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teawithaphd · 2 years

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Sorting Feelings Out

FFXIV

(unnamed) WOL x Crystal Exarch

f/m

“What… should I do, then?” She bits her lip in frustration, regretting her own foolishness. “Lay bare thine feelings, allow not for thy fear to hold thy tongue, ‘ere you—“ “Have you finally told our Warrior to stop acting like a timid schoolgirl, Urianger?”

This is a sequel to my other fic, Kuporella! And then the WOL here is based off of my Miqo’te Keeper of the Moon WOL, but is currently unnamed (for now :3)

Hope y’all enjoy the shenanigans of the Scions teasing her about her growing crush on the Exarch!! >:3

AO3

The sun shines brilliantly, bringing out the bright, pink color of the flowers adorning all of Il Mheg. The Warrior of Darkness appreciates the blue skies replacing the eerily bright white ones it wore before, feet crunching on the dirt road as she makes her way to the humble cottage in the distance.

The wooden doors creak as she pushes them open. Stepping into the study, she notices the once neat and proper room littered with tomes scattered everywhere—on the floor, the tables, some of them having tipped over from being in too empty of spaces on the bookshelf. She thanks the Twelve she’s not a bookworm.

“Ah, Warrior.”

The tall elezen steps down from the staircase leading to the loft, face obstructed by the tower of books in his lanky arms. She’s surprised he makes it down without tripping over himself, as humorous as that would be.

“Pray, pay no mind to the disarray of mine quarters. I gather the Exarch hath told thee of our predicament?”

A book teetering at the edge of a table catches her eye. “No, he hasn’t told me, but I’m guessing it has to do with whatever is going on in here.”

Urianger places the pile of books on the table beside her, turning his attention back to the Warrior.

“Thou art correct. As I hath been focusing mine efforts upon aiding the Exarch with research to bring our comrades back to the Source, it came to be, I realize, ill wise to pursue with this study’s current…” he gestures around them. “…organization. Prithee, I would request thine assistance in quelling this chaos.” She takes another observation of the room, the books feeling as if they’ll grow in number if she looks any longer. She pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs.

Why am I always stuck with cleaning duties…

“Alright, where should I start?”

“That yonder bookshelf should suffice.” He points to one a few yalms away from them. Fortunately, it’s not nearly as messy as some of the other places he could have chosen, but it will take some work to get through, nonetheless. She gives him a curt nod. “Will do.” She walks over to the bookshelf and begins cleaning though it, organizing the heavier-than-expected books into alphabetical order.

Some were basic textbooks on aetherical research, others were more archaic-looking tomes, the covers with text she was entirely unfamiliar with and nearly falling apart were it not for the worn leather binding it. She sighs, though not because of the heavy load of them she has to go through…

Her mind finds itself wandering back to that strange dream she had when she got knocked unconscious the other day. She couldn’t stop thinking about the joy she felt when dancing with the Exarch, or the way he looked at her that night; from bearing a teasing glimmer at the buffet table when he poked fun at her, to when those red, slitted eyes intensely bore into hers as he begged for her hand in marriage. She remembers running from him, desperate to hide herself before the clock struck twelve so he wouldn’t see her in such a pathetic state; then stopping herself at the Dossal Gate’s doors.

Why the hells am I doing this? Who cares if he sees me in rags, that wouldn’t make a difference to the G’raha Tia I know.

—and never making it back to him.

Sure, it was all a dream, but these newfound fluttering feelings in her chest wouldn’t subside, even as she brushed them off and ate together with the Exarch when she woke. He’s back to his normal self, viewing her the same as always—a hero and friend he looks up to, not anything more than that. But for a reason she couldn’t understand…that bothered her.

“Pray, what ails thee, friend?”

Urianger’s voice snaps her out of her trance. She turns to him with ears perked up, noticing that he’s abandoned the pile of tomes on his desk and has made his way to her spot across the room, raising his eyebrows in concern. She hesitates before answering.

“It’s nothing.”

“Art thou certain?”

She pauses, crossing her arms in front of her.

“Yeah, I’m….fine.”

“Thine act doth be nary so convincing, Warrior of Darkness. If thou wouldst allow me venture to guess, the source of thine dismay lies with the Exarch, does it not?”

She gasps, her own response leading her to bring a hand to her forehead and groan.

“E’er thy recovery from thine injuries, thou hast not been found lingering long in his presence.”

“I have not been avoiding him!”

She suddenly remembers coming into the Ocular earlier that morning to receive the Exarch’s request for her to help Urianger, only to sprint out before he could explain further.

“Hm… Well, be that as it may…”

He reaches for the bookshelf behind her, searching its contents before pulling out a smaller book within the mess. He hands it to her, watching as she brings it up to her face to read the cover.

“‘The Art of Courting, a guide for those who doth desire the hand of another’— Urianger, the hells is this garbage?” She shoves the book back into his hands before crossing her arms in an irritated fashion.

“Many times, I hath read that grimoire in regard to Moenbryda. Pray, may it’s bountiful volumes aid thee as well.”

“I don’t need guidance on courting! The hells do you think I am?! Besides, I don’t—see him that way…”

“Ah..” he lifts his head up to the ceiling. “ ‘ere my yonder years with the Scions, I too denied mine own feelings, much as thou hast done so vehemently. Alas, after much research, the truth hast revealed itself to me, and I hath finally accepted thus, and so do I curse mine naïveté that I hath not acted whilst I yet remained privy…”

She hears the tinge of sadness trailing at the end of his voice, spurring a memory of his state right after the Scions gave him the news of Moenbryda’s fate. She’ll never forget the way his expression warped into that of despair, not understanding his grief at the time until much, much later—when she came to feel it herself.

Urianger looks down again, turning his attention back to the present and the Keeper in front of him.

“Pray, do not allow thy pride to steal from thee such a blessed opportunity, should it escape thee for thine own—”

She blurts a question that popped in her mind.

“What… should I do, then?” She bits her lip in frustration, regretting her own foolishness.

“Lay bare thine feelings, allow not for thy fear to hold thy tongue, ‘ere you—“

“Have you finally told our Warrior to stop acting like a timid schoolgirl, Urianger?”

The gunbreaker descends from the stairs, smirking at the two.

“Thancred, I didn’t know you—wait, how much did you hear?”

“All of it, of course.” He puts his hand to his chest, staring out in a mock reminiscent expression. “Ah, love, how it undoes us so…”

She scoffs, nails digging into her arms as she grips herself tighter. She turns her head away from the two as a vain attempt to hide the creeping blush on her face.

“This isn’t…love...”

“Really now, who’s the one who’s been gawking at the man like a fresh cooked ham every time he’s in our presence?”

“I do not—“ he interrupts her by continuing.

“—Or how about when we reached Amaurot to rescue him from the Ascian, and you searched that gods forsaken city for bells longer than any of us? Never in the time I’ve known you have I seen you so determined, and you’ve ended wars and freed two bloody nations…Now, what was it that you yelled at the Ascian when we finally found him, again? ‘Oh pray give me back my Exarch, you horrid, shite-guzzling, son of a—‘“

“You say another bloody word and I’m slapping that shite-eating grin right off your bloody face.”

He laughs in response to her empty threat, his smirk growing even wider when he notes how red her face has gotten.

“Come now, Warrior of Darkness, there’s no need for the hostility. I’m only dutifully relaying the information I’ve gathered…”

“And pray, what matter of information should that be, that you are all quite fervently discussing?”

The small elezen strides into the room through the front doors, his eyes wide in innocent curiosity.

“Ah good, Alphinaud will definitely like to take some part in this…”

“Don’t you dare—“

Thancred wraps a teasing arm around the smallest of the four of them.

“My good friend, Alphinaud…pray, help our dear Warrior find love by sharing with us the tales of some of your many romantic exploits back at the Studium, would you?”

“My w-what?”

“Thou must have acquired the most experience of us all. Prithee, aid us in our attempt to help our dear friend in her ventures with the Crystal Exarch.”

“Wait, the Exarch!? Whatever do you mean?!”

“Surely you must have noticed the Warrior’s change in demeanor by now, ever since the Exarch revealed his true identity and we brought him back to us, I mean.”

“What? I-I have noticed naught but their close companionship! If anything…they seem… closer mayhap?”

“That-a boy.” Thancred gives him a hard pat on his back before freeing the now-tomato-red-and-fuming elezen from his grip.

“Any road, as much as I would love to sit here and discuss our Warrior’s love troubles further…”

He takes a moment to stretch out his arms before continuing.

“Ryne hasn’t come back in several bells, so I’ll be getting to checking up on her.”

He gives a short wave to the three of them before heading out the study. As he reaches the doors, he pauses.

“Oh, and one more thing—my advice would be to at least take the boy to dinner first before taking him to bed.”

“Thancred!”

He doesn’t look back at the scene of Alphinaud, now even deeper red and bumbling like a fool, and the Warrior, having to be held back by Urianger as she yells various colorful threats and profanities at him. He quietly chuckles at the ruckus before continuing on his way out.

<----Previous Next ---->

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ezdotjpg · 3 years

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Hiiiiiiii I was wondering about the links power levels? Like how do they rank compared to each other? Also the weapons! What weapons do they have? 👀👀👀👀

man this was hard. Let it be known all of them are powerful even towards the bottom of the list. Also, for all of these assume that they have the full arsenal of permanent tools and items they get in each game. I'll be focusing on what their main/most used weapon is. Forgive me for errors or opportunities ive missed i haven't gotten a chance to play all these games

1. Mask. This is considering him WITH Fierce Deity. At this point he's lost an eye to FD and is more cautious about using it, but like. still not as cautious as he should be probably. He's willing to gamble more uses, and can and will use it when he doesn't necessarily have to. it's not a one to one thing where one use=1 new mark on his face. It builds up. Anyway without FD he'd probably be lower on the list. Then again maybe not considering the time shenanigans he can get up to with the Ocarina. I like to HC turning back time takes a massive amount of power now that his task is finished and he no longer has Hylia's targeted favor so he does it sparingly or else nothing has consequences ever. He probably has the gilded sword bc even tho the biggoron sword or great fairy sword would be stronger they're unwieldy and he's small

2. Loft, though he rarely operates like it. With a sword he is nigh unstoppable, but he refuses to wield another sword besides Fi. Assuming he doesn't have Ghirahim now (which. i am still considering) he gets the Master Sword back from Slate, who rarely uses it. Besides that he mainly uses the sacred bow. He has impeccable aim 95% of the time but he also has nerve damage in his hands that can make aiming and drawing difficult at times. I like to hc him having Demise' lighting powers now for no reason other than I think it's cool, but he uses them sparingly. He's the strongest link before magical enhancements like power bracelets and stuff. Stamina is his big weakness but I'm putting him here anyway. Look, he's the Godslayer. The sheer force of his rage puts him here.

3. Mage. Maybe the true strongest when you consider Mask and Loft's caveats. He's got a fuckton of magic, and certainly spells and items even outside what he has in the games that I will have to make up probably lol. He mainly uses the fire and ice rods and his hookshot. When he uses a sword, which is rare, it's the tempered master sword from alttp bc I like it, and yes it has an intense sword beam and a flurry of sparkles at full power lol. Tied with Mirror for fastest Link bc they both have the Pegasus boots

4. Slate, especially when he's on his home turf just bc of how supernaturally attuned he is to his environment. I think he keeps the Champion's abilities but I may change that idk. He just has an inventory stacked with royal guard claymores and ancient bows and all the most high powered weapons. Could maybe dock him for how often his weapons break. Ancient arrows are crazy but he's careful with them in a group setting as to not vaporize anyone in friendly fire. Fully utilizes the Slate Runes in combat too. Also he's just bonkers and will do wild shit in battle no pun intended.

5. War maybe? Just off of sheer combat prowess? Thought about putting him 4 bc he can practically be a one man army on a good day but then I remembered ancient arrows. He has the Master Sword and the Golden Gloves. I like the idea of him favoring the gloves just bc it's different. Idk ive never played Hyrule Warriors

6. Wake. I think I drew him with a random sword in the original designs but he probably has the Phantom sword? He was originally 7 but I think that ability to momentarily stop time in a big advantage. Also all the stuff the windwaker can do. He's also just generally got a lot of tricks up his sleeve from years of pirating lol. his aim with a bow sucks bc depth perception with one eye is hard.

7. Wolf. Runner up for strongest link before magical enhancements. I think honestly he just has a regular sword instead of the Master Sword, though he still does serious damage with it. I see him also favoring the ball and chain, but he's good with a bow too especially with the hawkeye mask. In wolf from he's faster and more vicious but also I think in some ways a little more vulnerable. Idk I also just don't think his heart is in fighting anymore.

8. Mirror. He has a Lot of items in his arsenal and uses them all pretty consistently. Ravio's bracelet still works which can be very helpful. He has the Master Sword probably but I really like the idea of him favoring the magic hammer lol. Learned it from Ravio.

9. Mini. Listen, I didn't actually know Link had the four sword in the Minish Cap and could split into copies of himself. Now I need to reconsider things. Is the Link in Four Swords Adventures the same as in Minish Cap? I was considering them separate. God. Anyway I guess he has the four sword and if he can split into 4 of himself that's certainly an advantage. But honestly I think despite being a very skilled fighter, he just doesn't like doing it. He just wants to vibe.

10. Spirit. I'll be real he's last bc I know the least about him or Spirit Tracks. He has the Lokomo Sword. Also strikes me as a link who fought out of necessity and is not keen on doing it when he doesn't have to. his ability to see and communicate with spirits is powerful and maybe? a bit different than how it is in the game idk. I also HC he can see traces of Demise' curse linking (ha) them all

#long post #sorry i always ramble #bonus links #bonuslinks #all links #ask #headcanons #might change my mind on some of these later #fell free to argue with me about my choices lol #respectfully

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caffeineivore · 5 years

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R/J for BAMF

Because @apsaraqueen is responsible for like 90% of the R/J I write anyway so, you know?

Spiritverse, R/J, possibly rated PG13

FINALLY leaving for home now, how about you?

I suppose you wouldn’t want any company on the trip back? You HAVE been burning the midnight oil, hmm?

Oh, very literally, yes. But I’ll see you at the bridge in a bit!

The texts had started earlier that day, when she had first arrived at her Grandfather’s. Jareth had been in Manhattan, finalizing the project that he’d been working on, moving a Stone-Hewn from atop a crumbling church slated for demolition. He’d asked for her help-- her lineage was an old and established one in the city-- and it had been in her grandfather’s name that a new and quite-elegant-looking statue of a knight on a rearing steed had been donated to Central Park and installed in a shady corner. The Iele, Linden Thorne, had thanked him profusely, then kept vigil after he’d left, awaiting the moment her knight would awaken in his new home. Undoubtedly, she was just as eager to see her beloved as he was to see his.

That thought put a grin that he was quite certain was both obvious and wry on his face.

Ember walks briskly but gracefully, dark coat and dark skirts and dark hair, but today, perhaps in honour of the Imbolc celebration, there is a silk scarf tied at a jaunty angle on her neck, cardinal-red with a milk-white fringe. She looks up and smiles when she catches sight of him, and reaches out a slim hand, which he uses to pull her close.

The wind swirls her midnight hair around the both of them, and he pulls away after a too-brief moment of breathing in the scent of snowfall and scrying smoke and sandalwood. “You smell good.”

She raises an eyebrow at that, but then laughs softly even as her fingers twine with his. “I’ve spent the vast majority of this evening making candles for Imbolc. Lots of essential oils and herbs involved in the process, you know?”

She tells him of the traditional rites-- the weaving of crosses from the rushes, the making and lighting of spell candles, the feast to honour the goddess Brighid and entreat the gods for a mild spring. The bridge is not crowded at this late hour, and so they take their time crossing it, all the bright lights of Manhattan glistening in the background against an inky sky.

“I love crossing the bridge at this hour, when it’s not full of people rushing from one place to another,” Ember pauses and glances back at the city skyline. “It’s sometimes a bit trying to be around a bunch of people who are all in a hurry and have a great deal on their minds.”

Jareth can imagine that well enough; anyone with even a touch of the empath or the clairvoyant would likely find crowds tiresome, and his wise woman has more than her share of those gifts. But neither would she expect pity-- Ember was nothing if not conscientious, and certainly ascribed to the notion that with great power came great responsibility. But he would see her smile again, if he could arrange it. “I will admit, one of my first times crossing the bridge was at the hour of quarter-of-four in the morning, alongside my kin. It was utterly deserted. And I may have climbed to the very top, ‘for the hell of it’, as they say.” At the look she shoots him, he grins. “’Tis not so different from climbing a tree. If anything, because of the building materials and the cables, it’s actually sturdier.”

Much to his gratification, this declaration does elicit a faint giggle out of her. “And what did your friends have to say about that, if I may be so bold as to ask?” She’d met Aeson and Aelene perhaps two weeks ago, when they’d planned out the moving of the Stone-Hewn over dinner and drinks, and though he’d endured a bit of gentle teasing from both of them, Jareth was quite certain that his friends had liked her well enough.

He affects a preternaturally solemn expression. “Well, certainly, Aelene scolded me for sporting around excessively. And I’m quite sure I would have taken her more seriously if it weren’t for the fact that she herself has been known to cross town by rooftops rather than streets if the traffic is extra heavy. To be fair, we’ve all been guilty. Especially during rush-hour.”

The giggle becomes a full-on laugh. “Show-off.” She swats him lightly on the arm, but for all that, he’s pleased to see the merriment twinkling in her violet eyes. “I can’t judge, though. Grandfather amused himself last week by putting a faint levitation charm on his neighbour’s welcome mat. Not enough of one to cause any true alarm, but just enough to give the fellow the sensation of taking a step up for a few seconds even when he remained on level ground. That man’s got two months before April Fool’s Day and I don’t even want to contemplate what types of shenanigans he may get up to then.”

It’s a few minutes to midnight by the time they reach Jane’s Carousel on the other side of the bridge, and with a delightfully mischievous smile, Ember gives his hand a tug towards the unlit structure. “Come on!” A snap of her fingers and it comes to life, lights winking on and horses spinning slowly in a circle. She doesn’t spell on the music, though, likely in consideration of anyone who might be sleeping in hearing range.

Her skirts are slightly too long to suit sitting astride on even a carousel horse, but Ember perches gracefully enough on the back of a dappled grey like a Regency-era lady on side-saddle. Half-enchanted, half-amused, he stands at her side as the carousel makes its circuit, one hand steady at the small of her back. She has one hand wrapped around the pole attached to the horse, but with an airy wave of the other, the air fills with rainbowy soap bubbles and glittery red firework sparks. Her eyes meet his as the carousel slows and gradually comes to a stop, and he thinks for a moment he can see a hint of the sweet, intrepid little girl she might have been, sometime in the distant past, before she’d understood the portent of her gifts.

“I have never actually ridden this carousel before,” she says as she steps off the colourful structure, its lights fading behind the two of them. “I was grown up by the time it was built, of course. But life’s hardly worth living if one can’t trade off several hours of duty for a few moments of frivolity once in a great while, hmm?” A wry smile crosses her lovely lips. “I daresay I haven’t, perhaps, engaged in as much merry-making as my grandfather is wont to do nowadays. But every so often...”

He can’t quite resist the temptation to kiss her mouth, curved as it is in a smile, but keeps it gentle and brief. She glances at him through a fringe of sooty eyelashes as they make their way down the street. “I think I remember this street-- your friend Angela brought me to your place after I met her.”

“So she did,” Jareth nods. “She invited the both of you up for wine and sympathy after the ordeal of that evening. I suppose I could repeat that invitation.”

She had not been there since that day Angela had brought her-- indeed, it had always seemed more appropriate to see her safely home after meeting with her than bringing her to his place. But when he unlocks the doors, she looks around with avid interest. His loft is rather less luxurious than hers, but airy and spacious, with vaulted ceilings and buffed wooden floors.

“It’s interesting how one can get a fairly true idea of another’s nature by visiting their home.” Ember accepts a glass of wine from him and takes a slow sip even as she makes herself comfortable. “Pale walls and plentiful greenery, windows that let in natural light. You display your bows and knives within easy reach, but elegantly so, not in a threatening way.” There is an intricately cast Medieval diptych in bronze on one wall-- love and war. On another is a Salish wall hanging. Over the mantel is a striking black-and-white photograph of the Manhattan skyline. “I can see where you’ve been, through the art you’ve collected. Perhaps even a bit of friends you might have made along the way.” Setting down her empty glass, she stands, pulling something out of her pocket, and beckons him to follow as she walks towards the mantel.

“It’s a Brighid’s cross and a candle for your hearth, such as it is,” Ember ties on the little rush-woven amulet to a nail. The candle is pale beeswax flecked with the mossy green of herbs, and when she lights it, the scent is redolent with something sweet and slightly herbacious. “Basil and blackberry for love and protection. Blessed be, Jareth Sylvane.” Reaching up, she lays her hands gently on his face, pulls him down for a kiss.

Ember the witch, with her tarot cards and her rune stones. Ember the warrior, running to Angela’s aid against an armed mugger, dashing across Central Park to find a child before she drowned. Ember the woman-- thoughtful, quietly strong-willed and surprisingly sweet at the oddest moments, multi-faceted and fascinating and so beautiful sometimes that his heart ached with it. “I have all the love and protection I need wherever and whenever I am with you,” he tells her softly as he draws back far enough to look into her eyes, blue to violet. Those words are not ones that his kind ever bandy about lightly, but somehow, saying them to her is as easy as breathing.

Her expression is soft as this late, quiet hour and solemn as his unspoken vow. The Ælf-kine lack a bit of humanity’s curiosity and evanescent interest in others, and to profess love for another is not only a statement of regard but of intent and eternal fidelity. She knows it, too, and stands back just far enough to take his hands in hers. Her fingers are warm and the crackle of power vibrates against his skin like static electricity, and though she whispers them, he hears every word of her promise in return in the incantation as the candle burns to its base in a flickering ball of golden light.

“By candleflame’s light I vow to thee-- Faithful as the tides of the moonlit sea, The shelter of my living heart is thine, May all thy joys and sorrows be as mine.”

She lets her breath escape with that last word on a soft exhale, then smiles tremulously up at him. “An’ as I will it, so mote it be.” The spell undoubtedly carries great power, but it doesn’t feel heavy or portentous at all, and simply fills the air with a comforting warmth. He can’t resist drawing her close again, but now when she presses her lips to his, there’s a frission of heat and sweetness stronger and far more profound. He’d certainly been aware of her beauty before-- the graceful balance of her features, the low harmony of her voice, but it’s a different, more primal awareness now, as though his very nerves and veins tingle with the way the scent of her skin warms the closer her holds her, the way her lips taste like cabernet sauvignon and chamomile tea. Her fingers trace a pattern-- probably a rune of protection, knowing his love’s careful heart, down his nape, then slide down to his back to brush against bare skin underneath the hem of his sweater. His breath catches even as he traces the shape of her jaw, the length of her neck with his lips. Her head tilts back on a moan, and those beautiful eyes, fiery-dark now as the edge of twilight, meet his.

“Jareth, please tell me you have a bed in here somewhere.”

He does, and he seldom makes use of it, but now he lifts her up in his arms, ascends the shallow steps which lead upstairs. Even with his fleet-footedness, the trek up is slow, as they stop every few steps to kiss, to touch warm skin with fingers that quiver with wonder. He lands on his back on the white sheets and tugs her down over him, neither of them quite so graceful now, and fills his hands with fragrant skeins of her raven hair even as her own fingers fiddle with the fastenings of his clothes.

It’s much later that he watches the sky lighten from black to indigo just as the sun is about to rise. Next to him, Ember sleeps soundly, dark hair spilled over white shoulders. Through the course of the night, she’d shifted to take over more than half the bed, and it’s certainly a different experience resting with another body lying half-sprawled over one’s own, warm and supple with breaths that tickled his skin.

And yet, those few half-wakeful, half-dreaming hours, feeling her heartbeat soft and steady against his own flesh, lulled by the scent of her hair and the faint sounds of her breathing, were the greatest rest he’d ever known.

#R/J #senshi/shitennou #apsaraqueen #fanfiction #fanfic #sailor moon

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rawrzimon · 6 years

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I'm sorry you're in a funk, love. *big hugs* Prompt for you! Athena, Leafy, and Kain go around Skyhold on a calm day and somehow, shenanigans ensue, preferably involving Cullen.

I blame you. Warning: I kind of got carried away listening to ABBA and this ended up silly.

They all were gathered in the War Room, save for the Commander.

The Spymaster paced on the opposite side of the table with her hands clasped behind her back, a wicked spark of mischief on her face. “Are you sure you are up for this? It could very well be the most difficult mission of your lives.”

Athena and Leafy looked to one another and nodded, crossing their arms over their chest in unison. The matron of the pair arched a brow and looked down to the war table. There weren’t any new markers on the board and they hadn’t shifted since the morning meeting. What could have changed? “Whenever you’re ready, Lady Leliana.”

“We have an important visitor coming in today, but it is important that we keep her from the Commander at all costs. At least not until the dinner at sunset that will be in tavern. She’s a surprise – and doesn’t want anyone spoiling it.” The former bard continued on, rearranging some of Cullen’s pieces in an obvious attempt to mess with him in the future. The Commander loved having his ducks in a row, and that especially included his pieces for the War Table, which had been used less and less since Corypheus’s defeat almost a year prior.

It was Leafy’s turn to talk. She put one hand on the table and leaned forward, expression suddenly turned into one of annoyance. “Who is this ‘important visitor’? If they’re so fancy, why are they getting a dinner at the tavern? Wouldn’t Ambassador Montilyet be putting something better together?”

Leliana, as if preparing for a dramatic reveal, turned towards the table and met the young elf’s eyes by slamming both of her hands on the table. Leafy didn’t flinch one bit. “Because the guest is the Commander’s sister - “

“Mia?!” Athena nearly screeched, eyes widening in happiness and shock.

“None other. She wants to surprise him for his name day – since he never takes a moment to breathe for himself. It is your job to keep him distracted and out of the tavern and main courtyard today. Athena, can the Inquisitor keep Kain today so you can keep track of their movements? It will give you some warning to when you are close to colliding.” She knew she was right. The connection between her and her wolf reminded her of a familiar like she used to read about in books or watch on shows. She knew that right now he was sleeping in a pile of the Commander’s clothes that he made a bed of most nights.

“That will work. How long do we have before she gets here?” Leliana looked outside to determine the sun’s height before pressing her lips together.

“Not long – she’s due to arrive at midday. I would be off. He’s probably on the training grounds or in his office.” Athena grabbed her daughter’s hand and took off through the Keep. Things had been just as busy since the fall of the Tevinter Magister, but in a different way. There were more nobility visits, but the troops were sent off on different peace-keeping missions. Not a day went by that Skyhold wasn’t bustling as it always had been.

Cullen ended up being in his office surrounded by a pile of papers. He was sitting with one head in one hand and the other writing feverishly on a piece of parchment. Athena didn’t even bother to knock; he knew better than to expect her to. The first time she burst in he had just thrown a lyrium vial at the door and it sliced her foot open. He looked up with a glance and raised fingers in greeting before drumming them against his head. “Morning.”

Leafy had a child-like grin on her face and strode over, instantly jumping on his desk to sit on its edge. “G’morning, Commander!”

Cullen blinked twice before looking up to the rebellious teen’s mother. Athena merely laughed, coming to kiss her on the top of the head. “Athena. Lev’adin. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Leafy opened her mouth to speak but Athena nudged her in the arm to shut her up, leaning on her daughter’s shoulder before looking down to the parchment that Cullen was writing on. They were updates on the Keep and different mission reports written by his lieutenants. “We are here to save you from a day of what looks to be incredibly boring paperwork. What do you say? Lunch over a game of chess?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and sat back in his chair, looking over the two women with an assessing gaze. “Why do I have the suspicion that ‘no’ is not an answer I can give?”

Athena gave him a playful wink. “Because you’re learning, Commander. Come on, we don’t want to waste any time.”

She reached forward to grab him by his overcoat but he pushed back in large, wooden chair until he was out of reach. “Allow me to at least finish this missive – it won’t take long. Kain’s been whining for attention anyway.”

Leafy looked to the black wolf who was pathetically wagging his tail while glancing up from his laying position on Cullen’s old clothes. He emitted a soft whine as the young elf narrowed her gaze at him. “He needs to hunt.” She walked over and sat down so that the wolf could rest his head in her lap. The wagging of his tail accelerated as she found his favorite spots behind his ears and underneath his chin.

By the time they got to their third game of chess, Kain was dutifully with the Inquisitor and the group was exploring the battlements since the Commander was absent from his usual post. Athena positioned him just right so he wouldn’t be able to see the walls of the Keep at all. Plus, he was just a competitive warrior his entire attention was on the board. During the course of the Inquisition, he, Dorian, Solas, and Bull would play her in chess. On Earth, she had maybe played once or twice a year, but now she was fluent in three different styles. Qunari was the most difficult but it was rigidly straight forward.

Leafy was napping on the stone bench next to them under the gazebo, her toe tapping in the air to an imaginary beat. Cullen made a hum of decision-making before moving his piece forward, taking one of her pawns. “How have things been, Athena?”

She moved her bishop to take the piece he had just moved nonchalantly, swapping them out with a quick gesture. “Great, actually. My people are getting settled in the Emerald Graves and I’m due for a trip to visit them. Supposedly the bears are getting restless with a dragon so close nearby.”

He huffed a chuckle under his breath. “Are you going to slay this one as well?”

She smiled, feeling a light ache in her dragon’s scar across her belly. “I don’t plan on it. Can you shoo away a dragon?”

Cullen couldn’t help but laugh at her, moving his last piece into position. “Not likely but I would love to see you try. Checkmate.”

Athena frowned before leaning back in her chair, checking in with Kain through their connection. I smell flowers! The wolf remarked with excitement, leading her to think they were coming to the part of the battlements that dropped down to the halls beside where they were sitting. She stood from the chair with a faux-expression of boredom. “All this defeat makes me crave wine, how about a glass, Cullen? Not you, Lev’adin. One glass will have you falling from my tower.” She shut down the teenager before she could even ask.

“I have enjoyed playing, but I should really get back to work, Athena.” He pled, standing with her while glancing around. She needed to keep his attention on her and Leafy so she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and led him towards the main hall.

“First - wine. I’ll help you with some of your letters and bring some of my own.” They breached the great hall and she pushed him towards the cellars. “Go pick your favorite and meet me back here.”

He looked to her with a miffed expression before succumbing to her demands, rolling his eyes with a half-smile. As he left ear-shot she leaned down to Leafy and whispered, “Remember that wind swirl spell I taught you?”

The young mage nodded enthusiastically with a wicked grin spreading on her lips. “Go cast it and fade-step back here like nothing happened. Open the window but then close the door on your way back.” She saluted to her mother and took off like a bullet towards Cullen’s office. He returned a few minutes later with a basket of sorts.

“I think I got everything, shall we go?” Athena nodded and took the basket from him, smiling while panicking on the inside that Leafy wouldn’t be back in time. But thankfully she appeared from a side-door like nothing was wrong even though her hair was slightly frizzier than before she left. The Commander didn’t seem to notice and they continued talking until they reached his office. He pushed open the door for them but then his jaw dropped at the utter destruction that was now his office. The papers were blown everywhere and the pile that was Kain’s bed was hanging from the ladder up to his loft.

It was like a literal tornado had torn through his office, and Athena couldn’t have been prouder.

There wasn’t a single piece of paper that was in place. The look of shock on Cullen’s face was priceless. Athena instantly gasped, putting her hand on his shoulder while looking around in feigned terror. “What happened? How could this of - “She then looked to the side. “Oh, Cullen, the window is open. You know how this season brings strong winds up into the mountain.”

“Strong winds? This was -!” He lost the words and put his hand to his forehead instead, taking in a deep controlled breath before letting it out in a sigh. “Let’s get to work then. The missives were dated so those should be easier to organize. The rest…will have to be done later.”

Hours. It took hours to put the office back together again and the entire time Leafy and Athena would exchange secret, knowing glances. Cullen almost enjoyed reorganizing his office, the detail maniac that he was. Things were tidier by the time they were done and the sun was beginning to set. The Commander finally sat down in his chair and looked at his desk with an expression that she could only describe as pride. It was something she understood, the feeling of a job well done.

Athena felt a sharp jolt in the back of her head and she knew it was Kain. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, closing her eyes to that she could see through the eyes of her wolf. Rathein and Mia were bending over her companion with smiles, scratching behind his ears while going, “Can she hear us boy?” Kain nodded and gave a small yelp. “Oh good! Hey Athena, we’re in the tavern now but we’re setting up. Just don’t let him come here but get him riled up okay?”

A rambunctious blonde woman leaned in, her curls coming over her shoulders as she smiled. “Sister’s orders!”

Kain then returned to receiving his affections and Athena faded back into her own consciousness. She didn’t know it but Cullen had stood up and walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, looking her up and down. “Athena, are you alright?”

“Headache.” She lied, giving him a smile before shrugging underneath his touch. Leafy cleared her throat to the side, tapping her foot impatiently. Just as she was about to speak the door burst open to the side, Kain running in at a full sprint. He ran circles around the Commander and Leafy then pushed himself in front of Athena before bending down into a play bow, his tail furiously wagging. This would have been typical behavior for him just before dinner time, save for the fact that he was wearing Cullen’s helm. “I think we found the source of your tornado, Commander.” Athena teased while silently praising her companion.

“Andraste help me – Kain, get back here!”

The chase began.

Lev’adin had been right, Kain was in desperate need of a hunt. Skyhold, for as large as it was, could be a prison for a natural born hunter. They raced down the battlements and through the courtyard, Leafy and Athena laughing the whole time. It was also the first she had really seen Cullen sprint in nearly full armor. At one point she thought he was enjoying the chase but then she caught a glance at his expression. It was pure competition at that point.

Athena gestured for Leafy to go ahead to the tavern and lead Kain there. They had played long enough. Kain made a sharp turn down the stairs out of sight towards the meeting place for the evening. Leafy was hot on his tail and they were all en route to get there in seconds. The door to the tavern opened and Rathein stuck her head out, mouthing ‘one more minute’ while allowing Kain and Leafy to enter before slamming the door shut just as Athena and Cullen came close.

She cursed under her breath and rubbed the back of her neck, thinking of a way to buy time before pointing to the side of the building. “I think he ran this way. He loves smelling what the kitchen is cooking.”

“I really think he came into the tavern – did you not hear that door slam?” Cullen asked between winded breaths. They both looked ragged and worn down but she wasn’t going to give up so easily.

“Hey - shapeshifter magic, remember? Come on this way. He’s probably lost energy like us and needs a place to sleep.” They went to the side and she led the ‘search’ in all of the nooks and crannies She heard a loud groan behind him and turned just in time to see him throw his hands in the air.

“What are you playing at?” Shit. “Ever since this morning, you and your daughter have just been odd. It was fun but I’ve lost an entire day of work and -” He itched the back of his head and allowed his hand to drop, trying to reign in the frustration on his face. “I’m going to cool myself down with a meal and return to my duties. You’re free to join, but no more nonsense.”

Not enough time. She panicked, which was silly considering the topic, but her body thought quicker than her mind. Soon she was gripping his shoulder and turning him to face her, his back nearly against the side of the tavern. “What?” He asked curtly even with some of the frustration falling from his voice.

She could only think of one thing that would pause him, or at least silence him for enough time. She bit her bottom lip before collecting her bravery, gripping him by the overcoat and pulling him towards her. He didn’t fight it, but as she pressed her lips against his she heard him gasp. It wasn’t entirely unexpected between them, but she had hoped for a better moment. It took a second, but he sighed, relaxed, and cupped her face between his hands and fully accepted the kiss. His entire presence shouted warm. It enveloped her and replaced the butterflies that represented panic with affection. His war-worn hands brushed over her skin and sent a shudder down her spine. She moved until his back was pressed against the tavern behind him and they broke apart at the sound of the door opening. “Kain! Where did you get this?” Rathein’s voice called out in amusement. “We need to return this to the Commander.” Cullen chuckled under his breath, eyes completely fixed on her mouth as he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “I suppose we should make her search shorter. Can we talk about this later?” Athena could only manage a nod while pushing him towards the tavern door playfully. He looked over his shoulder back at her with a boyish smile on his lips, rubbing the back of his neck as he greeted the Rathein. “I see you have captured the thief, Inquisitor.” “Oh yes he is inside, can you help me pry your helm off of him?” She asked, opening the door as Athena rounded the corner to usher them both inside. The moment he cleared the door there was a loud, resounding scream. “Surprise!” “Maker help me - “ He cursed at the group of people, his eyes narrowing in on his sister. Athena saw him stiffen, he had admitted to being almost distant with his family since joining the Templars. But that rigidness faded away once Mia brought him in for a tight hug. Once she was done with him she moved to Athena, wrapping her arms around her and nearly lifting her from the ground. “Thank you, Athena! I knew you could do it!” Once she was firmly back on the ground she laughed, fighting the blush on her face and chest. Mia spun and went to grab food with the Inquisitor as Cullen walked over to her, a single brow raised as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I should’ve known my sister was involved. Only she can bring such chaos to a place. That wasn’t - er – idea was it?” He asked with his voice growing soft, eyes dropping to the ground between them before shyly meeting her gaze. Athena shook her head with a genuine smile, putting a hand on his shoulder to turn him towards the group. “Silly Lion, of course not.”

Like my writing? Buy a tired nurse a coffee.

#writing prompt #thank you friend #cullen #cullen rutherford #athena #athena wolfsbane #dragon age #dragon age inquisition #my writing #rawrwrites #woo night shift #pumping through prompts #lev'adin #leafy #kain the wolf #rathein #post-corypheus

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The Weekend Warrior Jan. 17, 2020 - WEATHERING WITH YOU, BAD BOYS FOR LIFE, DOLITTLE

Only the second column of the year, and I’m already questioning how long I’m going to keep writing this. In case you haven’t heard, I’m no longer writing for The Beat. I don’t really want to talk about it, but it was generally a horrible experience that I put up with since I needed the work/money. It turns out that someone I thought I knew, someone I respected and considered a friend for almost a quarter of a century, turned out to be a truly awful person. That’s really all I’m going to say... for now. (The Beat decided not to run my final Box Office Preview, so that’s incorporated within, as well.)

The good news is that Makoto Shinkai’s latest animated film, WEATHERING WITH YOU (GKIDS), will hit U.S. theaters this Friday after a few “fan previews” on Weds and Thursday night. If you don’t know the name of that Japanese animation filmmaker then you clearly didn’t see the fantastic sci-fi film Your Name, which was an absolutely enormous hit, grossing $354 million worldwide, most of that in Japan, China and South Korea in 2016. That movie eventually opened in North America in 2017 and made another $5 million, but it’s probably one of my favorite animated films. (Your Name will be playing again at the Metrograph starting February 7 if you haven’t seen it.)

But back to Weathering with You, which is another wonderful film from Makoto-san, this one about a high school senior named Hodaka who runs off to Tokyo and runs into financial problems in the gloomy city (boy, can I relate) until he meets Hina, an optimistic girl who has the ability to stop the rain and clear the clouds, something that they turn into a thriving business. It’s a simpler premise than Your Name for sure, but it’s still steeped in magic and fantasy that really makes it a very special film.

You can get tickets for Weathering with You here.

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE (Sony)

Cast: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Alexander Ludwig, Joe Pantoliano, Paola Nuñez, Kate Del Castilo, DJ Khaled Directed By: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Black, Gangsta, Image) MPAA Rating: R

Oddly, it took three whole weeks to get our first sequel of 2020 – that is, if you don’t count The Grudge, which actually is a sequel. I guess that would make Bad Boys for Life the first sequel that people actually may want to see, because it reunites Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, the stars of two very popular buddy cop movies a nd two of the biggest stars of the ‘90s.

The first Bad Boys came out in 1995 when both guys were pretty big TV stars, Lawrence on Fox show Martin and Smith from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Oddly, Lawrence already had quite a bit of film success from the “House Party” movies and Eddie Murphy’s Boomerang when he was paired with Smith.When the original Bad Boys opened with $15.5 million and grossed $65.6 million, that was considered pretty good for the time, especially for first-time director Michael Bay. That’s right. Bad Boyswas also Bay’s debut.

Ever since then, things have gotten crazy, especially for Smith, who starred in Roland Emmerich’s blockbuster Independence Day just one year later, the first Men in Black the year after that, and the rest is history. Lawrence went on to a couple big movies of his own, including the copycat Blue Streak, but other than 2000’s Big Momma’s Houseand its sequel six years later, he just didn’t have much draw when he tried other things. 2011’s Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son made about half what its predecessor made (about $38) million and then Lawrence vanished for a while.

Smith and Lawrence reunited for 2003’s Bad Boys II, again with Bay, who was also a much bigger director by then (and that was even before the “Transformers” movies) and that opened with $46.6 million and grossed $138.5 million domestically, showing how much bigger both stars had become.

That brings us to Bad Boys for Life, the third movie that may or may not have quite the same audience as the last movie. Little-known Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah take over from Michael Bay for this threequel, and oddly, it’s Smith’s fourth movie in the past year after the disappointing showing for Ang Lee’s Gemini Man and the animated Spies in Disguise over the holidays. On the other hand, Smith also had a huge hit last summer with Disney’s Aladdin,and that seemed to be enough to appease his fans who had gotten used to him doing one movie a year.

In some ways, Bad Boys for Life might feel a little like Men in Black 3, which Sony Pictures released in the summer of 2012, just nine years after the previous movie’s $190 million. While it didn’t seem like a necessary sequel, the third Men in Blackstill made only a little bit less. Obviously, nine years wasn’t enough to sour anyone on Smith’s character, although that movie also was now eight years ago, and we’re coming off a year of a ton of disappointing sequels.

Oddly, the MLK Jr. weekend has become a prime weekend for buddy cop movies, two of them seemingly inspired by the “Bad Boys” movies, as Ice Cube and Kevin Hart teamed up for Ride Along and its sequel. Both of them opened this weekend, the original six years ago to $48.6 million over the four-day weekend, and its sequel two years later made $41 million over the extended weekend.

That would seem like a pretty good barometer for Bad Boys for Life, if not for the fact that it’s a sequel to a movie that came out 16 years ago with a much hotter blockbuster director. Will audiences who were 18, 19, 20 when Bad Boys 2come out be anywhere near as interested in Smith and Lawrence’s shenanigans now that they’re well into their 30s?

Reportedly, Bad Boys for Life cost $90 million, although it’s doubtful that Sony expects the movie to make all of that money domestically. Bad Boys II made almost the exact same amount overseas than in North America, although the international market has exploded in the 15 years since then.

Reviews will probably hit around the same time that this column goes live or maybe slightly earlier, so it might be hard to tell if there’s a consensus either for or (more likely) against it. (It’s a sequel being released in January. Do you REALLY think that critics are gonna give it a fair shake?)

That just leaves the question of how well Bad Boys for Life might do, considering that Bay isn’t involved and Lawrence hasn’t been in the public eye very much. I think Smith’s ongoing popularity and the number fans of the previous movies should help the movie make close to $40 million over the four-day weekend, give or take. It certainly will offer something new for the key 20-to-40 year old males that already saw 1917.

DOLITTLE (Universal)

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Ralph Ineson, Michael Sheen, Antonio Banderas, Carmel Laniado, Jim Broadbent, Jessie Buckley with the voices of Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Craig Robinson, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez and more Directed By: Stephen Gaghan (Syriana, Gold) MPAA Rating: PG

Next, we have a slightly oddball of a first new family film for the year, as well as Robert Downey Jr’s first non-Marvel movie in a very long time, playing the classic kids book hero Doctor Dolittle, a doctor who can talk to animals. The children’s books by Hugh Lofting originated all the way back in 1920, and it was only eight years later before it was adapted into a silent animated short film. Probably the most famous movie (at least for 30 years) was the 1967 version of the movie starring Rex Harrison, but Eddie Murphy took on the role in 1998 for two hit movies released by 20th Century Fox (so maybe we’ll see them on Disney+ soon?).

Which might make you wonder how Universal got its hands on the property and why the studio isn’t making it a bigger deal about 2020 being the 100thanniversary of the character? Well, kids, it’s something called “public domain,” which allows anyone who wants to make a movie based on the character to do so. In this case, it’s Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stephen Gaghan, best known for his political thriller, Syriana, which got George Clooney his first Oscar. Obviously, a family-friendly fantasy adventure seems like an odd choice, but obviously, this is a real movie.

The story involves Dolittle being called to save Queen Victoria (played by the wonderful Jessie Buckley, star of Wild Rose) who is dying. Dolittle brings along a young lad named Stubbins (Harry Collett from Dunkirk) as well as a slew of animals voiced by a menagerie of actors. We’ll get back to them in a bit.

Obviously, Downey’s presence will probably play a larger part in anyone’s interest in the movie, since I’m not sure Doctor Dolittle has been able to maintain any sort of place in the pantheon of popular children’s book characters among younger readers. (I could be wrong.) This movie is co-produced by Joe Roth, who helped pave the way for big stars to take on popular fantasy characters, putting Johnny Depp in one of Disney’s bigger pre-Marvel/Lucasfilm hits, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, James Franco in Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful, and Angelina Jolie in Maleficent. Universal (who previously teamed with Roth for Snow White and the Huntsmanin 2012 and its less successful sequel) are hoping that Downey can bring a similar starpower to Dolittleto get people into theaters.

The last time Downey took on a non-Marvel literary character was his eponymous turn as Sherlock Holmes in the movie directed by Guy Ritchie just over ten years ago. That made a half a billion worldwide, and its sequel two years later did similar business. Other than a starring role in Todd Phillips’ Due Date and the passion project The Judge with Robert Duvall, Downey hasn’t done much outside the MCU. But why should he? Apparently, he is getting somewhere around $50 million to make each of those movies, and for most people, that’s early retirement money, especially after wrapping up the role inAvengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing blockbuster of all time (globally). And yet, we’ll supposedly be seeing Downey’s Tony Stark in this year’s Black Widow, probably in flashback, so he’s clearly not putting the rest of his career in the hands of playing Doctor Dolittle.

The rest of the cast might not be as important but the movie does star the popular actor Michael Sheen (Good Omens), Antonio Banderas (who just received his first Oscar nomination earlier this week) and then the voices include a strange mix of British and American actors, includingEmma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Craig Robinson,Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez and more. It’s kind of a shame they couldn’t find a role for Kevin Bacon, as it would make that “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” game so much easier.

Family movies have generally been tough to predict, especially ones that may or may not interest teen and/or older audiences, which is certainly the case here. Opening Dolittle on a weekend with no school on Monday is a wise move by Universal, as well as doing so in January where there isn’t as much competition for eyes. More than anything, Dolittle will be a very good (and possibly sobering) test on whether Downey is a box office star when not playing Tony Stark… or Sherlock Holmes.

The movie has not caught the attention or interest of the ever-outraged #FilmTwitter, except to make fun of it, but that doesn’t mean younger kids won’t want to see a fun adventure with talking animals, and the latter should help Dolittle make somewhere between $25 and $28 million over the four-day weekend.

This Week’s Box Office Predictions:

Despite the impressive opening for Sam Mendes’ 1917 last weekend and its ten Oscar nominations, it’s very likely that either Bad Boys for Life or Dolittle (or both) will knock it out of first place this weekend. It definitely could be a close race for second place, depending on how well the latest movies from superstars Will Smith and Robert Downey are received. Expect Greta Gerwig’s Little Women to also get a nice bump from its own Best Picture nomination this weekend.

(Note: All the numbers below are for the four-day holiday weekend.)

Bad Boys for Life (Sony) - $42.5 million N/A (up $4 million)*

1917 (Universal) - $29.5 million -20%

Dolittle (Universal) - $23.5 million N/A (down $3.5 million)*

Jumanji: The Next Level (Sony) - $12 million -15%

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Lucasfilm/Disney) - $9.5 million -38%

Just Mercy (Warner Bros.) - $9 million -7%

Like a Boss (Paramount) - $7.5 -25%

Little Women (Sony) - $6.6 million -15%

Knives Out (Lionsgate) - $4.6 million -18%

Frozen II (Disney) - $4.5 million -24%

*UPDATE: Okay, my earlier predictions may have been a little unrealistic and it’s pretty clear that Bad Boys for Life, which has gotten decent reviews, will do significantly better than Dolittle, despite there not being much family competition. I’m adjusting accordingly.

LIMITED RELEASES

Besides Weathering with You, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon’s kid (well, he’s 30) Jack Henry Robbins’ movie VHYES (Oscilloscope) will be out in select theaters and presumably VOD sometime soon. It’s a fairly odd movie made up of bits recorded on a VHS camera meant to look like it was recorded off various television stations by a teen, which includes bits of “late night adult television.” It’s pretty amusing more for appearances by the likes of Kerri Kenney and Thomas Lennon from “Reno 911,” Mark Proksh from “What We Do in the Shadows,” Charlyne Yi and more. It will open in select theaters Friday, including the Alamo Drafthouse in Brooklyn. It has some funny moments but it’s a little disjointed; I’m sure it would be great in an environment that involves drinking.

Also on the genre side of things is Gille Klabin’s directorial debut The Wave (Epic Pictures), starring Justin Long and Donald Faison, a weird movie in which Long plays an insurance lawyer who goes out on the town with his co-worker (Faison) but then gets dosed with a hallucinogen. It will open in select cities and On Demand Friday.

Alex (Taxi to the Dark Side) Gibney’s latest doc Citizen K (Greenwich) will open at the Film Forum on Wednesday, this one looking at Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the wealthiest man in Russia who was valued at $15 billion from his Siberian oil before being thrown into jail by Putin. I haven’t seen the movie, but it recently received a nomination from the Writers Guild (WGA).

A couple mostly VOD horror films out on Friday are Pedro C. Alonso’s horror/thriller Feedback (Blue Fox Entertainment), starring Eddie Marsan, Paul Anderson and Ivana Baquero (Pan’s Labyrinth) and Andy Newberry’s The Host (Vertical Entertainment), starring Maryam Hassouni, Mike Beckingham, and Dougie Poynter.

REPERTORY

Before we get to the regular stuff, if you happen to have some free time on Saturday, like the whole day, you should get down to the Anthology Film Archives for Subway Cinema’s latest all-day marathon, “It’s the Nineties, Stupid!” a collection of six rare and probably very weird films from the ‘90s shown on 35mm. These events are always a lot of fun, and there may still be some tickets left if you act quickly.

METROGRAPH (NYC):

Welcome To Metrograph: Reduxcontinues this weekend with Seizun Suzuki’s Branded to Kill (1967) and Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day (1991). I personally haven’t seen either but might give one or more a try.This weekend’s Late Nites at Metrograph is Paul Schrader’s 1985 movie Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, a movie I’m not really familiar but apparently, it stars Ken Ogata as Japanese artist Yukio Mishima, who committed seppuku. This weekend’s Playtime: Family Matinees is the classic sci-fi film Them!(1954).

ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE BROOKLYN (NYC)

Next Monday’s “Fist City” screening is Wesley Snipe’s Passenger 57 (1992), the “Terror Tuesday” is Adam Wingard’s 2014 movie The Guest, starring Dan Stevens, with Wingard in person for a QnA, and then next week’s “Weird Wednesday,” January 22, is the 1990 film Brain Dead, starring Bills Paxton and Pullman, hosted by YOURS TRULY!! Yes, I’m making my Alamo debut with a movie from the ‘90s I absolutely loved.

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

Today’s “Afternoon Classics” matinee is John Huston’s The African Queen (1951), while Friday’s “Freaky Fridays” is the 1985 horror film, Silver Bullet. Friday night’s midnight offering is Tarantino’s Django Unchained while Saturday’s midnight movie is Scorsese’s Raging Bull, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The weekend “Kiddee Matinee” is Miyazaki’s Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989).

FILM FORUM (NYC):

The West Village theater begins an expansive new series called “Black Women: Trailblazing African American Actresses 1920-2001” on Friday, and it’s fairly self-explanatory except that there are a lot of films that have rarely been seen in recent years, such as Otto Preminger’s 1954 film Carmen Jones, starring Dorothy Dandridge; Vincente Minelli’s 1943 film Cabin in the Sky with Ethel Waters and Lena Horne, and even Pam Grier as Coffy in Jack Hill’s 1973 film. This is going to be a very special series, one unlike anything else that’s been done on the New York rep scene, and I wish I could afford to check some of these movies out. As part of the series, “Film Forum Jr.” will play the 1972 movie Sounder, for which Cicely Tyson received an Oscar nomination.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

On Friday, Beyond Fest presents a 35mm print of the 1993 movie Freaked with directors Alex Winter and Tom Stern and most of the cast and many of the crew in attendance. Hosted by my pal, Drew McWeeney! On Saturday, there’s a matinee of Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and then that night is a double feature of Marlon Brando’s One Eyed Jacks (1961) and Peter Fonda’s The Hired Hand (1971). Sunday Print Edition is a matinee of 1945’s Hangover Square, then later on Sunday is the first Sean Connery Bond film, Doctor No (1962). Sunday night is a screening of Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954).

AERO (LA):

On Weds. night, Greg Proops is presenting the hilarious Barbara Streisand-Ryan O’Neal comedy What’s Up, Doc? (1972) as part of his monthly film club. On Thursday the 16th, the Aero is showing Raging Bull in a matinee as part of its “Films of Marty and Bob,” then Friday is the 15thannual Focus on Female Directors, a mix of older and newer movies including the recently nominated short, Kitbull. Saturday begins “A Tribute to Noah Baumbach” with a double feature on Saturday night of Frances Haand Mistress America, his two collaborations with Greta Gerwig. Sunday is a double feature of his earlier films The Squid and the Whale and Kicking and Screaming. Tuesday’s offering in “The Films of Marty and Bob” is the classic King of Comedy, one of my favorite collaborations between the duo.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

On Friday, the Quad begins the series “Origin Stories: Bertrand Bonello’s Footnotes to Zombi Child” aka Bonello’s new movie, which opens next Friday. This series will include lots of genre films that influenced the film,including Carpenter’s The Serpent and the Rainbow, De Palma’s Carrie, The Exorcist: Extended Director’s Cut, I Walked with a Zombie and the Aussie classic, Picnic at Hanging Rock (also a director’s cut).

MOMA (NYC):

This week’s Modern Matinees: Jack Lemmonare Billy Wilder’s Oscar-winning The Apartment (1960) with Shirley MacLaine, the 1955 film Mister Roberts Thursday, and Costa-Gravas’ 1982 film Missing on Friday. Also, the International Teen Cinema series Show Me Love continues through Sunday. (You can click on the link to see what’s playing.) Another series, To Save and Project, the 17thMOMA International Festival of Film Preservation will run through the weekend and next week with some interesting choices like Roger Corman’s The Masque of the Red Death (1964) and Mystery of the Wax Museum from 1933.

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

Although most of the screens here will be taken up by the 2020 New York Jewish Film Festival (see below), but FilmLinc is also getting a head start on its annual “Film Comment Selects” with the New York premiere of Jeffrey Peixoto’s Over the Rainbow and a 35mm screening of Darren Aronofksy’s controversial 2017 film mother!, starring Jennifer Lawrence. Okay, neither are that old but still sort of repertory.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

“The Films of Studio Ghibli” ends on Thursday, so it might be your last chance to see many of these films theatrically before they move to HBO Max later this year. Otherwise, it’s most of the same movies screening at midnight: David Lynch’s Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive, as well as James Cameron’s The Terminator. Ah! Looks like the IFC Center added its new winter repertory series after I wrote this week’s column. Weekend Classics: Luis Buñuel will screen the filmmaker’s 1972 film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoise, The Terminator (1984) is screening as part of Waverly Midnights: Hindsight is 2020s, and Late Night Favorites: Winter 2020 is Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) but ALSO Prince’s 1984 classic, Purple Rain.

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

As part of the exhibition “Envisioning 2001: Stanley Kubrick’s Space Odysey,” MOMI will have a screening of Stanley Kubrick’s film on Saturday afternoon with actor Dan Richter appearing in person. (For $25, you can get access to the exhibition after the screening.)

ROXY CINEMA (NYC)

The love for Nicolas Cage continues as the Roxy will screen Brian De Palma’s Snake Eyes (1998) on Wednesday and Saturday, and Joel Schumacher’s 1999 film 8mm on Thursday.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART (LA):

This Friday’s midnight offering is Pink Floyd’s The Wall (1982) by filmmaker Alan Parker.

FILM FESTIVALS

Going back to Film at Lincoln Center’s 29thAnnual New York Jewish Film Festival – which I oddly have NEVER attended (mainly since I don’t have an outlet to write about it) – it begins on Wednesday with the New York premiere of the doc Picture of his Life, about underwater photographer Amos Nachoum. It will run through the end of the month, closing on Jan. 28 with the New York premiere of Dror Zahavi’s Crescendo about a world-famous conductor, and the Centerpiece selection is Marceline Loridan-Ivens’ 2003 film The Birch Tree Meadow. I’m not really sure why I haven’t gotten to more of the films in this festival, but it’s mainly because it offers so much, and I never know what’s good or bad and what’s worth my time, which is kind of a shame.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Okay, it’s a little funny that media mogul Tyler Perry is making his transition to Netflix with a film called TYLER PERRY’S A FALL FROM GRACE on Friday, and unlike most of Perry’s movies, I was invited to a press screening, which I sadly couldn’t make since I have to see Bad Boys for Life. It’s about a young woman named Grace (Crystal Fox) who confesses to killing her husband so her lawyer needs to learn the truth.

I also haven��t been able to watch the Viola Davis-McKenna Grace dramedy Troop Zero from filmmakers named “Bert & Bertie” but it will premiere on Amazon Prime this Friday. It also stars Oscar-winner Allison Janney and Jim Gaffigan, but it takes place in 1977 Georgia where a young girl (Grace) dreams of going to space by being recorded on NASA’s Golden Record.

Next week, we get The Gentlemen (STXfilms), the latest ensemble crime movie from Guy Ritchie, which I’m really excited about, and the horror/thriller The Turning (Universal). Again, I’m not really sure if I’m going to be writing anything more after this.

#TheWeekendWarrior Movies WeatheringWithYou #BadBoysForLife Dolittle RobertDowneyJr WillSmith

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Reading Sterek: Valentines Edition

Secret Valentine by HEXXUS / @omnomcurlyfries 603 G

Derek’s got a secret admirer.

The Amazing Valentine by RavenclawDoll 658 G

Stiles surprises Derek on Valentine’s Day at his loft. It’s not really as amazing as the title suggests.

Something New by redhales / @redhales 714 G

Derek is always dealing with supernatural stuff and Stiles just wants to do something nice for him on Valentine’s Day.

Blue Steel Hearts by Wolves_of_Innistrad / @wolvesofinnistrad 738 T

Stiles wants to go see Deadpool on Valentine’s day, but Derek has a secret movie he’d rather see.

Blame it on the (magical) Alcohol by Serenityreview 894 G

It’s Valentine’s Day and Stiles gets drunk on magical wine. He then tries to woo Derek via the end to Say Anything. Things don’t go quite as planned.

❤Stealing Your Heart by x_Lazart_x / @x-lazart-xficrecs 946 G❤

Valentine’s day is a great day for a pickpocket. While Stiles was planning to bring in a huge haul, he wasn’t expecting someone to come along and steal his heart.

Always by Cassidy_Doris / @shewhorunswiththemoon 1,066 G

Derek’s in love with Stiles but thinks he’s about to lose him. Stiles was never going to let Derek go in the first place. Fluff ensues.

“I appreciate the sentiment, love, but have you forgotten that I’m dreadfully allergic to roses?” by Kiti_the_Warrior_Poet / @kiti-the-warrior-poet 1,117 G

Derek and Stiles end their honeymoon with Valentine’s Day at home, or at least close to home.

❤Candy Hearts by dragon_temeraire / @dragon-temeraire 1,133 G❤

Stiles decides that, since they’re the only two single members of the pack, he and Derek should spend Valentine’s Day together.

❤Yoda Only One For Me by cloudyskiesandcurlyfries / @cloudyskiesandcurlyfries 1,135 G❤

Someone is leaving secret Valentines Day cards on the door to Stiles’ dorm room

❤Netflix & chill by splendid_splendont 1,203 T❤

Derek is planning to spend Valentines alone, like usual. Stiles decides to shake things up and make sure they both have company.

❤Try Me by maiNuoire / @poetry-protest-pornography 1,247 T❤

Derek wakes up to find a series of surprises on Valentine’s Day

“Of all the things I expected on Valentine’s Day, this…was not what I had in mind.” by Kiti_the_Warrior_Poet / @kiti-the-warrior-poet 1,446 T

Derek and Stiles have a Valentine’s Day they’ll never forget. Or, the one where this wasn’t exactly the plan, but it will work out just fine.

Stay, Little Valentine by hologramophone / @hologramophone 1,488 G

Roses, and Batman, and romantic confessions.

❤Can we talk? by @dude-its-stars-hollow 1,815 M❤

Stiles can’t figure out what’s wrong with their relationship. Is Derek just not attracted to him? They wouldn’t be dating if he wasn’t, right?

❤Vena Amoris by CelestialVoid / @celestialvoid-fanfiction 1,965 G❤

They promised no presents; they knew they didn’t need cheap chocolates, cliché hearts or red roses that would die in a day to know that they loved each other. But still, Stiles tried to surprise Derek for Valentine’s Day and it worked, up until it didn’t. But none of that matters to Derek.

❤Send Your Cutest Delivery Boy by dereczyslaw / @dereczyslaw 2,128 G❤

When Stiles and Derek are to stupid to communicate properly, Allison & Erica team up to give them the push they need.

❤“If you really loved me, you wouldn’t steal my chocolate.” by Kiti_the_Warrior_Poet / @kiti-the-warrior-poet 2,514 G❤

Derek gets excited about planning his future with Stiles and accidentally makes his Valentine’s Day plans for the wrong day.

Bro-lentine’s Day by WhoNatural / @howlnatural 2,560 T

It’s actually pretty cool that Derek came back to school after a summer eating spinach and lifting small trains or whatever to become a guardian angel to the easy targets of BHHS.

❤Woo Who by haleofStilesheart / @hale-of-stiles-heart 2,638 T❤

Stiles wished he could say it was the first time he had found a dead animal on his doorstep. He really did. But it wasn’t.

Thank Jackson for me by IdontlikeIobsess 3,187 T

Derek keeps asking the wrong kind of questions.

Want it All Tonight by haleofStilesheart / @hale-of-stiles-heart 3,316 E

Derek and Stiles celebrate their first Valentine’s Day together with a night of marathon sex. In the morning, they’re still not sated.

❤Chocolate and Werewolves by AllTheseSquaresMakeACircle 3,939 T❤

Derek and Stiles have been dating for six months. Their anniversary just happens to fall on Valentine’s Day. Derek, understandably, proceeds to panic.

The Valentine’s Day Showdown by @bibliosexxual 4,291 G

So Stiles and Erica have this competitive flirting/wooing thing going. This totally-mutually-agreed-upon-to-be-platonic competitive flirting/wooing thing. Every Valentine’s Day Eve, Erica gets him good, and every Valentine’s Day, Stiles gets her back, thoroughly.

❤Kiss Me Under the Light of a Thousand Stars by alisvolatpropiis / @deleted-scenes 5,631 T❤

“It was a true love spell,” he admits quietly. “It was supposed to help me find my true love. And apparently I suck at magic as much as I suck at dating because I screwed this up too.”

A Tale of Valentine’s Day Shenanigans by Comet260 / @comet260 5,846 T

Lydia decides that Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity for Stiles and Derek to finally admit their feelings for one another. As the title suggests, shenanigans ensue.

❤Valentine’s strike by Pandaabeer 6,015 T❤

Stiles hates Valentines Day. It was the bane of his existance. But he’s home for the ‘holiday’ and has nothing to do since everyone he knows is busy. Except Derek, Derek is the only one alone as him.

❤Sometimes love is an obligation to your grandmother by relenafanel / @relenafanel 6,982 M❤

Derek’s grandmother relishes setting her single grandchildren up on Valentine’s Day. Only, less ‘setting up’ and more ‘forcing them to run a singles-only scavenger hunt where the prize is love or at least sex’. Derek never wins. Derek never WANTS TO win.

Love Always Wakes a Dragon and Suddenly, Flames Everywhere by decideophobia / @drunklightning 7,124 E

“Anyway,” Stiles is saying, as Derek tunes in again. “Everyone’s busy and I don’t wanna spend Valentine’s being pitied by my dad, and you have your Forever Alone thing going on, so I figured we might spend Valentine’s being alone together.”

❤Red Velvet by arrowofcarnations / @anarrowofcarnations 7,690 T❤

Stiles is pretty used to people coming to visit him at Sweet Stuff when he’s baking. It’s only when Isaac starts bringing along one Derek Hale that things start to get really interesting.

❤Watch You Smile by alexenglish / @queerlyalex 7,711 T❤

Roses are red, Violets are blue, You think I’m a douche, But I really like you

A Wolf of a Valentine by Dexterous_Sinistrous 7,784 E

Stiles was not having a grand Valentine’s Day. He was stuck on campus. Shelving books. Derekless. All he’s ever wanted was to spend Valentine’s Day with someone.

Hot for Teacher(’s Aide) by linksofmemories / @erinpond 8,050 T

“He invited you to his apartment.” “To do a lesson plan.” “Yeah and to probably lesson your plan while you’re there,” Scott said, waggling his eyebrows. “That made no sense, but you still managed to make it sound dirty,” Stiles said. “I’m impressed.”

❤Valentine’s Day Candy in Aisle Four by linksofmemories / @erinpond 8,998 E❤

“It’s so commercialist, and all it does is bring people down who don’t have a special someone.” “Basically.” “Are you two seriously discussing your hatred of Valentine’s Day when a man with a gun is walking around the store?”

❤Convenient by exclamation / @jessicameats 10,755 E❤

Stiles knows what he is to Derek: convenient. He knows that Derek isn’t looking for a relationship, just someone to have casual sex with. Which is why Stiles is so surprised to find Derek setting up a romantic dinner for Valentine’s Day.

❤This Is Lovecanthropy by ifwallscouldspeak 12,141 T❤

In which Valentine’s Day is closely approaching, and Derek is a disgruntled grad student who works at a library. He’s hit a roadblock on his thesis, he’s harboring a (not so secret) crush on Stiles, and he keeps receiving werewolf-themed gifts from a secret admirer. Basically, Derek is totally oblivious and angsty, Stiles does a lot of planning off-screen, and Erica and Scott are awesome friends who are awesome.

❤Not So Much Coffee and Books as it is Hot Chocolate and Erotica by knaval 15,783❤

AU in which Stiles is an erotica novelist, and Derek is the sexy fireman he daydreams about. He sees Derek daily at the coffee shop, writing out his fantasies about Derek, basically Derek is his muse. All goes well until Derek starts talking to him and trying to read his books. Little does Stiles know, Derek is already a fan of his books.

❤Quit Playing Games With My Heart by themistymountainsong / @themistymountainsong 16,764 T❤

“I am not paranoid Lydia! You’re the ones who are totally fucking with me- with us! You can’t say that this last month has been a series of weird, random happenstances!” Lydia ignores him, moving to open the car door, but before she can reach it Stiles hits the driver’s side lock. “No. No getting out of the car until you admit that you’ve had a hand in this.”

❤❤Vappy Halentines by bioloyg / @bioloyg 18,457 M❤❤

Derek woke in the morning to a note on his table and the sound of the front door clicking shut. He blinked, scrubbing a hand over his face, and grabbed the paper. “Hey, thanks for letting me sleep over last night. I appreciate you coming to get me, too. I promise I’m not always a crying drunk, btw. Also, thanks for the clothes, but don’t think it escaped my notice that this was my shirt anyway.” Derek smiled fondly and kept reading. “Don’t tell the others about Ethan. I’ll tell them myself.”

❤Secret Valentine (Series) by Moonbeam 26,512 E❤

Stiles wakes up one morning to a dead deer on his back doorstop. It’s the first in a string of gifts designed to get Stiles’ attention but he, and the rest of the pack, aren’t sure if the attention is a negative as it seems. When Stiles finally finds out who has been leaving the 'gifts’ he realizes that the mystery isn’t quite solved yet.

#valentines day #sterek valentine's day #fic rec #sterek fic #stiles stilinski #derek hale #sterek #eternalsterek #text #sterek fic rec #this weeks fic rec has been brought to you by cupid

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