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storiesundercandlelight · 3 years

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I Know You - Rafe Adler x Reader - Part One

So this idea kind of came to me randomly, it doesn't follow the story of Uncharted 4/the lives of the characters/specifics but the general story of treasure etc is the same! I changed a lot to make it easier to write a shorter story so...please don't hate me for changing it/pushing parts of the game closer together!

Reader descriptions: I don't describe anything about the reader look wise obviously but I have written this in a female readers POV!

Warnings: None for this chapter!

You walked behind Nate and Sam, following their footsteps as you all moved through the jungle path. The heavily tree covered path helped against the brightness of the sun but did little to keep you from the humid heat. You found yourself regularly swatting away bugs and wiping your brow as you moved forward.

Nate was convinced you were close to your destination, that Libertalia, the famous pirate utopia was just around the next bend. It bloody better be, you thought as you swatted away another bug.

"Nate! Please tell me we're almost there!" Sam cried, chopping away at branches blocking their path.

"Yes, we're almost there I'm sure of it!! Hopefully we'll make it there before Rafe" You tripped a little at the mention of Rafe, you'd been trying hard not to think about encountering them again. God why did Rafe have to do this? Why did he have to break away from you all and go against you? You just kept letting the memories between you flash up as you walked.

_____________________________________________________________

You walked quicker, hoping you weren't going to be late. The campus here was bigger than you thought and your archaeology class was the other side of the building to where you lived in your apartment.

The hallway was quiet as you counted the numbers of the classroom doors before finally landing at the door you needed, taking a breath before you entered. Thankfully your professor wasn't there yet, other students chatting.

"You were almost late" You turned to see Rafe, his cocky smile tugging into place as he looked at you.

"Almost being the key word there" You smiled and grabbed the seat beside him, thankful that no one had snatched it up first. You and Rafe had been friends since the first day of your classes, but you knew other girls wanted to get his attention. You hated admitting it at first but you loved that he only ever gave his attention to you.

"Mmmhmm, yeah you keep on using your almost excuse, what held you up anyway?"

"I woke up late" Rafe snorted a laugh at your reply, turning his full attention to you.

"Give in, it'll be easier on all of us. You know I'm relentless" You sighed and turned to him.

"I was reading"

"For the assingment?"

"Yes" You didn't meet Rafe's eyes, turning away quickly you stayed still as he moved closer to you.

"Liar" He whispered in your ear, you gave him your best side eye in response. "Come on what trashy novel do you have tucked under your bed? You know I'll find it either way. Oh! Let me guess, kind of Indiana Jones-y, but with an oh so steamy encounter between the main characters in some dusty ruin" You rolled your eyes but couldn't hold back you smile, damn him!

"Your wrong....this one is set in Egypt, their steamy encounter took place is a very plush tent near a tomb" Rafe's laugh was infectious, his head falling into his hands as he tried to stop himself from laughing.

"Okay okay whatever" He said between giggles. "Just let me know when you're ready to put those books down and get some real action hmm?" Your professor walked into the lecture hall, grabbing everyone's attention and thankfully pulling Rafe away from noticing you blush.

_____________________________________________________________

You hated thinking of those memories now, knowing you were both on opposite sides, fighting against each other.

"There it is" You came to a halt, almost crashing into Sam as all three of you stared at the scene before you. Libertalia.

The pirate town was in ruins, old building covered in foliage. But the pure sight of it took your breath away. To imagine this place, full of pirates, bustling life, songs and laughter, loot and gambling. Your heart felt full.

"Alright let's get to the treasury" It's higher up towards the mountain.

It took almost two hours of walking, climbing, searching until you finally saw the treasury. Pulling yourself up onto the roof of a crumbling but stable building you took a moment to look at your goal. Was this where the treasure has been all this time?

Nate and Sam were climbing up behind you, you turned ready to continue before stopping. You could hear people talking. All three of you crouched down quickly, your hands automatically going for your gun.

"These fucking guys" Sam whispered. "Well, here we go"

You jumped down from the roof onto a ledge, working your way around half broken walls, stacks of warped barrels, anything to avoid Nadine's and Rafe's men.

"We can get inside without them seeing" Nate whispered.

"They've set up camp!" Sam said back. "We won't be safe camping here too, and the sun's almost down" He was right, the sun was setting fast. You could see the camp they were setting up in the main courtyard of the treasury building, the men moving debris from battles fought many years ago so that they could put up tents.

Your eyes caught movement near the back, towards the entrance. A tent was being put up right near the doors. Rafe stood by as two men secured what you guessed was hit tent, slightly further away from everyone else's.

"Rafe's there" You whispered, your stomach was doing flips knowing that not only was he there, but once again you were face to face on different teams. This whole adventure had felt wrong, always running into them and fighting with the man you knew deep down you loved.

"Alright, we can climb in higher up, set up our own camp in that part of the building there, they won't bother looking there, it isn't the main entrance. Hopefully its just a run down set of rooms"

You'd all agreed, although Sam complained the whole way up to the floor Nate pointed out. He was right though, the space was perfect, hidden, dry, warm anyway from the weather and if you leant near to a broken wall you could see Rafe's camp.

It didn't take long for Sam and Nate to fall asleep, the two brothers sprawled on the ground, packs behind their heads as pillows. But you couldn't sleep, not when Rafe was this close, you charted a way down to his tent, planning which route you would take to avoid the men on watch. It was risky but you knew Rafe wouldn't be sharing a tent and his tent was far enough from the rest that you'd be able to talk to him, maybe convince him that he didn't need to fight against you. Maybe if you could get close he would... be the old Rafe.

Taking a deep breath you got up as silently as possible and made your way down. Thoughts of what you would say to Rafe raced through your mind. Would he want to see you? Would he just take you and use you as bait? No, you refused to believe that, he'd told you once how he felt, that can't have just vanished. The memory of that night was still so clear to you.

_____________________________________________________________

"Okay okay, so Chinese?" Rafe dropped down onto your couch, looking at you impatiently.

"Fine" You smiled, knowing that if you changed your mind again Rafe may just cry from hunger.

"Finally!" Rafe pulled out his phone to order as you looked over your notes. You had to admit, you worked well as a team. Your assignments already finished and onto the proofing stage. "The horror...it won't be here for 40 minutes"

You turned to Rafe who had flopped back dramatically against the back of the couch. "Poor baby, to think you have to wait 40 minutes for someone else to cook you food"

"Don't mock me, my hunger is very real" He leant back up, pushing himself nearer to you on the couch and leaning over to look at the notes himself. You should be used to Rafe being this close to you, he was always close. Most people assumed you were a couple because of how close you were and how much time you spent together. But you couldn't stop the blush and heat that ran through you whenever he moved close. You looked over his face, his brows tilted down as he focused on the words, his hair usually neatly slicked back had rogue hairs falling down over his forehead.

God he was attractive. Your eyes went lower, to his arms, his muscles poking out from his t-shirt that really left nothing to the imagination.

"Admiring my fashion choices?" You jumped and your eyes snapped back up to Rafe who was looking at you, a smirk plastered on his face.

"No! I was...I..."

"You...?" He was so close, if you moved your head forward just a little your noses would brush against each other. You could smell his cologne, a musky woody scent that you loved. He didn't move away, his eyes flicking from yours to you lips.

He moved too quickly for you to think, suddenly his lips were on yours, pushing gently. You didn't need to think twice before reacting a melting into the kiss, your hands coming up to touch his neck, pulling him closer. His arms moved around you, a hand resting on your side as he moved into you, pushing you against the arm of the couch. There was no where for you to move and you were so okay with that.

The kiss grew hotter, more needy, hands were everywhere, pulling and pushing. Your fingers ran through his hair, messing it up even more. A faint moan escaped his lips when you tugged it slightly. You both pulled apart, but still close, Rafe rested his forehead against yours as you both caught your breath a little.

Rafe smiled and huffed out a laugh. "I've wanted to do that for so long"

"You have?"

"I thought I'd made my feelings pretty obvious" He quickly kissed you again. "You have completely ruined me, I don't think I'll ever be able to love anyone else"

_____________________________________________________________

You were still caught up in old memories by the time your feet lightly touched the ground behind Rafe's tent. You stayed in the shadows listening, wanting to make sure he was alone. A few moments passed before you decided it was safe and made your way to the flaps, they were tied closed but you made quick and silent work of undoing just enough of them to squeeze in.

The tent was dark, you had to wait for your eyes to adjust fully before moving and looking around. The tent was simple, Rafe's belongings piled in one corner, an empty cot in the other. Empty.

You stood still, heart racing as you realized the cot was empty. You tried to move but suddenly a hand wrapped around your mouth, your legs knock from under you. Your back hit the ground with a thud and you felt a knife pressed against you. Rafe leaned over you.

#rafe adler #rafe adler x reader #uncharted 4 #uncharted fanfiction #uncharted fanfic #uc4

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hitundo2 · 3 years

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Nadine was really not the type to go to basketball games. Whenever she was asked about the absolute horror that was school sports, she was bound to go off on some tangent about how they were stupid, useless, and a waste of money that could go towards something she found important. Though, this mostly had to do with the fact that Nadine had never been involved, and usually was never well liked by most of the people involved in sports. And if there was a good word to describe Nadine, it could be petty.

Still, the second she had been invited by friends to a game, she’d said yes. She was petty, but also lonely. And she was also stupid enough to point out that she thought one of the players was kind of cute. It was while they were doing one of the cheers, the macaroni ones, and then the dare had been made. If they win the game, you have to go talk to him. A suggestion from one friend that was then echoed by the rest. Without much thought, Nadine had said yes. Petty, lonely, and impulsive.

So then they win, and it’s very exciting and all. Except for the looming fact that she was actually going to have to talk to the guy now, and while she wanted to try to find some excuse to get out of it, she’s practically shoved by friends in his direction. And not only that, Nadine is not the kind to go back on a bet like this. She wanted other people to think that she was cool and confident, so she might as well fake it.

“Oh, yeah! Hey, hi. What’s up.” Holy shit. That was a bad start. “Uh, congrats on the whole big win. I don’t really know shit about sports, but from what my friends are telling me,” said friends are all staring at them and giggling amongst themselves, at this moment, “that’s pretty important. So uh, good job.”

@tiiescut continued from here.

#tiiescut #LETS GOOOOOOOO #i love this already tbh #just wait until nadine's dumbass side rlly truly comes out. can't wait for that #nadine hunt threads tbt.

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trickkombowerskru · 5 years

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Masterlist Part 2

A/N:Tumblr said the first masterlist was too long, but a majority of my work can be found was listed there and it can be found here :)

* = Smut or NSFW

It 2017:

Henry Bowers:

Being Henry’s Little Sister In The Losers Club

Henry Trying To Pick A Fight With His Girlfriend After Butch

Henry With A Domestic Girlfriend

Caught

Henry Teasing His Girlfriend For Being Soft

Henry Finding Out His Girlfriend Is A Mermaid

Trance

Safe Haven

Reunited

Henry Falling For A Juniper Hills Nurse

White Picket Fence Life

I Love You

Henry’s Thoughts When Seeing His Girlfriend Again After 27 Years

Welcome Back

Domestic!Henry When The Twins Are Born

Christmas With Henry

A Father’s Worst Nightmare

*Henry Relieving His Girlfriend In Public

O’Brother

Henry Falls For A Stoic Native American Girl

Road Trip Part 2 Part 3

Being Henry’s Daughter

Henry When His Girlfriend Defends Him From Butch

Unprofessional

Wanted

Henry Dates A Soft Girl

I’m Not Crazy

Patrick Hockstetter:

Patrick Dates A Curious Girl

Patrick Finds Out His Girlfriend Has Tourette’s

Patrick Falls For An Obsessive Girl

Patrick Dating Belch’s Older Brother

*Patrick Finding His Girlfriend’s Diary

Patrick Dating A Girl Afraid Of Fire And Knives

Getting Handcuffed To Patrick For The Day

Patrick Dates A Smart Girl

*Patrick Finding His Boyfriend’s Vibrator

Patrick And Vic Date A Punk Girl

How Patrick Met His Girlfriend

Missing

Christmas With Patrick

House Party Blues

*Yes Daddy

*Patrick When His Curvy Girlfriend Wears Form Fitting Clothes

*His Plan

Patrick Dates A Girl Who Doesn’t Think She’s Real

What Patrick Looks For In A Goddess

Journal

Being Patrick’s Daughter

Victor Criss:

It’s Okay

Patrick And Vic Date A Punk Girl

Snowball Fight

Vic Getting A New Years Gift For His Girlfriend

*Vic Having A Mommy Kink

Being Vic’s Daughter

Belch Huggins:

Belch Dates A Cheerleader

*Belch When His Girlfriend Rides His Thigh

Drunk Belch

*Belch Having A Mommy Kink

Hey Good Lookin’

Funsize

Thick Skinned

See You Around

Belch’s Girlfriend Putting Makeup On Him While He’s Asleep

Boy Next Door

Being Belch’s Daughter

All the boys:

*Lazy Early Morning Sex With The Bowers Gang

The Bowers Gang When Their S/O Slaps Them During A Fight

The Bowers Gang Having A Horror Movie Marathon With Their Best Friend

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriends Have A Panic Attack

The Bowers Gang Catch Their Girlfriends Asleep

The Bowers Gang With Boyfriends Who Like To Get In Fights

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriends Work Hard To Get Them A Birthday Present

The Bowers Gang With Girlfriends Who Have Big Families

The Bowers Gang When Someone Insults Their Chubby Girlfriends

The Bowers Gang’s Girlfriends Being Scared Of Another Member

The Bowers Gang Learning To Cook

The Bowers Gang Have A Sleepover With Their Best Friend

The Bowers Gang Dates Religious Girls

The Bowers Gang’s Quirks That Annoy Their S/Os

The Bowers Gang When Shy Girls Ask Them Out

The Bowers Gang Falling For Their Enemies

The Bowers Gang’s Girlfriends Getting Them To Wear Couple Costumes For Halloween

The Bowers Gang Teaching Their Little Sisters How To Fight

The Bowers Gang’s Little Sisters Having Crushes On Another Member

The Bowers Gang Find Out Their Little Sisters Have A Gang Of Their Own

Hello Again

The Bowers Gang Finding Out Their Girlfriends Are Witches

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriends Fall Hard On Ice

The Bowers Gang With A Trans S/O

The Bowers Gang When Their S/Os Get Braces

The Bowers Gang Trying To Save Their Girlfriends Lives

The Bowers Gang Getting Their Asses Kicked By A Girl They Cat Called

The Bowers Gang Finding Their Girlfriends Old Scars

The Bowers Gang Meeting Their Girlfriends’ Parents

The Bowers Gang Date Girls With ADHD

The Bowers Gang Watching Disney Movies With Their S/Os

The Bowers Gang Meeting Their Daughter’s Boyfriends

The Bowers Gang With A Bipolar S/O

Poly!Bowers Gang:

The Bowers Gang’s S/O Tells Them They Like Patrick’s Roughness

Belch’s Reaction to The Gang’s Girlfriend Fixing Up Amy

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriend Says Another One Member’s Name In Bed

The Bowers Gang With A Mob Tied Girlfriend

The Bowers Gang Helping Their Girlfriend Get Her Mind Off Loosing A Relative

The Bowers Gang Finds Out Their Girlfriend Lives In An Orphanage

The Bowers Gang With A Good Cook Girlfriend

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriend Is Nervous To Be Out With Them

Flirt

Popular

The Bowers Gang Falling For A Stripper

The Bowers Gang Dating Bev’s Older Sister

*Working A Summer Job With The Bowers Gang

The Bowers Gang Date A Girl From Another Gang

The Bowers Gang Help Their Girlfriend Through Her Parents’ Divorce

Present

The Bowers Gang Date A Teacher’s Pet

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriend Gets Valentine’s Gifts From Others

The Bowers Gang Date A Roller Derby Girl

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriend Fights Someone For Them

The Bowers Gang When Their Girlfriend Is On Her Period

The Bowers Gang When The Girl They Like Lays Out What She Wants In The Relationship

The Bowers Gang With A Girlfriend In A Band

The Bowers Gang With A Girlfriend Who Has Anemia

*Talking Body *Part 2

Dinner For Five

Deep Depths

Sketchbook

The Bowers Gang Date A Half Devil Girl

The Bowers Gang With An S/O Who Has An Eye For Lipsticks

The Bowers Gang With An S/O Who Knows Hair Care

Nicotine

The Bowers Gang Date A Girl Who Went To Juvy

The Bowers Gang Taking A Long Plane Trip With Their Girlfriend

The Bowers Gang Date A Mom Friend

PatHen:

Ransom

How Patrick Keeps Guys Away From Henry

It Chapter 2:

Ben Hanscom:

Ben When His Girlfriend Has A Migraine

Going To A Christmas Party With Ben

*Ben Getting Pegged

Richie Tozier:

Richie’s Best Friend Helping Him Come To Terms With His Sexuality

Human Diary

A Punch To The Face

Funny Guy

Baby Mama

Beverly Marsh:

Henry’s Brother Dates Bev

Bev With A Chubby Girlfriend

Eddie Kaspbrak:

Baby Mama

Stanley Uris:

Makeout Sessions With Stan

Mike Hanlon:

Mike Finding Out His Best Friend Avenged His Parents

Bill Denbrough:

Makeout Sessions With Bill

All The Losers:-

Poly Losers Club:-

Benverly:-

The 100:

Jasper Jordan:-

Bellamy Blake:-

John Murphy:-

Monty Green:-

Raven Reyes:-

Octavia Blake:-

Harper McIntyre:-

Emori:-

Bellarke:-

The Flash:

Barry Allen:-

Cisco Ramon:

Day In

Caitlin Snow:

Caitlin Dates Cisco’s Sister

Killer Frost:-

Ralph Dibny:

Snowbarry:

How Killer Frost Feels About Barry And Caitlin’s Relationship

Being In A Poly Relationship With Caitlin And Barry

Bloodline

Nolan Rayburn:

Nolan Dates A Paranoid Girl

How Nolan Acts When He’s Jealous

*Helping Out

*Nolan When His Girlfriend Rides His Thigh

Christmas With Nolan

Savior

I’m A Flirt

Nolan When His Girlfriend Falls Hard On Ice

Nolan’s Soulmate

Nolan Dates A Psychology Major

Nolan Dates A Girl With ADHD

Nolan Catching His Girlfriend Singing

Nolan Helping His S/O Take Care Of Their Sick Kid

Black Mirror:

Ryan “Trick” Trebecki:

Trick Dates A Paranoid Girl

You’re Home

*VIP

Trick When His Girlfriend Falls On Ice

Trick Helping His S/O Take Care Of Their Sick Kid

Mrs.Fletcher:

Julian Spitzer:

Right Here

Convenient Encounters

*NSFW ABC’S

Relationship ABC’S

13 Reasons Why:

Zach Dempsey:-

Supernatural:

Dean Winchester:

Age Gap

*Gorgeous

Sam Winchester:-

Castiel:

Baby Angel

Jack Kline:

Just Gone

Jack Comforting His S/O After A Rough Week

Jack And His Girlfriend Getting Caught By The Boys

*Restless

*Jack Getting Pegged

*Jack Getting Intimate With His FTM Boyfriend

Charlie Bradbury:

Charlie Going To Comic Con With Her Girlfriend And Nerding Out

Claire Novack:

Safe

Team Free Will:

Surprising Team Free Will With A Karaoke Machine

Team Free Will When Crowley Gets A Hell Hound In The Bunker

The Umbrella Academy:

Diego Hargreeves:

*Diego Getting Pegged

Allison Hargreeves:-

Klaus Hargreeves:

Klaus’ Best Friend Getting Stuck In The Future With Five

Ben Hargreeves:-

Vanya Hargreeves:-

Stranger Things:

Steve Harrington:

Being In A Poly Relationship With Robin And Steve

Jonathan Byers:-

Robin Buckley:

Bullseye

Having A Secret Crush On Robin In High School

Being In A Poly Relationship With Robin And Steve

Security

Robin Dating A Girl With Anxiety

Uncharted

Nathan Drake:-

Sam Drake (including 19 y/o Sam):-

Rafe Adler:-

Harry Flynn:-

Elena Fisher:-

Chloe Frazer:-

Nadine Ross:-

Misc:

Rodrick Heffley:

Rodrick Dates An E-Girl

Rodrick Dating A Rebellious Catholic Girl

Rodrick With An Insecure S/O

Rodrick Dates An Athlete

*Busted

Drummer Boy

Rodrick Dates A Popstar

Rodrick Dates Rowley’s Older Sister

*In Uniform

Game On

Rodrick Trying And Failing To Ask His Crush Out

Adam:-

Casper Galloway:-

Leo Strange:-

Dean Taylor:-

Freddy Klein:-

Alexander

*First Time

Alec:

Relationship ABC’S

Boots Conley:

Boots Dates A Soft Straight Edge Girl

* NSFW ABC’S

Relationship ABC’S

Snowbird:-

AU:

The 100 Arrowverse:-

Supernatural IT:-

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coppermarigolds · 3 years

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DYW Letter

Hi, Yuletide writer! Thank you in advance for whatever you write this year! Here are a few notes on my fic preferences:

What I like: Genre-wise, pretty much anything goes–angst, romance, fluff, humor, etc. I love fics that dig into characters’ heads: what they’re thinking and feeling, what drives them, how they interact and react to the world and the people around them, and so on. The same is true of relationships–what makes this pairing tick? Why are they together? And so on. I also love love love awesome female characters being awesome. That doesn’t have to mean being physically kickass, either. It could be anything from a witty line of banter to a thoughtful conversation to a creative problem-solving method, just to scratch the surface. I particularly enjoy female characters being assertive and taking charge in relationships. I love femdom.

DNWs: Rape/non-con is my biggest DNW. I would prefer for character death to be avoided if possible (unless the story deals with the ramifications of a canonical character death, of course). While I’m fine with an angsty story, I tend to stay away from extremely dark, punch-to-the-gut angst. I like my endings happy, or at least bittersweet and/or hopeful.

Fandom-specific notes:

Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy

Aloy is such a breath of fresh air and I love her so much. She’s wonderfully snarky and take-charge and doesn’t let anyone talk down to her, but also struggles with the pain of abandonment and ostracism. She’s one of those characters that I relate to in some ways, and aspire to be more like her in other ways.

As for other characters, I didn’t request any so as to leave it more open for potential writers. If you want to include supporting characters, feel free. Romance-wise, I really only ship Aloy with Erend, so while I’d love a story about the two of them, I’d prefer for her not to be paired with anyone else. But I’m perfectly fine with friendship fics involving other characters. Aside from Erend, who I adore, I’m particularly fond of Ikrie from the Frozen Wilds expansion.

A couple specific ideas (though please don’t feel limited to these):

• One thing I wished the game would have explored more is Aloy’s reaction to finding out she’s a clone. After spending her whole life in search of her mother, discovering she technically didn’t have one must have been a blow. But aside from a moment or two of shock and angst, the game doesn’t really give her much time or space to process the revelation. So, once HADES is defeated and the dust has settled, how does Aloy deal with the truth of her past? How does she feel about Elisabet?

• One of my favorite things in the game is finding the bits and pieces of files left behind by the “Old Ones”–i.e., us! I’d love to see a story with Aloy reacting to some of the ancient ruins and information she finds. Does she find them strange and confusing, or intriguing? Or do they help her feel closer to Elisabet?

The Letter, Isabella Santos and Ashton Frey

This visual novel is kind of like comfort food for me. It features my favorite horror trope: a group of friends with their own complicated dynamics and inter-relationships find themselves targeted by something sinister and supernatural and have to work together to survive. This is one of those fandoms where I love all the characters in one way or another and would be fine with any of them appearing in the story.

For Isabella and Ashton specifically, I’d enjoy an exploration of their relationship post-game, beyond the epilogue screens, whether romantic or just friends. I love how soft Ashton is for Bella, but it would also be nice to see him own up to how he was kind of a jerk initially when she sounded the alarm about the ghost--and turned out to be very right.

Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order, Second Sister | Trilla Suduri

I played this game and was over the moon to find a compelling female Star Wars villain who actually got more than like three seconds of screen time (looking at you, Phasma). Buuut then they went and killed her off anyway. I unabashedly love Star Wars in all its forms, but I do grow weary of its fixation on the idea that redemption = death. So I’d love a fix-it AU story that has Trilla survive somehow, and explores the aftermath of that, whether she forges her own solitary path or joins up with the Mantis crew. Though I didn’t request any of the other nominated characters, I love them all, so feel free to include any or all of them as you see fit. An exploration of Trilla and Cere’s relationship post-game could be especially fascinating--there’s obviously tons of history there, and plenty to potentially rebuild.

Romance-wise, I don’t really actively ship her with anyone, but I definitely wouldn’t say no to her domming the living daylights out of Cal (and him loving it). Just sayin.’

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Nadine Ross and Sam Drake

Okay, I’ll just be upfront: I ship these two like FedEx. I know that’s not the popular pairing in this fandom and that most people ship Nadine and Chloe instead, which I get. But I’m a weak hetero and Sam and Nadine’s delicious friction just does it for me. Enemies to grudging partners to eventual, possible lovers is basically my catnip. So if you’re up for writing literally anything in which they have a relationship, whether established or in-process, I would be overjoyed. Femdom is also an enormous plus here!

If that’s not your bag, I’m still cool with a friends/grudging partners story as well! Feel free to include Chloe if you like--I would play countless games featuring these three delightful screw-ups getting into mischief and hunting for artifacts together. Just please no love triangles or any drama of that kind.

Thanks again, and happy Yuletide!

#yuletide #yuletide 2020 #dyw letter

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yverocher · 5 years

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I got tagged by @amazoniangoddessdiana - thank you, Melly ♥

rules: answer the questions in a new post and tag some blogs!

tagging: @cestpasfaux24601, @not-that-kind-of-hot, @gloom-filled-dreamer, @hickeywiththegoodhair, @mannisbaratheon, @lupotterblogs, @ayrennaranaaldmeri (if you want to) and everyone who’d like to do this!

a - age: 26

b - birthplace: my neighbouring town

c - current time: 18:02 (as i’m typing this)

d - drink you last had: coffee

e - easiest person to talk to: my mum, and apart from her my friend Nadine, @cestpasfaux24601 and @not-that-kind-of-hot ♥

f - favourite song: Hate at First Sight by Lordi

g - grossest memory: when my cat pooped into the cat carrier as we took him to the vet for the first time and I had to sit right next to said carrier for the whole drive

h - horror yes or horror no: HORROR YES, i suck at playing horror games but i sure love watching let’s plays of them and horror movies as well

i - in love: *”what is love” playing in the distance*

j - jealous of people: i try not to be jealous but sometimes it’s impossible not to

l - love at first sight or should i walk by again: should i walk by again - stuff like this takes time

m - middle name: Jacqueline

n - number of siblings: 1

o - one wish: being able to travel through portals to go everywhere in a matter of seconds

p - person you last called: my granny

q - question you’re always asked: “why aren’t you staying a little longer?” (you should be happy i went at all because chances are i didn’t want to go in the first place) :)))

r - reading anything right now?: Kim Newman - The Hound of the d’Urbervilles

s - song you last sang: Loch Lomond by Firkin

t - time you woke up: 7:30 for the first time, but I went back to sleep until 10:30 because I woke up with a headache

u - underwear colour: purple

v - vacation destination: New Zealand

w - when was the last time you really laughed?: earlier on when my brother slipped and fell on the sludge/muddy grass right after talking about how he’ll be fine walking down that hill (he didn’t hurt himself btw, i wouldn’t have laughed in that case :P)

y - your favourite food: pasta in all shapes and forms

z - zodiac: scorpio

#about me #tag meme

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thequeensbastardenglish · 6 years

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Ballast

Chapter 3

Pairing: Chloe X Nadine

Rating: M - still no sexy times in this chapter

Apologies for this being late. I was distracted by my own idiocy.

Read it on A03

South of France, provence-alpes-côte d'azur

The plan was simple. They had rented a villa - under false names, of course - in provence-alpes-côte d'azur and they would meet Sully there. That was it. That was their grand plan. It was simple in its lack of being anything that actually resembled a plan.

Nadine lent back in her seat, rubbing her forehead with her fingers. She could feel the first twinge of what she just knew was going to be a massive headache. The stupidity of their lack of planning, being stuck in a car with Sam and Charlie for hours - it would be impossible not to have a headache. The rental car smelt like disinfectant and she was stuck in the back seat with Charlie. She was not in a good mood. They had wanted to be as unremarkable as possible so that meant they were posing as two couples who had rented the place to get away before Christmas. “To escape the madness and the children,” Chloe had said in a fake British accent on the phone when making the booking and then laughed in a jolly way that set Nadine’s teeth on edge. The couples were Sam and Chloe sitting upfront, and then Charlie and Nadine stuck in the back, turned away from each other and giving off the vibe that divorce was imminent. Charlie had put a magazine over his head and gone to sleep almost as soon as they had set off. The jammy bastard had slept on the plane as well.

“We are here!” Sam announced turning off and up a long drive way. It had taken quite some time to convince Chloe that Sam should be the one to drive and all the way to the villa from the rental place she had kept twitching, like she might grab the wheel at any moment. She had managed to refrain, but just barely. She had not refrained from loudly and frequently informing Sam that he was shit at driving. They pulled up just outside the front door. There was already a car parked up, a sleek black sedan tucked beneath the shadow of one of the many trees that caged in the driveway.

“Finally!” Chloe said. “The way you were driving we might never have made it.”

“I am an excellent driver,” Sam said.

“You drive like an old man.” Chloe opened the door and hopped out before Sam had a chance to pull up. Nadine ignored the way her body twitched at this. As though Chloe didn't know what she was doing. As if she hadn’t done the same thing a thousand times. As if Nadine would actually be able to save Chloe from the minuscule amount of danger she had just put herself in. She snorted softly and undid her seat belt. Beside her Charlie was still asleep, his head back and mouth open. Nadine shoved him and he woke with a start, the magazine slipping off his face.

“Gun fire!” He yelled, his hands going up.

“We’re here.” Nadine glared at him.

“Oh. Right.” He folded up the magazine and jammed it in the holder in the seat in front of him. He rubbed a hand over his head, shot Nadine a tired smile, and then exited the car, stretching long and loud. He scrubbed his hand roughly over his face and head.

Nadine stepped out as well. The sun was tucked behind grey clouds but that air was warm. So much better then miserable grey wet London.

Sam and Chloe had wandered over together, better to appear as a couple from the on-set. Sam’s arm was draped casually over Chloe’s shoulder. They looked strange and completely unlike themselves; dressed in slacks and shirts that they’d even managed to iron, they looked like the kind of middle-class couple that had a sex dungeon. She and Charlie had made a fraction of the effort having just dressed in their regular clothes. Nadine walked around the side of the car to stand by them. The villa was exceptional. It was only two bedrooms but boasted a huge kitchen (they had declined the offer of a cook) and living space, there was a game room, bar and a huge dining room in case they decided to throw a dinner party. There was even a pool out back.

The front door opened and a smartly dressed woman stepped out. Her blond hair loose about her shoulders and pair of thin framed spectacles were balanced on the bridge of her too delicate nose. She looked frail, like a strong wind could knock her over. She smiled at them in a professional and practised way.

“Hello, I am Eloise,” she said. Her English was near perfect, with just a tease of a French accent. “You must be the Gwynn party.”

Charlie sniggered.

“We are.” Chloe stepped forward, terrible British accent in full effect; she seized Eloise’s hand and gave it a thorough shake. “We are so happy to be here. It is simply beautiful.”

“Absolutely divine.” Sam chipped in, his accent worse than Chloe’s.

Eloise shook his hand too then discretely wiped it on her skirt. “Your keys.” She handed them to Chloe. “If you need anything then don’t hesitate to call.”

Eloise politely stepped past them and made her way to her car.

Sam was grinning, his eyes following her, roving over her body in her well cut suit and tight pencil skirt. “Ravi de vous rencontrer. Je suis un énorme chou. Je léche beaucoup defenêtres.”

They all stared at him in horror. Eloise hurried into her car.

“Did he just say what I think he said,” Nadine muttered to Chloe.

“He definitely didn’t say what he thinks he said,” Chloe replied.

Charlie clapped a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “It’s alright. Let’s just get the bags, mate.”

“What?” Sam said weakly. “I was just telling her that I’m a big important man and that I do important things.”

“You sure did, fella,” Chloe said. She patted him consolingly on the shoulder.

Chloe opened the door and she and Nadine stepped inside. It was all polished hardwood floors and high ceilings, white walls decorated with huge ornate frames that held no canvases. Stunning but not to Nadine’s personal tastes.

She let out a low whistle. “This must have cost a pretty penny.”

“It’s alright, it wasn’t my penny that paid for it,” Chloe said. She moved slowly inside, turning in a circle and taking in the surroundings.

Nadine turned a slow circle taking in their surroundings. She took note of the furniture and the decorations, the nooks and crannies that could hide a person or inhibit their escape. Chloe would say that she was paranoid but it never hurt to be cautious, especially in new surroundings.

Sam shuffled in after them carrying two duffel bags and Nadine’s case. “Jesus Nadine, what’s in this thing?” he hefted the case up and put it down in front of her.

“My gear.” She picked it up and moved it away from him. Her weapons. What she needed to be prepared. She still had a bad feeling about this entire thing. Too little information, unknown risks… Chloe was caught up in the mystery of it all. One of them had to be prepared.

It had been a hell of a job getting hold of the weapons. After word had got out that she’d killed Orca a lot of her suppliers had severed ties with her. The smaller dealers would come around; they needed the money too much to be picky about whom they supplied weapons too. And it wasn’t as if she needed to supply an army anymore, just herself and Chloe. She’d found one such in Calais, who knew her name and her reputation but who hadn’t yet had the honour of supplying either her or Shoreline.

“How are the rooms working out?” Sam dumped the duffel bags on the floor. He put his hands to the small of his back and pushed, stretching until there was a pop. Charlie walked in with the last of the bags, kicking the door shut behind him.

“Nadine and I are sharing. Obviously,” Chloe said. “You and Charlie are sharing.

Sam turned round to look at Charlie.

Charlie grinned at him. He tapped his chest with his thumb. “I’m big spoon, mate.”

“Yay?” Sam shrunk in on himself, his shoulders hunching up, his head and neck receding like a tortoise.

Nadine stalked around the room. She could make out the kitchen, and then the living room, over the way there was the game room. The staircase curled around from the entryway. She sighed. The rooms were badly set out for defending. Too many places they could be cornered and not enough places to offer effective cover. She’d have to come up with an exit strategy for when things inevitably went south.

Chloe grabbed her bag. “Right. Let’s get settled and then we can talk strategy.” She made her way up the stairs. “You coming, china?”

“Ja.” Wearily Nadine grabbed her own bag, hefted her case, and followed after Chloe.

The stairs were too wide. They would allow several people to come up them rather than forcing single file. There was no way to utilise them to block attacks. She shook her head and followed after Chloe. Indulged herself with the view of Chloe’s arse as she ascended the stairs.

“The rooms are en suite,” Chloe said when they made it to the top of the stairs.

“Good. I wouldn’t want to share a bathroom with either Sam or Charlie.”

Chloe looked between the two doors. “Which room to pick…? Eenie meenie…”

Nadine dropped her bag and case and pushed past Chloe. She opened the first door and peered in. The room was huge. A king sized four-poster bed was set in the centre, matching bedside tables on either side. There was a massive wardrobe and a huge flat screen set on the wall. Near the wardrobe there was a door that must have led to the bathroom. Nadine crossed the room, noting that there was enough floor space for both she and Chloe to do their morning stretches and work outs. She went to the window and looked out. They were at the front of the house and from here she could see the ridiculously long drive way.

“Good call. Check out the view first.”

“I’m not looking at the view,” Nadine said. She quickly exited the room, pushing past a bemused Chloe, and then went into the other room. It was identical in furnishings and floor space. She went to the window and looked out. This had a view of the back of the house, over the pool and then of the tress that surrounded the villas. She tapped the window with her knuckles. Double-glazed, but not reinforced. She’d be able to shatter it. And from this window they could hop down easily enough and make a covered escape through the trees.

The trees could also cover an impending attack but the pool would force them to go around it and slow them down. It would have to do.

“This room,” she told Chloe.

“Did you measure the TV screen?” Chloe sauntered in and tossed her bag into the corner of the room and then collapsed face down on the bed. “Ooh, it’s so comfy. You have got to try this.”

“Ja. In a moment.” Nadine settled her case down and thumbed in the combination to unlock it. It also needed a key and her thumbprint. She wasn’t taking any chances. She retrieved the pieces for her gun and quickly assembled it.

“Look, if you’re gonna murder Charlie and Sam could you at least do it in a way that doesn’t make a mess.”

Nadine looked back over her shoulder. Chloe had wriggled her way across the bed and now was hanging over the side and peering down at Nadine. “There is no way to kill without making a mess,” Nadine told her, very seriously.

“Sure there is. Smother them or something, possibly with one of these goose feathered pillows. Asphyxiation is the way to go.”

“And when they shit and piss themselves after dying?”

Chloe groaned and pressed her face into the covers. “You take all the romanticism out of murder.”

“I’m just being practical.” She got her holster out and began checking her ammo. She’d brought a piece for Chloe as well but she left that dismantled in the case for now. She shut the case and stood up. Chloe rolled onto her back and was pouting at the canopy of the four-poster. She had left her boots on when climbing all over the bed.

Nadine checked the safety on her gun - it wasn’t loaded but her father’s lessons on gun safety would never leave her - and then put it on the bedside table. She sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Chloe’s foot towards her and began undoing the laces. “Didn’t your mother tell you not to put your shoes on the bed?”

“Sure. But why would I listen to her?” She nudged Nadine with her foot. “You going to tell me what’s wrong?”

“What makes you think something’s wrong?” She pulled off Chloe’s boot and dropped it to the floor then started on her other boot.

“You’ve been acting off ever since Sam pitched this job to us.”

She pulled off the other boot and tossed it to the floor. “I haven’t.”

“You used the gym in our building once before now and you hated it and never went back. Sam shows up and suddenly you live in there.”

“I hardly think a couple of workouts constitute living there.” She did hate that gym. It was full of posers taking up the machines she wanted to use.

Chloe shuffled up the bed, sitting cross-legged next to Nadine. “This could be something really big and it’s like you have no interest in it. And yeah, I know, you don’t like anything but c’mon!”

Nadine exhaled. “Way to take the wind out of my speech. Look.” She turned to face Chloe. “You didn’t consult me about this job. You just went ahead and made all the decisions, you and Charlie and Sam, and you left me out.”

A crease appeared between Chloe’s brows. “No. That is not what happened.”

“Yes, it is.”

“We discussed it in the pub. We sat down and had a pint when Sam pitched the job to us.”

“And that was the end of my part of the discussion.” Chloe really had her head up her own arse with this job. “I told you I had reservations, we agreed to do some tentative research to see if it would be worth our while and that was the end of my part in the decision making process. I was cut out after that. We went from basic research to kidnapping some guy and now we’re in Provence about to commit more crimes.”

“Well speak up! It’s not my bloody fault you’ve been doing your broody silent routine.”

“I don’t do a broody silent routine!”

“You’ve been doing it all the way here!” Chloe countered. She blew out a frustrated breath. Her hair was hanging in her eyes and Nadine had to resist the urge to move it away. They stared at each other; neither blinking like it was competition. It was unfortunate that they were both such stubborn people, that arguments between them usually ended with them both backed into their own corners and refusing to move. They definitely had some communications issues to work on. But Nadine was in the right so there was no chance she was backing down. Finally Chloe shook her head she sighed, her head dropping in defeat. “Look… You’re right. I got caught up in it all. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.”

“Does this mean you want to bail?” Now she sounded sulky.

“And leave you with those two idiots? Not a chance.” She nudged Chloe with her elbow. “If I say I don’t like the situation and that I think we should bail will you at least consider listening to me?”

“I can do that.”

“That’s all I ask.”

Chloe leaned her head on Nadine’s shoulder. “How many guns did you bring?”

“Three. One each and a back up for me.”

Chloe nodded, her head moving against Nadine’s shoulder. She felt warm and the weight of her was reassuring. Chloe didn’t use any kind of flowery or fruit shampoo but her hair still smelled great and Nadine’s resisted the urge to turn her and bury her face in its smooth length and inhale.

Had Chloe known that she’d just follow her? It was easy to forget just how manipulative Chloe could be. Chloe might have been well aware that Nadine wasn’t happy with the job but had known that so long as she didn’t confront Nadine about it and just forged ahead then Nadine would follow like the good little guard dog she was. She frowned. She couldn’t be having thoughts like this. It was poison to their partnership. Chloe - selfish dickhead that she was - had probably just been too caught up in the mystery. Just like she had said.

She was over thinking the situation. Being paranoid and still thinking like a mercenary general rather than someone who was in an equal partnership.

“You are really comfy,” Chloe said. “But we need to get up and start planning.”

“Ja.��

Chloe moved to stand up and Nadine’s shoulder felt cold without Chloe’s head resting on it.

A high pitched shriek cut through the air followed by the sound of glass breaking. Nadine leapt to her feet.

“What was that?”

Chloe was up and alert too. “I don’t know. It sounded like a woman. Eloise? But she left.”

“It was probably Sam.” Nadine grabbed her gun and stalked towards the bedroom door. She paused, peering out, her gun at the ready. Chloe sidled up behind her and peered over her shoulder. There was no more screaming, no sounds of a struggle. It was weirdly silent.

“I’ll take point,” Nadine said. She moved cautiously out of the room and to the stairs. She trusted Chloe to cover behind her so didn’t worry that she would be taken unawares. She made her way down the stairs, the entryway coming into view. Anyone could be behind the archways that led into the living area.

“You’re really hot when you go into soldier mode,” Chloe whispered behind her.

Nadine resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “I know,” she whispered back.

“You get all the girls all hot and bothered.”

“Shut up, Frazer.”

They reached the bottom of the stairs. Everything looked clear. She paused. Waited, poised and alert. Amazingly Chloe managed to stay quiet. She stood too close to Nadine’s back, her body flush against Nadine’s and her breath hot on the back of Nadine’s neck. There was something… sound... Voices coming from another room.

“Oh.” Chloe perked up. “I recognise that voice.” She bopped Nadine on the shoulder with her fist and flashed a grin. “Let’s go.”

“Frazer, wait!” Nadine hissed. But Chloe was already going, hurrying off towards the bar and Nadine was helpless to do anything but follow.

Chloe disappeared through the archway that led to the bar and Nadine hurried after her.

“Sullivan! As I live and breathe.” Chloe came to an abrupt halt, her hands on her hips. Nadine didn’t need to see her face to know she was smirking.

“Chloe, my dear.” Sully sat at the bar, looking like he’d been settled in for hours now, which might explain the shrieking they had heard.

Nadine lowered her gun and walked in more calmly than she felt. Chloe dashing off like that had set her heart racing. Charlie was stood behind the bar pouring himself a pint from one of the taps. He acknowledged Nadine with a cheery nod as he expertly poured a pint. Sam was sitting on a stool behind Sully sipping on a drink. He looked pale and a little spooked.

“Was that Sam screaming like a child?” Nadine checked the safety was on then tucked her gun into her belt. She’d left the holster in the bedroom. Sloppy. Unprofessional. She was slipping.

“That was very manly shout of surprise,” Sam said.

“What are you doing here you old fox?” Chloe asked. Her voice had gone all silky smooth and she sauntered up to Sully. He put an arm around her waist and offered his cheek and she dutifully planted a kiss there.

“What, I can’t pay a visit to one of my favourite gals?”

Not Sully too… Nadine bit down on her annoyance. Bad enough that she had to put up with Charlie. She didn’t want to think of Sully like that. She knew that he was smooth. Half the time she had crossed his path in the past he’d had at least one woman who was far too young for him hanging off his arm. She didn’t want to think that Chloe might once have been one of those women.

To her annoyance Chloe stayed beside Sully, her arm draped over his shoulders and his arm still loosely around her waist.

Nadine sat on the stool next to Sully, spinning to face him. “I thought you weren’t getting directly involved?”

“It’s good to see you Ms. Ross.” Sully raised his glass to her. “You’re looking well. The change in career suits you.”

Despite her irritation Nadine smiled. Sully had a gift for smoothing over all conversations and situations. She had been on the opposite end of more than a few of his ventures and no matter what had transpired, no matter what mayhem he had been responsible for with her former men, she couldn’t help but like him. He was the height of professionalism.

Shame the professionalism hadn’t rubbed off on either of the Drake brothers.

“Thank you.” She nodded at him then turned to Charlie. “Pour me a scotch.”

“On the rocks?”

She shook her head. Charlie grabbed a tumbler and slopped scotch in it without measuring; he slid it across the bar to Nadine. She caught it and lifted it to her lips, not quite sipping, just letting it tingle and getting a feel for it.

“Sully was the one who told me about this job,” Sam said. He had swivelled round on his stool too, but he was mostly blocked from Nadine’s view by Sully and Chloe. She could only make out his skinny arms waving about.

“But he told me that he was just playing information broker this time,” Chloe said. “Something about being too old. Retirement. Working on his tan.”

“Whoa, whoa, I never said I was too old. Just that this seemed like a game for you young ‘uns.”

“Young?” Nadine repeated. “Have you looked at Sam lately?”

“Hey!” Sam cried.

Sully laughed. “Fair point. I’d say Sam isn’t far off giving me a run for my money as a silver fox but it looks more like he’ll be joining Charlie.”

“What? No!” Sam starting feeling up at his hairline.

“Oi, this do takes a lot of upkeep.” Charlie pointed at his shiny smooth head.

“We can discuss our beauty routines another day,” said Chloe. “We all know Charlie takes the longest to do his hair - “

“True.” Charlie nodded.

“- but we’re short on time. Presumably you’ve come to help us, Sully.”

“That I have my dear.” He dropped his arm from Chloe’s waist and - with a flick of his wrist - produced an envelope from seemingly nowhere. “Viktória and Tamas are having a little get together at their manse. Very posh. Very exclusive.”

“Why?” Charlie crossed his arms, squinting suspiciously.

“To celebrate brothers in arms. A feast for the very best treasure hunters in the business.”

Chloe, Sam and Charlie all started loudly protesting in chorus. Naturally they all thought they were the best in the business. Nadine rolled her eyes and sipped her scotch. It wasn’t surprising that none of them had received invites. This was a dinner and evening for those who owned the artefacts and treasures, not those who scrabbled around in the dirt finding them. It had been the same when she was a mercenary. The congratulations and pomp was for the general, the officers and the clients not the grunts. She had always made sure she picked one man from her regular ranks to attend, someone who had stood out and proven themselves. It was a simple way to bolster and reward loyalty.

“There’s more to this,” Nadine said. Sully met her gaze and nodded.

“There is.”

“To judge the competition,” Charlie said.

“Bingo!” Sully raised his glass to Charlie.

“Too dangerous,” Nadine said immediately.

“You never let us have any fun and this sounds like fun.” Chloe’s eyes were gleaming. “When’s the party?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“Shit. So soon? Doesn’t leave a lot of room for planning.” Chloe chewed on her thumb nail. “We need to scope the place out, get hold of the guest list, maybe a floor plan.”

“What exactly is in the envelope, Sully?” Sam asked. He leaned on the bar and reached for the envelope in Sully’s hands. Just before his fingers so much as brushed it Sully whisked it away. He stepped back from them, smiling smugly.

“You’ve got an invite? You wily old badger!” Chloe cried.

“Badger?” Sully put his hand to his chest. He might actually have been offended by that one. Who’d have thought he’d be so sensitive about what animals he was compared to? What was wrong with badgers? “Keep that up young lady and I won’t invite you to be my plus-one.”

“You glorious cunning silver fox.” Chloe changed tact immediately. “Have I told you how magnificent your moustache looks recently?”

“You haven’t.” Sully stroked his moustache proudly. “I was thinking maybe I would take a different lady with me. One with elegance and class.” He turned to Nadine and sketched a bow, a twinkle in his eye. “What do you say, milady? Care to make an old man look good?”

“I’m flattered,” Nadine said. She was surprised to find that she actually was flattered. Foolishly perhaps it was because she had been feeling so left out of this whole adventure that she was thrilled to finally be included. Or maybe even she wasn’t immune to Sully’s charms, despite there being absolutely nothing about him that made him attractive to her. “But this sounds like the kind of occasion where I would have to wear a dress and I don’t wear dresses.” She would kill to see Chloe in one. “And if you’re playing the part of an old man with a younger woman then Chloe would be the better choice.”

“And maybe you don’t take a woman who have bigger muscles than you,” Sam said. Charlie laughed.

“The problem with you gentlemen is that you never learnt to appreciate a woman who can bench-press you.” Sully turned back to Nadine. He kissed the back of her hand and winked at her. “Perhaps next time.”

“If you’re done,” Chloe practically growled. Nadine looked up in surprise. Chloe was glaring at Sully; her eyes burning, her jaw clenched. “We have a small window here. And I still need to get a dress. Fancy helping me pick one out, china?” Her tone didn’t have its usual playful edge. No tease, no flirt, it was sharp as a serrated blade.

“Uh, sure.” Nadine shrugged. She couldn’t remember the last time she went clothes shopping. When she’d fronted Shoreline she’d had people to do that for her. She turned to Sully. “What’s eating her?” She asked quietly.

“My dear, she is too easy.” He patted Nadine’s hand. “Right!” He dropped Nadine’s hand and stepped back from her. “I’ve arranged for a car so we’ll need a driver. Not you Chloe, you sit in the back with me. Charlie, you look like a man who needs something to do.”

“Right. I’ll start working on me chauffeur act.”

“You’ll need something to wear,” Chloe said. “All the rich people in this city we’re bound to lift a chauffeur’s uniform from somewhere.”

“And we’ll need a body guard,” Sully said. “I already checked and all the other guests are bringing one so we’d be remiss not to bring one ourselves.”

“Ooh!” Sam perked up.

“Ms. Ross,” Sully said all silky smooth charm again. “I’m almost certain that a humble gent like me couldn't afford your rates but I would be both delighted and honoured if you would watch my back.”

“I’ll put it on your tab and you can pay me back later.” Nadine crossed her arms. Having Sully owe her a favour would come in handy. She understood that this was a gesture from Sully, a little nod of acceptance into their group and way of life. She watched as his eyes flitted from to Chloe and back again, a knowing smile tugging at his lips. It helped that he knew that there was no chance Nadine would let Chloe go into that vipers nest without her. He was unusually perceptive for a man.

“What am I supposed to do?” Sam whined.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find some way of getting yourself in,” Sully said. “You usually do.”

Chloe took Nadine’s arm and gently led her away from the others. “While you gents sort yourselves out Nadine and I are going to go shopping.”

Nadine quickly chucked back the last of her scotch - she was going to need it - and let Chloe lead her out of the room.

/\/\/\

Nadine was a planner by both nature and design. Her father and mother had been the most organised people she had ever known, who had planned their lives down to the fine detail. When they had married apartheid had ended but the shadow of it had still loomed over them. Their planning, working out their relationship and how it would function, how it could survive under the restrictions imposed on them and in the face of such adversity had saved both their lives. They had mapped out every possible obstacle they could face and come up with counter measures.

The biggest upset to their plans had been Nadine herself. They had wanted children, but she had come along earlier than planned and she knew her father had wanted a son to continue his legacy but a difficult birth had meant that Nadine would be the only child he would have. For the beginning years of her life he had just treat her as the son he had so clearly wanted. It hadn’t been until she was older that he had realised that a daughter faced challenges a son would never have to deal with. To his credit he adapted, he changed how he would teach her, expanded his own knowledge, and most importantly he had listened to her. His word had been final but he had taken the time to hear what she had to say. She had always known her worth to him as both a soldier and as his daughter. In return she had followed her parents plan for her.

It was amazing that she had never grown to resent him.

Amazing that she was so much like him. She had never had a rebellious phase growing up. She had been the dutiful daughter right up until she had met Chloe. Still trying to do right by her dead father and his legacy. Chloe had upended all of that and Nadine was happier than she’d ever been. That little bit of chaos in her otherwise perfectly planned life.

But just because she appreciated that bit of chaos didn’t mean she had to like it when Chloe and her cohorts came up with terrible plans on the fly.

“What do I have to do to make you stop frowning?” Chloe had gone so far as to buy Nadine ice cream. Nadine just clutched her cone in hand and looked at the people walking past. It was the end of November and definitely not the weather for ice cream. It was warmer here in Provence than it would ever be in London but by Nadine’s standards it was a little chilly. “You know we’re near Cannes, right?” Chloe continued. She licked her ice cream, one long stripe from the bottom of the rounded scoop up and around to the tip. It was the most erotic thing Nadine had seen in months. “We might see a celebrity.”

“Wrong time of year.” Nadine tried her ice cream. She’d gone for blueberry and vanilla, Chloe had insisted in drowning it in chocolate sauce and it made for an interesting taste. Not sure she’d have it again. “So, this seems more your area of expertise, where do we get you a dress.”

“Dunno.” Chloe had ice cream on her lips. She pulled her phone from her pocket and started fiddling with it. “I’m not much of a shopper myself. I briefly dated a girl who was really into shopping. This was years ago mind, back in Australia. She could spend hours trying on clothes. Being young and stupid I went along with her and sat nice and quiet.”

“Quiet? You?” Nadine scoffed. “Not bloody likely.” She didn’t look at Chloe; instead she concentrated on her ice cream. For all of Chloe’s less than subtle flirtations she had thrown Nadine’s way this was actually the first time Nadine had conformation that Chloe’s taste also ran towards women. She had been running on the presumption that Chloe was straight. She had seen Chloe flirt with women before but that meant nothing, Chloe flirted with her own reflection and statues, occasionally with cliff faces and on one occasion with a post box. Chloe didn’t know how not to flirt. All the exes they had run into there had not been a single woman among them.

But then Chloe had said it herself: not many women in this line of work.

Nadine tried to stop the fizzle of excitement at this little bit of news. It might mean nothing. One woman in a sea of men - men that Nadine had to run into constantly - might only mean a brief moment of experimentation. Nothing to get giddy about.

“Alright! This way!” Chloe pointed dramatically with her ice cream.

Nadine followed dutifully behind her.

They’d finished their ice creams by the time they’d reached the store. Nadine could smell the expense from outside. There were two dresses on display in the large windows, both tiny and designed for a woman so skinny that she might need medical attention. Nadine wouldn’t be able to get her leg in one of those.

“Those are sleeves not dresses,” she remarked.

Chloe eyed the dresses and wrinkled her nose. She turned to Nadine. “You ever see Pretty Woman?”

“No.”

“Not surprising. We’re gonna watch it when we get back home. But there’s a scene where Julia Roberts tries to buy a dress while shopping on Rodeo Drive and the woman in the store takes one look at her and just knows that she doesn’t have the money to pay for anything in there and, like, kinda, shoos her away. Anyway, I think we’re about to get vamoosed out of here.”

Nadine looked down at her clothes, crisp pants and a loose fitting shirt with a jacket over the top, she looked reasonably presentable. She looked over at Chloe. “If Julia Roberts didn’t have the money why did she go into the store?”

“Well she did have money. Richard Gere gave her the money. You know what?” Chloe stepped towards the door. “We’ll see if we can get hold of it to watch tonight. It’s terrible. You’ll hate it.” She opened the door with a flourish. “Let's do this thing, china.”

If Nadine had thought the outside reeked of expense it was nothing compared to the inside. The floors were polished marble and everything was pristine white. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling giving off low light. There were very few clothes on display, but the ones that were there cost more than most people would earn in a year. More than most people would earn in their entire lives. Once, back when she’d had Shoreline, Nadine could have just walked in here and bought whatever she wanted. She’d had that kind of money then. She had always been frugal with her money, something she knew her lieutenants and men had respected. But it was an interesting fantasy to briefly indulge in: swaggering in here with Chloe and tossing down her card, telling Chloe to buy whatever she wanted. As though Chloe gave a toss about fashion or would be impressed by flashy shows of wealth.

Nadine snorted softly at the thought just as a very well-dressed woman sauntered up.

“Puis-je vous aider?” she asked, politely.

“Yes,” Chloe answered, her fake British accent making a comeback. “I have a dinner to attend tonight and I find myself in need of a dress.”

“Of course,” the assistant said, switching effortlessly to English. “What do you have in mind?”

Chloe flashed a grin Nadine’s way. “Something in red.”

It didn’t take long for Nadine to grow bored. She sat on a ridiculously comfy white leather seat with a glass of champagne in one hand, fiddling with her phone, trying to research Tamas and Viktória Cseszneky. They had a few tabloid appearances, photos of them leaving events, galas and openings, always flanked by security. They were both beautiful, fashionably slim with dark hair and pale skin, their outfits tailored to play off of each other. In all of the photos they were wearing over sized sunglasses hiding their faces.

“This one?” Chloe walked out from the enormous dressing room to show Nadine what she was wearing. Chloe had only managed to try on three dresses before she had shooed the assistant away. Now Nadine was stuck being the one to give her opinion on what Chloe should be wearing. The appeal of seeing Chloe in a dress was fast running out.

Nadine gave it a once over. “Too long. Too narrow. It’ll inhibit the movements of your legs.”

Chloe looked down and frowned. “And we don’t want that.”

How to explain that the dress they needed had to not only look good but also be functional in a way that Chloe would be able to run, jump and even climb in it? They hadn’t even started on what shoes she should wear yet.

Chloe disappeared back into the dressing room. “We need to think about what you’re going to wear as well.”

“What?” Nadine looked up from her phone. “What I’m wearing?”

“Well, you can’t go wearing that. And definitely not your combat stuff.”

Stupidly Nadine hadn’t even considered that she’d need to buy something. Stupidly she’d been thinking that a shirt and a pair of her smarter combat pants would be enough. Stupid, stupid, stupid…

“Oh! I think we have a winner,” Chloe called from behind the closed door. “C’mere and give me a hand, will you?”

Nadine pushed herself to her feet. She pocketed her phone and knocked back the champagne, grimacing at the taste. She never had liked the stuff. She left the empty flute on the table and moved cautiously to the door, pushing it open. Chloe had her back to her and was busy trying to pull her dress into place. Nadine swallowed the gasp that nearly escaped her lips. The dress had thin straps and showed off Chloe’s shoulders and her upper back. She could make out the faintest of nicks and old faded scars along her skin, rippling in the light as Chloe struggled with her dress. Chloe wasn’t as built as Nadine was but this dress left no doubt to the impressive muscle tone she sported. The dress was a deep red, bunched up around her mid section where Chloe fussed with it. One of the straps over her shoulder was twisted.

“Here,” Nadine said softly, too softly. She cleared her throat harshly, reaching towards the strap, ignoring the way her hand trembled. She righted the strap trying not to touch Chloe’s skin. She forced her mind into professional mode and quickly tugged where the fabric bunch on Chloe’s hips pulling the dress into place. She stood up and looked. The dress was beautiful, made all the more perfect for the body it clung to. It was longer on one side, showing off Chloe’s right leg up to her mid-thigh. Nadine’s gaze trailed down wards to Chloe's bare feet, then from her ankle and back up Chloe’s long muscular leg to where the dress covered her flesh and then, because she was weak, to Chloe’s arse. Her mouth had gone dry. There wasn’t a chance in hell Chloe was going to pick out a dress that didn’t show off her arse.

“Ja, I think this is the right one,” Nadine said. Her throat was so dry her voice creaked. She stepped back from Chloe. Back to safely. To a distance where she wouldn’t be burned.

“I think…” Chloe said slowly. She cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowing. She reached up and pulled out her hair band and worked her fingers into her hair, mussing it up and letting it fall haphazard about her shoulders. “Oh yeah, that’s better.” She spun around and grinned at Nadine.

“Sure.” Nadine took another step back colliding softly with the closed door. “You look fantastic. Now all we need are shoes.”

“And something for you.”

Nadine sighed. “Ja. Something for me.”

“Don’t sound so defeated. I’ve already got it all worked out.” Chloe gave her a wink. “I’m gonna enjoy dressing you up, love.”

Nadine rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. Swallowed. She put her hands to her hips and tipped her head back to look at the ceiling. “How are we paying for this?”

Chloe laughed wickedly. Like a magician she flicked a card from seemingly nowhere. “By using the generous bank of Victor Sullivan.”

“You swiped his card?”

“Of course I did,” Chloe said like it was the most obvious thing in the world and Nadine was stupid for not doing it herself. “Now let’s grab me some shoes and then I get to dress you up.”

It was going to be a long day.

/\/\/\

Nadine couldn’t sleep. The bed was wrong, the room was wrong, this whole damned job was wrong, and she couldn’t find the words to convince Chloe of this. What was the point in taking a job that had no obvious payday? It was as though Chloe, Sam and Charlie were doing it just to stoke their egos. Nadine had yet to meet to a treasure hunter who needed a boost to their already over inflated ego.

Her eyes felt gritty and sore, she rubbed them as she stared up at the canopy of the luxurious four-poster. The more she rubbed them the worse they felt but she couldn’t help it, her usual discipline had gone out the window and bad habits were emerging. She shuffled on the mattress, trying not to jostle it too much and wake Chloe.

Chloe snored softly next to her oblivious to Nadine’s inner turmoil. Nadine had never told Chloe that she snored. It was oddly endearing.

It was worse if she slept on her back; fortunately tonight she was curled on her side, her back to Nadine, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail spilling over the crisp white pillowcase her head was nestled on. The bed sheets were pushed down to Chloe’s midsection and the top of her back was exposed. She slept in a loose fitting tank top and shorts. Her shoulders exposed for Nadine to see in the dim midnight light. She could count the notches of Chloe’s spine; see the worst of the scars roughly two inches along and far too close to Chloe’s spine for comfort. It looked as though it had been deep, likely a stab wound. The mark was shiny and pale, standing out from the darker tones around it, dipping into Chloe’s skin and flesh. Nadine wanted to trace it with her thumb, to feel the smoothness of the skin around it. Her stomach felt tight. She wanted to worship that sign of violence as much as she wanted to know who had done it to her, wanted to exact revenge and pay back the hurt.

She ran her fingers across the scar along her collarbone. It had been the first time she’d nearly died, the first time panic had cut through her arrogance and made her realise that she wasn’t invincible. It had been a valuable lesson.

Funny how Chloe sometimes made her feel like that. Like she had when the blade had first cut into her and she’d felt her blood flow free and her breath disappearing with it. But also the rush of adrenaline as she fought back and the kick when she’d realised she was going to win.

Chloe shifted in her sleep, rolling onto her back. Her arm fell beside Nadine’s, their skin just barely brushing.

Nadine blew out a breath and rolled out of bed. She grabbed her hoodie and pulled it on, her bare legs sticking out from the bottom. She moved quickly and silently from the room and down the stairs, to the kitchen. She couldn’t sleep so she might as well be useful. A drink and then she would do more research on the Cseszneky family. She’d fired off a couple of emails earlier to old contacts to see if she could find out who handled their security. Best that she knew who she was up against.

There was a light on in the kitchen. She slowed her movements, listening for anything out of the ordinary. The light was low, not the main ceiling light but one of the smaller ones. Nadine moved slowly up to the doorway and paused again. She couldn’t hear a thing. It might have been a mistake, a simple accident that Charlie or Sam had left the light on.

She edged round the doorway, keeping to the shadows. Someone was sitting at the kitchen table. Their head hung low, skinny shoulders hunched up. She relaxed.

“Can’t sleep?” She flicked on the main lights and watched as Sam recoiled, blinking furiously at the sudden illumination.

“Jesus!” he rubbed his eyes. “Why would you..? My eyes!” He rubbed at them and then squinted at her.

She went to the appliances and set about making her green tea. Behind her she could hear him still moaning. “What are you doing up?” she asked.

“Couldn’t sleep. The bed’s too comfy.”

“Ja.” Nadine turned round and leaned on the counter eyeing him. His hair was straggling and hanging in his face, his eyes bleary and skin waxy. He didn’t look well. “Are you sick?”

He shook his head. “Just antsy from being in a weird place. S’pose you can sleep anywhere?”

“If that were true I wouldn’t be down here.”

“Right. So what’s keeping you up?”

She narrowed her eyes. “We don’t have the sharing kind of relationship.”

“Monsters in the closet?” he smiled at her. “Big bad general Ross afraid of the dark?”

“Keep guessing.” She turned back as the kettle whistled. She poured the water into a mug and watched the tea bag bob about in it, slowly changing the water from clear to murky. She jabbed the bag with a spoon. She liked her tea strong.

“Chloe snoring?”

She paused. Paranoia itched at her fingertips. How did he know Chloe snored? She wasn’t especially loud; it was more cute little snuffles, so he couldn’t possibly have heard her through the bedroom door. The only reason she knew was because when they were on jobs they more often than not wound up sharing a room. Back in London, in Chloe’s flat, they had their own rooms.

She stabbed at the tea bag with a spoon. “No.”

“I’m just gonna keep guessing till you tell me.”

“I don’t hear you offering up explanations why you can’ sleep.”

“I told you: bed’s too comfy.”

She turned round and stared at him. “Sleep on the floor.”

He faltered under her steady gaze, his shoulders hunching further as he looked down at his hands resting on the table. She hadn’t noticed when she’d first walked in but there was an open bottle of scotch on the table and a glass. Nadine fished out the teabag and dumped it on the edge on the sink. She picked up another glass for herself and made her way over to join him. They had a mission to do and she couldn't have Sam wigging out and blowing it for them. Time to be the adult and talk him down from whatever edge he was on.

“Your right, the bed is too comfy.” She sat down, placing her tea and the empty glass carefully on the table. She picked up the bottle and inspected the label. It was a cheap store brand. She poured them both a generous measure. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“If you’re not up to this job then I need to know.”

He reared back. “This is my gig. I found this job.”

“I don’t give a shit. If you’re not up to it then you need to step back, otherwise your putting the whole mission in jeopardy.”

“Who says I’m not up to the job? You don’t get to decide that.”

Slowly Nadine lifted her glass to her lips and poured the cheap scotch back. She put the glass down, still deliberately slowly, and left her finger resting on its rim. She regarded Sam. To his credit he didn’t wither under her scrutiny, she had known men twice Sam’s size to cower when she stared at them flatly. He slouched in his seat; his arms folded and looked back at her like a petulant school boy.

“Ja, I do get to decide that.” She tipped her head to the side and didn’t so much as blink. “If whatever shit your going through endangers Chloe then I will forcibly bench you.”

“Consider myself warned.” He held his hands up and rolled his eyes. He knocked back his scotch and poured another glass. “It’s really not that big a deal. I spent years sleeping on a metal slat. I can’t sleep on beds; I can only just about manage couches. And I can’t…” he trailed off, sneering. “I can’t sleep in the same room with another person. Prison makes you kind of paranoid about that kind of thing.”

“You had a cellmate.”

“And he was a real peach let me tell you.” He curled his lip and knocked back another scotch.

She eyed him. He was a liar by nature, almost as good a manipulator as Chloe was, but this time he was being honest. She nodded. “Okay. Just don’t let your shit become our shit.” She stood up with her cup in hand and made her way from the kitchen. This had been too close to a heart-to-heart for her taste.

“I’m not going to let anyone hurt your girl.”

She froze. The hair on her arms was standing on end and she felt suddenly cold. “She’s not my girl.”

“But you want her to be.” She could hear the smug smirk in his voice. He laughed softly. She couldn’t hear anything malicious in it, just pleased amusement, and that made it so much fucking worse. She turned slowly. He was still in his seat, arms loose at his sides and a crooked smile carving up his face. “I fuckin’ knew it!” He clapped his hands together gleefully.

“You don’t know anything,” she said icily.

“I know the only reason your doing this job is because of her.”

“We are partners.”

“Hey I don’t blame you. You ask around and damn near everyone who’s worked with Chloe is half in love with her. Or… y’know… dead. There’s only Nathan and Charlie who survived her.”

“You still seem to be breathing.” He kept talking and she’d fix that.

“She’s not my type. But you should go for it.”

“I’m going to walk away now.”

“I’m just saying you’re getting all bothered about my shit but maybe you should be looking closer to home. ‘Cause I don’t think I’m the one whose baggage is going to be causing problems.”

She walked away from him, determined that she wouldn’t let him get under her skin. He was just being childish. He was rattled by what she had said and was hitting back. She forced her head up and her shoulders back, walking slowly so he knew that his words hadn’t bothered her. But they had. She felt the knot of worry in her chest. Felt the way it burned there, heavy, working its way up her throat. She swallowed a mouthful of tea to try and wash it away. She hated that he was so perceptive, that he had read her so easily. She hated more that she had been so weak as to let him bother her.

She stalked up the stairs taking them two at a time. There was a shadow at the top and she stopped suddenly, her tea slopping over the rim of her cup and splattering to the floor.

Chloe stared down at her, eyes wide. She put her hands to her hips and smiled. “There you are.”

“Just went to get a drink.” Nadine’s heart was hammering against the knot of worry. She felt a little sick.

“Well you’ve got it so come on, let’s back in bed.” Chloe turned and headed back to the bedroom. Nadine followed after her like the good little heartsick puppy Sam thought she was.

Chloe climbed back on the bed, yawning hugely. She dropped back on the pillows and patted the space next to her. Nadine set her mug down on the bedside table and got on the bed. She propped her pillows up and lay back against them.

“I know you’re still not sold on this job,” Chloe said. “And I don’t blame you. Here’s a deal. We check out this little party tomorrow and if after that this still seems like a bust we’re out.”

“You mean it?” Nadine turned to her.

“Yeah. It’s not like we’ve been offered a definite payday.” Chloe slid down the bed and pulled the sheets up. “Now go to sleep. You’re worrying is far too loud and it’s keeping me awake.”

“I’ve just got to check my emails.” She grabbed her phone and opened an email sent from one of her contacts, it was titled: Cseszneky security.

She read over the brief email and then again. “Oh shit,” she said softly. Why could these jobs never be simple and safe?

#Ballast #Chlodine #chloe frazer #Nadine Ross #chloe x nadine #fic

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nightmareonfilmstreet · 6 years

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Toronto-Based Bloody Mary Festival, Celebrates Female Directors in Horror

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Toronto-Based Bloody Mary Festival, Celebrates Female Directors in Horror

Toronto’s BLOODY MARY FILM FESTIVAL, which celebrates female-identifying directors making horror, science-fiction and fantasy genre films in Canada, recently announced the full lineup for their second annual festival. The festival was founded in 2016 by Laura Di Girolamo, Krista Dzialoszynski, Melissa O’Neil and Nadine Brito.

The Bloody Mary Film Festival aims to highlight the achievements of female directors across Canada working in genre films, and to inspire future generations of female genre film fans to make their own work.

Over the course of two nights, the festival will screen shorts and feature-length films, including work by first-time filmmakers, Women of Colour and LGBTQ+ films. New this year, short films will be eligible for the Audience Choice Award sponsored by Dazmo Camera. The winning filmmaker will receive a $5000 donation of camera rentals towards their next project.

The Bloody Mary Film Festival will be held from November 30th – December 1st, 2017 at the Imagine Carlton Cinemas.

Check out the full lineup below!

Blood Hunters (2016) Director: Tricia Lee

When a single mother wakes up in a medical facility filled with bodies, she discovers she is nine months pregnant

Undress Me (2017) Director: Amelia Moses

A socially awkward college freshman begins to experience a mysterious and gruesome physical deterioration after a chance encounter at a frat party.

Love You To Death (2017) Director: Monica Garrido

Chloe is ready to start a new romance with Nat but someone from her past might be rolling over in her grave before this happens.

Tik-Tik (2016) Director: Larica Perera

A young Filipino girl, along with others from her village, attempt to protect a woman and her unborn child from a creature known to feed on newborns. The TIK-TIK is based off of a popular creature in Filipino folklore known as the Aswang.

The King and Queen of Halloween (2014) Directors: Anna Maguire & Stuart Spears

Halloween is a magical time for everyone, old and young alike. But when two teenage boys destroy a strange older man’s meticulous pumpkin display, he decides to play the long game and get his revenge, in the most seasonal way imaginable.

Night Light (2016) Director: Kennedy Bailey-Parker

While at a sleepover, a group of girls accidentally unleash an evil spirit unto the world, The Unabara. Now the girls must team up with a new found friend and put the demon back into it’s prison before its too late.

A Woman on the Telephone: Carol (2017) Director: Erica Genereux Smith

Carol, a receptionist for ‘Infotech Communication Services’ is imprisoned inside a circular desk, answering phones and perpetually reordering light bulbs for the office. When she takes a call from someone looking for the company’s previous receptionist, she begins to realize that she has no memories of a life outside of the office.

Henna (2017) Director: Fami Kaur Biji

We all have our own power struggle within ourselves; sometimes the struggle between darkness and light in the brain is too real. Henna is an experimental short film symbolizing the struggle between darkness and light inside one women’s mind. Using the symbol of Indian Henna, traditionally representing life and light, we explore a deep struggle of darkness and death. One wrong step towards the darkness means we can lose the light forever. When darkness is the only way out, which side will you chose?

Madre De Dios (2015) Director: Gigi Saul Guerrero

A woman wakes up bound to an altar, helpless as she is transformed into a flesh and blood statue of Santa Muerte by two elderly Brujos whose sole purpose is to conjure the anti-Christ into our plane of existence.

The Drop In (2017) Director: Naledi Jackson

Joelle is an entrepreneurial young woman seeking to carve a new life for herself as a hairdresser in Toronto. But her long-buried past catches up to her one quiet evening when Grace, a new client, drops by her salon, giving Joelle a choice she can only respond to by resurrecting skills from her former life.

Berkshire County (2014) Director: Audrey Cummings

Kylie, a bullied teenager, reluctantly agrees to baby-sit in an isolated country mansion on Halloween. When a boy wearing a pig mask knocks on the door, Kylie’s night turns into a horrifying and violent cat-and-mouse game.

The Man in the Rabbit Mask (2017) Director: Ariel Hansen

An innocent sleepover becomes a nightmarish evening when two girls summon a cryptic masked man known as Mr. Rabbity.

Talking Heads (2017) Director: Alyx Melone

A frightening surrealist fable about the lengths a woman will go to be beautiful.

La Peau Sauvage (Wild Skin) (2016) Director: Ariane Louis-Seize

The quiet life of a young and solitary woman is disturbed when she discovers a baby python in her apartment. This mysterious presence unleashes her deepest urges and will let her express for the first time who she truly is.

A Brief History of the Apocalypse (2016) Director: Erica Genereux Smith

A Brief History of the Apocalypse explores the claustrophobic friendship between two young women on the verge of adulthood. Paralyzed by anxiety, Amy has shut herself indoors and begun relying on her roommate, Corey, to fulfill her emotional and practical needs. Corey, who bridles at the prospect of confinement, is obliging but openly resentful. Their battle of wills comes to a head when a torrential storm traps them both inside together, forcing them to contend with their own worst fears.

Sea Monster (2017) Directors: Kassandra Tomczyk & Daniel Rocque

Cooped up in a seaside motel, a young woman’s monstrous pain has been too much to digest, lurking in the depths of her subconscious until now… Emotional and physical trauma is transmuted into empowerment through a series of surreal and bizarre episodes.

Atlas World (2017) Director: Morgana McKenzie

A malignant spirit forces a girl into a perilous journey through a watery underworld.

The Sleepwalker (2017) Director: Anna Cooley

Lily must defeat the demons that lurk in her nightmares if she is to save herself and the woman she loves.

Bestia (2017) Director: Gigi Saul Guerrero

A man wakes up on a desolate lake, and unbeknownst to him, a beast lurks within.

The Bloody Mary Film Festival runs from Thursday, November 30 – Friday, December 1 at the Carlton Cinema. For more schedule and details, head to the festival’s website

#bloody mary #bloody mary film festival #female director #female directors #film festival #horror #women in horror

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shrumgi · 3 years

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I’ve tried to play phasmophobia on my own two times and both times no matter how much I shit talked the ghost using its name it just ignored me so I had to leave. Maybe in the future I will be more lucky

#sad!#nadine talks about horror games

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recentanimenews · 6 years

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Crunchyroll Favorites 2017: Video Games

What a wild year it's been for gaming. Nintendo has thrown down the gauntlet with the Switch and its unbelievable roster of exclusives but they're far from the only company mixing things up and putting out some astounding exclusives. Following Part One about our favorite anime and manga, Part Two will cover our favorite video games from the plethora of hit releases in 2017!

PETER FOBIAN (@PeterFobian)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: The obvious choice (get used to seeing it on this list). Breath of the Wild probably impressed me more than any other game this year, taking Zelda and the open world platform to new heights in the most clever, brave way imaginable. This game lets you do whatever you want, giving you access to an immense number of tools to drive you to solve problems in ways the designers probably never thought of. Or, at least, you might believe they hadn’t if the world wasn’t brimming with small interactions we’re still discovering to this day. Even the story is a clever take on the usual defeating Ganon formula. I felt Nintendo was slipping during the Wii U days but they easily dominated this years releases.

NieR: Automata: Or, at least, I say that, but now I’m gonna talk about a bunch of PS4 titles. NieR was quite the narrative journey and did some immensely cool things with its story you could only see in a video game, replaying the same events from different perspectives then building upon them into brand new arcs. The game had its aesthetic sense on lock, complete with one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard. The glimmer of hope residing at the end of such an oppressively sad world was a tremendous conclusion. I just wish there had been more. There are elements in the game where I feel Yoko Taro teasing DLC content that he knew would never come. That asshole.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Another open-world game that was willing to invest in its setting. The world of HZD is awesome, aesthetically, functionally, and narratively. It also feels complete. Rather than the usual fetch quests you can expect in this sort of title, every mission has its own story and serves to expand your understanding of the various cultures of the world. The main plot is a wonderful dive into the history that brought this world about featuring a partnership of convenience between two characters whose arguments I could listen to for hours. The relationship between Aloy and Sylens is fantastic. The gameplay is fantastic. The world is fantastic.

Nioh: This game got a lot of flak out of the gate for being a Souls-like but it’s risen to that challenge and done some great things all its own with a deeper combat system featuring a variety of stances, combos, tools and unlockable techniques. The aesthetic is also spot on and, while it doesn’t have the same cinematic approach, delivers a cool environment with enemies just as frustratingly hard. If I have one complaint, it’s that the game went for a more numbers-heavy approach featuring RNG drops and complex crafting system that kept me in menus while I’d rather be exploring. All-in-all the game felt great to play and never felt like it was slowing down. You could even collect pokemon!

ECHO: I feel like I’ve been waiting for the release announcement for this game for an eternity since I first played a demo at PAX two years ago. This game touches on all my favorite aesthetic hallmarks, taking place in a nightmarish superstructure that is equal parts Giger and Blame!, alternating between immaculate palaces and criss crossing walkways over a dark abyss. The story is a particularly satisfying space opera and includes a unique gameplay mechanic controlling the enemy AI that feeds right into the horror of the setting. It’s a horrifically beautiful achievement and a MUST. PLAY.

Persona 5: My first experience with the Persona series has been memorable and I definitely now understand the obsessive following these games have earned. P5 has a crazy awesome sense of style and a great cast of characters with individual stories that build up to some seriously anime cathartic moments. Pretty much every characters unmasking was a memorable highlight and synced up nicely with the games through line of defying oppressive authority. I wish they’d gone a bit further, done a few things better, and loosed up a but on what players can do in the game. All the same I’ll be right there with everyone else in 2117 when Persona 6 comes out.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice: I love this game not only for what it is but what it represents. Long time fan of Ninja Theory and this game makes me a diehard. Hellblade's aim to release an “independent AAA game” is just what the industry needs right now with franchises and studios falling victim to microtransaction based monetization and getting gutted by major publishers. I hope to see a ton more of these in the year to come. The game itself was well-worth the price tag, a fascinating descent into hell that had a few clever tricks and an interesting representation of auditory hallucination that added to the atmosphere. More of this, more Ninja Theory.

Guilty Gear Xrd 2: Everyone has their fighting game and mine is Guilty Gear. The franchise went through a notable low point releasing Guilty Gear Xrd without Baiken, but thankfully ArkSys recovered and is back with part 2 and the good content. They’ve tightened some of the bolts from the previous releases along with character specific changes. I’m loving the new kits on all my main. ArkSys’s 3D/2D style continues to set the visual standard for 2D fighters. The only thing I’m not crazy about is Millia’s hat. If they add ABA then this will truly be the perfect game.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: Although I’d never played Wolfenstein before this year, I was understandably attracted to the marketing efforts of Bethesda to promote this title. I was wholly unprepared for the over-the-top narrative experience it provided, coming closer to Saints Row levels of ludicrous plot twists and characterization without compromising it’s blood-in-the-dirt aesthetic. The writing walks a razor's edge between horrific and hilarious while fearlessly drawing similarities between the Wolfenstein world and modern day America. It’s wild that Blazkowicz feels so real, even melancholic, with everything that surrounds him.

Uncharted 4: The Lost Legacy DLC: Lost Legacy solved what was incontrovertibly the biggest problem with Uncharted 4. No Chloe. It pulled one better by bringing back the best new character from the main title, Nadine in an unexpected partnership that worked better than I could have imagined. Rather than a fun side mission, Naughty Dog spent a lot of time using past events to build a compelling narrative around both characters and their unlikely partnership with all the same cinematic highlights as the main title. It wasn’t quite the unforgettable experience as Uncharted 4, but it was quality DLC that barely exists in a industry chopping up IPs to sell them in pieces.

RENE KAYSER (@kayserlein)

Persona 5: There are three titles that I carry as the triumvirate of “Games that changed me in who I am”. One of these three is Persona 4 which helped me get through the worst part of my youth. And while never got tired of Atlus’ spin-offs of that title like some people did, I certainly was hyped for the new entry in the series. It didn’t quite hit the mark for me that 3 and 4 did but it gave me an absolutely fantastic 99 hours of thievery and intrigue. I just wish they’d given us more Social Events to hang out with the entire group …

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NieR: Automata: It’s quite something to not only get one but two sequels to life-changing games in a single year (Number Three in my triumvirate is Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII which introduced me to Japanese games in general). The original Nier broadened the horizon of what you can do with videogame storytelling for young 16-year-old me and while Automata didn’t hit me that hard, it still managed to let me reflect a lot on my actions as a gamer (I still feel bad for getting *that* trophy). I just hope that Square remasters the first game one day so I can reunite with its characters once more.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: No franchise in the world means as much to me as Zelda. I went through every single entry (not counting the CDI ones - I’m no maniac!) and know almost every dungeon by heart. BOTW has recaptured that old magic of (re-)conquering an entire kingdom and sucked a whopping 120 hours out of me before I knew it. It may have certain weaknesses (mainly in the story department) but that doesn’t take away from the utter magnificence Nintendo has gifted us with. I only wish they’d tell us something definite about its timeline placement (My money’s on the Convergence theory).

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Kazutaka Kodaka is a goddamn genius. He, Kotaro Uchikoshi and Ryukishi07 are probably some of my favorite writers ever and in the newest entry of his murdery series, he once again presents us with this unique mix of comedy and horror only he can concoct. Its second and third case slow the game down a bit but the final two will turn anyone’s brain upside down and put it through the blender in a way you’ll never forgot. To write anything more, would delve into spoilers but if you haven’t gotten into this franchise until now, you’re definitely missing out!

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: I have a long-standing love for fictional (!) nazis. Part of it is certainly due to the gruesome part of German history which lets you easily villainize them without any need for characterization but also a remaining excitement of of the forbidden (all nazi content is stripped out in the German version of the franchise, so I have to resort to imports). Shooting nazis itself would be fun enough but Machine Games’ reboot trilogy somehow still gives it one of the best and most moving video game narratives in years which leaves me yearning for its final chapter. The cherry on top of the already delicious cake is the German dialogue which was voiced by fantastic German actors (who were sadly replaced by less fitting ones in the local version) which enhances the atmosphere tremendously by not copping out with using American actors with a funny accent and no actual dialogue like every other game with nazis. Even if you’re not into shooters, you should give the Wolfenstein reboot a try - it might really surprise you with its story.

Super Mario Odyssey: Here I go thinking that Nintendo just put out something that they can hardly match again for at least half a decade … and they do it within the same year! BOTW was already great but Mario Odyssey cemented 2017 as the year Nintendo returned to form. Not since Mario 64 did it bring me this much fun to play as our favorite plumber (though he did quit that job) and I find it highly possible that his newest game might even go down in history as being superior to his first 3D outing.

The Nintendo Switch and basically everything on it: This list of mine already carries two Switch games on it - but I could easily put down everything else on the system. While its portability might seem like a gimmick to outsiders, it opens up every system you play on it incredibly. Even if you’re mostly at home and work from there (like me), the comfort to pick it up and play another 30 minutes in bed before you’re sleeping adds so much to the experience that I can hardly put it into words. Skyrim, Doom, Xenoblade, Stardew Valley, Splatoon 2, Resident Evil - the list goes on and on and each week I’m overwhelmed by new announcements of both indie games I’ve been meaning to check out for a long time but also ports of bigger titles on this hardware. Not since my PS One have I been so in love with a system itself and with how things are going, the Switch might easily become my favorite gaming console ever created.

KARA DENNISON (@rubycosmos)

Resident Evil VII: This game messed me up something fierce -- in all the best ways, of course. I can understand why opinion is divided in some cases, but it��s so atmospheric and so entrenched in its own lore that it’s just fascinating to get lost in. And I love a game that blurs the line between gameplay and cutscenes to the point that you’re not even sure what’s under your control anymore. That’s some good horror.

Doki Doki Literature Club: The first release from indie studio Team Salvato, an OEL dating sim with a poetry-driven storyline. And -- funny story -- it just magically appeared in my Steam gifts. I still don’t know who sent it to me. But whoever it was, I owe them big thanks because it was just the kind of VN I love. The art is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s got a great story you’ll want to explore multiple times. High points of the game: hanging out with Sayori, a long weekend with Yuri, and finally getting some time alone with club president Monika!

Fate/Grand Order (US release): Of course this was going to make my list: I can build an army of nothing but different female King Arthurs. The story is entertaining for history and folklore buffs, and it’s also a great (read: inescapable) entry point to the Fate franchise.

NICK CREAMER (@b0bduh)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: From the first moments I started playing Breath of the Wild, I realized this game signaled the end of one era and the beginning of another. Through its gorgeous world, incredibly rewarding base gameplay, and infinite secrets to discover, Breath of the Wild redefines what we can expect from open world games, solving the issue of vast yet unsatisfying worlds in one definitive strike. I can only hope that future games steal as much as they can from Breath of the Wild’s bountiful innovations.

Nioh: Nioh’s appeal is pretty simple: place the satisfying, skill-intensive combat of a Dark Souls-style game in the circular loot-grind context of a Diablo-like, speed everything up by about thirty percent, and let it fly. The end result is likely the most successful riff yet on the Souls/Bloodborne subgenre, a game that can happily stand beside its spiritual inspiration.

Nier: Automata: Automata is undoubtedly the messiest game on this list, containing a vast number of minor gameplay failings and larger issues of overarching pacing and structure. And yet, no other game I played this year can match Automata’s narrative ambitions, or its soaring dramatic heights. Automata brings you to your lowest possible point in order to drive home that even at the end of everything, hope survives. Technical issues aside, a message told this creatively and well deserves all the accolades it can get.

Persona 5: Persona 5 was also messy in a variety of ways, like its occasionally unsatisfying dungeons, and especially its frustratingly conditional perspective on society’s “outsiders.” But from its endlessly endearing cast to its utterly best-in-class art design, Persona 5 also offers a vast array of astonishing strengths. I’ll still be thinking fondly of my time with the Phantom Thieves for a long time to come.

Resident Evil VII: Sometimes saving a franchise means going back to the drawing board. So it was with Resident Evil VII, which ditched all the bloated excess of the franchise’s recent entries in order to zero in on the fundamentals of horror: intimacy, isolation, implication, and, uh, insects. Lots of gross insects. Vast segments of Resident Evil VII play out as a horror experience so tightly composed that it really feels like you’re trapped in a beloved horror movie. It’s like twelve straight hours of opening a door that you really, really, really don’t want to open.

THOMAS ZOTH (@ABCBTom)

NieR: Automata: Nier: Automata isn’t my favorite Yoko Taro game, but it’s the one that has established him as a creative voice and given him the tools and funding to keep delivering punishing Drakengard games for me, so I am beyond thrilled by its reception. Taro is truly a gaming auteur who enjoys playing with the expectations about what videogames must do and must be, frustrating and infuriating players with his obtuse cruelty and making them love him for it. Once you’ve finished Automata, play Drakengard 3 and the original Nier as well.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Xenoblade sneaks in just under the line, and I haven’t made it very far, but both Xenoblade and Xenoblade X were my favorite games of their respective years, so it’s safe to say I will love this one all the way through. Not as big a fan of this game’s more kawaii artstyle, but the story is still willing to go unexpected places and allow you to explore gigantic, overwhelming worlds. Plus, the game’s awful map system is getting a patch so I have no real complaints. Xenoblade is my favorite modern RPG series and one that’s not to be missed.

Super Mario Odyssey: A game that feels like the direct sequel to Mario 64, allowing for the feeling of exploration Sunshine and Galaxy lost. I love the possession mechanic, I love the bizarre uncanny valley situations where Mario interacts with humans, and I love New Donk City’s Festival. I’ve cooled on Mario platformers a lot in recent years but this reminded me why I spent so much time collecting 120 stars in Mario 64.

Persona 5: I know all of the problems with Persona 5, gameplay-wise, narrative-wise, and character-wise, and I agree with all of it. The game is massively flawed, and could have been so much better. AND YET… AND YET the fundamentals of Persona 5 are so strong that even with this burden it’s still one of my favorite games of the year. The gang of misfits that made up the Phantom Thieves are my family and the music is divine. I hope the game spawns all of the 100 spinoff cash-ins that Persona 4 did, because I will probably get them all.

The Legeond of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I hate open world games, because they always present a procedurally generated landscape of vacant mountains and palette swapped ninjas. You are free to go anywhere, but there is nothing to do. Until Breath of the Wild, that is, which has a marvelous curated world made with the help of the wizards at Monolith Soft. The game has three problems. When it rains, you can’t climb. Running depletes stamina, making it hard to fast travel. There are horses, but riding a horse is pointless, because you have to leave it behind to go exploring. That’s it: Everything else is perfect. Play it.

JOSEPH LUSTER (@Moldilox)

Super Mario Odyssey: Odyssey is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise Super Mario 64 made over 20 years ago. As much as I loved the Galaxy games, Nintendo went even further on Switch, providing the ideal playground for Mario and his absurdly athletic abilities. Taking control of enemies is always a pleasure, and I still haven’t uncovered half of what’s hidden within Odyssey’s jam-packed worlds.

NieR: Automata: Yoko Taro is a genius, and NieR: Automata deserves all the success and acclaim it has received since launch. There may be moments where some things don’t click just right—including the fairly repetitive combat and some dull locales—but the whole is so delightful that it’s tough to really care about those faults. The immense soundtrack is icing on this introspective, humanity-questioning cake.

Resident Evil VII: The latest entry in Capcom’s storied franchise is a return to form in many ways. Despite the perspective switch and an ever-so-slightly more grounded setup, things get buckwild pretty fast. Throw in classically stupid objectives like finding three dog heads to open an old rural house’s door and you have exactly what I want from survival horror.

Nioh: Team Ninja is back! Nioh gave me the first good taste of their sweet, sweet take on action games since Ninja Gaiden II, all with a heaping helping of FromSoftware inspiration on top. Nioh is much more complex than it appears on its surface, so even the most dedicated of players should have their hands full unraveling the various systems and making them work in each increasingly challenging scenario.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Guerrilla Games’ PS4 hit is hands-down the most gorgeous game I played all year. While the main story is worth pursuing, the thrill of the hunt is at the core of Horizon Zero Dawn. It’s always exciting, and occasionally frustrating, to run into a mechanical beast you have no hope of toppling… only to emerge triumphant! Those moments never get old, and the variety of locations makes this one the poster child for Photo Mode.

ISAAC AKERS (@iblessall)

Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey: My pick for game of the year isn’t one of the big JRPG titles, but the second in a trio of understated games from Gust commemorating the Atelier series’ 20th anniversary. I was inspired to pick up the game thanks to a beautiful article written by a friend of mind, and I was delighted to find one of the most expansive, relaxing, engaging, and rewarding game worlds I’ve ever experienced. Firis isn’t the flashiest game of the year, but the way it allows you to just sink into its comfortable rhythms astounded me.

NieR: Automata: I’ve got my reservations about Automata as a story, but one thing I can give it uninhibited praise for is its ability to create vivid experiential pockets within its world. Automata is not just rich in its colorful conceptualization of its world, but also in ideas, and the blend of themes, incredible music, beautiful locals, and its tendency to bat for the emotional stands resulted in some moments that stand out as truly stunning amongst my gaming experiences of the year. The ability to create those moments, whether they last a few seconds or a few minutes, ought not to be overlooked amongst Automata’s other strengths and flaws.

Uta Macross: To balance out my unusual engagement with actual console games, I must of course return to the place I spend most of my gaming time: mobage (which I found out this year is pronounced “mo-ba-ge” and not “mob-age”). A Macross rhythm game has been a wish near to my heart for years, and with the 35th anniversary providing a clear justification for it, it finally happened. At last, I can tap my phone screen to the rhythm of “Ikenai Borderline,” “POWER TO THE DREAM,” and “Universal Bunny.” It actually wound up being a little less exciting than expected since I already listen to Macross music constantly, but a long-standing wish fulfilled is nothing to sneeze at.

Tokyo 7th Sisters: On the other side of the spectrum is a mobile game I’ve been playing for longer than I can remember – Tokyo 7th Sisters. Although I played quite a bit during the year (it was my game of choice in my hotel room during long work trips), the most rewarding part of being a fan of the game came with a wholesale update of the whole thing, from the actual rhythm game to the way gacha points are handled. All those changes have gotten me back into the game in a big way, and excited for what mobage BS the game will give me in 2018.

CALLUM MAY (@CanipaShow)

Persona 5: In 2014, I bought a custom t-shirt based on the original teaser trailer of Persona 5. It had 4 chairs on it with balls and chain attached to the legs and one white chair in the middle. It was a bit of cool symbolism for the game’s eventual themes and I was so impatient that I didn’t want to wait for the official merchandise, I wanted to make my own. When the game was released in 2017, that t-shirt had faded beyond recognition and is now just a red t-shirt with a white chair on it. Everything I love about Persona 5 has probably already been written above, but despite how many times the game was delayed and despite how much that shirt faded, it still became my favourite game ever.

Danganronpa V3: Never have I wanted a game creator to kick me in the shins more than Kazutaka Kodaka. He wouldn’t do it upon prompt, instead he’d kick me down at the most ironic and heartbreaking of times. He never does anything in halves. It’s always better, crazier and more dramatic than ever. I often promise to myself that I will pace things out, that I will try to balance work and playing through the trials of Danganronpa. But in the end, I always end up engrossed in an ever expanding spiral of mystery that delights, confuses and surprises me, sometimes even up to the early hours of the morning.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: I’ve steadily been warming to the Xenoblade Chronicles combat and world design over the past two entries, but Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the first time I’ve felt like I really need to see this through to the end. With a large, but manageable diverse world set atop titans wading through a sea of clouds, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 exists and strives with its own set of distinctive rules. The sea is made of clouds, the cloud level rises and dips because the Titans are always moving and if you’re a main character, your outfit is ridiculous. All very important rules that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 sticks to. Existing as a more streamlined version of previous iterations, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a brilliant adventure that succeeds more than it fails at keeping you on track.

NATASHA H (@illegenes)

NieR: Automata: What to say about a game where already so much has been said? Nier: Gestalt was one of my favorite games of all time, so I had big expectations for the sequel, and it easily surpassed them. Haunting, nihilistic, melancholic, and searingly human, Nier: Automata encompasses so much of what I love in a good post-apocalyptic story about androids and robots. And yet it’s so much more than that, constantly evolving on nearly every structural level possible and delivering an emotionally exhausting but satisfying game about empathy, violence, and what it means to be human. Aided by a stunning soundtrack, beautiful visuals, and fantastic voice acting, this game will hold a special place in my heart for years to come.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I’ve always liked Zelda games, but BOTW surpassed all of my expectations for what the game could be like. Rarely has a game felt like it was tailored for me while also respecting me. The amount of things there are to explore, to experiment with, and to interact with are beyond me, and yet, 70 hours in, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. The game invites curiosity in ways I’ve never seen, and I’ve got plans that may take up months, if not even years, of gameplay. There is something so delicately beautiful in Breath of the Wild - a world worth exploring and saving, and I can assuredly say that it’s my favorite game of the year (if not many years) alongside NieR: Automata.

Final Fantasy XV: I wasn’t sure what to expect of a game that’s been in developmental hell for almost a decade - at one point I was fairly convinced it was never going to happen. But happen it did, and while Final Fantasy XV is filled with flaws, technical and story-wise, it also has some of the most emotionally intense highs I’ve seen in a Final Fantasy game. Square Enix easily sold me on these four boys and their friendship, and I shed many tears along the way of their tumultuous and strange journey. They’re good boys, Brent.

Cuphead: I have only two things to say about Cuphead. One: The animation is sublime. Two: It is absolutely infuriating(ly addictive).

SAM WOLFE (@_Samtaro)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I know that just about everyone else contributing to this article is going to write about this game, and rightly so; The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was spellbinding. After being delayed from 2015, to 2016, to “when it’s ready”, Breath of the Wild had a lot to live up to and yet still surpassed almost everyone’s expectations. Nintendo took a very big risk in deviating from their standard Zelda formula to give players a game that trusts them to be competent. In the first few weeks of release, I kept hearing the same thing from my colleagues playing the game “this one is really hard”, “the combat is like a puzzle,” “it’s so difficult!” Breath of the Wild doesn’t pull any punches, it expects players to meet it at its level. It allows you to get lost, it allows you to make mistakes, it allows you to wander around Hyrule for hours doing whatever you want, yet still somehow results in you having made progress.

Breath of the Wild’s bleak setting is also fresh to the Zelda series. You, Link, the hero of whatever timeline this game takes place in, have woken up one hundred years too late; the party’s over, and the bad guys won. While the NPCs you encounter still have the same Zelda charm you’d come to expect, they’re all a little fatigued. Almost no one believes you are the hero you say you are, and nobody expects things to get any better. It’s a cynical world that only you have the power to fill with hope again.

More than anything else though, Breath of the Wild rewards players for how much time they spend in the world. I think the simplicity of the final scene is brilliant, calling out players who may have sprinted towards the ending. I won’t spoil it, but I will say that when you get to the final cutscene, it’s short, it’s simple, and if you’ve spent enough time in Hyrule to remember why you started this crazy quest in the first place, it’s satisfying.

Hearthstone: Kobolds and Catacombs: Hearthstone dropped three big expansions this year, but none were as impactful and fun as Kobolds and Catacombs. A love letter to Dungeons & Dragons, Kobolds and Catacombs introduced the Dungeon Run, a solo experience where players get to build a deck out of the coolest cards the game has to offer as they progress through the kobold empire. In addition to a slew of new cards, this new way to play was made available for free, meaning you can download the game and start playing with some of the most exciting cards the Hearthstone team has ever created, all without spending a dime. Thank you, little kobold, I will take that candle.

Sonic Mania: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is one of my favorite video games. Period. The bullies who say there are no good Sonic games have simply forgotten the glory days, and who can blame them? Sonic hasn’t been doing what he does best in several years. Sonic Team themselves even forgot, throwing a bone to fans of the original games, effectively saying “if you think our Sonic games are no good, why don’t you do it?”

So they did. And it blew everyone away.

Sonic Mania is a love letter to Sonic’s Genesis era. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles returned in spectacular fashion, reminding everyone of a simple truth: it’s fun to go fast. With exceptional level design and music you’ll bop your head to, Sonic Mania succeeds where almost every Sonic game in recent memory fails: it’s fast, it’s fun, and it keeps you coming back for more. I’m not sure if a Sonic Mania 2 is in our future, but if it takes us another 13 years to get there, I’ll still lace up my running shoes when the time comes.

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That's it for Part Two of our three-part series! Be sure to check out Part One and stay tuned for PART THREE: EVERYTHING ELSE! If you're still in the mood for past CR Favorites, check out the previous years' features here:

Crunchyroll Favorites 2016 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2015 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2014 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2013 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2012 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll News' Best of 2011 Part One Part Two

What were your favorite video games of 2017? Comment below and share with us! Remember, this is a FAVORITES list, not a BEST OF list, so there's no wrong answers!

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Peter Fobian is an Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll, author of Monthly Mangaka Spotlight, writer for Anime Academy, and contributor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

By: [email protected]

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