#V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

Fortunately, neither of them had to wait long-June and Wilhelm, unable to sleep on account of their son's absence, had been sitting up wide awake in the living room, and were thus able to run to the door when they heard Emily's call. June threw open the door, and Randall, in an effort to stand on his own two feet, moved to collapse against her, mumbling, "Ma...Emily...saved me..."

"What?"

"She didn't...hurt me..." he continued, voice strained as he spoke-even through the haze of pain hanging over him, he wanted to make it as clear as possible that Emily saved his life. "Got mugged...she saved me..."

"Shh, shh, don't speak," she soothed, her expression uncertain as she looked between her badly battered son and the vampire standing on the front porch. She wasn't sure what to say, but for now, she settled for bringing Randall inside, asking Wilhelm to bring her the first aid kit, something he rushed to do, sparing an equally uncertain look towards Emily as he hurried upstairs.

Once he'd had a chance to lie down and recover, letting his mother tend to his wounds, Randall was able to explain the full story of what had transpired that evening-how Emily had coming seemingly out of nowhere to rescue him, opting not to drain his attackers, but instead give them a good scare before rushing him home.

"And she didn't...bite you...?" Wilhelm asked, keeping his voice low as Randall took a deep drink from his water glass, saying, "No, Pa, she didn't." She had every opportunity to do so, but she didn't. He hoped that would be enough to change their minds about her, as he ventured to ask:

"Can you...can you please bring her in?"

At this request, his parents exchanged a nervous look-should they? Would she turn vengeful as soon as she crossed that threshold? The look in their son's eyes said no... ...but that was a painful concept in itself, as it meant that they had been wrong about her all this time...

Swallowing back their worries, June gave her husband a curt little nod, and so, with some hesitance, some lingering uncertainty, Wilhelm slowly opened the front door, letting Emily into their home once more.

#((yeah 'child's play 3' is defidently one of the weakest entries in the series!)) #((brad dourif is still great as chucky; he's doing what he can with the material; but it was just too soon)) #((after 'child's play 2'; there just wasn't enough time for the script to really have a chance to properly bake)) #((and the film didn't have enough room to breathe! it's no wonder that the series took a long hiatus)) #((only to come back strong with 'bride of chucky'; fortunately!)) #((i defidently encourage you to check out the films in full when you get a chance! the first film and 'bride' are my favorites)) #((and i hope you enjoy them!)) #((and i think they'll defidently feel guilty-they kept the two of them apart)) #((and had they not; this may not have happened! it's really such a blessing emily's been watching over randall in bat form)) #((and was able to swoop in and save him and get him home!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"Uh, lass? Halloween isn't for a good few more months-it's a little early for practical jokes like that!"

"It's not a joke, Pa," Randall sighed heavily-he should've anticipated this, in a way; that if they didn't immediately become alarmed over this revelation, that they wouldn't believe them, and instead think this was some sort of big joke. But that wasn't it-far from it, and he tried to hammer this in as he insisted, "Emily is telling the truth!"

"Randall..." June asked, tone wary and expression full of concern-it wasn't like her son to try and pull their leg like this, but surely, that had to be what it was, right? Surely he didn't really think they'd believe him when he said his girlfriend was a vampire?

And surely...he didn't really believe that himself, did he?

Sighing heavily, Randall looked around for a way to prove it, before gesturing to the mirror hanging on the wall by the front door; a little something for the Pace's to look into, make sure they looked nice before they headed off to work. Pointing it out, he sighed heavily, "Look, if you want proof...look into the mirror. You'll see me on the couch, but...you won't see her."

His parents exchanged concerned looks at this, and Randall sighed again, saying, "I know it sounds crazy, but please...we don't want to keep this a secret from you-Emily was very honest about it with me last night, and we decided earlier today that we'd be honest with you. Please, just...trust us. And trust us when we saw that Emily doesn't mean me any harm. I love her, and she loves me."

#((ah; ocd solidarity! i didn't know what ocd was as a kid BUT i watched both 'nightmare before christmas')) #((in which jack becomes fixated on christmas and 'the adventures of ichabod and mr. toad')) #((in which toad becomes fixated on a red hot hot rod; i felt an affinity for them both!)) #((little seven year old me was like 'ah yes. men of taste! these guys know what's up!')) #((i just felt a connection to them for becoming fixed on these things; even if those fixations)) #((were very different from my own; i felt understood in a way i hadn't felt before)) #((and to this day; many many years after i got officially diagnosed; i still have a big soft spot for those characters!)) #((it was just nice as a kid to see characters who seemed a lot like me)) #((even if; again; at that time i didn't know what ocd was or that i had it!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

Why is she so cold? Randall half-wondered to himself, as he listened to her with a tender smile: He couldn't help but notice this as he held her hand, wishing for nothing more than to warm her with everything he had. He hated to think this poor woman was cold, even in the summer, and so he found himself taking her hands the way a lover might, hoping he could chase away the chill.

"I...I'm glad you came in last night," he smiled, giving her hand a little squeeze. "I...I know how you feel, in a way; my life, it's...been pretty lonely too lately, it's been very, uh...monotonous, I guess is the word. I get up, I go to work, I go to bed...rinse and repeat. And so for you to come along and just...shake up my whole world, it feels like? It's wonderful."

He didn't know what compelled her to come into the shop last night. He didn't know what drew her in put them on one another's path, nor did he knew what about himself it was that so attracted her, but he wasn't about to question it, as he finished shyly, and yet completely earnestly, "I'm...I'm very excited for tomorrow night too-there's no one I'd rather spend an evening out with than you."

#((i think it is too! i appreciate the mix of old and new; the nods to the original)) #((while also bringing something new to the table! like i said i love the '71 film; it was a big part of my childhood)) #((but i really respect the west end musical for incorporating some new ideas; including some elements from the book)) #((that hadn't been really brought up in either film adaptations prior!)) #((and hey; thank you too! 2023 defidently had a lot of ups and downs for everyone)) #((and so i hope that 2024 will prove to be a much kinder; more easy-going year for all of us!)) #((and i'm very excited for their date too! they're already happily drinking up one another's company and loving it)) #((and although i know sitting through two back-to-back vampire movies is gonna be rough for poor emily)) #((i hope she'll still enjoy herself anyhow-especially to come down and visit randall's parents afterwards)) #((i love that idea; i think it's super-sweet!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"Of course we did," Randall replied with a shy smile, as he leaned over to press a loving kiss to her cheek, adding, "I just...didn't think it'd be fair, y'know, for us to sit down and eat and you not getting a chance to, I-I don't want you to have to go hungry..." Especially since she couldn't partake in family dinner, it seemed wrong for them to eat in front of her, without making sure she had at least a little something!

"Do whatever makes you comfortable, dear," June reassured, not wanting to shoo Emily out of the room while she drank her meal-it was how she ate, what she had to do to survive, and no one could fault her for that. If she were to be completely honest, June had the distinct feeling that she'd seen much worse at work as a nurse (even a pediatric one)-a little blood, even being drank, wouldn't rattle her too much, she felt.

And although he didn't voice it, Wilhelm felt similarly: He'd seen some pretty nasty injuries his coworkers had sustained on the job when things went awry, and even before that, he had long been accustomed to some of the less-than-palatable sights that came with growing up on a farm, the sorts of things people didn't think about when they looked at their supermarket-purchased meat and poultry and so on. Thus, if Emily was comfortable eating around them, he'd be comfortable with that.

And of course, Randall had already seen Emily drink before-he wasn't bothered then, and he knew he wouldn't be bothered now...

#((oh absolutely! fiona's made such a huge impact on the franchise; and she's easily one of the best protagonists in it!)) #((andy and kyle are a quintessential final boy/final girl team; but after the lackluster human leads in 'bride')) #((nica was a real breath of fresh air following the little hiatus the series went on following 'seed')) #((as this badass final girl who despite getting put through the wringer by chucky)) #((being possessed by him; and being tiffany's captive; never lost that core strength of hers)) #((and there's no denying she's a fan favorite because of it! it's hard to imagine the franchise without her now)) #((and it's hard to imagine anyone in the role other than fiona! it's just like you said; she *is* nica)) #((just as much as her dad *is* chucky; and it's been so cool to see father and daughter act together!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable asking, Emily," June said gently, as she pushed her dinner around her plate (a part of her could hear her father admonishing her for it, but truthfully, she was much too nervous to think about eating), adding, "I just...well, it's like you said, you don't feel like you're over a hundred years old and, well...you certainly don't come across that way."

That night that she and Wilhelm kicked Emily out of the house (a night she continued to regret), her perception of the young woman had changed, going from a sweet, soft-spoken young lady her son was smitten with, to a manipulative monster looking to sink her teeth into Randall's soft flesh, and that image stayed with her long after that night...

...but now, in the gentle light of the kitchen, looking at her now, that familiar visage of a good-natured, gentle-hearted woman returned, though more tinged with melancholy, for reasons June now understood, and was sympathetic towards. She saw not a monster, but a very lonely soul, in need of love.

"Well, uh," Wilhelm commented, similarly eating little (despite his usually strong appetite, it was, like his wife's, waning this evening) as he took a stab at humor, joking lightly, "You look pretty good for a centenarian, lass!"

#((oh absolutely! i like his style; i like that he's a horror fan; enough to name his band 'white zombie')) #((after the bela lugosi movie of the same name; and i enjoy some of his music)) #((like 'living dead girl' which was on the 'bride of chucky' soundtrack as part of tiffany's introduction)) #((but...his movies are oftentimes just too nihilistic and mean-spirited for their own good!)) #((and you're right; baby and otis are some of the most reprehensible and irredeemable out of the fireflies)) #((and so it makes it really hard to root for them-honestly 'the devil's rejects' was a pretty damn good ending)) #((to the firefly family; going out in a hail of bullets; and had it just been left as a duology with 'house of 1000 corpses')) #((i probably would've been fine with that; but still; rob zombie's movies are just a little too bleak for me!)) #((i think in terms of the firefly trilogy; he took a lot of cues from 'texas chainsaw massacre')) #((and the sawyer clan; but like you said; the firefly family and their brutality puts ol' bubba and co. to shame!)) #((i'm sure that's why he cast bill moseley; who was chop top in 'tcm 2' as otis)) #((but while chop top was kinda funny in a very deranged way; otis doesn't have any of that)) #((and i think rob could learn to include a little more levity into his films; to at least take the edge off a little!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"I wish you could've too," Randall lamented, as he embraced Emily for a kiss-having watched her read these letters, having seen his old handwriting (looking hardly different from the chicken scratch he called his penmanship these days), he felt an ache in his hands as they seemed to remember penning each and every one of them, as well as an ache in his heart, knowing how long she'd had to wait to read them.

That was never the case: It was supposed to be a surprise that night; after their walk, he was leading them back to Minnie's, he hadn't told her he had a surprise waiting for her back at the shop, but he was eager to return, and present them to her-a sort of early wedding gift, in a way; something they could maybe put into an album, to look back on their courtship fondly over the years to come...

As much as he didn't want to remember, he knew he had to confront that particular memory of the woman in white, coming down the sidewalk as they walked along. He vaguely recalled being taken aback by her being dressed all in white (like a bride, he realized), but wasn't going to think anything of it when she reached out and grabbed him, and he saw her fangs...

He suppressed his shudder to the best of his abilities, and tried to stay in the present as he parted from the kiss, saying, "I...I'm so glad you've finally gotten to read them now, though. I always wanted you to, even when I was too scared to tell you how I felt, even in a letter..."

#((*pounds fists on table* let! monsters! be! happy! let! monsters! be! happy!)) #((and let's face it; if we go by our canon for the mansion as a whole; these spooks have lived lifetimes of pain and sorrow)) #((having had their lives tragically cut short; lost people important to them; been discriminated against)) #((belittled and mistrusted and everything else you can think of on top of-in most cases-dying a violent death!)) #((so i am very much a proponent of the denizens of the mansion having happy endings)) #((be it in au's like this one or in our canon; wherein gracey manor is a 'come one come all' kinda place)) #((for every wayward ghost in need of a place to haunt-no need to be a lonesome ghost when there's gracey manor)) #((and its happy haunts there to help one have a happy afterlife!)) #((and in the case of the graceys and the paces; just having each other is a happy ending in its own right!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

It was strange to come into work and find it so different, and yet not at all. In truth, very little had changed between then and now: The counter was a little bigger, the displays were situated differently, and the shop had of course expanded beyond hats made in-house and now sold mass-produced dresses, suits, and other apparel, but even with these changes, Randall could see the echoes of the past even in the present.

"I was right," he recalled, looking back to Emily with a little smile, as he turned his gaze from their surroundings back to her. "I don't think we ever would've gotten to where we are now if you hadn't been so bold as to ask me to meet with you here-I, uh...I don't think I'd have been able to buck up the courage to tell you how I felt, let alone kiss you.

I...I must've written you a hundred letters, trying to tell you how I felt..." he smiled, another memory lighting up his brain. "I-I'm sure they're...lost to time, sadly, I don't remember if I ever shared them with you, but...I tried again and again to write to you, to tell you how in love I was, but...I never had the courage to tell you. I tucked them away in an old hatbox; it was overflowing with them, last I remember..."

#((exactly; and he doesn't *want* her to think it's a rash decision; that he's not thinking clearly)) #((he wants her to see that he's given this a lot of thought; a lot of consideration; that his head's on straight)) #((and that he's thinking rationally-he knows how serious of a choice this is; there really is no going back)) #((i'm sure emily's tried everything in the book to turn herself back into a human; every folkloric remedy she could find)) #((and none of them worked; so she knows the permanence of this change; as well as its unpleasantness!)) #((it's not something she would wish on anyone; let alone the man she loves)) #((and in his heart; randall knows it! so he's really gotta make sure that emily knows he's thinking straight)) #((when it comes to making such a monumental choice!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

The rest of the evening passed quietly, with Randall holding Emily's hand throughout the rest of the runtime, while Wilhelm mentally kicked himself for having made their guest so uncomfortable. He didn't know (he could he have?), granted, but that didn't really make him feel much better.

He knew what it was like to have what some would define as an irrational fear: There was a long stretch of time in Randall's childhood when taking baths was out of the question; after his accident, Wilhelm was quick to install a showerhead in the bathroom, so that he could at least take a shower after work. But even so, even the most shallow of kiddie pools or even a full sink gave him the shivers long after it happened, and to this day, he still wasn't all that keen on sitting in a full tub.

(He'd never confided this in anyone other than his family-he knew damn well the fellas at work would have a good laugh at his expense for it. Wilhelm Pace, who loomed willow tree-like above most of his coworkers and could sling heavy bags over his shoulder like it was nothing, was afraid of a little water? No, he could hear the teasing now, and maybe he could laugh about it now. But even with a little humor to take the edge off, he still wasn't able to shake that discomfort.)

And so, as he stood in the kitchen, pulling out what he hoped would be a little peace offering to Emily before she left for home, a little apology in the form of something sweet, he wondered if she was in the same boat; where something had happened in her youth that caused her to be so unsettled when it came to stories of vampires and the like. Maybe she caught Nosferatu on one of the late night channels as a youngster? Had a nightmare about Count Dracula hovering over her throat one night? He couldn't say. All he could say, really, was that he was sorry.

Coming back out into the living room, he flashed the young woman a sheepish smile as he handed Emily the little wrapped disc, saying, "Randall told me you liked the soda bread he made tonight, so I thought I'd share with ya a different sort I baked up the other day-more of a dessert-y bread, it's got raspberries and walnuts in it, and a little carraway seed too. I, uh, I hope you like it!"

#((most people probably would tease her for it! they'd see it as an irrational fear)) #((because 'haha vampires don't exist what's there to be afraid of'-but the paces are a little more sensitive than that!)) #((i love the idea of wilhelm being particularly sensitive on account of having an irrational fear himself)) #((on account of his aquaphobia! he had a traumatic incident involving it and probably knows how other people)) #((would react to hearing him admit this fear; so he's probably kept it to himself!)) #((and of course we know emily's turning was very traumatic in its own right; especially compounded with randall's death)) #((so her discomfort around vampire media is very understandable-and even if wilhelm doesn't know that now)) #((he's still not gonna tease her about it! he's a sweet and sensitive guy; randall really does take after him!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"Lass, you can't blame yourself for that!" Wilhelm insisted gently, and without a second thought, he reached out and gently lay a warm hand over her cool one, brow furrowing upon hearing this-it just seemed deeply unfair of her to blame herself for what happened, to beat herself up for it. She had no way of knowing what was going to happen that night, and she shouldn't hold it against herself.

"Wil's right," June agreed, as Randall too reached out to take Emily's hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze as his mother continued, "You shouldn't blame yourself, Emily-you...you thought you were doing right by our son, and I...I can understand that. You came from a place of love, trying to...spare him the heartache, I know. But...even when you tried to stay away, you couldn't, because you love my son. It's why you were there that night, watching over him like a guardian angel. And you were his guardian-you saved his life, and I thank you for it."

"You didn't fail me, Emily," Randall assured gently, as he pressed a loving kiss to her knuckle. "Far from it-you saved my life! Even when we were apart, I still loved you-and you still loved me, enough to keep watching out for me, even if it broke your heart to keep your distance. Your love saved me, Emily! That's...that's not failure, far from it!"

#((interestingly in last night's episode she remarked that she loved both gg *and* chucky)) #((which i admit i was a little surprised by-goes to show that despite everything they've been through)) #((all the times they've butted heads and killed each other and screwed each other over; she still loved him!)) #((and it's true; tiffany may be a monster; but if she has one good quality; it is her unconditional love and support for gg)) #((who she's genuinely proud of-and gg still loves her; remarking that tiffany *was* actually a good mom)) #((who always tried to protect them and loved them dearly-which is more than you can say of chucky!)) #((because you're right-anyone who has loved chucky unconditionally has suffered as a result!)) #((this is the guy who happily murdered his own mother who tried to protect him from a serial killer)) #((a serial killer chucky clearly looks back fondly on during the flashback in season 1!)) #((he was a sick puppy from the start; and he hasn't changed one bit since then!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

"It went great," Randall smiled warmly, as he removed the last of the boxes and tucked them under the bed, before he moved to turn the sheets down and fluff up her pillow for her, wanting to make sure she was as comfortable as possible.

"I...I think they're well on their way to being open to the idea of you joining the family," he continued, his smile not fading as he said this: Maybe he was putting all of his eggs into one basket, but given the way the Paces spoke with her all throughout the night, getting to know the truth, better understanding her, to say nothing of how they happily shared their most favorite family stories with her, how they fretted over making sure she stayed fed, and was shielded from the sun...it spoke volumes to him about how they felt about her, and how much they came to care for her.

"I...I don't think we'll have anything to worry about," he asserted gently, as he turned back to face Emily, to wrap an arm around her and kiss her again, to better put her mind at ease before she got some rest-maybe they'd talk about the future with his folks tonight before she left, maybe they wouldn't. But whenever they did, he had a good feeling the conversation would go well, and that his parents would welcome her into the family with open arms.

"That's not...hopelessly naive of me to think...is it?"

#((even more over-the-top: chucky saved one of the president's eyes and put it in the pocket of his overalls)) #((so that he could later use it for the retina scan and get the ball rolling on firing the nukes!)) #((that's both ridiculously sick *and* ridiculously clever on chucky's part-as the series has progressed)) #((chucky has gotten a lot more cunning and a lot more patient when it comes to playing the long con)) #((which makes him all the more terrifying really! he's not as impulsive as he was in the early days)) #((and he's gotten even better at manipulating and pulling the strings; i feel; and it's been an interesting evolution!)) #((and oh yeah; i doubt the double's gonna be living long after this-it's another opportunity to kill sawa again!)) #((they should make shirts for everyone in the vein of 'south park': 'oh my god they killed devon again!')) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"...so I go looking for the little scamp, and I find him under the bed, looking extremely guilty, and with plenty of whipped cream still smeared on his cheeks," Wilhelm was recounting sometime later, having fallen into family stories, chiefly ones from Randall's childhood (the more endearing, the more embarrassing it was-all the more reason to tell them!), grinning to Emily as he continued, "Of course, he tries to tell me that he didn't eat all the whipped cream his ma just baked-told me it was the Whipped Cream Fairy who came in and ate it all."

"Pa..." Randall groaned, burying his reddened face in his hands at his father's storytelling, at which Wilhelm grinned, "It was cute, lad! Yes, your mother was a little irked in the moment, but she was able to laugh about it pretty quickly!"

"I was," June commented to Emily, resting her head in her chin as Randall continued to hide his face (though she caught a glimpse of a smile between his fingers), leaning back comfortably in her chair, enjoying the relaxed nature of the conversation as she recalled, "I spent all day baking up a banana cream pie, and I'd been so proud of my piping work with the whipped cream...I leave the room for all the more of five seconds, and when I come back, it's like I'd never decorated it at all! He could be very sneaky when he wanted to be, very soft on his feet when he was little, don't ask me how he pulled it off."

#((oh yeah chucky has gone full-blown domestic terrorist by now; especially once he gets the codes!)) #((i won't spoil too much for you but he defidently tries to put those codes to use in the next episode)) #((which if i was told that was the angle the franchise was going when i sat down to the first movie back in 2020)) #((i don't think i would've believed it; but here we are-it's wild and i'm here for it!)) #((and oh yeah; the president got a GNARLY death! the president's actor devon sawa)) #((has been routinely killed in EVERY season-twice in the first season where he played twin brothers!)) #((don mancini really does love to have a production posse of familiar faces working with him)) #((and it's become a fully acknowledged running gag for the cast and crew; like 'oh how's devon gonna die this time?'!)) #((also; as a fun fact that shocked me when i first learned it: devon sawa was the human form to casper the friendly ghost)) #((in the 90s live action film with christina ricci! i couldn't believe that when i first heard it!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"Well, we insist that you take it," June replied gently (if a touch firmly), reaching across Wilhelm to push the key back towards Emily, adding, "As my husband said, we talked about it earlier: Even before we knew more about everything you've been through...we saw how much you care for our son, and how happy he made you. We could see that the world seemed...much less lonely to you, being by his side, and...well, we can't bear the idea of you being lonely anymore. Least of all after everything you told us.

So, we want you to have a key to our home," she continued, as she took Wilhelm's hand beneath the table, a quiet mirror to the way Randall held Emily's hand in turn. "We want to make it very clear to you that...we're not afraid of you, and that we would like to have you here with us, that you're welcome in our house, anytime."

"I...I can see now that...you're not the monster that I...that I've read about before," Wilhelm added gently. "I should've seen it before, but I didn't, and I'm sorry for it, I'm...I'm so, so sorry, lass. I want to make things right, and so, I want you to have that key, to show that...we trust you. And we want you here. We really do."

At this, Randall smiled gently as he looked from his parents to his beloved, giving her hand a little squeeze, as if to encourage her to accept-he could see that his parents really did trust and care for her, that they regretted the way they had treated her, and wanted to make things right. It was a touching notion, given how alone Emily had been for so long, and he could only hope that she would accept the key, and the offer to become a part of their family.

#((i agree! i think 'house of 1000 corpses' could've defidently remained its own thing)) #((and didn't *have* to spawn a full trilogy-especially because i'm honestly not a fan)) #((of the direction the series went into; because arguably 'the devil's rejects' and 'three from hell')) #((skewed less towards out and out horror and mixed more grit and action in)) #((and it makes me miss the trippy; kinda psychedelic approach to 'house'!)) #((i know that's a semi-unpopular opinion i'd get flack for in some circles but that's just how i feel!)) #((even if it's not my cup of tea overall; i like the weird and colorful riff on 'the texas chainsaw massacre')) #((that never asks us to root for the fireflies or be sympathetic towards them-i like it's trippy visual style)) #((and over-the-top fever dream pitch it reaches by the end; with all the weird dr. satan stuff and the like!)) #((so yeah; i absolutely agree-'house of 1000 corpses' would've been a perfectly good standalone)) #((and didn't need to spawn a whole franchise-not every horror movies needs a franchise!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"Don't worry, lass, we've made sure he's had plenty of rest today!" Wilhelm smiled lightly as he walked by, at which Randall blushed a little in embarrassment-it was true, his parents had fussed over him quite a bit, making sure that he had plenty of water and pain medication to keep the aches at bay, that he didn't strain himself too much as he helped around the house, that he was comfortable whenever he sat down, and so on. He appreciated their efforts, of course, but that didn't stop his cheeks from warming a little all the same.

"I'm alright," he reassured her, before lowering his voice a little as he took her hand, asking, "Are you alright?" He was sure this was very nerve-wracking, tonight's little get-together...even with his parents meaning well, wanting to clear the air between them all, he was sure it was not an entirely comfortable experience...

...but again, he knew what his parents plan was; he may not know all the details, true, but he had faith that tonight would go smoothly, and that by the end of the evening, their relationship would be at least on the mend. He would be there for it, and for her, every step of the way, something he made sure she knew with the squeeze he gave her hand.

#((i honestly think horror can make you more empathetic! horror; i think more than almost any other genre)) #((is chockful of tragic characters; tragic monsters that are just as much meant to be pitied as they are to be feared!)) #((i think in a lot of ways; those tragic monsters speak to that part of us that wants to be loved)) #((and fears that there's something about ourselves that will turn people away; that they'll shy away from!)) #((it's especially true for those of us who feel like an outsider; who feels misunderstood in some way)) #((for any reason; and so we feel a kinship with these characters in a lot of ways)) #((and even if not that; we simply feel for them because of circumstances out of their control)) #((leading to their current situation; their sympathetic motivations; it could be anything!)) #((i think there's a reason why the frankenstein monster is considered one of the most beloved monsters out there)) #((and why the karloff version in particular is so popular with little kids:)) #((because as a little kid; you see something like yourself in the monster)) #((you too are learning; you're lost and confused and don't always understand)) #((and so when you see the monster lumbering around; you see his childlike innocence; his wonder; his confusion)) #((his eventual learning...you look at him and see yourself; and you just want to take him by the hand and be kind to him)) #((to give him a guiding hand! at least; that's how i felt watching the 'frankenstein' movies as a kid!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

On the one hand, Wilhelm understood this response: He supposed, being what so many people would consider a monster, a child of the night who lived on blood, being immediately feared upon revealing oneself as a vampire was to be expected, and in that regard, she didn't hold it against him and June, for reacting the way they did. They did it out of a desire to protect their son from what they thought was a threat...

...but at the same time, the guilt nagged him, even with her understanding. Maybe it was because it just wasn't like him to jump to conclusions about people and assume the worst, and he hated to think that he'd done it now (granted, he'd never thought he'd ever meet a supernatural being, but even so...). Maybe it was because he knew what it was like to have people judge him without hearing him out-even though he'd been sober for decades, there were still some who assumed the worst of him, thought he'd fall off the wagon at any given moment. It lost him a lot of job opportunities, people thinking that of him.

Maybe because he'd so forcibly kept Randall away from the woman he loved, he rebelled, trying to see her night after night, despite what might be out there in the darkness. There were things more fearful than Emily lurking in the dark-muggers, clearly. Maybe if he hadn't been so quick on the draw like that, trying to keep the two apart, his boy wouldn't be laid up the way he was now...

The thought continued to gnaw at Wilhelm as he knelt beside June, who seemed similarly distressed at the thought of being the indirect cause of her son's injuries, though she didn't say so as she sighed, "I just...thank God you were there, Emily. You watched over him, and you protected him when he needed it the most. That...that means the world to us. Thank God for you.

Is...is there anyway we can...repay you? Or, better yet...make it up to you, for everything?"

#((oh i'm sure he is! every interview i've seen with him talking about the series; he's super proud of her)) #((and is happy to have her be a part of it! and she's just as excited to be a part of it)) #((naturally it was a big part of her life growing up; she's talked a lot about that in interviews)) #((and so it's awesome that she's become such a huge part of the series from 'curse' onward!)) #((i remember the first thing i saw fiona in; before i got into 'chucky')) #((was 'dirk gently's holistic detective agency'; a very fun but all-too-brief series based on a douglas adams series)) #((and her character was this hilariously feral holistic assassin; just wild as a march hare)) #((and for whatever reason i didn't make the connection that she was brad's daughter until a good ways through the series!)) #((she had a great role in the series; very different from nica; it's a shame it didn't last super long)) #((but even so; i'm glad she's a part of the chucky-verse; and i'm interested to see what's in store for her)) #((and for the rest of the cast in the next half of this season on the tv series!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

"Emily..." Randall began, almost tearfully, but it was June and Wilhelm who spoke up over him-not to agree, not to rush her out the door and warn her not to come back, but instead to ask her to stay.

"Please," Wilhelm began, as June reached out to take the young woman's cold hand, stopping her as he continued, "W-Would you stay, just a little longer, lass? Really, we...we'd like it if you stayed. I-I promise, y-you're not intruding; Junie and I weren't able to sleep anyways..."

"You saved our son's life, and you brought him back home to us," June continued gently, as Randall sat up a little, just as surprised as Emily was at this sudden turn of events, this change in reaction in his parents. "We...we can't thank you enough for that. Please, won't you sit down? I...I think we have a lot to talk about...and a lot to apologize for."

At this, Randall's eyes widened further, as he looked between Emily, his mother, and his father, that surprise turning to a sort of tentative relief, as his mother encouraged Emily to make herself comfortable, while June moved to the kitchen to put on a pot of tea, to perhaps soothe their frazzled nerves. She hoped the young woman (not a monster, she thought to herself, but a young woman) would accept, and hear out what the Pace parents had to say.

#((i'm sorry: an a.i. just isn't nearly as threatening as the soul of a serial killer!)) #((the terror of 'child's play' is defidently that andy is so little-he's this adorable little six-year-old who makes your heart melt)) #((watching him make his mom breakfast on his own birthday and getting excited about having a good guy of his own)) #((and so you don't want anything to happen to him! he's being preyed upon by what he thought was his friend)) #((his talking good guy doll-even worse; chucky told andy that he was sent by andy's dead father to play with him)) #((which adds a cruel twist to things-andy just wanted a friend; and now he's in danger; and no one believes him)) #((not until the end! so having andy be older; be attacked by an a.i. doll who should NOT be that strong like you said)) #((and have more allies on his side; it really does take away that fear factor; that level of suspense!)) #((and there really is so much love in the main franchise; as opposed to the 2019 reboot)) #((which feels more like your standard cash grab! it's almost a family affair)) #((considering the actress who played andy's mother in the first film married kevin yagher)) #((who designed and built the chucky animatronic; i think alex vincent's little sister played chucky)) #((for the scene where he runs behind andy's aunt maggie shortly before she goes pushed out the window)) #((and of course brad dourif's daughter fiona is a part of the franchise now; having played nica pierce)) #((and even playing a young charles lee ray in flashbacks for the tv show!)) #((there really is so much love and care behind it; the kind of love and care you just don't see in the reboot!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

In turn, Randall squeezed her hand back, as he drew in a deep breath. Despite his best efforts, clinging to the notion that his parents would at the very least be understanding once everything was laid out on the table for them, seeing that Emily really meant him no harm and that they truly were in love, there was no denying that growing cold pit in the bottom of his stomach, worsened only by her suggestion. A part of him sort of wanted to (however lamely) protest, instead suggest they save it for another day, and just enjoy themselves for now...

...he knew, in his heart, she was right. They would have to tell them at some point, and it was better to do it now rather than later; Randall had never been one keen to lie to his parents, and he knew the guilt of keeping such a massive secret from them would eat him up from the inside out. Thus, it was just better to get it out of the way-for both his and Emily's ease of mind.

"You're right," he sighed, as he brought her closer, wrapping his arm around her as he nodded, "They...they do deserve to know. I'll, uh...I'll give them a call in a little while, tell 'em when I'll be home, and that you'll be with me. We'll...we'll tell them together."

He punctuated this with another loving kiss, this one pressed to her cheek as he reassured her, "It'll be alright, Emily."

#((it's all the sort of thing that fueled sci-fi novels and films for decades-but now it's a reality)) #((and in some cases sci-fi has a funny way of sort of predicting the future when it comes to medical science!)) #((what was once the stuff of fantasy-organ transplants; artificial aids; what sounds like b-movie fluff on paper)) #((has actually turned out to be pretty viable in the medical sector; which itself is pretty cool!)) #((and same! as someone who has been in the same boat in terms of mental health struggles; and for a long time)) #((it's a great relief that we don't live in a time where every doctor is gung-ho to perform a lobotomy)) #((or some other horrible kind of treatment that does more harm than good!)) #((the humanization of people with mental health struggles; better understanding of those conditions)) #((changing social mores; de-stigmatization; we really have come a long way!)) #((there's still room for improvement of course but still; we've made a lot of steps in the right direction!)) #outofhatboxes #beatingheart-bride #V:Dark Shadows