#like i feel like while amanda can lean very into a “the ends justify the means” mindset in her worse moments and do bad things to get | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

serenasoutherlyns · 3 years

Text

Wake Up With You (Ask You How You Feel)

a/n: i took my ritalin for the first time in weeks and instead of cleaning my apartment, i wrote a Very Fluffy songfic. enjoy <3. i only read this a couple times so forgive any errors. all feedback appreciated! 

calex fluff, song is "Go Outside" by Ratboys.

I wanna go outside again

I wanna sit back with the windows down and breathe it all in

I wanna go outside again

It's quiet outside the pub when Alex decides to go for it. The air is crisp and everything glitters underneath the streetlights. She'd gone with Casey who'd gone with Amanda who'd gone with Nick to get some fresh air, which really meant have a cigarette. Amanda and Nick had ended up in a cab very quickly, still attempting to seem like they weren't going to the same home.

Despite her aversion to sidewalks outside of bars at night, when Casey asked her to stay, Alex did, feeling safe. They keep moving closer, and Alex lets the overwhelming need to feel Casey win her over. She feels far more intoxicated than the one vodka soda she'd had would've made her.

Casey's hands are soft, but her lips are softer when Alex asks the question of a kiss. She thanks whatever forces there are that the clear answer is yes. Casey pulls her closer, tugging on her coat, but keeps the kiss delicate, like she's trying not to break anything. She pulls away-- Alex has to close her eyes, terrified that she's made a mistake and thrown away what chance she ever had.

"This is," Casey says, her voice giving away her smile, "I've wanted you to do that for so long." Alex feels her chest get warm at the admission. "Please tell me you want to do it again."

Alex nods, this time doing the pulling, a firmer kiss. "I want to do that as many times as I possibly can."

I wanna lay down in the sand

I wanna show up at the shoreline and drink Lake Michigan

I wanna lay down in the sand

"Why are you in Indiana again?" Alex's frustrated but happy voice comes crackly through the phone, almost the same frequency as the short waves. Casey's pockets are full of sand and her arms are coming up in goosebumps, but no part of her wants to go inside.

"Convention on torture methods," she says, pleased with the laughter she hears back, "Or the Novak family reunion."

"Mm. Well, I think you should come home."

"Oh yeah? Feeling clingy, Cabot?"

"I miss you."

"I wish you would come here instead." Casey snaps a wide-angle photo of the beach to Alex, doing her best to get the dunes and the lake in the same frame.

Alex gasps. "Is that Indiana?"

Casey laughs until there are tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. "A very small part of Northern Indiana, yes. The Midwest isn't all bad."

"Better when you're there."

And I wanna walk down my main street

I wanna listen for the birds who might be talkin' to me

I wanna walk down my street

They can be together and silent now. Alex is grateful for this fact because she can hardly speak. Laryngitis-- Dr. Warner had explained to her that it probably started as a minor infection and was made worse with all the talking and bad sleep. A round of antibiotics and steroids plus lots of fluids should make it better before the weekend is over.

They don't need to talk. Casey is idly playing with her hair, Alex's head in her lap, dozing off in the afternoon sunlight. Casey's reading a book, Alex listens to the pages turn.

"Do you hear that?" Casey asks.

Alex hums, before regretting making any vocal movement. She screws her eyes shut in pain.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, love," Casey says, rubbing her hand soothingly down Alex's arms, completely naturally using that word they haven't said yet. "I didn't mean to wake you. It was just a pretty bird."

Alex takes a moment to decide if the pain is worth replying. "Don't apologize for pretty things," she whispers, her eyes still shut, "And I love you too."

I wanna be eloquent

I wanna take all of my best friends and show them where I live

Oh, I wanna be so eloquent

"It'll be fine, Case," Alex says quietly, holding her waist before their guests arrive. Today's the day she meets the friends, which, Casey thinks, with no in-laws to meet, is making her justifiably nervous. "Neither of them is going to bite you."

"Why do I doubt that," Casey says, only half-joking. "You know us, lawyers, sharks..."

"And how different am I out of the courtroom? Or Katie, or Adrian, or Anna, or Jesse,"

"You gonna list my whole graduating class?" Casey traces her fingers along the little gold necklace with the square pendant Alex has taken to wearing around her neck.

"If it calms you down," Alex says. "If you're really too nervous I can tell Abbie and Serena to keep the takeout and we can go to bed early," she says, tucking Casey's hair behind her ear. "But they're really more like manatees," she says, finally eliciting a smile.

The buzzer buzzes, and a brief flash of panic passes through Casey. She leans in, kissing Alex.

"If they love you, I'm sure we'll get along."

And I wanna make myself a meal

I wanna wake up with you next to me and ask you how you feel

I wanna make us both a meal

If she keeps doing things like this, Alex thinks all the love will make her explode. Today it's coming home to Casey, dancing in the kitchen, the apartment smelling like garlic and oregano, the sounds of an old country album mixing with the sizzling of oil in a pan. With her resolve growing thinner and thinner every day, Alex can't help but wrap her arms around her waist, burying her entire self into her hair, strong shoulders, soft hips. Casey jumps, and this earns Alex a snap on the wrist from the handle of her mixing spoon.

"Baby, do you want to get burned?" She says, laughing into the words, relaxing into her touch. She holds Alex's hand, stepping them away from the stove. She guides her through the rest of the song, never once complaining about Alex's two left feet and frankly dangerous elbows.

Casey stirs the sauce, then tastes it, pursing her lips, blowing to cool it down first. She holds the spoon up to Alex with a raise of her eyebrow, watching her look of satisfaction at the taste with pride. "Going to surprise me next time?" She asks.

"Yeah," Alex says, pointing her gaze over her glasses, "it's worth it."

And I wanna love you 'til the end

I wanna float off with the angels and pick a fight and win

I wanna love you 'til

'Til thе end

As Alex keeps reminding her, they have no need for a piece of paper to know they're in love. The wedding dresses she has saved on pinterest tell a different story.

The ring has been patiently waiting in the closet since two weeks after Alex kissed her.

"Baby?" Alex's voice comes from their living room while Casey fiddled with the ring box, practicing how she would ask.

"Yes?" Casey says, still dreamy, taking the ring box in one hand and popping it behind her back.

"Come sit with me." Alex says.

They don't need to get married, she doesn't need to propose, and they don't need the ring, not to know they're in love, not to prove anything, not to follow the common path.

But when Casey had come home that day, Alex had looked so comfortable and secure sitting on the couch. It's everything: her hair in a bun, her thick-rimmed glasses, her tank top and cozy pants, the novel she was reading, the way she stretched over the couch, twisting to see her come in through the door. And, what had finally melted Casey, made her absolutely certain: the completely natural smile she has whenever Casey comes home, her eyes wide and wrinkling at the edges, her tongue slightly poking out between her teeth. She has to see that one, every day.

She walks out of the bedroom, having changed into her sweatpants, still hiding the ring behind her back as she slides onto the couch. The same smile greets her when she gets to Alex.

"Sorry, I got distracted."

Alex sits up on her knees, furrowing her brow. "Is everything OK?"

"More than," Casey says, pressing the same kind of gentle kiss as the first onto Alex's lips. Suddenly, everything she was going to say, all the long, grand, rehearsed speeches she'd had for this very moment feel all kinds of wrong. Instead, she slides herself just off the couch, kneeling, opening the box.

Alex gasps, a wide open smile, beginning to say "Yes" before Casey gets any words out.

"Will you marry me?"

---

@addictedtodinosaurs @nocreditinthestraightworld @cmmndrwidw @hi-i-1

Reminder that my taglist is always open!

#calex #calex fluff #your honor they're engaged #help this is so sappy #and it's a songfix #i don't even care #alex cabot #casey novak #casey x alex #alex x casey #svu #svu fanfiction #This story brought to you by my affection for Lake Michigan and my horrible ordeal with tonsillitis in January 2021

29 notes · View notes

deans-baby-momma · 3 years

Text

Wounded Hearts 18

Spring 2004 Dean’s POV

After meeting up with Dad, who was still with the Sheriff, we head toward the car as I tell him about the suggestion Melonie gave me.

“I could use one of those,” Dad says with a smile as we head in the direction of the drive-in. Pulling in I can’t help but smile as I see the very girl who recommended this place, her blue and white uniform crisp and clean in the sunlight.

Melonie walks up to the driver’s side window as Dad rolls it down and begins her spiel. “Welcome to the Pinnacle- oh hey. I see you found it.” she says as she notices me in the passenger seat.

“Yea. We are interested in those melt-in-your-mouth burgers.”

“Okay sure,” she says as she takes her pad out and jots it down. “Want something to drink also? We got any type of soda you can think of or tea or water.”

“Give us two Cokes darlin’,” Dad tells her. Melonie nods as she writes down the order and then walks away.

“So, that’s who told you about this place?” Dad asks, a big grin on his face as he looks at me. “I think maybe it’s not only the food you’re interested in here.”

I roll my eyes as he wiggles his eyebrows and chuckles. “Listen, I am pretty sure I know what is going on here. I can take care of it if you want to….ya know, sample to local cuisine.”

“It is so weird hearing you talk like that,” I say with my own chuckle. “But no, She just got to work so it’ll be hours before she’d have any free time. And besides, who says she is even interested?”

Melonie delivers our food and we thank her. I watch as she turns and walks to the next car to take their orders. She gives off the impression of someone happy and well put together and, well…..those are not the kind of girls that usually go for guys like me. She also seems like the kind of person I could find myself falling for and that’s just not possible.

We’d be gone in a few days and anyways, my heart is unavailable.

I take a bite of the burger and moan around the mouthful of food. The flavors all sync so smoothly that it just melts in your mouth. Melonie didn’t lie about that. I chuckle when Dad has the same reaction after his first bite.

Melonie comes back to the Impala a few times to check if we need anything and when Dad asks for the check I can see the disappointment on her face but she quickly masks it with her usually jovial self.

“Okay," Dad says after paying for the meal. “It’s almost 3 now. If we get back to the motel and go over the information from Sheriff Aliff, we should be able to take these bastards out and you can get back here before her shift’s over. You said she apparently walked to work? So, offer to walk her home?��

When she returns with our change and receipt, Dad questions her about what time her shift ends and does the ‘dirty work’ for me.

“My partner here will be back at 9 to make sure you get home safe and sound.”

Melonie smiles at me and nods then turns to get back to work as Dad pulls the Impala back out onto the road. Dad tells me he's pretty much got the case figured out. He explains the monster is a bakakku. They are cave-dwellers who feed off the brains of other beings. Dad is fairly certain that there is only one bakakku holed up in a closed down mine near Pineville.

"But if there are multiple bakakku, you don't need to be going in alone," I counter. "Do you even know how to kill it?"

"No. So until your lady friend's shift is over, you and I are going to research and try to find more information," he tells me. "Then while you are making sure she gets home safely, I'll take care of the bakakku and be back at the motel when you return. Be it late tonight, in the morning, mid-day, whenever."

Dad chuckles at his own quip while I roll my eyes.

To hear my dad talk and encourage me to hook up with some rando girl in some rando town for the night is just weird.

"Listen son," he begins as he senses my awkwardness. "Ain't nothing wrong with getting your jollies where you can. Believe me, I know. You may not want to hear this but this job….it's lonely and bleak. Yea we save people but hardly ever get a thank you. So you get your reward other ways.

"I have been known to seek out those 'rewards' and you know, it's nice. You don't have to worry about anyone catching feelings because if they do-" he shrugs as he continues. "-you're already gone."

"You've…..you have slept with other women?" I am astonished at what my father just admitted. "You cheated on Mom?"

"No Dean!" he demands. "I loved your mom with everything in me but she is gone son. I hate to say it as much as you hate to hear it but I am a man and sometimes I just need to get my dick wet, okay? It's not cheating. My wife is dead."

By the time it's close to the end of Melonie's shift, we have concluded how to take out the bakakku and readied the weapon needed. Dad drops me off at the drive-in and proceeds to the mines.

Leaning against the building, I watch as Melonie finishes up with the last two customers before she walks over.

"I just have to close out my till and make the drop in the safe then I'll be ready."

"Take your time," I tell her with a smile. She returns it and then tiptoes to kiss me.

When her lips touch mine, all reserves are gone. Tonight, I will do as Dad suggested and enjoy the rewarding benefits of the job of hunting things and saving people. And watching Melonie walk away, I absolutely cannot wait!

Rebecca’s POV Winter 2003

“He was the epitome of bad boys,” I chuckle as I settle down on the sofa later that night with Sam. He had asked me to tell him more about Whitney’s dad and we waited until the little girl was in bed for the night before getting into it. “Cocky, confident and egotistical. He was handsome as the devil and he knew it. He sauntered around the school like he owned it. He-” I pause to take a drink of my soda. “-actually announced to the school that he was a hero; whatever the hell that meant.”

“A hero? What had he done to think that?” Sam asks, with a chuckle.

“You got me. But, this was also right after he got caught in the janitor’s closet with Krissy Stephens…...by Amanda Heckerling, who just happened to be his girlfriend at the time,” I tell Sam.

“Whoa. He was a playa, huh? How the hell did you get tangled up with him? I mean, you seem so practical and sophisticated.”

I can’t help but laugh. “I so wasn’t back then. No, I was the nerd; the girl who kept her nose in her books and didn’t socialize with anyone. I was shy and bashful. All I wanted was to get through those four years of hell and go off to college. Well we see how that worked out, eh?”

“You wanted to go to college? For what?” Sam inquired, seemingly interested.

“Psychology. I wanted to be a psychologist. But things changed. Dean happened.”

“So what, did he break up with Amanda and chase after you?”

“Um, no. After catching him in that closet with Krissy, Amanda dumped him in front of everyone; the whole school. Then a couple days later, he literally runs into me,” I stop as I remember the day vividly. “Practically bowled me over. He apologized and then invited me to have pizza with him, even going so far as making sure his little brother was there. They were staying at the Pines Motel and we sat and ate pizza and watched All Saints Day.”

“So wait,” Sam interrupts. “These two boys-kids- were staying in a motel. Where were their parents?”

“I don’t know,” I shrug as I answer. “I never asked. At least I don’t remember if I did. Either way, it was just Dean and Sam in the motel room. After the movie was over, Sam was begging to go to the arcade and I gave him money for some games. I didn’t realize until after he left that Dean and I were alone. And well you know what happened. She-” I point toward Whitney’s room. “-is proof of that.”

“So what happened next?”

“The next day, I saw him in 1st period but after that he vanished. I never saw him again. I found out from the motel manager that they had packed up and taken off in a black muscle car.”

“Oh wow!” Sam says, stunned. “So he just humped and dumped you? I’m sorry that was inconsiderate.”

“No, you’re right. That’s exactly what happened,” I say with a chuckle. “I hated him too. After I found out I was pregnant, I wished death upon him. But then she was born and she looks so much like him, that it softened my hatred and I realized that I still have feelings for him.”

“Wow, Becky. Just…...wow!”

“I know. So here I am 8 years later, still kind of hung up on the boy that ran away.”

“I’m sorry Becky,” Sam says, dolefully. “If it makes you feel any better, Dean is a giant douche and doesn’t know what he’s missing. He has a beautiful daughter and her Mom isn’t that bad either.” Sam smiles at me.

“Isn’t that bad? Are you saying I’m not drop dead gorgeous Sam? My heart is broken,” I jest, chuckling.

“God no. Becky, I think you are beautiful, gorgeous, hot! But I didn’t want to seem like I was trying to come on to you. Like after spending the day with you I suddenly wanted to have a relationship,” he begins justifying until he realizes I’m joking. “Shut up!” he says with a laugh as he reaches out and pushes my shoulder.

@tftumblin @spnbaby-67 @markofdean79 @lostinaseaoffictionalbliss @travelingriversideblues-x @akshi8278 @keymology @hoboal87 @squirrelnotsam @natura1phenomenon @drakelover78 @larajadeschmidt13 @blacktithe7 @atc74 @sea040561 @delightfullykrispypeach @vicariouslythruspn @sandlee44 @mogaruke @deanwanddamons @supraveng @deandreamernp @lyarr24

#dean winchester #john winchester #sam winchester #rebecca quentin #wounded hearts #past haunts sequel #smut #angst #fluff #whitney quentin winchester #supernatural #spn fanfic #supernatural fanfiction

8 notes · View notes

calliecat93 · 3 years

Text

Seriously though, the thing that annoyed me most about the Kelvin Timeline films is how is really did not understand Kirk, McCoy, or the Triumvirate dynamic. I don’t want to rant on the AOS films too much, they’re perfectly fine movies and being a newbie fan maybe I just don’t have the understanding of things tat I thought. But after spending two months watching all of TOS and loving it so much because of that dynamic... it just irks me. I know that reboots have to do things differently. Things have to change or you get an urban copy with no identity for value on it’s own. But at the same time, you have to understand that original property and put in the time and effort to make it work. Reboots like Ducktales 2017 worked because that effort was make. Reboots like The Powerpuff Girls 2016 failed because no effort was made at all. The AOS films made an effort, don’t get me wrong. But aside form Beyond, it just feel like they either didn’t understand how The Triumvirate and their respecitve dynamics worked and hwy it was so essential (and even then Beyond ain’t perfect int hat area) or decided that it was better to stick to pop culture interpretations despite those almost ALWAYS being exaggerations.

Kirk is a risk-taker and could be reckless and arrogant at times. But he was also perfectly level-headed and responsible as well, and no him being younger (if anything TOS said he was kind of a serious, overly studious person int he Academy so shouldn’t his arc be int he opposite direction?) or this being an alternate timeline (with the films doing NOTHING to explain/justify the changes the event that triggered it made) is NOT a valid excuse. This was the film going by the pop culture interpretaiton of Kirk. A reckless, arrogant, rebellious, womanizing idiot who has a heroic soul, but is a pain int he ass. Which sure it’s fun to joke about, but that is a shallow reaidg of James T Kirk. He was brave, responsible, charming, and VERY dedicated to his duty. Sure he’d go against Starflee’s orders sometimes, but he knew when to judge whenw as the time, hece hwy he needs Spock AND McCoy with him. He needs the logical half (Spock) and the emotional half (McCoy) to find the balance. To make the right choice. Sometimes it may be best to be logical. other times it’s best to be emotional. Sometimes it’s a combo of the two. But Kirk had the ability to take those options and make the right choice and f he makes the wrong one, find a way to make it right. Sometimes it meant going against Starfleet’s orders, sometimes he abided by it. Sometimes he could be rational, other times his emotions or circumstances got the better of him. But regardless, this was a man who proved over and over why he is a Starfleet Captain and one of the best. AOS Kirk got there eventually, but... let’s just say that he never should have gotten that captain chair in 2009.

McCoy has always pretty much ben given the shaft compared to Kirk and Spock since the former is the main character and the latter is the breakout character. Event he TOS movies are guilty fo sidelining him, though at least those tried to keep him involved. TOS is guilty of it too, but they also put a lot into his character even if not everything made it onto the screen. My point is... what is McCoy’s role aside from Chief Medical Officer? He is the one who gets Jim to took at the emotional/human aspect of situations. He is the who challenges Spock and his repressed emotions. If Spock is concerned about the needs of the many, McCoy is the one concerned with the few or the one left behind. He’s a doctor. A psychologist. A caretaker. It’s his JOB to look after the well-being of everyone especially Kirk physically, mentally, and emotionally. Essentially, he is the opposite of Spock. Spock is the logical one. The big picture person. The one whose roll is to keep Kirk on task and remind him of what’s truly at stake depending on their success or failure. He’s not emotionless, but logic will be what he leans towards first unless certain circumstances forces him otherwise. They are the opposite ends of the spectrum. Because AOS made Kirk the opposite end of the spectrum compared to Spock, McCoy loses his roll nor does he take up being the balance between the two ends. Essentially Kirk and Spock have to sort it out on their own, which... well if you read my watchthrough post you know I didn’t care for how it was done. McCoy’s part was sorely missing. He was just...t here. he filled the sarcastic best friend spot well, don’t get me wrong and he DID feel like McCoy because Karl Urban is a great actor who cared about what he was doing. But the narrative clearly didn’t feel the same way.

Here’s what I think, and again as a newbie fan maybe I just don’t have the proper understanding. I apologize for that. But TOS was at it’ best, imo, when these three were together. They were great on their own. Their respective broken up dynamics (Kirk and Spock, Spock and McCoy, McCoy and Kirk) were all also great. But went they were together? Even during the show’s lowest points, they were at their best. heck Final Frontier, while NOT a good movie, was enjoyable because of these three being together and doing their thing. Sure TOS might not gave given McCoy the attention he deserved and maybe Kirk and Spock hogged too much of the attention due to their main character (and Shatner’s ego) and being the most popular character respectively which affected EVERYONE else, not just Bones. But you can tell when the writers realized what they had with The Triumvirate, and they took advantage of that. I can only speak for myself but while I was liking ST TOS alright, it was near the end of S1 when they began focusing more on these three with the finale seeming to be when it truly clicked into place that I went from liking it to becoming a fan. Because the dynamic was just that good.

AOS just... didn’t seem to get it. Beyond did, but even then they spend most of the movie part so it can’t really shine fully. Now they are films. They get two hours a piece at most. TOS had an hour runtime, but got over 20 episodes a season and six films. It had PLENTY of hours to form and showcase the respective characters, relationship dynamics, and the three together. But tbf again, the films were made when TOS was about 40 years old. But they ultimately decided to go how they did, and it just... missed the mark. Kirk wasn’t Kirk and given McCoy’s most emotional traits without his common sense. McCoy lost hi importance and relegated to side character. Spock... honestly he got it the best of the three, through given a LOT more unnecessary angst when his TOS story already gave him everything he needed to be sympathetic and relatable. Seriously, Amanda dying still pisses me off especially HOW she died. But he at least maintained his role and played it mostly well. The dynamic that made TOS so great was broken, and I highly doubt that was the big change that was supposed to signal how this timeline is broken. Which, sorry to say this, but it is just an easy excuse for whatever changes are made without having to put the work in to justify it. Which when it comes to reboot, is one of my biggest issues.

Again, I don’t mean to bash the AOS films. I don’t hate them. I liked watching them. It took a bit but the characters did grow on me. Whether it continues or not, there is potential in it and I can see fanon getting very creative with it especially because there’s so much that allows so much creative freedom. Plus they DID bring this era of Star Trek back to popular conscious, hence why Spock has likely been brought back in Discovery and soon Strange New Worlds. But I just feel so... annoyed by it because it took the thing I loved most about TOS, and cowered away from it. I was so excited to see these three together again after being so sad when I finished TOS, and it just... wasn’t there. I expected it to be different, not essentially non-existent. But ah well, guess I have fanon at least. I can only hope that if this reboot continues or a new one emerges, they will do better there. Because I want to see them again and it’s okay fi they’re different form TOS. I just want those differences to come with the understanding and respect of what came before. And AOS, at least int his area, did not until it was arguably too late. It’s not even close tot he worst reboot I’ve ever seen though and like I said, Beyond showed signs of hope. But only time will tell if they lead to anything.

4 notes · View notes

sinsiriuslyemo · 4 years

Text

Dearest Readers,

I know I’ve been absent during this quarantine and for that I’m sorry. It’s been pretty crazy to have to do distance learning with my six-year-old, but we’re getting by. I’ll be honest, I almost messaged the amazing @thefanficfaerie to tell her that I wouldn’t be able to do this, but the more I realized that I hadn’t created in what seemed like forever and thought about how much I missed interacting with you guys on here, the more I wanted to complete this challenge.

So I did what I always do, I sat down with three loose-leaf sheets and played “Penny and Me” by Hanson on a loop until this came out. I didn’t intend to be so on the nose with this one nor did I intend to use our current situation with covid19 in the fic, but here we are. Thank you so so much to @thefanficfaerie for creating this challenge! Also, thank you so much to @italiandoll1129 for betaing this little diddy. I hope you guys enjoy this little imagine and I hope you’re all doing well and staying safe <3

Sinceriously,

Amanda

Your life up to the point when the world stopped had largely been made up of acoustics and half note runs. Countless moments captured in a simple bar, a single verse, a reprised chorus. Music was your lifeblood, the ticking of the muscle that resided deep in your chest and then--just a few short weeks ago--silence. The world stopped turning, life as you knew it upended, and the music in your soul faded without refrain. It seemed survival had been triggered when the governor implemented a stay-at-home order and music became little more than a distant memory of better days.

Rafael had been more than annoyed at the disruption of his carefully crafted schedule, but had it not been for his steadfast reasoning and patience you surely would have sunk deep into the dark, bottomless pit of despair and hopelessness. Your loving, quick-witted ADA was the brain that steadied the storm in your heart. Had it not been for him you surely would have crumbled into a useless mess by day two of quarantine. Not that you weren’t on the edge every second of the day, but at least you were sure that if you did fall apart, Rafael would be there to put you back together again.

You sat on the bumped out window seat in the corner of the living room, pillow in your lap, sipping your mug of home-brewed coffee, staring at the lifeless street below. New York City had never been so quiet, but now all of its residents waited with bated breath for the virus that had halted all to pass. Even the criminal world seemed to be practicing social distancing, though an uptick in domestic violence was certainly keeping Rafael busy. For the creatives of the world, however, the coronavirus seemed to slowly poison the well of inspiration, leaving little else aside from disconnection and isolation despite the countless public figures proclaiming “alone, together.” Or whatever they were saying.

“Mi amor?” You heard Rafael’s voice from down the hall and let your forehead gently touch the cold, glass surface of the window as your eyes closed. “Y/N, we should go to the store today and pick up a few things, what do you think?”

You inhaled through your nose and turned your head to look back at him, offering a weak smile. “Yeah, maybe they’ll have toilet paper this time.” How had toilet paper become more valuable than the dollar bill seemingly overnight?

Closing the distance between the two of you, your boyfriend brought the back of his fingers to your cheek, corner of his lips quirking upward. His touch had always been enough to calm the emotional tornado that stress brewed inside you. Especially lately, you had become acutely aware of his ability to make you believe that everything would be alright.

“This is all temporary,” he would say. It never took very much convincing on his part as long as his skin was making contact with yours.

“We still have plenty for at least a week or two,” he said as he moved to sit on the other side of the window seat, facing you.

Pursing your lips, you nodded. “Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have some extra on hand, just in case.” You tried to leave it at that instead of allowing a worst-case-scenario to form in your mind. The governor’s instructions had been clear: stay home, wash your hands, social distance until the curve flattened, remain calm. Despite your own paranoia, the world was not actually on fire...or if it was at least it wouldn’t be forever, and in truth as long as you had Rafael by your side, all would be well. Though it was times like this that made you wish you believed in God. There were moments when you envied Rafael in that sense; most of all now, when a magical sky-daddy would be a welcomed reprieve from the ever-rising death toll and unemployment rates.

“Honey, we have to stay calm and not panic-buy, okay?” Rafael said, reaching for your hand. “You should try to keep yourself busy. You know how your anxiety gets when you sit still for too long without something to focus on.”

“I know, I just…” You ran a hand through your hair and grimaced when you realized you hadn’t showered the day before. “I can’t slow my brain enough to create anything coherent.”

“So create something incoherent,” he suggested with a bob of his shoulders. “Or, instead of writing music, why don’t you just play some songs you enjoy or learn to play one?” You could sense your lips trying to form a smile as your thumb stroked over the skin between his knuckles. “I just know how important music is in your life. It always makes you feel better.”

“That’s not a bad idea, actually,” you said in a whisper as your eyes fell to your joined hands. “Maybe I could go live on Instagram,” you added carefully. “I’ve seen a lot of people talking about how scared they are, too.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I thought we agreed you should stay off social media for now.”

In the beginning of your self-isolation, you spent nearly every waking minute refreshing your Twitter and Instagram feeds, which in turn, had served only to fuel your anxiety and almost caused a panic attack. The logical thing was to avoid social media; the daily press conferences and videos from Philip DeFranco were more than enough to keep you updated on the situation without causing you to cry yourself to sleep because Dr-Random-Twitter-Handle had posted about his hospital’s desperate need for PPE, and how a portion of his staff had become sick, which would convince you that this was in fact the end of the world and there was literally nothing that could be done to stop it.

So yeah, no social media had been the plan.

However, your desire to share music had been a part of you since you could remember, and especially at a time like this, music could be the very thing to soothe people’s fears, even if only a little bit.

“I know but I can’t help but wonder whether playing where other people can hear would help in some small way,” you said.

Rafael lowered his eyes as if in thought, nodding once. “What if you opened the window so the neighbors could hear?” His gaze came back to meet yours. “It’s been pretty quiet the last few weeks.”

It had been quiet in the neighborhood since all the bars and clubs shut down, including Penny and Me’s, the bar just downstairs that normally featured live music, which would fill the entire neighborhood and carry over to the next block. You smiled at your boyfriend.

“You don’t think people might get annoyed?”

“No,” he answered. “I think people are reaching for as many positive things as they can get. And some music, especially when the neighborhood has been so eerily quiet, might be just the thing that makes them feel normal again. Even if it’s only for a moment.”

You eyed your guitar in the far corner of the living room, leaning against the bookcase that held countless escapes into other worlds. Normally when reality came to be too much, a mix of other worlds and strums on your guitar would be enough to keep you from losing it completely. But right then, when the world as you knew it was forever changed, you couldn’t justify leaving it, even to save your sanity.

“And,” Rafael added. “If anyone complains, they’ll have me to deal with.”

You snorted, standing and opening the window before you went to pick up your guitar. Sitting back on the window seat, you took your time tuning it while your eyes periodically wandered, looking for an idea of what song to play. From the corner of your eye, you saw Rafael take out his phone, tap his screen a few times before he held it up. You knitted your brows at him; wasn’t he just trying to talk you out of going live?

“I just realized your family might want to hear you play,” he said as though he’d been inside your head. “What are you gonna play, corazon?”

“I don’t know.” Your gaze fell on the unlit, cursive lettering on the building across the street and the familiar chalkboard by the door that now read, “Stay home. Stay safe.”

With a gentle smile, you began to strum an intro of chords, the beginning of a song that was written strictly as a love letter to music, highlighting the importance of a song in our hearts and how a simple, familiar melody could remind us of our favorite moments in our lives. Music, without which the world would be a much darker place, the one thing that in an instant could heal a hole in your heart, the thing that often formed fond memories of nights up late by the fireplace. Music that could speak for you with such clarity if you had trouble forming words.

“That’s not obvious at all,” Rafael mumbled after hearing you sing the first chorus.

“Hush, you,” you replied quickly, not missing a single strum. “Cause Penny and Me like to roll the windows down…”

As you sang through the full chorus, a second voice joined in from below. Rafael carefully stepped closer to the window, mindful to keep his phone pointed in your direction as he leaned to stick his head out the open square.

“Lawrence?” you heard him call out between lyrics.

“Hey Rafael!” the voice replied. “And Penny and Me like to gaze at starry skies…”

Your ADA chuckled under his breath when a third voice sounded from further down the building, and a fourth from above. By the time you reached the bridge, it was as though half the block joined in. Your focus was on keeping time with your strums against the strings, but your skin had prickled into goosebumps at the sound of your neighbors singing along with you.

For the first time since you’d been stuck inside, it actually felt like despite the fact that you were all self-isolating, none of you were alone. In that moment, the entire block of 82nd street was one, singing through their pain and loneliness, belting their affections for each other simply by joining you in a cover of an early 2000s tune by one of the original popstars of the 90s. Through the final chorus you could hear the longing, the desire to be together truly once again, going to Penny and Me’s for a drink after a long week and weaving in and out of clusters of people on the sidewalk to get home after it got late. It reminded you that New Yorkers were fighters, that you had all seen worse than this pandemic and that one day soon you would be reminiscing about where you were during the 2020 pandemic that had paused the world and forced people to appreciate each other just a little bit more. The time when music, as always, kept you connected while you distanced.

“Do you think this is going to go viral?” Rafael asked no one in particular after you’d played the final chord of the song.

“I don’t think so, it’s a fairly obscure song,” you answered with a grin as you leaned back against the window sill, allowing the breeze to blow strands of hair against your face.

“Still,” Rafael mumbled as he tagged your parents in the post and, at your request, tagged the song and the virus for easy reference if you needed a pick-me-up later in the night. “Okay, I’m gonna head out to the store. Did you wanna come?”

“I think I’m gonna stay here,” you answered, rolling your head to one side until your eyes met his. “I should clean the bathroom...and myself. Then afterward, I might try to work on some more music.”

The smirk you knew all too well flashed in your direction as he closed the space between you to kiss your forehead. “Maybe without the window being open. The neighbors didn’t mind a song they knew, but the last thing we’d want is to disrupt their marathon of Tiger King.”

“Speaking of which, they added an episode,” you said.

“They did?”

“Yep, Carol Baskins isn’t in it though, from what I’ve heard,” you said.

“Fucking Carol Baskins. Okay, I’ll be back in an hour, tops,” he said, going to the door and putting on his coat. “When I get back, I think we should make dinner and watch that episode.”

“And after that?”

He bobbed his shoulders. “You’ve been trying to get me to watch Lost for years. Maybe now is when you do.”

“I don’t know if I wanna watch a show about a plane that disappears to an island no one knows about. We’ll see what my paranoia level is by the time we finish the last Tiger King episode.”

“Well, you know I’ve been dying for you to watch Catch-22,” he replied with a smirk.

You paused a moment, grimacing at the thought of the show adaptation of a Joseph Heller novel that you hadn’t very much enjoyed in the first place. “Lost it is.”

#rafael barba #rafael x reader #aprilchallenge

23 notes · View notes

wroughtbetwixtfanfic · 5 years

Text

A Memory Of The Smell of Smoke, Ch 5.

Fandom: The Society.

Summary: Everyone liked to pretend that Campbell had been born bad. That their fear and hatred were logical, rational, justified, because Campbell was a monster incapable of making the choice between good and evil. Because he couldn’t feel the way they did. Well, fuck that. He was gonna prove them wrong. At least, that had been the plan.

Rating: Mature.

Tags: Canon Divergence, Pre-Canon, Emotional Baggage, Mental Health Issues, Child Abuse, Substance Abuse, Animal Death, Complicated Relationships, Pre-Slash, Denial of Feelings, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Implied Rape, Campbell has mild ASPD and is self aware enough to try and be better, the non-con is NOT Campbell, didn’t add an official warning because it is the aftermath only, yes it is the party becca mentioned and there will be a warning in the notes of that chapter, Campbell/Harry, Campbell/Elle.

Word Count: 4601 (chapter 5/5).

Ch 1 || Ch 2 || Ch 3 || Ch 4 || AO3

Then again, they do say that things get worse before they get better.

For whatever reason, Becca stopped talking to Campbell. He tried to text her to see if she was alright, but his number was blocked. He tried to talk to her, but she kept on walking. It would have been all too easy to get pissed off over it, but he shrugged and carried on with life. Perhaps she was embarrassed, or ashamed. Perhaps she wanted to pretend it never happened. Maybe it had been a really bad high. Who knew? But she wanted nothing to do with him, either way, and he didn't waste his time on people that obviously wanted him gone. Caring cost too much energy for that.

The end of the school year play was an adaptation of the film Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. Cassandra, of course, decided to try out. It was more surprising that Harry tried out, too. Naturally, they both got the lead roles. And why wouldn't they? Cassandra had always been an amazing actress, and now that Harry had cleaned up his image to make himself the cute goody-two-shoes co-captain of the debate team in order to be more appealing to Kelly, it made sense that he'd charm his way in.

Campbell didn't need to worry about that. He got recruited to help with the set, and that was fine. It was something to pass the time, as always, and Elle was often there to help with choreography. It was a nice, long distraction. By the time rehearsals were over, they had two weeks left until prom and three until graduation; it was so close to being over that Campbell could taste it, and damn it was good. The play itself would shave one week off, and everyone would be too busy going bananas over prom that they wouldn't have time for much idle gossip.

Perfect.

Or, at least, it would have been perfect. Just before the opening night of the play, something began to smell. Literally. Campbell was hanging out with a few of the drama club kids he'd met through the play, the five of them sharing a few orders of fries after a long day of getting the stage ready for the big event. They were on their way out when Campbell caught a whiff of what smelled like rotting flesh. He gagged, covering his nose with his sleeve, and soon the other teen were coughing as well.

"What the fuck is that?" demanded Elaine, a chunky girl with bright pink hair, ripped jeans, and an MCR shirt. "Jesus christ, Henry, I told you not to go for the chili fries."

Henry, a scrawny blond, made a noise of complaint. "It's not me!"

"The wind is coming from the northeast," Campbell interrupted as everyone began to blame each other. "It's probably in the wood somewhere. A sewer leak or something."

Everyone quieted down and agreed, but the smell only got worse and worse as the evening went on. The next morning, Campbell and Sam came downstairs to find their living room filled up with people. Their parents, Harry's mother, Aunt Amanda and Uncle Jim, a few other influential members of town... and in front of them all, their other uncle, Rogers. Frequently heard blustering on about some damn thing, usually something racist, he wasn't anyone Campbell had any desire to be around. But there he was, shouting about the smell and what to do about it.

Campbell tuned it all out and made breakfast for himself, slipping out the door and heading to school before he was noticed. The smell was, in fact, terrible. Students were whispering theories to each other all day. Campbell heard that the smell was a dead whale washed up on the coast and the wind was carrying the smell, that it was a terrorist attack, that it was ghosts coming to haunt the town for some misdeed, it was meth gone wrong... But in the end, there were no answers. Just a constant, unyielding reek that seemed to be coming from everywhere.

At the very least, the first night of the play went off without a hitch. Even if it smelled like a dead skunk basted with cow farts outside, Cassandra and Harry were beautiful, witty, and gave a flawless performance. No one really payed attention to the fact that there was a town meeting among the adults the next day; Campbell overheard his mother talking to his father about it, and how Uncle Rogers had contacted some guy named Pfeiffer to get rid of the smell.

Campbell flopped on Harry's bed as Harry dug around his closet for a suit to wear to prom. "Who the hell has a job in smell removal? Is that a thing?"

"Don't know, and who cares? As long as I can go back to eating without everything tasting faintly like septic tank, that's all I care about."

Whatever the Pfeiffer guy was about, the day after the town meeting, the smell did vanish as quickly as it had come. For short time, things went back to normal. Campbell stayed home-- you've seen one night in a play, you've seen them all, in his opinion-- to cook mushroom carbonara while everyone else was out. If nothing else, he knew how to make a good pan of noodles, and it gave him time to think about asking Elle to prom. A sort of asinine affair, something he and Cassandra agreed on, but it was the last big thing of high school. Maybe it was worth a shot.

On the last night of the play, the smell returned. It was even worse than before, so strong that it stung their eyes and made some of the younger kids choke; the adults called yet another emergency meeting, and this time, it was decided that the EPA would be contacted. Until then, all students 16 and over would be sent away on a camping trip until the smell was removed. An exciting prospect in Campbell's mind, considering his family had never been camping his whole life. A whole weekend in the middle of nowhere? Roasting marshmallows, hiking, swimming, freaking Allie out with spooky stories? Cool.

"Mom and dad wanted to know if you got your toothbrush," Sam signed as they stood on the school lawn, everyone waiting for the buses to pick them up. "Did you?"

"Tell them to get fucked."

Sam stared. Campbell forced a cheerful smile and headed off to go wait elsewhere. He was standing at the curb when he heard someone approaching; he turned his head, ready to tell Sam to leave him alone, when Campbell realized it was Grizz heading his way. He was pale, his gait fast and jaw tight as he glanced around. Huh. Weird. The football player never really seemed nervous about much.

"Hey Campbell," Grizz greeted. "I have a question for you."

"I'm flattered, but I'm already asking someone to prom."

Narrowing his eyes, Grizz glared at him. "Hey. No, it's... Did you tag the wall of the church last night?"

"What?" Campbell blinked. "I'm no fan of Christianity, but no. I didn't tag the church with anything. Why?"

"Just wondering. There's some creepy Bible quote on one of the outside walls. Just thought maybe you'd know something about it."

"Someone's probably just dicking with us, man."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

There wasn't much time to debate it. Cassandra and her gaggle joined them at the curb, all of them eagerly chattering at Grizz, who seemed to be the group Boy Scout and everyone wanted camping advice. Five school buses pulled up soon after, and everyone began to pile on. One of the few places left on the bus was next to Elle; she had a look on her face that was positively icy, but he decided to take the chance anyways.

Campbell rested his hand on the seat and nodded to the empty space next to her. "Hey, I'm Campbell. Do you mind if I sit here?"

Elle glanced up at him. She didn't smile, didn't speak, but she shrugged a little and moved over enough to make room.

"Excited for the trip?"

"Not especially. I prefer indoor plumbing. You?"

"I don't know. It might be an adventure."

"An adventure, huh? From what I hear, you make plenty of your own excitement."

"Oh? Where'd you hear that?"

"I just pay attention."

Campbell leaned a little closer. She didn't flinch away, but she was watching him with a cautious intensity he hadn't seen from many others before. "It's too bad we've been going to school together all this time, and never really talked, don't you think?"

"What is there for us to talk about?"

"Dance, maybe. How many years did you do ballet before you moved here?"

"You know about that?"

"I pay attention, too."

That earned him the tiniest of smirks. "Okay, smartass. What else do you know about me?"

"Your family moved here from New York when you were about twelve. You tried to make friends with Lexie and her goon squad, but they ignored you and ever since then you've kinda just been alone. You spend most of your time reading, or playing the piano."

"Piano."

"Junior year, we had math together and Gelstein let us listen to music during tests." Campbell placed his fingers on the back of the seat in front of him, moving them along like he was tapping on invisible keys. "You'd move your fingers along to the music, but you thought no one noticed because you sat in the back."

"Ohh, you've got a good eye. Yeah, I can play the piano. But I feel like that's cheating a little. You sat right next to me."

"That's true. I also know that you eat all the green M&Ms first, and that is not something I found out sitting next to you."

Elle leaned back and arched her eyebrows. "You know, some people might considered that level of observation a little creepy."

"Do you think it is?"

"I don't know yet."

"Think you'll know in time for prom?"

"Well, how about this." She was smiling now, and the corners of her eyes crinkled a little. "Ask me when this trip is over."

A fair enough deal. They spent the rest of the morning discussing music, art, and entertainment; Campbell had to stop and let Elle ramble from time to time, though he noticed she did the same and wondered if it was for the same reason. He wasn't used to talking, to the point where he was getting winded. They had similar enough tastes, as far as modern music was concerned, and a similar view on politics. He liked modern dance, while she liked the more traditional forms, but it was still a shared interest.

They continued talking until the sun set and the bus fell silent, with students falling asleep as the bus ride continued well into the night. Elle slumped over near midnight, resting her head on his shoulder. She yawned, content. "This is fun. How come we've never talked before?"

"I don't know." Campbell allowed her to nestle close. He wanted to stroke her hair, but he kept his hands to himself. He didn't want to scare her by being too much, too fast. "I guess I was scared to approach you."

"Why?"

"Because you're pretty, and I'm trouble."

Ella closed her eyes, voice muffled as she drifted off to sleep. "Maybe I'm trouble, too."

Cute, but it was hard to imagine. Not because she was a girl or because she was small-- he'd seen a 4'11" girl take down a two hundred and fifty pound football player with one well aimed kick to the dick-- but because he'd never heard a single bad word about her from anyone who mattered. Well, who knew. Maybe she had a rap sheet from back home in New York. Campbell smiled a little, falling asleep himself soon after.

He had no clue how much time had passed when the school bus jerked to a halt. He stirred, blinking as the lights on the bus flickered back on. Everyone was murmuring, trying to figure out what was going on. Were they there? It was supposed to be a twelve hour ride, including breaks along the way, but they had left at three in the evening and the time on his phone said it was only a little past one in the morning.

"Change of plans," the bus driver said. His tone was flat. Bored. "Rock slides. The road is closed. You're back home."

The murmurs turned into sounds of disbelief. Campbell stood as the bus doors opened, making his way out along with everyone else. He stopped on the school lawn, and stared out into the darkness; there was no one there, no one besides the other students, and the weird smell was gone. It couldn't have been fixed that fast. The useless government never did anything fast, and it hadn't even been a full day yet.

"The fuck," he muttered as the buses all pulled away and left. "What is this?"

Ella stood next to him, frowning. "Strange. That's what."

Everyone began texting, calling. Campbell tried his father's number, knowing Sam was probably going to call their mother. It rang, and didn't stop ringing. No answer. No voicemail, even. He glanced around. He could see the worry and panic on everyone else as they seemed to be reaching similar results. No one was answering. Something was obviously wrong. With the smell gone, he wondered if it really had been a gas leak, and now everyone was fucking dead. Only one way to know for sure.

Plastering a smile on his face, Campbell looked to Sam and shrugged like it was no big deal. Make it seem like everything was fine. No need to freak out and start some kind of mass riot. "Well, I'm going home."

Sam grabbed his arm. His eyes were wide, and he was obviously at that freak out point already. "You're not going to wait for me?" he whispered, not bothering to even sign.

Campbell made a quick sign. "Hurry up, then."

He kept walking, and soon enough he heard footsteps trailing behind him. They walked in silence for a bit, before Sam signed to him. "Where do you think our parents are?"

"Home. Asleep."

"Do you think that's all?"

"Yeah." Campbell didn't believe it for a second, but Sam didn't need to know that right then. "Probably."

When they made it home, the cars were still there. All the lights were out inside. Campbell went in first, calling out to their parents, but there was no answer. Campbell and Sam exchanged a look; Sam's lips pursed, knowing without any words passing between them what the look meant. They were alone. Campbell searched downstairs, then headed upstairs. He didn't even care that Sam was right on his heels. It meant that they could both confirm at the same time that they were, in fact, alone in the house.

"No note," Sam said. "No message on the phone. Where could they be?"

Campbell frowned. He didn't have a damn clue what to tell his brother, but then their phones both began to blow up. Campbell looked at his, hoping for the first time in forever that it was their parents, but it was Harry. His mother was gone. Kelly's parents, too. No one could reach anyone, and their data was all knocked out.

Probably from the storm, Campbell texted back.

Yeah, Harry answered, and did the storm take all our parents too?

A good question. Suddenly he had texts from Elle and Cassandra, even Allie, asking where he and Sam were and could they find anyone. Cassandra finally texted for the two of them to meet her and everyone else back at the school. ASAP.

"Are you gonna go?" Sam asked.

It wasn't even really worth thinking about. Of course he was going to go, if only so he could get some idea of where things were heading. People were gonna start wigging out, and Campbell knew history well enough to know that a bunch of teenagers alone and afraid never meant anything good. And maybe someone, somewhere, had actually found something. Campbell nodded to Sam, and they both headed out to meet with Cassandra.

By the time they got to the school, a crowd had formed. Not everyone, and mostly seniors, but enough for Campbell to know it'd get ugly if the impromptu meeting didn't go well. Elle was there; she came over and stood at his side, one arm crossed in front of her chest and the other tangled up in her hair, her bottom lip pouting out a little. She opened her mouth to speak, but then someone else-- one of the football players, loud and brash-- yelled out.

"Who decided we needed a flash mob?"

Cassandra stepped out of the shadows. She stood on the other side of Campbell, pulling herself tall. "I did."

"What the fuck, Cassandra?"

"Better than 200 people sending texts. Has anyone been able to reach anyone?" she asked. The crowd was either silent, or mumbled a negative. "No one? Okay. Well, there's... there's definitely a simple explanation."

A voice Campbell didn't recognize yelled out. "Like what?"

"Um. They, uh." Cassandra glanced at Campbell. He said nothing, hell, he didn't even move; if anyone thought he was influencing her, they'd never listen. "They were evacuated, after we left. And there was a miscommunication, and we were brought back here by mistake."

"Someone would still answer a phone," Kelly pointed out.

"Maybe they're asleep. I don't know, maybe they some place with no reception. They're in a shelter with... with no reception, or something. In the morning, someone will answer a phone."

Goddamn it. Cassandra, cool and collected Cassandra, was losing it. Standing this close to her, Campbell could tell that she was shaking. Not much, but enough that Campbell felt a spark of worry. They were supposed to be the reasonable ones. Cassandra was valedictorian, disliked and unpopular but vocal and well-known in their senior class. If Cassandra lost it, the rest wouldn't be far behind.

"Maybe it's not safe for us to be here, if they all left."

"A couple hours isn't gonna make a difference. We'll figure this all out in the morning. Right now, we should just... uh, go home. Yeah, we should go home. And anyone who doesn't want to, uh, be alone can come back to our house. Right?"

Allie smiled when Cassandra looked to her. "Sure."

"Is that your advice, Cassandra?"

It had to be Harry that challenged her. Campbell cursed under his breath, and resisted the urge to strangle him. Cassandra and Harry always had been rivals, butting heads over everything and fighting for power at every turn, with Cassandra usually emerging victorious. But what about now, when people were scared and tensions were climbing?

"Yeah. Yeah, Harry, yeah, just go to sleep."

Harry rolled his eyes, but people began to disperse. Well, some people. The majority stayed put, hovering around closer to Harry and the jock brigade; they were whispering about the local liquor store, and Campbell took the moment to sidle over to Cassandra while everyone else seemed distracted.

"Do you honestly believe any of that?" he wondered, lowering his voice.

Cassandra shook her head. She took a breath, but it was already all too clear that she was out of her depth. "I have to, right now. It won't do any good tonight to think about it too much. We need to all go home, get some rest, and see what tomorrow brings."

"You know as well as I do that if we don't start preparing for the worst now, tomorrow it's gonna hit and this whole place is gonna go all Lord of the Flies."

"What the hell do you think happened?"

"Cassie, haven't you noticed anything else, besides our missing families?"

"The smell."

"Yeah, the smell. How are you gonna explain that to them? Or did the smell go to a shelter with no reception, too?"

Biting her lip, Cassandra looked at the crowd gathering around Harry. Before she could say anything else, Allie came prancing up, a cheeky smile on her face. "Cassandra. Campbell." His name was said like it was something disgusting, and her smile hardened just a bit. "I guess the guys are planning to raid the liquor store and have a party. Coming?"

"Really?" Cassandra sighed. "No way. I'm going to head home and try to figure this out. Please don't burn anything down."

Allie grinned and made her way back to her friends. Cassandra, Gordie, and their friend Bean headed off towards home. Campbell knew it'd be for the best to just leave, but he could see that Sam was staying, and Elle was watching him expectantly. Harry was waving them both over, and Campbell sighed. Might as well. Despite how bizarre it all was, the idea of not having to race home by ten and play Good And Normal Son with his parents was appealing.

"What was that about?" Elle asked. Her tone was light, but her eyes were sharp. "With you and Cassandra?"

"Oh, just cousin bickering. How about this party, huh?"

It started as just a bunch of them hanging out on the front yard of the church, with beers getting passed around. Campbell and Elle camped out in a quieter corner, each with their own drink. But within fifteen minutes, Clark had discovered that the church doors were open. It seemed wrong. So, so very wrong. That's what made it fun. Campbell smirked as people texted their friends, brought more liquor, and rigged up some music. The air was just vibrating with bass and the cheers of about a hundred drunk, high teenagers. It was blasphemous, and oh, they were all loving it.

"Can you imagine the looks on their faces?" Campbell laughed with Elle as he downed another cup of alcohol. "Those stuck up fucks would piss themselves."

Elle answered, but her voice was muffled. Far away. His vision was dimmer around the edges and he felt good; he grabbed Elle by the hand and led her out to where people were dancing. Harry's shitty little pity parties had never appealed to him much, and certainly not the stiff swaying back and forth of school dances with their parent-approved music, but this? This was something new, different. They could do anything and they weren't going to get caught. Not yet. The cats were away, and they were all a bunch of fucking rats ready to play.

At least, that's what Campbell thought, but after people started pouring beers off the second story, Elle retreated into an empty stairway. Campbell followed. A bad idea, in hindsight, but they'd been having a good time. Hadn't they? She had tucked herself into a corner, wiping beer off her skin and wringing it from her hair; Campbell stepped closer, smiling.

"I don't know, I think you look kinda hot this way."

Elle didn't look at him. "Yeah, well, I don't really care what anyone else thinks right now."

"Hey. Why are you spoiling all the fun?" Campbell asked. She didn't say anything, just giving him an irritated look. "Is it like a ballerina thing? Act all cold? Is that..."

Without a word, she tried to push past him. Campbell grabbed her arm, but she spun around and fixed him with a glare. "Seriously?"

Campbell blinked. He didn't know exactly what was happening, but she was angry, and he let go of her arm. She kept walking, heading towards the exit. He sighed, mumbling under his breath so she wouldn't hear. "Your loss."

Everything after that was mostly a very long blur, ending in a wall of black. Not something he'd done in a while, getting completely wasted, and not something he was eager to repeat when he woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache. Light hurt, sound hurt. The worst part was that he just barely remembered what happened with Elle.

"Shit," he groaned as his phone blasted him with full brightness. Still, he managed to tap out a text to her. I'm sorry about last night. I'm an asshole and I was drunk. Forgive me? "Send."

It was the best he could do at that second. Campbell dragged himself out of bed, stumbling downstairs where Sam was making breakfast. Sam glanced at him, flipping some bacon. Campbell wanted to gag at the smell, but there was a small stack of toasted Eggo waffles on the counter, and he snagged one of those.

"No parents," Sam signed. "No calls or anything."

Campbell just waved his hand and sunk his face into his arm. He figured. There hadn't been any furious screaming about the state of the church, after all. Sam sat down at the table, and Campbell raised his head enough to watch him for a moment. Now that he was sober, he was back to being able to read people. He could see on Sam's face that Sam was scared. He kept eyeing Campbell, then looking away, and shifting like his body just didn't want to sit still. His body was turned away. Closed off. Insecure. He didn't like being alone with Campbell.

Well, who did anymore, really?

His phone buzzed. He hoped it was Elle, but it was from Harry. Campbell tapped on the notification, and stared at the text. Get to the bridge. NOW.

Sam's phone went off next. "Becca wants me at the bridge outside of town."

Please, a second text read. I'm scared.

Harry had never said that, not in all the years they'd been friends. Campbell stuffed another waffle in his mouth, and threw on his flannel shirt. "Let's go."

It took almost twenty minutes to jog there. Sam kept up, thankfully. Campbell wasn't about to wait around when Harry was reduced to begging. Something was wrong, he could feel it in his stomach more than ever. The closer he got, the more he could see there was a small crowd formed. Cassandra, Allie, Becca, Will. Gordie, Bean, Kelly. Luke, Clark, Grizz, Harry. Helena. Sam went to his friends, who were sitting by the railing of the bridge; Campbell went to Harry, who was crowded around his far with the jocks and Helena.

"What's going on?" Campbell hissed, pulling Harry off to the side. "You look ready to pass the fuck out."

Harry just pointed. Campbell followed the line of sight. Trees. Trees had completely demolished the train tracks leading out of town. They just... ended. Campbell went to turn back to Harry, and noticed the same thing had happened to the road, too. He rubbed his eyes; maybe he was still drunk, or someone had slipped him something. But no. It was like a wall of forest.

Harry spoke, only just audible. "It's like that the whole way around." He was breathing faster, his voice trembling faintly. "We tried the internet, Bean tried to call 911. Nothing. There's no one out there. We're trapped."

Campbell reached out, resting his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry leaned into the touch ever so slightly. Adults and the younger kids, gone. The smell, gone. A natural barrier, cutting them off from every escape route, and they were-- for the moment-- alone. How? He couldn't fathom, but how didn't exactly matter at the moment. What mattered was that this was reality. Somehow, some way, they were going to have to survive it.

They were worse than trapped.

They were completely, truly, screwed.

6 notes · View notes

leisurelypanda · 7 years

Text

Life is Good chapter 7

http://archiveofourown.org/works/11676360/chapters/26446725

In return for the flowers, Andrew decided that the best way to thank Craig was a dinner and movie night. The kind of date they never seemed to have time for, which was insane considering their first date when they became a couple was camping out in the middle of the woods for a weekend. Fortunately, Damien instantly agreed to watch the girls when he heard about Craig’s gesture (an arrangement which worried Craig, but Andrew insisted they’d be fine). They had dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant, then headed to the movie theater.

When they arrived they stood staring at the show times. There was a rom-com, an action flick, and a couple horror movies since it was almost Halloween, a possessed space-cowboy movie, a suburban prostitute/serial killer movie, and a witch/vampire medieval movie. The theater also showcased various classic horror movies for the Halloween season. One in particular coming up soon was a French movie, Les Diaboliques.

“What do you think bro?” Craig asked. “Classic scary movie or modern scary movie?”

“Ooooh bro, I don’t know,” Andrew said with excitement. “Possessed space-cowboys sounds like a horror spin on Firefly and I’m all about that.

“But also Les Diaboliques is a classic. I’ve always wanted to see it on the big screen, but alas, the movie is a little younger than our parents!”

“It’s a 1950s French movie,” Craig said. “How bad could it be, dude? And what’s Firefly?”

Andrew glared playfully at his bro. “Just for that, we’re seeing Les Diaboliques. You’re gonna eat those words, bro. And what do you mean by ‘What’s Firefly?’ I can’t believe we’ve been together this long and you don’t know what that is! This is a travesty and I have to fix it.”

Craig smiled and took his hand and laced their fingers together. “I think I’ll be fine, bro. Whatever you say.”

They approached the booth and ordered their tickets. The teenager behind the glass window looked at their choice. “Oooh good choice,” she said. “And great timing! You two got the last two tickets! Enjoy!”

They heard a few groans from the people in line as the sign above blinked from the show time to “Sold Out”

“No going back now,” Andrew grinned, taking his bro’s hand as he walked through the doors to the concessions stand. “Though it sounds like we could make a killing selling these tickets.”

Craig rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, dude. How bad could it be?”

Craig was really trying to play it cool. The truth was he was a bit nervous about seeing the movie. It turned out to be about a school principal’s wife and mistress who, upon discovering that they’re being played, decide to kill the asshole. But it definitely wasn’t what Craig expected of modern horror movies. No gore or torture or jump scares. This one had him sitting on the edge of his seat and holding his bro’s hand. He peaked at Andrew at some point in the movie and his boyfriend looked at him and smirked as he leaned in and whispered, “Is this scary enough for you, bro?”

Craig really needed to stop giving the universe so many chances to put his foot in his mouth. It was getting old at this point, but he was determined to make it through the date for his bro’s sake.

He must have been shaking because Andrew covered the hand he was holding with his other hand. It was warm and soft and steady, like somehow his bro had become a fan of horror movies since their college days. “Hey,” he whispered. “I got you, bro.” Andrew kissed his hand for emphasis.

Okay, okay. I’m good. We’re good, Craig thought. Nothing to worry about.

At that moment a hand reached out and grabbed one of the women on screen and several people screamed along with her, including Craig. God dammit, universe!

It wasn’t a bad movie, though. It was great! There was a lot of psychological horror, rather than the stuff he’d come to expect from horror movies. Like Saw. God, he couldn’t stand Saw, and there was absolutely no way those movies would show up in his house as long as his girls lived there.

Well, maybe when they turn 16, if they’re somehow into that sort of thing by then, he thought.

Craig was enjoying himself, despite being scared to death half the time. He could see why this movie in particular was a classic in the horror genre. And truth be told, even though he could handle modern horror movies, he wasn’t really a fan of them. Though maybe if he watched them with Andrew he could be, if his bro was a fan of those movies, too. He’d make it through this one in one piece, first, of course.

“So what did you think, Craig?” Andrew asked as they made their way out to the car. “Good movie?”

Craig opened the door, practically jumping from all the adrenaline in his veins. “Bro, that movie was great! That ending fucked with my mind! That entire movie fucked with my mind, man! Would it be wimpy of me to say that if you hadn’t been holding my hand I’m not sure if I could’ve made it through it?”

Andrew grinned and leaned over to kiss Craig on the cheek. “No, it makes you a brave man who can admit that he was afraid. Very sexy.”

Craig blushed a bit. “How did you make it through the first time?”

Andrew thought back for a bit. “Let’s see… it would have been with Alex shortly before we adopted Amanda, and we were at home, he held my hand while I hid behind a pillow. I stayed up the whole night with the lights on until the sun came up and fell asleep at work the next morning.”

Craig smiled and started the car. “Good thing it’s a Friday, then.”

They rehashed the movie during the drive home. Every time Craig jumped, every time someone in the audience screamed, and every time Andrew screamed (it was good to know that his bro had been scared as well). By the time they arrived at Damien’s house, Craig felt like he might be able to sleep that night, provided Damien hadn’t terrified his girls or something.

They knocked politely at the door and a moment later, Damien stood there with his three girls in tow smiling with delight.

“How were they?” he asked.

Damien smiled. “They were delightful. River slept almost the whole time, so she might be a bit restless tonight.”

“Mr. Bloodmarch read us Frankenstein!” Hazel said.

Damien chuckled. “Some of it, at any rate,” he admitted. “I fear the tale is a bit lengthy to read in a single evening. I hope your evening was enjoyable. It is far too lovely a night to not take advantage of.”

Andrew smiled. “It was great. We saw Les Diaboliques.”

Damien paled. “Oh dear, that’s quite a movie. It’s… a classic. And… utterly appropriate for the season.”

Briar tugged on Andrew’s pant leg and he leaned down to pick her up. “Can you take Dad out for another date sometime so we can hear the rest of it?” she asked.

Andrew chuckled. “Well, I’d love to take him out on more dates, but why don’t we ask Mr. Bloodmarch how he feels about it? Maybe if you ask nicely he’ll agree.” He put Briar down.

The twins looked up at Damien, eyes full of wonder and innocence. “Please Mr. Bloodmarch?” They pleaded. “Will you babysit us again and read us the rest of the story?”

Damien smiled and bent down to look them in the eyes. “My stars, it’s wonderful to see young kids so interested in literature,” he said. “I’d be delighted to, my dears, but only if you behave for your parents.”

“We will!” they promised.

Craig smiled and looked down at his watch. It was nearly 10:30! “It’s getting late,” he said, taking River from Damien. “We’d best be getting home. Thanks again, dude!”

Damien waved. “My pleasure! Good night!”

As they walked back to their house Craig had the sneaky suspicion that Damien might make goths out of his girls. Though if they turned out like him, that might not be so bad. “So girls,” he said. “You got any ideas for what you wanna be for Halloween?”

Apparently his suspicions were justified. “I want to be Dr. Frankenstein!” Briar said.

“Frankenstein?” he asked. “You want to be a monster?”

Briar rolled her eyes. “No dad, Dr. Frankenstein is the guy who made the monster. Hazel wants to be Frankenstein’s monster.”

Oh God it’s happening already, Craig thought. Next to him, Andrew chuckled.

“At least one of them wants to be a doctor,” Craig said to him.

“Yeah,” Andrew replied, approaching the house. “A doctor with a god-complex and a penchant for grave robbing, but still.”

“I’m trying to be optimistic, bro,” Craig said as he turned the key and opened the door.

Home sweet home, he thought.

#craig cahn x dadsona #craig cahn #Damien Bloodmarch #river cahn #hazel cahn #briar cahn #dream daddy #ddadds #fanfic #Life is Good

4 notes · View notes

furederiko · 7 years

Photo

I knew I've doubted whether I'll be able to pull this off... but here it is! My thoughts on the 89th Academy Award Nominations that had just been announced two days ago...

For unknown reasons, unlike the previous years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apparently decided not to publish the Nominations Announcement on Youtube. Instead, they've published short videos for all 24 categories containing all the chosen names instead. You can check those out through their official Youtube channel (filtered by 'Oscars 2017'). Of course, the event was still streamed globally on their own website, so I guess that's the primary reason. Nevertheless, this was... surprising, to be honest. I mean, I usually could see it at a later time anytime I want (due to the difference of time zone), but now it's no longer possible. And that's a bummer for me.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's address the other elephant in the room! #OscarsSoWhite NO MORE! Yep, after two consecutive years of mostly sidelining people of colors, this year's list is exceptionally good. I mean, many people are singing praises for the picks. I think this is the first time (to my personal experience, of course) that we even have POC's representatives in each of the 6 major categories. We have director Barry Jenkins for his critically acclaimed "Moonlight", that also scored a Best Picture nominee alongside non-white movies like "Fences", "Hidden Figures", and "Lion". On the acting departments, we have African-American actors Denzel Washington, Mahershala Ali, and actresses Viola Davis, Naomie Harris, and Octavia Spencer. They are joined with Indian-British actor Dev Patel, and Ethiopian-Irish actress Ruth Negga, in both of their first-time nominations.

Sure, you might say that we don't see any Hispanic or East Asian names among them. But remember! The Japanese tale of LAIKA's "Kubo and the Two Strings", the Polynesian girl's coming-of-age story of Disney Animations' "Moana", and Studio Ghibli's co-produced "The Red Turtle" are all vying for Best Animated Feature! Obviously, those are solid proof that the Academy is moving on the right direction, right? Sure, the diversity and equality-themed movie "Zootopia" has the highest chance to be the winner in this category, but at least we have representatives in form of cultures, story-setting, alongside its production staffs, right? And lest we forget, Hong Kong very own martial artist/actor Jackie Chan has accepted one of The Honorary Awards of the year!

Wait a sec. Now that I observe more closer, there ARE hispanic representatives too! But these folks are spreaded out in other, more-technical categories. One name that easily stands out the most would be Lin-Manuel Miranda! His inspiring and powerful ballad "How Far I'll Go" from Moana is vying for the Best Original Song. I have to admit though, I doubt it'll stand a chance against the strong competitions from both "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)", and "City of Stars". That's because both arrived from the same team of Justin Hurwitz , Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and were featured in the musical that has practically stolen everyone's heart.

YES! Talking about the nominees, it would be completely rude to not mention "La La Land". Damien Chazelle masterpiece has scored a record-tying fourteen nominations, putting it alongside the likes of "All About Eve" and "Titanic". Although it's not yet a sure bet, but the chance of this musical to walk away as the Best Picture winner is pretty high. Especially if recent Awards were any indications. At the very least, it would easily win all those Sound categories. I'm punching myself everyday because I still haven't been able to see this movie (and for a musical fan, that's saying much!), so I can't tell if it's Best Picture worthy or not. But the signs are certainly already leading towards this delightful conclusion. Unless we get a surprise upset win, of course. After all, the other titles are nothing but greatness. According to professional critics.

Two comic book adaptations put their stamps on the list. After being completely left out last year, Marvel Studios has returned with its visual dazzler "Doctor Strange" on the Best Visual Effects Category. Considering it's one of the most visually engaging movie of 2016, this is a well deserved nomination. Of course, the chance of it winning against either Disney's pure movie-magic that is "The Jungle Book", and even LAIKA's gorgeous stop-motion works in "Kubo and the Two Strings", is... rather slim. Don't get me wrong, all three were among my 10 Favorite Movies of the year. But if you ask me, as much as my Marvel-bias wants the Master of Mystic Arts to win, it's clear that Disney's live action photo-realism wonder (which was also helmed by a Marvel Studios director/producer, and starred many of its actors, in case you've forgotten) has practically booked the top prize since the day it was released. I don't see much of a competition, to be honest.

As for the other comic book movie, well... though it annoys the hell out of me to say this, Warner Bros' boring, bland, and excessively-cheesy "Suicide Squad" can pride its ugly-self as an Oscars nominee now. Eventhough the fact that it gets mentioned for Best Makeup and Hairstyling would never ever justify for its... uhhh... quality. Assuming it had one, of course. I mean seriously, that movie was BAD, like lousy bad, and I'm simply being nice here! I personally believe Warner Bros' "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" deserves this spot a lot better, making it a pair to its Best Costume chance. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story should've been here too, instead on the Visual Effects section. But surprisingly too, there are only THREE nominees in this particular list! So "Suicide Squad"'s chance of winning just become annoyingly high. Which is good for them, because they... well, need the good publicity of it. Of course, whether it or "Star Trek Beyond" will come out as the winner or not, is still anyone's guess. After all, even "Guardians of the Galaxy" didn't win the same category back in 2015. I guess I'll be choosing "Star Trek Beyond" for my personal pick, though there's a possibility I might end up leaning towards "A Man Called Ove" instead. Not sure why, just a gut feeling.

Still in the topics of comic book adaptations, it's worth noted, that we have several superhero alumns on the list this year. Ruth Negga played Raina on the first two seasons of Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", while Mahershala Ali played Cornell Cottonmouth in Netflix's Marvel's "Luke Cage". Both are great examples of how Marvel TV loves to waste the talents of their actors by killing their characters too early. I mean, just imagine the prestige the two would carry to the shows had they are still among the cast. Am I right? Ironically, the same goes for both Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, our previous Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy from SONY's ill-fated "Amazing Spider-Man" franchise. Now they are sitting there as Best Actor and Best Actress nominees! Looks like being dropped from their superhero flicks has turned the tide for them both... for the better! Other names on this list includes Jeff Bridges, Michael Shannon, Natalie Portman, and Viola Davis who played Obadiah Stane, General Zod, Jane Foster, and Amanda Waller respectively before. It would be unfair to not mention them, right?

Inevitably, this announcement is also accompanied with startling snubs. No surprise here, because it occurs every single year. One of the most-talked about title that seemingly had made everyone cried foul is none other than FOX's "Deadpool". If you ask me, I'm personally more startled to see the reactions instead. I mean, come on... yes, that movie WAS indeed fun, but was it Oscar-worthy or Academy Awards-material? Definitely NOT. I'm frankly even surprised to see it popping up so strongly at the Golden Globes. I'd argue the same thing with Marvel Studios' "Captain America: Civil War". Was that movie great? YES. Leagues better than "Deadpool" in its entirety, and better in storytelling compared to its cousin "Doctor Strange". But even "Civil War" was also definitely not an Academy Award material. At least, it didn't have the edge that "Doctor Strange" and its Escher-like Steve Ditko-inspired kaleidoscopic mesmerizing visuals could champion with. And don't start to argue with 'But even a worse movie like "Suicide Squad" gets one', because shhhhh.... remember what's category it's in again?

The ones that I think are valids to be considered actual snubs, are actress Amy Adams, actor Tom Hanks, and director Martin Scorsese. Many had stated that Adams gave her most stellar performances in not one, but two movies last year: "Arrival" which scored eight nominations that's not related to acting, and "Nocturnal Animals" which only get one nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Meanwhile, Hanks, has been called a frontrunner many times with his performance in "Sully". A movie that's vying in only for Best Sound Editing. And Scorsese, his "Silence" felt like an Award contender from the get-go, but only received a Best Cinematography nomination for Rodrigo Prieto's work. All three names are what we all called 'Oscar Darlings', having been easy regulars on Award's circuit. So not seeing these names was indeed quite a shock. Apart from them, some minor snubs also include: Jake Gyllenhall's performance on "Nocturnal Animals", although this charming actor hasn't been on the Award race for such a long time now; Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who actually WON a Golden Globe for Supporting Actor in the same movie; Disney Pixar's "Finding Dory", eventhough they won last year with "Inside Out"; and certainly several others that slips my mind for now.

One last thing before I wrap this up. I just had to mention The 37th Raspberry Awards or the Razzies! I don't know why, but many entertainment sites seems to be ignoring if not looking down on this Reverse-Awards that honored the Worst Movies of the year. This year in particular. Many outlets seems to just... refuse to talk about it, especially comic books fansites. Why is that? If I had to guess, the answer would be simple. Because one of the year's biggest nomination-grabber is none other than Warner Bros and everyone's 'favorite' "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice". I recon no sites would want to be attacked by death-threats by simply posting the news, right? LOL. Yes, the so-called 'superhero fight of the century' is leading the pack, albeit sharing the first place alongside Zoolander 2 with eight nominations each.

Come on! One would think that a movie that put together DC's greatest superheroes like Batman, Superman, and featured a glorified cameo of Wonder Woman would've been an easy success, right? Well, looks like we were fooled to even expect that result. Not only it was panned by almost every critics, booed and yawned by many audiences (yours truly included), it has now been severely Razzied as well! DC Films' supposedly grandiose movie extravaganza that made many shook their heads in either instant-awe or apparent-disgust scored the nominations for: Worst Picture, Worst Director for Zack Snyder, TWO Worst Actor nominations for both Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, Worst Supporting Actor for Jesse Eisenberg, Worst Screen Combo (yes, between the two actors), Worst Prequel/Remake/Rip-off/Sequel, and Worst Screenplay for the guys who wrote a previous Best Picture movie and got story credit for "The Dark Knight Trilogy"! That's like... practically EVERY categories that were not Actress-related. Which is good news for Amy Adams, by the way. She might have gotten the snub at the Oscars, but at least she's NOT nominated for Worst Actress at the same time. I bet anyone who initially couldn't care less about the movie would be quite curious now to see whether this dull movie will win these categories or not. After all, it's something Warner Bros used to excessively brag about, right? Personally, I'm not at all surprised with this 'acknowledgement', and I doubt many would be, considering how... eh... 'disappointing' that movie was. Oh and that's not all! Jared Leto's cringing portrayal of The Joker somehow tags along Eisenberg's Lex Luthor for the same category. Which is... a huge irony considering "Suicide Squad" did score an Oscar nominee for his makeup. I say, the joke is on him, right?

All in all, I'm very much pleased with this list. It just feels... glorious to see so many POC on it, both in the acting and technical categories. It also feels good to not have to repeat the same complaints over and over again. Looks like the Academy has been listening to people's voice after all, and I deeply appreciate them for that. Not just that of course! This is also a great sign that many POCs have been given more trust in the movie industry. A good proof that they can now showcase their talents and skills, to up the competition in a significant way. Here's hoping this diverse nominations isn't just a one time only, and will continue to be a trend in the coming years.

As for my personal picks, aside from several categories (like Visual Effects, Best Song, etc), I haven't had a fixed personal prediction for the winners just yet. Why is that? Simply because I haven't seen many of the titles on the list. NO KIDDING! I mean, not just "La La Land", I haven't seen any on the Best Pictures ones! OUCH!!! Of course, I still have plenty of time to do so. At least until the ceremony takes place precisely next month (which is why I'm pushing this post to go up today LOL) on FEBRUARY 26, 2017 with Jimmy Kimmel as the host. Here's hoping I'll be able to catch up with them all, and post my fair predictions as soon as I can. It'll probably goes up just days before the ceremony though. Not unlike last year... ahahahaha.

#movie #animation #news #Academy Awards #Oscars #random thoughts #Just for Fun #awesome

0 notes