#Snake Eyes trailer 2 Reaction

[pnf-lover98]

Some thoughts on Good Omens season 2

Last night I finally finished watching the new Good Omens season, and now that I’m officially done screaming about it, I would like to take my time to share some thoughts on this much awaited season 2. Brace yourselves guys, this is going to be a long boi.

Thank you so much for this new adventure, @neil-gaiman, and for making come true my impossible dreams of having Beelzebub and Gabriel canonly together! 🙏

When I first read that there was going to be a season 2, my immediate first reaction was ‘oh no’. I’m generally not a fan of the word “sequel”, because you can never know if a ‘part 2’ is going to be the best thing ever, or if it’s going to be the death of what you used to consider a masterpiece. I love the first season to bits, and when I bought and read the book right after finishing watching, I found the original Good Omens to be just as amazing as its series version. There were scenes that I liked more the way they were written in the book, and some that felt better in the show, but book and series were both amazing in their own ways. And I surely didn’t want a sequel to potentially ruin all of those good memories. But when the first news started to come out about this GO2, I started to feel some hype.

After around 1 year spent in the fandom, and a total of 4 years spent loving the book/series, when I actually got to watch the new season I couldn’t help but feel disappointed by the vast majority of the episodes. Because it looks exactly like the first season, with the costumes, and the sets and everything, but it feels nothing like it.

The first Good Omens did so much for me, also in terms of helping me fight my personal demons. You guys probably don’t know much about what I am like as a person, as I pretty much only share my art here on this blog. But in real life, I have a fairly awful high sensitivity to blood - and specifically if the blood is associated with scenes of violence or where a character is in pain. I have little to no barriers to defend myself from what I get thrown at in movies and media, as I have nearly no ability to put up walls between me and the characters I am looking at. If someone is in pain, then to some extent I’m in pain as well, and if I come across a particularly violent scene, it usually doesn’t take much for it to show up somewhere in my nightmares. Back when the trailer came out for the first season, it took me two months to finally decide to give in to the temptation and watch the show on Amazon Prime. Because this was a series with real actors (I usually trust cartoons more because it’s a safer space) that revolved around angels and demons, no less! And every time Crowley looked deep into the camera, my mind was taken back to Bipper’s snake eyes from Gravity Falls, and on how many nightmares and bad memories the GF fandom gave me when fans aggravated what Bill Cipher did in canon. Bill was such an evil demon, why would I have ever wanted to risk watching other demons in action? But when I did watch the episodes, I saw just how safe GO was. The worst thing that those demons, who called themselves to be so evil and so cruel, did was to set fire to a convent, show their sharp teeth or turn into slugs. There was no blood, no form of violence, no guts shown, no monsters that could make me feel uneasy. And after getting acquainted with Crowley as a character, his snake eyes eased the discomfort I felt towards Bipper’s. By the end of the series, I had no issue looking at him ‘eye to eye’, the bad memories replaced by new positive ones.

What I came to feel towards Good Omens was complete, whole-hearted trust. GO wasn’t going to hurt me, nor in the book nor in the show. So, the first and most important thing that hurt me (in a completely personal way) in this season was just how everything became drastically more bloodied. How gruesome Furfur’s video looked and sounded, how odd it was to have brain-eating zombies with clothes covered in blood of their victims, how terrifying the Resurrectionist guy was. I straight up skipped all of the part where the guy tells Aziraphale and Crowley about his job, because the single sentence “criminals’ bodies were no longer enough” sent a massive alarm ringing in my head, making my heart sink. I knew where things were heading to, because several months ago I came across the same kind of horrible topic in some sort of documentary - and the concept of what was said that day so many months ago hit me like a train, leaving me sat up in my bed at 5 am, concretely dreading the possibility to fall asleep again and have another bad dream. Judging how sharp of a moral U turn Aziraphale did on the whole ‘digging up bodies’ topic, stating that it 'relieves human suffering', I’m guessing that my decision to skip was the right choice. And all of that gruesome stuff, that to me couldn’t help but feel completely uncalled for (Did Crowley really need to tear away the mask of a demon who had a wounded/decomposing chin to find out that they were all demons, when he had a minotaur-looking guy right next to him?) completely destroyed that trust that the first season created in me.

But aside from this, the rest of the episodes didn’t really convince me also because I felt the pacing to be very uneven (episode four was 40 minutes of Aziraphale and Crowley’s shenanigans, with no mention of Gabriel and his yet to be solved mystery, and no screen time for Nina and Maggie either), and this unevenness often made the scenes boring to watch. Because as much as I like Azi and Crowley’s shenanigans, I would have much preferred to have them more evenly intertwined with their present situation, instead of having long chunks of the episode that make you forget about the rest of the characters and then a sixth episode so intensely filled with stuff. None of the new characters that were introduced really lit up a spark of interest in me. If you ask me who I would like to make fanarts or write stuff of, I would tell you none of them. Nor Shax, nor Muriel, nor Furfur nor the smallest appearances like the eyepatch demon. But I guess it’s going to take some time for me to see if I will really make no fanarts of anybody, because it took me a rough month after the first season before I took interest in Beelzebub’s character and started making fanarts of them.

Talking about my beloved Beelz, the one single character that I liked the most in S1 (and in the Tadfield Airbase scene in book Omens)... I didn’t like Shelley Conn in Lord Beelzebub’s role. I have nothing against her as a person, or as an actress, it’s just that this Beelz looked and moved and behaved nothing like the Beelz I spent 4 whole years liking and being familiar with. Even if she did grow on me a little bit in the last episode.

There were still amazing parts in every episode, it’s undeniable. David Tennant’s acting remains top tier - from his facial expressions, to his funky walk up in heaven. It was nice to have some of the original crew back (I was particularly delighted to have Dagon and Eric back, for example!), and it was a very fuzzy and nice feeling to have so much of what I used to see every day across the fandom represented in canon screentime. We saw Crowley making stars and being a high-ranking angel in his past (much like the ‘Crowley was Raphael’ theory that I’ve always liked), we saw Beelz turning into swarms of flies, we got the hall of Hell where the damned get assigned to the various brackets and it looked exactly like I envisioned it to be…

… And above all, I got an impossible dream come true. All through these past 4 years, I’ve been a major Ineffable Bureaucracy fan. What started out as a ‘Why not?’ turned into me writing over a dozen fanfiction, drawing several fanarts of them, coming up with several possible backstories that could lead them to be together eventually. A small ‘why not?’ turned into me having the time of my life for over a year, projecting onto those two impossible lovers all of my dreams of the perfect romance I never had in real life. But we were such a small fraction of the fandom - the most popular of the minor ships, according to someone in the fandom that made a pie chart based on the number of Ao3 fics and of fanarts for each ship, but still a rough 3 percent at best - and deep down I knew that there were no chances of us getting canon. I was disappointed by this thought, of course, but I eventually got to be fine with it; maybe the best part of our ship was that, not being canon, each fan could build an entirely different story for Gabriel and Beelz. Maybe the best part of our ship was this huge choir of harmonizing and dissonating voices.

I went into this season 2 with a completely relaxed mindset about this. “It’s lost or it’s found”, I told myself; if we’re getting something it’ll be a miracle, but if we won’t get anything it won’t be the end of the world. But having such an impossible ship to become canon so out of the blue, and with such a sweet series of clips…! I could see so much of the old fanarts in what we were shown; how many of us (me included) have had them hanging out in bars on Earth? And I still remember clearly how there was this one artist who drew one comic where Beelz had a fly coming out of their mouth like canon Beelz did! Seeing those flashbacks unfold brought me an unmeasurable sense of joy. The kind of squealing with skipping up and down, kind of joy no less. “If this is a dream, don’t wake me up!” I told my computer screen, as I kept my hand covering my huge grin in disbelief. And out of every possible backstory that could have led them to get together, what we were given was very close to what I would have personally chosen for them, and to what some of my favorite fanfictions chose for them.

In conclusion of this long rant… This Good Omens 2 was a big rollercoaster of emotions, for me - but I would dare say that it was like this for everyone who watched it. And you can be sure that, as soon as I’ll set a foot down from the rollercoaster’s cart and my head will stop spinning from the fear and the thrill and the overwhelming joy of the unexpected, I’ll start making new Good Omens content. Thank you to everyone who took their time to read everything.

#good omens #good omens 2 #ineffable bureaucracy #Speaking some thoughts

[mrpenguinpants]

Childe/Tartaglia: “Enemies” to “Lovers”

Aww, thank you 💕💕 All of you are so lovely ;-; Coming out from the bushes and attacking me.

Have you guy’s seen the Childe trailer? It’s in Chinese but holy shit I want him?? Who is Xiao anymore? WHAT ARE LOYALTIES??? I’m gonna ATTEMPT to roll for Childe. I love snake two faced characters so much.

I’ve never written for Childe before and there’s not a lot to go off on but I will try my best. Honestly, he’s like Dazai 2.0 for me lol.

I’m not sure what scenario you wanted but since I’m hard simping for this man, I made this a lot a bit self indulgent. I actually had a completely different idea so that’s where the enemies to lovers title comes from before I scrapped it. Now if you’ll excuse me, here’s your 2k words of food.

Update: Guess what? You’re getting a part 2. Don’t know when but now I have a taglist if you want to be added and tagged when it comes out 

---

Childe/Tartaglia: “Enemies” to “[Lovers]”

Childe silently hops over the wall and onto the roof in the dead of night. The moon was shining high, casting dark shadows that he slips in between them as he eyes his destination. An open window leading to an important personnel. Usually, he would send an agent to observe, but once he learned who this secret person was, he decided to take it into his own hands. To stretch his muscles a bit. His hand quickly caught the edge of the window sill as he raises himself and drops into the spacious room. He whistles lowly as he looks around. This was a big room but it wasn’t that much of a surprise, considering who was staying here.

“Thank you, have a good night.”

His head perks up as he hears a voice and steps into the shadows of the room. He can faintly make out an outline of a body behind the sliding doors and stands back, out of sight. He watches as the doors slowly open and the person he’s been looking for steps in. One of the leaders of the Qixing. As soon as the door’s close behind you, your shoulder’s finally relaxed before turning around to walk to the other end of the room where a large mirror was placed. You loosen the pin holding your clothes up, finally ready to get rid of these heavy clothes. He quickly averts his eyes but your voice once again breaks the silence.

“Do you make it a habit of watching others without their knowledge or are you going to say something?” you ask as you turn around as your eyes roam around what appeared to be an empty room. He weighs his options before shrugging and stepping out into the moonlight with his arms raised in mock surrender.

“I swear I would look away. I’m a bad guy but I’m not one of those types. I promise!” He laughs casually despite the circumstance, “I’m surprised you noticed me. But I suppose one of the Qixing would be capable of such an act.”

“Oh no, you were perfect. You just came at a bad time. But who are you? You don’t act like an agent” you eyed him carefully as you fiddled with your pin.

“I’m Childe, one of the Fatui’s Eleven Harbingers,” he replies giving a mock bow in your direction. He watches your reaction to see if you’ll panic and call for the Millelith. Instead, you simply nod along and you’ve stopped fiddling with the pin on your clothing.  

“Ah, I’ve met a few of you Harbingers. You don’t look like one” you remarked as you turn around once again to finally undo the pin. Childe quickly turns his gaze away as you settle the heavy clothes on the table to fold. You pull your inner clothes closer to yourself to keep warm in the chilly room.

“I’m a bit too young to see their way of thinking. So I don’t fit in well with them,” he shrugs unbothered. He’s never liked the other Harbingers anyways, “I wasn’t aware that the Qixing had other leaders present.”

“Well, the Qixing prefer to keep things somewhat discreet-”

“Yaoguang? Is everything alright? We heard voices,” one of the Millelith cuts you off as both Childe and your eyes dart to the paper screen door. Childe steps silently towards the window sill, ready to escape if needed. He would have to do a lot of unnecessary explaining if he were caught and the Qixing were already suspicious of the Fatui.

“Yes, I’m alright. I haven’t heard anything at all. Are you sure you are alright? Maybe you should rest,” you quickly walk to the door and slide it open just enough for the Millelith to see your face. The Millelith shakes his head and quietly apologizes for disturbing you before leaving.

“That looks like my cue to go, it’s getting pretty late anyway,” Childe smiles as he ducks under the window sill and gives a small wave back to you.

“Have a good night Childe.”

“You too, Yaoguang.”

---

“Don’t you think the Qixing are a bit too secretive?”

You turn around to see Childe sitting on the window sill as he ponders the thought. His right leg is resting on his left knee as his arm hold’s his chin as he stares at the wall in front of him. You give him a quick once over before going back to what you were doing, polishing your pin.

“Are you sure one of the Fatui should be saying that? Your organization plays with deceit and trickery” you laugh quietly to yourself as you place your pin in a old wooden box. It looked out of place in the room with the crude drawings and chipped paint, but Childe thought it suited you.

“Hey, I don’t agree with those methods at least! I’m here in front of you, aren’t I? But what about you? Aren’t you keeping me a secret from the Qixing?” he grins mischievously as he directs his attention onto you. Your back to still to him but he can watch your face in the reflection of the mirror. He’s not sure if he should commend you on your relaxed expression or the fact that he could easily kill you with your back turned.

“Mm, perhaps. But I enjoy this. You may not believe me but I think of you as a friend Childe. A personal secret of mine.” you say amused as you look up into the reflection of the mirror and manage to catch his surprised expression before it disappears.

“A friend? We’ve barely known each other,” he looked at you incredulously but with a wry smile, “I might seem nice but I’m still a bad guy.”

“A lot of people in Liyue don’t appear as they seem. But I don’t consider all of them as bad people. Don’t you think so Childe?”

He doesn’t say anything. You never mention it again.

---

“I have a younger sister who is an astrologist,” you say as you’re lying back on the bed while he sits on the window sill, “she’s the one that gave me this pin except her pin is red with the star and moon.”

You held the pin up for him to take and look for himself. He slips off the window sill and walks to your lying figure to take hold of it. It was a blue pin with a star in the center and the sun’s rays lining the edges of the rim. It was a bit worn but it was in incredibly good condition. He’s seen how you look at the pin so he’s not surprised.

“Astrology huh? Aren’t you Qixing named after the Big Dipper’s stars?” he asks as he hands the pin back to you and watches your eyes take a childlike gleam. He huffs a bit amused under his breath, you always seem to get like this whenever he let’s you ramble about stars.

“Yes, Yaoguang is translated from the Alkaid star. Alkaid derives from the Arabic phrase meaning "The leader of the daughters of the bier". The daughters of the bier are the three stars of the handle of the Big Dipper, Alkaid, Mizar, and Alioth. While the four stars of the bowl, Megrez, Phecda, Merak, and Dubhe, are the bie,” you ramble on making different gesture as you continue your mini lecture, “Tianquan and Yuheng are the stars Megrez and Alioth. They are here in Liyue too but Tianquan will be the one that preforms the Rite of Descension. It feels as if I’m attending my sister’s talent show even if Tianquan is older than me.”

“Hm, I’ve never looked into studying the stars. I’m more of a fighter,” Childe comments as he hears you laugh that you’re not surprised. He looks towards the moon and see’s it’s his time to leave. You give him a small wave as he starts back to the window sill before giving a small comment over his shoulder.

“You know I also have a younger sister.”

“Is she aware of what you do Childe?”

“No, of course not. Does your sister know what you do?”

“No, she doesn’t know either.”

---

“Can I see your mask?”

He unstraps it from his head and hands it to you as he watches you run your finger around the intricate details before moving it over your face. You’re both seated on the bed this time beside each other.

“I don’t understand how you can fight wearing this,” you say as you squint your eyes through the opening of the mask. He chuckles softly at the weird expression before plucking his mask out of your hands.

“Hm? I thought the Qixing were capable fighters?” he asks as he reattaches the mask to the side of his head. He rest’s his chin back onto his hand and settles back into his comfortable position.

“Yes, Tianquan uses the geo element while Yuheng uses electro,” you list off on one hand.

“What do you use?” he asks.

“Who knows” you answer.

He pouts a bit which you have to stifle your laugh at. It’s somewhat amazing how far he’s gone with this. He’s pretty busy managing business behind the scenes and getting on friendly terms with that funeral parlor man, Zhongli was it? Yet, he finds himself back here whenever he get’s a free night.

“I’m sorry for laughing but I never thought you could make such an expression. But I’m being honest. I can’t use a vision so I don’t know,” you shrug as you lie back down and close your eyes. Childe nods along even though you can’t see him. He had always thought the pin you carried was your vision until you let him hold it for himself.

“If you joined the Fatui. We could give you a vision,” he says as his gaze almost pierces through you but you continue to look unbothered. Your eye’s still remained peacefully closed.

“It’s the night before the Rite of Descension. It will be a busy day so you should get some rest before then Childe”

---

It was the day of the Rite of Descension and he had yet to see you. He knew you would be observing but wouldn’t you at least be at a vantage point where you could view the entire ritual?

“Excuse me, have you seen the Yaoguang?” he asks one of the Qixing attendants but she only looks at him confused. He’s not that surprised about that either.

“Yaoguang? I’m sorry but that leader isn’t here in Liyue right now. Did you mean to ask for Tianquan Lady Ningguang perhaps?” she attempts to correct as she gestures to the middle of the stage, where the white haired woman was standing.

“Yaoguang isn’t here? They haven’t appeared at all these past few weeks for the Rite of Descension to observe?” he asks again but the lady shook her head as he chuckled. So not even people closest to the Qixing knew that one of their leaders was being impersonated.

“Oh, sorry. Yes, I meant for Tianquan Ningguang. Sorry, these star names are a bit hard to wrap my head around” he laughs it off before walking away before the lady has time to respond.

“She is busy preparing for the Rite of Descension so she won’t be seeing anyone anytime soon. Perhaps after the ceremony if it’s urgent?” she still calls out to him before going back to her responsibilities.  

Tartaglia nods as he waves goodbye before continuing on. He never cared for the Rite of Descension but maybe today will be interesting. He spots two familiar faces in the crowd trying to get to the front to see the Rite of Descension. They seem to be friends. He laughs to himself as he reminisces all your past interactions with him. He’ll find out sooner or later who this mysterious Yaoguang impersonator is. After all, the walls have ears.

---

Part 2 perhaps? Depends on the feedback I get on this. I read about the big dipper for this fic. 

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact imagines #genshin imagines #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact childe #genshin impact childe x reader #childe x reader #genshin impact fanfiction #genshin impact tartaglia #tartaglia x reader #genshin childe imagine #genshin headcanons #genshin fanfic #childe headcanons #childe imagines

[feelingofcontent]

DNP Rewatch: Audience Participation Fear

Date video was published: 04/08/2015 (X)

DNP Main Channel Rewatch: 266

It had been a while since a classic-dinof-style video, since Dan’s March videos were the charity makeup joint video and the TABINOF trailer.

But back to a “Reasons Why Dan’s a Fail” here!

0:07 - “the other week” ...DNP went to the circus back in June of 2014 (1, 2)

0:10 - experiences are good presents!

0:18 - eyes full of fear

0:30 - I would have the same reaction to see that note. NO THANKS.

0:46 - I completely relate to Dan on this one

0:58 - love the little head bob

1:11 - they are getting a lot of use out of that snake. Also, a return of fake boobs. Also the detail of shooting this from the angle of looking up from your seat.

1:30 - oh eye contact is not a great idea. He must have looked absolutely terrified, haha.

1:42 - quiff Dan! That is a rare look.

2:01 - oh, maybe this was a different circus that Dan went to with his mum? I assumed it was the one from 2014 as Phil’s tweet specifically mentioned the front row and audience participation.

2:14 - that would be very embarrassing in front of the whole school. Poor Dan.

2:20 - Dan does not tell that many stories about his dad

2:33 - that is an extreme reaction, lol. Dan is so amused telling this story.

2:47 - wtf are these annotations. Although he did have this draft tweet just last year, so I’m not sure what that says...

3:00 - this tip is actually useful and I have done that on purpose myself at an event, haha

3:06 - Phil’s Jake hoodie! It is very bright.

3:13 - Dan does a good ‘bored’ face

3:23 - well those are some extreme examples

3:29 - he is literally about to go on tour later in the year. I think the preparedness thing is definitely a factor. I hate not knowing what I’m getting into.

4:00 - ahahaha, self-aware Dan is my favorite.

4:19 - oh, sad Dan

4:26 - that is a lot of these videos! (Although he says 19 in the description.)

4:32 - that video is no longer available

4:54 - oooo, behind the scenes. And Phil assistance! lol at him using the leather shirt for the boobs.

I like this Dan video, probably because I relate very much to it.

#dan and phil #dnp #dnpRewatch #daniel howell #danisnotonfire #dan howell #daniel howell videos #Audience Participation Fear

[bakageta]

The Chickens In The Apartment

A week later, I've finished the fic about the Venom 2 trailer chickens! Now I just need an idea for the fucking tire swing to complete the WTF Venom 2 Trailer??? trilogy.

Are we… saving them for later? Venom was a lump on Eddie's shoulder, watching as he finally managed to stuff the third and final chicken into the wire kennel he'd bought a couple days earlier.

Their host liked to buy and store food instead of getting what he wanted when he wanted it like a sensible creature. Venom has been fine with it, but they weren't sure they could do the same with their own food. Especially not when it was caged in the living room, clucking.

"Nah, these aren't for eating, at least not until they stop laying eggs."

But you buy us eggs. Venom kept their focus on the chickens as Eddie stood and turned away from the kennel. One of the chickens, the cream colored one, started pecking at the scraps of food Eddie had placed in the kennel with them while the other two, both a rich brown like a perfectly fried tater tot, cowered in the corner opposite them.

“I do, but we run out sometimes. I figured you could have these as a backup instead of putting another hole in the ceiling,” Eddie said as he grabbed a blanket off of the back of the couch and used it to cover the kennel. Almost immediately the panicked clucking started to die down.

How many eggs? It felt like a trick. The rat in the ceiling had been delicious and Eddie's reaction had been as well. Since then Eddie had kept them plied with chocolate to keep them from seeking out more vermin beyond the sheetrock.

“Three a day, one from each bird.”

That is not that many eggs, Venom couldn’t help but point out as Eddie started grabbing food from the fridge. Venom snaked a tendril into the fridge and grabbed an egg carton before their host closed the door. They could easily eat twice that amount in one sitting, plus whatever else they could steal off of Eddie’s plate.

“It will be if you save them up.” Eddie seemed to be making sandwiches with plenty of lettuce and tomato but nowhere near enough bacon.

They won’t be fresh! And fresh would probably be much, much better than the cold eggs Venom was used to meaning it would be much, much harder to wait.

“You’ve never even had fresh eggs!”

But I will! They insisted as Eddie pieced his disappointing sandwich together.

“Then you’ll get three fresh eggs a day if you don’t eat the chickens,” Eddie insisted, crossing his arms.

So they are pets? Can I name them? Eddie had refused to let them get a cat, maybe this was meant to be a compromise?

“Sure, whatever. Just don’t eat them.”

They need more space. Venom told Eddie at exactly six in the morning, the earliest he had said they could wake him up.

“...what?” Eddie asked them, eyes focused on the hole in the ceiling.

Backyard chickens dot com says that Breakfast, Lunch, and Milkshake need more space. And also that it was probably very illegal to keep chickens in their apartment, but Venom assumed Eddie was already aware of that.

Eddie scrunched his eyes shut and sighed. “You named them Breakfast, Lunch, and--”

And Milkshake, yes. That is not the point, Eddie. They need--

“More space, I heard,” Eddie grumbled, but he got up and shuffled across the apartment to let the hens loose without further prodding. “Letting you on the internet was a mistake.”

#venom #venom 2 #v:ltbc #venom fanfiction #fanfiction #who doesn't want to have chickens free roaming around their house amirite??? #the answer is me #I do not want chickens inside of my house #at least not on a regular basis #I love them outside #eddie brock #venom symbiote #symbrock #my writing

[bythebigcoolingtower]

Eye on Springfield - An Interview with Raymie Muzquiz

Since working on eighteen episodes of seasons two and three of the Simpsons, Raymie Muzquiz has enjoyed a strong, thirty plus years career in the animation industry, including directing eight episodes of Futurama’s second run. Here, Raymie talks about his spell on both shows, his other projects and the industry itself.

Let’s start at the start, how did you get into animation and end up at Klasky-Csupo?

In 1988-89, I was working for a movie trailer company. I was a production assistant and then a post coordinator for about 2 years. I learned a lot about film post production and worked on a flatbed editor, dubbing machines, etc. (all pre-digital). However, it was nonetheless a miserable, unartistic, poorly-paying job that laid bare all those awful “Swimming With Sharks”, fear-and-loathing tropes of the movie business. My boss was a horror. He’d yell at me about the dressing in his salad, or the variety of bread on the sandwich. I was his presumed personal assistant to deride. Yet he would shamelessly “lick the boots” of celebs and execs higher up the food chain. To this day, I cannot watch movie trailers. On the rare trip to a theater, I sit in the lobby and have my wife text me when the feature starts.

During this awful period I would look daily through the trades for another job. One day in the Hollywood Reporter there was an ad that included a picture of Marge (I think). Klasky-Csupo (just blocks from my apartment!) was looking to staff for Season 2 of The Simpsons. Since I storyboarded all my student films and some action sequences in live-action low-budget features at Roger Corman’s Concorde/New Horizons in the late 80’s. I applied for a storyboard position. What happened next gave me whiplash. I was given a test. Hours after turning the in the test I hired as a staff storyboard artist to start two weeks hence and immediately given a freelance assignment.  

How did I get this plum position with zero experience? This requires some context. The Simpsons was an unexpected TV-animation phoenix rising from the ashes of a poverty-row industry. It is little exaggeration to say that the TV animation talent pool (as opposed to feature animation) consisted largely of old, alcoholic and broken-spirited artists doing Saturday-morning hack-work, subsuming their talent to low budgets and low cel counts. The necessary talent were simply nonexistent for this new, hip renaissance. The doors opened to the young, the students and the inexperienced like me; someone who didn’t go to art school nor drew for a living. It was a singular event for me. I was ignorant that there was even a difference between animation and live action storyboards. I was even naive about my drawing ability. Imagine my reaction when I saw trained artists draw in a professional environment. It blew my mind! My only saving grace was that as a live-action film graduate, I knew film language. I could stage without “crossing the line”. Scenes “cut” together and “hooked up” and I was staging in depth rather than in the traditional “proscenium” cartoon style. My acting was restrained, not broad or cartoony.

I did my first storyboard freelance while still at the trailer company. It was for Jim Reardon; his first directing assignment: Itchy & Scratchy & Marge in 1989.

Can you explain the work you did on the Simpsons?

Everybody probably knows what storyboarding is, so I’ll keep it short. It’s the visualisation of the script/story. It’s TV animation’s biggest step from script to screen. You are staging the characters in space and acting them out and breaking it up into separate scenes that informs the entire rest of the process. Design, layout, key posing, action and timing build off the storyboard.

When you were assigned to work on the show what were your thoughts? It was a phenomenon by that point.

The first season’s episodes of the Simpsons were being re-runned to death. I remember doubting if they’d successfully make more before the buzz died off. When I was hired I couldn’t believe my luck. The Simpsons was THE hip show of the moment. To actually be a creative team member on something fresh and original AND get paid more than beggar’s wages was like winning the lottery.

How closely did you work with the directors and writers, what kind of notes and feedback did you receive?

When I arrived for my first meeting, Mark Kirkland and Jim Reardon were crowded in a small room with folding tables, right off of reception. I believe they were both directing for the first time. Although I was already hired to work in-house, I had to give two weeks to my current, satanic employer, so I was assigned work as a freelancer. It was to board an act of Itchy & Scratchy & Marge by its director, Jim Reardon. Little did I know what I was getting into.

I never had to draw so much in my life! My drawing hand (left) was killing me in those early months. I had to develop a callous on the middle finger. They gave me the “radio-play;” an audio cassette of the recorded dialog to draw to and tons of model sheets.  

I remember being overwhelmed by the volume. And you had to draw in these tiny boxes of the formatted storyboard page. I didn’t have that kind of discipline (I never did: I eventually developed a style of drawing on blank pages, then fielding and formatting them onto a page. Sometimes I scaled my drawings down on the xerox machine. I also drew on post-its (the greatest invention in animation after cels) and taped them onto the formatted sheet.  

As this was freelance, I actually only met with Jim twice: Once for the hand-out and then again to show him my roughs. I vaguely remember him asking for changes that I thought were off-show (I’d seen all extant episodes multiple times on TV by then). Plus this was my first time and really had no expectations of what the process was.

But--he was the director--I addressed his notes and turned in the storyboard to the receptionist without further feedback. This almost became my undoing. In future, I would know the director should go over the storyboard and decide if it was ready, needed further revision or even just check the “bookkeeping”; the placement of dialog, notes and scene and page numbering before releasing it to the producers (all the Executives at Gracie Films across town). However--for whatever reason--this didn’t happen. It went directly from reception to Gracie. And evidently the executives didn’t react well. I was ignorant of all of this for years; until Mark Kirkland told me what happened...

The Executives were displeased with the storyboard and demanded to know what happened. Someone blamed it on the new guy (me!). So it was decided I had to be fired (before I even started my first day on staff)!  

Did I get thrown under the bus? I can’t say. I wasn’t there. I am only relating events second hand.  

Anyway, Mark Kirkland, who shared the room with Jim Reardon and was present during my meetings came to my rescue (again, completely unbeknownst to me). He vouched for my character and said I was worthy of rescue and rather than firing me, I could work with him. 

So I have Mark to thank for my career. If I was fired, it would have been crushing and I think it’s safe to say I would never have become the artist I’ve become in the thirty plus years of my career.

What was the pressure like working on the show and at the studios during that time?

Because of my lack of experience, I found it difficult judging deadlines and the necessary labor (and just pencil mileage) to succeed. Plus I was traumatised by my previous job; I was conditioned to fear punishment and humiliation at anytime for something I did or didn’t do.

The climate at Klasky/Csupo couldn’t be more starkly different; so egalitarian! Everyone was socialising and goofing around. Gabor Csupo couldn’t be a more laid-back boss! Long lunches with side-trips for comic books and toys! Nerf guns in the hall. I shared a tiny room with two other board artists, Peter Avanzino and Steve Moore. They would both have to vacate the room for me to reach my desk in the far corner. We bantered and laughed more than worked. Celebrities would drop by (Most memorable was meeting Frank Zappa). There were events always going on; bowling, screenings and parties. And yet, a ton of thought and drawing was necessary; especially for me. I worried I couldn’t work as fast as other artists. I often had to work nights and weekends to meet my deadlines. However, there always were other artists doing the same thing; they may have been more experienced than me, but they were young and not so disciplined; so I was never alone. Plus, you never knew how off the mark your roughs could be and after a meeting with the director and Brad Bird, you might suddenly be looking at a ton of revision work. I also remember that Brad was busy weekdays and meetings could sometimes only be done on Saturdays. I simply had a lot to learn and time to put in to build my proficiency. And Brad Bird was very important influence in those days: I could be nervous and exhausted preparing for a meeting with him, but he’d so infect you with his enthusiasm and creative vision that you’d end up re-doing the whole thing but be excited about doing it. He emphasized the cinematic aspects and empowered us to be bold and push the limits of traditional animation staging.

You worked on some of the show’s early classics, could you tell from your position how the episodes would come out?

My next episode for Jim Reardon was “When Flanders Failed”. Because of the kerfuffle of the first episode I did for him, I was anxious to be as professional and impressive as possible. I thought the act I did showed improvement. However, the episode seemed to languish at some point (after animation?) and word got around that it was a bust and wouldn’t reach air. My memory is hazy about this, but I was bummed at the time; thinking my working relationship with Jim was snake-bit.  

A season later, it eventually did air. I’m not giving a very good account of this, sorry.

“Flaming Moe’s” was an episode I was excited about. I remember Brad Bird suggesting some very exciting staging that turned my head around. Especially the part where Homer ends up--“Phantom of the Opera-ish”--in the rafters. I think that was a turning point for me; I was going to be a Brad disciple and determined to push the staging from then on.

“Stark Raving Dad”, is memorable to me, but not for a good reason. It was one of the last episodes I worked on; only doing an act. I remember being scandalized that Michael Jackson was the subject of the episode. Being a Simpsons purist, I believed that the show existed in a parallel universe and celebrities were parodied for laughs; it was too hip to be a shill for celebrity. There was no Arnold Swarzenegger, there was McBain. There was no Hal Fishman (our local channel 5 anchor), there was Kent Brockman. Dr. Hibbert was a parody of Bill Cosby. Mayor Quimby was a parody of Ted Kennedy. Even Nick Riviera was supposed to be Gabor Csupo! Having Michael Jackson exist in this universe and embodied in a sympathetic character (rather than a target of ridicule) was seriously “jumping the shark” in my opinion. I believed the show had done the unthinkable and it would prove fatal to the series.  

Of course I was wrong. The Simpsons goes on like a perpetual motion machine. But I couldn’t abide watching this wise and subversive show trample over its principles to star-fuck. Now of course, which celebrity HASN’T been on the Simpsons. As you may well know, “Stark Raving Dad” has been pulled from the series since the premiere of the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland”, giving some credence to my long ago objection: sometimes it bites you on the ass.

“Black Widower” was my swan song. I remember meeting Kelsey Grammer at the table read and being mesmerized by his voice. He sounded just like Orson Welles. The act I boarded included Bob and Selma’s honeymoon. I wanted to give the staging a Hitchcockian influence with deep-focus, Z-axis compositions (like looking out of the fireplace, across the gas burner to Selma and Bob) and my first-ever use of DX (double exposed) shadows to provide menace. I thought that was my best work of the series.

One of my favourite early episodes is ‘Homer at the Bat’ which you storyboarded. What are your recollections on working on it? Did you get any specific notes when it came to the players?

“Homer” was my third “at bat” (pardon the pun) with Jim. He’s a baseball fan as I am, but he also PLAYED Chicago-Style Softball (baseball with a huge, soft ball). I’m a baseball fan too, but I felt I’d be exposed a dilettante due to my terminal lack of athleticism. I was assigned all three acts of the show as well! I really had to be on my game (again, pardon) and not miss any of the references. I reluctantly took him up on his offer playing in one of the Chicago-Style games one Saturday in Burbank. It was a sacrifice as I had to work weekends to keep up with the workload of this episode. I went with a fellow board artist, who’ll remain unnamed (to remain friends).  

It went terribly. At bat, I whiffed three pitches in a row, and Jim kept pitching more and more out of pity. I missed them all. He finally had to tell me to just give the bat to the next guy. In the outfield, I stunk just as badly. The piece-de-resistance was when my fellow board artist was at bat and swung hard on a pitch. He missed the ball AND dislocated his knee. I ran to him as he plopped down in agony onto home plate with his knee, shin and foot pointed in the wrong direction. “If my leg stays like this much longer, I think I’m gonna start crying,” he said through the pain.  After a terribly long moment, his shin and foot rotated snapped back into place. We hobbled off the field as Jim and his pals resumed the game. Could things have gone any worse? I was certain that Jim had no faith in me by that time. If so, he never said it. He was a laconic guy.  

I worked on it a hundred years ago so I don’t feel the pride I objectively should. The episode went against The Cosby Show and beat it in the ratings!  There’s even an exhibit in The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, that I wasn’t aware of until I went there. No artist other than Matt is mentioned. It’s all about the writers and the players who voiced the show.

I still have the storyboards of Jose Canseco in the bathtub with Ms. Krabappel that Jose objected to and we had to cut. I’ll post them someday.

How do you reflect on your time working on the show? Do you ever watch those seasons and episodes back?

See below for details; but no. I haven’t watched the episodes I worked on or those seasons for decades. I haven’t watched any episodes after the 3rd season at all. I did see the movie.

The relationship between Klasky-Csupo and Gracie Films finished at the end of the third season, when Gracie decided to move production to Film Roman, what was your view of that situation?

With the handwriting on the wall that Fox might pull The Simpsons from Klasky-Csupo, the in-house producer Sherry Gunther countered by getting all us artists to sign a document tying us exclusively to Klasky-Csupo in an effort to block Fox access to the crew. That gambit didn’t dissuade Fox. They pulled the show anyway and took it to Film Roman. At the time, I wanted desperately to follow the show, but naively thought I couldn’t because I was bound by Sherry’s contract. Virtually everyone left Klasky-Csupo for Film Roman anyways; contract be damned.

The studio became a ghost town. I stayed, distressed that I had to work on Rugrats. However, I eventually concluded that being torn away from The Simpsons was the best thing for my creative growth. Wherein The Simpsons was written so well, closely supervised and finding its stride, The Rugrats scripts were mediocre and the gags not funny. Rugrats was a vacuum to fill and I was empowered to add gags and exercise Gabor’s mandate to really push the staging into warped and low-angled baby POVs that defined the series. It lacked the regimentation of The Simpsons and I exposed to all the other processes in making cartoons. On the Chanukah special I directed, I timed the animation, I even helped direct the voice talent and supervise animatic and final edit.

The Simpsons, like many prime-time animated shows, are dominated by writer/producers who closely control the creative aspects and the artists are more or less staying in their lanes.

After the Simpsons you were assigned to work on ‘Duckman’ where you directed eight episodes, what was the step up to direction like?

I didn’t go directly to Duckman. There was a period of boarding on Rugrats and assistant directing on two Edith-Ann specials for ABC. It was a sad time, something like being in purgatory, but one which I believe was necessary in retrospect.

Speaking of being in purgatory, here’s an anecdote. Klasky-Csupo was a bunch of empty rooms after the Simpsons left. I was working on Edith Ann one day and Gabor was walking a tour of potential clients through. I showed them what I was doing and then Gabor directed them to the next room; opening a door to usher them in, various large and small auto parts suddenly tumbled noisily out onto the floor. A car bumper, pieces of trim, a fender and hub-caps.  

You may ask why auto parts were in there? I’ll tell you: When Rich Moore worked there, his office overlooked the corner of Highland and Fountain avenues. Over time, he and his crew witnessed a lot of auto collisions on that corner. They would go and retrieve the parts left behind and hang them on the wall. Rich obviously left without taking his collection and somebody decided to hide them all in this room. Suffice to say, it didn’t look professional and I felt terrible for Gabor at that moment.

When I did become director, there was many moments of panic. I was used to storyboarding to my personal standard and quality that defined my aesthetic. Paradoxically, being a director meant losing close control. I had to depend on clearly communicating to the storyboard artists, quickly learning you can only tell artists so much before they “top-off” and forget what you said. No one took notes! It was all by memory! I always took notes as a board artist. A good board artist makes a director look good. There are far more mediocre storyboard artists than good ones; mainly because the good ones are promoted to directors (I feel the quality has improved over time). And I had to deal with freelancers for the first time. They are the guys that fill-in when there’s not enough staff artists. These people were usually moonlighting for extra money and end up storyboarding your show in the style of the show they were working on during the day. There just wasn’t enough time in the schedule to fix everything without working crazy hours. The Simpsons had layout. So storyboards didn’t have to be so precise and if something wasn’t staged right or acting out in storyboard, you could work with a layout artist in shorthand to correct it. Virtually my entire career has been absent layouts. They are very rare for TV nowadays. This makes the storyboard all the more important. The bar must be high; we call them “layout storyboards”; they need to be closer to model and the acting must be spot on.  

Animation timing was also something I had to get control of; At first, Duckman didn’t have a supervising timing director, who could maintain the quality and the timing aesthetics particular to the show. It was up to the director to check timing. I had almost no experience and it was a new show. No one person had the answers. I could review the timer’s work (so often a dreaded freelancer) and I could see it wasn’t at all right and I’d wholesale erase it, but then I panicked that I might have done more damage than good; suddenly in over my head. It took time, but I got it.

I believe that the director who masters his x-sheets is true master of his show.  I could add quality and personal aesthetics in a new dimension.

Does you background as a storyboard artist influence the way in which you direct?

Absolutely. In animation history, there were directors who didn’t storyboard or even draw. There were a few of these “dinosaurs” on Rugrats. They sat and read the paper when we boarded their shows. But because of the overseas process of animation and the loss of layouts here at home, if you are going to direct at all, you have to be comfortable drawing a detailed, informed layout storyboard. It is literally the blueprint of your show.

That said, I had to mature as a director who storyboarded. It was insane to try and board all my episodes personally, though directors will put some work aside for themselves, especially if its a sequence that would be too hard to delegate to another artist. If a sequence involves a new character, location or prop integral to the story, it may not be designed yet, so I’ll take it on and “feel it out;” designing as I board.

I had to learn how to be a good delegator and a clear communicator. I pitch sequences to the board artist before they begin and give them roughs of designs, poses or staging I think is important for the sequence. From my boarding experience, I don’t like directors who don’t tell you what they want until after you’ve drawn the storyboard. That wastes time and effort. And morale. I want the artists to know my take and hopefully that will inform the storyboard they do. I also know from my board experience that you should balance criticism with praise. Communicate what you like about how they do this and that before you go through critiquing the parts that aren’t working. Ultimately, you want to help the board artists be successful in storyboarding it their way, not my way. If it works, don’t change it just because it isn’t the way you’d do it. Lean into and support what they’ve done.

‘Duckman’ had a cavalcade of guest stars throughout the shows run, did you ever get to meet any of them, and if so, do you have a favourite encounter?

I was always of two minds regarding using live-action stars for animation. Yeah, it’s fun to meet them and some like Jason Alexander can knock-it-out-of-the-park, but sometimes this kind of “stunt casting” backfires. In my first episode, we used Crispin Glover in a stunt role as a crazed maniac with only one line. He showed up brandishing an eight inch hunting knife acting like a REAL maniac. Maybe it was method acting, but we were scared of him and got him in and out as fast as we could. His delivery didn’t work for the line and it spoiled the joke in my opinion, but it remained in the episode. If we used one of the legion of professional voice actors available, we could have worked with them for the perfect “voice” and delivery and nailed it.

We also used Teri Garr for an episode (not one I was directing) and I attended because I was a huge fan of hers. I got to see her behind the mike as she looked over her pages and said acidly, “This isn’t exactly Tolstoy, is it.” That is the opposite attitude you should have when you’re hired. She was soon pitching underwear afterwards...obviously not Tolstoy either.

So I’ll say it again: using celebrities can bite you on the ass.

Performances aside, I certainly did enjoy meeting legends. Carl Reiner played a priest in Noir Gang. Mind you we recorded in a small studio that was in the back of the Rugrats building that was essentially a cavernous storage room. Ed Asner looked visibly uncomfortable when we huddled around him in there. I’ll never forget the look on Marina Sirtis’ face when she arrived to record an episode. Me and a couple of other guys were laying in wait in this sketchy storage area eating our lunches. She was concerned: “is this the right place?” I felt like a lech and stopped going to records that I didn’t have to be at.

Overall, if the celebrity you’ve cast for a voice roll has theater experience, you are more likely to get a good vocal performance. Especially musical theater experience. They are more aware of their voice and have the tools. This goes for Jason and others like Tim Curry and Bebe Neuwirth; all great voice talent to have behind the mic.

You worked on the second run of Futurama, had you been a fan of the original seasons?

No. I didn’t watch the show before. I had to catch up and learn the “canon” when I was hired.

How did you get involved in working on Futurama?

The animating studio, Rough Draft, was something of a clique. They didn’t just hire “anybody” and unlike most studios, they maintain a staff of lifers who usually have the choice positions. I knew Peter Avanzino from our Simpsons days doing storyboards together, so he vouched for me. I was hired to direct on the 2nd season of Drawn Together. So they had a taste of what they could expect from me. I was no longer an unknown quantity when Futurama came around.

One of the eight episodes you directed was, ‘The Mutants are Revolting’, the shows hundredth episode. How special was it to work on such a landmark episode?

It had the most visibility of my episodes, at least internally. They made T-shirts and some publicity art and even the script had a nicer cover. But it was the episode with the most headaches. The scope of the story was huge with multiple set pieces. The opening newsreel, movie in a movie of the Land-Titanic, the asteroid delivery, the party at Planet Express, the riot in the sewers and the flood and “parting of the red sea” climax all required a ton of designs and characters; plus more hand-drawn and CG effects. That’s a lot to manage and marshall for a TV show. Most episodes don’t require the director to do this kind of heavy lifting. I find that when a show demands this much visually, the story ends up being more superficial, gag driven and episodic feeling. Such is the case for this episode. It was visually pumped up because it was representing the 100th episode; meaning I was saddled with managing lots of logistics rather than the usual character-based comedy and emotion of say, Tip of The Zoidberg, which is a relationship story that--as a director--I feel I give more time to flourish and shine with.

‘The Mutants are Revolting’ features some fantastic animation, most notably a brief sequence of Bender standing perfectly still as the Planet Express ship moves around him. Can you explain the challenges of a sequence like that?

That’s a good, insightful question. A shot like this shows off the resources Rough Draft has that aren’t available at just any other studio doing TV animation. The interior of the Planet Express Ship was built and animated in CG. At it’s gimbal point was a CG version of a stationary Bender; locked to field, but who’s feet move with the CG ship. Once the CG elements were approved, they were printed out as wire frame drawings printed onto pegged paper. My Assistant Director drew key poses of the characters on a separate layer in register with the CG print outs, old school on a light box animation disc. This all was sent to our overseas studio Rough Draft Korea for inbetweening and color of the characters only. That came back as an alpha-channeled digital file and layered over the CG animation in our digital compositing department.

Scott Vanzo runs the department and directs all the CG animation effects. I can’t remember who exactly built the interior of the PE ship and animated it, so I’ll rely on IMDb: Don Kim and Jason Plapp. But all the guys in the digital department do tremendous work and allowed us to fine tune a lot of animation (that doesn’t have CG in it); giving us the ability that raises the quality and takes the curse off of overseas animation limitations.

‘The Tip of the Zoidberg’ was nominated for a Primetime Emmy, how proud were you of that achievement and the episode itself?

The episode was one of my favorites; it was character focused and elaborating on canon so a director couldn’t ask for more. As for the Emmy nomination, it’s one of those show business awards that I realized early I can’t get emotionally vested in. The Futurama guys have a formula for figuring out which episode will be submitted. I think it has something to do with each writer getting a shot at the statue. And then from then on it’s just politics.

You’ve also done work on ‘Disenchantment’, giving you the distinction of having worked on all three of Matt Groening’s shows. What’s your relationship like with him?

I can’t help but laugh at this question. I’ve run into him twice out in public over the years and he didn’t recognize me. Once at the Moscow Cat Circus! But that humbling fact aside, he’s a genuinely nice, funny person devoid of pretence and he’s said some very complementary things about my work. However, it’s all business. Like virtually all primetime shows, he’s with the writers at their separate production office. Animation production takes place in a different geographical location. My face time is limited to usually 2-3 meeting points in a show’s schedule. Anything in between are fielded via emails routed through coordinators and assistants.

As well as short form animation you’ve been involved with several feature length productions, including ‘The Rugrats Movie’ and ‘Despicable Me’, what are the key differences between long from and short form animated projects?

I don’t think I’ve ever had a purely feature production experience. The Rugrats Movie(s) were spin-offs from TV series so some processes were grandfathered in from TV production. Despicable Me was truly off-the-wall in that the storyboard artists were working remotely from literally all over the world. No one met each other. I met with Chris Renaud once. I was not allowed to see the entire script, only pages here and there. It was called “Evil Me” at the time. I was truly working in the dark and ultimately, they didn’t use anything I drew. Which to me seemed par-for-the-course: this was one harebrained, inefficient, right-hand-doesn’t-know-what-the-left-hand-is-doing way to make a show. Again, I predicted it would fail. Again, I was wrong.

At the time I was working on Despicable Me, Gru looked like Snape from Harry Potter and there were no minions yet, just an “Igor” kind of 2nd banana that was a shorter version of the final Gru design.  

So my takeaway from those experiences is that I prefer TV production. You don’t have the luxury of a feature schedule, but there is less time for executives to get replaced, sundry monkey-business and creatives pulling the rug out from under you. However, TV is catching up in those regards. See below.

Do you have a scene or episode you’re particularly proud of working on?

I feel fulfilled and proud of directing and being supervising producer on Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie. I was empowered to work in every aspect of the process and benefit from my experience to make it the smoothest running ship and happiest crew ever. Only at the very end did the executives get into overdrive meddling. But it ran well and looked good. It may not be as funny as my prime time stuff, but I think we elevated the material across the board; writing, design, animation quality. And it was a project put in mothballs 15 years before being resurrected. So it completes me in a way.

Ultimately, I believe work is about relationships and quality of life. The shows where you were empowered and respected and not overworked due to inefficiency are the shows I’m proud to work on. As Jim Duffy would always say, “It’s only a cartoon.”

Often sequences are cut or revised before broadcast. Do you have any favourites that didn’t make it in?

If I had, I’ve forgotten them.  

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry over your time and what do you think the next big change will be?

The trend seems to be as I get better and more efficient at my job, creators and writers (especially in streaming prime-time) are becoming more entitled, indecisive, mecurial and demanding. As processes have evolved in digital technology, we’ve opened the door for those in power indulging in more rewrites, revisions, reviews, etc. Despite the technical advancements, animation remains expensive and time intensive and good artists (especially in TV) have to work intelligently and diligently on tight schedules to produce funny, inspired, detail-oriented work. Rewrites and revisions burn out artists and make us feel like office machines and though our overlords pay for the last minute re-dos, they are often throwing out higher quality work for patchwork revisions that lower the overall quality of a show.

Who inspired you as a young animator and who do you look to now?

Ironically, I never saw myself becoming an animator. I did do some stop-motion on Super 8 as a kid. But that was because I didn’t have access to peers to act and help. What inspired me were live action directors with strong, individual styles: Orson Welles, Stanley Kubrick, Peter Greenaway and Terry Gilliam. I think of these guys in essence as “live-action-animation directors”. The stylization in their sequence planning, shot selection and composition as well as how production design integrates in their storytelling reminds me of how background design and art direction naturally occur in animation production.  

I’m sure there are new visionaries out there, but I’ve become so disenchanted with modern cinema, I rarely see new movies anymore. I find streaming TV much more interesting. Current movies strike me as self-consciously mannered and hyperactive. I find it endlessly fascinating looking back into cinema history before movies had to begin with three or four production company logos whooshing noisily about.

What advice would you give to people looking to break into the animation industry?

I’ve seen an improvement in the college educated animation students over the years. They seem to be of a higher intellectual standard than before. They aren’t as thrown by the rigors of schedule and they ALL can draw circles around me.  

Be original in your own work, but also be a craftsman (as opposed to purely an artist) who can take criticism neutrally and have the tools to fit in the grand scheme of a show that might challenge your personal aesthetics.  

Denis Sanders, a directing teacher I had in college said the director’s job is to be “an expert at all things”. In animation, that translates into intellegently knowing what to draw. If a character is looking under the hood of a car, know what an internal combustion engine looks like and what reasonable pieces you can have your character toss out of said engine. The distributor, the carburettor. Find and use reference! Go that extra step and inform your work with the texture of reality.

Don’t regurgitate old tropes. A trite example of what I’m talking about: If a character is peeking at another, avoid the obvious keyhole in the door trope. Keyholes aren’t in doors anymore. It’s been a cliche from the beginning of cinema. Rather, crack the door open, slide your cellphone under the door, look through a window or punch a hole in the door and look in. Like I said, this is a trite example, but making non-obvious choices rather than knee-jerk non-choices makes cartoons fresh and funnier.

What animated shows do you currently watch and what’s your opinion on the current state of animation?

It’s a terrible admission, but I’m not watching anything in animation. There’s a lot of animation that seems to be just writer-driven, animated live-action sit-coms. There isn’t a reason for them to be animated. Those are the kind of jobs I get offered a lot. It seems like a more trouble than it’s worth.

Who are some young animators you think we should be looking out for?

Gosh, I don’t know.

What projects are you currently working on?

I’m productively unemployed at the moment.

Where can people follow you on social media?

I only do tumblr: mashymilkiesinc.tumblr.com

#The Simpsons #Futurama #Eye on Springfield #Raymie Muzquiz #Not tall or wide

[ssa-montgomery]

I Tried To Hate You (But Somewhere Along The Line I Fell In Love) Chapter 2

Word Count: 1925

Story Summary: When Addison Montgomery-Shepherd shows up in Seattle Meredith Grey tries to hate her. She really did but somehow while trying to find reasons to hate her she found more reasons to love her.

Characters: Meredith x Addison, some minor Meredith x Derek/Addison x Derek/Addison x Mark, Callie Torres, Mark Sloan

Warnings: Angst, divorce, some surgical talk, mentions of affairs.

A/N: Guess who's finally back with more of this story! I'm sorry this took so long but I'm so glad to finally have the new chapter done :) I hope you all enjoy seeing Addison's point of view! I decided to have Addison take a little longer than Meredith to really realise the depth of her feelings for this one. Thank you all so much for the support on this story so far! And was that a little hint at the next main character to show up at the end of the chapter??

Feedback is what motivates me to work so please let me know what you think! Reblogs are also greatly appreciated.

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If she was being honest things with Addison's marriage hadn't been easy for months before Derek left New York. Even in the chaos of med school and residency her and Derek used to be able to find time for their marriage, they could put time aside to have dinner together every weekend and she used to be able to count on seeing her husband at least once during the day but over time things had gotten worse. Dinners were cancelled in favour of surgeries and Addison found herself falling asleep next to Derek's empty side of the bed almost every single night with him at the hospital. They had let things slip past the point where they could save it.

This had taken a toll on Addison emotionally. It left her feeling unwanted and alone in a house that once felt like a home to her. Derek barely gave her more than a quick brush of lips against her cheek and it had started to make her feel undesired. It's what she would blame when she slept with Mark Sloan, her husband's best friend. Mark had been there for her, had seen her, brought her dinner on nights when Derek wouldn't come home and he had told her she was beautiful when she was starting to doubt it. It was also what lead to the end of her marriage when Derek caught her in bed with Mark.

Derek hadn't flown into a fit of rage like Addison had imagined he would, and perhaps even hoped he would if it meant he still cared enough about their marriage to be angry. Sure he yelled, but it was more just at Addison to get out than anything else. After that, he had taken his things and left for Seattle.

Part of her had hoped that despite Derek's reaction he still cared, that he still wanted her and so she gave him some space before trying to fix her marriage. Before leaving New York Addison had a plan for arriving in Seattle. Her plan had been to work the case Richard had called her in for and finally talk to Derek, finally get him to listen to her about what happened that night and the problems their marriage had before heading back home to New York. Of course, that plan became a thing of the past rather quickly after landing in Seattle.

Addison still had some friends in Seattle - and by friends, she meant Richard of course - who had warned her about the young, doe-eyed, blonde intern her husband was now seeing. The first time she met her was in the lobby of Seattle Grace Hospital her first day in town. She had made a scene, and she knew that. Part of her had immediately felt guilty about the biting comment she had made to the intern. "And you must be the woman who's been screwing my husband."  As soon as she had seen the look on Meredith's face it was clear she hadn't known Derek was married. It wasn't Meredith's fault. If anyone was to blame it was Derek and admittedly herself.

She had quickly realised she didn't blame Meredith at all and in fact, felt sorry for her. After only a few days of working in the hospital, she had quickly learned that gossip spread fast and she had unintentionally placed Meredith right in the middle of it all. It all seemed to be for nothing as well. Derek was back to acting the same way he had in New  York, and possibly even worse with the new title of Adulterous Bitch that he had taken to calling her.

She was starting to slip back into that same mindset she had been in back in New York but this time the person who pulled her out of it was someone she least expected.

Meredith had been on her service for almost a week straight and she was starting to enjoy her company. She was a quick learner and always seemed curious about Addison's work, always watching everything she did closely. Meredith listened carefully when she spoke and it made her feel like the work she was doing actually meant something when it came to teaching the interns.

She had found herself starting to care more and more for the young intern. She felt seen by Meredith and she had to admit she could see why her husband had fallen for her. Not only was she sweet but her beauty hadn't gone unnoticed by Addison. She often found herself staring at Meredith when she was leaning against the nurse's station filling out charts or in the cafeteria when she was sitting around laughing with her friends. Normally Meredith's eyes were almost the colour of steel - her intense concentration reflected in her eyes - but in those moments they would soften and the pale grey was stunning.

Meredith was a young surgeon and she still had a strong urge to learn, no matter the speciality. Addison had no doubt that she would make a fine surgeon someday and she hoped she could at least have an impact on that part of her life. They had learned to work well together and Meredith was now her favourite intern to have in the O.R. with her. She had learned Addison's routine in surgery and would sometimes know what she was about to ask before she even had the chance to say it.

She found herself with a growing urge to get to know the intern outside of the hospital, to maybe even call her a friend. She told herself the urge was just from needing more friends in Seattle but there was something else, some other reason lying just below the surface that she couldn't place her finger on. She hadn't felt this drawn to someone since she first met Derek back in med school and whatever that feeling was, it was out of her control now. With her divorce finally squared away she hoped her and Meredith could spend more time together without Derek's interference. 

When Doc was still at the trailer - oh how Addison missed that old dog, it surprised her how attached to him she had become - Meredith would sometimes make the trek out to the woods to visit him and on a rare occasion Derek wouldn't be home. Addison found these times oddly comforting. Meredith wasn't as open with her then and they would spend most of the time simply talking about Doc or about their surgeries that day but she enjoyed the company.

It was during one of these visits that Addison first noticed the urge to be closer to her. Doc hadn't been on his morning walk yet when Meredith arrived and she offered to take him. Addison insisted that Meredith didn't need to, if she was being honest the walks gave her the chance to clear her mind of the stress at the time but Meredith admitted she had missed taking him out on walks herself. As a compromise Addison suggested they both go. While they were walking down the forest trail Meredith had told her about one, particularly drunken night in Europe where she and her friends had found themselves lost in a forest and she had laughed as she recounted the details. It was the first time Addison had heard her talk about her past and hearing her laugh so genuinely had made her heart flutter.

~~~

It had already been an insanely busy day and it was barely lunchtime. Addison had just gotten out of a four-hour surgery with Meredith Grey and it had ended in a close call. They had almost lost the patient and it took everything Addison had to save her. She was already exhausted and in desperate need of coffee and a conversation with Callie.

The cafeteria was busy when Addison arrived but luckily she had gotten her coffee in the lobby and was able to bypass the queues that snaked around the room. She had to push her way through the crowds to reach the corner of the outdoor seating area that Callie had claimed a table in.  Once she reached the table she pulled out the chair opposite Callie and slumped down into it, placing her coffee cup down on the table. 

"So you've been with both men and women right?" Addison asked casually as she leaned forward to take a sip out of her coffee. Thank God for caffeine, she didn't know if she could make it through her shift without it.

"I- Well, good morning to you too Addison." Callie laughed at the forwardness of her question. 

Callie and Addison had quickly become close friends after their first case together and they were open with each other about everything. When Callie had first come out as bisexual Addison was one of the first people she told. Which is why she was now going to Callie with this issue.

"Callie, I have two labouring moms, surgery at four, a sexuality crisis and only a fifteen-minute lunch break," Addison explained with a frustrated groan. Busy surgical schedules didn't leave much time for personal issues which Addison guessed was why is had taken so long for all of this to catch up with her.

"Right." Callie nodded resting her elbows against the table and leaning in closer to her. "Yeah, I have, what's on your mind, Addison?"

"Does having feelings for a girl feel," Addison hesitated for a moment unsure of what she was even trying to ask Callie. "Different?" 

"You mean different than being attracted to men? It can. It really all depends on what you identify as and I don't want to assume anything here Addison. I will say, if there's someone you think you might be attracted to at the moment and you're comparing it to Derek or Mark, then yes, it will feel different." Callie explained. "Derek was your first love, you fell in love young and that was always going to be different anyway because attraction like that was new and fun. Mark was different because you were hurting because you were confused and it was during a dark time in your life. But this whoever it is, it's going to be different because you're an adult now Addison. You know who you are and what you want. The main thing you need to ask yourself is, do they make you happy and go from there. It's a learning process and it might take you some time."

"She does." Addison smiled then, it was bright and genuine. "She makes me happy. Thank you so much, Callie, you really are an incredible friend. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Of course Addie." Callie reached across the table and gave Addison's arm a squeeze. "And you absolutely do not have to tell me who this mystery potential crush is but if you did want to your secret would be safe with me."

"I think it's best if I don't say anything right now, it's a bit - messy." Addison laughed. She wasn't even entirely sure where to start when it came to explaining this. How do you explain to your best friend that you've fallen for your ex-husbands ex-mistress?

"Right got it." Callie laughed with her. "But Addison, I'm glad you found someone who makes you happy. I really mean it."

"Thank you, Callie." She nodded. "Oh and for the love god please don't mention this to Mark, I'll never hear the end of it."

Taglist: @alexander-gideon-lightwood-bane​

#greys anatomy #greys anatomy fanfic #greys anatomy fic #greys anatomy fanfiction #addison montgomery #addison montgomery fanfiction #meredith grey #meredith grey fanfiction #meredith x addison #meredith x addison fanfiction #meradd #meradd fanfiction #meddison #meddison fanfiction

[iguessishouldbethankful]

Sly Cooper 1 Review:

As in, I recently completed the game and since I was asked to, I will give my review on it. I’m a little nervous because this is the first time I’m doing this, so hopefully I’ll get this right.

KEEP IN MIND: I did not grow up with this series, and I am going in after @oroanillado gifted me the entire series for the PS3. I am a new fan who basically grew up on Nintendo products, so my views might come off differently.

ALSO: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Onto the review.

0. Initial Reaction:::::::::::::::::::::::::

I was pretty surprised how the game collection required no download or installation. So that was a good little bonus as I could immediately sit down and play it without much of a wait. As for the starting point on top of the roof... lemmie say that Sly is adorable at first glance. His movements are fluid and it’s very satisfying to control him--especially the fact that he has a bass sound to his steps that is beyond addictive. I love it.

Not to mention the music is nice. Not exactly as memorable, but I can listen to it and it does give the area a feel.

And then Bentley opened his mouth. Whew boy. Okay. Rok heard my live commentary every time he opened his mouth, so it’ll be a theme. It wasn’t that bad at first though so it’s mostly me wanting to explore the Police Station. It’s mostly a tutorial level so it’s nothing impressive, just giving the feels.

When Carmelita showed up, like expected, I was stunned by two things: she owns an extra fancy taser gun, and that slow as fuck taser gun is able to cause the destruction of public and private property as a massive scale. Ma’am, can we talk? Can you not blow up the cars?? LADY-

As for the comic style animation? Yes, perfect. I was looking forward to it and was not disappointed. I love the cartoony look it gives to the whole world. Which is something else I noticed--the feel and look of the game is very much like the love child of Banjo Kazooie and Psychonauts. The colors and collectathon.

Also the character motivations for Sly, Bentley and Murray are believable. All are orphans, and Sly saw his family get killed but the bad guys and the family book of thieves stolen. Carmelita? Eh, wish I had more context to her but good cop trying to catch the robber is good enough.

Note: I had no idea Carmelita was actually someone that worked for Interpol. My dumbass thought she was just a French cop. The more you know.

As for the hub safehouse area, it’s simple and direct to the point.

Okay. We good? Now onto the levels.

1. Tide of Terror:::::::::::::::::::

Sly dies in one shot.

Sly dies in one shot.

Sly dies in one shot.

No. This was okay. I was determined to find out how I could get around this. I explored the initial open area, collecting the coins and trying to get the bottles because I knew that the point of the games was to collect all pages, right? So I needed the bottles to get the clues so Bentley could give me the code. Thing is, I ran into a few problems on the get go. BESIDES SLY BEING A ONE HIT WONDERBOY.

I didn’t know I could pimp whack enemies with the cane. So I see this walrus looking mofo just hammering away on a boat and I’m like... How do I not aggro this dude. Keep to myself, reach areas I new I could jump to, and... OH FUCK THERE ARE BOTTLES ON THAT BOAT GOD DAMN IT! Fine. Let’s sneak in. By sneak I mean run around the walrus and realize that the guy just sees me and hammers harder. What? Okay then he doesn’t chase me. Get the bottles, realize after 5 minutes that Sly’s pimp ass cane can in fact obliterate the ship’s pole to get the last bottle, before trying to confront the walrus.

So I died the first time. Then I smacked him. You know, for a one hit wonder as Sly is, I appreciate that the enemies are the same as well. That balanced everything out and not made it a colorful furry version of Dark Souls. So off I go. Up the ladder and jumping right into the second area where there are search lights. I’m like okay, let me go around these and--

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE ROSE BUSH KILLED SLY?!

GOD DAMN IT!!

Yes, a lot of this happened. It has been a while since I played a colorful game like this and I a lot of this is simple designing that is obvious, but I am also someone that enjoys finding other ways to get around them. So many choices in the game seems nonsensical. A raccoon unable to brush by some thorn bushes was rather hilarious. I was basically fussing at full volume while Rok was laughing at me. Which was good, I meant to be hilarious.

I discovered the wonders that were the search lights and that they are easily turned off in the small sections. That I could in fact dodge most attacks from the minor enemy characters. Realized that this damn raccoon cannot swim to save his damn life. LITERALLY.

kjsdbkjsd And then I realized that I was missing quite a few bottles once I got to the end. I was frustrated. I wanted to get them all already. So I went back and tried figuring out how to get them and I SWEAR TO GOD I CANNOT EVEN LOOK AT THE SAFE WITHOUT BENTLEY GOING “YOU DON’T HAVE THE BOTTLES NEEDED TO OPEN IT U-”

Bro. Bro I know. Bro please.

Shut the fuck up.

Got the bottles and moved on. Found out that I absolutely adore Sly being in a barrel and wanted to take that barrel with me everywhere but I couldn’t. Realized that Sly puts come paper cuts outs of his emblem in opened up safes and--can we talk about this? Does Sly just sit in his room with colored craft paper and cuts these out every night? Does he redo them if one comes out funky? Does he get glittery paper or is it like the kiddy kind? Does he do them in the van? Is it with scissors or an x-acto knife?! How do you make these bro you don’t simply walk into a FedEx’s Kinkos to print these out!

Anyway, I’m learning more tricks as I go along, getting all of the keys and bottles and I do go back to each stage to get all of the damn bottles because I am not leaving one behind because I really want all of the pages. I am also seeing all of the death animations Sly does and honestly, the humor in each of them is not lost on me at all. I adore them. The first time I saw him just realizing he’s gonna fall to his death and he just-

I busted laughing so hard and Rok got to hear me lmao oh my god-- But for real, most of his death animations are strangely adorable in my opinion. Especially when he just falls and his little leg twitches. They never made animations like that for other games I played so far (not even for Banjo Kazooie). And the lightness of everything makes it less frustration in my opinion. As though I had no problem if Sly died along the way. Whereas I would get way more frustrated with how Mario or Banjo would die.

Anyway those are my tidbits. But lemmie tell you something.Once I got to the last stage where I needed to get the 7 keys to access the final boss? There’s a treasure chest with crabs mini games.

FUCK. THAT. GAME.

The only reason I got through it was because I’m stubborn and I distracted my frustrations in my chat with Rok as I had this damn raccoon swim around in a submarine, killing about 100 crustaceans just for 40 chests!! 40! Not a normal number like 20 or 25. No. 40. That drove me nuts for some reason.

Anyway, finally got to the final boss after I collected all the horseshoes and lives around the main hub of the level, and then yeeted Sly from the canon ALA Wind Waker style.

Raleigh is freaking gross. Not in voice, but his animation made me feel really nasty with looking at him, which in my opinion was a good visual design and motivator to get rid of him faster. It was also easy to sort of find out what the boss fight was requiring from me in the end--making it so much easier as well. I guess for a kid it’s a bit more difficult and I can understand that. I just enjoyed the fights for having a repetitive nature that was satisfying. Like even if I died many times, the game didn’t throw me all the way out of the level at all. It restarted the fight from the beginning and that, to me, was a good way to introduce me to the entire function of a Sly Cooper 1 boss fight.

I felt happy when I defeated Raleigh. And of course, Sly isn’t a “killer” so froggo dude is still alive, just in prison after “HOT LATIN FOX LADY” caught him. Of course. Can someone tell me where Carmelita is from? Is she Spanish or Mexican or..? Like was that defined by the games or was it thrown up in the air?

Anyway, onto the next level.

2. Sunset Snake Eyes:::::::::::::::::::::

Lemmie just say that I actually enjoyed Mugshot’s backstory? It made me feel really sympathetic towards him in a way.... Despite him being a murderer but you know. It was a nice touch.

Okay so, are any of you familiar with the whole “Mickey Mouse is taking his dog Pluto for a walk” dilemma? Well, I had a moment like that as well in this section. Why? Because Mugshot has feral dogs all over his turf and that messes me up a lot for some reason. Like I always wondered how, evolutionary wise, can an anthro dog and a feral dog look so similar? I had a moment like that as well when reading Farewell, Beloved Falco. There was a feral pig in that comic and it bother the fuck out of me. But it didn’t impede me from playing the game.

The look was very much classical American desert wasteland in the middle of nowhere. Possibly southwest USA if I were to guess, and I liked the feel of the casinos and run down RVs, trailers and cars. However it made me question why this place was a junkyard almost if he kinda has a functioning casino. For Raleigh I could understand because it was a hideout, you do what you can right? Even if you have a fucking floating metal blimp over your hideout, like that won’t catch military attention at all, nooooooo--

But like, an abandoned casino suggests that it was once owned by the mafia or a mob, and just--Okay. Police regulations and gun control. Etc etc, I’m rambling on about things that have nothing to do with the game. Back to the design.

Again, collecting all the bottles like a desperate AA member that needs a hit for old times sake and running back to open up the safe. Can I just say that the names of each Cooper ancestor is rather amusing? Like some have the most dumb but adorable names. Huckleberry Cooper jfc--

And once I got into the main hub, I got my first taste of the “Murray can’t think without his stomach thus gets himself in trouble and needs to race his Moon Rover turned into a Van to win one of the keys” mini game and “Bentley told me I gotta keep you alive as you run through this area full of trigger happy criminals, Murray, plEASE STOP RUNNING IN FRONT OF MY BULLETS MURRAY-” mini game. Nice. Not as bad as the 40 treasure chests crabs.

Also, why would Mugshot or his minions just leave a red sports car running on reverse for days on end?? Anyway.

The inside of the casino was a nice section to play ngl. I enjoyed that a lot. The platforming too, despite some of the bottles being utterly difficult to get without having to die and do the entire section again to get them. And then comes the level when Carmelita decides to destroy private property because she’s after this dumbass raccoon. I wonder how she felt seeing him jump around back and forth breaking bottles and dodging her SLOW AS FUCK TASER GUN.

“Could you stand still?!”

“Nope. Not my fault you couldn’t get a license for a firearm.”

Finally I got to the Mugshot boss fight and like the first one, it was a very satisfying fight. Mugshot had me in stitches because he walked around with his long ass arms instead of his legs at first like lmao! Also once I got to the final third stage, I was all cautious and excite to jump around the wires. Yessss.

Defeated, all bottles collected, Carmelita caught this villain as well, and off we go... stealing shit from the USA before coming back to the Safehouse? Alrighty then.

3. Vicious Voodoo:::::::::::::::

Let me tell you something about myself. I have an intense love for Voodoo in video games. Started with Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father, Princess and the Frog and I had an intense call back to one of the swamp areas of Banjo Kazooie in this level.

So basically, this is my favorite level.

I think it’s also the level where I argued the most with Bentley as well. Or at least the second one because, since the very first game, he keeps repeating the same obvious commands all the time with a constant reminder of press the O button. Sly? Sly?? SLY! PRESS THE O BUTTON! Bentley? You’re cute, but you gotta stop my dude.

The sliding effect on the long branches was a lot of fun, the tree enemies that had more than one hit kills were also satisfying to beat the shit out of. I also enjoyed the general murky color of the level in general. Just the spooky was definitely my aesthetic. You know what wasn’t my aesthetic? The first mini game I ran into, which was the candle mini game where Bentley would repeat himself all the time right at the start of if you had to restart the level. I muted the entire thing and had Sly mindlessly killing the fishes to turn on the candles while blabbing to Rok on the phone so it was easier for me not to get nervous about the time limit or the amount of candles I had to turn on. It was the same thing with the Chicken Gumbo mini game, but I didn’t mute that one. Because Bentley stayed quiet.

Also, @oroanillado​ is the biggest troll. I was on the beast section of the game and they did not describe to me what it was like. So I’m honestly not expecting much at all, just wanted to grab my bottles and go. Once I’m halfway though, and I already saw the water moving around I’m having Amnesia the Dark Descent flashbacks like OH SHIT OH FUK O Shi- But no. No. What got to me was... This intensely huge serpent coming out of the water and chasing me and my camera kept pointing BACK instead of pointing forward so I could navigate Sly out of that mess while also getting the fucking bottles along the way!!

I was shrieking!! I have an acute fear of things that are larger than normal (it’s connected to my Agoraphobia). I have that with whales and sharks and fish, so I usually avoid big mobs if possible in any game. Yes, including the 3 mythical dragons from Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. @thekursedone-lylat​ was present when I was freaking out about saving Naydra and how huge it was. But at the same time I have a big fear of these sorts of creatures, I was laughing and cursing at the end of the level because honestly, Rok was having a good time and so was I.

Oh yes, also the other mini game where I had to navigate the same speed boat thingy and shoot down the on coming ghosts and flaming rocks was pretty annoying until I figured out I needed to destroy the pillars where the ghosts came from. Then it was easy.

But my absolute favorite section of this whole level was the Green Water Full of Body Parts and Bones. Bentley was losing his shit at the beginning of the level and I would accidentally yeet Sly into the water of decomposing bodies like yeah, yeah the turtle won’t like the smell of this. It was just a well designed level, so I had no problems having to redo it to get all the bottles again and again.

Now, the boss fight? I was warned about this ahead of time so I had to unfortunately put Mz. Ruby on mute so I would concentrate on her attacks but apparently they were supposed to go with the rhythm of the song and the Sly Cooper Collection messed that up? I think she was the only Boss I was really wanting to listen to as she talked because she was giving me good “yeah I’m bad, probably not the best one in the group, but I don’t care I’mma own up to it so try to dodge my attacks as best you can” vibes. It was also entertaining to see Sly go Neo with some of the commands.

All bottles collected and onto Winter in China.

4. Fire in the Sky::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Oh hey look, fireworks!

.....oh.

Surprisingly, this entire stage was rather meh to me? It worked like the others, felt like the others, but I really wasn’t as wowed by it. It might also be just the fact that I mostly saw white in general due to the snow, and spent most of my time looking for a few bottles on one section that really irritated me. Like I legitimately got mad in one section and didn’t want to deal with it because of the noises some of the monkeys were making.

This section. I hated it so much because I thought the bottles I was missing were in here and 2 of them were but I needed hints for it. Argh... Everything else in this section was pretty much a blur for me besides the two mini games with Murray, and the one level where Carmlita came back again, destroying more private and ancient property with her taser gun--and the main reason I remember this was because:

Carmelita saying she was going to catch criminal scum Sly and Sly just went “you really need to get woke, I’m not the bad guy here.”

I collected all the bottles but Bentley told me I had to defeat Clockwerk before I could open this damn safe, and it was the only one requiring this!!

Carmelita went down with the dragon statue, into the hypothermia levels of cold water while shaking her fist into the sky.

I will say the part of Sly and Bentley discussing the whole mechanics of Sly taking the rockets into Panda’s lair was pretty funny tho. Just,

Bentley: Hey you might be able to reach the top of the tower before these explode.

Sly: Okay but what if they explode before I get there?

Bentley: Then I guess you’ll blow up into many pieces.

Sly:

As for the Panda King boss fight, it was okay. I just kept running in circles around the arena while approaching the dude. Defeated him and was like okay, I really need to go and defeat Clockwerk now so I can open that safe.

5. The Cold Heart of Hate:::::::::::::::::::

Look.

I get Sly probably weighs next to nothing, Murray, but could you at least break once Sly gets knocked off the top of the van? Or when the rocks are falling down towards us, maybe also step on the breaks so not everyone is being driven to their ultimate death?

No?

Okay.

I will say, I headcanon that both Bentley and Sly were getting an intense case of whiplash when Murray was driving that van around at 120 MPH collecting all 60 computers because... Bentley needed those to hack into something??? It wasn’t as bad as the 40 crabs and treasure chests but man. And then of course there’s the section where, oh surprise surprise, Carmelita is in an obvious trap, slamming her fist on the glass, needing to be saved. Bentley warned Sly it was a trap. But of course Sly is like:

OH THANK GOD THE BARREL IS BACK.

Anyway, obvious trap is an obvious trap. Carm just bitches at Sly right as he gets stuck in the glass chamber and is sprayed with RAID. So Bentley has to save his ass. This is possibly the mini game I dislike the most. I just put Bentley on constantly circling mode as he shot down the targets.I died about 9000 times before I won.

Carmen is all Oh I was wrong about you the whole time Sly!

Sly: Duh.

And off we go to the next section where Sly lost his cane and he needs to recover it with Carm’s help. So I’m controlling Carm’s taser gun. Guess how many times I purposefully killed Sly? Many. For funsies. Because the gun magically got faster once I was behind the trigger.

Next section was the whole climb up the beam tower as it’s being consumed by lava! I very much enjoyed this whole climbing bit. It was fun. Again, died a lot and I actually glitched through the walls because I jumped somewhere I wasn’t supposed to and had to kill Sly along the way. But still very fun.

FINALLY.

CLOCKWERK.

Are we serious? Are we actually serious right now? Clockwerk had absolutely no motivation beyond ultimate hate? WHAT?! That’s just... not a satisfying reason ngl. Anyway, the jetpack flying section was probably the easiest thing ever and I loved it. What I didn’t like was the laser section that came after it... I kept dying. Again. FUCK. THOSE. LASERS.

Clockwerk speaking random little words while malfunctioning was super cute those. I don’t why, but I loved it. I was shrieking by the end of everything though because once I got right at the back end, where I’m supposed to jump on this mad owl, I was not expecting the head to jump on me. HHHHHHH!!!

Anyway, I killed Clockwerk dead. Back into the lava you go. Witnessed Sly give Carmelita the slip of the tongue and handcuffed her onto a railing over an active volcano before yeeting himself. Classy. Then back to his old tricks again with the gang. End credits.

NO WAIT.

The last chest. In the Panda section. Yeah I went back for that and got the extra ending.

0. MY RATING::::::::::::::::::::

Honestly, 8 trashcans out of 10. If Clockwerk actually had a believable motive besides hate, I’d give it a higher rating. But the game is satisfying and I love the mechanics of it.

Bentley just needs to chill the fuck up tho. God.

#sly cooper #sly cooper reviews #peep peep #long post

[youreinit]

Riverdale Rewrite S01xEp 01

Summary: It’s literally just the show’s storyline if you were a part of it, from your pov

Pairing: Sweet Pea x Female Reader

Warnings: Language, severe parental abuse, parental death, mentions of being depressed/suicidal (that’s it, I think? let me know if I missed anything)

A/N: So I decided to do a thing to try and ease myself back into writing. It’s been years since I’ve actually sat down and really written something, so I’m really sorry if this sucks. 

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN RIVERDALE, IT'S CHARACTERS, OR ANY OF THE ORIGINAL SHOW WRITING. I AM ONLY ADDING TO THE ORIGINAL WRITING TO PUT MY READERS INTO THE STORYLINE. PLEASE DON'T SUE ME.

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"Are you excited? Nervous?" Kevin says, lounging on Betty's bed, surrounded by the soft pink and white of her bedding (and walls... and dressers) I glance over to Betty, applying her light layer of makeup in preparation for seeing the boy in question.

"Both. I haven't seen him all summer." Betty glances at us through the mirror. Betty and Archie have both been off doing their own things all summer, so her apprehension is entirely understandable. Who's to say they didn't both change?

"Which is why nerves are acceptable, but we agreed, Betty It's time. You like him, he likes you." I finally speak up, standing to help Betty smooth out her ponytail.

"Well, then why, (Y/N), hasn't he ever said or done anything?" Her shoulders visibly slump as I tie off the signature Betty Cooper look. I can't help but feel bad for the girl. She's been pining after Archie Andrews for years now. They seem like they would be perfect, just like everything else in this town.

"Because Archie's... swell, but like most millennial straight guys, he needs to be told what he wants. So tell him. Finally." Kevin is obviously tired of this back and forth between the two, and honestly I can't blame him. It's so.... expected. She's been waiting all this time for Archie to make the first move, what's to say she's not allowed to be the one to make that leap?

"Well, we'll see. I mean, it depends."

"Oh, my God!" Kevin's outburst catches both of our attention, causing us to whip around to face him. He's looking out the window, face frozen in a look of shock.

"What?" Betty asks moving to look out of the window too. Finally catching up, I see what they're both gawking at. Good God.

"Game-changer. Archie got hot! He's got abs now. Six more reasons for you to take that ginger bull by the horns tonight."

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"Have fun you two!" After meeting up with Archie and seeing the two off, Kevin and I stood outside the Cooper household, watching the two hopeful lovebirds walk off in the direction of Pop Tate's Chock'lit Shoppe.

"You wanna come over for a little bit? My dad's been so busy lately, it's been getting a little lonely."

"Sorry, Kev. I made plans with some of the Serpents. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure. Have fun!" He gives me a smile and a hug, and we head our separate ways.

Throwing my leg over my bike, I start it up and head off over the tracks. The Whyte Wyrm is bustling tonight. Being the last night of summer, many (if not all) of the younger Serpents have decided to get one last good night in before school gets back in motion. Of course, school isn't exactly something that's going to stop them from being out all night, it's really just an excuse to party. Pulling into an empty spot near the side of the bar, I cut the engine and hop off, my boots crunching the gravel under my feet. I unzip the leather jacket around my shoulders, adorned with a snake on the back, allowing the cool air of the night to meet my body. It's a beautiful night, and if I hadn't promised to meet my friends here I would've kept driving, maybe into Greendale, who knows. But I'm here now, so I unbuckle the strap holding my helmet in place and pull it off my head, shaking out my hair in the process.

"Hey, (Y/N)! You made it!" Turning to the back entrance of the bar, I spot Toni pushing herself off the wall to come greet me.

"I said I'd be here, didn't I? If nothing else, I'm a woman of my word." I meet her halfway and throw my arm over her shoulder, turning her around to head back into the bar. "Is your break over?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Just in time to get you your first drink of the night. What's it gonna be?" As soon as the door is open, the smell of alcohol, cigarettes and leather meet my nose and I smile as I step into the familiar surroundings. I look around for the other two people I agreed to meet here, spotting them by the pool tables.

"How many drinks have they had?"

"Four. Each. And there's no sign of them stopping any time soon." She gives a half smile as she watches the boys, sliding behind the bar.

"Great. I'll take Sweet Pea if you take Fangs? They definitely shouldn't be driving home tonight"

"Sounds good to me. Water then?"

"Yeah. And one for Beavis and Butthead over there, too, please." I sigh and tap my fingers on the bar while Toni gets my drink. It's not like this is unusual. We rather frequently have to take those two home after long nights at the Wyrm. Usually, though I'm here early enough that I can get them to slow down a little.

"Here ya go. Good luck." She hands me the three glasses and I turn to head toward the pool tables, balancing the glasses of water as best I can while maneuvering my way through the crowd. When I reach my destination, I find the table the boys had claimed and get my things settled in. Pea and Fangs were so wrapped up in their game that they didn't notice me come up behind them.

"Evening, boys." Fangs visibly jumps, while Sweet Pea just turns, his dark brown eyes meeting mine as a gentle smile graces his lips.

"Jesus, (Y/N), you scared the shit outta me." Fangs laughs, turning to greet me with a hug. I return the embrace, laughing at my drunk friend's jumpiness.

"Wasn't my intention, Fogarty, but maybe you should slow down on the drinks for a while. I mean, I was able to sneak up on you two pretty easily."

"Nah, we're just getting started, princess!" I curl my nose at the nickname that Sweet Pea had sarcastically given me when we first met. He laughs at my reaction, pulling me into his side to give me a hug. "Nice of you to join us, though. Thought you might blow us off for those Northsider friends of yours."

"Sweet Pea." The warning tone in my voice is enough to make him throw up his hands, letting it go for now. We've been through this argument many times over. "Take a break you two, I got you some water." Fangs groans and throws his head back, reminding me of a child about to throw a tantrum. Rolling my eyes, I grab his hand and pull him over to the table, Sweet Pea following behind us, pool stick in hand. I hand the two their waters  and make them drink, Fangs putting up much more of a fight, but eventually giving in.

"You're such a baby, Fogarty." Fangs looks betrayed by his friend's words, looking up to meet Pea's joking gaze.

"Hey, drinking water makes you sober up, and that's the last thing I wanna do tonight."

"I don't know about sobering you up, but I do know it'll help save you from alcohol poisoning, so drink up Fangs. By the way, Toni and I are giving you a ride home tonight. You'll thank me tomorrow when you don't have a hangover for your walk back to your bikes."

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A few rounds of pool later, and several glasses of water practically forced down their throats, Toni's shift is over just in time for Fangs to run outside, just making it out the door before puking his guts out.

"Great. I swear to god, if he pukes on me I'm gonna throw him off my bike." Toni says, gathering Fangs' things.

"I mean, it wouldn't be the first time." I say with a chuckle, only laughing harder when Toni throws a playful glare my way.

"I'd better get him home. We do have school in the morning."

"Yeah, I should probably get going, too. Fred will kill me if I come home at 2 in the morning on a school night. See you later Toni." I give her a quick hug before she rushes out the door. Turning to the Sasquatch of a man, I can already see that he's gonna fight me on leaving, even though he can barely stand up straight without his pool stick to lean on. "Ready to go, Pea?"

"C'mon, (Y/N), it's not even that late." His slurred words make me roll my eyes as I gather his things for him, slipping them into the backpack he had brought with him.

"Do I need to get Hog Eye to help you to my bike?" He sighs, knowing the battle is lost and being too drunk to really fight me on this. I pull the stick from his hands and place his arm around my shoulders, guiding him through the rapidly thinning crowd and to the back entrance, waving bye to the bar staff on our way out. Getting Sweet Pea on the bike was a much more difficult task, seeing as the boy is over a foot taller than me, but with what little help he can give, we manage, me getting on in front of him and forcing him to hold on. The ride to his trailer isn't a long one, but it's always much harder to make it when I'm having to focus on not letting him fall off. Pulling into Sunnyside trailer park, I maneuver through the dirt path as smoothly as I can, pulling up in front of Pea's trailer and shutting off the bike. "Alright, you big oaf, let's get you to bed."

"I got it, I got it." He shoves my hands away, clumsily climbing off the bike and almost face planting when his foot catches on the seat.

"Yeah, you got it alright." I pull him up by the arm and wrap it back around my shoulders, pulling his house key out of my pocket, unlocking the door and stepping in first to help him step up into his home. Thankfully, he doesn't have very far to go to get in bed. Once he's through the door, we basically just pivot and he flops onto his mattress. It's a dance we've done many times, and by now it's practically routine. I pull his boots off, followed by his jacket, and place them neatly by his door before opening his mini fridge and pulling out a gatorade. Placing it and a bottle of ibuprofen by his bed, I sit down next to him, placing a blanket over his form. "You gonna be alright, Pea, or do you want me to hang out for a little bit?"

"I'll be fine." He mumbles, already half asleep and not thinking clearly. "Why're you so good to me?"

"It's what friends do, Pea. We take care of each other." I gently smile at him and brush his curls out of his face. God, do I wish it was more than that.

"You should move back to the Southshide. You could stay with me. It would make this whole thing a lot easier at least."

"You know I can't do that, Sweet Pea. Foster Care placed me with the Andrews, that's not something that can just be ignored. But thanks for the offer."

"Hmm..." He closes his eyes and snuggles into his pillow, sleep coming to him quickly.

"Call me when you wake up so I know you're alive, okay?"

"Mmhmm." I chuckle, standing and heading to the door.

"Goodnight, Pea. Sweet dreams."

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"Archie, come on!" I yell up the stairs, trying to hurry the redhead along. He comes rushing down the stairs, almost bowling me over on his way to the kitchen.

"Sorry (Y/N)! Hey, Dad. First day of school and I'm already late. Hey, Vegas." Grabbing a piece of toast, he rushes to the door, petting the lab on his way past.

"Hey, you, uh, you stopping by the site later?" Fred stops him just before we head out the door.

"Dad, it's my first day."

"Oh, we got to get you going in the office, so next summer you're not on the crew."

"Well, I can't. I've got football tryouts. Or is that not okay?"

"No, it's, uh It's okay. Good luck. You two have good day." Fred walks back into the kitchen, leaving us to (finally) head to school.

"Hey, you need a ride?" I ask, heading to my bike.

"Nah, I'm gonna walk with Betty."

"Alright, I'll catch you later."

"See ya."

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Pulling into my usual parking spot, I hop off and head into the school, preparing myself to face another year of drama and bullshit. Spotting Betty just outside the office, I head her way, trying to place the brunette standing beside her. It's a small town, I know everyone here, she's gotta be new.

"So I usually start out my tours with a little history and context. Riverdale High first opened its doors in 1941 and-" Betty starts, guiding the new girl through the halls.

" And hasn't been redecorated since, apparently. Honestly, I feel like I'm wandering through the lost epilogue of Our Town." I chuckle at the reference, realizing quickly that the brunette is much more sophisticated than a majority of people here.

"Uh-huh." Kevin and I come up on either side of the two, me looping arms with the youngest Cooper.

"So what's the social scene like here? Any night clubs?"

"A strip club called the Ho Zone and a tragic gay bar called Innuendo. Friday nights, football games and then tailgate parties at the Mallmart parking lot. Saturday night is movie night, regardless of what's playing at the Bijou, and you better get there early, because we don't have reserved seating in Riverdale. And Sunday nights Thank God for HBO." Kevin quite succinctly summed up what there is to do around town, obviously leaving out the Southside. The last thing the new girl should be doing is wandering across the track on her own, she'd be robbed in a heartbeat.

"Veronica Lodge, Kevin Keller. Veronica's new here. Kevin is -" Betty introduces the two, motioning to Kevin as she spoke.

"Gay, thank God. Let's be best friends." Veronica jokingly says, placing her hand on Kevin's arm and smiling warmly. She turns to me, still holding the smile and looking me up and down. "And who is this?"

"This is-"

"(Y/N)." I say, reaching my hand out for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you." She says, still smiling while taking my outstretched hand. "Love the whole Devil's Angels vibe you've got going on."

"Thanks." I chuckle, relieved that she wasn't more like Cheryl. "If you like this then you'll love the motorcycle I've got parked out front."

"Is it true what they say about your dad?"  Kevin interrupts our conversation, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.

"That he's the devil incarnate? I stand by my father. Does everyone here know?" We all stay silent, giving her sympathetic looks. "Wonderful. Ten minutes in and I'm already the Blue Jasmine of Riverdale High."

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"Oh, and of course there's the Back-to-School - semiformal dance this weekend." Kevin says, continuing to regale Veronica with all of the upcoming events in the town.

"Oh! There's the hottie we were with last night. The red-headed Ansel Elgort. Is he your boyfriend?" Veronica asks Betty, still pointing to Archie as he makes his way down the hall. I chuckle at her description, knowing just how much of a goofball he really is.

"- No, we're just friends."

"- No, he's straight." Kevin and Betty say at the same time. We all give him a weird look and he just looks at us and shrugs his shoulders.

"In that case, mind putting in a word? I've tried every flavor of boy but orange." Veronica says, going back to staring at Archie.

"Actually, to clarify Betty and Archie aren't dating, but they are endgame." Kevin says, breaking Veronica out of her trance.

"You should ask him to the semiformal then." The brunette turns to Betty, a hopeful look in her eyes.

"She should, but I heard it might be getting canceled. Because of what happened to Jason. They're gonna tell us at the assembly." I say, leading the way down the hall to the gym.

"Who's Jason and what happened to him?" If only we could all be ignorant to what happened this summer.

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"Thank you for that moment of silence. Many of you were lucky enough to have known my brother personally. Each and every one of you meant the world to Jason. I loved my brother. He was and always will be my soulmate. So I speak with the confidence only a twin could have Jason wouldn't want us to spend the year mourning. Jason would want us to move on with our lives. Which is why I've asked the School Board not to cancel the Back-to-School semiformal. But rather, to let us use it as a way to heal, collectively, and celebrate my brother's too, too short life on this mortal coil. Thank you all." Cheryl Blossom finishes her speech to the roaring claps of the school filling the gym. It was very flowery speech, but not very convincing. I don't doubt that she misses her brother, I just don't think she's telling the whole truth about what happened. No one buys it, really, not even her inner circle. As we all file out of the gym to go to class, I catch a flash of orange hair out of the corner of my eye. Where is Archie going in such a hurry?

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Sitting at our usual lunch table, we all listen to one of Archie's songs. I'd heard it in bits and pieces throughout the summer, but I'd never heard it all put together until now. He really is a pretty good musician, which explains why he chased down Ms. Grundy after the assembly today. I just hope he can figure out how to tell his dad before he runs himself ragged trying to keep up appearances.

"Can I join?" Veronica asks, Archie quickly stopping the music and closing his laptop as she approaches.

"Yeah." Betty says, her and Kevin scooting over to make room for her on the bench.

"What are we doing?"

"Listening to one of Archie's songs. I thought we were going to have to pretend to like it, but it's actually really good." Kevin informs her, looking as surprised as he sounds.

"Wait, that was you singing? Something you wrote?" The brunette seems as shocked as the rest of us, eyes a little wide and a small smile on her lips.

"It's rough." Archie says, a little insecure as always.

"No, it's great." Betty reassures him, Kevin and I nodding in agreement as she reaches towards him.

"It's incredible, actually, the little snippet I heard. Is that your thing? Music? Are you doing something with that?" Veronica rests her chin on her hand, genuinely curious and wanting to get to know us.

"Yeah, that's the plan. So how's your first day going? Good?" Archie changes the subject, trying to get the attention off of him.

"Not to be a complete narcissist, but I thought people would be more-"

"Obsessed with you? Any other year, you'd be trending number one, for sure. This year, though, it's all about Cheryl trying to win the Best Supporting Psycho Oscar for her role as Riverdale High's bereaved Red Widow." I laugh at Kevin's description, finding it surprisingly apt in this situation.

"Hey, I should go. I got that meeting with Grundy and then football tryouts, so." Archie gathers his things and begins to stand up, heading off to do exactly what I had hoped he wouldn't do.

"You play football, too? What don't you do?" Archie smiles and shrugs at Veronica, then rushes away, the rest of us watching him leave until we're sure he's out of earshot.

"Before you ask, Blue Jasmine, no, she has not invited him to the dance yet." Kevin says, looking at Betty accusingly as she moves around the table to take Archie's empty spot.

"Not yet, and don't talk about Archie." I follow Betty's gaze and spot the other red head in the school coming our way.

"Veronica Lodge, I'd heard whisperings. I'm Cheryl Blossom, may I sit? Betty, (Y/N), would you mind?" Cheryl doesn't even wait for us to respond, instead pushing her way into the seat, forcing me to press myself into Betty to avoid being sat on. "So, what are you three hens gossiping about? Archie's Efron-esque emergence from the chrysalis of puberty?"

"Extracurriculars. Weatherbee wants me to sign up for a few." Veronica expertly diverts the conversation, throwing Betty a sly smile.

"Cheerleading. You must. I'm senior captain of the River Vixens." Cheryl proudly puffs out her chest and gives her signature 'I'm better than you' smile.

"Is cheerleading still a thing?" Kevin says, trying to say it quietly, but speaking just loud enough to receive Cheryl's spiteful glare.

"Is being the Gay Best Friend still a thing?" She snaps, and then, in true Blossom style, she turns the charm back on and looks back to Veronica. "Some people say it's retro, I say it's eternal and iconic."

"At Spence, I sat at the top of the Elites' pyramid. I'm in. Betty, you're trying out, too." Veronica smiles softly at the blonde, who shrinks into herself slightly at the suggestion.

"Of course, anyone's welcome to try out, but Betty's already got so much on her plate right now and being a Vixen is kind of a full-time thing." Of course Cheryl would fat shame her. Some things never change. "But open to all!" She stands then, allowing Betty and I to move back across the bench. "Follow me on Twitter and I'll do the same. My handle is @cherylbombshell."

"Good riddance, she-wolf." I say quietly as Cheryl walks off, immediately turning back to Betty and putting a hand on her arm for comfort.

"Okay. Go ahead and hate on cheerleading, but if Hipster Prince Harry-" Veronica starts, but Betty interrupts her.

"I'd love to be a cheerleader. It would look great on my college applications. But last year, when I tried out, Cheryl said I was too fat."

"Too season 5 Betty Draper. It was a great line, but not at all true." Kevin backtracks after seeing the look I sent his way.

"Well, you're a total smoke show now. I mean it. As hot and as smart as you are, you should be the Queen Bey of this drab hive." Betty laughs lightly, looking around the table at all of us. "Look, if you want to be a River Vixen, I'll help you prep. I have moves." Betty considers the offer for a few seconds, before perking up suddenly and taking a deep breath.

"Okay. You know what? Show me your moves."

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"We're blue! And gold! We're dynamite! We'll take you down, and fight the fight! Whoo! Go, Bulldogs!" Standing at the side of the bleachers where Cheryl can't see me, I watch Betty and Veronica perform their routine. It's pretty good. I mean, it's.... cheerleading.

"Hmm. Ladies, where's the heat? Where's the sizzle?" For once, I actually kinda agree with Cheryl.

"Well, you haven't seen our big finish yet." Veronica says before whispering something to Betty and reaching for her. Before Betty has time to question her, they're... kissing?

"Check your sell-by date, ladies, faux lesbian kissing hasn't been taboo since 1994. So let's see if you do better with the interview portion of our audition. Betty, how's your sister doing?" Oh no, this is gonna get bad.

"Um, Polly's fine, thanks for asking-" Betty is visibly uncomfortable, wiping lipstick off her face and wringing her hands.

"Veronica, has Betty told you about her sister yet?"

"Uh, no-"

"Go ahead, Betty. Tell Veronica about your sister and my dear brother."

"Polly and Jason dated." Poor Betty looks and sounds defeated as she talks about her sister.

"I wouldn't say "dated"." Cheryl scoffs as she continues to berate the blonde for things that are obviously out of her control.

"It didn't end well." She meekly explains to Veronica.

"In fact, Jason's probably why your sister had a nervous breakdown and now lives in a group home, isn't it? That's what my parents think. What do you have to say about that, Betty? Go ahead, the floor is yours. Whatever you've been dying to spew about Jason and how he treated Polly, unleash it. Destroy me. Tear me a new one. Rip me to shreds. Annihilate me." Cheryl seems to be trying to pick a fight with Betty, and I prepare myself to step in on her behalf.

"I just-" Betty starts, hands clenched into fists and her whole body tense.

"Finally." Cheryl sighs. Betty visibly deflates, forcing herself to calm down.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened to Jason. I can't even imagine what you and your family must be going through."

"Right. Veronica, welcome to the River Vixens. Betty, better luck next time." Cheryl gives Betty a cold look as the blonde shrinks back having received exactly the result she expected. I push myself off the wall and move to confront the captain of the squad, but before I can even move into sight, Veronica speaks up.

"Wait, what? Why? Because you couldn't bully Betty into being a bitch?"

"I need girls with fire on my squad." Cheryl offhandedly comments, waving off the angry tone in her voice.

"I know what you need, Cheryl, because I know who you are. You would rather people fear than like you, so you traffic in terror and intimidation. You're rich, so you've never been held accountable, but I'm living proof." Veronica is stepping closer to Cheryl with every word, eyes set in a harsh glare. "That certainty, that entitlement you wear on your head like a crown? It won't last. Eventually, there will be a reckoning. Or Maybe that reckoning is now. And maybe, that reckoning Is me. Betty and I come as a matching set. You want one, you take us both. You wanted fire? Sorry, Cherrybombshell, my specialty's ice."

Well damn.

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Entering the girl's locker room, I hear the chatter and giggling of the newest round of River Vixens. It's the kind of excitement and happiness that's so innocent it almost brings a tear to your eye. Scanning through the rows of lockers and showers, I spot Veronica zipping up Betty's new uniform.

"Perfect." Veronica smiles as she smooths out the shoulders and turns Betty around to give her a hug.

"Very Betty Draper, season 1." I speak up and smile at the two, loving the looks of joy on their faces.

"Veronica. Why did... Why did you defend me? I know the crowd you ran with in New York. Why are you being so Nice?" Betty asks, turning back to Veronica and slowly gathering her things.

"When my father got arrested, it was the worst thing ever. All these trolls started writing horrible things about us. We'd get letters and e-mails saying that my dad was a thief, my mom was a clueless socialite, and that I was the spoiled rich-bitch ice princess. And what hurt the most about it was" she sighs and takes a seat on the bench, obviously troubled by the memories. "The things the trolls were writing were true. I was like Cheryl. I was worse than Cheryl. So, when my mom said we were moving to Riverdale, I made a pact with myself to use this as an opportunity to become maybe, hopefully, a better version of myself."

"That's a lot of pressure." I said, placing my hand on her shoulder to try and offer some sort of comfort.

"When Polly and Jason got together..." Betty sits beside the brunette and takes a deep breath, finally talking about her sister for the first time in a while. "It meant everything to her and nothing to him, and..." she sighs "and things got super intense and weird and toxic and my mom turned on Polly. Said Polly wasn't her daughter anymore, said all these awful things to her. Jason hurt Polly, but it's my mom who broke her."

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After the girls finished getting ready and gathering their stuff, we walk out of the locker room and head toward the parking lot, finally done with the first day of school. As we walk the track, the football team passes us, heading to the showers.

"Archie!" Veronica calls, waving him over and clinging to Betty's arm. "You're so doing this."

"What?" Betty's eyes get wide and her cheeks begin to lightly flush.

"Slaying your dragons, Betty Cooper, one by one. Hi, Teen Outlander." Veronica smiles brightly at Archie as he comes to a stop in front of us.

"Hey. Nice outfits." Archie smirks, obviously surprised to see the cheerleading getups.

"Betty here has something she wants to ask you about the Back-to-School dance. Go on, Betty, ask."

"I was wondering if you wanted to come with both of us." Betty was obviously flustered and flying by the seat of her pants.

"Huh?" "What?" The two spoke in unison, mirroring the confusion that was on all of our faces.

"It's your first dance at Riverdale. You should have someone to go with, even if it's just a friend." I gotta give it to her, that girl knows how to cover her ass.

"I mean, I'd love to." Veronica recovers faster than the rest of us, going with the story that Betty had created. "(Y/N)? Care to join us?"

"Uh, that's okay, guys. I was gonna go with Kevin." I'm really not in the mood to be in the middle of that cluster-fuck. Guess I better inform Kevin of this.

"I'm not really in the headspace for a dance." Archie says, scratching the back of his head and trying not to hurt anyone's feelings.

"Oh. That's okay." Betty begins, obviously dissappointed.

"Totally unacceptable, Archiekins. We need an escort. Take a break from being a tortured musical genius and come spend a blissful evening with not one, but two newly-minted River Vixens. We'll text you time and place." Veronica finishes her demand with a radiant smile, leaving no room for Archie to argue.

"Okay. Yeah, okay." Archie says, chuckling and nodding his head before running off to the showers

"Bye." Betty waves.

"Bye."

"Wow, Betty. Smooth. You two have fun with that, I've got some business to take care of. See ya later!" I say, backing away from the two before turning and heading to my bike.

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"Hey, FP!" Knocking on the door to the trailer, I impatiently rock on my feet. FP had me subtly keeping an eye on Jughead for a while now, ever since he moved out and decided to be homeless. The Jones family had been slowly falling apart for some time now, FP unconsciously following in his father's footsteps and picking up the ugly habit of drinking.

"God, stop knockin like that, girl. You'll wake the dead." FP opened the door and walked back into the kitchen, signaling for me to come inside. I do so and close the door behind me, watching as FP pours something from his flask into his coffee.

"Starting off the day right, huh FP?"

"Yeah, yeah. I didn't ask for your judgment, (Y/N). I'm assuming you're here about Jughead?" He takes a seat at the dining table, motioning for me to take the seat across from him.

"Yeah," I sigh, pulling the chair out and sitting down. "and no. Jughead's fine. Still camping out at the drive in, still writing. Though, him and Archie aren't really talking anymore. I'm not sure what that's about, but I'm trying to get to the bottom of it without raising suspicion."

"Okay. That's good work, thank you." We're both quiet for a minute, FP watching me over the rim of his coffee cup. "What else is on your mind, (Y/N)? Somethin's bothering you."

"It's just... this whole thing with Jason. It's bringing up some really bad memories." I blink away a few tears that had gathered in my eyes, not wanting to cry over this again. Before Jason, the last person to have died in Riverdale was 2 years ago. A woman from the Southside killed by her abusive husband. My mother. What people would come to find out is that she died protecting me from him. He had been beating us since I was 3 years old, and got us to stay quiet about it by threatening our lives. That night, he had gotten high and decided he was going to beat me with a baseball bat. By the time my mom got home, he had broken my arm and several ribs, and cracked my skull. It was the worst beating by far. My mother pulled him off of me and told me to run. And I did. I bolted out the door, and ran. Out of Sunnyside Trailer Park. Out of the Southside. Hell, I would've run right out of Riverdale, if it hadn't been for a single truck driving home down the streets of the Northside. When I saw the headlights, I thought it was my father, and I bolted into the bushes of the nearest house, praying that he hadn't seen me. When the truck came to a sudden stop, I thought for sure I was going to have a heart attack. I just knew that that was the night I would die. But then a familiar head of red hair appeared through the bushes, and Archie and Jughead started calling my name, asking what was wrong, yelling for Fred. The rest of the night was a blur, but Alice Cooper's article on it the following week filled in a lot of blanks for me. Apparently, Jughead and Archie got me in Fred Andrew's truck, and they drove me to the hospital. After a lot of coaxing, it was Jughead that finally got me to tell them what happened. The cops showed up at our trailer and found my mom's body. They tracked down my father a few hours later in Greendale, still covered in blood. He went to jail and was only in there for a few weeks before a "riot" broke out, and he was killed in the scuffle. Suddenly, I was an orphan, and Fred and Mary graciously agreed to adopt me. It was only a year later that I went through the Serpent's innitiation, and I found my family again. The support that I found during that time turned my life around. FP, Jughead, the Andrews', Betty, the Keller's, all of the Serpent's. It was more than I felt I deserved at the time. But I would still trade all of it to have my mom back.

"I know, sweetheart." FP sighs, running his hand through his hair before reaching toward me and taking my hand in his. "You know we're all here for you, whatever you need. You should take it easy for a while, just spend time with friends. Try to get your mind off things."

"Yeah, I know. I've been doing my best not to be alone since the news broke. The Serpents have been a huge help, honestly. And having this job to do. It keeps me busy." I smile at him and sigh again. "I gotta get home, I'm going to the Back-To-School Dance tonight, so I guess I gotta get ready."

"Alright, have fun." He says, watching as I head to the door. "And hey," he says just as I'm about to leave. I turn back to him and he stands, taking the two steps to the door and wrapping me in a hug, "my door's always open, remember that."

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When I get home, Archie's on the porch playing guitar, seeming stressed.

"What's up 'Archiekins'" He looks up at me and we both laugh at the nickname given to him by Veronica. "Seriously though, you seem stressed."

Archie sighs, about to answer me when the front door opens and Fred walks out. Archie immediately looks back to his guitar and avoids making eye contact with his dad.

"I, um I got a call from your coach today. He's under the impression that you can't play varsity football because I'm making you work for me. Which is odd, because you made it seem like you couldn't work for me because you were playing football. So my first question is Who are you lying to? Me or your coach?"

"Neither." Archie starts to lie, but stops and sighs, dropping his head before shaking it and finally looking at Fred. "Both. Dad-" He sighs again. "I want to study music, I want to write music."

"Football takes you to college. College takes you to business school-" Fred starts, going through the 10 year plan that he and Archie had come up with over the summer.

"- Business school - Takes me back here. To work for you in Riverdale." Archie finishes, obviously not feeling this plan anymore. I stand there, leaning against the porch railing, hoping that my presence would diffuse the situation a bit.

"Not for me, with me. And eventually for yourself, son. The company would be yours."

"No disrespect, Dad, but I don't want it."

"Three months ago, you did. What happened?"

"I've changed. Everything's changed. This summer-"

"This summer what?" Fred asks, practically begging Archie to explain. When he doesn't, Fred sighs, putting his hands on his hips and facing his son head on. "That's it? We don't talk anymore?"

"Dad-" Archie starts, but at this point Fred's practically fuming and Archie knows that whatever he says will just set him off.

"I would never force you to play football. I don't care if you play football. And you don't have to work with me or for me, ever again. But some advice, man-to-man? These decisions that you're making now, son, they have consequences. They go on to form who you are and who you'll become. Whatever you decide, be confident enough in it that you don't have to lie." Fred turns and heads inside to cool off, leaving me and Archie on the porch awkwardly avoiding looking at each other.

"He's right, you know. And he's not mad that you want to do music. He just thought he knew what you wanted, and now you don't. All he wants is you to talk to him about it."

"I know, (Y/N). I just don’t know how."

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"Oh! There they are!" I say, grabbing Kevin's hand and pulling him towards Betty just as Archie walks off.

"Betty, you will not believe who just propositioned me in the bathroom. Give you a hint His name may be Moose, but I'd describe a certain appendage of his as horse-like." Kevin gushes, dying to tell her all about his drama. Following behind the two to the edge of the gym, I spot Archie at the refreshment table talking to Ms. Grundy again. I mean, that's normal, right? He's trying to get into music, and she is the music teacher. So why does it seem like there's something else going on there? While Kevin tells Betty all about his bathroom ordeal, I keep my eyes on Archie, trying to figure out why the interaction between the teacher and student made me uncomfortable. My thoughts are interrupted by Cheryl walking on stage, demanding the whole room's attention.

"Good evening, friends. Are you all having a good time?" The gym erupts in cheers and clapping. "As honorary chairperson and de facto queen of tonight's semiformal, it is my great pleasure to introduce this evening's main entertainment. To know them is to be obsessed with them. Though they usually perform their own material, tonight, they're making an exception and debuting a cover of the song my parents claim they were listening to the night Jason and I were conceived. This one's for you, JJ. I give you Josie and the Pussycats." Cheryl hugs Josie and walks off stage, giving the Pussycats the floor. Just as the music starts, Veronica runs up and grabs Kevin's arm.

"(Y/N), mind if I steal Kevin for this dance? I need his help encouraging Betty to finally tell Archie how she feels."

"Go for it, I'm not much of a dancer anyway."

"Yes! Thank you." And with that, I'm left alone, moving off of the dance floor and choosing to sit on the sidelines and watch from a distance. I had to laugh at the meddlesome duo's idea of 'encouragement', but I don't get to enjoy the humor for long. The talk obviously didn't go well. Looking away from the awkward scene, I catch sight of Cheryl, also watching the train wreck of a scene before leaning over to her cronies and whispering something to them. Whatever she's planning, I want no part of it.

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"Hey, (Y/N), we're heading over to Cheryl's after party, care to join?"

"No, thanks. Whatever that witch is up to it's not gonna be pretty. I think I'm just gonna head home." I laugh, patting Kevin on the arm.

"Do you want a ride? It'd be pretty awful if your date just ditched you after the dance."

"Thanks, Kev, but I'm good. You go have fun. Keep me updated on the drama."

"Oh, of course." We hug, I say goodnight to everyone, and I begin my walk home, dreading the thought of being alone. As I walk, I pull out my phone and search my contacts, looking for someone I know will pick up. Sweet Pea. Of course. Pressing the dial button, I press the phone to my ear and listen to the ringing. On the third ring, he picks up.

"Hey, (Y/N). What's up?" I can hear the laughing and chatter of a party slightly muffled over the line. He must've walked away to talk to me.

"Hey Pea. I was gonna see if you were up to hang out tonight but it sounds like you're kinda busy."

"Nah, some of the Serpents are hanging out at the quarry. You can come join us if you want."

"I would, but I have to go home and change, and I get the feeling I'm not gonna be in the best state to be driving after that." The disappointment is clear in my voice, even with me trying to disguise it. I can already feel the dark thoughts creeping in, and the last thing I need to do right now is drive a motorcycle anywhere near a river.

"I mean, I could come get you. It wouldn't be a problem." I can hear the concern in his voice. The Serpent's are all very well aware of my poor mental health, and Toni led a crusade to teach all of them how to help me when things get bad. It was more than I ever could have asked for, and more than I ever expected. "I don't want you to be alone right now." I chuckle a little, walking up the steps to my home.

"Yeah, Pea. That'd be great. Just give me, like, 20 minutes."

"Alright. Call me if you want me to come sooner."

"Yeah. Hey Pea?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." Hanging up the phone, I open the door and head inside, going straight up the stairs and changing into jeans and a t shirt. Grabbing my jacket, I head back downstairs and into the kitchen where Fred is sitting at the island looking over bills and drinking a beer. He looks up at me and smiles, putting down the papers and giving me his full attention.

"Hey. How was the dance?"

"It was alright, just another school dance, y'know?" Fred chuckles at that, nodding his head lightly.

"Yeah, I know all too well. Where's Archie?"

"He went to Cheryl's house for an after party."

"Ah. I feel for that family. Can't imagine what they're going through." He sighs and shakes his head, glancing down and back up at me. "How are you doing through all this? I know it can't be easy for you."

"I'm coping. Having people to hang out with and things to do really helps. Actually, I felt almost normal at school today, so that's a new feeling, I've never actually looked forward to school before." We both laugh at that, the air feeling a little lighter. Once we've both settled, Fred takes on a more serious look and meets my eyes.

"You know, you can talk to me anytime, about anything. I'm here for you, whatever you need." His words bring tears to my eyes once again, and I can't help but wonder what life would be like if my father were more like Fred.

"I know. Unlike Archie I don't feel the need to hide my life choices."

"God, yeah. I don't know what's gotten into that boy. Why would he think he had to lie to me about something like that?"

"Honestly, he's afraid he's gonna upset you. He loves you so much, and he just wants you to be proud of him. He's not going about things the right way right now, but I think he'll figure it out. He just needs time." My phone buzzes in my hand, letting me know that Sweet Pea is here. "Speaking of hanging out with friends, Sweet Pea's here. I'm gonna go hang out at the quarry for a while."

"Alright, be safe. And remember to be back by curfew." Standing up, I move to leave the kitchen, deciding at the last minute to turn back around. I quickly and awkwardly make my way around the island and wrap my arms around Fred, one of the handful of times I've felt comfortable enough to show physical affection to the man that took me in when I had no one.

"Thank you."

"Of course, kiddo." He returns the hug and presses his cheek to the top of my head. "Anytime." He pats my back and we separate, smiling at each other and going back to our respective activities.

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THIRD PERSON POV

"For the record, I'm not gay." Moose says, following Kevin through Fox Forest.

"Obviously not, Moose." Kevin chuckles, looking back at the larger boy. "You're on the football team. But if you were gay, what would you like to do?"

"Everything but kiss." Moose catches Kevin by the waist, turning him so the two were face to face. Kevin right out laughs this time.

"I love a good closet case. So, let's start with skinny-dipping and then see what happens?" Kevin suggests, pulling out of his grasp and moving to the water, stopping in his tracks and yelling a bit at the sight that lays before him.

"Dude, are you okay?" Moose hurriedly catches up, looking first at Kevin, then down to the boy lying on the river bank. "Oh, my God, it's Jason. He was shot." He moves a little closer, only looking back at the sheriff's son when a dim light shines behind him. "What are you doing?"

"Calling my dad."

#riverdale #riverdale fanfiction #sweet pea #sweet pea x reader #riverdale rewrite #riverdale x reader

[magicalhideoutengineer]

Nobody expected Johnny Depp to send those photos, though in retrospect they probably should have.

Director David Yates was finishing filming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when the images arrived in his email. Depp had yet to shoot his climactic scene: Magizoologist hero Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) reveals that the fugitive dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald has been hiding in plain sight the entire film, disguised as dapper auror Percival Graves (played by Colin Farrell). The Farrell-to-Depp switcheroo was to be the film’s biggest shock when it came out in theaters, but first it was the director’s turn to be surprised.

Much like Depp had done when crafting his takes on Willy Wonka and Capt. Jack Sparrow, the actor huddled together with a makeup team to design his own creative look for J.K. Rowling’s villain.

“I had an image in my head of the guy,” explains Depp, who felt emboldened in his creative choices by a Skype chat with Rowling about the role. “She said, ‘I can’t wait to see what you do with him.’ It was beautifully left as this open gift.”

So Depp sent photos of himself as Grindelwald to Yates. His first-draft makeover was “slightly more extreme” than where Grindelwald ended up, the director recalls. “We saw this character as a combination of poet, rock star, visionary, and sociopath, beguiling but lethal,” says Yates, who also helmed the final four Harry Potter films.

After some back-and-forth (at one point a “foppish, romantic look” was considered and rejected), the production embraced Depp’s concept of Grindelwald as a pre-WWII vision of Aryan fascism — an ultra-white, pasty-faced platinum blond, with an undercut haircut and pale mismatched eyes.

“I almost felt like he’s maybe two people,” Depp says. “He’s twins in one body. So a gamy eye is more like the other side of him — a brain for each eye, and he’s somewhere in the middle.”

When Depp’s Grindelwald was unveiled in the final moments of Fantastic Beasts, fans were indeed stunned, but also concerned. The dark wizard looked so strange. Was he supposed to be comedic? So for the second title in the planned five-film franchise, The Crimes of Grindelwald, the evil wizard’s appearance was “softened and refined,” made to look more natural. Judging by the enthusiastic fan reactions to the film’s final trailer at the end of September, the tweaks worked.

Grindelwald’s evolution was just a small example of how the Fantastic Beasts team leveled up for the sequel. Where to Find Them bore the burden of launching a new Wizarding World franchise with a different cast, setting, time period, and characters. While the movie was largely a success — with solid reviews and $814 million worldwide at the box office — members of the filmmaking team quietly felt that the sequel could (and should) be an improvement over its predecessor.

“When we made the first film [the actors] all thought it was great,” recalls Ezra Miller, who plays troubled young wizard Credence Barebone. “But the department heads — Yates, [production designer] Stuart Craig, [costume designer] Colleen Atwood — were all like, ‘It’s not good enough, it has to get better, it has to get way better, and here are all the things that were wrong with it.’ [Crimes] is a serious push by some of the greatest artists in the game to elevate in a way that’s inspiring to watch and be around.”

That elevation began with Rowling’s script, which largely shifts the action from New York to Paris — a new locale, sure, but returning to Europe feels more Potter-esque. And while the first film was focused heavily on Newt, the sequel is more of an ensemble piece that deepens returning characters, introduces several new ones, and plays like a life-and-death, wartime noir thriller (no whimsical three-minute scenes of Newt demonstrating a mating dance at the zoo with a horny Erumpent).

The setup is that Grindelwald escapes while being transported to a new prison and rallies an army of supporters with his pledge to unify the Wizarding World and rule Muggles. That leaves Hogwarts professor Dumbledore (Jude Law), the dark wizard’s former childhood friend (and perhaps more?), to enlist his expelled former student Newt and, by extension, his American friends — rebellious auror Tina (Katherine Waterston), her telepathic sister Queenie (Alison Sudol), and affable No-Maj Jacob (Dan Fogler). But that’s only the beginning.

“The script is labyrinthian,” says Redmayne, whose introverted beast-wrangler is a bit more comfortable in his own skin this time around. “You’re going down this maze, and Jo [Rowling] is weaving the stories together with such intricacy. Along the way, connections to Harry Potter and secrets are falling at your feet. And there is one…” The Oscar winner pauses, knowing he’s treading into heavy spoiler territory. “I got to the end and my jaw dropped. There was one thing I didn’t see coming.”

“Darker” is a word the cast uses a lot. “Complex” and “fast-paced” are others. The film is more, well, adult — The Crimes of Grindelwald may be the most grown-up of all the Wizarding World titles.

EW caught up with Fogler shortly after he saw the completed film for the first time, and he was as excited as any fan stepping out of a cineplex. “It reminds me a lot of The Empire Strikes Back,” he says. “The first movie is so positive. It’s sweet and lovely. But this time everybody is really put under fire. People are gonna see this, like, a hundred times just to get everything. They’re going to be going nuts that they have to wait for the next one. And Jude Law, oh God, he’s perfect.”

Ah, yes. From the moment that first photo was released of Law as a dashing Dumbledore, even the most discriminating Potter purists admitted he was spot-on as the beloved wizard (and some are rather hot for teacher, with hashtags circulating like #Dumbledaddy and #Dumbledamn). Adding Dumbledore to this prequel pleased Rowling, too, who spent more time visiting the set during this shoot than the first film.

You might assume Dumbledore would be the least mysterious part of this tale since we already know so much about his past and future. Not so. “There are things to resolve from Albus’ life, some of which we know from the story, some of which we don’t know about yet,” Law says, and then comes up with an even better tease: “This is a good riddle. One of the reasons Dumbledore trusts and likes Newt so much is Newt understands and forgives beasts and monsters. And there’s a part of Dumbledore — only a part — that sees himself as a bit of a beast.”

The friendship between Newt and Dumbledore might feel a bit wistful for Harry Potter fans: It’s like a glimpse into what might have been if the future Hogwarts Headmaster had somehow been able to carry on his friendship with the Boy Who Lived into adulthood. Yet Newt, unlike young Potter, can quickly spot Dumbledore’s “for the greater good” manipulations.

“One of the things I love about Newt is he has this naivete and gentleness on the surface, but he’s got quite a steel core,” Redmayne says. “He adores Dumbledore, but he also knows when Dumbledore has crossed a line and isn’t afraid to call him on it.”

Newt’s whip-smart Auror love interest Tina is back as well, going on a mission to hunt down Credence in Paris. “She’s more confident this time. No one is questioning her intellect and instincts,” Waterston says. Yet her character’s love life is a mess thanks to some long-distance-relationship misunderstandings. While fans know Newt and Tina eventually end up together, the duo clearly have no idea. “It’s fun to play something out where the audience is one step ahead and Newt and Tina are the clueless ones,” the actress says.

Newt also has a tense relationship with his older brother, Theseus, played by Callum Turner, who broke his wand during his first day on set during an enthusiastic screen test. Theseus is an uptight careerist and Head of the British Ministry of Magic’s Auror Office, who’s pressuring the rebellious Newt to fall in line with the wizarding government’s plans.

“Theseus wants his brother to stand up and fight [Grindelwald],” says Turner, but the two have conflicting ideas on how to #resist. That Theseus is engaged to Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz) — Newt’s schoolboy crush — complicates matters as well.

Yet perhaps the most intriguing new character is the one fans only discovered last month: Nagini, a circus performer who gives customers one heckuva transformation act as she morphs into a massive snake. South Korean actress Claudia Kim wasn’t told which character she was playing until she arrived for her last audition. A Harry Potter fan since sixth grade, Kim instantly realized Nagini was cursed to eventually become Voldemort’s murderous serpent.

“I was speechless,” she recalls, and then was told that for this final test, she had to pretend to transform into a snake — on the spot. “I instantly felt the heartburn, a lot of insecurity, but you have to empty your head and let your instincts take over,” she says. “If I find [the audition tape] I will destroy it!”

Once on set, Kim worked with a contortionist to perfect her act, infusing her performance with varying degrees of snake-ness. “David would give directions like ‘Can you do 2 percent more snake?'” she says, laughing.

Since her casting was announced, however, some have objected to a person of color playing a character doomed to subservience. Those close to the production disagree with that perspective and note that Kim simply gave the best audition for a standout role. “Claudia Kim is a living god,” Miller declares. “You’re about to get your head blown off. Prepare yourselves for Nagini. This is a tragic and beautiful story.”

Miller should know, as it’s his character, Credence, who teams up with Nagini to form a power couple of sorts: two lost souls with unique magical abilities they can’t entirely control. “Credence has joined the circus, as one does when you’ve killed your foster mom and fled the country,” Miller says glibly. “He’s trying to figure out who he is. They’re two people who don’t really trust anyone who are learning trust for the first time.”

Another challenged couple (actually, every major character in Crimes of Grindelwald is arguably part of a couple, and that’s why the Paris setting is so apt) are Jacob and Queenie, who flee America due to its strict policy against No-Maj/wizard relationships. And guess which charismatic politician is surprisingly in favor of such unions?

“Grindelwald actually sounds like he’s all for love — if you love a Muggle, you should be allowed to be with them, and you should be allowed to marry,” Fogler reveals. “But wizards, he feels, should be on a pedestal. This is very tantalizing to some.”

So hold up. Could the nicest couple in this story, Jacob and Queenie, join Team Grindelwald? They’re not saying, of course, but Sudol notes: “Grindelwald’s like staring at the sun — you’re not supposed to, but he’s hard to look away from. He does very, very bad things.”

And he does them with flair. One of Depp’s improvisational additions was giving the wand-waving Grindelwald a conductor-like rhythm during a key sequence. “When Johnny conducts a barrage of spells he’s like a conductor guiding an orchestra — except instead of creating music he’s effectively creating fiery mayhem and death,” Yates says.

Indeed, the film’s title promises crimes. And that this dark wizard’s deeds are wrapped in divisive rhetoric at rock-concert-style rallies peppered with populist appeal sounds kind of, well, familiar. Is Rowling making — unintentionally or not — some kind of modern political point? Sudol certainly sees one.

“The film is terrifying that it’s so relevant,” she says. “We really need to focus on trying to find commonalities amidst the instability of the world’s climate. When a lot of crazy things are happening, it’s very easy to lose true north.”

Which brings us, quite appropriately, back to Newt, the story’s moral compass. At one point in the movie, Newt tells his brother, “I don’t do sides.” That’s almost a revolutionary stance in hyper-partisan times. But it’s also one that, given the forces at play, is perhaps unsustainable. “You really get the sense that Newt’s always gonna make the right choice,” Fogler says. “In this day and age, that’s very refreshing.”

#fantastic beasts #crimes of grindelwald #COGMagazine #Katherine Waterston #Tina Goldstein #coginterview #dan Fogler #gellert grindelwald #jude law #Eddie Redmayne #newt scamander #albus Dumbledore

[frozenartscapes]

My Frozen 2 Ending

AN: I am only going off of what we’ve been told so far - which is actually very little. A lot of the sources are shaky, at best, and I’ve been taking everything with a grain of salt. That said: I thought about the possibility of Elsa having to stay in the forest for whatever reason, and I came up with my own idea of what might happen. I wanted to post it before any more info or trailers come out, because I’m curious to see how close or how far this idea ends up being from the real thing. Anyway, enjoy!

---

Anna watched as the mist surrounded her sister, seemingly pulling Elsa away from her. She called out in desperation. Elsa reached back with just as much distress, but the magical forces that keep the two worlds separate were too great. And in only a few seconds, Anna was alone, standing between the four great stones marking the Unknown.

“Elsa!” she called, praying her sister could still hear her somehow, “Elsa!” She sniffled, then, shoulders beginning to drop in defeat. “Come back to me,” she uttered quietly.

Elsa could still hear Anna. In fact, she could still see her. She was standing right in front of her, but in a different realm. The land of Magic, unseen by mortals. “Anna,” she tried to comfort her sister, but she couldn’t touch her, “I’m still here. Please don’t cry.”

“Come,” a mystic voice said from behind her, “Let us get you settled in your new life.”

Elsa’s eyes narrowed, unable to tear her gaze off her sister. Her hands clenched at her sides, and her mouth morphed into a furious sneer as she gritted her teeth together in anger. She turned to face the Elementals, and stated: “I’m not leaving her.”

“Magic cannot leave this forest,” the Nøkk - the water horse - replied.

“I promised her I would never leave her again,” Elsa shot back, her resolve unwavering.

“You should not make promises you cannot keep,” the Nøkk returned, their unearthly voice showing a hint of condescension, “Now come, Snow Queen.”

Elsa’s magic surged within her as her anger did. “No,” she growled.

The other Elementals were shocked by her tone, looking to each other in amazement. Only the Nøkk remained stoic. “Magic cannot leave this forest,” it said again, taking an intimidating step forward, “And that means you cannot leave.”

Elsa held the horse’s hostile gaze. She had defeated it once, and she was willing to prove that ice could beat water once again. But that would get her nowhere, and Anna wouldn’t wait in the forest much longer.

“Then take it,” she said in a low voice, “Take my magic.”

Finally the horse had an emotional reaction. It cocked it’s head in questioning, and it seemed to raise one eyebrow in skepticism. “You wish to give up the power you possess for this mortal?” it demanded.

“For my sister,” Elsa corrected cooly, “Anything.”

“You do not even know what that will do to you. Living with such magic all your life and suddenly being stripped of it could kill you,” the Nøkk told her.

“I don’t care.”

“But then you will not be with your sister.”

“But there’s a chance that I can be.” Elsa was done arguing. This was her decision, and she wasn’t changing her mind. “I don’t care if I’ll live forever here. I don’t care about infinite knowledge or power. I don’t care if I never make a single snowflake ever again. I care about Anna. And I am not abandoning her. Not again.”

The Nøkk turned to face the other Elementals. After wordlessly agreeing, it turned back. “Your spirit would have made a great addition to this world, Snow Queen,” it told her, “But we will give you what you want. Just know that from here, there is no going back.”

Elsa nodded, bracing for what was to come.

The Elementals’ eyes began to glow. Streaks of light - coloured to represent each of them - erupted from their chests and merged before Elsa, creating a brilliant ball of white light. Once enough magic had gathered, the white light shot toward her, striking her heart and immediately pulling her magic out. The initial hit took her breath away, but then the true agony started as she felt every last iota of magic be ripped from her body. She let out a pained cry as she felt herself weakening and her body warming. The pain was so great that she started to blackout. But just as the world faded away, she locked eyes with her reflection - a woman with pure white hair, striking blue eyes, and an aura of winter surrounding her. And then she collapsed.

---

Anna had slowly turned away and was about to walk away from the stones when a brilliant light appeared from behind her. She whipped around, hoping beyond hope that it was what she thought it was. The light was blinding, and she squinted to see if anyone was coming from it.

And someone did, but rather than walking triumphantly out of the light, they collapsed to the ground in a heap. But the light blue dress was unmistakable. “Elsa!” Anna cried, at first ecstatic. But Elsa wasn’t moving, and something seemed wrong. She pushed forward and dropped to her knees on the ground. “Elsa?” she repeated, this time with worry and desperation.

As her elation disappeared, Anna finally realized what was so unsettling: Elsa’s hair was brown. And there was more colour to her cheeks. “Elsa?” she said, shaking her sister’s shoulder, “Wake up!”

Elsa winced, and with a groan, slowly opened her eyes. Anna couldn’t hide her gasp when she saw not bright blue eyes, but dull, near-grey hazel. “Anna?” Elsa murmured.

“Wh...what happened?” Anna demanded in shock, “Y...your hair and...”

Elsa smiled weakly, and explained simply: “Magic can’t leave the forest.”

“You...you gave up your magic?” Anna gasped, “But... It’s... How could you?”

Elsa merely shrugged, and replied, “I didn’t want to leave you.”

“I...You... You can’t... I...” Anna sputtered. Elsa slowly pushed herself up with a grunt and wordlessly pulled her sister into a tight embrace. It was then that Anna finally found her words: “You stubborn idiot.”

“I promised I wouldn’t leave you,” Elsa breathed, “I’m not breaking that one again.”

“I just... I can’t believe you made that sacrifice for me...”

“...I love you.”

Upon hearing those words, the shock of the situation wore off and the true impact set in. Anna felt sobs rising up and she held her sister tight as tears of joy and relief began to fall. Elsa held her just as close, her mind feeling strangely empty and her body strangely quiet but her heart was still full of love. She had Anna - that’s all that mattered.

Her other half watched on from the magic realm. She still possessed her mortal appearance, but no longer had a corporeal form, instead made up of light and cold and magic. She watched her mortal half embracing her sister and realized that, despite possessing boundless power and strength, she was missing something. Something only her mortal half held within her heart.

“Come,” the Nøkk said, “Let us leave this place.”

It and the other Elementals turned to leave. Elsa’s magic remained, watching two mere human sisters tightly hugging and crying. Feeling. Loving. One of them had just given up the chance to be a god for the other. And the other had at one time defied death itself for her sister. She felt a call from the forest, the same call she had been hearing ever since this journey began. The forest tells her she belongs here. She’ll be accepted here. This is her home.

She watched the pair of sisters and realized that the forest was lying to her.

“No.” Her voice was the same yet different. Distorted by magic, by the cold. It sounded almost foreign to her. But it would help make her point.

The Nøkk stopped in its tracks. “What did you say?” it said menacingly.

“I’m not leaving her either,” she stated, voice unwavering.

The Nøkk turned around. “I will say this one last time,” it warned, “Magic cannot leave this forest.”

“Cannot or does not?” she challenged, “Because it seems to be able to come and go when it’s most convenient.”

The Nøkk glared at her. “Why even care?” it asked of her, “Your mortal half agreed to leave you behind to be with her precious sister. You have no connection to either of them anymore. Yet you still hold your old form. You are free to be whatever you want, whoever you want, yet you still choose to pander to pathetic little humans?”

“I am choosing what I want to be, who I want to be,” she shot back.

“So you wish to go back to that life? A life of tediousness and banality? Where instead of commanding powerful storms and holding mortal life in your hands you’d rather make snowmen for little children? You are a being of pure destructive magic - not a child’s plaything.”

The Nøkk was standing over her, now, towering above and glaring down at her with the intensity of the ocean in a storm. But she was a force of nature of her own. “So you’re going to keep me here?” she asked in a low voice.

“Yes.” That single word brought a stillness to the magic forest. Time itself seemed to stand still as it waited for her response.

“Then I will be all you want me to be,” she growled, blue eyes glowing dangerously. Dark clouds formed overhead. The air swirled around them, bring with it little blade-like snowflakes and chilling cold. Frost began to snake up the trees, scaring the bark with pure white crystals. “I will make storms - the likes of which you’ve never seen before. They will make your storms on the oceans look like a pleasant day. And I will bring them down on this forest you hold so dear. I will not stop until every tree, every leaf, every living thing in this land is dead and buried until a mile of ice and snow. I will bring about a new Age of winter and destruction and you will never get this forest back. Rocks will crumble under glaciers. The wind will answer to me alone. Fire will have its breath snuffed out before it can even be a spark. And all water will be frozen, unmoving, and trapped by my icy whim for all eternity. I am Winter, the season of Death, and I will unleash it upon this land.”

Finally, the Nøkk showed fear. It stepped away from her, ears twitching anxiously, as it watched winter rapidly consuming the clearing they stood in. The other Elementals shared the same concern. “You wouldn’t dare,” it challenged, but uncertainty tainted its voice.

Elsa’s magic nodded toward her better half. “She wouldn’t,” she stated, “Because she has what I do not: love. I have learned of a much more powerful magic than I, and it is one none of us possess. Only they do.” She pointed to the royal sisters. “Humans are stronger than you give them credit for.”

“So you are willing to give up your freedom?” the Nøkk asked, “Now that you are separate from your human, all because of love?”

Elsa’s magic chuckled. “Do you even know what it’s like?” she asked, “To feel love? To be loved? Because I do. I have been both feared and loved. To see awe and excitement in people’s eyes as I work my craft. To hear their praise, their laughter, their joy. To be wanted, valued for my talent and ability. I had that with her. With them.”

She sobered, then, and turned around to watch as Anna was helping Elsa shakily to her feet. “She needs me,” her magic uttered, “And I need her. We are not two separate beings, one a master and the other a slave. We are like the moon - I am the dark, the cold, the shadow; she is the light, the warmth, the comfort. Two sides of the same being. We need each other, and we both need Anna.”

“And if we do not allow this, you will destroy this land?” the Nøkk reiterated slowly.

“It is as you said: I am a being of pure destructive magic,” she said, “Love is the only thing that will thaw my ice.”

The Nøkk’s eyes narrowed. It then turned to face the other Elementals.

---

“Are you sure you’re gonna be ok?” Anna asked worriedly, seeing how hard it was for Elsa to even stand.

“I’ll be fine after I get some rest,” Elsa replied, winded by the act of speaking.

“You’re not exactly filling me with confidence,” Anna tried to say lightly, but she was too scared to make the joke work. She wasn’t sure how Elsa was going to get back home if she could barely take a couple steps.

Just then, another bright light filled the clearing. “Oh now what?” Anna demanded, turning around to observe the spectacle.

This time, it was someone walking triumphantly out of the light. The woman who appeared before them was god-like. Ethereal beauty, hair as soft and fluffy as freshly fallen snow, eyes like the clear winter sky, a dress made of silvery frost. She looked...familiar. Yet entirely foreign all the same. Like looking into a dream.

She felt Elsa’s weight shift beside her. With a grunt, her sister had stepped forward on her own, toward the mysterious woman, despite the weakness in her body. Her eyes were wide, her jaw hanging open in shock. “Y...you’re...” she stammered, shaking her head slightly in disbelief.

The mysterious woman smiled, the closed the gap between them. Anna stood by her sister protectively, eyeing the Queen’s doppelganger suspiciously. Elsa took another step forward, and subconsciously Anna grabbed her hand.

“Anna...” Elsa said with some difficulty, “It’s ok.”

“But...” Anna began to protest. But this ghostly version of her sister didn’t seem to show any malice. In fact, there was almost a peacefulness to her expression. “Ok,” she sighed, reluctantly releasing Elsa’s hand, “I trust you. Both of you.”

Elsa nodded in gratitude and took another shaky step forward. Her legs gave, then and she stumbled forward. But her magic caught her, one hand holding hers, and the other on her shoulder. The contact was enough, and almost instantly, Elsa felt life returning to her body. Pale, grey eyes met impossibly blue ones, and then her magic dissolved into streaks of brilliant light that started to encompass her.

Anna eventually had to shield her eyes from the blinding light that consumed both figures of her sister. And as the light faded, she realized there was only one Elsa standing before her.

Her Elsa.

Elsa gazed down at trembling hands, once more feeling her power thrumming inside of her, feeling the ice in her fingertips, feeling whole once again. She looked to her braid which was once again a light blonde. And her magic - she had never felt more harmonized with it. Like it was embracing the love in her heart and giving her a new source of power - one of rebirth, and life, and joy. The elation bubbled up inside, and she unable to contain it burst into a warm laugh.

“Elsa!” Anna crashed into her, nearly knocking the wind out of her with her hug but Elsa was too happy to care. She hugged Anna back, just as tightly, and the pair laughed and cried together as they realized just how fortunate they were. 

Anna eventually pulled away, still holding Elsa’s shoulders tight. “Wait. I thought magic couldn’t leave the forest,” she said, “Doesn’t this mean you have to stay?”

Elsa thought for a minute. “No,” she replied, doing her characteristic frown whenever she thinks too deeply about something, “I don’t know how to describe it, but it’s like I’ve gotten permission to leave. With my magic.”

“So that was your magic?” Anna wondered, “The other you?”

Elsa simply shrugged. “She wanted to be with me. With us,” she said.

“That’s...strangely comforting to know that insanely powerful winter magic actually would rather live with my antics and demands for snowmen over living here in a literal magical forest,” Anna replied with a laugh.

Elsa chuckled warmly with her sister. She then made that same frown again, pausing as if to listen for something.

“Are you hearing the call again?” Anna asked anxiously.

“No...” Elsa said slowly, “I’m...not. I’m not drawn to this place anymore. In fact, I’m actually more drawn to...”

“Home?” Anna finished hopefully.

Elsa smiled. “Yes,” she agreed, “Let’s go home. To Arendelle.”

Anna nodded eagerly, and the pair of sisters then turned to leave, stepping out the forest hand in hand - just as they had entered. And they did not look back.

---

In the realm of magic, the Elementals looked on with mixed emotions. “We truly lost something special,” the Fire Spirit said with a disappointed sigh, “Think of what she could have become had she stayed here.”

“But she wanted to destroy everything if she was forced to stay!” the Wind Spirit reminded them anxiously.

“A fool if you ask me,” the Fire Spirit spat, “Why pick living life as a mortal when you could have chosen the life of a god?”

“Perhaps she was not as strong as we thought?” the Earth Spirit asked.

The Nøkk, ever stoic, stood at the edge of the clearing, watching as the small family of adventurers disappeared into the distance where no magic dared go. “No,” it said simply, causing the others to pause their conversation, “She was stronger than any of us.”

#frozen #frozen 2 #speculation #fanfic

[addictofsupernatural]

The Southsider (pt. 3)

Sweet Pea x reader

Chapter Summary: With y/n's past out, her life starts to fall apart, but Sweet Pea is determined to be there for her. But what happens when a secret that even she doesn't know comes out?

Warning: past trauma, tragic backstory (sry I don't want to spoil it)

Word Count: 2981

Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 4

"Attention, everybody. I have an announcement to make." You watched Reggie speak on top of the table, already knowing it had something to do with the Southside and why they shouldn't be here.

"As you know, the Southside have invaded our space, and who knows when they'll try to take over. But what we didn't know was that a Southsider has been invading our territory for four years." The Serpents' reactions went from angry to confused. Everybody in the room was shocked.

Cheryl was standing beside Reggie on the ground with a few of her friends. One of them was recording this.

You were terrified. Someone had found out. Reggie, of all people. And Cheryl was in on it. No, you didn't think Cheryl would agree to this if she knew. You thought that Cheryl of all people could sympathize with you when it came to what happened with your family.

"Y/n Y/l/n. It says right here that you were born on the Southside, and grew up there until four years ago." He said, reading what looked like your police file. "That explains it all. Taking their side, running her mouth all the time." He then looks at you. "That's why you're so different. You are below us."

"Okay, Reggie. You caught me." You said carefully. "I'm from the Southside. Are you satisfied?"

"Not just yet." You looked at Jughead, panicking. His eyes were wide as his anger was rising.

"If any of you are wondering why she invaded the Northside, I'm the man to tell you."

"Shut your mouth Reggie!" Jughead yelled.

"Once upon a time, there was this chick. She grew up in a trash town that was infested with snakes. Nobody paid attention to her. She was quiet and didn't talk to anyone. She was perfectly boring. Except she wasn't."

"Reggie please. Stop." You frantically said.

"You see, her dad seemed to be a pretty normal guy, but at home, that was a different story."

Cheryl then looked at him, concerned. She didn't want this to be too bad, but this seemed serious. "Stop it Reggie!" Jughead stood.

"He used to beat the girl, and her mom. Everyday. He'd do it where they could hide the bruises, but one day he he went too far." He was staring straight at you.

"Oh my God, Reggie stop!" Cheryl said. She then turned to the girl who was recording. "Stop recording!"

"He had just beaten the girl, and she was lying on the floor crying. He was so mad at the crying, he told this girl to stop or else he'd beat her mom. Guess she was too scared or something, cause she cried harder. So he went, and beat her mom and kept beating her until her mom stopped struggling. She was dead."

Tears slipped down your cheeks. It was out. Everybody knew. You were a coward, and let your own mom, who you loved more than anything, die.

Sweet Pea had been listening to this the whole time. He had just been listening, too shocked to do anything. But then he looked at you, crying and looking so small. Someone who always smiled and made jokes and was perfect to him, was crying.

"She didn't do anything to help her own mom. After he left the house she went to get help, but it was too late anyways. You let your mom die y/n. Who's to say you aren't just like your Southside dad?"

You stood up and bolted out of the cafeteria. This caused a switch went off in Sweet Pea. Reggie. He stood, going straight to that table he was standing on. He went on the table, not hesitating when punching him in the face. Another bulldog was going to grab Sweet Pea's feet on the table, but his shoulder was yanked. He turned to get Jughead's fist in his face. From then it was an all out rage between Bulldogs and Serpents.

Betty ran after you, finding you sitting on the floor in the girls restroom sobbing into your hands. "Oh, y/n." She rushed over to you, sitting next to you and hugging you.

"He's right Betty. It's all my fault."

"No it's not, y/n/n. You were a kid, there's nothing you could have done. You were scared, and that's okay."

"No it's not. She's gone. She's gone because of me."

"No, she's gone because of your psycho dad. He's the one that hurt the two of you. Don't blame yourself, y/n. Your mom wouldn't want it, would she?"

You shook your head, starting to calm down. That was when Cheryl made her presence known. "What do you want, Cheryl?" You muttered.

"I am so sorry, y/n. I had no idea that Reggie was going to say something like that. You don't deserve that. Take it from someone with a horrible father as well." You wanted to be mad at her, scream at her, slap her, but you didn't. She really didn't know about it, and when you felt like this you always wonder what your mom would do. She would forgive.

"It's okay." You stood, Betty putting her hand on your shoulder. Cheryl then stepped forward, giving you a hug.

She then pulled back. "Okay, now that that's over, we need to go to the office."

"Why?" Betty asked.

"There was a full out fight between the Serpents and the Bulldogs just now." Cheryl explained, pointing her finger towards the door. "It probably was just stopped now, and no doubt the Serpents are going to be blamed for it. Meaning your boyfriends are going to be punished for the Bulldogs' doing."

"Okay, but what do we do about it?"

"You, my dear y/n, are going to use those tears to convince principal Weatherbee to not let the Southsiders be punished. Cousin and I will play the role of supporting friends."

"And then he told me that I was just like him!" You told principal Weatherbee through fake tears. All of those who were a part of the fight stood behind you. Betty rubbed your back while Cheryl held your hand.

"There there, y/n. It'll be okay. Hopefully this rein of bullying at this school will come to an end." Cheryl sighed. Betty nodded. She then turned around and looked back at Jughead, winking. Jughead got it.

"Riverdale High is supposed to be the place where I feel safe. Isn't that why Southside High closed down? You'd think that this highschool, your highschool, would show people to be better. The Serpents knew how unsafe I felt, and right now I haven't felt this helpless since, well, you know. This was their was of showing me that I can be protected, and punishing them means that I won't be able to feel safe at this school."

Jughead came up to hug you. "It'll be okay." He whispered, loud enough to be heard but soft enough to be sincere.

"Thanks Juggy." You whimpered.

"I think I've heard enough." Principal Weatherbee stood from his seat. "Bulldogs, stay here. Mr. Mantle, come with me. The rest of you may leave, I'll send an announcement on the intercoms that the rest of school today will be canceled. And, Miss. Y/l/n."

You looked at him. "My apologies for this whole incident." You gave him a weak smile and nodded, heading out with the rest. Right when you exited those door Jughead pulled you in for a tight hug. You hugged back.

"Okay, I'm going to Pop's. Coming Betty?" And with that him and Betty left. Cheryl also gave her hug and said goodbye while the others walked away, leaving you with Sweet Pea.

You smiled. "Hi."

He huffed out a small smile. "You seem to be doing okay. Are you okay?"

"I'm pulling through. My dad was a pretty angry dude all the time, and I aspire to not be like him. So here I am. And besides, you're still here with me. Why shouldn't I smile?" You then put your hand to his cheek unconsciously, looking at his injuries. "You seem pretty tore up, though. Are you okay?"

"I'm pulling through." You let out a small laugh. "I got a first aid kit at home anyways, it's cool."

"Let's go to your home then. I'll help you." He nodded, taking your hand that was on his cheek and holding onto it. He held your hand as the two of you walked to the parking lot.

You two then arrived at Sweet Pea's trailer. Once you stepped inside Sweet Pea was feeling a little self-conscious about it. This was all he had. He felt that he probably seemed like a loser to you. "Uh, I know it's not much but-"

"I love it in here. It feels so homey." You looked around, smiling. This made him release a breathe of relief.

He got the first aid kit and sat on the couch, you standing in front of him. You raised his head by bringing up his chin with your fingers. You then wiped off all his wounds and dry blood to make sure nothing gets infected. You put ointment on the bruise directly under his right eye. Every touch was barely there. Your fingertips would ghost over his face.

"No one has ever been this gentle with me before." He says, breaking the silence. "I kind of like it."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You could never hurt me." He smirked as you plopped on the couch next to him.

"Are you being all flirty with me because I'm from the Southside?" You teased.

"No, but that just makes you so much more awesome than you already are." Your faces were close. You two slowly leaning in together, finally kissing. It was simple, then Sweet Pea grabbed your face and deepened the kiss. You tilted your head for better access, running your hands over his shoulders. You both accidentally fall backwards on the couch, a giggle escaping you.

"That meant something to you, right?" Sweet Pea looked into your eyes. For the first time in a very long time, Sweet Pea was vulnerable.

You looked up at him in awe. "It meant so much to me." You smiled cupping his cheeks. "And you?"

"More than you know." He leaned down a pressed another kiss to your mouth, a quicker one. "You hungry?"

"Starving."

"Pop's?"

"Pop's."

While you and Sweet Pea were together, Betty and Jughead were planning something for you. "So I was thinking that we could give her something, as a way to show her that she can depend on us as family." Betty said, sipping on her milkshake.

"I like it. What about that camera she likes to use all the time? We can make a collage or something. We'll just get the pictures from the camera, and print them out." Jughead said, munching on a fry.

"But how are we going to get the camera?"

"I have her spare keys." Betty nodded her head. They finished their food and went off to your house.

They got the camera and started to print out the pictures they wanted. They then bought a poster board and glued the pictures on there at Jughead's trailer. "Maybe we should put some other stuff on." Betty suggests.

"Good idea. Let's see if we can find some stuff." Jughead brought out a few boxes of old stuff. Even when your dad was around, you and Jughead were each other's only friends.

They both went through some stuff, but what Betty found was interesting. It was a serpent jacket, one a bit too small for Jughead. With it was an envelope with your name on it. "Jug, what is this?"

He looked at the coat and the envelope. "I don't know." They looked at each other and nodded. Betty opened the envelope, and inside was a letter addressed to you. They both read it. Betty put her hand over her mouth in shock. "What..." Jughead trailed off.

You and Sweet Pea just arrived at Pop's. You opened the door, people turning and staring at you. There were a few people from school there, whispering and pointing at you. You suddenly felt shy, and Sweet Pea saw why. He glared at them, with them avoiding eye contact in return. He snaked his hand around your waist, pulling you towards him. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding in and leaned into him.

"Y/n." Pop said, coming from the kitchen. "Oh, hold on." He went back into the kitchen and brought back a bag of food. "I heard what happened. I made this to make you feel better, and I put in extra in case you came with a friend. On the house. And don't worry about coming in later, you're taking the day off."

You put on a weak smile. "You know me so well Pop." You took the bag and started for the door.

"Oh, and y/n,"

You turned. "Yeah Pop?"

"You are nothing like him, I could tell you that much."

You wanted to cry. "Thanks Pop. That means a lot."

You both walked outside. You were trying to not cry, breathing in and out heavily. You couldn't cry. Not for the second time today. Not in front of Sweet Pea. "You okay?" Sweet Pea asked gentle.

"Mhm." You whimpered.

"You sure?" You shook your head. He brought you in for a hug, resting his chin on top of your head. "It'll be okay."

"Nobody will look at me the same way." You said into his chest.

"Really? Cause I still see an adorable chick that didn't care about the symbol on my back or the tattoo that I have."

"That's cause your tattoo looks hot on you." You whimpered. There was a moment of silence where Sweet Pea froze, shocked at the comment. He then felt you shake from laughter. He soon melted into laughter as well.

"Let's go back to my trailer. Our food's gonna get cold." You both hopped on the bike, Sweet Pea revving it. Before you both took off, you leaned up and kissed his neck where the tattoo was. He turned back quickly, facing you with red cheeks.

"Hurry up." You smiled. He slowly gave you a wild smile, turning back and driving off. When you got back you both ate your food, then it hit you. "Oh crap."

"What?"

"We have English homework to do." He groaned, feeling visibly irritated already. "Don't worry, it won't be that bad. You have me." You both sat on his bed.

You took him through everything. The chorus foreshadowing, the other foreshadows, the gist of what was read, why the literary devises are important and how it affects the audience.

You wrote notes and had him copy them down. He felt a little frustrated that you knew so much and had to explain everything to him. He felt dumb. You could sense that he was feeling like he wasn't smart, and you didn't want that.

"Hey." You said softly. He looked up and saw you crawling to him. When you got to him you put your left hand on his cheek and your right hand on his knee, leaning in and kissing him.

He kissed back, forgetting his frustration. His hands found your hips, pulling you onto his lap. You pulled back for air and pressed your foreheads together. "Pea." You whispered. "What are we?"

He was hesitant. He didn't want you to reject him, but he wanted to be with you. "I wanna be a thing." He said, nervous.

You were overcome with joy. You hugged him tightly and kissed all over his face, making sure to be careful of his bruise though. He fell backwards and you were on top of him. He looked up and saw you smiling. "So do I."

He smiled and laughed. He flipped the both of you, his towering over you. He was about to kiss you when there was a knock at the door. He groaned as you slipped away from him and started for the door. You opened it, with Sweet Pea right behind you.

"Y/n," It was Jughead, with Betty beside him. "We need to talk."

"Now?"

"What, did we interrupt something?"

You huffed. "No-"

"Yeah, you did." Sweet Pea cut you off, pressing himself to your back. You looked over your shoulder and smiled at him.

"Yeah, hi. We're still here." Jughead said. "You need to come to my trailer."

You bit your lip, unsure of what was so important. "Can Sweets come too?"

"I don't think-"

"Of course he can." Betty said. Jughead looked at her, confused and irritated. "She needs all the support she can get." She said quietly to him.

The four of you began to walk to Jughead's trailer, you and Betty in front and Jughead and Sweet Pea trailing behind. "So," Betty said. "Are you two something?" She smiled.

You smiled wildly back, nodding.

"So," Jughead said. "Are you two like a thing?"

"Yeah." Sweet Pea couldn't hold back his smile. "Is that a problem?"

"No, just wondering. Remember, my dad and I will be watching." Sweet Pea let out a small laugh and pat Jughead on the back. Jughead breathed out a laugh in response.

You got to the trailer to see FP waiting for you. He saw you and stood from the couch. "Y/n." He said, then looking at Sweet Pea coming in behind you. "Sweet Pea. Maybe you should wait outside. This is-"

"No, he stays." You said. He looked at you, then nodded.

"Before I tell you this, know that I want you to understand that I was waiting for the right moment to tell you this." He seemed very nervous.

"What's up?" He stared at you, sorrow in his eyes. You looked at Jughead and Betty, with the same look. "Guys what is it?" You smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

FP went to grab something, coming back with a Serpent jacket and handing it to you. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Y/n, your mother was a Serpent."

------

Author Note: Sorry if the backstory isn't liked or if it didn't match the hype. Hope you guys liked it. Thanks to those who leave comments, they really motivate me to write more.

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Tag List:

@madaboutlili @sireennotsiren @elsie2018 @greyfairie @iamaunicorn4704 @wanna-plan-world-domination @whenallsaidanddone @t-a-i-l-o-r-m-a-d-e @live-love-bailar @thecraziestcrayon @cvvlxx @grim-adventures58 @official--fangirl

#riverdale #riverdale fanfiction #riverdale fandom #sweet pea fluff #sweet pea fanfiction #sweet pea fic #sweet pea x reader #sweet pea #riverdale sweet pea #the southsider

[rovvboat]

Young Love from the Old Times - Colossus/Piotr Rasputin x Reader

A/N: A Series of Smut Fics to Enjoy :) I do have a ~plot~ for this so if you enjoyed this part, lemme know!

Warnings: N S F W

Part 2 ○ Unfair  ○

The mansion was noiseless against the warm summer night – all the adults were out of the house for some meeting with government officials, while the young adults such as Piotr and yourself took to the task of making sure the kids got to bed on time.

‘’Did you find Timmy’s teddy bear?’’

‘’Da, I looked for it everywhere. It was on the roof. It has been safely returned to its owner.’’

You laugh at Piotr’s attempt at humour. ‘’Of course, it was on the roof.’’

 You both head to the rec room, keen to watch a few horror movies without being bothered by the kids (who complain about not being allowed to watch it with you) or the adults (who complain that you shouldn’t be up too late) – though Piotr often fell into the category of the adult complaints, you managed to convince him to relax and unwind a little – considering neither of you had even a minute to yourselves since the most recent mutant and purification attacks that sprouted up every and anywhere.

It was a crazy week – and even though you would have liked a release of another kind behind your closed bedroom door, you much preferred Piotr’s company.

 You play the movie Antichrist – for which you found the CD at some garage sale whilst passing through some neighbourhood after a mission. You hadn’t seen much by way of trailers, but themes of horror were always a welcome experiment – and you liked the idea of a surprise.

You pop the CD onto the player, choosing subtitles and audio settings – while Piotr brought a bowl of popcorn – drizzled with honey because he wanted it to be a healthy snack, even though he was against snacking at night, he thought it would at least be a healthy one.

The movie plays, eerie background music and foreshadowing scenes with symbolic positioning of humans, trees, animals – you name it – that would all make sense by the end of the movie.

You watch without much event – until the shower scene comes on.

You hadn’t even looked at the stills that they normally have on the back of the CD covers – much less read the ratings on the bad boy – but the juxtaposition and background music all pointed to one thing – it was a sex scene.

You’d normally be unphased with such scenes – you weren’t a 12-year-old – but looking over to Piotr, you could tell he was fighting the urge to look away – all the while being much too curious to actually do so.

He also didn’t want to seem too prudish, and all odds stacked in favour of him watching the scene through its end.

You were more curious about his reactions than the scene itself – a subtle move of his adams apple, a swallow straining his neck, as he has a fist plastered onto each knee.

You could tell it was a different kind of torture – less of the horror kind.

The scene plays forward with the man thrusting the woman against the wall – when the camera moves down to the source of the drive; a clear image.

It was uncensored. The man’s girth thrusts into the woman – which made your eyes widen in surprise, your hand stopping just as you were about to pop another popcorn into your mouth. It was all wildly reminiscent of your first encounter with Piotr.

Piotr’s breathing was hard and heavy – his leg shaking just a little as a way of release of tension. It was difficult to watch him, because seeing him be sexually frustrated somehow drifted to you – a tickle near your core.

It was just a few more minutes in, and you couldn’t take it anymore.

You place your hand on his hand – ‘’Piotr? I think we should help each other out,’’ you suggest as you switch the TV screen to the drama channel.

He gives you a curious look, tilting his head sideways – ‘’I do not follow…’’

‘’Take my lead.’’

You plant yourself firmly against his right thigh – one arm looped around his neck while the other leaves light caresses against his taut chest; dragging the fabric of his polo shirt down to expose part of his chest, before letting it spring back – the fleeting touches of your fingertips sends sparks under Piotrs’ skin – his breath held as he watches you – instead of the movie – hauntingly moving your hand up and down his chest.

‘’You’re not allowed to move any part of you. Understand?’’

He only continues staring at you – but the unspoken compliance showed itself, as Piotr sprayed each arm across the couch; arms halfway outstretched from his sides, as he balances his weight on his palms.

You start with gently rocking yourself against his thick thigh, the overwhelming feel of him in sudden and full contact with every inch of you – a plea you never thought you could fulfil.

And yet here you were.

’’Bhoze moi… This is not– ‘’ Piotr’s large hands clench menacingly against the fabric of the couch – cushions twisted into a knot under his hand like his was holding on for dear life – ‘’this is not fair.’’

‘’Who said it was going to be?’’

His only way of relief – his breathing; labored and heavy – ridden with an intensity you’ve only ever seen at this instant. His fervid gaze asks for more – to be allowed the luxury to give you what pleasures he can; with his lips, with his arms, with his hands, with his –

but you had other plans in store for him.

You hold onto Piotr by the shoulder, hoisting your bent legs up a little, to give you a denser, heavier feel around his thigh. You start jerking with a bit more purpose, letting the full weight of your body press down his thigh – adjusting to hit all the right spots – as Piotr claws the couch; the scraping noise slow, but deep.

Oh, all the things I want to do to her

Your supple lips catch his neck between them, as you grind hard over his thigh – his head dips back, with eyes shut tight and his nose scrunched up as he inhales a hissing breath. His nails dig into the couch further, as you nibble up his neck, placing deliberate kisses across his jaw line – each kiss matched with each thrust of your hips; moaning in approval when Piotr’s voice groans – ‘’Please, Y/N…’’

‘’Not so soon, lover boy,’’ you smirk.

 You place a palm against his cheek, guiding his face to yours – and when you’re face to face, you let your lips hover over his, barely touching.

‘’Tell me how much you want it,’’ your lips graze teasingly against his.

‘’I want it– ‘’ his breath hitches – ‘’bhoze moi, I want it very much.’’

You hum through your nose, lightly touching against his as you slowly press your lips onto his – ever ready to catch you within it. Your fingers busy themselves – weaving between his silky soft hair. His head pushes subtly forward – an intention, an invitation to deepen the kiss – but you hold him back by the back of his head. You chuckle at his waning self-control.

‘’You are… very evil….’’

‘’Oh, you think so?’’

You focus back on grinding on his thigh – the wetness between your legs as conspicuous as water on light grey cloth; which was almost exactly what it was. You snake your arms around his neck – breathing heavy over him.

Even though you wanted to tease him a little further, your own craving for his touch was unbearably buzzing over your chest down to your core.

You trail your hands over each side of his shoulder, over his arms and down his palms – gently lifting them up from their grip on the couch; And once Piotr realises what you’ve granted him, his hands immediately find your waist, pulling you in as his lips crashed into yours in a swift  feverish move.

His tongue slips between your lips, as you feel yourself melt into the kiss. You gently hold onto his chin, fingers caressing his ear lobes

When your lips part, he’s quick to pull you onto his lap –

‘’It is now my turn,’’ he smirks, fondling your ass as he reclines into the sofa. He grabs a handful of your ass – pulling you closer as you straddle over his crotch, his fingers merely grazing over your cunt as he moves – making you shiver as you moan his name; your forehead pressed against his – looking deep into him.

‘’Piotr– ‘’

‘’Shhh someone will hear us.’’

He shifts up the hem of your dress with a swipe of his palm, leaving your panties exposed as his finger moved slowly up and down your cunt over the damp fabric – your eyes pinched shut as you keep from getting over the edge. Your breathing gets heavy, murmuring sweet heavy nothings as he slips under your panties, rubbing near your folds.

‘’Let me take care of you,’’ he rumbles against your ear, pecking at your cheek.

He goes in slow, his index finger exploring with short strokes as you brace yourself against him, clenching at the collar of his shirt with anticipation.

His finger enters with measured ease – swathed in your wetness as he pushes in and out of you. His name falls out your mouth like a silent prayer, but he’s already responded – three fingers edge into you in quick succession as you wince against his cheek, instinctively moving your body away from the overstimulation; but Piotr holds you close, making you jolt instead. His face sidles against yours, whispering hot against your ears,

‘’You’re not going anywhere, myshka.’’

He continues the leisured thrust of his fingers in and out of you, dripping and edging you to no tomorrow.

Your legs jerk up together when he hits a certain spot as you feel yourself clench around his fingers. Your eye squeeze shut at the sudden burst of pleasure, but he was only just beginning. He continues his jerking, his long thick fingers exploring every part of you.

His lips find yours in a moment of reprieve – his fingers distracted from their affair – when a thought creeps up to your mind.

You pat at his wrist, before gently pulling his fingers out of you. He pulls away for a moment, a quizzical look forming on his face – but before he says anything, you take to feeling up his lap with your hands, finding a way to his girth – tight and pushing against his pants. You let your palm put pressure on his cock, stroking up his sizable length.

You plant yourself over his member, grinding hard against him – wet stains dotting the fabric over his dick.

Piotr guides you with his hands on your ass, pulling you towards him with each jerk of your hips. You don’t look away from him – the heat rising off his body a welcoming sensation, as your lips catch his in a passionate kiss.

Your grinding becomes more concentrated, zealous, as you feel yourself getting closer to your orgasm. You whimper against his cheek, gripping at his collar, when a generous bout of fluid seeps onto him.

‘’You’re so wet for me, myshka…’’

You hum favorably, impatiently rubbing yourself against him. He embraces your waist, holding you down tighter against him. He reaches a point where he buckles and moves in sync with you, rubbing himself against you as you do against him. You cup his face between your hands, pressing eager kisses against his lips.

‘’I’m so close, Piotr,’’ you softly moan between your kisses.

‘’As am I.’’

And just as he finishes his response, your hands claw at his shoulder, pulling him closer – your whole body tensing against the pressures of your orgasm as you press your forehead against his, stifling your moans with a hand across your mouth.

 You suddenly hear the clicking of the door open from the end of the room – both you and Piotr swivel to its direction, as the growing sounds of conversation floats into the silent hall.

You look back a Piotr with a playful urgency in your eyes.

‘’We should take this somewhere else,’’ you whisper in a quick breath.

But before you could get up off of him, he pulls you close to him – securing your legs around his waist – as he gets up off the couch in one swift move, with you giggling against his chest; carrying you off into the direction of his room, bounding up the stairs and quickly entering his room before being seen by anyone.

He gently lowers you onto his bed, kissing your temple,

before striding back to shut the door behind him.

---

Taglist! 

@emma-frxst @chromecutie @marvelhead17 @onthequill @master-sass-blast

@fluffymadamina @candle-light-writings 

#colossus #colossus x reader #Piotr Rasputin #piotr rasputin x reader #x men #x men fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #YLOT

[inevitable-anna]

Escape The Night S4X06 Spoilers.

Hello, it’s ETN time again! I believe this may be my longest reaction post yet! I’m working on my ‘possessed guest’ theory.

Here we go...

[[MORE]]

Oohh The Gorgon and The Collector are having an argument!

Ummm... The Gorgon doesn't turn to stone when she looks at her own reflection?

Holy Musical B@tman! The Minotaur came out of nowhere!

R.I.P random Greek warrior dude. Press f to pay respects!

Still loving the opening credits!

*The Gorgon enters the lounge* My mind: "Here's Gorgie!"

Ahh! No! Don't hurt The Sorceress! Bad Gorgon!

AHHHH! MORTIMER IS TURNING TO STONE! THAT IS NOT GOOD!

ASDFGHJKL! I'm sorry, I know Mortimer is probably dead now, but his statue looks hilarious!

The way The Sorceress was touching the fingertips of Mortimer’s statue, when the guests came back into the lounge. :(

"Oh, baked beans!" I love Ro so much, and I know I say it every time but she's great!

"I will gouge her eyes out for this. Mark my words!" The Sorceress vowed to avenge Mortimer!

"I knew he was a stoner." If Bretman dies I'm gonna be so mad!

Oh, this is the ‘rainiest day’ that Merlin was talking about!

The group used the 'guardian angel' stone!

ATTFSRKDBWORNZWLBEBUANRBFKRBFOWRPGOHEBNGORKD KENNGIIIWBSIA!!!!!

MATPAT AND NIKITA ARE BACK!!! YESSSSS!!

AND RO'S STILL ALIVE SO MATT/RO REUNION!!!

Ro: *sees Mat* "starts screaming"!

Awww! Mat just lifted Ro up and gave her the biggest hug! Yay! They're reunited! This is the one of the things in the series that I was waiting for and I’m so glad it happened!

Wait? Is Mat's hair purple? It looks good.

No one:

Nikita: *shows up*

Colleen: "Nikita's a really sucky guardian angel because last time I was with her, she shoved me into a box of spikes and murdered me."

Me: :|

"We only have a limited amount of time to save as many of you as possible." Oh? Are Mat and Nikita only here for this episode then? :(

Ro: "Did you join a cult?" Mat: "What?" Ro: "I saw the symbol on her, it's on Joey. You got it." Nikita: "We're the Society Against Evil." Mat: "We're here to help. We're the good guys." Ro: *suspicious af face* "This cult is recruiting. I do not trust them." I just found this funny.

But I do agree with Ro. I don't trust the SAE.

I missed Mat. "I mean, Jael and Ryu are kinda weird. Bit quiet. They puke magic. It's kinda disgusting." Lol

Thank goodness for Mat! "Thinking Gorgon, I immediately think of Greek mythology."

Mat and Ro's friendship is everything! Mat: *thinks of possible solution* Ro: "Mat, you smart. You smart." Mat: "Thank you."

Mat doing a victory dance, when his theory is proved to be correct, is brilliant!

Colleen: "The Collector, despite being a real b*tch, happens to have one in her museum." Does Merlin's note actually say the bit about The Collector being a b*tch or did Colleen add that in? Because it's hilarious to think of Merlin writing that!

Joey: "I volunteer not to hold the shield, so." When was the last time you actually volunteered to do something Joey? Because I can't remember! (This is gonna be really stupid if he volunteered an episode or two ago)

Colleen. WE KNOW YOU HOLD A GRUDGE BUT PLEASE STOP BRINGING IT UP EVERY 5 MINUTES!

ALEX! YOU ARE STILL SHADY AS HELL TO ME! EVEY TIME YOU SAY "I need to prove that I'm on your side" IT JUST SEEMS MORE SUSPICIOUS!!

Joey: "The Gorgon's lair is gorgeous." Camera: *shows The Gorgon's lair, which is covered in fog and statues that are actually deceased people* Me: 'If Joey thinks this is gorgeous, I'd hate to see what he thinks is ugly.'

Please let Alex get turned to stone!🤞🏻 Please let Alex get turned to stone!🤞🏻Please let Alex get turned to stone!🤞🏻

Bretman: "Alex tries to look at her through the mirror and Miss Gorgon was like, 'B*tch, you dumb.'" Bretman is still great.

Alex: *gets captured by Minotaur after failing to turn The Gorgon to stone* Bretman: "Why are the cute monsters never grabbing me?" Me: "... Wha?"

I love how whenever the group gets a note and someone reads it out, you can see Ro trying to remember it and figure it out in the background.

Ok, three riddles to open the three gates of the maze. The answer to each riddle will be an object inside the maze. This sounds cool, I love riddles! I’m not great at them but I like them.

Nikita: "Shut up and just look cute. I'm gonna save your ass."

First riddle: "I have a head a tail but no body." No body but it has a head and tail?

Ohh! It's a coin. Good thinking Nikita! And Nikita got captured!

Now we're with team Mat.

Oh so they have to find what each statue was missing and return it to said statue.

Okay, The Sorceress was helping Ro hide from The Gorgon was awesome and now I want The Sorceress and Ro to be friends!

(Photo credit to @sun-shine-lolli-pops)

Okay, back to the team Nikita.

Second riddle: "Feed me and I live. Give me a drink and I'll die." EEK! I know this one! It's fire, the answer is fire!

Nikita: "A candle. Look for something with fire." Alex: "Don't listen to her." And Alex keeps trying to convince everyone that he's not bad?

Grapes? Okay, now Bretman has used the lighter!

Okay, the second gate has been opened. One more to go!

Bretman has been captured as well.

Now it's Joey's turn! Third riddle: "When you need me you throw me away. When you are done with me you bring me back." Hmm?

Wait! On the table is an anchor! It's the anchor! It's the anchor, Joey!

Third and final gate complete! And Joey didn’t get caught.

Uh oh... Joey has to vote for himself or vote for either Nikita, Bretman or Alex and Joey will get immunity.

Back to team Mat.

Good thinking with the empty pedestals, Ro!

I love how Ro takes the high pedestal and has to, literally, climb on top of it because she's so tiny, while Mat and Colleen have the short pedestal and just have to step onto it.

Ro yelling "Team Cinnamon Roll" is everything! #TeamCinnamonRoll

Colleen: "Mat and I have to stand on the one that says, "Kiss of the jewelled lover." Matt's married and has a kid. I'm married and have a kid. So that ain't happening. So he's gonna get a big ol' kiss on the cheek."

Colleen: "Are we doing this?" Matt: "Give me a kiss, lover!" The way that Matt says that is hilarious!

Mat: "Are you the new Calliope? Are you the one who's shuffling the cards?"

Sorceress: "I'm The Sorceress."

Ro: "She's pretty cool, Matt."

Mat: "Yeah?"

Ro: "Yeah, she's really helpful."

Colleen: "Snake lady freaks me out."

Matt: "Didn't Joey say that she killed him?" That whole interaction was brilliant.

Phew, Joey voted for himself. Which makes my earlier dig about him not volunteering look stupid now.

Ro asks Alex if he wants to go in and he said yes!

WHAT? Who the heck voted for Colleen?

ASDFGHJKL! Bretman: "Miss Colleen, prove yourself, Duchess." It was Bretman!

Alex is going in too!

Alex: "What? Rosanna! I didn't know what I was saying earlier. I was just cold." Ro: "You told me to vote for you!" Anyone getting S1X06 Matt vibes here? When he said he'd do the exorcism and then tried to back out?

Oh this is an interesting challenge! The ‘guardian angels’ Mat and Nikita has to traverse the maze and find the parts of a puzzle, while Alex and Colleen have to assemble the puzzle pieces to make the Parthenon.

Nikita crawls under the legs of the Minotaur! That is gutsy!

Colleen is almost done!

NIKITA! WHAT THE FLIPPETY FLAPPITY FUCK?!?!?

I'm sorry for my language there but what the hell, Nikita?

Nikita has cheated at this challenge and the last person to cheat was Destorm and he automatically forfeited his life as punishment. I feel like Alex should lose now. (I’m not saying this because I dislike Alex, I’m saying because Nikita cheated and I think there should be a punishment.)

No! Where's Matt gone?

Thank goodness! Matt is still alive! He’s just outside the museum.

R.I.P Colleen Ballinger.

First death- stabbed to death inside of the iron ‘maiden of madness’.

Second death- “ripped to pieces” by the Minotaur.

I used to like Nikita... not anymore!

Yesesss! Kill The Gorgon! When Alex tells the Minotaur to stay in the maze, the Minotaur stomps of like a child being sent to their room.

Nikita: "I seem to be doing pretty well for my first mission as a Society Against Evil girl." Nikita: *cheats at challenge, which gets Colleen killed*

Ro: "Alex and Nikita return to the lounge. Which means Matpat and Colleen did not make it." She thinks Mat is dead and she looks so sad! Someone hug Ro! Please?!

Ro: "There's this fire that's starting inside of me that's just starting to ignite, and I'm just... I hate these monsters." #LetRoBeABadass2K19

A lamp? Does this mean that the genie/djnn looking person from the trailer is next?

"Wishes are not free." Well, that's ominous.

And that’s my reaction post for S4X06 done!

And as I thought about the end of this episode, I thought that, apart from Nikita, Rosanna is the only girl left in the group. If Nikita only stays for one more episode then Ro will definitely be the only girl left and that should guarantee that she is one of this seasons survivors! Until I thought that Colleen is seen in the pirates episode, which means she may be revived, which will probably be bad for Ro as they probably won’t have 2 female survivors (Although Ro is is the pirate episode as well). Excluding S2, The survivors are always Joey, a boy and a girl, so it’s unlikely that it would be 2 girls and Joey to win this season unless they decide to change that. But who knows?

Quick question, who do you want to win this season?

Hope you like this post! :)

Have a lovely day!

#escape the night spoilers #escape the night all stars #escape the night 4 #escape the night #etn #etn spoilers #etn season 4 #etn4 #etn all stars

[wayward-river]

Beautiful To Me

Sweet Pea x Plus!Size Reader 

AN: Requested work hope y’all like it! All mistakes are my own I do not own the gif. 

Warnings: Anxiety light Angst Panic attack implied violence

You stood staring in the mirror. You had put on your favorite outfit that hadn’t seen the light of day. The outfit that made you so happy, that made you feel good. The thing is no one had ever seen you in it except for Toni. You looked at the long sleeve tight black crop that hugged everything. Your dark washed jeans hugging tightly leaving nothing to the imagination stopping to leave a gap between the two. You took a deep breath.

“You got this it’s just the Wyrm. It’s your family, not some smartass northsiders.”

You gave yourself a smile and a thumbs up in the mirror as you grabbed your Serpent Jacket making your way to your bike and to the Wyrm.

The entire way you continued your pep talk in your head. Taking a deep breath you got off your bike and faced the doors of the Wyrm.

“Okay... let's do this.”

You pushed the doors open walking in confidently. You spotted Toni behind the bar. You smiled as she beamed at you taking in your outfit.

“You did it!” She squealed.

You laughed at her. “Yeah I promised you plus I love this outfit, it makes me feel good.” You gave her a small spin as she put a beer on the counter.

You sat down taking a few sips before excusing yourself to the bathroom.

Your breathing getting heavier with each step you take as your eyes scan the bar feeling as if all eyes were on you.

You bumped into a few of the younger serpents on your way. “Damn Y/N.” You gave a small smile walking past them. Why was everyone paying attention to you all of a sudden. You weren’t one for attention like that. You opened the bathroom door slamming it shut behind you as you leaned against it. Taking a few deep breaths and taking care of what was needed. You stepped back out coming into view of everyone again. You locked eyes with Fangs and Sweet Pea at the pool tables. The look on Sweet Peas face unreadable.

You closed your eyes and bolted out the back door.

Leaning against the old building pulling out a cigarette. Your shaky hand bringing it up to your mouth. The first inhale slightly calming you.  

You jumped slightly at the back door swinging open your anxious state not fully gone.

“I thought you quit” His voice making him known before you looked at him.

“Yeah well I needed it” Your voice giving you away as it shook.

“Y/N/N. What happened?” Sweet Pea asked as he signaled for you to give him the cigarette. You passed it to him taking a deep breath, your hand shaky. Trying to calm yourself a little bit more.

“Nothing”

“Your lying… tell me what happened”

“People were.... staring, Pea. At me.”

Sweet Pea moved so he was in front of you making you look at him.

“Why wouldn’t they look at you Y/N?” He questioned.

You scoffed. “Cause I’m not the typical person they bring around Pea.”

“Yeah cause those dumbasses like those prissy Northsiders. They couldn’t handle a girl like you.”

You laughed. “A girl like me? Yeah I wouldn’t fit nicely on the back of their bike. I wouldn’t fit into a size 2 bikini that they would want to buy.”

You looked away from Sweet Pea but he brought his hand up placing it on the side of your face.

“I’m serious Y/N/N. That shit doesn’t matter”

“Yeah whatever Pea.” You pushed away from the wall heading back inside to the bar.

You were nursing your beer when you looked up to Toni confused. “What?”

“Why does Sweet Pea look so angry?”

“He’s being a baby. We had a disagreement.”

Toni smirked. “You know you are the only person that gets him riled up like that.”

You rolled your eyes. “Sure Toni. Cause nothing else pisses off the angriest serpent in this place.”

She went to give you a smart ass remark but stopped as new recruit stepped up.

“Hi”

You turned to face him slightly. “Hey. Max right?”

He nodded taking the seat next to you. You glanced over your shoulder to the pool tables catching Sweet Pea staring the new recruit down. Choosing to ignore him you looked back at Max.

The conversation seemed to flow between you two as you couldn’t stop laughing. You were on your third beer, not that it was doing anything major to you just giving you a nice buzz.

You jumped slightly when Max’s hand landed on your thigh, to high for your liking, making you slightly uncomfortable.

“Why don’t we say we take this back to my trailer.” He gave you a small smirk. His hand moving up.

You pushed his hand away getting up quickly from your seat causing it to clatter against the floor as it fell. You ran outside ignoring the yells of Sweet Pea, Toni, and Fangs.

Your hands were on your knees as you were bent over trying to breathe, your pack of Marlboro Reds thrown in front of you out of frustration. So in your own thoughts you hadn’t noticed the back door swing open and Sweet Pea beside you.

He placed his hand on your back causing you to jump slightly.

“Y/N, it’s me.. It’s Sweet Pea.”

Your ragged breathing wouldn’t even out as you gasped for air.

Sweet Pea moved squatting down in front of you so you could see his face.

“Y/N/N look at me.”

Your eyes locked with his.

He stood back up, taking your hands gently and leaning you against the side of the building. He grabbed your hand and placed it over his beating heart.

“Y/N breathe with my heart okay?”

You gave a short nod as your eyes closed and the tears fell down your face.

Sweet Pea stared at you. You were so beautiful and if he wasn’t so afraid of your reaction he would have made you his  a long time ago.

He brought his hands up cupping your face wiping the stray tears away with his thumb.

Your breathing evening out. “There you go, just breathe Y/N/N”

Your eyes stayed shut but your breathing was back to normal. Your arm moved as Sweet Pea stepped closer to you.

“Pea?” You opened your eyes just in time to see Sweet Pea lean in and press his lips against yours. You stood shocked Sweet Pea was kissing you. It ended as quick as it started Sweet Pea pulled away quickly.

“Y/N, I, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you I don’t know what I’m doing but you are just so beautiful and I just got caught up in you. Please don’t hit me.”

You chuckled. “I’m not going to hit you Sweets. I just can’t comprehend... why.”

Sweet Pea bent down picking up your reds and handing them to you.

“Because I’ve been wanting to do it for awhile and my mind just kind of went fuck it.”

Your hands grabbed a handful of his shirt pulling him back to you. Your lips inches away from each other.

“You didn’t even give me the time to kiss you back” You whispered before you pressed your lips back to his. His arms snaked around you pulling you as close to him as you could possibly be. You pulled away breathless looking down.

“Damn.”

“Damn is right, I could do that for the rest of my life.” He pecked your lips softly.

“I wouldn’t mind it.” You smirked at him as he grabbed your hand intertwining your fingers as you both headed back into the Wyrm.

Your eyes went wide as you watched Fangs hand Max an ice pack.

“Did you…” You trailed off looking up to the tall serpent.

“Hell yeah I did, he deserved a lot worse for sending you into an attack.” He proudly stated.

Toni shook her head. “See I told you. You are the only one to get him all riled up.”

#sweet pea x reader #sweet pea x you #sweet pea x plus!size reader #sweet pea imagine #sweet pea imagines #riverdale imagine #riverdale x reader #riverdale reader insert #riverdale x you #riverdale imagines

[kiara-carrera]

2 for sweetbrooke

moving around while kissing, stumbling over things, pushing each other back against the wall/onto the bed 

send me a kiss prompt!

There was something about him that just drove her crazy. He sent chills up her spine and thrills down her core. He could make her blush with just one specific look, could make her feel alive in ways that she had never known to be possible. He made her feel giggly and ecstatic and despite the months they’ve been together, Brooke Holliday could not for the life of her pin down what it is about him that makes her feel this way.

She tended not to dwell on it long enough to figure it out, but he’d always made it hard to focus. Take tonight, for example. She’d minded her business long enough at one of La Bonne Nuit’s corner tables, dressed to the nines in something she’d borrowed from Betty’s closet. He’d been lounged against the bar since they had gotten there, disappearing into the crowd once he noticed his friends. She hadn’t minded, getting one of the new mock-tails that Veronica had gotten Reggie to concoct, wishing desperately that there was even a drop of alcohol once her friends had started coupling up at the table around her. Just something to take the edge off, make her feel light and airy, get warmth running through her veins.

Turns out, she didn’t need Reggie to spike her drink after all.

Over the rim of her glass, turning her head so she wasn’t inclined to roll her eyes (again) at Jughead making some obscure literary reference (again), she’d locked eyes with him. She wasn’t sure how long Sweet Pea had been drowning Fangs out and staring at her from across the speakeasy, but that didn’t matter. All the mattered was the way that he was looking at her had caused her bottom lip to drop slightly and her breath to catch in her throat. She was pretty sure she had gulped. There it was, the warmth in her veins she’d been hoping for. His own mouth had quirked up at the corner, clearly liking the reaction he’d pulled from her. His eyes had flitted meaningfully to the stairs that led up to the diner.

That was all it had taken for her to down the rest of her drink and push up out of her chair.

The ride back to his trailer was quick, his proclivity for speed nearly knocking the breath from her lungs. From there, it had been a solid couple of seconds to get off of his bike before he’d been on her.

His arms circled her waist tightly, bringing her into him with a rushed fervor, lips pressing against hers eagerly. With her heels, she didn’t need to push up to meet him, at a perfect height to meet his kiss. A giggle got lost in her as they melted together, just a mess of hands and tongues and teeth. He began stepping backwards, more than likely in the direction of his trailer, clearly hoping for an activity that wasn’t meant for outside, no matter if his trailer sat on the edge of Tent City or not. The awkward movements they made towards the door and her heels caused her to stumble slightly, ankle going out slightly to the side. He moved with her through it, taking a few steps back as she continued to stumble. She managed to right herself quickly, her actions only pressing her in closer to him, if that was even physically possible.

She could feel a chuckle vibrate in his chest and she could begin to hear it fully once his lips detached from hers. Sweet Pea pulled back slightly, giving her a grin. “You trying to break an ankle there, princess?”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “Fuck off,” she murmured playfully. 

Giving him a grin dripping in mischief, she snaked one of her hands down from around his neck to the front pocket of his jeans. Darting her hand inside, she watched as his eyes widened ever so slightly as she fished out the keys to his trailer. His tongue darted out, licking his lip as she retrieved them. Before he could kiss her again, she pulled herself from his grip, dangling the keys from her fingers. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she moved past him with a giggle, finding her way to the door. A moment later, she was disappearing inside, leaving him to follow after the subtle swing of her hips.

Brooke hadn’t even been inside for two seconds, barely able to set the keys down on the nearest surface before Sweet Pea had come through the door and shut it behind him. Brooke found herself pressed back against the wall right beside the door then, Sweet Pea looming in front of her. She yelped in surprise as he pressed her back into it, both of his arms on either side of her, caging her in. It didn’t bother her in the slightest, knowing he’d step back the literal second she voiced wanting to stop. She didn’t want to stop, anyways.

Her arms went up, coiling around his neck. One hand played with the hair at the nape of his neck for a few seconds, before she was tugging him into her. Their lips met again, easily coming together in the dim light shining through the window. Kissing Pea was as easy as breathing, maybe even easier than that. It was natural, comfortable, something that could drive her crazy in the blink of an eye. His kiss was a little rougher this time around, her back flush against the wall as his hands roamed the subtle curve of her hips. A slight moan escaped her then, fully swallowed by their kiss. 

But his grin against her lips told her that he heard it. He tugged her backwards then, away from the wall, towards the direction his bed was in. They were a few steps in before her shoe caught on something and she stumbled again.

It broke their kiss easily and she let out a burst of laughter as she steadied herself against him. His lips curled into an amused expression as he shook his head at her.

“Okay, that’s it,” he told her.

Brooke didn’t have a second to ask what he meant by that before he was bending slightly and catching the back of her thighs in his hands. She reacted instantly, her legs going up and around his waist as he pulled her upwards, ankles locking behind his back easily. 

Tightening her arms around his neck as his hands drifted slightly upwards from her thighs, she smiled softly at him. “What, am I not allowed to walk on my own now?”

“Not if you keep falling,” he replied, before pressing his lips back to hers. Seconds passed before the the feverish kiss began sparking up again. 

There was something about him that just drove her crazy. Brooke knew this as well as she knew the sky was blue. He sent chills up her spine and thrills down her core. He continued to do this as he carried her across the trailer, gently dropping her down onto his bed. He did this as he murmured to her softly as he climbed on the bed over her, pressing kisses along her jaw. He made her feel giggly and ecstatic and despite the months they’ve been together, Brooke Holliday could not for the life of her pin down what it is about him that makes her feel this way.

What she could pin down was that she definitely was still falling even as he had placed her on the bed. It just wasn’t a physical falling she was doing this time around.

#asks #kiss prompts #sweetbrooke #otp: a princess and a serpent #joey tag

[ill-skillsgard]

Dirty Demons, Part 4 - Axel Cluney/Zeitgeist

Title: Dirty Demons

Description: It's nice to have a companion on the road to total self-destruction - a continuation of Sweet Demons

Warning: 18+ for sex/language/violence/drugs/kinks of all sorts etc.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

A sharp gasp left my throat when I felt the pad of Axel's thumb press against the opening that he wasn't already stuffing his cock into. He had woken me up ten minutes earlier with two fingers on my clit and his lips at my neck, whispering for me to wake up because he wanted to play. In my tired state, I rolled away from him but he pulled me back and slipped his middle finger inside of me, jolting the sleepiness right out of me. "Axe," I grumbled. "Angel," he mirrored my tone. "What are you doing?" "I need inside of you. Please?" I only replied with another grumble so he pressed his hardness against me and seethed like a salted wound, purring against my neck in that nymphomaniacal way that I was slowly beginning to accept as an integral part of what made Axel, Axel. "Is this how I'm going to wake up every morning? With your cock and fingers halfway inside of me?" "Please, Momma. Your little boy is so hard for you. Been thinking about that pussy since the moment I woke up. Mmm, want inside so bad." "Oh my god," I whispered, feeling the desirous effect of his words prickling all over my body. "Yeah?" He undulated his finger inside of me strategically until I had no choice but to part my legs. "Oh, I can feel just how wet Mommy's sweet pussy is for me. It's getting all over my fingers. So fucking creamy and warm." "Axel," I groaned again. "Get on me, baby. Ride my fucking cock. I've been a good boy. Please?" "I don't think you've been very good at all," I pointed out, chuckling softly as my eyes adjusted to the sunlight coming through the water-spotted windows. "Mm-hmm. Okay, yeah, I've been real bad. Really, really bad. I think you should punish me. Make me hurt," his whispers in my ear grew desperate and I couldn't deny that every indecent word that left his mouth served to arouse me more. I don't know what it was about him that got off so much on being objectified, but once he had me climbing on top of him to ride his cock, I could see the pleasure already burning deep inside of him. His laggard eyes lit up when I mounted him and he rose up on his elbows as he bucked his hips upward, causing me to teeter for a moment until I stilled myself with my palms on his tattooed chest. Axel gripped my right wrist and replaced my hand from his pectoral muscle to his throat. "Come on, Mommy. Fuck me up. Fucking choke me out while you work my nasty cock. Please... I deserve it." The more Axel begged, the more inclined I was to give him what he wanted. It delighted me that he could go from King Asshole to needing to be reduced to nothing but a pole for me to bounce on. I almost forgot how deep and never-ending his sexual appetite was and the days he wanted to feel small and humiliated were nearly equal to the ones that he wanted to feel powerful and dominating. I loved that about him. On the surface, he looked a one-dimensional character to most, but I knew better. Axel had many facets to him, some unpolished and rougher than others but those were the sides that I liked to uncover. There was a soft ore inside of him that nobody else was able to unearth; a nugget of vulnerability that spoke of a need to be loved, accepted and guided. Axel was more than just a danger, more than a simple outlaw. He was also a boy that had slipped through the fingers of society and missed the opportunity to be cherished and nurtured. I think that's why I adored him so. Despite his coarseness, he was only a human reaching out for acceptance. But he was also perverted and completely insatiable when it came to his sexual desires and when he tried to prod me from behind I gasped and turned back to see that evil smirk adorning his face. He snatched his hand away as though he had just been caught stealing cookies and instigated my reaction by smiling precariously. "What? Mommy doesn't like when I touch her pretty little asshole?" "Keep your dirty boy hands where I can see them," I growled. Axel sat up and pulled air through his teeth as his arms wrapped around me,  hands cupping and squeezing my breasts. "Let me. Please, Mommy? Wanna touch. Wanna fill every fucking hole you have." His hand then wrapped neatly around my throat, regaining his dominance as he continued to fuck me from behind. "God, I want to fuck that ass," he flared, breath hot on my shoulder. "You're bad," I breathed. He rocked his hips up harshly for a few strokes. "I know. I know I'm bad. I'm so. Fucking. Disgusting." I fell forward onto my hands and made him watch as his wet cock pulled out of me. Crawling away, I let him watch me from behind and when I got up to stand at the edge of the bed, I could see the look of pure lust and wonderment on his face. "What are you gonna do to me, Momma?" He begged my answer. "Come here, naughty boy," I pointed at the edge of the bed until he got up and crawled toward it. Even as he knelt in front of me on the bed, we were at equal height and it was difficult to conjure up the confidence it took to degrade him when he could so easily pin me down and do what he wanted with me. With a lick of his lips, he shimmied as close to the edge as possible, nipped at my bottom lip and snaked his arms around me to constrict me from going anywhere. His strength was unbeatable and when he pried and tried to spread me apart again I tried to push away from him, earning a low growl from the inside of him that sounded like a kettle just beginning to boil. Sometimes I forgot what he was capable of doing and at that moment, I forgot about fucking him and let the memories of a past Axel surface. Even as he kissed me, I felt the distraction pull me out of the moment. He had come close to killing Braun when we had first met, back when I had no idea the affliction that laid dormant inside of him. I couldn't help but think that at any moment, he could do the same to me. "Fine, fine," he murmured when my hips retracted. "I'll stay away for now. But, one day." "One day?" "I'm going to need an all-access pass," he wiggled his eyebrows. With a light slap on the chest, I attempted to dash his hopes of ever being able to penetrate me anally. He giggled mischievously and resumed kissing me, forgetting about his request in favour of dropping his attention to my tits which he scooped up and fondled before closing his lips around one nipple and then the other. His cock still hung between us and I could feel the precum dabbing me when I came up close. Axel pulled his lips from my nipple and stared down at his neglection. When he sat back again, his hand travelled down to encircle his shaft, giving himself a few pumps to restore himself to full solidity. In the morning light, his pale body looked appetizing and I couldn't withhold my hunger. We gorged ourselves on each other, kissing, licking, biting and moaning as we took turns wrestling for dominance. Axel made me slap him across the face a few times and each blow that landed, I felt his dick twitch inside of me and revelled in the purrs that escaped his mouth. But neither of us were destined to reach a climax that morning. The hour that we spent fucking each other ruthlessly was wasted after Axel started taking me from behind again. As he pulled back to spank me, I winced in anticipation of the clout that never came. "What the fuck! Hey!" He yelled. He pulled out of me abruptly and stomped over to the window, ducking down to peer through it while covering himself with one hand. The trailer swayed with the motion and I was left confused for a moment until I realized what had torn Axel's attention away. "What? What's wrong?" I asked. "Some motherfucker was out there in the bushes!" I scrambled to cover myself with the wool blanket that had eschewed itself from the corners of the bed. Axel's severe gait made the entire trailer rock back and forth as he rushed out, fully naked and uncaring in preparation to catch whoever had been trying to get himself a free show but by the time Axel made it outside, the peeper had taken off running. I didn't witness a second of what had happened but I felt the sickly rush of embarrassment nonetheless. All I could see from the glass slats of the trailer window was Axel and his bare ass yelling after the person he had claimed had just been poking in from the overgrown bushes that fenced in the tiny mobile home. My underwear was nowhere to be found so I had to wiggle into my jeans, throw on my top with no bra on and follow outside to cull Axel back indoors before the residents of the park saw him cursing and screaming with no clothes on. The last thing we needed was for the cops to be called on us for disturbing the peace and squatting in an unused trailer in the middle of a country town nobody had ever heard of. "Axel! Get inside!" I hissed. He pointed down the winding dirt road and laughed. "Son of a bitch took off that way." "Did you get a good look at him?" "No, but I bet the cocksucker got a good look at us. You hear me, motherfucker!?" Axel bellowed. "I'll cut your fucking dick off!" "Shut up!" I pulled at his elbow. Axel reefed his arm away from me and turned to go back inside on his own accord. Fuming and still impervious about his nudity, he inspected our bikes to make sure nothing had been tampered with.  I looked around to see if anyone's attention had been roused and saw an old man peering from the screen door of a neighbouring trailer. When we made eye contact, he quickly withdrew back into his own quarters, probably in fear of lassoing the anger of the tall, tattooed menace storming around butt-naked. "Axe, get the fuck inside and put some clothes on, goddamnit. There are people around!" "I don't give a fuck!" Axel threw his arms up in the air, forgetting about shielding his crotch in favour of proving a point. Twinging with mutual embarrassment since Axel apparently had none to show, I pushed him to the door until he gave up and went back inside, allowing the screen door to slam shut behind him. I remained outside covering my mouth with my hand to stop myself from laughing until he returned with pants on. "Swear to God if I ever see that sorry son of a bitch again I'll wreck his fucking face," his volume had lowered but the bite behind his words remained. "What did you expect? The whole park probably heard us rocking in there. Of course, some hick motherfuckers are going to come to investigate." Axel tried not to let his smile become apparent but when he looked at me and saw that I was playfully blase about the situation, he relaxed and let out a chuckle. "Yeah, you probably like the attention, don'tcha? Little perve," he reached out to tickle my ribs. "So what do we do now?" I watched Axel put his hands on his jutting hips, survey the surrounding area and then let his eyes fall back to me. "I'm fucking starving and I haven't busted a nut yet. You and I have to take care of that. Preferably not in that order." "Wow. At your service, I guess, your majesty," I scoffed. He delighted in hearing me refer to him like royalty and chased me back inside the trailer to finish where we had left off. ~*~ There was no water in the little ramshackle trailer that Greg had allowed us to spend the night in. Axel inspected the closet-sized bathroom and quickly deduced that even if there was running water, he would have to bend so far at the knees to fit inside that he would still get sprayed directly in the face by the rusty shower-head. Not to mention the toilet that stood two feet away looked like it had received a decade's worth of bowel movements without ever having seen the bristles of a scrub brush. When I peered in and saw Axel with his head tilted to the side to accommodate his height, I giggled and suggested we look elsewhere for somewhere to clean up. Luckily there was a pool and showers located in the centre of Lovesick Park that we made use of. I opted to shower alone so I could actually get cleaned up instead of having to constantly fight off Axel's wandering hands. We both emerged with damp hair and the same clothes on that we had been wearing for the last few days. I sniffed at my armpits and scowled when I was hit with the same odour that had been following me since he had lovingly broken into my room at the Four Thousand's clubhouse. "We really need to find a laundromat or something," I motioned to the perpetual pit-stains of my shirt. Axel gazed down at his own shirt and shrugged. "I'm good." "Your shirt might as well be an apron," I rolled my eyes. "The less material, the less surface area to get dirty." Lovesick Park was more alive during the day and we were able to get a better sense of the place in the daylight. Just down the dirt road from the pool was the pavilion where we had met Greg. The smell of hot grease made our stomachs growl so we ordered enough food to fill us up for the day as we couldn't be sure when the next time food would be made available to us. "What do you suggest we do now? So far I've only seen families, kids and retirees. No sign of your mom. Then again, even if I did see her, I probably wouldn't know it since I haven't even seen a picture of her." There was one photo that I had in my phone of my mother. Rather, it was a photo of a photo that had been on the mantle at home. I snapped a shot of it before stashing the picture frame away in one of the many boxes of my father's things that I didn't want to see anymore. I grudgingly took out my phone and showed Axel the picture. He took the phone from me so he could squint at the photo. A smile unfurled over his smug face and he passed the phone back to me. "That's a fucking picture of you, idiot." "Nope. That's my mom." "Let me see that again!" He snatched the phone back and took a second look. "That looks exactly like you! Okay... I can see the eighties hair is a little different but... Shit." I scoffed at him through a mouthful of food. "So just look for a woman that looks like me." "I think I found me a new mommy," Axel wiggled his eyebrows. "Good. Maybe when we find her you can stay. She has a habit of jumping from guy to guy. I'm sure she would love the idea of taking her own daughter's man." "Pft!" Axel spit. "You think it's going to be that easy to get rid of me? We're getting married." "No, we're not. Marriage is fucking stupid and so are you." "You just stole the opening line of my vows," he nudged my foot under the wooden picnic bench. Try as I might bite back my smile, the way he stared at me knowingly was enough to break down my barriers. I wondered how many more times he would allow me to turn him down before he went crazy. The man sitting adjacent to me was less the man of my dreams and more like a nightmare come to life but I had never felt so vitalized before in my life with him there. if I was being honest with myself, I liked to say no to him only because I never wanted to stop hearing him ask. We scarfed down our food and decided to walk the perimeter of the park to see if we could turn up anything. From the outside, Lovesick Park looked small and self-contained but as we wandered further and further into the depths, we noticed that a good portion of the park was shrouded in a forest. We came upon a small walking bridge made of rickety wood slats that arced over a shallow stream that birds used to bathe in. The stream ran east around a bend, picking up speed and volume as it was joined by other streams until it rushed all at once into a river. There were a few fisherman wading into the water with their olive green boots and rods held up out of the water. Only a few of them pried their eyes away from their leisure to scope the two uncustomary strangers observing them. Axel nodded casually at them as he grasped my hand and pulled me in the direction of a veering trail that opened up to a meadow of long grass. "I think we've gone too far," I pointed out as a crowd of sparrows burst out of a shrub and took to the sky. "Nah, there's still a trail. Let's see where it goes," Axel insisted. The trail narrowed and weaved back into the forest and came out the other side at the opposite end of the park. When I saw more rows of trailers, I kept my eyes open for any sign that could even hint at the whereabouts of my mother. After a couple hours of walking around, everything started to bleed together and each trailer looked the same as the last. Some were closed off, boarded up and locked and others had been well-maintained throughout the years. We neared the end of another road and I was starting to grow weary of searching for seemingly nothing at all. "This is fucking ridiculous. I'm never going to find this bitch," I mumbled. Axel nodded toward something behind me and when I whirled around I saw what he was drawing my attention to. There was a powder blue trailer affixed to a wide deck that was devoid of any lawn furniture and beside it was a small carport housing a couple of old motorcycles. "Think that guy might have any ideas?" Axel asked. "It's a stretch but... I guess it's worth a try." My hesitation was noted by Axel so he rested his flattened palm against my back and gave me a gentle push up the steps toward the door of the trailer. It looked like the door had been cracked open with a crowbar a couple of times but I knocked anyway, stepping way back to allow room for it to swing open. We stood patiently for a minute before Axel shrugged and knocked again for me. "I guess no one's home," I concluded. Axel pointed at the rustling window covers. "Nope. Someone's in there. Maybe they just don't wanna come out to play." I elbowed him to shut up when the door finally opened a crack. A strong smell of cigarettes poured out of the inch-wide opening and I could hardly see the person standing at the door. "What do you want?" A man's gruff voice asked us. I swallowed, breathed in deeply and prepared myself to recite the same speech to the man that I had been repeating for the last few weeks. Every time I posed the question, it sounded more and more pathetic and I swore, as the words left my mouth, it would be the last time I would ask somebody to point me in the direction of my mother. If this was the last breadcrumb of the trail then I would turn around and head back to the port and my father's garage where I belonged. "I'm looking for Darlene Lockley. She's my mom. She looks like me... Rides a motorcycle." "Uh-huh," he grumbled before erupting into a coughing fit. "Um... I was pointed in this direction by the President of the D4T." "I look like a biker to ya?" "Well... I figured I would ask because I saw the bikes in your port." "We're not going to bite there, compadre. You can open up the door," Axel remarked. "Shut up," I hissed, driving my elbow into his side again. "Don't much like your attitude, son. Don't much like the way you two be lookin' either. I smell trouble comin' off ya." "Please! Just ignore him. I'm only looking for my mom. I don't want anything else. It's just... I've been riding a long, long time looking for her and Roy said that she was last seen here." "Roy?" "The President... Of the Dirty Four Thousand Motorcycle Club." "I don't associate with outlaw clubs." "Neither do we! We're not even from a club," I claimed. "You got patches though," he pointed out, choosing to remain hidden behind the door of his trailer. "They're really just for show... I'm from the Port. My dad was a founder of the Sweet Demons." The man let out a dry snort from his nose and cigarette smoke leaked from the crack of the door and caused my eyes to dry out. "More outlaws." "The Demons haven't been associated with crime for a long time," I explained. "Come on, man! Either you've seen her or you haven't. Why do you have to dick us around?" "Axel shut the fuck up!" The door opened with a leaden whine and the smell of smoke mixed with the odor of a man that looked like he hadn't bathed in ages. Swollen, red and purple feet were shoved into stained slippers and if his toenails were anything like his fingernails, they would have been thick as callouses and so yellow they were almost brown. The man had a severe beer gut that looked like he was smuggling a globe beneath his oil-stained t-shirt. He had a crown of scraggly brown hair that wrapped around his pate and a bushy beard that acted as an ash-catcher for his cigarettes. Axel took a step back and covered the lower half of his face in the crook of his arm. "If you want information about Dar-Dar, you're gonna to have to do me a favour first. So I know I can trust ya." "Christ Almighty," Axel muffled his disgust. "You know her?" I asked, disregarding Axel's reaction though I was feeling similarly the longer the stale air of the man's trailer seeped out. "I know of her. Spicy little rocket, kinda like you only... Meaner." "Sounds like her," I said with distaste. "You're going to have to go out and buy me a carton of smokes. And groceries." Axel scoffed loudly, "does it look like we have money to burn?" "I'll give you the dough but you have to make the run. The girl stays here." We both grimaced at each other until I relented with a heavy sigh. "Just go, Axe." "She'll be fine. I'm harmless. Can't do much anyway what with my diabetes." Axel threw up his hands. "Well, you're going to have to write me a list there, chief! I don't know what kind of food you eat! Cheese puffs? Fruit loops? Fuck." The man cracked his first smirk at Axel's frustration. "I'll get ya a list. Wait here." The trailer door shut and as soon as the man waddled away from the entrance Axel turned to me with a look of concern heavy on his brow. "I don't really want to leave you here with this stinky motherfucker! Do you really need to find your mom that bad? I don't know where the nearest fucking store is. What if he... I don't know... Tries to touch you or something?" I found his apprehension to be oddly charming and I traced a finger down his chest. "Aw, you're afraid! Axel... I've never seen you scared before." "I'm not fucking scared. We just don't know this guy. We have to be careful." "Don't worry about it. The guy can hardly breathe, let alone walk. What makes you think I can't hold my own against him?" Axel bit his lip for a moment. "When we get home... We're getting you a gun." Laughter burst forth from my throat as the trailer door opened again, revealing our new diabetic friend that had promised us the answers I had been searching for. He held out a piece of note paper and Axel snatched it to scan the list after thoroughly rolling his eyes and making his disdain obvious. "Milk, pop tarts, waffles, pancake mix, eggs... Backin?" "Bacon. Maple if they got it," he waved a few twenty dollar bills for Axel to take. "And a carton of Paul Slims." "You sure you want all this? How about some vegetables? You look like you could use a salad." "Let me fucking die in peace, will ya? Go get that stuff for me and then I'll tell ya what I know." Before Axel turned to leave he had one more question to pose. "Suppose we hadn't shown up? Who would you have to go get these things for you?" "I'd just call a delivery service. You can get anything delivered nowadays." He tapped his head and pointed at the man standing above us on the step of his trailer. "Good thinking, compadre. I guess I'll be back soon." "Take your time." "Yeah, yeah. Don't get any funny ideas about my lady here. I'm trusting you with her." "I'll be fine, Axe. Just go. Come back quick." I watched as he turned on the heel of his boot to start off in the direction of the smaller trailer we had spent the night in. Axel looked back once, shook his head and continued on. I smiled at him until I turned back around and saw that the door was being held open for me. "Oh... I'm fine out here," I quickly excused. He grunted in disagreement and pushed the screen door open further. The look of the inside of his trailer more than matched his overall appearance and that's what I was afraid of. The smell was so strong that I could feel the back of my throat start to water. It was a nauseating scent of decay and filth and when I figured he wouldn't be taking no for an answer, I held my breath and ducked inside. There was a lamp on casting a dull bit of light in an otherwise murky trailer that hadn't known the care of a mop or a duster in a long time. The state of the place made me miss the rickety little trailer that we had stayed in. The stench of cigarettes was embedded into every fiber of every piece of furniture that he had and the walls appeared to be dripping with dark brown nicotine stains. On the wall, there was a framed picture of Elvis that had washed out so much it became only a sepia outline of the King crooning on stage in Las Vegas. "You must be Angel then," he said after he had settled into a reclining chair pocked with cigarette burns. "So you know a lot about my parents?" "Hard not to notice a woman pulling in on a bike the size of hers." I chewed my cheek as I stood in the midst of his dwelling. My temples began to throb from the clashing smells of body odor and overflowing ashtrays. "I didn't, uh... Catch your name." "Name's Theo." "Nice to meet you, Theo." "Likewise. Smoke?" I had been craving a cigarette until I stepped into his trailer so I shook my head in polite declination. The thought of adding to the shroud of smoke I was in made my stomach turn. "I'm fine." "You oughta have a seat while we wait for your boyfriend to come back," Theo pointed to a booth-style sitting area complete with a table across from him as he lit a cigarette in the flame of a silver butane lighter. The table reminded me of a 50's style diner with his gold-flecked enamel and sea-foam green upholstery Not wanting to appear rude, I took a seat and looked up at the small tube TV that was playing a soap opera by the looks of it. The screen was distorted with snow and the audio crackled every once in a while, making it nearly impossible to tell what the actors looked like. Growing bored of that quickly, I resorted to just looking at my own boots while Theo puffed away on his cigarette. "Haven't seen Darlene in quite some time," Theo spoke up between shallows puffs. "Oh yeah? Same here," I chuckled. "That's actually why I'm looking for her. I haven't seen her since I was twelve." "Certainly ain't twelve anymore, huh?" "Certainly not," I squirmed. "Good thing you brought your boyfriend along," Theo remarked ominously. "What makes you say that?" I was unsure if I even wanted to hear his response. "Could be dangerous lookin' for somebody that don't wanna be found." I shrugged. "I guess so. I don't know much about her." "Imagine there's a lot you two need to talk about, what with your old man passin'." "Yeah," I frowned. I didn't much want to talk about my father with anybody. The memory of my dad was still freshly cut and the wound had yet to scab over since every time I seemed to forget about him, someone tore off the membrane by mentioning his death. Theo must have noticed my sour expression because he sighed and stubbed out his cigarette dejectedly. "Sorry to hear that, kid. You know... He was known far and wide. I'm sure people will still be talkin' about him for a long time. "Wel,l I wish they wouldn't." "My apologies." "It's fine. I just... Hate reliving it. We were close." "I imagine so. Imagine he'd be keepin' you quite close considerin' you look just like your ma." "Guess so," I dismissed. It was a challenge not to stare at the filth that Theo surrounded himself in and even harder not to gawk at his nebulous legs bulging with blood and veins. Our conversation was dry after he had brought up my father but as soon as I heard a motorcycle in the distance, my attention perked. Theo looked down at his wristwatch and grunted. "'Bout damn time." There was no sweeter sound than the chugging of the Widowmaker pulling up to the trailer. I was desperate for fresh air and when Axel opened the door and let in a little bit of sunlight, I smiled at him. "Both of you look too damn happy to see me," he laughed. Axel carried in two plastic grocery bags and set them down on the table in front of me. With a sigh, he rested his hand on his hips and looked around expectantly. "Well?" Axel pressed "Are you going to tell us where Darlene is or what? I brought you your stuff while you held my woman hostage so come on now. Out with it!" "You know... Darlene runs with a couple real questionable folks. I'd be careful around them if she still keeps the same company." "I think we've handled our fair share of questionable folks, wouldn't you say, Angel?" With a roll of my eyes, I replied, "just my entire damn life." "You two seem like all right kids. I wouldn't want you gettin' hurt, is all I'm sayin'." "Theo, I appreciate the concern," I nudged him toward the point. "Last I heard your ma had a cottage up on Ashby Lake. Real small town. She showed me a picture last she was down. Looked like her property was right on the lake." "You wouldn't happen to have an address?" I asked. "Not exactly. But there are about a dozen and a half cottages around the lake. You go door-to-door and I bet you'd be able to find her real easy." Axel nodded and then turned to me. "All right! Well, there you go. Ashby Lake. Where the hell is that?" "'Bout two hours North of here." "We can make it by the end of the day if we go now," I told Axel even though he already knew it. "Stay safe out there, kids." ~*~ The closer we rode to the lake, the more my heart began to stammer. Wave after wave of anxiety began to hit me and as we slowed to eighty miles an hour, the vibration of my bike beneath me started to make me feel nauseous. It was only after I increased my speed and flew around a bend in the road that the frequency stopped rumbling my entire body. Axel threw up his hand as if to ask me what the hell I was doing going twenty over the limit but I just couldn't stomach the chugging of my bike. The roof of my mouth began to water and I was overcome with the urge to vomit. I had to pull over or risk throwing up in my helmet. A long stretch of road flanked by nothing but trees was all that I could see for miles and I wasn't certain I would be able to clear it before bile rose to the top of my throat. It took Axel a couple of minutes to pull up after I had veered off the road and parked my bike so I could rip off my helmet and try to still my erratic breathing. His wheels kicked up rocks as he slowed to a full stop and turned off the engine before dropping the heel of his boot against the kickstand. "You okay?" His voice was muffled by the bandanna he had wrapped around the lower half of his face. I bent at the hips and supported myself with my hands on my knees and tried to let the regurgitation happen. Soon I felt a hand on my back and I groaned as I stared at the ground and began to dry heave. "Angel... Jesus. What's wrong?" He asked after I had retched a few times and brought up nothing but acrid spit. "I feel sick!" I yelled. He snatched his hand away and took a couple of steps back to give me the space I needed. My head began to swim and dizziness accompanied my discomfort until I sat down and tried to take in more air. With my head hanging between my legs, I heard the crunching of gravel beneath his boots as he walked away and came back to tap me on the shoulder. An unopened bottle of water was held out for me and I accepted it with a minimal nod. "Are you all right, babe?" My breathing shuddered involuntarily. It settled in that I was having an anxiety attack and the more I thought about it the worse it got. "God, Axe, I don't want to fucking do this anymore. I don't want to see her. This is all so pointless." "What are you talking about? You came all this way. We're almost there! We have a few miles to go." "I know! And now it seems like the biggest waste of time. I should have just stayed in the Port and continued to forget about her. Now it all seems so... Absurd. What am I going to do? Ask her why she didn't show up to my dad's funeral like I expect any good answer? The bitch doesn't want to be found... So why am I looking for her?" Axel crossed one boot over the other and sat down beside me in the dirt. "Because... You have unfinished business. You have questions that need to be answered and if I know you at all... You're not one to just let those questions fester. You need this. You need the closure. It's the only thing that's going to help you get over your dad's passing." I was silenced after what he had said and when he put his arm around my shoulder I laid my head on his and closed my eyes. The gentle wind carried the smell of pine trees to my nostrils and I sucked it in until the queasiness dissipated. Axel was right and I was surprised that the words of comfort he offered actually worked to calm my nerves. He pressed a kiss to my temple and rubbed my back. "I'm right here with you, Angel. I've got nowhere else to be... There's nothing else on this planet for me except for you. I know it's hard to face your demons but... Fuck. You of all people can handle this. And I'll be right here behind you. Ride or die, baby." A smirk cracked over my face and I leaned into him a little more so he could wrap his other arm around me in a tight embrace. Our leather chirred together while he rested his forehead against mine. "You can do this," Axel whispered. "You're better than her. You don't fucking give up." "Okay," I rasped. "Let's go find her, say the things that need to be said, get back on our bikes, go home and get fuckin' married."

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