’s an angel, what in the hell would you think of his music? Honestly, even if you weren’t an angel, you’re still you, and his music was... well...

When the first meeting is called, and it’s discovered that you’ve been murdered, there’s a strange sense of relief that comes with it, even as he’s being accused of your murder. He’s got a solid alibi, so they end up voting out Sean, and the game continues. Despite the brief reprieve from your possible judgement, his heart still feels as though it’s skittering erratically around his ribcage. 

Rae comes along when he’s doing Simon Says, and shoots his little avatar. The moment he becomes a ghost, he lets out a long breath, giving himself a moment to relax, to collect his thoughts, catching back up with some questions with chat  he hadn’t quite realised he’d been holding, and chances a look at his chat again.

“Of course I’m tense,” he finds himself musing quietly to his chat while the remaining players were arguing over the top of each other in a meeting, “pretty sure most of hyperfocus has been in my Spotify wrapped every year since it was released,” for a few moments, it doesn’t even occur to him what he’s said, or that he’s said it out loud, but when it hits him- oh, oh no, it feels like too much to admit, and he has no idea what to say next, how to backtrack, how to at least pretend like he doesn’t think about you or your music any more than any other person would. However much he may resent certain aspects of it, he still knows he has a reputation to uphold, and panic and denial have never been a part of his reputation.

So he keeps his mouth shut, bites down on the half-hearted excuses and explanations that keep springing to mind, keep pressing against his teeth. He does his tasks quietly, thanks the people donating, and pretend it never happened until the round ends, heart in his throat. He knows, the same way a human survivor in a zombie apocalypse movie knows, that he’s just putting off the inevitable, and that someone’s definitely already clipped it and is probably uploading it to Twitter or Tumblr faster than he could protest.

“Y/N I’m so sorry!” Sean’s the first one to talk when they’re back in the lobby, which leads to your laughter filling the voice chat, telling him it’s okay.

“I didn’t even care, honestly I was just vibing,” the smile in your voice is almost enough to distract from the strained edge to your words, something not quite right, but so faint Corpse isn’t sure if it was really there, and he’s not quite sure anyone else heard it either. Except -

“Y/N?” Sykkuno says your name like it means something that no-one but you and him can decipher, something concerned, almost a question, checking in without being too obvious. 

“Yeah?” There’s that strained tone, just a little more audible this time, before you process who’s talking, how he’d said your name, and - “yeah,” firmer, calmer, a reassurance. 

“Vibing?” And he says it like that was his question all along, like the two of you hadn’t had a full conversation in three words. When the others started asking about what you thought of the music, it’s clear none of them have picked up on the hint of strangeness that had been in your tone, and you deliberate before answering.

“Am I- is it- it’s weird if I quote it, isn’t it -?”

“Jacksepdicy how I whip that!” Sean practically yells into his microphone, cutting you off and somehow making the line sounding even more Irish than he himself did naturally, which startles a laugh from Corpse, “it’s my name in a song, I think about it daily,” he announces, voice oozing pride, and despite the situation and headspace he found himself in, Corpse feels his heart grow warm knowing that even a line like that had brought Sean joy.

“I thought,” you pause for a moment, presumably to double check which song you were about to reference, “I thought Miss YOU was a whole mood,” you admit, the faintest smile in your voice, and something tightens in Corpse’s chest at that.

“You not gonna quote it?” Rae teased.

“Too nervous to follow Sean,” you fired back.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get there one day, Y/N,” Sean laughs fondly, and you all joke around, playing up the bit, while Corpse’s mind is stuck on the fact that you never once addressed him when talking about his music. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, it meant he didn’t have to deal with the sudden, fiery sensation your voice brought with it, so not bothered, persay, if anything he’s glad to know you liked it... But it’s weird that he knows so acutely -

“Hey,” and you don’t even say his name, but there’s that feeling again. Each time it grows less intense, like he’s been inoculated, and no instead of his nerves being ablaze, it’s as if he’s suddenly sitting beside a bonfire, each and every time you speak to him. The others voice their confusion at your sudden vaguness, but Corpse answers without even thinking, because of course he knows.

“Yeah?” 

A few moments pass, while the others carry on amongst themselves for the moment. The two of you sit in this one moment together, neither quite sure how to feel about it.

“You’ve been awfully quiet,” you point out, though there was only the barest him of the earlier strangeness in your voice, now overpowered by something that made it almost sound like you were pleased. At this, however, even more confusion arises when the others figure out that Corpse had ‘guessed’ correctly, that you’d been talking to him. But he can’t really hear them, or, well, he finds himself tuning them out, swallowing hard before he pushes to talk.

“Am I not allowed to enjoy the moment?” He asked, trying to ignore the weirdness of it all, keeping his tone light.

“I’m just surprised; it’s your music after all.” 

“You like hearing my voice?” Despite the surprisingly cocky way with which he speaks, he regrets the words as soon as they leave his mouth, wincing internally. Of all the people he could have said that to...  

“I never said that,” and though your own tone matched his, something teasing, something that could almost be misconstrued as flirty in the right circumstances, he’d heard the faint thread of discomfort, feeling it all too much himself. But your words, and thankfully your tone, was overshadowed by both Sykkuno and Sean jumping in to assure Corpse that they enjoyed hearing his voice.

“If you and Y/N ever collaborated, you know it’d break the internet, right?” Rae interjects, all kinds of smug and knowing, followed by a chorus of approving voices all broke out in unison as the rest of the lobby considered the possibility.

“Rae, you know our Twitter mentions are going to be going off for the next month now, don’t you?” You groaned.

“Maybe it’s a sign!” Rae exclaimed, delighted, before her tone turns teasing and fond, “and besides, aren’t your mentions always going off?”

[ID: The first four posts on Y/N’s Tumblr dashboard.

blueheart-anon hearing y/n and sean interact again after like 3 years unlocked memories like im a fucking sleeper agent. having war flashbacks to 2017′s ‘y/n is septiplier’s kid’ phase. how do i lock the memories up again im going to die of embarrassment why were we like that [tagged: #y/n #y/n y/l/n #jacksepticeye #sean mcloughlin #i WILL NOT add the ship tag i mentioned #blue talks] [7 notes] [▶️🗩↪️🖤]

fangloriousbastard  ↪️fangloriousbastard fangloriousbastard Rae: Y/N & Corpse Collab When? Y/N: 🔪 - fangloriousbastard Y/N IMMEDIATELY MURDERING RAE AND THEN CORPSE I- - fangloriousbastard Y/N MUTTERING THE JACKSEPDICY LYRIC WHILE MURDERING HIM WTF IS HAPPENING?? - fangloriousbastard SYKKUNO NO BBY IM SO WORRIED - fangloriousbastard Y/N IM BEGGING U TO STOP SAYING CORPSE LYRICS BEFORE U KILL UR FRIENDS - fangloriousbastard WAIT WHAT Y/N AND SYKKUNO BOTH VOTING FOR THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF EACH OTHER - fangloriousbastard “ride or die guess im gonna die” y/N PLEASE U MET HIM YESTERDAY - fangloriousbastard y/n’s still listening to corpse’s music we love to see it - fangloriousbastard WAIT NO ZE KILLED SYKKUNO IN FRONT OF THEM AND THEY WON OMG SO MUCH IS HAPPENING DID THESE MOTHERFUCKERS QUOTE AN ACTUAL THE OFFICE MEME AT EACH OTHER - fangloriousbastard Y/N: YOU KILLED MY BOY Ze: you’ve known him A Day! Y/N: you don’t have all the facts Ze: which are? Y/N: I love him. Y/N: Not in a weird, shippy way tho, but like, come on, man, look at him! Sykkuno’s avatar: 🌱                          👁👄👁 Sykkuno irl: 🥰 - fangloriousbastard ahem anyways corpse & y/n collab when? - y/n 🔪❤️ - fangloriousbastard 👁👄👁 - fangloriousbastard aren’t you supposed to be streaming?? [tagged: #HEWWO??? #among us lb #why do i only remember they’re following me when i post outrageously stupid content #btw y/n if u kill sean again i’ll cry] [43 notes] [▶️🗩↪️❤️]

fyahproof-y/n  ↪️ selkiey/n selkiey/n y/n’s explicit ‘i love him but not in a weird shippy way’ is the LOUDEST fandom vague i’ve ever heard in my life [286 notes] [▶️🗩↪️❤️]

crpshsbnd  ↪️ 221b-theres-a-bee crpshsbnd hope corpse is feeling okay he’s been kinda quiet this stream - 221b-theres-a-bee if someone suggested i make music with a grammy award winning artist i might be kind of quiet too - crpshsbnd asjdskldfjkdsf u right, still, hope that’s the reason. [tagged: #how do i always forget they won a grammy #actually i know why i keep forgetting #because every time i remember they won a grammy i remember the video where they jousted corndogs with joe sugg #and the winner had to deepthroat theirs for the camera #and y/n won but felt like an asshole for making joe deepthroat his corndog alone #and they ended up almost throwing up because they went too far with it #so hot #so talented #so very stupid sometimes] [3 notes] [▶️🗩↪️🖤]

Twitter is kind of a hellscape, Corpse decides, scrolling through his notifications as the stream’s winding down, seeing about a thousand different people tagging both you and him, asking for a collab, or seeing fit to show you both every single time one of you had mentioned the other in stream. Or had simply interacted. He’s not quite sure how to feel about hearing you mutter ‘make it rain, leave her wet, like a snowflake’. Unsurprisingly, a considerable few people had thought to clip the interaction where he’d apparently instinctively known you were talking to him, which he thoroughly regrets. There’s enough speculation about him online already, he doesn’t need people cluing into the fact that he might not be entirely human as well.

So now, he’s sitting idle in the lobby of the game as everyone’s thanking each other, discussing when they might get together to stream again; he’s quiet, disconnected from it all even though he knows he’s still live, he can’t help but stare at his phone, frown at your Twitter profile. You’re not following each other. A lot of his friends follow you, are mutuals with you, but you and he are not following each other, and he’s not sure if he’d like to change that. But it would make sense, right? It’s what’s expected.

Your pinned tweet is the single you released yesterday, which he still hasn’t listened to. The cover is cute; you’re - fuck. He refreshes the page. In the few moments since he’d clicked on your profile and now, you’d tweeted, thanking everyone for joining the stream, while you’re still in his ear, alongside everyone else, distinctly not addressing him. Maybe he should DM you, be upfront, ask about what you are, if his suspicions are true.

He hits the back button and goes back to scrolling through his mentions. 

“Hey.” Your voice, soft and earnest despite that warmth that crackles through him; he’s half distracted, hand moving instinctively to push-to-talk, and -

“Yeah?” God fucking damn it. Not again. He’s really gotta stop answering on instinct just because he knows you’re talking to him. He hates that he knows.

“Good to meet you, Corpse,” and there was a strange sincerity in your voice, and he responds in kind, but his heart’s not in it. There’s too much on his mind, too conflicted in his heart to tell the truth; his own words makes his ears ring. He can’t even lie to himself.

So he says his goodbyes, waits for the lobby to clear out and chatters away to his stream about when he might be on next. Upon ending the stream, he immediately opens the latest email from his producer, his latest project glaring back at him from the screen. 

Yes, his various ailments have his body aching, but the interactions he’s had with you are giving him a headache when he thinks too hard about them, and he feels woefully unproductive. Never Satisfied stares back at him, so close to being finished, mocking him. Scowling harder, he listens to what he has so far, making tweaks and notes, glad for the distraction, glad that his producer had as chaotic of a sleep schedule as he did. This was the home stretch; one more all-nighter and it would finally be done.

He texts Heartful that he’s getting to work.

It’s four in the morning when he finally stops for a break, his good eye starting to itch from staring at a screen for so long. With a yawn, he leans forward, out of his chair, groaning as he straightens up to a mostly standing position. Hands braced against the edge of his desk, he lets out a resigned sigh and wills his wings into existence. The weight of them curled up tight against his back, as was customary for them to be when non-corporeal, has him leaning a little further forward. Another yawn and he lets them uncurl, lets them stretch out behind him, knocking over an empty microphone stand as they went. He’d get that later. A grateful groan escapes him, it’s been far too long since he’d even had a half-assed stretch like this, wings helping to stretch all the aching muscles in his back that were simply impossible to stretch otherwise, no matter how much he’d twist. Even so, his studio wasn’t big enough to properly stretch them, and he really didn’t feel like laying on his living room floor right now; he’s kind of concerned he’d just fall asleep there. Instead, he kicks his chair to the side and hits shuffle on one of his Spotify playlists, doing what he can for himself in the limited space, and finally going to forage through his cupboards for something resembling a meal. Maybe drink water, Rae’s damn voice in his head.

At least with his wings around he didn’t need to bother turning on any lights; he’s gotta find joy in the little things.

Today, or well, the past twenty-four hours, was a series of cruel jokes, he decides, all leading to the moment he curls up his wings and sits back down at his desk. The moment he puts his headphones back on, he’s greeted by your voice, and he almost jumps a foot in the air, concerned that you’d called him.

"- who I became, dreading when the music stops, what if I just fade away?” In the split second he’s realised that it was just a song, just your voice, crooning, gentle and sad against a soft beat and the sound of rain, as i’m going through some stuff playing in his ears, it’s too late. Already his aura had gone off, and his computer cuts out, as his monitor cuts to darkness, so suddenly all he can see is his own, exhausted reflection in the monitor, backlit by his own wings... Not exactly flattering. 

Thankfully, it was only his computer that was affected, as he can still hear his refrigerator humming in the other room, so he wedges himself beneath his desk to reset the breaker for the power board that his whole system was connected to, grumbling to himself the whole time. 

If he was being honest, however, he was glad he didn’t have to hear more than a few seconds of your song. For a long time it had been one of his favourites, though at this point he’d rather die than admit that. Yes, it’s a good song, but it’s the last thing he needs to hear right now. If he listened to you voice half the fears he still tried to ignore, well right now it may kill him, and he was so close to being finished with Never Satisfied. So close.

Instead, he gives himself the moment in which his system is rebooting to scroll through Twitter and Instagram on his phone, checking his mentions for good fanart to appreciate, only to stumble across one of your stan accounts tagging both you and him in a clip that he hadn’t seen earlier. He’s not sure what possesses him to click it.

“Don’t follow me baby, swear I’m going to hell,” Corpse’s own words leave your lips as you’re focused on the game, on being imposter, leading Sykkuno into electrical to fix lights, and something about it sounds wrong and he can’t quite put his finger on it. He’d heard other lines of his leave your mouth, clips from the stream he’d been tagged in, and it always manages to surprise him. When you sing his songs, even just a little bit, something in the back of his mind, something that had appreciated you as an artist all this time, it’s grateful, it’s excited, it’s overwhelmed. He wouldn’t deny that part of himself, he couldn’t, it didn’t feel right, but upon hearing this line, that grateful part was overshadowed by a visceral bitterness.

The line had been a moment of self deprecation, the only Angel he knew of who, granted it was by some of his own choices, was almost certainly going to Hell, if you believe in that sort of thing of course. But you? Every single part of you seemed to be the exact antithesis to him; you’re what an Angel should be, and him? Well, the line said it all really. It’s just... it feels like you’re mocking him at every turn now that he knows, or well, strongly suspects. With evidence. Which you’re probably not; if you’re an Angel, you wouldn’t go out of your way to mock another angel, so now he’s all in his head, frustrated at himself for being frustrated at you for just... liking his song? 

He really should message you about earlier, clear things up, get out of his own mind and stop jumping to conclusions. Finding another angel was big, no matter his personal reservations, he should try and take this opportunity, right? Except that you hadn’t reached out to him either.

Damn it; he knows he needs to stop thinking about you and focus on his own shit. He turns off his phone and gently tosses it to the floor, out of sight out of mind. 

Maybe he’ll feel better when he finishes his song, feel more productive, feel... complete for just a few moments. Maybe he’d stop comparing himself to you. Maybe.

[ID: Two tweets, one from @sp00kybihh, and one from @yourtwitter, followed by a retweet and reply conversation between @ashton5sos, @yourtwitter, and @y/nirwin.

@sp00kybihh: why did y/n’s smile every time corpse just knew they were talking to him without them having to say anythign make me feel things?? u no we love day 1 ride-or-die y/nkunno, but corpse & y/n just seem to get each other wtf 🥺🥺

@yourtwitter: australians are asleep post forbidden youngblood cover

(Thumbnail of Y/N sitting in front of the camera, dressed casually, visible from the chest up. There is a black microphone on a stand in front of them that they’re holding. Their mouth is open, as if halfway through singing, their eyes are closed, their background is a simple, white wall. Above Y/N, in black, VCR font, is the word ‘youngblood’. There is a large play button in blue and white in the middle of the thumbnail, to indicate that it is a link to a video.

Link: youngblood - 5 seconds of summer | y/n y/l/n cover i miss my boys. i miss people. thank you 5sos for being cool about me covering this <3</i> twitter: @yourtwitter 🔗youtube.com)

@ashton5sos retweeted the link and commented: Y/N you said it was gonna be low effort, this is killer! All it’s missing is some drums. Reminds me, I’m still sad we never got to record that thing we wrote in New York. | @yourtwitter: ASHTON IT IS 8AM I HAVE HAD NO SLEEP AND WAS NOT EXPECTING SUCH A QUICK RESPONSE I WOULD DIE FOR YOU | @yourtwitter: also lmfao i forgot about that ny thing that was good, from what i remember. do u still have that recording of us?? i may or may not have forgotten everything about that night apart from it being a blast #bringbacknewyork | @ashton5sos: Calum has it but also its 2am and he’s asleep, which you should also do. You know the boys are gonna love this... #bringbacknewyork | @y/nirwin: thank u both i have decided to pass away effective immediately #bringbacknewyork

End ID.]

#corpse #corpse husband #corpse husband imagine #corpse imagine #corpse x reader #corpse husband x reader #sykkuno #jacksepticeye #valkyrae #how the light gets in #shut ur pretty mouth #cyltlanp

[lesbian-in-leather]

So it's a little late but I finally made the extended version of this post

I'm just going to rewatch the trailer and write down all of my thoughts, but actually expand on everything this time (and it'll actually be mostly in order)

Maybe it's just the cut for the trailer, but the lawyer scene feels very rushed. BBC made it comedic in its own right, not just a setup, but here it feels very much like "have some exposition so we can get to the ghosts". The ghosts should not be the only point of comedy - they're important, sure, but "Samantha" and "Jay" should be able to carry a scene by themselves

"Samantha" doesn't think it through. At all. She cuts off the lawyer after his first buyer suggestion, and "Jay" doesn't seem to be on board with the idea. In the OG, they were both into this (admittedly bad) idea, so the responsibility was on both of them. Yes they rushed into it, but it was way more thought out than just hearing the words "bed and breakfast" and deciding that's your new plan

Why did they age down Pat for "Pete". I hate it. He's younger and skinnier and there's no reason. Like yeah, the OG doesn't have AMAZING diversity, but it's better than this - don't take out diversity in a remake. Didn't think I'd have to spell that one out

The sage joke is admittedly funny. However, it gives us some insight into the ghosts that I'm not the biggest fan of, and let's us see a lot of their new designs. Let's go across, shall we?

"Issac" is so much less dignified than Thomas. I understand that Thomas isn't always as poised as he'd like to think, but there's a level of class that's missing from "Issac", right down to the way he stands

"Flower" looks high. How can a ghost be high, you ask? No idea. But here we are.

"Sasappis" (I read in an article that this is a character name and I believe tis the Native American guy) has such a tiny reaction I almost missed it. He barely moves while everyone else freaks out. I'm hoping they didn't create this character out of the 'emotionless Native American' stereotype but... I guess we'll see

"Hetty" is the replacement for Lady B, and she's super expressive, protective of the others, and so much younger. She was supposed to be a grumpy mother/grandmother figure - why is she literally leaping in front of the others to protect them? That should be the Captain's job but they've axed him so I guess it falls to her now. Also, why did they make everyone so young?? Like, none of the ghosts look over 35. Why. This was unnecessary and, quite frankly, stupid. Why is everyone at this house dying so young? Just so they can market them as fuckable???? L o a t h i n g

Viking Man also barely moved. He seems interested in the sage and is basically a "cooler" version of Robin as far as I can tell. They seem to have taken away the joy of Robin's character, leaving only Some Guy which would be bad in any genre, but ESPECIALLY a comedy. He has potential in theory, but I feel they aren't going to utalise it

"Trevor". I have so much loathing for this man. Let's have some overall analysis, shall we? First of all, we'll start with, what I hope is a well known fact: Julian is not a good person. I love him as a character and he is starting to learn and grow, but at no point does the BBC or the other characters try to justify his behaviour. CBS saw this, and made Trevor. Trevor is younger than Julian (because for some reason they AGED EVERYONE DOWN), which also makes people far more likely to excuse his actions. They seem to be trying to make him a 'loveable fuckup' who makes bad choices because of privaledge, and I am. So worried. That they're going to try and excuse his actions. He already feels like a writer's self-insert and that never bodes well, especially in this type of character. Mark my words, they're going to market him as the 'relateable' one while having him spout misogynistic views (probably also homophobic and maybe even mildly racist/xenophobic ones too)

MOVING ON

Why is "Pete" sarcastic? I don't like it. Pat wouldn't be the one yelling aggressive comments while everyone's actually doing something together - he should be happy! Encouraging! He should be trying to catch up to the moving group instead of attempting to draw attention away from it!

Everyone looked so happy for the dead relative when she moved on. Hate that - it was so funny in BBC when they were like 'fuck off why does she get to leave' - having "Pete" be happy is fine, but the rest of them? WHY IS "HETTY" HAPPY.

Oh look, "Travor" actively flicks "Pete's" arrow to cause him pain. Why. That was so unecessary. None of the ghosts should try to hurt each other out of pure malice, and they certainly shouldn't get joy from it. It feels like CBS is trying to turn us against "Pete" and put us on "Trevor's" side, which I called, but am not a fan of.

And here she is. "Alberta". What the FUCK did they do to Kitty. She has Kitty's colour palette and fits the diversity demographic, but that is where the resemblance stops. Kitty is SUCH a wonderful character because she was an upper class black woman who was allowed to be soft and sweet and innocent and the others all protected her and I LOVED IT. Do you want to hear some fun descriptors they gave to "Alberta" in this article?

"In her time, she dated a bootlegger and has “seen it all,” and is a bit of a diva. Though tough and not one to take crap from anyone, she has a maternal streak and often acts as the protective den mother to the “family” of ghosts"

This is not only far closer to so many stereotypes, but it's the polar opposite of Kitty!! Having a flapper was a pretty cool idea but she could have had the same character traits as Kitty! Why change that! There was NO REASON TO RUIN HER. Also is it just me, or does it seem like they've made way too many of them sarcastic? Like, they've taken away Alison's snarky streak but given sarcastic lines to way too many of the characters

Also can I just take a moment to question the sheer amount of ghosts they've included. I understand that technically there's about the same amount. But with so much less of American history to draw on and the questionable character choices they've made, it feels like there are so many undefineable characters. Like, how do we differentiate them?? Even in the trailer there are so many scenes where most of them are just... standing around. In BBC, they're all so distinct and you get so much out of rewatches because they're all always doing something - look in the background of any shot and the ghosts who aren't talking have a reason to be there! But in this they're just... standing around. Do better.

I've just realised I'm only 0:59 seconds into a 2:16 trailer so I'm going to split this into two parts

Part two is here

#bbc ghosts #cbs ghosts #analysis #rant #i'm still mad

[jazminebrightxx]

Like magic

°l||l°l||l°l||l°l||l°l||l°l||l°l||l°l||l°l||l°l||l°

SHOW: teen wolf

CHAPTER ONE: “oh how mature”

EPISODE: takes place after 3x01 “tattoo”

KAITLIN JONES always had a soft spot for perfect entrances, she was a swimmer, she dived head first and didn't look back. That was until now... as she stood by her blue Mini Cooper, her heart hammered in her chest. First day back. After four years, she was finally back to the town she'd always call home

Kaitlin was born and raised in beacon hills until she was twelve, and her dad moved her whole family to Boston for work. Things were good at the start, but the tide soon came in and the water crashed against the rocks, knocking down everything in its path, including her family. A lot of things can change in five years...

She sighed, shaking her head slightly as she prepared herself for her new title "new girl" god, she dreaded it but it had to happen, it happened before. everyone's new once in their life. Her hand clasped around the necklace that fell from her neck, giving it a little twirl as the triangle glistened in the sunlight. Okay, no more stalling, Kaitlin. She shut the door of her car, swinging her bag around her shoulder and locking the small vehicle. She stared at the school ahead, pulling her phone out and looking for her locker number, she had it saved in her notes...254.

She didn't hesitate in ploughing forward, her stance and strut confident as her bag swayed with her hips, a few unfamiliar glances made her way, she ignored them. Pushing open the doors, she took in the scenery, students calmly made their way through the halls, conversing and commuting. She kept her pace, her eyes scanning the lockers for her number.

This school was a lot different than the ones in Boston. It was calmer, not to say the halls weren't busy, there was quite a few teens roaming the halls but this school was nothing compared to Fenway. Once she found the locker with her number on it, she unlocked it, pulling a few of her books from her bag out and shoving them neatly in the metal locker.

She pulls out her schedule, using a small packet of Blu-tack and sticking the paper to her locker just Incase, she had a spare on her phone anyway.

The distant sound of heels grabs Kaitlin's attention, she finishes shoving the books in, glancing to her side, knowing who would be standing next to her.

"Kaitlin freaking Jones" the strawberry blonde beams at the small brunette, who smiles widely. Her heart hammering once again

"Lydia freaking Martin" kaitlin repeats Lydia's tone before she's pulled into a bone crushing hug. When the two pull away, Lydia checks Kaitlin over, squeezing her in her arms. "Oh my god, look at you!" Kaitlin giggled, Lydia sounded like a mother "oh shush, it hasn't been that long"

Lydia gave Kaitlin a indescribable look, her brows furrowed together and her lips pursed "Kate, it's been four years"

The brunette laughed "and that's four too many" the pair of friends laugh, Kaitlin noticing the brunette that stood awkwardly beside Lydia. The strawberry blonde jumped, a lightbulb going off

"Oh, Kaitlin, this is Alison Argent, Alison this is my childhood bestie Kaitlin Jones"

"Nice to meet you" Alison greets when taking to Kaitlin who smiles "likewise" Lydia holds onto Alison's arm, returning back to her little conversation and catch up with Kaitlin

"So, since when are you back in town?"

"Only a few days, today's my first day of school"

"You've gotta tell me everything...tell us everything that happened. But now" the bell went, huh, great timing "we've gotta get to class, what do you have now?"

"Uhm" she checked inside the locker "French"

"Ms Morrell?" Kaitlin nodded, the name made her ears perk up. Alison smiling widely "Me too, let us walk you to class" She suggests to the brunette, who shuts her locker

"Lead the way"

***

Kaitlin strolled through the halls of beacon hills high school, a hall pass in her hand as she made her way to the bathroom. Her first class was going better than expected, people here were super nice and welcoming and Alison had helped her around a-lot. Turning a corner, she stops, seeing two tall brunette boys stood at a locker, they huddled together, looking as if they were spilling secrets.

She smirks, knowing exactly who they were, Stiles still wore flannels and moved skittishly while Scott listened as he ranted. The two boys looked tense, it's surprising that Kaitlin couldn't hear every word the two were sharing. She sneaks up behind Stiles, his back to her as she hid from Scott

"I don't know. Maybe I'm being a little over dramatic" Kaitlin sees her opportunity and takes it immediately, coming out from behind the pale boy and resting her elbow on his shoulder "a little? I could see you popping a vein from the bathroom"

Stiles jumps at the sudden voice, letting out a startled Yelp as his eyes go wide, Scott stands shocked, recognizing the girl immediately

"Kaitlin?!" He stares at the brunette, who grins like a fool. Scott lets out a surprised laugh as he pulls the girl into a hug, squeezing tight,

"Hey Scotty" she greets him using the nickname she had given him when they were six. When Scott pulls away, Stiles gets a good look at her face, recognizing her, she still had slightly tanned skin, with freckles dashed around her face, the same little scar the sat on her chin, she'd had it years, the story behind it foggy. He goes red, remembering who she was and how he knew her

"Oh my god, Katie" Kaitlin's heart jumps at the nickname stiles had given her when she was young, it had stuck and was only reserved to people she cared for. Kaitlin stares at Stiles, a huge grin on her face "Stilinski!" She laughs, pulling him into a hug, she lets out a startled laugh when she's pulled off her feet as he lifts her to his height.

The boys were a lot taller now, they'd always had a height difference to Kaitlin but now they towered over her easily, so it wasn't hard for Stiles to lift her. When the two pull apart she stares at the two boys for a second before sighing. Scott and Stiles had been her best friends since she could remember, her mother was friends with Claudia Stilinski and Melissa McCall, so the three were friends from a young age, she hated when she had to leave them, it hurt her and hit her hard. But she never forgot them, four years and they still  held that same spot in her heart, nobody could replace them, she made friends in Boston, but it wasn't the same. "You have no idea how much I've missed you guys" she tells the boys, Scott nods in agreement, the smile not leaving his face.

"Are you back home?" Scott questions her quietly, Kaitlin nods happily "You're stuck with me" she laughs, the two boys joining her

"How's Kodin and Tyler?" Scott questions again, shoving his hands into his pockets, Stiles crossed his arms over his chest, a large smile on his lips. Kaitlin's smile fades slightly at his words, letting out a sigh.

"Uh Kodin's good, he's not coming to school 'till tomorrow, it's his first day as a trainee nurse" Scott's eyebrows raise in surprise, Kaitlin gives him a look "I know"

"And Tyler...well, actually, Tyler passed...two years ago, he had cancer" Scott stops, his smile fading, Stiles hands fall from his chest, Guilt radiated from Scott "Kate, I'm so sorry"

She waves him off "it's ok Scott you couldn't of known" Tyler fought long, and very hard against the cancer, he'd been diagnosed a few months after they left beacon hills, it was in a bad stage and things didn't look good, when he died, a piece of Kaitlin died with him, he was her big brother, the death struck the family hard, but it inevitably brought them closer.

"I'm really sorry katie" Stiles says, reaching a hand to her arm, a solemn expression on his face.

She shakes off the emotion that built "Nows not the time for that, how have you guys been, what's been going on" she changed the subject, even though she'd be likely to know the answer. Her uncle deaton kept her updated on the news in beacon hills, everything including the supernatural, she knew everything, but now wasn't the time to tell them...not yet.

***

Later Kaitlin had arrived back home and was sitting in her kitchen waiting for the food she was making to be done

The sound of the front door opening and closing was heard through the house, Kaitlin turns her attention to Natalie Jones, her mother who drops her jacket onto the coat hanger beside the door

she walks into the kitchen "ohh something smells good"she rubs her hands together, taking a seat at the table

Kaitlin smiles "i made your favorite"

"Carbonara?" The youngest nods and her mothers smile grows wider. things had been hard on the family since Kaitlin's father had left, her mother had been drowning in medical bills from Tyler and had been really stressed. luckily enough she had Kaitlin and Kodin who had been a massive help to her, Kaitlin took up a few shifts at a local diner called Joe's and cooked dinner for her mother and brother, who was a trainee Nurse at the hospital with his mom and helped his mother a lot

“I love you, you know that, right?”

***

a little while later and Kaitlin's sitting at the table with her mother, the two about to dig into their dinners when a loud bang is heard "Kodin's home" Kaitlin whispers. Natalie gives her daughter a look "how do you know"

the front door swings open, the loudness of the bang sounding through the house, a tall brunette walks in, his face was similar to Kaitlin's, freckles dashed his cheeks and his eyes were a similar colour.

"I'M HOME!"

Kaitlin gives her mother a look, Natalie laughing lightly, the twins had a special bond, they annoyed the absolute crap out of each other, but at the end of the day, Kaitlin would die for Kodin and vice versa.

"No one cares"

Kodin comes strolling into the kitchen, not looking at his sister but with a smug smirk playing on his lips. Kaitlin eyes go to his hand

His arm is held in the air beside his head, and he's... flipping her off. Kaitlin rolls her eyes, dropping her spoon "Oh how mature, Kodin "

"Oh stop, you two" Natalie hushes her two children playfully as all three are now smiling

Kodin takes his seat at the table after he grabs his bowl and a spoon and fork "so how was your first day back guys?"

"Well I met up with a few of my old friends and ran into Scott and Stiles today" Kodin states as he digs into his food, he takes a glance at Kaitlin. Kodin was also apart of the Scott, Stiles and Kaitlin group, he also had his own group of friends that he was close with, but the four were inseparable when they were young

"Yeah I saw them two, and Lydia, she introduced me to a new girl she was really nice" Kaitlin cuts in, and Kodin head snaps to her "Lydia as in like Lydia Martin?" Kodin questions a bit to quickly, Kaitlin's now the one with the smug smirk playing on her lips

"Aww Kodin are you blushinggg" She mocks her twin brother who kicks her from under the table , which only makes her burst out laughing, her mother smiling.

"I'm kidding kody calm down" her laughter dies down after a bit and the small family catch up on their day so far. Once there finished their food Kaitlin gets a text from an unknown number, eyeing it curiously she opens the message

Unknown

Hey do you wanna go for coffee?,  joes is still open and their donuts are to die for

Kaitlin's eyes narrowed at the message, confusingly she sends a quick reply back

Kaitlin

Who is this?

Unknown

Oh shoot sorry should have told you who it was, ahah it's Alison.

Kaitlin

How did you get my number?

Alison

Lydia

Kaitlin

Ah I see, uhm sure who's coming?

Alison

Myself, Lydia and our two friends, Scott and Stiles we can introduce you to them

Kaitlin smirks at the message, deciding to have a little fun she texts back

Kaitlin

Sure! It'll be fun meeting new people what time?

Alison

In about an hour? We can pick you up the guys are meeting us there

Kaitlin

Okay cool see you then x

The brunette runs up the stairs and throws on a new pair of light blue denim jeans and a grey hoodie pulling her hair into a messy ponytail and grabbing her phone, she runs down stairs and jumps onto the sofa, turning on the latest episode of greys anatomy. After about half and hour kodin makes his way down the stairs. Loudly as usual

"Do you have to be so damn loud?" She calls to the brunette who ignores her

"I'm going out, you need anything?" He doesn't look at her, looking at the tv.

"Nah I'm going out soon anyway"

"Ok cool see you later" he nods and walks out the door slamming it , Kaitlin rolls her eyes and continues watching the tv until she hears a car horn.

She jumps from the couch looking out and seeing Alison's car outside her house. She turns the tv off and runs into the kitchen

"I'm going out with Lydia" she quickly tells her mom, while grabbing her keys and phone, her mother smiles and nods

"Okay have fun, don't be too late" Kaitlin gives her mom a kiss on her head and walk for the door

"Love you!" She opens the door hearing her mom say the same and walks to the car. She jumps in the back, Lydia occupying the passenger seat and giving her a warm smile

"Hey girls" she warmly greets as the girls greet her back "So how was your first day back?" Lydia questions as they drive to joes.

"Eh it's school, but I got to catch up with some old friends" she smiles at Lydia knowingly and she returns the gesture. After a few minutes they arrive at the nice little corner cafe called joes. Alison finds a parking spot and they jump out of the small car, and into the building.

The trio walk up through the isle of booths, she sees Stiles, Scott and another boy not facing the girls. As they grow closer and closer to the booth Kaitlin starts to recognize the person, oh she definitely recognizes him.

"Kodin?" She questions as the three boys including her brother turn to look at her

"Kaitlin?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Confusion laces through her voice as Alison looks at the two curiously

"You two know each other?" She questions genuinely confused

"He's my twin brother" Kaitlin explains as she slides into the booth beside Scott and Stiles as Lydia slides in beside Kodin who smiles along with Alison "Oh, well anyway this is Scott and stiles" the brunette continues to introduce the two boys to the girl who smiles. Scott and stiles both have confused expressions on their face but Kaitlin give them a look as if to say "just go with it". The two boys stay quiet and Scott catches on sticking out his hand, trying his best to hide his grin

"Hi Kaitlin, I'm Scott and this is my best friend Stiles" he says, stiles stares between the two oddly along with kodin

"What the hell is going on?" He questions and stiles doesn't take his eyes off the pairs clasped hands oddly "You just took the words out of my mouth" he says, his eyes confused

"Dude you guys know each other, why are you doing that?" Kodin questions and Kaitlin glares at him

"Wait you guys know each other too?" Alison questions, more confused than ever. Kaitlin and Scott laugh, and Stiles... well he's just given up trying to understand his two childhood best friends.

"Kaitlin, Kodin, Stiles and I grew up together." Scott explains to his ex girlfriend, after his laughter dies down

"Wait why didn't you tell me this?" The huntress questions Kaitlin curiously

"I don't know, wanted to have a mess I suppose" she smiles and Kodin rolls his eyes at his sister before a girl approaches the booth, notepad in hand

"Hi my names jade, what can I get you guys today-" the waitress locks gazes with Kaitlin and smiles "Oh hey Jones, you not working today?" Kaitlin smiles at jade and shakes her head "nah only Thursday to Saturday"

"Oh lucky, anyway what'll it be" the group begin to order their food, Kaitlin only ordering a shake and fries. "

When jade walks away, all eyes turn to Kaitlin and she sighs "I took up a few part time shifts here, to help my mom" She quickly explains, eyeing her brother who's eyes soften

"How come?" Alison pushes, Lydia kicks her heel and Alison gasps, glaring at Lydia "shut up" Kaitlin smiles at the two "No Lydia, it's okay really" she takes a quick glance at her brother who slightly nods to her

"My oldest brother Tyler passed a few years ago, and my moms been up to her eyeballs with bills so myself and Kodin help take care of a few things around the house" she quickly explains, Alison's eyes soften but she remains silent

"Yeah, I'm a trainee nurse at the hospital with my mom" Scott's gaze goes to Kaitlin

"Kate, Kodin told us, my moms his trainer" Kaitlin's brows raise, glancing at her brother "why didn't you tell me?" Kodin shrugs.     

"I forgot" Kaitlin rolls her eyes, lightly kicking him in the shins "ow, jeez I'm sorry" the group around them laugh. A little while later the groups food arrives and they catch up, Alison getting to know more about the Jones twins.

Kaitlin looks around her at the people she surrounded herself with. Alison and Lydia laughing at something Kodin had said. While Stiles, Scott and herself had been reminiscing over they're childhood. For the first time in a while she was calm and happy. Maybe things would be smooth sailing...

Oh how wrong she was.

——~——

JAZMINE SPEAKS

Oh god. This chapter isn’t my favorite but it’s the first of many. Might take me a while to get the rest out because you can’t just copy and paste onto here which is quite annoying😫 anyway. I hope you enjoyed and come back for more!!!

#stiles stilinksi imagine #teen wolf #dylan obrien #isaac lahey #scott mccall #stiles stilinski #stiles stilinski x reader #stiles x reader #lydia martin #alison argent #mtv teen wolf #Spotify

[coochiequeens]

There’s been a lot of posts about “Laurel”Hubbard but this one explains the advantages he has over women.

NZ — . Laurel Hubbard, who is of the male sex, recently qualified for the Olympics in the women’s weightlifting division. The public outcry was so strong on social media networks that some comments sections were shut down. Some professional athletes, including experienced Olympians, are coming out in support of women.

Hubbard, who came back from retirement following a serious injury, will be representing New Zealand in Tokyo. At 43-years-old, Hubbard is still much larger and stronger than the female weightlifters half his age that he’ll be competing against.

Hubbard would normally be competing in the Men’s 109+ kg/240+ lbs division if he stayed in his own sex class. This is quite a difference when compared to the female division, which only goes up to 190 lbs. This means that even the largest female weightlifters will be small when compared to Hubbard. The female divisions were designed solely for women, because the huge difference in strength and size for men is commonly understood to be a very unfair advantage. Biologically born men are much larger than biologically born women. Men are much stronger due to larger bone structures and density. Men have more fast-twitch muscle mass. A larger torso to limb ratio. And an incredibly larger amount of testosterone. In 2015, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) changed its rules to allow male athletes to compete as women if their testosterone levels are below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to first competition. Women’s average range of testosterone is between 0.3 and 2.4 nmol/L. But, as studies have proven, even testosterone suppressants can’t erase men’s larger, denser muscle mass. The increased height. And the heavier body weight.

NFL legend Brett Favre stated the following concern. ”It’s a man competing as a woman,” the former Green Bay Packers quarterback told co-host Eric Bolling during an episode of the Bolling with Favre podcast.

Female Olympians who participated in one empirical study unanimously agreed with these statements: “Both female and transgender athletes should be fairly included in elite sport;” there is “not enough scientific evidence to show no competitive advantage for transwomen”; and “the International Olympic Committee should revisit the rules and scientific evidence for transgender inclusion in female categories.” The majority “felt that they could not ask questions or discuss this issue without being accused of transphobia.” Anna Vanbellinghen, a 27-year-old female weightlifter scheduled to represent Belgium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, gave a measured opinion about Hubbard competing at Tokyo 2020.

Retired Olympians were more straightforward. Christopher Tomlinson, a former British long jump record holder who competed at the Olympics of 2004, 2008 and 2012, tweeted, “This is unfair. People need to have common sense, not be cowards and stand up for women’s sport.” Tomlinson urged his peers, “Please sports people with influence put your endorsements / sponsors to one side come off the fence and back women’s sport.”

Alison Sydor, a four-time Olympic cyclist and Olympic Silver medalist for Canada tweeted, “Redefining diversity [and] inclusion @Olympics as a 43 y/o wealthy white masters M (109 kg+) taking an (often once in a lifetime) Olympic spot from a 20 y/o Tongan F (87 kg+) has been a long term project of IOC ‘Medicalization Committee’. Sport’s a zero sum game-#KuininiManumua was excluded.”

43 former Olympians and elite New Zealand athletes and administrators wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Sport Grant Robertson. The letter argued that Government guidelines ignore the rights of female athletes, and called for a wider consultation process. Jerry Wallwork, the President of the Samoan Weightlifting Federation said:

Before competing in women’s weightlifting, Hubbard set various junior records. In 1998, he set New Zealand junior records in the newly established M105+ division with snatch 135kg / 298 lbs clean & jerk 170kg (375 lbs), total 300 kg (661 lbs). In the female division, these types of lifts are considered phenomenal. But in the men’s division, they are much more common, as these records were later surpassed by David Liti in 2018, and the total would never be enough to place Hubbard on an international team.

In comparison, female competitor Kuinini ‘Nini’ Manumua has a lifting record in the 75+ kg (165+ lb) class, weighing in at 97.8 kg (215.6 lbs). Manumua delivered personal records across the board: a snatch of 93 kilograms (205 pounds), a clean & jerk of 117 kilograms (258 pounds), and a total of 210 kilograms (463 pounds). These are very impressive records, but easily attainable by a trained male weightlifter.

Manumua was initially bumped out of Olympics contention by Hubbard. Social media users pointed out that Manumua would be 25-years-old by the time the Olympics are held again, meaning that it was quite possible she would have lost her only chance to be an Olympian. The Spectator World noted then: “Hubbard stole the place of Kuinini Manumua, a 21-year-old woman of color who had trained for years. This would have been her first Olympics. Remember her name.”

International Weightlifting Federation later extended a Tripartite invitation to Manumua to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. The Tripartite Commission is a quota system that allocates spots to countries that have fewer than eight athletes at the last two Olympic Games.

There was a sigh of relief across social networks, but it was mixed with heavy skepticism. “Shame they had to fiddle the system to get a deserving athlete in,” one person wrote. “All of this in order to cover up any outrage over a cheat who will win golds with ease. Makes women’s weightlifting pointless now.”

#New Zealand #tokyo olympics #”Laurel” Hubbard #Men in women’s sports #Brett Favre is telling the truth #Christopher Tomlinson is telling the truth #Isn’t Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern supposed to be a feminist? #Minister for Sport Grant Robertson

[amenvs3000]

The Sound of Music....or Should We Say Nature?

Every day we are surrounded by music. Think about it, when we get into our car the radio begins playing or when we walk into a store or restaurant there is always faint music in the background, even on busy city streets there is someone playing their guitar or singing. Thus can we truly say we have never gone a day without being exposed to music? Even if you can say yes I would challenge you on your answer, as I doubt you can say you never experienced a day where you didn’t hear birds chirping or the wind blowing through the trees. 

A stream in BC where the rapid rushing of the water made this beautiful melody which formed this sense of calm and peace in me.

I strongly believe that leaves rustling in the wind or the chirping of birds are all forms of music found within nature. I like to think that all biotic and abiotic things can act as an instrument-making beautiful melodies both day and night. I tend to view walking through a forest as attending a talent show that nature is putting on put on - with all the biotic/abiotic elements competing for their sound to be heard! Oxford Dictionary says that music are sounds combined together producing a beautiful harmony and expression of emotions, which is what we hear when we hear the chirping of a bird or the water crashing along a shore! That is why I think music in nature is something we can find quite easily.

However, nature in music is the real challenge. How many songs today are about nature? We have more than enough songs about love, friends, drugs and money but unfortunately, we lack songs about the natural world. The course material emphasizes how songs can be used for so much more than dancing! Music can be used as a form of teaching (think about how we learn the ABC), which is why it is quite a shame that all the music we have is teaching or informing an audience about drugs, violence, and other unnecessary topics when it can be utilized to discuss matters like climate change or habitat loss.

Beck et al. (2018) discuss how music draws and focuses an audience’s attention into a particular message and has actually been found to help individuals remember key points from a presentation! Which is why this form of art needs to be used to its full potential. Writing this post I was stuck trying to even think of one song that discusses nature, but I manage to think of one. The song from Bambi ll “There is Life”, uses elements of nature to expresses the various changes we face in our lives. For instance, one line goes “the colder the winter the warmer the spring”, highlighting how tough times in our lives can make us appreciate the good so much more; all while making one feel closer to nature. I think this displays why nature in music is relevant, especially for nature interpretation, as it can help one remember key messages and strengthen their relationship with nature. All you need is to find the right message, the right words, and instruments and you have not only developed something that people will talk about but can sing about. Let’s be real, once you learn a catchy song it is nearly impossible to forget it!

This is a photo of one of my favourite places to go in the summer to help me relax. I will go and set up a blanket and just sit with my sketch pad listening to all the animals in the forest. To me all the elements of nature compose the most calming music possible!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. CHAMPAIGN: SAGAMORE Publishing.

Friedman, D. (2006). There is Life. [Song Recorded by Alison Krauss]. On Bambi II. Walt Disney Studios.

Hooykaas, A. (2021) Unit 07: Nature interpretation through Music. Retrieved from courselink.uoguelph.ca. Website: https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2593375/View

Oxford University Press. (n.d). Music. In Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved February 27, 2020 from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/music?q=music

[wooziscollarbones]

Song Tag!

Tagged by: @seungcheolhisoranji and @hollierain and @varietyfreak 10 Songs I’ve Been Listening to Recently (in no particular order): 

1) OH MY! (어쩌나) - Seventeen 2) Ayy Macarena - Tyga 3) 거짓말을 해 (Lie Again) - Seventeen 4) Imported - Jessie Reyez  5) 言行一致 (언행일치) Un Haeng Il Chi - Seventeen (Hip Hop Unit) 6) Baby, Don’t Cry - EXO  7) That Bitch - ppcocaine 8) Inception - Ateez 9) tokyo tea - Shawn Wasabi 10) Wonderland - Ateez

And now for the real challenge. Spell Your Username With Songs I have 17 letters in my username. :’) (i’m not gonna link these ones cuz i’m a lazy pos sorry otl)

w- What Kind of Future - Woozi o-  Öll of Rök Fira -  SKÁLD o- On The Regular - Shamir z- Zues - Croosh i- If It Makes You Happy - Michael Cera Palin s- Say My Name - Ateez c- Come Thru - Joji o- One Job - TaeMarrr l- La Di Da - Lennon Stella l- Left & Right - Seventeen a- Alors on Danse - Stromae r- Rendezvous - Sik-K b- Babe - Hyuna o- over u - Keshi n- Nobody Else But You - Trey Songz e- Easy - Alison Wonderland s- Sanctuary - Joji

Tagging: @soonhoonsol @kingleshe @herecomesthesunking @its-all-in-the-music and literally anyone else who sees this and wants to do it!

#tag games #friends #not svt