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dilatorywriting · 1 year

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Question! regarding vil and perhaps, leona as a s/o, i'd like to ask if you have any angst thoughts abt them?? do you think vil would be controlling or leona being too 'i-dont-give-a-fuck' type of person? TRUTHFULLY, i feel like vil being too controlling would be because he wants to bring out the best in someone he loves which Yuu/Reader would understand while Leona is someone who is more 'subtle' or shows his affection or care thru words or actions.

ANOTHER QUESTION I'M SORRY IF YOU'RE OVERWHELMED but, if you ever continue your Heroes Vs. Villains stories.. would you make a Mufasa-like character to be the 'Hero' in the story? (i've been wondering for a while if you ever did think of one! cuz i assumed that Heartslabyul would be Alice, Scarabia = Aladdin, Ignihyde = Hercules)

LASTLY IN MONSTER MAYHEM, what 'monster' do you think Vil or Riddle would be? 👁👁

Oh my I have so many thoughts on these poor bois and they would have So Many Issues.

Which of their habits would be more 'angsty' I think would depend on the individual and their own preferences--because they basically sit at opposite ends of the same sliding scale (Vil caring objectively far too much, and Leona not enough. All based around the same fear of themselves not being worth it). Personally, Leona's apathy would sting far more for me than Vil's obsessiveness, but everyone vibes differently.

For Leona, I feel like he's so ingrained into the 'why try when I'll never get anywhere' mentality that it would cause a lot of issues. Because it's one thing already to not be putting effort into a relationship. It is another entirely to very openly and actively show that that's your intent. Like I know for me, I would absolutely break if I went to talk to someone about how I feel like they don't actually care, and they just scoffed and were like 'yeah no why would I? What makes you worth it?' Whether they mean it or not (and surely Leona wouldn't actually mean it. He's just lying to save his own sorry skin), feeling like you're not worth anything when you care so much in return is a genuinely miserable experience, and in my opinion, it's very very hard to come back from that unless said reciprocating person is super chill and understanding. For someone who had, say, already pre-existing self-worth issues, that would just be the end of it. So I think in turn to counteract that, Leona would need someone who was very sure in themselves. Not like egotistical, but someone with a very strong sense of self and independence that could handle that weaponized apathy of his. Because that is just a recipe for absolute disaster--a perpetual spiral of being ignored, feeling upset about being ignored, being ignored harder out of making a point that he really doesn't give a shit, and just ack. An absolute nightmare.

As for Vil, I see a lot of his inevitably controlling behavior being born of that same sort of 'I'm not good enough' fear Leona has, just... being terribly misdirected. Like, he would certainly push you in a good way! Doing his best to keep you healthy, and happy, and moving towards being the best you that you want to be. I just think with him one of the big things is that when you have so many of your own confidence issues, cruelty starts to feel like white noise. When your own head is constantly spewing all kinds of vitriol at yourself, you start to think it's normal. So I'm sure he'd accidentally casually say something absolutely bitingly mean. And maybe it'd only really hit when you were already having a bad day. But it would, and it would suck. And he would feel terrible about it. Which would unfortunately just feed into the rest of it. Because he has to be better, to make up for it. And that means taking his role as your guardian and self-proclaimed instructor up to the nth degree, because he has to be the best for you to also be the best. Which might only exacerbate the unpleasant comments or controlling behavior. The big difference with Vil I think though, or at least what makes the difference for me, is that I don't think there would ever be any doubt there that he does care. It's that he cares too much and too hard that's the problem. While Leona pushes away, Vil claws in as close as he possibly can. And depending on how you deal with that sort of codependence, it could definitely cause a lot of strife. If you're someone who isn't particularly independent or strongwilled, someone who likes being given direction and purpose (*cough* like I may or may not be *Cough*) then you're going to probably be able to handle that a lot better than someone who was already very strong in their own sense of self and where they stand in life.

But ahh!! Sorry for the absolute SLOG of a ramble. I just love both their Problematic Personalities SO MUCH, and Vil in particular is my favorite.

For the rest of the ask!

The thought with Leona for a Heroes vs Villains was to have it be a Him vs His Family sort of situation majoritively, with a surprise guest in the form of a Twist-ififed character I shant say. In case I do ever get around to writing it. (but I will go hint hint and say there's only so many villainous animal characters in disney movies. so like. do with that what you will. And also like, lions vs tigers--always a vibe 😉 anywho!)

For Monster Mayhem, I've decided Vil 100% is a siren. Have the outline for it ready to go and everything. Riddle I picture as a Sphynx sort of creature, with a massive penchant for trapping people with his strange, archaic, laws

#Asks #Vil Schoenheit #Leona Kingscholar

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pollylynn · 1 year

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Title: Wager WC: 800

“I’m just helping out the troop.” —Richard Castle, The Double Down (2 x 01)

You want in?

It’s a happy turn of phrase on Ryan’s part that gives him the idea: a friendly bet. Or a not-so-friendly one, but that’s kind of the point. That’s what he’s doing here. He is (sort of) risking her wrath, because this seems like just the kind of opportunity he’s been looking for to do some damage repair with the boys.

They’ve been decidedly cool toward him since he’s been back, and it’s kind of ridiculous. She’s taken him back, so what do they care? Except that Javier the Complicit is probably projecting, which means Ryan is projecting, because (a) there is no chance that Esposito kept his part in the whole affair from his work wife, and (b) Ryan is such an empath he must be a stealth Betazoid. But whatever. The boys are mad at him. He’s tired of the boys being mad at him, so he’s taking a harmless little gamble here.

And then it’s a harmless bigger gamble, but still very definitely harmless. Actually, he tells himself, it’s the opposite of harmful, because it’s breaking the ice with pretty much everyone in the precinct. Or re-breaking it, because ten minutes ago—pre-trust-breaking—these people all loved him, so really he's just setting things back to rights. No harm at all there, as people from two floors down, three floors up find their way into the fourth floor break room to exchange a few words and a little bit of cash.

When she finds out, he’d like to crow about being right. Not immediately. No, immediately, he pictures her kicking him to the curb—quite possibly literally—and he’s panicked. He talks quickly, even for him, trying to get out his great harm-reduction gamble before she changes into her curb-kicking shoes. But then she’s in on the bet, and for a good four or five seconds, he absolutely wants to crow.

But the urge dies down quickly. He feels . . . unsettled, once she knows—once she’s in on it. He writes it off to embarrassment or something like it. He’s not keen on admitting that he has work to do in winning everyone back. Penance isn’t exactly the Richard Castle brand, after all. Or penance that isn't some kind of grand gesture isn’t, anyway. That must be it, he tells himself a little too heartily. That must be why he’s feeling unsettled, and this, too, shall pass.

It’s a manufactured explanation, though. He vaguely knows that all along. Being found out, wanting to immediately beg for mercy, his visceral fear of her kicking him to the curb—everything about that sick-making moment before the life insurance lead pops, before she whirls around and declares A hundred on us—he knows in the back of his mind that unsettled isn’t really the word for what he’s feeling, and neither harmless nor little apply to his sudden need to risk her wrath.

He vaguely knows all of this, but it comes into sharp focus as they sit side by side in front of the dual murder boards. She’s the one to raise the issue—the specter—of her mother and what she might be feeling now that she knows a uselessly small amount more about her murder. Everything he’s been doing since the happy accident of Ryan’s phrasing—You want in?— is suddenly crystal clear.

Richard Castle may not do penance, but his sins are many and varied. He is a keeper of secrets and a fan of murder and mayhem. He is gambler to the nth degree, but here he is, in far, far over his head.

She is taking the most painful of risks. She is acknowledging that what she knows now—knows because of greatest sin—is uselessly small. But she's also acknowledging, and to him no less, that it’s painful and it matters. She’s saying it out loud, and in the moment, he’s paralyzed.

He opens his mouth and a hundred Richard Castle Specials threaten to spill right out. There’s the terrible possibility that he’ll shout It told you so, that he’ll make some kind of wretched joke to break the tension that he’s too much of a coward to endure. There are so many wrong things he might say, and yet he holds his tongue.

It’s a risk. Silence may not be the thing she wants. It may not be the thing she needs, and it certainly isn't the thing she is expecting. But there it is—a moment of silence he presents with out a flourish that is hers to fill or not.

This is the real gamble—what the two of them will be around this new bend in their relationship. The other, with its ratty, marked up envelope of cash—that was just a distraction.

This is the big time.

A/N: Maybe the real organizing principle of this series is conspiracy theories. I've invoked the Kool-Aid Man and now turned Ryan into an alien.

image via homeofthenutty

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torestoreamends · 4 years

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The Staircase to the Girls' Dorm

3k words, G rated

Albus has spent a lot of time feeling lost, questioning himself, and now he's determined to find some answers. One night he sneaks down to the Slytherin Common Room and tries stepping onto the girls' staircase. It doesn't reject him.

A/N: I think we all know why I've written this fic, and I just want to say that books, stories, and characters only come alive when they're read. Hogwarts exists because we imagine it. It's whatever we want it to be. As readers and as lovers of this world, we have the power to decide how it looks and who belongs there. And if anyone reading this has any doubt, I promise you, you belong.

Read the fic on AO3

The deep greenish murk of moonlight through the lake wraps Albus in a cloak of shadow, as he tiptoes down the stairs from the Slytherin boys’ dorm at one in the morning.

He holds his breath as he descends. With every step, the spiral staircase creaks like a ship in a gentle swell. It’s impossible to stay silent. But at least everyone else is asleep. Hopefully.

Cold flagstones nibble at his feet as he steps onto the Common Room floor. It’s silent. Deserted. Inky shadows ripple over empty leather sofas, abandoned quills, stacks of books, a ball of parchment that didn’t quite make it into the fire. The silver flicker of a sleepy shoal of passing fish glitters up a shadowy wall. Albus exhales and shuffles across to the nearest sofa, hugging himself to try and keep his shivers at bay.

The sofa swallows him up when he sinks into it. Before he came to Hogwarts, he always imagined the Slytherin Common Room as an uncomfortable, forbidding space. All slippery, tough leather. Cold and dark and dingy. In reality it couldn’t be more the opposite. Everything here is luxurious in a homely way — the sort of squashy sofas you can splay your whole body out on and have the most excellent nap; light of a watery green so peaceful that it’s impossible to be anxious when you’re immersed in it.

Albus leans his head back and gazes up at the fathoms of dark water above him. Inhales. Exhales. Relaxes his shoulders. Relying on the water’s calming powers to melt all the tension out of him.

He sits like that for five minutes before he finally lifts his head. The matching black spindles of the spiral staircases lead upwards in front of him. They’re perfectly parallel. Identical. Except for that one thing: one he’s climbed every day since he arrived at this school; the other he’s never set foot on.

Read more on AO3

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liealittlelouder · 6 years

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Scorbus Fic-Rec

Alphabetised, because apparently, I have the time.

FULL NOVELS

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (in novel form) by BOLEYNC - This is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child as a novel. From the perspective of Albus Severus Potter and sometimes Scorpius Malfoy. Dialogue and directions the same (except for one scene ahem). With added novel-ish character stuff. // actual scorbus included :)

Maromortia by TORESTOREAMENDS - Scorpius isn’t on the Hogwarts Express at the start of seventh year, and Albus discovers that he’s become very ill over the summer. Determined to find out what’s wrong with him and how to make him better, Albus starts doing some research, and discovers Moramortia, a fatal illness with just one cure. Together, Albus and Scorpius (with some help from Rose) set out on an adventure to find the ingredients to make the potion that will hopefully save Scorpius’s life… // ongoing

ONE – SHOTS

All-nighter by TORESTOREAMENDS - Albus and Scorpius are so busy with Quidditch and Prefect Duty and goodness knows what else, that they barely have time to revise for their N.E.W.T.s. There’s nothing else for it. They’re going to have to pull an all-nighter // a really sweet little fic

Amortentia by TORESTOREAMENDS – Potion making, oblivious boys, wise Rose and a little bit of kissing // absolutely beautiful story with amazing characters, love everything about this, and would probably read it a good ten times if I had the time

Anti-Valentine’s Confession by KASKET - Albus is exhausted when he retires to the Slytherin dormitory after a long day of watching couples snog nauseatingly in every corridor of the castle, and dodging owls swooping in and out with scented red and pink envelopes. He hates this time of the year. // really cute and fluffy

Coming Out by RAINYSTREETLIGHTS - Scorpius and Albus have been going out for a few months now. It's probably time Draco knew. Scorpius, however, would be happy to put it off forever // captures Scorpius’s character so well, absolutely amazing little read; a father – son moment that should be treasured

Fever by RAINYSTREETLIGHTS - It's 7th year at Hogwarts. Scorpius is training to become a healer and Albus is unwell. Totally self-indulgent, established relationship, fluff fest. // caring, healer Scorp and stubborn Al

Firewhisky by AMORAE - Albus Severus Potter isn't nearly as dense as his father, but if there were a competition for "The Densest Potter Boys Alive", it would be a very, very close call. A Slice of Life fic about Albus falling in love with Scorpius. // the right amount of everything

Fireworks by TORESTOREAMENDS - Scorbus first kiss on Bonfire Night. It's really as simple as that. // Haven’t read, but considering the author, guaranteed to be amazing.

In Other Words by UKRAINIANIRONBELLY - "I love you" can be said in many other ways // includes Christmas presents, confessions, Hogsmeade outings and Amortentia.

Mine by AUTUMNHEARTH - In Albus and Scorpius's sixth year it is announced that a Yule Ball will be held. Why is Malfoy the Unanxious acting so anxious all of a sudden? // In which Scorpius Malfoy is overcome by a list of unusual requests which all – really – boil down to one question in the end

More to Magic by TORESTOREAMENDS - Over the years Draco has learned that there are two types of magic: boring magic, and evil magic. There really isn’t much more to it than that. At least, there isn’t until he has Astoria and Scorpius. // A heart warming fic about Draco, Astoria and little Scorp

Piano by TORESTOREAMENDS - Albus visits Malfoy Manor for the first time and discovers that Scorpius is a pretty decent piano player // still on my reading list

Questions by WRITEITININKORINBLOOD - Lily is actually a ninja. Albus just wants to sleep. // fluffy little fic

Scorpius On Slytherin by OBSESSIONS - Scorpius is at the Potter's for dinner, and when Albus asks why Slytherins have a bad rep, Scorpius decides to put the nasty tropes to rest once and for all. // Less on Scorbus and more on Scorpius’s amazing, perceptive skills

Sixty-Two Confirmed Moons by ASEQUENCEOFBADDECISIONS - When Scorpius celebrates a Quidditch win with the Gryffindors a little too hard, Albus is forced to come to the rescue... at 1 AM. (General fluffiness, just my babies being adorable, drunk!Scorpius) // So cute and adorable, lovely little fic

The Patronus by ABITNOTGOOD (EGGSYUNWIN) - Defensive charms are seen as a staple in the wake of the Second Wizarding War. It makes sense for the Ministry to send the youngest Auror to ever produce a corporeal Patronus to Hogwarts to help teach them. Scorpius thinks this is a brilliant idea. Albus just wants to make it through the class alive // Albus and Harry being awkward and trying to get past each other’s walls, and of course, Scorbus.

This is New by JJK - An epilogue to The Cursed Child where Scorpius stays over at the Potter's for a week in the summer holidays, after a strange and eventful Fourth Year at Hogwarts // conversations under the stars, chaste realisations and sweet new beginnings

The First Date by RAINYSTREETLIGHTS - One-Shot set in Albus and Scorpius’ sixth year at Hogwarts. When Rose doesn’t show up, Albus and Scorpius end up going on an accidental first date. Pure Scorpius and Albus fluff. Awkward conversations and a lot of strange situations // again, the characterisation is beautiful, I love the feeling of this fic, unbelievably Scorbus.

What were you going to say, though? by QUEENOFTHYME - "What were you going to say though?” Albus shrugged. “It’s not important.” Scorpius’s eyes narrowed as his smile grew wide. Albus realised his mistake too late. Scorpius loved mysteries. There was no way he was going to let this go now that Albus had been so cryptic about it. “It was important enough to interrupt me mid-shower, and more significantly mid Celestina Warbeck’s Greatest Hits.” // in which Scorpius attempts to find out what Albus is so scared of admitting, in the end it works out pretty well – for both of them

When The Time Is Right by TORESTOREAMENDS - Albus is going to ask Scorpius to marry him on New Year’s Eve. That’s the plan at least, but first he needs to find a ring, and pick the right words to propose with. It’s all a lot easier said than done. // absolutely gorgeous

SERIES

Put Your Guns Away, It’s Tea Time (Part 1 of 3) by FROMBLUETORED - Ginny Potter estimates it will only take three days into the Weasley-Potter family holiday for Albus to act on his feelings for his best friend. Albus estimates it will only take three days for him to die of embarrassment. And Scorpius, well. Scorpius is just glad to be there with Albus in the first place. // absolutely wonderful read; perfect amount of Scorbus and everything else; Ginny is amazing

Put Your Curse In Reverse (Part 2 of 3) by FROMBLUETORED - Scorpius Malfoy knew his fifth year would be challenging-- but he hadn't expected this. Between his impending O.W.L.s, his new relationship, Quidditch tryouts, the public eye, and the Slug Club, he can hardly catch his breath. Meanwhile, Harry Potter discovers that being a professor at Hogwarts is very different from being a student there-- especially when you've got three mischievous children and a handful of students who can't seem to do more than ogle at you // (yet to be read but if the last fic was anything to go by, this one’s gonna be pretty damn good.)

Set Fire to our Homes (Part 3 of 3) by FROMBLUETORED - As Albus and Scorpius begin their life together, Albus discovers that married life is every bit as wonderful and difficult as he always anticipated it would be. Life is better now that they're free from the looming threat of a Dark Arts resurgence, but Albus quickly realizes that there are plenty of other threats, too, like aggravating bosses and unexpected bouts of baby fever. Meanwhile, officials within the Ministry unearth a rapidly-worsening problem: for reasons unknown, the frequency of Squib births has quietly and suddenly quadrupled, leading to serious concerns over what might be prohibiting wizards and witches from passing on their magical genes-- and what that might mean for the coming generations of Wizardkind. While James and his new Ministry department struggle to deal with the societal impacts of an unprecedented amount of Squib children, Lily and Albus find their jobs--and their lives--intersecting in an unexpected way. // (yet to be read but...)

Seasons (Part 1 of 3) by STARLIGHTPEDDLER - From the moment Scorpius and Albus get on the Hogwarts Express for their fifth year, things start to change. Albus starts to gain confidence both in the classroom and out of it, and Scorpius’ realization that he has greater feelings for his best friend threatens to leave him more alone than he’d ever imagined // amazing

Quietly (Part 2 of 3) by STARLIGHTPEDDLER - Albus and Scorpius aren't sure what they're doing when their relationship starts to change, and they discover the complexities of balancing a relationship and keeping secrets while immersed in Hogwarts where nothing stays quiet for long. As they find their footing in uncharted territory, Scorpius finds out he bears a heavier burden than just the Malfoy name, and Albus realizes some things are more important than his life. // equally amazing (if not more)

Softly (Part 3 of 3) by STARLIGHTPEDDLER - Albus and Scorpius enter life after Hogwarts and find that their days aren’t easier without classes and exams. With personal baggage, family obligations, and a wizarding community that’s far more complex than they’d anticipated, Albus and Scorpius have to rely on more than just each other to survive. // still on my reading list

And here’s a much more amazing scorbus fic rec: https://autumn-of-ilvermorny.tumblr.com/post/154909270763/cursed-child-scorbus-rec-list

#scorbus #albus severus poter #scorpius malfoy #the cursed child #hp #harry potter #fic rec #fanfic #fic-recs #credit to these AMAAZING authors #SIRIUSLY #U GUYS R AMAZING #keep the secrets #Mayhem to the nth degree

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the-eighth-story · 7 years

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I always imagined the Cushioning Charm to be in the shape of fluffy clouds =D

#mayhem to the nth degree #one of my favourite scenes in the play #you actually feel like theres an actual train on stage #also look at scorpius going after his friend #precious babies #excuse my sad hogwarts expess #i really should sleep now #molliare!#hpcc #harry potter #harry potter and the cursed child #cursed child #fanart #my ramblings #my sketches #scorbus

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autumn-in-fandom · 7 years

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youtube

Holy wow. Today has been an Imogen Heap kinda day. I’ve been letting the YouTube app on our tv just play in the background while reading, doing laundry and cooking. And it was while doing the last that I heard this haunting version coming from downstairs. For anyone who might not know, an instrumental version of this song plays during Act Two, Scene Six of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Edge of the Forbidden Forest. Scorpius and Albus round a corner to be faced with a gap in the trees... A gap through which is visible... a glorious light...

Scorpius: And there it is...

Albus: Hogwarts. Never seen this view of it before.

Scorpius: Still get that tingle, don’t you? When you see it?

And revealed through the trees is HOGWARTS—a splendid mass of bulbous buildings and towers.

From the moment I first heard of it, I was desperate to go. I mean, Dad didn’t much like it there but even the way he described it... From the age of ten I’d check the Daily Prophet first thing every morning—certain some sort of tragedy would have befallen it—certain I wouldn’t get to go.

Albus: And then you got there and it turned out to be terrible after all.

Scorpius: Not for me.

Albus looks at his friend, shocked.

All I ever wanted to do was go to Hogwarts and have a mate to get up to mayhem with. Just like Harry Potter. And I got his son. How crazy fortunate is that.

Albus: But I’m nothing like my dad.

Scorpius: You’re better. You’re my best friend, Albus. And this is mayhem to the nth degree. Which is great, thumbs-up great, it’s just—I have got to say—I don’t mind admitting—I’m a tiny bit—just a tiny bit scared.

Albus looks at Scorpius and smiles.

Albus: You’re my best friend too. And don’t worry—I have a good feeling about this.

#harry potter and the cursed child #scorpius hyperion malfoy #albus severus potter #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #cursed child soundtrack #imogen heap #hide and seek #hpatcc #mayhem to the nth degree #scorbus feels #oh albus #also I'm running a fever #whee

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catsvrsdogscatswin · 3 years

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I’m so torn on Sotsu right now, its honestly funny. I’m not 100% sure why I’m still watching it anymore, my reactions are so visceral and so opposed.

Because on the one hand, Satoko is milking the recursive arcs thing and I am very impressed/entertained by that. She has a plan and by god is she using her ability to reincarnate and her meta knowledge to her advantage. Satoko is calculating her and Rika’s reincarnation and every other factor into her grand scheme, whereas Rika was always very “meh” about the whole using-past-memories-to-actually-affect-things technique. Its intricate. Its calculated. Its a beautiful kind of scheme that is very satisfying to see enacted.

On the other hand, Satoko is being an evil little shit, manipulating everyone around her to the nth degree of negativity, causing general suffering and mayhem for no good goddamn reason, and her most capital crime of all: betraying the found family, a sin so heinous that quite frankly even the devil would go “Bruh.”

One minute I’ll be like “Oh sick Satoko that is absolutely genius I can’t believe how amazing you are at playing everyone around you like a ten-piece orchestra this is so entertaining” and then not even five seconds later the consequences occur and I’ll be “YOU FUCKING LITTLE SHIT HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO YOUR FRIENDS?!” and the emotional flip is very disorienting as a viewing experience.

#Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #Higurashi Gou #Higurashi Sotsu

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themeatlife · 4 years

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the Meat Life Stay-At-Home Watchlist

Chronicling what I have watched or rewatched through the pandemic so far

The world has changed around us the last few months, particularly in the United States since March 11. With the lack of events to hit up, like most Americans I’ve been catching up on some watching through the various streaming services and my own digital copies of movies and shows.

I didn’t really think of keeping up with what I have been watching until just recently, but here is what I can remember hitting up so far since I’ve spent the majority of the time at home. Some are favorites that I would have watched anyway. Some were unfinished until I got a chance to get back to them. And others just became available.

Here’s what I remember of the watchlist:

The Office (Netfilx) This is a favorite of me and the wife. We watch this on the regular though. My wife uses The Office as her lullaby of sorts, putting it on in the evening as she gets ready for bed and is in bed to fall asleep. I did a post on the 15th anniversary, so I won’t really deep-dive.

Gossip Girl (Netflix) Another one that my wife rotates with The Office as her lullaby. The series is not bad, it’s basically The OC in Manhattan (both are created and developed by Josh Schwartz). It also takes on a new perspective when you think about star Penn Badgley is the creep in You. So Dan Humphrey gets this weird creeper Joe Goldberg vibe at times.

Parks and Recreation (Netflix) I never got into Parks and Rec on its original run. I was encouraged to check it out by some coworkers since I liked The Office. It is a great show, very funny, and poignant in a way. It feels like a throwback to when people could disagree politically and still get along. There is a lot less of that nowadays. We might need more Parks and Rec in real life. I started this right before the pandemic and finished around the beginning of things getting locked down.

Frozen II (Disney+) The sequel debuted on Disney+ early on in the quarantine period. My family enjoyed it. I thought it was entertaining, but I felt like it was weighted down a bit by the mythology explaining. It seemed too busy explaining a lot of things. Still an enjoyable movie, but the first is better.

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness (Netflix) Intriguing. The series debuted early in the quarantine period and became a staple of stay-at-home viewing and a runaway hit. Lots of WTF moments. It was like the train wreck analogy to the Nth degree. But you can tell it was made in a way that leans in favor of Joe Exotic, making him look like a victim in the last couple episodes. Also gave way to memorable memes ever since.

The Rocketeer (Disney+) I haven’t watched this movie since I was a kid. Looking back, you can see a lot of The Rocketeer in Captain America - The First Avenger. Easy to see though, since they share the same director Joe Johnston. Prior to America’s involvement in World War II, a movie star Nazi goes after an experimental rocket pack developed by Howard Hughes. The rocket pack is retrieved by accident from a down on luck stunt pilot. Fun movie.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Disney+) I should have watched the entire Skywalker saga leading up to it, but I figured I have a ton of time to do that later. This was a May the 4th watch. I haven’t watched the Skywalker saga finale since it was in theaters. It’s not a bad movie, I just feel it could have been a lot better with some modifications here and there. Also, I believe this was going to be the Leia movie. The Force Awakens was Han’s swan song, as was The Last Jedi for Luke. I feel like this would have been great for Leia but obviously they were limited due to the untimely death of Carrie Fisher. The scene where Ren/Ben speaks with Han after battling Rey would have hit harder with Leia instead of Han.

Trolls: World Tour (VOD) Cute kid movie. Was nice to hear a lot of familiar music. Sucks that rock was the villain in the first couple acts. Seeing it once was enough, though. Like the first Trolls, I am glad my kids enjoyed it but did not participate in excessive multiple viewings.

Onward (Disney+) Didn’t get a chance to catch this at the theater before they closed them down. Great movie, but gosh. Why does Pixar always pull at the heart strings like that? I was quietly crying to myself at the end. I’m glad we made our living room dark theater-style, otherwise my kids would have seen me all torn up.

Fast and Furious 5-7 (Fast Five - HBO, The Fast and the Furious 6/Furious 7 - Digital) I ended up not watching the entire series. There is a great trilogy within the series, 5-7 was that trilogy. Fast Five was the best of the FF franchise and where it perfected their movie formula. It was like an action Ocean’s Eleven with cars. 6 and 7 expanded on that formula, upping the humor and ridiculousness factor. 6 had the exits of the Han and Gisele characters (they found a way to tie in Tokyo Drift to the rest of the series, Gal Gadot was on her way to becoming Wonder Woman for DC). And 7 had that great ending with the tribute to Paul Walker to the sounds of Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth.

Toy Story 4 (Disney+) Another Pixar hit. Didn’t hit me quite as hard as Onward or Toy Story 3 did emotionally, thank goodness. I thought this story was over the way Toy Story 3 ended. But Pixar did a good job adapting to prolong these characters stories. It did feel like it was a bit of two and three combined looking back. Still very good, Pixar knows what it’s doing.

The Marvel Infinity Saga (Disney+/Netflix/Digital) Leading up to the one-year anniversary of the release of Avengers: Endgame, I went through and rewatched all 23 MCU movies. This time, I went in chronological story order by starting with Captain America - The First Avenger. I chronicled the order I watched in my last post. Even after viewing many of these movies multiple times, I’m still amazed at how much I enjoy them and the scope of what Marvel was able to achieve leading into the climax in Endgame.

Community (Netflix/Hulu) I loved Community on its initial run on NBC but never watched any of the episodes when it was on Yahoo for its sixth season. It has been great to rewatch the meta-humor and sitcom trope parodies. And since Ken Jeong and Joel McHale started their own podcast called The Darkest Timeline (half COVID-19, half Community pod), it has been a good companion viewing.

The Back to the Future Trilogy (Netflix) Recent add to Netflix for easy viewing, these movies have been a favorite of the Mitra boys since childhood. Upon viewing as an adult, there is some humor that I didn’t recognize as a kid that is hilarious to me now. It is also crazy how well this teen time-travel sci-fi comedy works. Some of the effects in Part 2 are dated and 2015 didn’t quite end up the way it did in the movies. But overall very enjoyable on the rewatch!

Extraction (Netflix) High budget action flick funded by Netflix? Written by the Russo Brothers? And staring Chris Hemsworth? I’m in! Directed by long-time stunt man and Russo Bros go-to stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave (you can tell the Russo influence). It has an awesome 15ish minute one-shot action/chase sequence that is top notch. Don’t think much about the plot or the controversy of cultural representation, just enjoy the action.

The Mighty Ducks Trilogy (HBO) Another childhood favorite of mine. Nevermind that the hockey itself isn’t accurate. This is about pure fun for an hour and a half at a time. Come for the hi-jinx, stay for the heart. Triple-deke, knuckle-puck, taking out the trash. And leave it out on the ice!

The Harry Potter Series (Blu-Ray/Digital) This was not a go-to for me until Linda made me watch the entire series. I guess when the first movie came out, it was too much of a kid movie for me (I was a high school senior at the time). But from the second movie onward, it felt like the storytelling and movie making got better and better. The Deathly Hallows was an epic ending, even if they did change the ending from the book. I didn’t watch the newer Fantastic Beasts movies along with this though, my wife did.

Westworld - Season 3 (HBO) Recently got HBO back, so I caught up on Westworld Season 3. I haven’t rewatched the previous seasons yet, but I may revisit it soon. Season 1 was spectacular, Season 2 was confusing as hell but still entertaining. Season 3 is somewhere in between, expanding on the ongoing storyline. It was more straight-forward because its storyline is in the “real-world.” For those of you that have watched, didn’t you think it was highly ironic that the Incite ball was basically the AT&T logo? (AT&T is the parent company for WarnerMedia and HBO)

The Last Dance (ESPN/ESPN+) The Michael Jordan docu-series has been a god-sent for sports fans devoid of live American sports for the past couple months. Is it Jordan-biased? Sure. But it is full of drama and intrigue and full of nostalgia. The NBA had commissioned a camera crew to follow the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls on their run for their sixth NBA championship. Jordan owned the controlling rights to the footage and unlocked it after the 2016 NBA Finals. So this documentary was years in the making and with the pandemic the release date was moved up. Although it featured a lot of unseen footage, it also chronicled the years leading up to the 1998 Bulls title. The last 5 Sundays have been awesome.

The Princess Bride (Disney+) I haven’t watched this movie since I was a kid. It wasn’t one of my recurring watches back then. So this was actually my second viewing of this movie ever. I found it quite enjoyable. It was cheesy, but fun, and a good family watch. One of the many older titles available on Disney+.

Scoob (VOD) My kids had some of the older Scooby Doo episodes on DVD and watched them when they were younger. This was a fun revisit for them and for us as parents. It was actually cool seeing a lot of the Hanna-Barbera characters in one movie. We watched this shortly after finishing Community, and my kids recognized Ken Jeong’s voice as Dynomutt. My daughter hilariously shouted “Senor Chang!” when she recognized him.

The Indiana Jones Series (Netflix) I introduced my son to Indiana Jones a few months ago watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. He loved it. He lost a little bit of interest during the Temple of Doom, I think the character Short Round lost it for him (character hasn’t aged well). The Last Crusade reclaimed his interest. Harrison Ford was at his natural apex playing Indiana Jones. I did not watch the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I didn’t feel the need to revisit that installment, while it was enjoyable the alien ending ruined the lead up to it.

The Dark Knight Trilogy (Batman Begins/The Dark Knight - Hulu, The Dark Knight Rises - Digital) Every few years I try to revisit this series. It is the best thing DC has ever put out cinematically. While Begins and Rises is more comic book, TDK is a straight crime drama set in the world of Batman. My favorite is Rises, but the absolute best comic book movie remains The Dark Knight, even with the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Jurassic Park/Jurassic World Series (Jurassic Park/The Lost World: Jurassic Park - Blu-Ray, Jurassic World - Digital, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom - Cinemax) The original Jurassic Park is such a great movie. Rewatching, it’s crazy how well the effects for the dinosaurs hold up. Steven Spielberg, Stan Winston, and ILM did a great job mixing animatronic and CGI dino effects that stand the test of time. The Lost World was enjoyable but not as good as the original. I skipped JP III, such a bad movie. Jurassic World was a good way to reboot the series, basically a remake of the original but incorporating a lot of references to it. I just finished Fallen Kingdom today. Although Fallen Kingdom was entertaining, it fails to recapture some of the magic of JP and JW.

I’m not sure what I will hit up next. I might hit some Keanu Reeves movies like Speed, the Matrix Trilogy, and/or the John Wick Trilogy. Maybe Top Gun. Maybe rewatch Friends or How I Met Your Mother. Maybe something on HBO Max when it comes out like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Maybe Terminator. Possibilities are endless, at least until some American sports return.

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rydenbolt · 5 years

Text

It’s not worth doing something unless... || Alessa&Ryden

... someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren’t doing it.”

The worst thing about being caught doing something naughty was not that you got caught. It's the waiting while they decided what to do with you once they caught you.

Ryden never regretted getting busted because everything he did, no matter the outcome, was a thing worth doing. He never wasted time on things that wouldn’t prove to be worthwhile. Was getting piss-drunk and stumbling into his nth bar fight worth it? Hell yeah, for a serial brawler. It was an addiction of a sort and when you got that itch, you gotta scratch it or all that pent up energy would go somewhere totally not worthwhile, like pottery classes, or god forbid, yoga. You don’t tell a person who can’t calm down to calm down and just ‘take a deep breath in and do the downward-facing dog, namaste’. That’s just asking for a bitch slap.

Problem was, most people when bitch slapped couldn’t solve their own problems. They call the police to do it for them. Now unlike anywhere else Ryden’s been in his life, he got off pretty darn easy in Soapberry. Werewolves were notorious for their tempers and anger, as well as other primal instinct triggers, which were somehow a very good excuse for a rampage. Ryden never even got to figure that out on his own - when he went berserk, which was not rare, someone would call the pound and instead of manhandling the shit out of him, they followed a procedure.

The procedure consisted of establishing that he’s a werewolf first. Then of calming down the werewolf, if possible. Tasers came only when the werewolf was seconds away from shifting. Honestly, even Ryden felt sorry for the deputies who were in charge of a werewolf on the loose call-ins. These people must have the patience of saints.

He felt a lot less sorry for them though when step three in werewolf control procedure was implemented. That was a four-hour cool-off period at the sheriff’s department, behind silver-enforced bars. Four friggin’ hours! No phone, no snacks, no touch, no talk, no eye contact until it was determined that the aggravated werewolf case wouldn’t result in the monster ate my neighbors tragedy.

Every single time he was apprehended on this basis, Ryden wasn’t even remotely close to losing his shit. He just liked causing mayhem. Chaos was his thing. He thrived off of discord. And he always had a short fuse, even before he became lunarly challenged. So him being taken in always resulted in him wanting to shoot his brains out because sitting at the pound was just plain boring.

Leaning against the bars, hands sticking out to get at least a little taste of freedom, Ryden was looking as miserable as a grounded kid. And Ephram, whom he liked to torture indefinitely by being super obnoxious, wasn’t even in so he had no one to pester and pass the time with. It was three AM and the sheriff’s department was deserted, save for a couple people on night duty and those were taking a nap in the office section. Ruby couldn’t bail him and Danny wasn’t there to play poker with him or sneak a beer in for him.

But he could sense someone about. Not someone he knew by the smell of it. But maybe someone gullible enough to engage in a conversation. He could see her moving about just outside, within earshot. A sharp grin stretched his lips. “Hey, yo, you!” He called out with a whistle, leaning casually against the bars which were steel-encased, for safety reasons. The silver was inside. They wanted to keep those allergic to silver contained, not give them third degree burns.

@alessafalling

#c: Alessa #t: It's not worth doing something unless #totally no need to match the length #I was just inspired!#cause being in jail is Ryden's thing XD

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