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#So suave and epic
coconut530 · 10 months
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TURNING TIDES
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ankhlesbian · 1 year
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The way coil is just a worse marquis let marquis out he did nothing wrong
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hotvintagepoll · 8 months
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Propaganda
Clark Gable (Gone With the Wind, It Happened One Night)—There's no proof that Clark Gable stripping in It Happened One Night caused the sale of undershirts to take a nosedive, but there's also no proof that it didn't do that. And either way, him saucily undressing for bed in front of a woman who was married—not to him—is too deliciously scandalous to ignore. He deserves votes for this scene if nothing else. He got an Academy Award for this movie! He could play comedy just as well as drama, he earned medals for his bravery as a bomber gunner in WW2, he competed in car races, he has a great mustache and perfect eyebrows for sexy smirking, he's just HOT.
Sidney Poitier (Lilies of the Field, To Sir With Love)—an unbelievably beautiful man, a complete class act. Something about his eyes breaks my heart every time.
This is round 3 of the bracket. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage man.
[additional propaganda submitted under the cut]
Clark Gable propaganda:
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"Listen, he was "the King of Hollywood" for a reason and a suave motherfucker. Also a Major in the air force during WWII!"
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"So Clark Gable was the king of Hollywood for a reason but honestly what makes him hot to me is his relationship with his wife Carole Lombard like if she loved him so she can't be wrong. Their relationship is so tragic like they met first when they filmed No Man of Her Own in 1932 and like there was nothing between them then but in 1936 they met again at a Hollywood party and this time things were different. Basically from that moment on they were inseparable and had to carry out their romance in secret until his divorce was finalized (he was separated when they met again at the party) and then they eloped in 1939 when he had a break during filming Gone With The Wind. They had a 20 acre farm together with horses, cows and chickens and they loved to do all those outdoorsy activities together. When they were apart for various work obligations they would send each other goofy gag gifts. In 1942 Carole was on a trip to sell war defense bonds when on the flight back home her plane crashed in the mountains of Nevada. Her death devastated Gable he flew to Nevada and demanded he be taken to the spot where the plane crashed despite the dangers posed by its location. Amongst the wreckage they found a hair clip he had given her for Christmas. Her death forever changed him he became more reckless and signed up for the US Army Air Corps in 1942 and he kept her bedroom unchanged in their home. He never stopped loving her when he died in 1960 he was buried next to her. I know Clark wasn't a perfect person and their is some speculation that she was racing home on that plane to him because she was worried that he was having an affair or something but relationships are complicated especially ones occurring in 1930s and 1940e Hollywood amongst two of the biggest starts at the time. (I just wanted to include this so ya know I'm not just looking at their relationship as all sunshine but like you can't deny the love they shared)
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"They had an ineffable quality in romance, the ability to have fun together... they were soulmates who thought life was delicious, and they made everyone's life delicious around them" -Esther Williams
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"GWtW is an epic stretching across years so Clark has a chance to show off a whole bunch of different sides, from Hot Outsider to Husband to Father and so on. But his most attractive is his final line of the movie, made only better by the story that he lobbied the Film Industry to ‘Let Rhett Curse!’ And who is more classic 30s Hollywood than this man?"
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"Also apparently his name was Billy Gable then Glark Gable before finally landing on Clark Gable. A fact that I cant forget now glark gable lives in my mind now"
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Sidney Poitier propaganda:
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yaekiss · 1 year
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hi so [holds head in hands] no pressure to fulfill this request of course but like. heizou, kazuha, and the wanderer (separate) going down on you lol,, haha,, bonus points if it’s their first time doing anything with you,, or anyone, for that matter,,, (afab mc preferred ^^)
oh and since you’re not familiar with heizou’s character yet, i have some ideas … i know a lot of people make him out to be super experienced and like yeah. no shame to that. that’s epic. but god. look. listen… there’s untapped potential here [shakes you aggressively] heizou, aware of his own flirty reputation and also wanting to impress you, pretends to know what he’s doing and acts all confident like yeah. i got this bbg. i fucked around already. mhm. totally. i’m gonna give you the time of your life fr. yet he just… mentally bluescreens when it actually gets to the real deal. his face heats up, his mouth goes slack, and he stares like an idiot. internal monologue is probably: what do i do. what do i DO. i do not want to fuck this up HOLY FUCKKKKKKKKKK. eventually you get sick of his virgin act and decide to help him out by sitting on his face and riding the fuck out of him. yeah
— 🌻 nonnie (i hope you’re well!)
𝑯𝒐𝒕 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆?
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꩜ Room Content: Dom! GN! Reader! x Sub! Heizou, Sub! Kazuha, Sub! Wanderer (separate), terms "pussy" "folds" & "clit" used to refer to reader's anatomy, terms "cunt" & "folds" used to describe Wanderer's anatomy, cunnilingus (reader receiving in all 3 parts, implied giving in Wanderer's part), you ride their faces 😼, all 3 of them are inexperienced, lmk if I missed out anything ! ꩜ A/N: Thank you for waiting 🌻 anon!!! Ran out of steam after Heizou's part so Kazuha's and Wanderer's parts are in bulleted points orz... Anyways, here's ur order of the an3mo boys eating you out ♡ Hope you enjoy hehe !!
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🏷️𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝟎𝟕𝟐𝟒: 𝑺. 𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒛𝒐𝒖
After countless weeks (weeks!) of chasing each other around, Heizou’s cryptic riddles and your vague replies for him to unravel, he finally has you where he wants you! (Or do you have him right where you want him?)
Though, you need to give him credit where credit is due. Everything in the room has been set up to your liking and the thought of how much effort he put into this has your heart fluttering a bit.
“Well? Impressed?” There’s a cocky smirk on Heizou’s face and you scoff, rolling your eyes at him. You’re aware of the reputation he’s amassed on the streets, rumours of how he’s a casanova unlike no other, how he can charm anyone into his arms. Frankly, you couldn’t really see the supposed suave flirtatious persona in him. Like, are we talking about the same Heizou? The man who made you go on a wild goose chase through the town, only to reach a scenic lake and have the moment ruined by him falling into the water while he’s excitedly waving to you from afar. (Though his shirt got soaked through and you got to see his cute nipples… Hmm, maybe the rumours have some truth to them after all.) But you’re not one to back down without a fight.
“I’ll give you my answer in the morning so you better make tonight count, detective.” Slowly shedding your clothes, you eye him with a brimming anticipation as he watches, his own eyes glued to your mesmerising figure. 
After you lay back on the bed, Heizou wastes no time in diving between your legs, trailing featherlight kisses up from your calf to your inner thighs. He slowly inches his way up towards your core before, all of a sudden, all his previous actions stop. You can feel his hands on you falter a bit as the bed shifts and dips as he sits back on his knees. Puzzled by the change in the mood, you sit up to check on Heizou but the sight you see is not one you were exactly expecting. 
His face is glowing with how red and blushy he’s gotten, hidden behind his hands as he tries to hide the expression he’s making. Clearing his throat and turning away from your gaze, he gulps audibly.
“Just… just give me a second to c-compose myself…” An odd awkwardness filters through the air and you can’t help but quirk an eyebrow up at this (not so) unforeseen turn of events.
“Why, is my little casanova scared? Where did your previous bravado go?” Teasing him further, you crawl seductively towards him, taking full amusement in watching him squirm nervously, peeking at you through the gaps of his fingers. 
“I’m not… scared… what are you talking about? Ahahaha…” His strained laughter trails off at the end and it’s the last straw for you. Annoyance taking hold of you, you grab onto his shoulders and push him down so that he’s lying on the bed, olive eyes wild and bewildered as they stare up at you. For the first time in a while, he has no idea what to expect and frankly, he didn’t think he’d be so turned on by it.
Before he can register what’s happening, mind hazy with lust and desire, you’ve planted yourself on his face. Tongue instinctively darting out, he tastes your slick and the mix of a whine and a groan escapes him. The sensation sends a jolt of pleasure through you, making you grind down on his face harder to chase your own climax. 
Heizou’s pussy eating skills are honestly pitiful but he almost makes up for it through his sheer enthusiasm alone. Messy slurps and moans fill the room as he clumsily laps up at your folds, drenching his mouth and chin. Your thighs clamp down on either side of his head but he shows no signs of slowing down or even stopping for air.
“I-it’s all… hahh… bark and no bite with- ah! -you isn’t it, Heizou?” All you get in return is a pathetic whine as he shifts so his nose nudges up against your clit. And that’s what it takes for you to cum. You ride out your high, your pace slowing down while you try to catch your breath. As your gaze refocuses, you catch a glimpse of the damp patch growing at the crotch area of Heizou’s pants and you laugh at his dazed drunken expression when you get off of him. 
Looks like you weren’t the only one who came.
“I’m impressed with your performance for now, detective. But for higher accuracy, what say we go for a few more rounds?”
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🏷️𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟗: 𝑲. 𝑲𝒂𝒛𝒖𝒉𝒂
He’s probably the one who brings it up after overhearing one of the many raunchy conversations between Captain Beidou and the Tianquan (someone please buy him noise-cancelling earplugs)
The more he thinks about it, the more the idea seems viable. Besides, if it doesn’t work out in the end, the two of you would have learnt more about your tastes and preferences!
But seriously, he needs to pick a better time to spring his suggestions on you. While dining at a food stall, he nonchalantly asks you, “Would you mind if I… went down on you… the next time we make love?”
You almost did a spit take at his words
Internally cursing Beidou (how dare she unknowingly corrupt your adorable Kazuha before you can!!), you swallow your beverage before replying
“If it’s what you want, I’m not opposed to it darling”
The smile he flashes you is blinding and the moment would’ve been more tender if it weren’t for the previous lascivious question 
Sigh, still, how could you say no to such a cute lover
He’s another inexperienced one, years of drifting around and never really settling down with anyone means that he’s physically exposed to a lot of things for the first time with you
But he’s open minded, always open to trying out new experiences and kinks while making sure the both of you are comfortable
While he eats you out, he gets a little intoxicated by you, enjoying how you feel against his tongue, savouring every inch of you
Nothing else in the world matters right now expect pleasing you and making you cum on his face
Although you’re the one riding on him, somehow he’s the louder one????
He lets out muffled breathy puffs and moans, whining and squirming under you as he licks and indulges in you, occasionally calling out your name interspersed with, “More!” or “I love you!”
Feeling your orgasm building up, you gyrate your hips downwards to drive his tongue deeper in you
You cream on his face and he doesn’t hesitate to clean you up, not wasting a single drop (he’s really such a dear!)
The next day, Beidou gives him a firm slap on his back, chuckling about how she’s “glad that he’s getting some, but please keep it down, the other crewmates are trying to sleep”
Kazuha is understandably mortified and downright embarrassed at her words
He looks in your direction for some help but all you do is just laugh and think to yourself:
How can you make him scream your name next time?
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🏷️𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝟎𝟏𝟎𝟑: 𝑾𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒓
Granted, you were a little tipsy after a night out of drinking with Kaveh but you just had to bring it up to Wanderer as he’s hauling your drunk ass back home
“Hey… how about… hic!... you eat me out next time…? Hmm?”
He’s so thankful that you passed out in his arms before you could see his face explode into a shade of crimson at your words
“Seriously, how are you so shameless?”
When you wake up the next morning and go about your day, you can’t help but notice that your sweetheart has been staring at you nonstop (from across the room, sitting opposite you at the dining table, you name it)
However, whenever you try to ask him about it, he scoffs and hastily brushes you off, tilting his hat to avert your eyes while he rushes off (before inevitably coming back to continue staring at you 🙄)
Sick and tired of his antics, you manage to corner him and interrogate (read: bully) an answer out of the man
After he spills the beans on how he's been fantasising about what you said last night, you turn your gaze downwards and true to his words, he’s already drenched in his shorts
“To think the high and mighty Wanderer would be so affected by a passing comment, how lewd!”
Things progress quickly and the two of you find your way into the bedroom, lips locked in a heated kiss with hands roaming each other’s body
As you break from the kiss, he lays back and prepares for you to ride his face, resolve steeled even if he’s never done this before
You hover over his face since you’re worried about potentially suffocating him but he clicks his tongue and straight up says, “Are you looking down on me? I obviously have no need for air unlike you mortals do. Sit. On. My. Face.”
Hands grabbing your thighs, he plants you down on his face and goes to town
He eats you out with a feverish devotion, spurred on by the moans and praises that slip past your lips as if they’re the most divine hymns he’s ever heard
(If you’re his god, then he’s more than happy to be your throne!)
His eyes roll back when you tug on his hair as you cum, the pain mixed with pleasure muddies his senses but it doesn’t stop him from slurping up your release
Shakily pulling yourself off of his face, you think you hear a whine from him, violet eyes teary and pupils blown wide
You push his legs apart and settle yourself in front of his wet cunt, your hot breath fans across his sensitive folds and he has to stop himself from rolling his hips down to meet your face
“You were so good for me sweetheart, now let me return the favour yeah?”
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Thanks for reading! Consider supporting me on kofi if you enjoyed this or check out my other works hehe ♡
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lilacgyuvin · 7 months
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out of my league — k. gyuvin
pairing: nerd!gyuvin x popular!gn!reader
synopsis: it’s valentine’s day! what better way to confess to your longtime crush (and the highschool’s most popular student) than with a letter shoved through their locker. just don’t let jiwoong find out.
wrd count: 6.3k (DAMN OKAY BITCH!!!)
warnings: highschool!au, slight hurt/lots of comfort, bully!jiwoong (srry someone had to do it), bullying, one km s joke, reader isn’t a bully, eunseok of riize sneak, jiwoong is really mean 😭 a little crack, funeral talk, not to be taken seriously this is fiction!!
a/n: yk i had to write smth with valentine’s day coming up!! i lobe gyuvin gyuvin pls be my valentine pls plsplspls
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“I put a note in their locker.”
It probably wasn’t the best sentence starter, which Gyuvin realizes only after Taerae starts to choke on his strawberry soda mid-chug. Despite his eyes practically bulging out of his head paired with a boisterous gasp amidst hearing Gyuvin’s doings, Eunseok reaches a lending hand out to his suffocating friend’s back.
“You what?!” Eunseok screams in a hushed tone, despite being the only three occupants of the classroom. If Gyuvin didn’t think it was a stupid idea then, well, he certainly does now. He honestly wasn’t going to tell anyone at first; the embarrassment mixed with the fear of rejection almost made him drop the whole plan as a whole. However, binging 3 romance dramas back to back gave him the confidence he’d never thought he’d have otherwise if it weren’t for the male leads and their suave ways, which is what leads him to where he stands today: sending a confession letter to his longtime crush which also ended up being the cause of his friend’s premature death. Thanks, Choi Woong!
Taerae unfortunately survives his cough attack and uses his regained ability to breath properly to discourage Gyuvin’s efforts even more. “Jiwoong’s gonna kill you man.”
Yes, that’s exactly what he wanted to hear right now. He decides against answering with sarcasm and opts out to rolling his eyes as hard as he can at the mention of he-who-shall-not-be-named.
“He didn’t see me put it in,” He certainly didn’t, and Gyuvin knows this because he showed up an hour earlier than normal to slip the note in, partly to avoid Jiwoong and to also beat his inevitable numerous contenders. “Plus, they’re not even dating. They don’t like him.”
Eunseok and Taerae share a glance. They look back at Gyuvin. “Did they tell you that.”
Gyuvin’s starting to get tired of rolling his eyes. Of course they didn’t tell him that, they’re nowhere near close. While they’ve coexisted in the same space for the past four years, their friend groups are on complete opposite sides of the spectrum. They’re admired by everyone, in numerous clubs, and is practically known by the whole school. The only club Gyuvin’s a part of is the Epic Gamers Club™ held at Eunseok’s house every other day. And as far as being admired goes…
“Yo. Gyuvin.”
Oh fuck, it’s so over. Gyuvin is going to die. What’s-his-face is here and Gyuvin is going to die, all because he couldn’t confess to his crush like a normal person. How did Jiwoong even see him? It’s not like he handed the letter to them in plain sight, and there’s no way in hell Jiwoong showed up to school an hour early.
Well, none of that matters anymore. Jiwoong is now walking into the once peaceful confines of the classroom, his goons right behind him, and Gyuvin’s about to meet his end.
All he asks is that Y/n is at his funeral.
Despite coming into the classroom for Gyuvin, Jiwoong is kind enough to make time to mess around with his friends first. Wedging himself in between the three desks facing each other, Jiwoong snatches Taerae’s glasses off his face and tosses them to the floor, and at the same time shoves Eunseok’s tuna mayo kimbap out of his hands. So much for escaping the lunch room.
After watching his friends scramble for their discarded items, Jiwoong turns his back to them in favor of facing Gyuvin, his signature smirk plastered on his face.
Kim Jiwoong: The entire school’s boy crush and simultaneously Gyuvin’s worst nightmare. Going into high school, Gyuvin didn’t think he’d have problems with anyone, his plan was simple: make a decent amount of friends, stay in the honors program so he can get into his dream university, and best his all-time score in Super Smash Bros Ultimate. Oh, and get into his first relationship (since the girl he ‘dated’ in the second grade didn’t count, according to Taerae).
He guesses he strived too hard at the second thing though, as in their freshman year Jiwoong was left at second place in their classes overall academic ranking, and Jiwoong was never second.
Ever since then, Jiwoong has tried everything to sabotage Gyuvin’s grades, which ended in failure each time. So, he just stuck to messing with him. Now Gyuvin wouldn’t really mind if he had got reprimanded for his actions, but he gets away with it— every time. Sneaking slaps upside his head when passing him through the halls, pushing and tripping him during gym, and ‘accidentally’ spilling his drink onto his uniform (which is what initiated classroom lunches amongst him and his friends in the first place): he got away with it all, for four damn years. All because of that facade he puts up in front of everyone. With his perfect grades combined with his charm, he’s adored by students and faculty alike— all but the few who were unfortunate enough to be victims of his ridiculing, Gyuvin included.
The devil himself opens his mouth once again. “I haven’t seen you in a while, you hiding from me?” His smirk forms into a smile, yet it doesn’t reach his eyes, and it holds the same sinister tone as his previous expression did.
Gyuvin looks up at him, disdain hidden behind the neutral shield he’s learned to master in favor of avoiding a swift blow to the face (not that it ever stopped Jiwoong from landing one, anyway). “No.”
At that, Jiwoong’s smile drops, his eyebrows furrow in fake confusion and he starts to look around the empty room. “But… you’re having lunch. In an empty classroom. When there’s a perfectly good cafeteria waiting for you downstairs.” Jiwoong’s friends snicker by the door as he leans down to be eye level with Gyuvin. “Don’t you find that rude, Gyuvin? The staff make sure the cafe is cleaned spotless for scum like you to eat, and you’re eating in the classroom?”
Literally what the fuck is he even talking about. It isn’t uncommon for students to eat in the classrooms, and he knows this because Jiwoong’s literally done it before. It’s in that moment that he realizes Jiwoong just came in here to mess with him, which means he doesn’t know about the letter which means that he won’t die today. Looks like he’ll live to see another day after all!
His newfound happiness isn’t long lived, as in the span of one second, Gyuvin blinks and his food is nothing but a pile of solids and liquids on the classroom’s floor.
Jiwoong gives him a mean snare, despite the fact that all of Gyuvin’s attention is to his now germ-infested food. “And now look, you made a mess.”
Gyuvin can barely hear him and his friends laughing with the way his ears are ringing— no, practically blaring throughout his head. His bulgogi over rice is on the floor. His fucking bulgogi over rice, the last of its kind (as his mom let him have the last of the leftovers), is now nothing but a concoction of soggy meat and rice sautaed with his strawberry milk.
Usually, Gyuvin would be the bigger person and walk away; he’d shut his mouth, clean up the mess, and go about his day. But for some reason, he doesn’t feel like being the mature one today. Maybe it’s the never ending grating laughter coming from his friends, maybe it’s because he’s tired of Jiwoong pushing him around, or maybe it’s just because his mom’s bulgogi is the best bulgogi, and now he can’t have any, all because Kim Jiwoong was bored.
Without a second thought, Gyuvin rises from his chair, lifting his arms to push at the chest of an unexpecting Jiwoong, who stumbles onto the desks of Gyuvin’s friends behind him (he’ll apologize to them for that later). Jiwoong unfortunately finds his footing rather quickly, and doesn’t waste a second as he roughly grabs Gyuvin by the collar, dragging him to the nearest wall and slams him against it. “You fucking crazy? Huh?!”
Those dramas must be really getting to me, Gyuvin thinks. It becomes obvious when he doesn’t shut his mouth after Jiwoong’s question. “Fuck you, Jiwoong.”
He doesn’t even mean to spit in his face, but it happens when he speaks, and he can feel his past self crying tears of joy. He’s been wanting to do this for four years. Maybe the bulgogi sacrificed itself for this very moment. Thanks, Bulgogi. I’ll never forget you.
Jiwoong dryly laughs, lolling his head to the side like the psycho he is. “Yeah, you’ve clearly lost your mind. I’m gonna fucking kill you.”
Okay, remember when Gyuvin thought he was free from begging murdered and would live to see another day? He’s starting to think he spoke too soon.
It’s like things are moving in slow motion; Jiwoong releasing a hand on his collar in favor of making a fist angled straight at Gyuvin’s nose, his friends standing from their seats in dreadful anticipation, and the swift breeze that comes from the door being swung open.
“Leave him alone, Jiwoong.”
Ah, his guardian angel.
In less than a millisecond, Jiwoong’s vice grip on Gyuvin’s collar is released, and the fist ready to knock him out is lowered to his side. A deep sigh escapes his throat before he turns to the agitated student. “Go back downstairs, Y/n. This is nothing.”
Gyuvin almost laughs wholeheartedly at Jiwoong’s weak attempt to redirect them. As if he could get them to do anything he said.
Y/n cooks their head to the side, which in Gyuvin’s book is a telltale sign that they’re about to read the fuck out of Jiwoong. “Yeah, it was nothing, until you decided to come in here and bother them for literally no reason. Do you seriously have nothing else better to do?”
Gyuvin can feel an amused smile crawling onto his face as he watches Jiwoong scramble to find an excuse. Seeing Jiwoong try his hardest not to physically deflate in front of his friends would never get old.
And neither would his good-boy facade, apparently! Despite being caught in the act by Y/n for the millionth time, Jiwoong still attempts to save face by pulling out the puppy eyes plucked from the deepest pits of Hell, paired with the fakest apologetic look Gyuvin’s ever witnessed, and turns to be face to face with Y/n, caressing their arm in what he thinks is a comforting gesture. “Come on, don’t be like that. What, you want me to apologize?”
“Yes.”
Like he’s just heard he’s due to get castrated tomorrow morning, his hand’s cease the petting motion and Jiwoong does a double take. “You serious?” He looks into their eyes for any signs of humor behind them (which is stupid for issuing an apology, Gyuvin thinks), and when he doesn’t find any, he drops the act faster than Gyuvin can say ‘COD sucks’ and pinches the bridge of his nose, letting out the loudest groan known to man. “Oh my- fine.” Jiwoong looks to his right, locking eyes with him, “Sorry for knocking over your piece of shit lunch, Gyuvin.”
Piece of— his mom’s bulgogi?! Of course Jiwoong wouldn’t know the significance the lunch held for Gyuvin, but he wouldn’t care anyway, so Gyuvin breaks eye contact and rolls his eyes as far into his head as humanly possible.
Gyuvin, now making his way to his book bag to retrieve napkins for his late lunch on the floor, can’t see the look of disbelief on Jiwoong’s face, but he sure can hear it. “What, you’re not gonna accept my apology?”
Gyuvin doesn’t stop fetching for the tissues even when he hears Jiwoong’s footsteps approaching him, and neither does he stop when they come to a halt. “He doesn’t have to do anything,” When he finally retrieves the napkins, Y/n is at his side on the floor, grabbing the empty plastic bag on his desk. “Now if you aren’t going to help clean up, then leave.”
Jiwoong furrows his eyebrows. “You don’t need to help them, Y/n.”
“I also don’t have to meet with you at the cafe after school.”
Oh, Gyuvin knows that one hurt. Everyone knows Jiwoong’s been dying to ask Y/n out for a while now (mostly because he’d never shut up about it), and boy was Gyuvin right. He stumbles over his words as he raises his arms before dropping them. “Come on, Y/n. It’s Valentine’s Day.”
Despite the obvious hurt in his voice, they don’t even spare him a glance, focusing on the mess in front of them. “..So? We’re not dating, take Minjeong or something.”
A beat of silence passes, and he thinks Jiwoong died of embarrassment until a scoff erupts from his throat. Okay, there was no way Gyuvin would miss out on seeing Jiwoong’s face after getting rejected before he could even confess, so he raises his head and fully suspects Jiwoong to be sulking or something. He was so wrong. When Gyuvin looks up, Jiwoong is staring right at him, his eyes holding nothing but disdain and revulsion. Wow, Gyuvin thinks, if this is how he reacts to them just simply helping me, what’s he gonna do when they accept (which they hopefully will) my confession? He’d rather not think about that right now actually, and he doesn’t have to any longer, as Jiwoong turns on his heels and makes his way out of the classroom, his goons behind him, but not before mumbling a parting gift for Gyuvin. “Fuckin’ freak.”
So original. Anyway, Gyuvin’s just glad he doesn’t have to deal with him for the rest of the lunch period. His friend’s are quick to his side, and he reassures them that he’s fine. “I’ll go get more napkins.” Eunseok nods and rises from the floor, and is halfway through the door before he stops when he realizes Taerae isn’t behind him.
He cranes his head to the side, and from the corner of his eye he can see Taerae still at Gyuvin’s side. Unbelievable. “Um, Taerae.” He raises his head to his friend standing, and doesn’t get the hint until Eunseok is nudging his head towards the hallway in a ‘get-the-fuck-out’ sorta way.
He looks between Gyuvin and Y/n before his whole body straightens, finally getting up from his crouching position. “Oh! Um, yeah. I’m going to get napkins too.” While Taerae walks towards his other friend, Gyuvin raises his head, and Eunseok gives him a thumbs up in support. It’s in that moment that Gyuvin decides pizza’s gonna be on him at tonight’s Epic Gamers Club™ meeting.
A beat of silence passes, only the sounds of his poor lunch being scooped up into the bag are heard, until Gyuvin musters the courage to start the conversation.
“Thanks for helping me.” He doesn’t have to stop his task to know that they’re smiling. “Of course, I’m sorry about him.” They say in a remorseful tone.
Gyuvin hates the way they apologize on Jiwoong’s behalf, but at the same time he can’t help the way their kindness makes him feel all warm and gooey inside— They're just too good for this world. “You don’t have to apologize for him. You’re not his babysitter.”
His last comment seems to make Y/n laugh. ‘Huh, I’m just funny like that, I guess’ (It’s what he’s thinking, but his friends would agree to disagree.) “It sometimes feels that way.”
Gyuvin hesitates to ask his next question; they’re not exactly close, but he’s been feeling all sorts of confident recently, so he does anyway. “Why do you hang out with him? With them?” ‘Them’ being the rest of Jiwoong’s posee who think they’re hot shit; being all types of mean to other students just because of their looks or their parents’ social statuses. Gyuvin doesn’t think he hates anything more than a snobby rich asshole, which is what induced Gyuvin’s question in the first place, because Y/n isn’t a snobby rich asshole, yet they hang out with a group of them. It’s a question he’s been dying to ask for years now, and all it took was for Jiwoong to fuck up his lunch. Gyuvin almost mentally thanks him, but he barfs in his mouth a bit just thinking about it.
A few seconds pass, and it seems like they’re trying to find an answer to the question themselves. A nervous sigh passes through their lips as they wipe at the strawberry milk staining the floor. “Well, I guess I just fell into it? The friend group, I mean. When I first transferred, I thought they were really nice. At least they treated me that way. I don’t know why.”
‘Because you’re smart and all types of talented and you’re fucking gorgeous’ and a thousand other things is what Gyuvin wants to say, but he keeps his thoughts to himself and lets them continue. “But yeah, they’d always push me to hang out with them, and I guess by the time I realized who they truly were, everyone had already established their friends groups.” At this point is where they ran out of napkins and there was still a bit of the mess left over, so the two sit across from each other, leaning on the legs of the desks behind them. Despite loving the alone time they’re getting, Gyuvin hopes Eunseok and Taerae come back with more tissue soon, or else he’d have to explain the mess to his teacher, thus taking the fall for Jiwoong once again. His sulking that came from just thinking about the possibility is interrupted when Y/n speaks again, in a more hushed tone this time. “I guess I’m just scared of being alone.”
Woah, Gyuvin’s never thought of it that way. Having no friends was a valid fear, hell, Gyuvin felt that way before he met his. He can’t imagine how it would affect Y/n. The school’s most popular student: a loner— they’d never hear the end of it.
He hates that they feel like they need to hang out with pieces of shit to avoid being lonely, when that isn’t the truth at all. As delusional as it may sound, Gyuvin is right here. Who cares if they don’t have similar interests? They can introduce each other to all their different hyper fixations and special interests. And so what if they’re from seemingly different worlds? Gyuvin would swim across all the oceans and walk over thousands of miles if it meant getting to be with Y/n. Every time they’re paired to work on an assignment together, whenever they congratulate him on yet another academic achievement, when Y/n spots him in the hallway and stops to talk to Gyuvin and only Gyuvin. It never gets old, his heart beating a million times over with how kind and effortlessly funny and drop dead gorgeous they are. Fuck, he thinks, I don’t know if I’ll be able to go on if they reject me.
Gyuvin never wants them to feel alone, he needs to let them know that such a thing can never happen. He can tell his silence goes on longer than expected with the way they start to nervously fiddle with the edges of their uniform sleeves. He says it before he can think about it for another second. “You don’t have to be alone. I-I know we’re not close, but you can talk to me.”
With the speed in which their head lifts from their fixed view on the ground, Gyuvin doesn’t know if he’s successfully swooned them or if he effectively fucked up his chances at being anything to them. He needs to save face, so he raises his hands in defense, his eyes widening in pure fear. “O-only if you want to! Like. Just in case you felt like it or whatever.” Yeah, it totally wouldn’t put me into anaphylactic shock if you were to seek me out in any way shape or form!
Gyuvin lowers his hands, leans back on the legs of the desk, and watches as Y/n’s expression transforms from one of shock, to pure adoration. Their eyes soften in a way Gyuvin’s never seen before, and if he were to look a little closer, he swears there are tears swimming at the brim of them, threatening to fall.
‘FuckifImadeY/ncryI’mgonnaenditall’ is the one thought running through Gyuvin’s head as he waits for a response. He isn’t joking either— he’s sorry to his loved ones and all that, and he supposes the Epic Gamer Club™ would have to go on an indefinite hiatus with the emotional trauma it’d leave on his friends. He wonders if his dog would be brought to his funeral?
Turns out he won’t have to plan out his funeral arrangements after all, that becomes clear when a warm smile meets their eyes, and the tears dwindle to a glassy thin layer over their eyes. “I’d love to. Thank you, Gyuvin.”
Oh Gyuvin thinks his heart just exploded, but like, in a good way. A love explosion, if you will. He doesn’t waste a beat before he’s sporting a smile of his own, sitting straighter than before. “Anytime.”
His friends aren’t back, the period isn’t over yet, and he doesn’t want to stop the conversation there. So, he talks about the thing that’s been plaguing his mind for the past week. “I saw your locker. You got a lot of letters.”
Y/n laughs bashfully at the mention of the hundreds- no, thousands of letters they received today. When they arrived at school, they opened their locker and was bombarded with a sea of pink and red cards that practically drowned them, and by the time second period rolled around, their desk was stuffed to the brim with even more advances in the form of candies and cute plushies. “Yeah, I haven’t even gotten to a single one yet! I’ll do it before school ends, though. I’m glad people like me enough to get me things.”
They’ve got to be kidding. The spring semester of freshman year was absolutely rocked by the wave that was Y/n’s arrival. Despite coming from a normal, middle class family, they were quick to rise in popularity. At first, it had just been their beauty that seemed to draw everyone in, but as soon as they were able to showcase their physical and academic skill, along with their endless heaps of kindness, they became more than just a pretty face, and the whole student body can testify to that. Unfortunately, by the 4th day into the new semester Jiwoong and his loser-ass friends had already sunk their claws into Y/n and scooped them up before any other group could. But yeah, anyone who doesn’t love Y/n is crazy and is probably most definitely going to hell.
‘I hope you read mine.’ It’s at the tip of his tongue, he’s straightening his posture to sit taller and ask them with his whole chest, and—
“More napkins!” is the opener Taerae decides to go with as he and Eunseok barge into the confines of the classroom. “Uhh sorry we took so long, we were arguing about…” he turns to Eunseok who just shrugs his shoulders before turning back to the two. “.. who the strongest avenger is.”
Gyuvin wants to roll his eyes, partly because they couldn’t have come up with a lamer excuse even if they tried, they unknowingly sabotaged his unplanned confession, and cause the strongest avenger is obviously Scarlet Witch.
He decides against it, rather locking eyes with Y/n who he finds is already staring at him, and they exchange equally bashful smiles. Gyuvin isn’t mad at his friends, not when they invade his and Y/n’s space to help clean the last of the mess, and not when they use the rest of the lunch period to bombard them with questions like, ‘have you read kimetsu no yaiba?’ and ‘where would you go if a zombie apocalypse broke out?’ (they answered with staying in Seoul, which prompted Taerae to blatantly tell them they’re going to die, which in turn earned himself a slap from Gyuvin).
He isn’t mad because he still has a chance: today, at 3:00 in room 124 after school like his letter specified. He hopes, some way, that through the piles of letters and candies and plushies and whatever the hell else, they somehow recognize Gyuvin’s from the crowd, and pick him.
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It’s time.
It’s time, and Gyuvin’s got it all figured out: Although school’s ended 45 minutes ago, he knows Y/n is part of the cooking club, so he isn’t keeping them behind or anything. He used that time to run to the flower shop a few minutes away and get them their favorites along with a stuffed animal. The classroom he initiated the meeting place in was one that was barely used by students, let alone teachers, so they wouldn’t be disturbed. Oh! And it’s on the first floor, so if Jiwoong happened to find out about his advances and decided to sabotage him with his friends, then he could jump out the window without sustaining any injuries.
Gyuvin’s got it all figured out, so why’s he practically shitting bricks right now?
There are a lot of reasons really— the main one being the fear of rejection which he’s afraid he’ll never be able to live down which will lead to him maybe most certainly doing something drastic.
But it’s 2:58, two minutes before Gyuvin’s letter says for them to meet, and he has to pull himself together. He decides pacing around the room a billion times isn’t gonna do the trick, so he opts out to sitting on the teacher’s desk instead, setting the flowers and plushie behind him. He pulls out his phone and at the same time receives a text from Eunseok.
eunseokie <(˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)>: let us know how it goes 🫡 also please don’t die today
eunseokie <(˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)>: taerae brought danganronpa and you know how he likes to voice the lines aloud. you’re nagito we need you
Along with Taerae’s ridiculous gaming antics, Gyuvin finds it amusing how Eunseok also thought about the possibility of Jiwoong finding him out, and it makes him laugh, somewhat calming his nerves down. It’s comforting to know that if this confession doesn’t end up going well, he’ll at least have his friends to fall back on.
“What’s so funny?”
The sudden voice echoes through the empty classroom and Gyuvin almost lauches his phone through the ceiling with the way he jumps.
His heart drops a million times over and he nearly passes out, but he doesn’t, as an angel was sent before him. The angel, if you will.
Standing by the now closed door was Y/n, the sun cascading over their skin to only amplify the seemingly everlasting glow on their face. The same tender smile that they gave Gyuvin a few hours earlier was back, and he looks down and—
They’re holding his letter.
Out of the swarm of all the pinks and reds, through the heart-shaped candies and the softest plushies, none of them are in sight but Gyuvin’s. Gyuvin’s, with the stupid Evangelion washi tape on the side preventing the envelope from falling open after he accidentally ripped it, the one with animal crossing stickers plastered every which way because Y/n mentioned the game once, the one with emoticons drawn on by Gyuvin himself in hopes of standing out in the sea of letters: it was in the grasp of Y/n’s hands, fiddling with the edges as they approach Gyuvin in what to him feels like slow motion.
He honestly feels like he could cry. Oh shit, is he crying? Gyuvin sets his phone down to raise a hand to his cheek, which is thankfully dry, but the action brings him back to reality and he realizes that he’s been staring for longer than normal, so he manages to use the little breath he has left to muster what he can.
“You came.” It’s not much, but it’s the best he can do, and way better than just staring at them in pure silence.
“Of course I did.” They say it like it’s the most obvious thing ever, which only serves to throw Gyuvin off even more.
“But- what about everyone else?” What he really wants to say is ‘why me?’ Throughout the day he’d pass by their locker, their desks, even Y/n themselves; everyone seeking them out were more than worthy candidates. Whether it were their looks, their popularity, or the fact that they were confident enough to confess straight to their face— all of them were more worthy than Gyuvin could ever be. So why were they here, at 3:00 pm in room 124 like the letter read?
They shrug, a knowing smile plastered on their face. “You said you wanted to talk?”
“Oh! Right. Yeah.” He opens his mouth, breathing in a handful of air before speaking again, “...I forgot what I was gonna say.”
It wasn’t a total lie! He was caught completely off guard, it was kinda expected to forget the speech he’s been practicing for weeks now. It doesn’t seem to phase Y/n though, for they simply shrug again, and begin to remove the letter from the envelope in their hand. “That’s okay. Maybe if we read your letter it’ll jog your memory.”
‘Dear Y/n,
I know we aren’t close, but you’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before. Please meet me in room 124 @ 3:00pm today, so that I can express my feelings in full.
— Kim Gyuvin’
It sounded like poetry when Gyuvin read it in his head, aloud in his room, and then to his mom for a second voice of opinion (she said he was better than Shakespeare, which went straight to his head). But now Gyuvin isn’t too sure how that made the final cut, he cringes a million times over when they read it out loud.
He scratches the back of his head and tries to hide his mortification as much as possible. “Sorry, I know that’s pretty vague..”
“It’s okay! You can say whatever’s on your mind, I’m all ears.”
Holy shit, this was really happening. He doesn’t know why, but he wasn’t expecting to get this far. Maybe he thought Y/n was too good for him, and he really did think about the possibility of Jiwoong finding him out, but none of that matters anymore— not when his dream come true is standing right in front of him, when they could be doing anything else right now and they decided to be with him. The fact that they’re even giving him the time of day is enough to fuel him with more confidence than those romance dramas ever could.
He stands up from the desk, and takes a deep breath. “I really like you Y/n, I have for a while now. You’re smart and funny and really pretty, and you’re always nice to me. I know we don’t like all of the same things, but that doesn’t bother me. I want to learn more about you, I want to learn everything about you. I hope you feel the same way, and if not, I understand. I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself if we graduated without letting you know how I feel.” Without turning around, he reaches for the flowers and stuffed animal, trying his best to steady the nervous look creeping onto his face as he holds the items out between the two of them. “Please be my valentine! And then something more. If you wanted to.”
Gyuvin’s rant has finally come to an end, and he doesn’t realize they’re tearing up until he’s holding the items up for them to take.
Oh my God he’s seriously made Y/n cry, he’s got to end it now. It’s what he’s thinking until his personal space is being invaded by the warmth of the bone crushing hug Y/n has them in before Gyuvin can even apologize.
Despite their face being shoved into his chest, tears wetting his uniform vest, they still manage to muster a coherent response. “I’m glad you told me before graduation. Of course I’ll be your valentine.”
Wait, what? Gyuvin stiffens in their hold when he both realizes that he hadn’t returned their hug and that they said yes?! “Oh my God really? Wait. I’m sorry, I know this is what I like, wanted, but can I ask why?” their hold on Gyuvin releases a bit as he continues, “Is this just you being nice? Cause if so—”
In the span of two seconds, their warmth is gone, and Gyuvin can’t even sulk the lost feeling before he’s being punched in the arm. “Ow!”
Their tear stained face holds a look of offense, like Gyuvin just wronged their entire lineage. “You think I’m crying just to be nice?” Oh, he thinks, thats a good point. “I like you too, dummy. You’re really smart, and you never stoop to people like Jiwoong’s level whenever they bother you. Also, you get really cute when talking about your dog or those games you like.”
They actually listened to his stupid rants? How could he not blush at that? It spreads from his cheeks, all the way to the tips of his ears, and fails to go unnoticed by Y/n. “And when you blush. You’re just a big cutie.”
Oh Gyuvin’s having one of those love explosions again, but like, a million times worse. This can’t possibly be good for his health. In a poor attempt to hide his bashfulness, Gyuvin brings his hands up to cover his face, his words muffled by the makeshift shield. “Oh my God. I can’t believe this is happening.”
And apparently Gyuvin’s suffering is funny? Because now they’re laughing, coming closer and raising their own hands to grab at Gyuvin’s wrists, successfully pulling them away from his face. “Don’t be shy now! You’ve come so far.”
They’re right, he has come so far. So why cower away now? He’s quite literally got them in the palm of his hands (or vise versa, he should say), and he’ll be damned if he lets them slip away now. With their hands now holding his wrists at their sides, Gyuvin doesn’t have half the mind to think before he’s leaning in, landing a feather-light peck to their lips. ‘Oh fuck, am I doing this right?’ It isn’t until now that Gyuvin remembers he’s never actually kissed anyone before, and panic follows quickly as he pulls away, their faces still mere inches away. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t really know what I’m—”
Their lips are suddenly on each other again, but it’s Y/n who initiates the kiss, and it's beyond better than Gyuvin’s. It’s light and refreshing, like how Gyuvin feels whenever they’re around. Their lips are as soft as their hands in his grip, and he can feel them smiling against his as they continue. He never wants to let go of this moment.
He ends up not minding when it does end though, for when they both pull away, Y/n finally lets his wrists go in favor of holding his face in their hands, which has Gyuvin practically melting into their touch. “If you apologize one more time, I’m going to punch you again.” They smile, despite having just threatened him.
Gyuvin doesn’t mind, though. They could hit him with the force of a hundred meteors, and he’d still forgive them. So he just smiles, basking in the warmth of their hands. “So, what’d you wanna do now?”
Y/n ponders for a moment, and perks up not long after. “Wanna go grab food?”
Oh, Gyuvin could cry. Y/n came straight from the cooking club, where they make full course meals that they get to eat at the end, so there was no reason for Y/n to be hungry. Yet Gyuvin’s lunch was ruined by what’s-his-face, and there was no way he wasn’t starving by now, and they remembered that.
He doesn’t wanna ruin the mood with his crocodile tears, so he sucks up his tears as much as he can, and smiles fondly instead. “Sounds perfect.”
Gyuvin’s still in a minor state of shock when they walk out of the school's doors. The person who he’s been pining over for the past four years likes him back, and they’re going on a date. Is this a date? He doesn’t want to ask, rather basking in the sun from both the sky and the one right next to him. He’s kind of worried that Jiwoong is gonna find out, but he can’t find it in himself to care all that much when his valentine is holding his hand as they make their way to the train station.
He takes note of their warning from earlier, but he has to ask. “Are you okay? Sorry for making you cry.”
Gyuvin’s ready to take a punch, but he’s lightly shoved instead, making the both of them lose their footing a bit before walking in tandem again. “It’s okay. And yeah, you’re just really sweet.” They turn to him and smile, squeezing his hand lightly. “Okay, let’s learn more about each other starting now. What kind of ramen do you like?”
“Wanna check out the new spot downtown and find out?”
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Gojo’s boy toys (◕ε◕*)
3:40 pm
You: bros.
eunseokie <(˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)> : bro??
taetae ˶^•ﻌ•^˵ : was that a good bros or a bad bros
You: we kissed
You: we’re going out for ramen now
taetae ˶^•ﻌ•^˵ : ?$/;&/??@
taetae ˶^•ﻌ•^˵ : BROOOOOO
eunseokie <(˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)> : omg i’m crying
eunseokie <(˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)> : gyuvin im crying
taetae ˶^•ﻌ•^˵ : he is crying gyuvin
taetae ˶^•ﻌ•^˵ : we’re so happy for you bro.
You: thanks guys 😄
i’ll still be home in time to play so
just sit tight
taetae ˶^•ﻌ•^˵ : tell y/n i say sorry for saying they have zero survival instinct!!!
eunseokie <(˶ᵔᵕᵔ˶)> : AND FUCK YOU JIWOONG
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a/n: in no way am i implying that doing things like reading manga or playing smash bros is weird, i just took things that’ve gotten me called a nerd 😭😭 also being a nerd isn’t bad i love my nerds 🫡 stream beautiful monster stan p1h get get get get a guitar bai
310 notes · View notes
fafnir19 · 6 months
Text
Sailing the other way
Lauritz' sister's fiance Samuel and him were very different. Samuel, the suave and sophisticated heir to a wealthy family, always seemed to have the world at his fingertips.
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Lauritz, on the other hand, was a rebellious and free-spirited punker who didn't quite fit in with the conventional lifestyle his family wanted for him.
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Despite their differences, Samuel and Lauritz got along surprisingly well. Their interactions were a peculiar blend of class and nonconformity that created a magnetic dynamic between them. It was on the cusp of Samuel's impending wedding that an unconventional idea began to take shape.
"Ey, Sam, let's do something wild before your wedding, mate," Lauritz proposed with a glint of mischief in his eyes. Samuel raised an eyebrow, unsure of what adventure Lauritz had in mind this time. "What did you have in mind, Lauritz? Last time your 'wild' idea led to us spending a night in a police cell in Amsterdam." Lauritz replied: “Vegas would be cool, but at the end of the day it’s your bachelor party. I'll do whatever you want!" Flashing a boyish grin, Samuel draped an arm around Lauritz's shoulders. "I want to take our boat out and sail across the Baltic Sea. It'll be an epic journey filled with freedom and salt-kissed air. You in?" Lauritz, with his unconventional mohawk and punk attire, looked askance at Samuel. "Sailing? That's a bit, you know, bourgeois for my taste," he quipped, adjusting the studded leather jacket slung over his shoulder. Smirking, Samuel continued, "Nonsense! It's summer, and what better way to enjoy some fresh sea air? Besides, it’ll be an adventure, and it'll please the in-laws to see you refining your tastes." Lauritz's parents, along with Samuel's family, were indeed relieved by the prospect. "Better than if you were hanging out with those punkers," his mother had remarked with a grateful smile. With their bags packed and spirits high, Samuel and Lauritz boarded Samuel's family's mahogany sailboat bound for Helsinki.
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The sun's golden gaze kissed the cerulean waves, casting a mesmerizing glow upon the Baltic Sea. "Ah, this is the life, isn't it?" Samuel exclaimed, his gaze sweeping over the glittering expanse of the sea. Lauritz nodded, a wry smile playing on his lips. "It's not as terrible as I imagined. But still, wouldn't you rather be planning your wedding festivities than gallivanting with me?" Samuel chuckled, adjusting his nautical cap. "Oh, come now, my dear Lauritz. We have the rest of our lives for all that. Let's revel in the freedom while we can. Besides, you're not so bad to have around, even for a punker." Lauritz feigned offense, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "You wound me with your words, Samuel," he teased. As the ship cuts through the gentle waves, Samuel took Lauritz under his wing, teaching him the art of sailing. Despite his initial skepticism, Lauritz found himself unexpectedly enjoying the experience, reveling in the salty breeze and the rhythmic lull of the waves against the hull. Their journey led them to the enchanting city of St. Petersburg, where the juxtaposition of baroque architecture and Soviet-era relics offered a feast for the eyes.
As they wandered through the labyrinthine streets, the allure of the city enticed Lauritz to explore the more unconventional facets. "I've been thinking," Lauritz began, his voice laced with determination. "I want an eyelet in my ear, like the punks back home. It's about time I made my mark, don't you think?" he declared, pointing to a trendy piercing found amongst the punk subculture.
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Samuel's face turned a shade of pale as he frantically tried to dissuade him, envisioning the cocktail of disapproving glares from his in-laws. "Lauritz, you can't just waltz back to the family estate with a hole in your ear. What would my in-laws think? Besides, piercings can lead to infections. How about something more inconspicuous? Like a nipple piercing?" Lauritz let out a laugh, his eyes dancing with mischief. "Oh, Samuel, always thinking about appearances. But where's the fun in that? I want something that screams independence! Something bold." Their banter was interrupted by a raspy cackle that seemed to echo through the narrow alley they were passing. They turned to see an old woman, draped in shawls and adorned with clinking trinkets. Her eyes glittered with an unsettling intensity as she fixed her gaze on the two friends. "You just have to hold him tight, then we'll circumcise him and I'll make a silver ring out of his foreskin," the old woman mused, her eyes glinting with whimsical certainty. "All you have to do is put this ring on your penis and Lauritz will visually adapt to your taste as long as you wear the ring." Samuel gasped, his mind reeling from the outlandish suggestion. But to his surprise, Lauritz entertained the idea, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "We'll do that, Samuel," Lauritz proclaimed, casting a challenging grin. "After all, you wanted me to do something inconspicuous. What's more inconspicuous than a circumcision?" Despite Samuel's vehement protests, Lauritz remained resolute, and before long, the old woman performed the peculiar ritual, and to their astonishment, the excised foreskin transformed into a shimmering silver ring, which she bestowed upon Lauritz.
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Back on the sailboat, Lauritz couldn't contain his mischievous glee as he gazed at the ring. "Now, it's your turn, Samuel. Put the ring over your... You-know-what," he demanded with a sly smirk. Reluctantly, Samuel acquiesced, only to find that, to his bewilderment, nothing seemed to happen.
As the mahogany sailboat gently cut through the azure waves, Samuel and Lauritz lounged on the deck, basking in the warm embrace of the sun. The sea stretched out around them, a shimmering expanse as far as the eye could see, carrying them toward the next port of their Baltic odyssey, the enchanting city of Tallinn. Lauritz sprawled out on the deck, his eyes half-lidded and gazing at the sprawling cityscape of Tallinn ahead, the gentle sea breeze ruffling his hair. Lauritz raised a hand to his shock of green mohawk, only to find something unexpected. Instead of the vibrant strands he had known for years, his fingertips grazed a neat, blonde faded cut with shaved sides.
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He let out a surprised chuckle, turning to Samuel with an air of amusement. "Samuel, can you believe it? The old woman's prediction must have come true!" Lauritz proclaimed, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "This silver ring has really worked its magic. Look at this hair!" Samuel's eyes widened, examining Lauritz's transformed hairstyle with disbelief. "But I saw your green hair this morning. You must have cut it just to fool me," Samuel elucidated, struggling to reconcile the inexplicable transformation before his eyes.
Their banter was interrupted by the sight of Tallinn's spires unfolding on the horizon, a tapestry of architectural marvels rising from the coastline. The allure of the city's winding streets beckoned them, and they eagerly embraced the promise of new adventures. In the heart of Tallinn, the cobblestone streets echoed with the lilt of their footsteps as they wandered through the centuries-old alleys adorned with vibrant blooms. They eventually settled into a quaint street café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the gentle breeze. Lauritz, donning a sailing jacket, leaned back against his chair, relishing the warmth of the sun's embrace. With a casual air, he began unbuttoning his jacket, revealing the absence of his usual body hair, a curious discovery that piqued Samuel's interest.
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"Lauritz, your... your hair! It's gone," Samuel exclaimed, his eyes widening in incredulity. Lauritz chuckled, his voice laced with a roguish charm. "The magic strikes again, my friend. Behold the power of belief and a touch of enchantment." Samuel watched in awe as the revelation unfolded before him, unable to completely dismiss the inexplicable occurrences that seemed to dance around Lauritz like a whimsical symphony. "You must've shaved this morning to jest with me," Samuel suggested, his tone tinged with skepticism. "This can't be real." "Ah, always the skeptic," Lauritz teased. "But I assure you, this is the handiwork of the ring. It's brought a dash of transformation to my life, hasn't it?"
As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, casting hues of amethyst across the sky, they sailed toward Stockholm. The promise of new adventures and unexpected marvels beckoned them as they set sail toward the Swedish capital. The following morning, Lauritz awoke to the gentle lull of the ship, the rays of the rising sun casting a golden glow upon the skyline.
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As he prepared for the day's exploration, his reflection in the mirror above the sink evoked a bout of bewilderment. His eccentric punk ensemble had been replaced by an impeccably tailored ensemble—an unbuttoned shirt and sleek olive-colored pants that exuded an air of refinement and sophistication.
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"What in the world?" Lauritz muttered, his eyes widening in sheer disbelief. "Samuel, you won't believe this!" Samuel emerged from the cabin, his eyes immediately falling upon Lauritz's stupefying transformation.
"Samuel, it's happened again! This silver ring is truly astounding," Lauritz exclaimed, his spirit alight with unadulterated glee. "Look at these clothes! I didn't expect the magic to work on my outfit too!" Samuel's incredulity was palpable as he regarded the sight before him. "Lauritz, you must have changed into this outfit while I wasn't looking," Samuel reasoned, his tone laced with skepticism. "It's impossible for a ring to cause all this. Whatsoever, I still think it’s good that you dressed more refined today. After all, we want to have breakfast today at the Grand Hotel, where the Nobel Peace Prizes are usually awarded.”
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The mahogany sailboat bobbed gently as it sliced ​​through Stockholm's sun-kissed archipelago en route to Visby on Gotland. Samuel manned the helm, while Lauritz was standing at the bow, his gaze trailing horizon. Suddenly Lauritz went through another unexpected transformation. Lauritz's black jeans and baggy T-shirt shifted seamlessly into a wide-open shirt and tight red shorts, his physique now exuding an athleticism that caught Samuel off guard.
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Samuel's breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening in disbelief as he beheld the improbable evolution unfurling before him. "Lauritz, what... what in the world is happening? This—this isn't right," Samuel stammered, his voice trembling with an amalgamation of astonishment and concern. "I... I need to put a stop to this. I need to get rid of that ring." Lauritz, amusement dancing in his gaze, placed a supportive hand on Samuel's shoulder. "Come on, Samuel, don't be so quick to stifle the mystery. Embrace the uncertainty," he encouraged, a playful glint in his eyes. "Let's see what more this whimsical journey has in store for us."
As the sailboat glided toward the shores of Gotland, the island exuded an alluring mystique, its ancient ruins and labyrinthine streets promising an adventure both whimsical and enigmatic. Their footsteps echoed through the quaint streets of Visby, framed by structures that stood as timeless testaments to ancient grandeur. The island cast its spell upon them, ensnaring their senses with the echoes of bygone eras and the whimsy of forgotten legends. As they ambled through the cobbled pathways, Lauritz noticed a peculiar shift in the way the islanders regarded him. Warm smiles and nods of acknowledgment replaced the guarded glances that typically followed his punk façade.
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"Lauritz, did you notice that?" Samuel inquired, his tone laced with a tinge of wonder. Lauritz nodded, a spark of amazement gleaming in his gaze. "It seems the residents of Visby have taken a shining to me, haven't they? The magic of the ring... it's a wonder indeed." The day waned into a resplendent evening, the sun casting its golden embrace upon the island as a symphony of stars unfurled across the heavens. Samuel and Lauritz reveled in the evening's enchanting tapestry, their thoughts drifting toward the next leg of their Baltic odyssey
The melding of disbelief and marvel lingered in the air, enveloping them in a veil of intrigue, as they embarked on their final leg of the journey toward Copenhagen. Clad in polished tuxedos, they reveled in opulent indulgence. Since Samuel had studied in Copenhagen, he knew how to gain access to the most exclusive establishments with a practiced ease.
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Amidst the effervescent allure of the Danish capital, the two friends embraced the revelry of their adventure indulging in the opulence that enveloped them. Their boisterous laughter and animated conversations resounded through the hallowed halls of the city's elite establishments, the allure of upscale soirées and lavish gatherings capturing their spirits in a whirlwind of decadence. "Ah, Copenhagen has a certain allure, doesn't it?" Samuel remarked, a smirk playing on his lips as they strolled through the city's resplendent evening. Lauritz nodded, the vibrant tapestry of revelry and sophistication intoxicating his senses. "It seems your world has its own brand of enchantment, Samuel. I can't deny its appeal."
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Samuel watched with an inexplicable mix of astonishment and fascination as the vivacious Lauritz seamlessly embraced the lavish lifestyle that had once appeared incompatible with his punk ethos.
The morning of their departure from Copenhagen arrived, and the sailboat set sail once more, carrying them toward Helsingborg where Samuel will marry Lauritz’ sister. As the sailboat rocked gently over the calm water, Samuel brought up the topic that had been bothering him. “Lauritz, I think it’s time to take the ring off. After all, your sister expects you to look like a punk – even though I prefer your current, charming look,” Samuel announced with solemn weight in his words. Venturing into the cabin, Samuel endeavored to remove the ring, only to be met with an unforeseen predicament.
His fervent words reverberated with unrestrained urgency, "Lauritz, I can't... It won't... It's... I can't remove it! Lauritz, I can't seem to get it off," he called out in distress, his voice wrought with urgency.  "It's stuck, and I don't know what to do." Lauritz sprang into action, his touch eliciting a peculiar sensation in Samuel, who found himself thrown off balance by an unexpected surge of arousal - Samuel sported a boner. Before their bewildered eyes, Lauritz's demeanor underwent a subtle shift, his gaze now infused with an alluring allure that took Samuel by surprise. As the unexpected surge of desire enveloped them, Lauritz dropped his shorts, parting his legs with a provocative air.
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"Take this opportunity, Samuel. Let's embrace the unexpected," Lauritz uttered with a newfound confidence, the air thick with unspoken desires that coursed between them. Samuel was drawn by the sight and couldn't resist and took the opportunity to penetrate Lauritz.   After they made love Lauritz turned to Samuel, a solemn glimmer in his eyes, and whispered, "Samuel, I... I want to stay like this. I don’t want to become a sleazy punker again." Samuel’s breath caught in his throat, his gaze locked with Lauritz's. "What are you saying, Lauritz?" In an unexpected twist of fate, the ring tightened around Samuel's cock, seamlessly merging with his flesh. As the transformation took hold, a sense of undeniable euphoria washed over him. Gazing at Lauritz, a knowing smile curled Samuel's lips. "Tomorrow, I will marry my dream girl. And as her dowry, I received her brother to have fun with. I couldn't be happier." Lauritz chuckled and teased, "I guess even a trip to Las Vegas couldn't have been wilder. Seems like your gay sailing trip turned us both bi.”
The following day, as Samuel stood at the altar, he exchanged vows with his beloved, the echoes of a union hitherto unforeseen threading through the tender fabric of his heart.
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And in Lauritz, he found a cherished confidant—a companion bound by the threads of an unexpected journey that would endure far beyond the veil of tradition. As the evening unfurled in all its opulent splendor, Samuel orchestrated a future endowed with an unforeseen serenity. With unwavering determination, he ensured that Lauritz was granted a place at an elite university and provided the resources necessary to flourish—a life enraptured by boundless opportunity.
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In the wake of unforeseen revelations, Lauritz embraced the life of a typical, self-assured scion, reveling in the embrace of newfound passions and embarking on an uncharted journey tinged with the allure of possibility.
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oops-its-a-fanwork · 3 months
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Ask: A pirate's first kiss! 🤭💕
Anonymous asked:
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Oooh great taste in questions already! I always love reading kissing headcanons myself, never made them before though :p
Pirate au as kidnapped depicted from @mega-punani ! Go check 'm out, there's cute skele pictures there too~
In this case, you and your skelle are both into eachother and you both kinda know it, but this is the first proper kiss on the lips! ...teeth?
Uuuuhhhh you're smoochin! Enjoy <3
Sans
First kiss huh? If he initiated it, it probably came paired with a pun. In fact, he would be making hundreds of kissing and relationship puns to try and help you catch on to what he's going for. When you finally realize he is asking for a kiss, he gauges your reaction, looking to see if you're up for it. You can be as shy about it as you want, with his judgement eye he can see right through it!  
"Well, if you insist~"
It's a very sweet kiss, and he has a dreamy, almost smug smile on his face afterwards, teasing you a little bit if you look very flustered. Don't be fooled though, the smug smile and teasing are there to hide his own bashfulnes. You don't need a devil fruit to realize it though, seeing as his entire face is bright blue: he absolutely adores you.
If you catch him off guard by initiating first and out of the blue, he buffers for a few seconds before blushing hard and hiding his eyes with his hat, not able to stop smiling all day. You can watch him trying and failing to come up with a pun about it the first minute after.
He'll probably find you at some point during the day to return the favour.
Papyrus
Oh dating manual my beloved...
So papyrus is casually suave and totally swept you off off your feet when your relationship was still completely platonic, but now that you both feel the romance growing... he gets kinda flustered lol. He has no idea of how much natural charisma he has, so now that he wants to impress you he sticks to the book... the Dating Manual!
He meticulously searches for the right place, time and circumstances to have a romantic first kiss to, which we all know means it's highly unlikely to happen anytime this year. He does, however, loudly proclaim romantic expressions of love to you when he deems the time to be right (or on accident) and he is always hiding the little book behind his back when you walk in on him reading it. It is very, very clear that he wants a kiss. Please save him.
If you want him to take initiative, you'll have to make it very clear you are expecting a kiss, *right now*. You read somewhere that uhhhh seeing two seagulls fight over a scrap of bread after having sailed north for at least two hours means a romantic kiss is bound to happen! Oh, if only something that romantic would happen to me...
There is a 30% chance he'll both take the hint and take the step, but when he finally does, well...
"Wowie...."
If you happen to kiss him somewhat out of the blue, he short-circuits- trembling a little and glowing pink and orange. Tell him he looks like a beautiful sunset and watch him flounder. Will excitedly tell Sans about the whole thing. Multiple times. (Sans is a very supportive bro and is very happy for him)
Blue
Your first kiss with Blue may have been a spontaneous, spur of the moment kinda thing, like many of your adventures with this man.
As he held u princess style in an epic rescue from something very dangerous (you slipped), you aimed to dramatically smooch him on the cheek as thanks. But then he angles his head in an unexpected way and oh my... 
He freezes, eyelights expanding, and slowly becomes completely blue. Before you can apologize, he starts running around the ship with you, holding you tight and loudly giggling as he is overtaken by excitement and glee. You are so sweet he is on an artificial sugar high!
Even if it's not a spur of the moment kiss, it will likely still be up to you, to some degree, to make the first move. It's not that Blue doesn't want to kiss you! Heavens no! It's just, well... He knows that he can miss the occasional social que and he doesn't wanna fuck this up by hurrying you or misreading your intentions, so he just flirts dramatically and hopes you take the hint to take initiative. Just for the first time though, after that he has a free pass and boy is he gonna use it.
The flirts are pretty forward, you can't miss em: things like kabedoning you and looking at you expectantly, or showing up with a rose in his mouth. Even if it doesn't lead to a kiss, he hopes it will make you laugh!
Stretch
With Stretch, it pretty much happened on accident.
You were sitting next to each other, your head against his shoulder, listening to him softly playing some tunes as the sun set on the sea. The boat was anchored, and the others were busy or tuckered out after the long day. It was just the two of you, the waves and a soft melody.
He looked to his right and found your face just- so close to him. You both just kinda studied each other for a while, lost in thought and completely at ease...
When did you start kissing?
His reaction to it is fireworks going off in his head, but definitely the kind that fitted the occasion.  He didn't even take the time to be embarrassed about it, instead just basking in the moment of having you so close.
Red
As flirtatious as this man is, he will pretty much never initiate the first kiss. He'll initiate after the initial kiss for sure, but he has a lot of respec juice and since he knows he's a bit much sometimes, he doesn't wanna overstep or pressure you into something you are not ready for. He's pretty used to being rejected for being crude so might as well let you come to him.
If you are having a rare tender moment, and you initiate a kiss from there... this man will be in the clouds for a few days: very distracted, uncaring even for his more interesting duties and sporting a huge dreamy grin which grows when you are in the same room with him. His brother is worried he's going to melt.
If, however, you decided to kiss him because you are sick of the teasing flirts he keeps throwing your way, he will be VERY smug about it. Also it will not actually stop his teasing flirts. But you do both get a kiss out of it so it may have been worth it.
Besides the tender moment, there is no way to surprise him with a kiss. He is always waiting for you to kiss him. Always ready for a kiss. Bring 'm in, those kisses! A huge simp, this one.
Edge
Edge does, occasionally, take a break. When most chores have been done, someone else takes the lead for a while or when the crew is simply having some down time, dear Edge gets to relax with some tea and a good book as well. And if it is at all possible, he shares these rare moments of downtime with you. 
He usually distracts himself from his crush on you by being busy, so now that he is sitting down and taking his time... he may actually be forced to confront his feelings, at least to himself. After heaving a heavy sigh, he steels his nerves and decides this should be the moment to kiss you. What other times will be as appropriate as this?
Edge takes the time to tilt your face towards him, looking you in he eyes and glancing at your lips... and that's where he reaches the edge of his courage. Luckily, you feel the same, and his set up makes it easy for you to simply close the small gap left to kiss him.  Edge remains quite red the entire evening, but he tries to keep it cool. Please think he's calm and collected and that he doesn't get desperately embarrassed and infatuated upon receiving a single wonderful kiss. He's cool! He's never been more collected!! Don't look at him like that!!!
Razz
Ah the tsundere. Let's see... Maybe after a long tiring day, when everyone save for you and him has finally gone to bed, you find him still buried deep in his maps, clearly trying to distract himself from everything that happened. You softly convince him that the quality of the map may suffer if he keeps going when this tired. You even hug him close and he lets you, just this once. You give him your first kiss to his forehead as he is in your arms. As he slowly turns purple you expect him to turn you away, yelling or mumbling something about you being a distraction. Instead, he simply grumbles something along the lines of "not even doing it properly if you're going to do it at all" as he smashes his face into yours. It's actually very nice, and you guys keep the sweet embrace and kisses up until you decide to leave his little mapping office and go to sleep. He seems well rested the next day, if a little purple, and the crew is blessed with some lovely weather after the heavy rains from the past few days.
He won't do much pda with you after, almost making it seem like he doesn't care, but he only shares this with you when no one can disturb you both.
Cash
May have been a little shit who tried to dare you into kissing him, or to make bets in which you'd have to kiss him if you lost (and he'd have to kiss you if he lost). He didn't expect you to actually accept his dare, especially if you have declined his dares before, but now he's sweating bullets: he likes having the excuse that it's just a joke or just to tease you, but now that you're standing in front of him expectantly he is once again forced to recognize that he genuinely really wants this... and he's so scared to fuck it up. He genuinely believes he doesn't deserve something like this.
He teases you again to divert his attention but you take that as a sign to just get this over with and kiss him. The kiss melts away any doubt he just had, and when you release him he's just kinda standing there, buffering.
You're kinda disappointed seeing no reaction from him. Maybe he did only mean it as a joke... but as you turn away to do literally anything else he finally loads back in and starts asking for increasingly dumb bets and dares trying to get another kiss. 
Bear
Bears first kiss, if given, was probably to calm you down. It was almost instinct: you were upset, and he was already swaying you side to side gently, waiting for the flow of tears to stop. He wants to help, to do more... so he lifts your chin and gives you a gentle but firm kiss on the forehead, as he remembers someone having done for him when he was younger, one of few sweet memories of days long past.
You look up at him with wide eyes, now still, and he notices the crying has slowed to a stop as you watch him in fascination. Neither of you remember who leaned in after that.  
Cinnamon 
Gosh he wants to kiss you. He wants to kiss you so badly!! But he is very nervous to initiate. Is it the right time? The right place? Do you feel the same? He thinks you do, you are always so sweet to him! You help him out when you can! And you are respectful of his boundaries- but oh please take initiative and put an end to his suffering!!
He'll make plan after plan to initiate, even asking Papyrus and Blue for help, only to chicken out for some reason. At some point the rest of the crew gets involved in trying to get this over with, so now if you don't initiate, the way your first kiss goes may depend on them:
Cash would trip Cinnamon into you repeatedly, Red locks you both into a room until you make out, and Razz just straight up tells you to get it over with so Cinnamon will stop nervously tapping his cane on his cabin roof.
How he reacts when you finally initiate depends on your intensity: if you are soft and sweet with him he is blushing hard but mostly just heart eyed, but if you are, *ahem*, intense with him, he pretty much faints in your arms, anime-comedy style. It's very cute ;)
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this and wish to send an ask as well, please read this post and maybe my pinned post as well! See ya around <3
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jbaileyfansite · 10 months
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Interview with Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer from GQ Hype
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Filled with cozy, Hemingwayesque signifiers of midcentury masculinity (think: taxidermy and artfully-tattered boxing gloves), the restaurant seemed perfect for a breezy, late-autumn hang in the West Village.
But there’s one problem: Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey have burgers on their minds. And while this place boasts a surplus of dead animals nailed to the wall, it somehow only serves snacks and salads in the afternoon. And as Bomer points out, Corner Bistro—a pub that, in his opinion, serves some of the best burgers in town—is just a six-minute walk away.
The British-born Bailey—who, in his black sweater, floppy beanie and overstuffed backpack, looks more like a backpacker who just rolled out of his hostel rather than one of the streaming era’s top heartthrobs—waxes rhapsodic about In-N-Out, the California burger institution, which he recently tried for the first time.
He asks the suave, Old Hollywood-handsome Bomer, who spends most of his time in L.A. with his husband and three teenage sons, where In-N-Out falls on his personal burger index. “Our boys are really good judges of burgers,” Bomer says, and for them, In-N-Out is up there—but so is the burger at Corner Bistro. And how can we send Bailey—the Viscount of Bridgerton himself—back to London without tasting New York’s best?
Our location, midway between Stonewall Inn and Julius, two of New York’s most historic gay bars, is apt. The project we’re here to talk about—the epic new Showtime series Fellow Travelers, in which the pair star—tips its hat to the legendary 1969 riots that happened in Stonewall, but goes even further, telling the story of gay liberation in the second half of the twentieth century.
Part epic love story, part political thriller, Fellow Travelers begins in 1950s Washington, D.C., with an illicit affair between the strapping Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Bomer), a State Department official savvy to the ways of power, and the earnest, energetic Timothy “Tim” Laughlin (Bailey), the kind of wide-eyed idealist who goes to D.C. wanting to change the world. When they first meet, Tim is a conservative Catholic boy; his passionate, intensely erotic affair with Hawk both liberates him and throws him off his path.
Through the decades-spanning run of their relationship, the series takes us from the Lavender Scare of the 1950s—when a McCarthy-era policy that institutionalized homophobia expelled many “sexual deviants” from government, resulting at one point in a suicide a day—to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
The series is based on the Thomas Mallon novel of the same name. But where Mallon’s book generally focuses on the 1950s and the explosive romance between Hawk and Tim, the series expands the Fellow Travelers universe to reach through the decades and cover the Vietnam War protests of the '60s and the White Night riots of 1979.
“It's been taught that LGBTQIA+ history begins at Stonewall,” says Jelani Alladin, the actor who plays queer Black journalist Marcus Hooks in the series. “It’s a kind of false narrative. Queer people have been around taking a stand for themselves since the beginning of time.”
It feels like a disservice to call a series so sexy and so compelling as educational. But Fellow Travelers does serve as an important history lesson for younger generations who may not fully understand the battles fought before their time. “It was a really dark period in American history that obviously we're not taught in school,” says executive producer Robbie Rogers, who prior to his work in film and TV was the soccer player who became the first openly gay man to compete in a North American professional sports league. “We're not taught LGBT history.”
When the first episode of the series came out in late October, a viral clip showcasing Bailey and Bomer in a particularly kinky sex scene had Gay Twitter shuddering with excitement. In the scene, Bailey’s Tim uses his power as a sub to persuade Bomer’s Hawk to take him to an important D.C. party. “I’m your boy, right?” he tells Hawk. “Your boy wants to go to the party.” In surely one of this year’s hottest scenes on film or TV, we see Bailey hungrily suck on Bomer’s toes and gamely attempt to put his foot in his mouth. Earlier in the series, Hawk gives Tim the name “Skippy” after thoroughly dominating him in bed, a gesture of affection as much as of ownership.
Sex is a powerful, world-shifting force in Fellow Travelers, but it’s also a Trojan horse. While the early episodes bristle with erotic energy, every exchange between Bomer and Bailey is about power as much as it is about sex. And the further you go into Travelers, the more you realize what’s really at stake when these two hit the sack.
“Even in the ‘50s, they had joy,” Travelers creator and writer Ron Nyswaner, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Philadelphia, says. “You might be struggling, but that doesn't mean every moment of your life you're a victim of oppression. Behind closed doors they had a life—it's just that at any moment, the police could come through those doors and ruin that life.”
That unapologetic approach to queer desire is still pretty revolutionary in a big-budget prestige series on a major network. Gone are the days when gay characters were allowed to exist onscreen as long as they adhered to respectability politics. In Fellow Travelers, the queer characters are allowed passionate, unapologetically freaky pleasures.
“There's no shame attached to that,” Bailey says. “And I do think Matt's character detonates something in Tim. It's a gift to meet someone [who does the] radical act of helping you feel less shame and understand that intimacy that can be explored in so many different ways.”
Religion is a big theme in Fellow Travelers. Hawk is bound by covenant to his wife; Tim struggles with Catholic guilt. And like many queer people, Bomer and Bailey themselves have both had to negotiate religion within their queer identities.
“It took me a long time to dismantle it and to question what I was being told,” Bailey says. “Religion is interesting because it’s the voice of the shame but also [a source of] relief. There was this person that I could speak to—and I definitely did have that full conversation with a higher power. But the contradiction is brutal. To really lean into that as a gay kid who's not born into a gay family, you see both sides of what religion can provide, which is scathing judgment—as I felt it looking back—but also a real space for catharsis and nourishment.”
Bomer says he has an individualized approach to religion: “It's something that I've found for myself over years and years of exploration. It's just highly personal that way.” Bomer is proud to have raised his kids in a truly intersectional environment. “They go to an Episcopal school, but they're in school with Muslim kids, with Jewish kids,” he says. “We gave them that experience and then let them find their own way from there.”
On the way to Corner Bistro, Bomer gives Bailey a capsule tour of gay West Village. “That’s an iconic lesbian bar,” he says, pointing out Cubbyhole on West 12th street. Later, he asks if we’ve ever been to Fire Island. “You can have any experience you want there,” Bomer tells me, when I confess my anxiety around Speedos. “It's not just one thing.”
These streets bring up certain memories for Bomer. He tells us about coming up as an actor in New York in the early 2000s, at one point living in “a renovated crackhouse in Brooklyn.” Later, he worked two jobs to afford a one-bedroom apartment he split with a fellow aspiring actor—none other than Lee Pace, the famous, and famously tall (6′ 5″, if you don’t know), actor and Internet Boyfriend who Bomer has known since high school. “I’ll tell you how long I've known Lee Pace,” he says. “I’ve known him since he was shorter than me, when he was 14 and I was 15.”
As gay men are wont to do, trust that the group veered off-topic to talk about vocally-prodigious divas. Bomer has just seen the Broadway production of David Byrne’s Here Lies Love, which tells the story of the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos, the wife of the Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos. And when he finds out that I grew up in the Philippines, he tells me how much he loves Lea Salonga, the Tony-winning Filipino Broadway star who appears in the production.
We ask Bailey if he’s familiar with her. “Do I know Lea Salonga?” he asks. “She was Fantine!” he retorts, referring to her role in Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary.
From there, we fall into a Filipino diva rabbit hole, talking about former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger (currently appearing in a well-received West End production of Sunset Boulevard that Bomer tells Bailey they must catch together), Mutya Buena of the Sugababes (an iconic U.K. girl group that Bailey and I separately saw live recently), and Darren Criss (who Bomer directed on The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story—technically a straight male, but one who earns diva status for his formidable vocals and the dance he did in a red speedo on Versace).
As we near the pub, a thirty-something woman walking hand in hand with her man does a hilariously convincing impression of the Distracted Boyfriend meme at the sight of Neal Caffrey and Anthony Bridgerton casually strolling through West 4th Street.
“Her neck!” Bailey says, audibly concerned.
In Corner Bistro, with sandwiches and coffees in hand (Bailey decides on a classic burger and a grilled chicken sandwich), we settle down in a cozy booth and talk about the points in their careers where Fellow Travelers found the actors, the hard-won representation Hollywood’s queer community has been fighting for for decades, and the LGBTQ+ talents of color they’d like to support on their own projects.
Bomer, of course, has been famous since the early 2010s, when he became a star on the series White Collar, and along with Neil Patrick Harris, proved that openly gay actors could become leading men. Since then, he’s conquered Broadway (The Boys in the Band), won a slew of awards (Golden Globe and Critic's Choice trophies for The Normal Heart) and become a producer and director.
In the past, Bomer has discussed the way doors closed on him even as he was being celebrated for being an out gay actor. When asked about that now, he says, “I choose just to never look back in anger about anything. Ultimately, my career is a lot richer because I decided to be open with who I am.”
“It’s a wave of progress that Matt's been surfing and is at the front of,” says Bailey. “And it's been a real honor to be able to get on my boogie board next to him.”
Before he became a global star mid-pandemic playing the grumpy, furry-chested Anthony Bridgerton on the Netflix juggernaut Bridgerton, Bailey was an award-winning actor in both the West End and British television. Huge fame didn’t find Bailey until his early 30s, so when it did, he had a clear idea of what he wanted to accomplish with his platform.
“I feel the responsibility immeasurably,” Bailey says. “I get it when people are saying you create a chair and bring people [to the table].” He talks about the connection between the civil rights movement and the queer liberation. “The Black queens are the ones who really started to fight,” he says. “It's amazing to feel politically activated. And if there's any project to do that, it's going to be Fellow Travelers. It will change the way I see myself in and the world I live in.”
The intersectionality makes the story Travelers is trying to tell even richer—most of all in Alladin’s scene-stealing portrayal of the conflicted Marcus Hooks, a pioneering Black journalist who pushes against segregation as he grapples with his own sexuality. “When I look at older men today, I'm like, You guys have endured so much,” Aladdin says. “From the Second World War all the way through to the AIDS crisis, it was nonstop life crisis after life crisis. To have been able to survive through all that, there needs to be a real, solid weight on the feet of [these characters].”
Part of the pleasure of watching Fellow Travelers is picking up on the cinematic references hidden in each scene. Hawk and Tim’s first interactions evoke the forbidden affair in David Lean’s 1945 classic Brief Encounter. When Hawk’s family settles in suburbia, the show evokes the Technicolor repression of the great Douglas Sirk melodramas. When Hawk and Tim run through the beaches of Fire Island in the ‘70s, that iconic image of Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr kissing on the beach in From Here to Eternity may flicker in your mind. And in some ways, the series plays like a gayer, hornier The Way We Were—an epic love story tossed on the tides of political change. (In this version, of course, the Barbra Streisand character is an eager foot-licking sub and Redford’s Hubbell Gardiner is a daddy with a pit fetish.) Fellow Travelers allows us to imagine an alternate timeline where queer love has always gotten as much screen time as cinema’s great heterosexual romances, giving other kinds of stories the chance at celluloid immortality too.
In the book, Hawk is described as being more handsome than Gregory Peck. But seeing Bomer in period-appropriate clothing, the Old Hollywood leading man I thought of was Montgomery Clift, the talented and ultimately tragic gay actor who starred in classics like Red River and A Place in the Sun. For a time in the mid 2010s, Bomer was attached to star in a Montgomery Clift biopic for HBO, to be directed by the great gay director Ira Sachs. “Ira is a genius,” Bomer says. “[But] I think that ship may have sailed.”
Still, when I press him about doing it in the future, he lights up. “You know, I’m [now] the same age Monty was when he passed away,” Bomer says. “I always thought it'd be really interesting to do a play about the last night of his life, when he's watching one of his old movies on TV. And he had this man who lived with him and took care of him for the last chapter of his life.There's an interesting play in there somewhere…. Maybe Liz Taylor swings by.”
What’s changed since the mid 2010s is that a lot of Hollywood’s current gatekeepers are queer people who were fighting from the bottom a decade ago. “It's the people, the gatekeepers who are now going, ‘We are going to make this [queer] story,’” Bailey says. “This narrative that gay people have to be closeted in order [for a project] to be commercial and in order for things to be interesting to people—it's been dismantled. But it's slow because it's not just straight people who think that—I think everyone believed that in the system of Hollywood.”
Nyswaner, who has been working in Hollywood since the early ‘80s, has seen that shift up close. “When I grew up in the ‘60s and early ‘70s, I never heard the word ‘homosexual’ spoken aloud,” he says. “There was no conversation that I ever had with anybody about homosexuality. It was not just bad, it was the unspeakable thing—that's how terrified people were of us.”
And while he agrees that, in some ways, it feels like the LGBTQ+ community is once again losing ground on some rights, Nyswaner refuses to accept that there hasn’t been change. “Sometimes I hear people say, ‘Well, we haven't gotten anywhere.’ And I'm here to say, ‘Oh, yes, we have.’ Because actually you can turn on the television and find gay characters.”
Fellow Travelers is the culmination of a dream for a number of the men involved in the series.
“When I met Ron, he was talking about how he thinks about this as his lifelong legacy project,” Bailey says. “And I just said to him, ‘Whoever ends up going on this journey with you, I think it'll be the same [for them] probably.’”
“In some ways, Fellow Travelers is a span of my life,” Ron Nyswaner says. “I was an infant in the McCarthy era. And then I came out of the closet in 1978 and just danced and did cocaine and had multiple sexual partners—we didn't know what was coming, which was the AIDS crisis.” Nyswaner was nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar in 1993 for Philadelphia, the landmark drama about an AIDS patient who sues his employers for AIDS discrimination. In a way, the historical span of Fellow Travelers gives the battles fought in Philadelphia their context.
Rogers remembers being a closeted soccer player in the late 2000s, watching Tom Ford’s A Single Man and hoping one day to be able to find love and take control of his own narrative. And Bailey recalls, post-Bridgerton, realizing that he could suddenly write his own destiny and vowing to seek out “a sweeping gay love story.”
Bomer, meanwhile, says—laughing, but seemingly dead serious—that it’s his goal to play a queer character from every decade of the 20th century. “A queer Decalogue,” he says, referencing the Krzysztof Kieślowski classic.
Bomer’s next project might just help him do that. He’s currently producing a Steven Soderbergh film on Lawrence v. Texas, the case that overturned the sodomy laws in Texas in 2003 but started in the 90s.
There are many more stories to tell. And as our interview winds down, Bomer and Bailey start spitballing dream projects.
We talk about All of Us Strangers director Andrew Haigh, who’s revered for his portraits of gay intimacy. “Andrew Haigh has been a special filmmaker for years,” Bailey says. “I think [his film] Weekend informed actually how I approached the sex scenes in [Fellow Travelers].”
“I’d love to play Jessica Fletcher's queer grandson who moves back to Cabot Cove,” Bomer says, referencing Angela Lansbury’s iconic role in Murder, She Wrote. “He's inherited her house and he finds an old journal in her library, and it's a case she never saw and he takes up her mantle.”
And moments before the restaurant speakers suddenly start blaring George Michael’s “Freedom ’90,” Bailey comes in with a killer pitch: “I’m obsessed with the Sacred Band of Thebes, an army of 300 gay lovers in [ancient] Greece. They partnered in pairs, this gay army, and they overthrew a Spartan army… I want to do that as a comedy.”
“Oh hell yes!” Bomer says.
“Just get all the queer actors together,” Bailey says, laughing.
“Lee Pace, everyone,” Bomer says.
“Where would we film it?” Bailey asks.
“Mykonos?” Bomer suggests.
“Flaming Saddles, down the road,” Bailey counters with a chuckle, referring to a gay bar in midtown.
“Oil us up and let’s go!” Bomer says.
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woah hang on a second, pause one moment. we are all fairly agreed, right, that the pre-fall scene and the minisodes are all slightly off, that they don't quite ring true, and certainly indicate the work of an unreliable narrator... but why are we assuming that it's aziraphale?
the openings
opening title cards read like movie epics, compared to the neat little white placards in s1, and also all open with crowley as the first character in screen, with the exception of the resurrectionists - which has neither*.
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now god knows that my film knowledge is probably rather limited, but if nothing else, i definitely got space odyssey-type glee from the pre-fall scene opening, and maltese falcon definitely sprang to mind for 1941 (and godzilla, weirdly). this... seems like the little bit of pizaz that crowley would employ in telling his own flashbacks.
this, to me, is even more apparent when compared with the white placards in s1, which feel more like aziraphale - orderly, and neatly filed. now, arguably you could say it's god's narration, and that certainly may be true, but the kicker for me is that the majority of the hard times flashbacks, and the eden scene, begin with aziraphale on screen.
in fact, iirc i think only 1862 and 1967 open on crowley, but with 1862, aziraphale is walking towards him in the opening shot anyway, and 1967... well, it doesnt surprise me that we don't get a shot of aziraphale before crowley is in the donkey. these are pivotal scenes for the both of them, but in some respects more so for crowley. it makes sense that the perspective would shift slightly here.
hero role
but back to s2; we then have the fact that crowley is portrayed, arguably, as the hero in each of these minisodes. he does have a tendency, i think it's fair to say, to assume the role of the hero especially in response to aziraphale placing himself, thinking that it's what makes crowley happy, into the part of the damsel-in-distress. but it goes beyond this; it's his scheme that saves the children/job's plight, he prevents elspeth from suicide, and then, yeah, he overcomes the miracle blocker and manages in a feat of well-timed skill to miss shooting aziraphale in the face.
he then is also the one to teach aziraphale certain lessons, especially around the nuance of faith and morality, and whilst it makes sense for this to be told from aziraphale's perspective, it's equally viable from crowley's; that he is the mentor in these minisodes, helping aziraphale to develop his own sense of right and wrong - particularly in the job and resurrectionist minisodes.
the 1941 minisode is different, because it feels more personal; crowley starts trying to teach aziraphale conviction in himself. but it all goes awry when he withholds the truth about having shot a gun, and when he is unable to save himself in the dressing room. crowley has a tendency to monkey-paw himself, and this is never more evident that in this minisode. his hero narrative unravels, aziraphale saves the day, and crowley plays it off smoothly and suavely back at the bookshop, without a word of thanks (if anything, he doubles down on insulting aziraphale - a contrast to his attitude at the beginning of the minisode - and the very trick that saved his hide).
but why does all this suddenly read to me like crowley's perspective? tbh, i can't quite put my finger on it; it's not like crowley doesn't deserve a positive light in the story, because he absolutely does, and in many ways is an incredibly good influence on aziraphale, but these minisodes... feel like crowley is trying to prove something. to himself, aziraphale, the audience, all three - idk.
this is compounded for me, however, in the pre-fall scene. no doubt, aziraphale did in fact develop an instant crush on this genius and brilliant angel, and again this would ring true if this scene is in fact being told from aziraphale's perspective. but in a way, to me, i think it is more sensical from crowley's; he's a bright and likeable angel, building stars, has another angel fawning over his brilliance, and - the kicker - it's of course set up to suggest to the audience that he fell 'just for asking a few questions", when we're equally led to believe from s1 that this is, perhaps, not the whole truth.
dramatics
this is another where i can't quite put my finger on it exactly, but - the minisodes feel... different. there was a brilliant meta on the job minisode, that i will find and link back, where the op remarked on the stark costume difference between the relatively simple costuming for crowley in mesopotamia and golgotha, and even that for aziraphale, compared to the biblical glitz and glamour of uz.
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and if we look at the job minisode especially with his perspective in mind, he even takes stabs at gabriel (the lord farquaad haircut and arguably dumber-than-usual that i don't-quite-believe-he-was-this-dumb demeanour), that he doesn't seem to extend to michael - to the point that it feels like a vendetta against him... which tracks, given his less than favourable disposition towards gabriel/jim throughout s2.
in the resurrectionist episode, he doesn't have such an outlet or target, but some of his lines feel almost needlessly funny/over-exerted - "might have slightly overdone it on the hole" is one that springs to mind. im not even going to go into the specifics of the whole laudanum-induced state of ridiculousness, that ultimately feels way more amped-up than it maybe ought to have been, but in a way, it almost feels like crowley has started telling this bit of the story to a child. the immediately sober way in which he remarks on the "stunning view", contrasted to him growling down at elspeth and aziraphale, feels like this was a catch-moment of 'present-crowley' remembering on just how nice it actually was.
1941 again feels different, mainly because it doesn't quite follow the same narrative tone and pattern of the other minisodes, but his interactions with aziraphale in the car and bookshop, the fear at firing the rifle, and his not remembering furfur all feel that he's remembering this flashback a little more deeply - that not only is their fondness because of what the events of that night meant for him and aziraphale personally, but also it reminds him that his memory is still not wholly complete*.
memory-wipe theory*
this is relatively short and sweet, but... i think we can all agree that crowley has some issues with what he remembers of heaven and/or his fall. this feels so obvious when you - again, if we assume this perspective hypothesis is true - look at the way he portrays heaven; it feels very deliberate. god does not appear to be present in heaven, this is even somewhat confirmed within the god-job scene itself, but the Lighting Is Everything.
is this what crowley remembers of heaven of old, before he went up there on reconnaissance? did the change come as a surprise to him in 2023? the golden glow, the white and gold spangley robes? and muriel - why does aziraphale not seem to recognise muriel in 2023, if his memory is still intact and, by all accounts, accurate? does crowley actually remember muriel, and that's how he knew their rank? or did crowley just fill in the blanks, give muriel a starring role when retelling this flashback (given he was, obviously, not there)? is he telling it to muriel themself, in the context of s3? are these the clues that muriel is patching together, like the crow road?
the diary*
when we look at the following lines for the opening and closing of the resurrectionists minisode, and read it like it's aziraphale's retelling, the wording seems... odd. it implies that a month - a month - is a long time for aziraphale and crowley not to see each other.
"Dear diary,
Last month, Crowley and I both happened to be in Edinburgh. And he insisted I visit a local graveyard... at midnight. He had come upon something, he said, that 'might amuse me'..."
"...and that was the last I was to see of Crowley... for quite some time..."
of course, we can take this as aziraphale being dramatic, and goodness knows that he leans into his own brand of flair in s2... but is it completely in character? to assign a month as being a long time?
and does it really fit with the tone of the canon? because, we see at the end of 1827 that he gets sucked down into hell. and then in 1862, he's shaken and nervous and paranoid, and asking aziraphale for holy water. this seems too much like cause-and-effect. it could well be that crowley returns from hell after a month, meets aziraphale, shrugs it off etc., but then... keeps getting sucked back into hell? tortured? enough that he breaks in 1862, and asks for a weapon?
it reads to me more that, if this is from crowley's perspective, that he is essentially taking the piss out of aziraphale in the opening, painting a picture of him practically lying on his belly on his bed, legs kicking, writing his diary with a pink glittery gel pen. and aziraphale's lines at the end of 1827, about crowley getting into trouble, are delivered so... fondly, and adoringly. now, that's not to say it's impossible for aziraphale to have delivered it like that, couldn't have been seeing/feeling for crowley like that, and god knows aziraphale is mercurial, but... on reflection, i can't say that it doesn't seem like an exaggerated version of himself.
the self that (yes, theres a lot of context missing between 1827 and the below moment that would account for aziraphale 'regressing' in character, i realise that) reacted like this to getting shot, compared to crowley's reaction:
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so let's read those lines back again - is it possible that the opening lines are crowley speaking with aziraphale's voice, imitating and making a caricature of him, leaning emphasis on the spooky, dramatic words (similar to how aziraphale actually does when he's a 'newspaperman') and then the 'quite some time' trailing off is, in fact, quite some time?
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b-else-writes · 2 months
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The Great CLAMP Re-Read Part 8: Legend of Chunhyang
Part 1 (RG Veda) | Part 2 (Man of Many Faces) | Part 3 (Tokyo Babylon) | Part 4 (Duklyon) | Part 5 (Clamp Detectives)| Part 6 (Shirahime)| Part 7 (X)| Part 9 (Miyuki-chan)
The RG Veda historical epic that never was, or better off cancelled? While X is widely cited as CLAMP's first unfinished work, there is actually another 1992 stillborn CLAMP work, before we can finally move onto 1993 in the CLAMP timeline. To be a broken record, I had no idea this existed! It’s unsurprising: only 3 chapters were ever published (plus 1 drama CD), before the magazine folded and CLAMP decided to cancel the project (yeah yeah they said they’d love to finish it. They’re liars).
Unlike many of their other discontinued early works, this one actually got a tankoban release, and Tokyopop did the now out-of-print English translation in a single volume with no extra art. Plus, I was hesitant about approaching a work of Korean folklore written by 4 Japanese women, given the history, and my fears were not unfounded. So I’m content that I put off getting the physical release for my collection. Spoilers (?) ahead.
Synopsis: In Ancient Korea, a brave young maiden called Chunhyang, opposes the injustices of the corrupt governing Yangbans. When her mother, a magic-wielding mudang, is kidnapped by their town's Yangban, Chunhyang is aided by the lecherous Mongryong, the Amhaeng’eosa, a secret government agent. Together, the two set off on adventure that will take them across Korea to liberate towns and discover the truth of Chunhyang's father.
The Story: I wrote all of that out, but the reality is what actually exists of Legend of Chunhyang is two chapters and a flashback. It's very hard to judge a story that hasn't settled in or moved further than the set up for the adventure. What we got is entertaining enough - chapter 1 is the inciting incident where Chunhyang’s mother dies and she teams up with Mongryong, 2 has them liberate a mystical flower village with the help of a rain god and twin mudang, and 3 is a flashback that reveals Chunhyang’s dead father was important and killed for defying the Yangban. It’s very Robin Hood, and moves at a good pace despite being pretty standard YA fantasy. Speaking of, I don’t think CLAMP realises most Korean towns back then would have been agricultural. Why does Chunhyang live in a huge villa doing nothing all day? I want my peasant hero, not a disgruntled pseudo noble.
The skeleton for the entire story is pretty obvious (bring revolution to Korea) and I’d definitely be curious to see more of it. But I’m also not sad we got nothing more. It’s a pleasant afternoon distraction.
The Themes: Don’t be a bully and tyrannical governments are bad and must be resisted - as long as they’re Korean (side-eyes that Rising Sun flag in CLAMP Campus Detectives. Ah, Japanese nationalism). It’s 3 chapters, that’s all I can glean.
The Characters: Chunhyang fits heavily into the CLAMP stock heroine: young, spunky, strong, pure-hearted, and athletic, shojo ingenue. Still, while she’s nothing new, I enjoyed Chunhyang. CLAMP has the formula for the fun, palatable heroine we love to see win, and I’m hardly immune. Mongryong was more bland to me, falling hard into that 90s era shojo hero who gets comically beaten up by his love interest, but always suavely swoops in to save her. It’s nostalgic, he’s hot, but that’s it. Maybe with time they would have defined themselves like RG Veda’s cast did (also archetypes), but there’s just so little!
The crumbs of minor characters are equally stock - one dimensional cackling villains, and pure beyond belief good guys. Mongryong’s tiger spirit was my favourite because I love all cats. It’s really the charm of Chunhyang that carries us above - she’s a good balance of fierce and endearing.
The Art: Legend of Chunhyang is interesting in that chapter 1 was brush inked due to their experience on Shirahime, but the remaining art was done with marker pen. The result is chapter 1 feels a bit unpolished, with backgrounds being mostly chunky blobs and quick lines in a way I found distracting. 2 and 3 work much better, with thick swirls of soft magic and flowers, giving Chunhyang a slight distinction from their other early 90s work. The panel work is quite conservative unlike RG Veda, very rarely having dynamic spreads, but satisfactory and readable. Chapter 2 is a standout of circling dragons and flowers. Everyone is gorgeously dressed and pretty. It’s not the best of CLAMP, but it’s nice and elevates the material.
Questionable Elements: While certain CLAMP podcasts have praised CLAMP for essentially rewriting the folktale to make Chunhyang more active - why would you even choose to adapt that Korean folklore then, if your intention is to make a generic Robin Hood sword and fantasy series that has zero to do with the original culture? You could just set it in feudal Japan! It feels very distasteful to deliberately choose Korea as a setting of barbaric unending tyranny that needs correcting. Especially given Japan’s history in “modernising” Korea.
On top of that, there’s a clear lack of research done - a lot of the outfits and hair accessories are inaccurate. Chunhyang’s mother’s decision to kill herself than risk dishonour is also incredibly Japanese (and notably doesn’t exist in the original). I have to cry foul because if you’re going to actually set this in a real ancient Korea, you should do your research. I’m not saying CLAMP are anti-Korean but they show a disappointing lack of care and bias.
Also. How old is Mongryong if Chunhyang is 14. Answer quickly, CLAMP.
Overall: Listen, RG Veda 2.0 this is not. Rather than an imaginative, fantastical, sweeping epic, Legend of Chunhyang is built on very familiar tropes and stock characters with a dose of cultural insensitivity and bias. It doesn’t even have a proper narrative arc, existing more as a “what if” than an almost masterpiece. It’s alleviated by the sheer charm of Chunhyang herself, its brisk, entertaining pace, and the enjoyable art. But it’s no great literary tragedy that it was never finished, and I’d really only recommend it to diehard CLAMP fans who want a quick, pleasant escape on a fantasy adventure.
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r-0-x-4-s · 14 days
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epic: the musical ranking to my likings (to be updated every album release!)
God Games - i think i died the first time i heard Aphrodite, all the gods, its such a fun song, i love Athena
No Longer You - prophecy song and foreshadowing 🔝 just my vibe
Just a Man - the man, the legend, the myth, would feel like a crime not putting it in the top 3
My Goodbye - i can feel Athena's and Ody hearts break, i love singing along, "You're Just a Man" chorus... chills! i love Athena pt. 2
Scylla - i love evil women doing evil shit "Drown in your sorrows and fears!!!" 💃YAS QUEEN, Eurylochus' coming out+ "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES" yeah epic survival song
Suffering - i love evil women doing evil shit pt. 2, the love Ody has for Penelope>>>, such a funny song to sing along, "Penelope, why, You know I'm too shy 👉👈"
Done For - CIRCE!!! i love evil women doing evil shit pt. 3, i love circe
Wouldn't You Like - every God song is such a banger, hermes is a delight and i love his zany laughter
Ruthlessness - finally the Ocean Saga shows up! (no i totally didnt fear to write down this word *hides in dyslexic cave* i feel always proud if i can pronounce it right first try) this song is very much a slay
Remember Them - chills
Survive - yeah epic survival song pt. 2, aot vibes, i love how this one and polyphemus are attached, true epicness
Keep Your Friends Close - silly song i love with my whole heart, Aeolous is so cute!!
There Are Other Ways - CIRCE!! i love her!!
Little Wolf - why does Antino sound so good and suave, i always imagined him like a disgusting pig <3, i love Athena pt. 3
Thunder Bringer - Zeus has such a distant regal vibe, the "But we'll die/ I know" HEART BREAKING
Warrior of the Mind - a classic, maybe The Classic, i love Athena pt. 4
The Horse and the Infant -SUCH A GREAT OPENING OF THE ALBUM!! first look at zeus and so many greek "heroes" mentions!!
We'll Be Fine - Athena and Telemachus!! just this, she's not the Step-Aunt... she's the Aunt who stepped up!!! i love Athena pt. 5
Open Arms - Such a hawaiian shirt song fr fr
Puppeteer - it took me some time to warm up to it (cus of the rap, i don't listen to it usually) BUT ITS SO SILLY!!
Polyphemus - I really like the middle to end part, when Ody tries to talk his way out of the cave, and the end connecting to Survive its what we call a slay
Luck Runs Out - maybe i just dont really like the Ocean Saga lol, tho this song is very very cool, (remember seeing it in lmk video and thats what forced me to listen to the epic musical in full) before anyone comes for me THIS SONG IS GOOD BUT I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOVE IT MORE
Love in Paradise - CALYPSO IS SO GOOD!??? tho apart from her verses i don't really like anything else :(
The Underworld - everytime i get reminded Full Speed Ahead exists a part of my soul dies, tho right after "Bye, Mom" THE SONG BECOMES ONE OF MY FAVES
Monster - i think this is the song i quote the most irl, i think its low just cus its too fast for me to sing along 😭 and also its less iconic than The Underworld
Legendary - i like this a lot! such a good "I Want" Disney type song!
Mutiny - now im wondering if i should put this higher, but the problem is that (apart from the last 3 and the top 4) EVERY SONG IS INTERCHANGABLE, THEY ARE ALL GREAT IN THEIR WAY
Full Speed Ahead - the bane of my existência, i skip it 50% of the times, still has great moments like Polited and "Penelope is waiting for me"
Different Beast - the bane of my existência pt. 2, always a skip, unless im in the shower, then i would sing along while >:(
Storm - the bane of my existência pt. 3, ALWAYS A SKIP, IF IM IN THE SHOWER I GET OUT TO SKIP IT, IF STORM HAS NO HATERS IM DEAD
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ghostlyvoidshark · 15 days
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Could you do some rival Headcanons between epic and cross sans fighting over us? Like every second you cannot breath, each of them trying to one up each other to show who would treat you better. This idea has been floating in my head for a bit, so just wanted to finally request it. (Also, can we be gender neutral? And romantic, obviously) Thank you and have a good day/night! :)
Hello hun! Sorry this took me a little while - I've had to work more than normal recently. But THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!! I thi k this is my first from a non-moot so im so excited to be able to write this for you! I hope you have a lovely day / night as well :D sorry if this isnt that long, im trying to get some confidence in my writing lolol
Epic & Cross x Reader
Cross doesn't like fighting Epic since they are pretty close but this doesn't stop him from getting competitive.
Epic, on the other hand, loves play fighting and competing with Cross! He's not aggressive about it, he just does it for fun.
Cross is usually trying to prove himself worthy of your affection in some way while Epic just likes flirting and making you laugh.
Epic is surprisingly good at flirting but often settles for making you laugh because he loves it so much.
Sometimes Epic flirts with cross too just to fuck with him lmaoo - Cross is always baffled and a mess when it happens. Its pretty funny to watch tbh.
Most people assume youre a polycule. Epic doesnt help dispel that with his flirting. I mean a poly relationship could probably work.
You will never know alone time again if you don't set those boundaries. They're both Clingy!!
Given the chance, Cross will escort you everywhere - hes like your own personal bodygaurd. (You dont know how he knows your schedule so well or how he finds you so easily when going out.)
Epic also shows up a lot. Hes usually the one initiating lunch & dinner dates between y'all. Well, its not obvious theyre dates but they basically are, lmao.
They do try to one up each other but you'll next to never see them fight. You may catch them bickering about who did better, though. Epic likes instigating and Cross can be sassy.
They may have a fight about you once. Other than that they are chill because they're so close and Epic often gets Cross to communicate.
The fight would probably be mostly on Cross. He would get mad that he fell for someone his best friend likes. He would be upset that he "couldn't have someone himself" both because he feels guilty about Epic and for personal issues (he's lost a lot). Then he'd be mad that he thought that way and felt jealous. He wouldn't like how selfish he feels. Epic talks him through it, though. And talks some sense into him :]
Cross may be quiet most of the time but he is hanging around more often than not. He's just sort of ... supervising lol. Its comforting in an odd way. He likes the quality time too.
Sometimes Epic gets you alone, though. He gets you two to do relaxing things together like a picnic or video games.
He can be surprisingly tender and romantic but he will ruin it with a joke after surprising you or flustering you with the romance so cherish the moment while you can. Good luck, too. ;P
Cross is a mixed bag. One moment he's purposely suave and dashing then the next he cant get a sentence out . Its like he has moments of clarity then goes back to being a dork.
On a few occasions they will team up on you. I don't think they would really plan it unless it was your birthday or something special like that. When they do it it's usually just an accident and their moods synced to cause chaos.
When they team up they are menaces! Epic would be all gentle and romantic with flirty, witty remarks while Cross would be the type to guide you by the small of your back, leaning in to tell you things. And you know he'd be saying stuff like he's your personal knight! "I'll always be there for you." || "if you ever need anything just come to me, I'll take care of you." And shit like that.
Augh they would have you cornered but like in a good way. Cross always behind you, making sure you're safe while Epic leads you around by the hand. I hate them. I actually love them damn it.
Sometimes they get needy and steal you away for a while. The dorks.
Epic "kidnaps" you to cuddle up somewhere and read or watch a movie. He's very touchy (respectfully) so if you're okay with it he will be all over you. He especially loves it if you act as his weighted blanket and lay on him.
Cross gets grouchy and takes you somewhere on an "adventure". Most of the time it'll be somewhere without people. If the place has rough terrain he'll likely try to convince you to let him carry you lol. "You got it?" / "you tired?" / "want help?" Any reason to be close or touching you if you'll allow it.
If you're more of a low and mellow energy person he'll set up a special spot where he sets up stuff for one of your hobbies (if he can) somewhere hidden and will hang out with you.
Stars forbid you give only one of them a gift. They won't guilt you or be mean, but they will rub it in the others face subtly. If they're the one who didnt get something then Epic would jokingly act all clingy and pouty while Cross glares at him. Speaking of, Cross would stand closer than normal and Low-key pout if he didn't get something. Like a cat who wants something from you.
If you're the more affectionate, touchy type then you're going to likely always have one of them touching you if they're around. Epic practically hangs off of you while Cross just has a hand on you somehow. They have probably scent marked you, accidentally or not. They just clingy bois.
Also - not in a kinky way - but Cross has a high chance of biting you during prolonged physical contact lol. It's just a quirk of his. Its like cuteness aggression but in a loving way. You can think of it as kisses it a way.
He wouldn't mention it if you dont but it is a good way to fluster him >:3c
As for trying to be better than each other i think they would choose some things you like and try to be "the best" at it?? Like... lets say you collect shells. Suddenly they are finding great shells - in tact and pretty - and giving them to you. Same with trinkets. Or finding weird coffee mugs if you like those.
Epic also is that bitch who has a lot of money and just sugar daddies his friends LMAOO. You want that expensive thing? Dont worry bby hes got it kcjsbsbsb. If hes crushing on you it just gets worse and more ridiculous.
Cross is the one who has dedication to getting you things. So if something is about timing or searching hard for it he's the one to go to. He also just brings you random things like a bird..?? You dont even know where he gets half the stuff he shows up with. You may even just find stuff on a table in your house randomly.
Also, for no apparent reason, kareoke becomes a thing between y'all. You have no choice /j
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pinesource · 1 year
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We've seen the versatile and charming Chris Pine take on a litany of roles over his career that have stretched him both emotionally and physically. He has been the suave space pioneer Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek movie franchise, the sophisticated CIA special ops man in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, the charismatic and rakish swindler Frank in Don't Worry Darling, and most recently, the down-his-luck scoundrel in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. He has handled each of these characters with just the right amount of deft, nuance, and effusive energy. But the role that is without a doubt his most layered and measured is as Toby Hooper in the Taylor Sheridan-written neo-Western Hell or High Water.
While it might surprise some to learn that Pine has never even been nominated for an Academy Award, there is one singular part we think deserved not only a nomination but a straight-up Best Actor in a Motion Picture Oscar, all thanks to his elegantly rugged portrayal of Hooper. By now, he should have a little golden statuette on his mantle as we speak, and the fact that he wasn't even nominated needs to be re-examined as there are a handful of "Oscar moments" for Pine in the film.
Chris Pine has been called on to play all sorts of characters in his still very young career, but his role in the Taylor Sheridan neo-noir Western is by far his best. In Hell or High Water, Sheridan writes a part for him that really pulls out all the actor's talents as a modern-day Frank James to his brother Tanner’s wild-ass Jesse James. After a series of ham and egg bank robberies, the two main characters settle into place. Tanner is brash, irreverent, and seems okay with giving the whole world the middle finger. For Pine's Toby, it's not quite so easy. He has to be the brains and measured temperament of the outfit as they are on a mission to steal enough money to pay off the bank lien on their family ranch that sits amid the sprawling West Texas plains. Sheridan wastes little time giving Pine the emotional anchor of the misanthropic antiheroes and asks him to deliver a sympathetic felon who you somehow want to see succeed no matter how many laws he's broken or people he's harmed. It takes serious dramatic savvy to do that and be convincing to a smart audience.
As the Hooper brothers are on the run from the law played by the equally dyspeptic tandem of sheriffs named Marcus Hamilton and Alberto Parker (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham, respectively), they stop at a remote convenience store in the middle of nowhere. When two punks pull up next to Tanner waiting at the gas pump in a bright neon green muscle car and start to give Tanner shit, Toby comes out of the store and sees what he perceives to be a threat to his kin (the driver brandishes a gun), and doesn't hesitate for a second. It's Chris Pine's second "Oscar moment" in Hell or High Water as he single-handedly delivers an epic beating of the driver. By the time he makes his way to the passenger side of the car, he is met with a stunned and frightened kid who doesn't want any part of the ass whipping he just witnessed. The beautiful part of the scene is watching Toby proceed calmly and get into the car and the two share a laugh as they drive away from the scene arguing the merits of Dr. Pepper verus Mr. Pibb. Pine can deliver the brawny goods if he needs to and the size and physicality combined with a protective brother bear instincts make for a stark and utterly believable outward expression of the lengths he'll go to protect who and what he loves.
We've mentioned "Oscar moments" throughout this article and there is complete validity that in order to win the little golden man, you need to have at least one remarkable and memorable moment that gives us goosebumps, warm fuzzies, sadness, fear, or any other manner of emotions. But aside from these isolated turns, there is an overall tone and mood that the character must create that permeates and sets the tone for the entire film. In Hell or High Water, Chris Pine has an unmatched reserved urgency about him that both slows down and speeds up the measured pace of the movie. There are a handful of tender moments between father and son, and the two brothers as well. He doesn't have a lot of dialogue, and that's the way we like our leading men in Westerns. In fact, Pine spends most of the film with his chin planted firmly in his upper chest peering up at his counterparts. At the same time, there is a restlessness about him that is difficult to pinpoint, but impossible not to feel — all the way to the front of your cinematic cerebral cortex in a weighty performance that is criminally unrecognized.
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westleywithatea · 1 month
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Character Analysis of Quackity and ElQuackity
I wanted to post this some point in the QSMP Quackity vs ElQuackity in-roleplay drama (after Purgatory 2 event). I think life got to me. and the emotions from the QSMP ending.
Well, I wanted to write up this thing. So I'm keeping everything as it was drafted in my notebook. Long post warning.
Because of how the content creator plays, act, and talks, it all bleeds into his roleplays. Which leads to everyone and us viewers bullying him. Bullying him and his characters. (Dying to a fly, getting lost in a circle, using the wrong mic on Day 1 and not noticing after an hour...) It can't be helped.
Here's the problem. Our bullying prevents us from taking him seriously. Prevents us from taking the time to tell the differences between Quackity from Opening Day and ElQ. We are mixing them up. Other characters in RP are also mixing them up. We shouldn't. We should be paying attentions to the details. So we could've noticed the cries sooner.
The Q we know and follow the most is a loser, yes. But he's a victim to a tragedy. His entire story thus far is a tragedy. He struggled parenting alone, lost his child, took out his anger and grief onto others, demanded life and power from Cucurucho multiple times, only to get kidnapped, tortured, and imprisoned many times. And did we cried for him?
Nah, we all just laughed at him. Sure, we cried with him over child death. But his absence is overlooked so quickly because ElQ's appearance. A sudden arrival to replace what was lost. Sure, some people did suspected him as someone different. Not our Q. Maybe our Q. Who's to tell? We can't judge tho.
Because both have similar personalities.
This strange ElQuackity is the main character of an epic. A villainous epic, perhaps. But an epic. He thinks himself as both a villain and a hero. He's doing everything he can to get his happy ending. He's suave, cold, calculating, manipulative, dangerous, a menace to society, and evil. He has a lot more power than we realize. He probably has game mode on. He has access to the other servers and spoilers while loser Q does not. He was a Federation Employee, now Purgatory employee. Both very sus and evil roles.
We should be afraid of him! The unsuspecting villain warns us all many times, to deaf ears. there is a reason why we should be more wary of high-ranking Federation employees. Fine, it's their fault for not listening.
{ As a quick side note: I'm aware of the non-canon/ not-lore moments when Q acts more like his CC! self than his RP/ In-character self. Like those days when he introduces a new content creator to the server. When he told Acau the time he died to a fly. That death was him in his ElQ role during Purg event. Obviously, he can't tell the new guy on his first day that he plays 2 characters. }
Every other character are indeed wary, but they're confident that they can defeat him. After all, Quackity is a silly sad guy. Right?
And the lore keeps expanding for each character. More recently for Quackity, he made complaints that everyone talks to him as if he was always around.
"We can't trust you after last month."
"But I wasn't here last month. I wasn't even awake..."
He can't explain the memory gaps.
I think ElQ takes advantage of his resemblance to the sad loser version of himself. You can get a lot more done in secret that way. Remember that he stole Q's train ticket and replaced him, impersonated him for Purgatory. Nobody seemed to noticed anything different.
When you share the same name and face, who would think twice?
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4rainynite · 1 year
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EAH Dorm Rooms Headcanon pt 9
Daring & Hopper
Two princes for the price of one.
Daring and Hopper are Royal princes but are the exact opposite of each other. Daring is charming (pun not intended) and a ladies man , while Hopper is clumsy and has girl troubles.
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Despite this the two are amazing roommates and friends. Hopper looks up to Daring and not because he's a Charming. Daring thinks Hopper's cool and probably helps him with his girl problems.
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Daring's side: Daring is the son Of King Charming of THE CHARMING family! Besides being the son of the main Charming family it was believed he was to be the future prince of the future Snow White. But, there was foreshadowing in the books and shows that pointed out that he was really the Beast in 'Beauty and the Beast'.
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In 'Thronecoming' was our first glimpse of Daring's room. He has a canopy bed, many portraits of himself (even on his pillow, gag.), mirror, and a mini sword collection.
As you can see on the pile of hair spray Daring has his own brand of hairspray or it's his own personal hairspray (either way that's enough hairspray to burn another hole in the ozone layer). In the books Daring has his own webseries called 'Daring's Day', cologne called 'Be Daring' and has a doughnut named after him called 'Daring Doughy Delight that has three different kinds of icing and five different fillings (Great, now I want a doughnut!).
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In 'Epic Winter' we see more of Daring's side of the dorm than before.
The divider thing is missing, but this most likely an animation error due to getting the special out on time. The divider would have photos of Daring with a few pics of his siblings and mirrors, like on the wall besides Daring.
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We get a better view of the canopy bed and see how detailed it is kinda looks like a Tudor style bed. I can't believe I didn't notice this, but on the floor you can see the Charming family crest and in the above image (under the hair spray cans).
Daring uses the tree limbs as a trophy case (I wish we saw more students use the tree in their rooms) and he has a nightstand where he keeps his books.
Daring is on most of the sports teams in school so of course he would have sports equipment like his sword collection on the other side of the wall.
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In the background we can see he has a tiny vanity where he gets fairest at.
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We should all know by now that Daring is a narcissist (If he wasn't the future Beat he would've taken Narcissus's place) and his room is littered with mirrors.
We don't see the other side of the dorm, but it's most likely the desk he does homework at and has more swords and mirrors decorating the wall. We don't know if Daring has a closet or a wardrobe, but I'll go with closet.
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In 'Class of Classics' Daring's bed is different from the show due to different writers/artist. I prefer the canopy bed over the crown headboard one.
Hopper's side: There are two sides to the future frog prince. One side a klutzy human the other a suave frog.
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Hopper is a huge romantic at heart and just wants a girl who'll love him warts and all. Despite his shortcomings he is very poetic (in frog form) and helpful to his friends.
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This is the only time we see Hopper's side of the room. Which has no decorations or furniture whatsoever, which is a shame since it would've given us some insight of him. The wallpaper has lily pad designs on it so it may be a mishmash of a swamp and castle design to it. If the divider thing was there, it would have photos of him and his friends and a vanity mirror that is similar to Daring.
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Along with Cupid and Briar Hopper is a part of the pink crew and he mainly wears pink he probably has pink. red, and green furniture and items in his room.
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Hopper is part of the tech club at school so he would most likely have cameras and tech equipment in his room.
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Since Hopper is a frog 50% of the time, he probably has items in his room like a humidifier, those terrariums that are at pet stores, and objects that can help him move around the room.
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I can see Hopper having a waterbed that is also a round bed to resemble a lily pad.
Drake, Hopper's pet dragonfly, most likely stays in dorm due to how small he is. Drake probably sleeps on Hopper's desk in a terrarium.
Being how poetic he is Hopper has a huge collection of romance novels, poetry books, and how-to-flirt books in his dorm.
Images from: @everafterhighcaps, ROYALREBELWIKI, EAHWIKI @forever-fairest-eah
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crunchie-morris · 1 year
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At long last, in honor of it closing, here are my notes from Newsies UK from the June 10th matinee 😌
(I wrote these totally for myself so pardon the gushing lol but I decided to share because I’ve seen a lot of people post their notes and to reminisce!)
Under the cut because it’s loooong!
- Michael’s Jack was much more humble than I’ve ever seen Jack played. I really saw a 17 year-old kid who was just thrust into this leadership position, who was scared but excited and not sure how to approach it, especially during that moment when they lift him up during TWWK and he looked around like, “all this for me?”
- THE SANTA FE POSTCARRRRRD HOW JACK AND CRUTCHIE HAD IT AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN JACK PULLED IT BACK OUT DURINF SANTA FE
- Speaking of Santa Fe - the lighting started off with a cold, white-gray wash and shifted until there was a big yellow moon projected on the back wall - LOVED IT
- Back to the beginning - the sudden open with the blackout that snapped into the sound of a gate opening and the newsies were SURROUNDING THE STAGE
- All the chitter-chatter during the overture was so fun
- Also!! The reorchestrations??? AMAZING!! I noticed entirely different orchestrations for the overture, Seize The Day dance break, and KONY dance break, but also added drums in Watch What Happens (EPIC), strings in LFTR (heartbreaking), and something I can’t pinpoint added in OAFA (epic again)
- Crutchie’s a fellow Catholic 😌 he had a little rosary that he wore all the time, he prayed with it when the nuns came out. He wasn’t wearing it in The Refuge but he pulled it out at the very end (like scene transition) to pray again
- A NEWSIE ZIP-LINED OVER ME
- A NEWSIE SWUNG ON A LAMP OVER ME
- Crutchie had more solos in Act One, thank God
- Davey was such a NERD, his line delivery was hilarious
- Crutchie and Les’ friendship is something that can be so special, like when Crutchie was riding on the wagon during TWWK and Les was pulling it, and Crutchie poked Les with his crutch like he was a horse pulling a carriage, and then later after TWWKR, when Les started to follow Crutchie out before Davey called for him, and Crutchie gave Davey a look like, “what gives?!”
- Katherine and Jack had sO much more chemistry than I’ve ever seen. Right from the scene in the theatre booth, I could see her warming up to him, and then during the interview scene, they were literally just two kids flirting. The way Jack was awkwardly like, “can’t you see it in my eyes?” trying so hard (and failing) to be suave, and then him sing-songing, “I’d rather tell you what I’m hoping for toniiiight?” was just hilarious, and Katherine was just smitten for all of it already. Plus, after they got together in STBI, they were so close to each other all the time, constantly hugging and teasing. It was so adorable 🥺
- I want Bronté Barbé’s voice
- This Katherine had the newsies’ best interest from the beginning, she didn’t start out just chasing a story. It makes me think that she interacted with them a lot before the strike, even if she didn’t know them by name
- Spot calling Jack an asshole after he betrays the newsies was iconic
- Actually Spot in general was iconic. Rather than playing her very stoic and tough, she was a leader who ate up the spotlight and loved the power she had over people. She even made Bunsen/Seitz (idk which one they kept, they removed one) cower, and she loved it. She was also very loud and boisterous, something I’ve never seen in Spot before
- H A N N A H omg Bobbie Chambers was The Hannah Of All Time. Her line deliveries were hilarious, like her mocking Pulitzer with “he got elected!” and crying on the phone at the end when she was like, “Mr. Pulitzer can’t come to the phone right now 😭”
- When one of the newsies literally jumped on another one (idk who’s who and that’s so sad, they even did a role call) with excitement when Kath said they could make the front page, and then them immediately stepping away from each other like, “we’re cool, oh yeah”
- I really liked that they had Crutchie on a few boxes on the ground surrounded by other boys leaning against it for the Refuge. I feel like that communicates the tight, uncomfortable space he’s in much better than the typical move of having him on top of the tower
- Also loved the foreshadowing to the next scene with Crutchie coughing during LFTR, then falling on his way off-stage, then Jack says how he couldn’t make it to the window
- Also!! Another Refuge inmate helped Crutchie offstage after LFTR, which was necessary due to the fact that Crutchie’s crutch was left after he was arrested (😢), but the thing that got me was that the boy with him was reassuring him that it’d be okay, and continued doing so after he fell and he helped him up
- Another lovely bit of foreshadowing: how Katherine looks toward “The World” door on “no sir, we’ll stay young forever” (she was literally talking to her daaaaad)
- Jack was ALWAYS ready to pick a fight. Like the scene where he writes “strike” on the chalkboard is normally a funny, slapstick back-and-forth, but he straight-up kicked the chalkboard writer really hard, and the writer was reeling until he was done writing “strike”. This fight-instinct made it that much more impactful when the boys want to fight the scabs and he tells them not to.
- And then his speech to the scabs was just so touching. I’ve heard that speech a million times and it felt just like the first time. When he went up to one of the newsies in particular and was like, “there ain’t no crime to being poor” and he looked doubtful and he was kinda like, “hey, there ain’t” and looked him in the eye? Powerful stuff, man.
- I loved the choice not to have Jack sing during WWHR. Katherine and Davey were comforting him during the chorus, which was so sweet.
- Similarly, Jack got choked up when he saw the amount of newsies that came to help print The Children’s Crusade and I just :’)
- Not a part of the show but Bronté Barbé and one of the newsies both noticed (at different times) how amazed I was by the show. Bronté grinned and like scrunched her nose at me (it was during bows) and that’s just the magic of live theatre. Core memory right there
- Back to the show - Jack and Davey actually danced during Seize The Day? Iconic
- Medda and the Bowery Beauties were way more of a burlesque show than a vaudeville
- Overall, reactions were more grounded and less “Disney” than every other production I’ve seen, but they still managed to be big and theatrical. It was the perfect balance of realism and showmanship.
- The Delanceys weren’t as loud and boisterous, which honestly made them scarier
- Jack really said “but I’m pretty scared of you” and booped Katherine on the nose - precious
- Also Katherine sticking her tongue out after being like “imagine my father blissfully snoring while we take him down with his own printing press!”
- The way Davey was super excited when he found out that Jack did the painting and then looking at Jack and immediately getting all flustered and being like, “you’re really good?” Happy pride month everyone
- JACK AND CRUTCHIE’S SECRET HANDSHAKE JACK AND CRUTCHIE’S SECRET HANDSHAKE
- WHEN ONE OF THE NEWSIES MAKES ENOUGH MONEY TO GET AN APPLE, HE’S ALL EXCITED AND HE BUYS ONE, AND THEN HE SEES ANOTHER NEWSIE LOOKING SAD AND HUNGRY AND HE GIVES IT TO HIM??? 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
- The newsies watching Medda’s show “she’s talking to me!” “No, she’s talking to me!!”
- ONE OF THE NEWSIES LYING FACE-DOWN ON THE FLOOR WHEN JACK ASKED WHO WANTS BROOKLYN
- Katherine’s spoon crown 😌
- They managed to still show the trauma Crutchie went through during the Snyder sendoff scene without changing a word! He does the whole “guess who’s back! And I brought along a little treat from the Refuge!” (Wearing the police cap) but then when he turns face-to-face with Snyder, his smile drops and he composes himself. But then he handcuffs him and kicks him off as usual 😌 but again, another example of the balance of realism and theatricality!
- It really seemed in this version, just by the line delivery and reactions, that Jack made up his mind about staying in NY long before Katherine says “you’ve got one more ace up your sleeve” and I love that
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