#also i think it's incredibly telling that kate didn't run

[yesokayiknow]

this was definitely horrifying for ruby on a ridiculous number of levels but i can't stop thinking about kate's remark about the timeline being centered on her. bc like. did kate know? that this was an offshoot timeline that would eventually die? did she know that she wasn't the right version of herself? that one day her reality would collapse to make way for the proper timeline? that even meeting with ruby could be one step towards bringing the proper timeline back in play and erasing her own existence?

[bluehourbucky]

Truth or Dare with Yelena that Kate sets up because she's tried of Yelena and Reader acting like they don't have a crush on one another?

As always, no pressure to write this heheh

Backfire

warnings: use of Y/N twice

a/n: sorry it took me so long shdhdud Hope you like it <3

_______________________________________

Kate was getting tired of watching you and Yelena pretend that you don't like each other. She was sick of the heart eyes and dancing around each other and the tension was getting worse by the minute.

She loved her friends but damn was it hard to watch.

Every time she'd spend alone time with either of you, you both talked about the other. Kate didn't mind but she also thought it was absolutely ridiculous.

Every time Kate tried to tell one of you how you liked each other she would receive laughs from you and a push from Yelena.

So she came up with a plan. Kate will invite you to hang out as you always do, but then she'd suggest a truth or dare game. She knew Yelena enough that there was no way she wouldn't accept truth or dare game she was too competitive. Kate still isn't sure how you can win a truth or dare game but whatever.

kate: tonight my place 9pm we order in?

you: ur paying?

yelena: if u pay?

parker: broke af u need to pay

Kate rolled her eyes at her friends.

kate: ok

you: ur the best love you <3

yelena: be there

Kate rolled her eyes at her friends, but her plan was in motion.

"Hi" Kate smiles when she sees that you and Yelena came together.

"Wait I'm here too!" the three of you turn and look at Peter running up the stairs.

The four of you were hanging out for a while and Kate was sure now was the time to get her plan in motion.

"What do you think should we play truth or dare?"

"Ugh we're not kids!" you groan.

"Ah, scared of a little dare?" Yelena teases, and you push her lightly, rolling your eyes.

"It's on Belova."

"Alright, let's go"

Not wanting to seem obvious, Kate avoided asking you questions about Yelena and vice versa. But now it's Kates' turn again, and she's ready to help her friends finally get together.

"So Yelena, Truth or Dare?"

"Ah I will choose Truth now."

"Do you have a crush on anyone here?"

"Nope, never."

"Not even Y/N?" and then your heart broke when Yelena made a face of disgust.

"Eww. Never in a million years that's gross. It's like liking your sister or even worse." as soon as those words left Yelena, she regretted them seeing your face.

"Wow, I didn't know I was that hard to like that even the thought of liking me disgusts you." You stand up, wiping tears off of your cheeks running straight to the bathroom.

"Y/N, wait, please." Yelena follows you and knocks on the closed door.

"Shit I'm sorry I didn't think this would happen." Yelena looks back at Kate and lifts a brow.

"What do you mean?"

Kate avoids eye contact, feeling extremely guilty that she caused this.

"I-, well- you see, I just wanted to make you confess that you like each other because you do. I just wanted to help."

Yelena swore something in russian and told Kate to give them a minute.

"Hey. Can you open the door?"

You don't reply, but you know Yelena is still at the door. The tears are still falling, and you're getting really frustrated because why does it matter anyway? The "what ifs" can now leave your brain. All the daydreams and dreams can finally stop. So what if you've dreamed about kissing her under the rain, that's lame. You'll get over it, it's fine.

"Ask me again." Yelena tries.

"What?" you ask your voice breaking.

"Truth or dare."

"Fine, truth or dare."

"Truth."

You take in a breath.

"Is if true that you can't even imagine liking me? Am I really that unlikeable?"

"дорогой, you are the most incredible person I've ever met. There's not a part of you that I don't like, and your smile makes my day. In fact, you're too good to be true. I've been falling in love with you since the moment we met and and I didn't want to ruin our friendship because I'm selfish and I need you."

Yelena gasps when you suddenly unlock the door and pull her into the bathroom pushing her against the same door she was behind moments ago.

You look into Yelenas' eyes and then drop your gaze to her mouth and then back at her waiting for consent.

She nods, and that's all you need to finally kiss her. It's even better than all the dreams you've had because it's real. Yelena grabs the back of your head, deepening the kiss. You've put everything into that kiss all the bottled up emotion that's been buried for way too long.

You don't pull away until you're breathless.

"Wow." Yelena whispers, her hands holding your hips so you don't move away.

"Yeah."

"We should've done that long time ago."

you laugh at Yelenas' words because it's true, if both of you were just a tad bit less oblivious this could've happened months ago.

"If it wasn't obvious I uh like you too."

"Eh, you could kiss me again just to be sure."

You roll your eyes but kiss her nonetheless.

"I get the credits for this!" Kate yells from the other side of the door, which makes you both snort.

[the end]

[ingravinoveritas]

Theres a tumblr blog on here who has seen the entirety of s2 before release and they said this:

“If David and Michael didn't have wives I would have assumed they'd fucked at some point during filming because their chemistry is seriously unreal

the amount of sexual tension is fucking insane, y'all have no idea what you're in for”

I immediately thought of you cos wooooow

Oh, my, Anon. Well, I do think I know the blog you're referring to, though I won't link to it/the post lest people run across any spoilers they are not looking for. But that statement doesn't surprise me one bit, though it is absolutely delicious to have that confirmation of what so many of us already suspected.

On a few points, I will note that they actually don't both have wives, as Anna is Michael's girlfriend, but they are not married. It seems to be a common assumption, however, but it is interesting that after four years and two kids, there doesn't appear to be any sign of a ring. I don't particularly think that that would stop Michael anyway, given his past predilections and the number of times we know he's dated/hooked up with/fallen in love with co-stars (Rachel McAdams, Kate Beckinsale, lots of rumors about Lizzy Caplan, even though I'm not certain that was ever confirmed).

The chemistry and sexual tension between Michael and David has been evident and incredibly powerful since the first season of GO, so I would not be at all surprised if they have fucked--likely multiple times, and likely long before now. This also ties into what I just discussed in my response to another Anon, about the possibility of a polyamorous arrangement between Michael, David, and Georgia. (I do not believe AL has ever been part of this arrangement, however, and I still do not think she is, for numerous reasons that I've cited previously on my blog.)

I wanted to end my reply here with a gif or picture of one of the countless moments of Michael and David giving "just had sex" energy, but I find myself going back to one particular moment from four years ago. One moment that probably most people wrote off as a joke, but that now seems to have been a forerunner to all that we've gotten since from Michael, David, and Georgia in the form of truth disguised as a joke:

How does that old saying go? "When someone tells you who they are, believe them the first time." And I absolutely believe that if Michael and David are lovers (and have been for a while), that is exactly what we'll see play out with their dynamic on screen in GO season 2. I truly can't wait to see it...

[cptnwynnie]

some stuff about A.B. :]

some of this stuff i talked abt on discord last night as well so a bit of this is just copypasted

She goes by A.B. purely because she thinks it sounds cool. Though, some take to calling her "Abby" instead of pronouncing the two letters. And, of course, the executives and mr. curtain call her by her full name, as they don't tolerate nicknames like that.

Her hat belonged to her mother.

okay i just realized this is gonna be a kinda long so the rest is under the cut lol

She was a papergirl pre-canon, which is how she comes by the ad in the newspaper two weeks before the round of tests that the other kids take. She makes it to the second test, but doesn't pass it because she couldn't figure out the puzzle. But, the whole thing made her curious, and she wants to write an article on it for her personal newspaper (her journal. she has a little journal she writes articles in.) so she trails behind number two all the way back to the house, intent on catching up to her to get an interview. bad news: she gets caught snooping around the driveway. good news: Mr. Benedict respects her commitment to hard-hitting facts-based journalism, and decides she could be quite a useful part of the team (he also may or may not be deeply concerned that this little girl was running around stonetown all on her own with literally zero adult supervision)

She then tells Mr. Benedict her story about how her mom dropped her off at "daycare" when she was little and then didn't come back and that pretty much seals the deal.

As for her mother, she was not brainswept, she really did leave A.B. behind. Her father died when she was a baby, and her mother found herself unable and unwilling to care for A.B. on her own. So she left her on the steps of an orphanage and didn't look back.

A.B. doesn't find this out until the end of the first book. Mr. Benedict has the thought that Ms. Moore may have been brainswept, so decides to look into it. What he finds is that she moved to New York, and has been living there since A.B. was seven, eventually getting remarried.

He leaves it up to A.B. if she wants to know and, of course, she does.

Naturally, she is both devastated and incredibly angry at her mom. Despite this, though, A.B. doesn't let go entirely. She still needs her mom. Not just needs, but wants. Part of her still clings to the little hope that her mom might come back for her.

She ends up going back to the Wetherall farm with Kate and Milligan (having been invited, of course,) and helps rebuild the farm :]

In TPJ she winds up losing her hat when the kids escape from the Ten Men in the Salamander. She wants to go back for it, but there isn't time, she has to let it go. It's sad but it's for the character development.

Then she gets frustrated with her braid catching on things, realizes her hair is quite easy to grab, and so she hacks it off with a knife :)

and that's everything I got so far :]

[she-likesorchids]

10 Characters • 10 Fandoms • 10 Tags

Thank you so much for the tag @bellaxgiornata !!!!

These are in no particular order and I am about to absolutely GUSH about my little meow meows (some of them committed crimes so the fuck what) so, putting this under a cut.

1: Elektra Natchios

Alright, so I know most of the Daredevil fandom doesn't see eye to eye with me on this one, but HEAR ME OUT. Until I started reading the comics, I too thought she was just Matt's mean ex girlfriend that came to town to wreck shop, but she is so much more than that. She's an orphan. She's not seen as a human being, but a weapon. All she knows is to kill or be killed. She's a survivor, and she's incredibly self aware. One of my favorite arcs is when she becomes Daredevil in the Zdarsky run and she takes another orphan under her wing as a sort of apprentice, but the girl ends up running away, and Elektra thinks "maybe it's better this way because I'm poison". I didn't think I could cry at comic books, but Elektra just makes me feel all the feelings. Also, Elodie Yung is MY Elektra. I don't even recognize Jennifer Garner as Elektra.

2: Matt Murdock

My DARLING disaster Catholic lawyer vigilante. Oh, he's got a savior complex deeper than the Mariana Trench, but I just wanna cuddle him and stitch up his wounds and tell him it's gonna be okay.

3: Shiv Roy

SHIV DID NOTHING WRONG. She was never going to be given a seat at the table so she had to take it by force. She's just trying to play the game in the world her daddy created. Yeah she's a tough boss bitch on the outside, but she is deeply flawed and she feels just as deeply. I SOBBED at the scene when she reverted back to being a scared little girl when talking on the phone to her dying father. Give Sarah Snook all the Emmys.

4: Gwen Stacy

My blog handle isn't "theradioactivespidergwen" for nothing. Honestly, the Earth-65 Spider Gwen comics are my favorite. I love Gwen so much. She's a drummer, she's a superhero, she's a daddy's girl, she's deeply misunderstood, she's EVERYTHING. I could honestly talk about my dear "Gwenzelle" all day, but I shall refrain.

5: Kate Bishop

Y'all should have heard the SCREAM I scrumpt when I heard that they were bringing my girl Kate into the Hawkeye series! The Avengers' best annoying little sister. I hope to see more of her and I hope that she takes up the Hawkeye mantle from Clint in the MCU.

6: Amy Santiago

Yeah, ACAB and all that, but I have never been so seen in my life in a character. Just, the awkward nerdiness, the need to prove herself to the boys, and the absolute mega type A personality. I like to think I'm Rosa Diaz, but I'm actually Amy Santiago.

7: April Ludgate

"I only like dogs and sleeping late."

Same girl, SAME.

8: Tina Belcher

How can you not love Tina?! I will not hear any Tina slander, NONE.

9: Frank Castle

Another disaster vigilante. He's driven by revenge, but he's still got a soft side. He's a protector at heart, and he loves animals.

10: Lestat de Lioncourt

So, I fell in love with the 1994 movie adaptation, and I attempted to read the books at one point, but life happened. I recently finished the IWTV series on AMC, and Sam Reid's take is just SUPERB. I love that this version delved into the hurt he's endured over his long lifetime, and that there is a reason for his madness. There usually is, but this is nice to see.

No pressure tags and apologies if you have been tagged already: @acrossthesestars @withahappyrefrain @moongirldreamer @spiderispunk @virginiaisforvampires @chvoswxtch @castlesnchurches @peterman-spideyparker @magpie-to-the-morning

[dancing-to-architecture]

36 - Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

I guess we're running up that hill today.

So I stopped watching Stranger Things in season 2 (my wife really hated when Dart are the cat and i felt no real compulsion to continue), so i totally missed why this song got really big out of nowhere last year.

Never really got into Kate Bush. Let's see what I've been missing.

Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)-

Okay i never knew that was the full title of the song, that rules. Also didn't think it was gonna kick the album off. ALSO didn't know it had over A BILLION PLAYS.

And since I'm sure the audio players don't/can't track each other's metrics, that's just on Spotify! Holy shit.

Love that synth string in the intro.

Her voice is so cool, and the things she's doing with the layering are amazing.

Okay, wait, is she implying that he is the one running up that hill? And that she wants to make a deal to be running up the hill instead?

Because let me tell you, I've run up some hills, and it's not as nice as she makes it sound.

Hounds of Love-

I like the inversion of the Hounds of War.

Feels like the other side of Florence + The Machine's "Howl", being hunted by the idea of love rather than being the one hunting for it.

I would be incomprehensibly surprised if Kate Bush wasn't a source of inspiration for Florence.

(Been listening to Gecs lately while driving, and at that last line, all i can think is "i might go and throw my shoes into the lake, yeah".)

The Big Sky-

I like this one, mostly because I'm always pointing out clouds that look like things.

(The other day, there was a cloud above my house that looked like two kidney beans doing it doggy-style.)

If this isn't the unofficial song of Montana, that state just isn't trying. (It's the "Big Sky state" iirc.)

Okay, the end of this one gets a little repetitive. Feels a little unnecessarily long.

Mother Stands For Comfort-

A love song from the point of view of Jason Voorhees (...or maybe Ed Gein?)

Dark and jagged and erratic and atmospheric, i really like the instrumentation throughout, it's kinda like if Richard D. James wrote an art-pop song.

I stand by my initial assessment. A beautiful serial killer song.

Cloudbusting-

"I still dream of Orgonon" Wait, the orgonne energy research laboratory?

Google check confirms.

Yeah, this is a song about cumming. Squirting, possibly? "you're making rain and you're just in reach".

Immediately wondering if this is the inspiration for the Bob's Burgers song "Oil Spill".

(Yeah it's... Not subtle.)

Oh, wait, no, i think it's actually about water breaking and childbirth. I think i prefer the incredibly powerful orgasm reading instead.

And Dream Of Sheep -

This could be on a "go to sleep" playlist. Very mellow.

I totally feel the light sleeper part, though. Never been good at sleeping, and the army made that way worse.

Under Ice-

I grew up near a river junction in Illinois. One of the first things you learn is "NEVER trust river ice".

And, not to be too blunt, but if you don't learn that from hearing it, you likely won't need to worry about learning much else.

Honestly, this one is a bit of a recurring nightmare, the idea of being trapped under ice is horrifying.

Waking The Witch-

Considering how the last song flows into this one, maybe it IS a nightmare.

Possibly just the sound of Catholic guilt?

This is a wild one. Lots of what feels like found footage audio.

Watching You Without Me-

Ocarina of Time's Goron City? That you?

Considering the sweep of the past few songs on the album, I'm guessing she didn't make it out from under the ice, it has the vibe of "ghost watching the living".

Oh, she straight up says that.

Oh damn! Inverse backmasking?

Record the melody backwards, while singing the words backwards, so it's still intelligible when played forward. I LOVE IT.

And the chopped up cries to be heard? Oh, this song rules. The vibe here is immaculate.

Kate, this one made me a convert. Masterfully executed auditory ghost story.

Jig Of Life-

The dead woman fights for her right to live? I'm hoping I'm reading this album right, because all of a sudden I'm thinking: "is this ALL one big story? Did i just get ’Hazards of Love'-ed here? What are the implications of that realization with the very clearly about a serial killer song in the middle there?"

Hello Earth-

A song for Doctor Manhattan? Idk. Also, not sure about this one within the "is it all connected?" framework.

Maybe the woman lost the fight for her life?

The return of "getting out of the water".

The German at the end translates to:

"deeper deeper

somewhere deep

is there a light".

The Morning Fog-

I guaran-goddamn-tee that someone somewhere had almost fallen asleep during last song only to get jump-scared to shit by the start of this one.

There's a certain amount of "through the underworld" to it.

Like being in a bad trip for a while and everything dissipates as the night fades away, and you just stand there in the growing light of the morning sun and finally feel refreshed and alive again.

You could tell me that this album was based on a Greek tragedy and i would believe you.

You could also tell me that this album was based on a really challenging acid trip and i would also believe you.

Either way, atmospheric as hell, beautiful and tragic and emotional. I really enjoyed this one.

Favorite Track: Watching You Without Me. I get why Running Up That Hill was the big single and this wasn't (it just couldn't be, it needs the buildup), but this one is the best track on the album.

Least Favorite Track: The Big Sky is slightly diminished in my eyes by that ending just going on forever, but this is a really good album overall.

[moonlightperseus]

It's completely fine dw about it. I haven't been a person so I took a while too I completely understand.

I find something I like and I stick to it lmao

I also have a friend going down the nursing path and she encourages me fully and is so excited and I love her and also she constantly tells me how every single nurse that knew she was going into nursing told her not to. So. Hopefully that works for you, the change could certainly be good. And it's good you have a backup if you need it. And you can ramble about your personal life I don't mind dw.

That's fine I get that!! Personally I would never read green lantern comics because ew green lantern but that's obviously a personal opinion. I get that. And that's fair!! I haven't read anything really with Donna Troy either aside from some parts in a Wonderwoman comic I never finished.

Hand sanitizer and I aren't as close as we could be due to the Multiple times I've sanitised my hands so I didn't have to fully wash them (I knew I only needed to wash them for mentally ill reasons) and then I proceed to actually just make dust appear all over my hands

I think something really sad happens (I promise that's not a spoiler I genuinely have no clue if it's even those books or even what it is) and that intrigues me because I love pain. But the used book is a large hurdle. I'm glad you're enjoying it!! I've only ever heard good things. And yes! I have seen, multiple times, unfortunately that's ✨American only✨ but thank you

Admittedly I haven't read anymore but that's the whole not a person thing it's not a comment on the comics. And that's fair!! I'm very excited for Kate!!

No that's fair I agree I power through so many comics just for Dinah

It should be grape juice honestly I think that would be more fun

Understandable. They need to love each other all the time constantly no matter what.

I wouldn't spoil it anyway but I can't remember. It's cool that you're having new bonus ideas it's always interesting to see what people think!!

Recently at my work we got a full renovation so we had construction workers in and there was this one guy I called Music Man Jake and he had Tons of batman tattoos (it might've just been 2 I don't remember) but I said "so you like batman?" And he said "yeah, y'know why? Because he can beat superman which means he's the best" and I was like no I don't think that's what that means I think they can both be beaten and said "yeah by who?" And I told him that I'm pretty sure there's like canon instances where Wonderwoman beat both of them and he told me that that was fake and I was lying.

It IS a strange one yeah that's for sure

well i have unfortunately since received incredibly different and more drastic work change news but i have new plans i place to some extent, but ultimately my goal to make it through the holidays (very busy time for my job) has remained. and 2024 will be. very different for me but i’ll get there when i get there. honestly it’s not entirely a bad thing for me personally but it does objectively suck. but putting off thinking about the full extent of all that bc like i said. gotta get thru december. but yeah that’s a little life update for ya.

you’re valid! honestly i probably wouldn’t read green lantern comics if i didn’t have friends who love them just bc they never really. called to me before? but one thing i love is trying media beloved to my friends. and with comics especially it’s been a lot of reading things that are recommended to me because there’s way too much for me to choose on my own.

like i said i met donna in the titans tv series (another questionable comic adaptation that i unfortunately am so attached to 😔) however figuring out what to read for her does feel incredibly confusing bc she’s not like. a big dc player ig? idk we’ll see what i end up doing i have one donna troy special run open on a tab on my phone to try.

SO valid re:hand sanitizer. it’s def more of a temp fix for me when i don’t have access to properly wash my hands until i can actually wash them. which yeah maybe not the best but like. it’s manageable for me which is all that really matters.

i have finished the first raven cycle book and kinda started the second and something really sad happening definitely would fit the vibe so far, i wouldn’t say anything incredibly sad has really happened yet but there’s def the looming constant of something that’s supposed to happen at some point bc of psychic visions and all that. i started on the second book but haven’t really had a chance to read much of it however i’m heading back to my parents tomorrow so i’m gonna listen to more on the drive. i think my only complaint of the series is there’s so much concentrated Teenage Boy (and Teenage Rich Boy too) and it can be a little annoying at times bc like. the two rich boys. they have money. go to therapy. consider alternatives. think things through a little more. but even they are growing on me (one more slow than the other but it’s happening) but really it’s been fun to read so far!

:/// aw it being american only sucks i’m sorry.

again you are so valid (i say that a lot i know ahsjjdsj) re: not being a person & also not having read any more bombshells. life can be a whole lot and boy can it be hard living in it sometimes so i completely understand. and the good thing is bombshells isn’t going anywhere so there’s no rush!

okay ive now finished injustice year 5 & ground zero! i didnt make any notes this time bc i kinda was just powering thru year 5 and then i binged all of ground zero in one sitting. ground zero i just read the other night and was more enjoyable being told through harley's pov however god putting up with joker was very hard im glad harley finally was able to tell him no and also beat the shit out of him. her harley horde was so cute and i loved that for her. also seeing the alternate universe justice league (or as i called them, the REAL justice league) seeing MY diana again <333 and CLARK !! god i missed that ah shucks goofball. and i really loved the ending of harley and ivy going off to the alternate earth to help that version of harley overcome her attachment to the joker <3333 ALSO HARLEY IVY ARE ROMANTIC!!! LOVED THAT!!

in my head i’m picturing that music man jake’s birth name is like. robert or something but music man jake had a better ring so that’s what he is referred to by.

i can’t remember what it’s from (i think it might be the justice league animated show??) but there’s definitely somewhere a bit where bruce is talking about his contingency plans if any of the core JL went rogue and he had these boxes full of said contingencies but he literally like made a point of showing that diana’s box is empty because she has no weakness. and that’s remained permanently burned into my brain ever since. i absolutely believe she is stronger than superman. in some/most(?) continuities she’s literally a demigoddess. clark’s just lucky bc earth’s sun is built different 😭. but yeah she did in fact very much kick clark’s ass in injustice and was only beaten in the fight bc sinestro attacked her from behind once she already had superman on his knees. so yeah. she can definitely beat superman. that’s my no 1 takeaway from injustice year four. (and then REAL diana being able to kick injustice diana’s ass tells me that real diana CAN ALSO kick superman’s ass should the need come) but yeah. i do really love wonder woman akshakbddjs

i have to say i’m a little hesitant to start injustice 2 just bc i *liked* how year five ended and i don’t want it to be undone BUT i wanna see HER (dinah) so i will read it. i’m just debating trying year zero first, any thoughts on if i should wait to do year zero until after injustice 2 or am i fine to read it now?

hope you’re doing at least somewhat well all things considered!!

[hard-core-super-star]

It's okay, by now you probably know that I don't mind that and that taking your own time is more important, so you don't need to apologize for these things, I hope you're better now tho. I mean, totally, but if you look at the essays we write, we reply quite quickly. it probably was, but yes, at that moment I was already sleeping peacefully lmao. It's funny to see me admitting that you're right? 🤨 wHaTt?? kdhwkkwka is this chance in the room with us???? I don't know how I could expand on this- 😶

OH??? so you first call the characters from legends of tomorrow (I already forgot their names) irrelevant and now you say that my party theme is boring???? I don't know if you should be invited after that words actually 🤨 OKAY KSHSJWAK I woke up being attacked today, I see. well, as I said “less” I will still continue to be at least 0.00001% a brat. stfu asgwjwk it was not convincing! I mean, you can watch movies on this app... with more than one person... and since you were thinking about watching the amazing spider-man and it's been a while since I watched it this idea appeared in my mind so- 😶 oh yeah? Is it a win for me that I'm seeing? (saying caso cerrado and caso encerrado seems to have more emotion, I should have written that). both, lmao. I can't say, it's literally a state secret. we should make a duo 🤔

I thought you said you weren't an analyst??? you're welcome, it took me a few minutes staring at the wall and reflecting on life before and after I wrote this. yeah, but still!! i- heiwkjekq WELL, I guess I have no option but to leave this aside for now- you are (sometimes), but you won't see me complaining 👀 yup, that's not why my mind stops working on these messages, which gives yet another reason for the delay in replying.

sorry but I didn't laugh at that at all, I was completely serious. I won't say I was as confused as you reading this again and I admire that you have understood my sleepy messages so far. well, if this new follower has miles' pfp and a totally not sus name... it's not me. and I'm definitely not interested in you giving me your Instagram. I'm not quite sure of what you didn't double-checked 😶 I'm not excited either and I'm not laughing at the fact that it's been a day or two (I think) since this idea came up and we still haven't managed to make it happen kwhsjak

lmao, yes 😭😭 should I tell you if this happens?

that's why synonyms are sometimes our greatest allies on this journey 🙏 HEY! you made them so dirty but I bet even they couldn't stand grammar. now, if you told me that a person who likes grammar runs over old people on the street, I would completely agree. you just try to avoid grammar at all costs, don't you? lmao. You can trust my word, as I like to say: só confia, tá comigo tá, com deus. I don't know?? but it was literally as clear as day what you meant, I don't know why you thought it didn't make sense ksshjskajwjk also, my teacher used to say the same thing to me about the places she traveled. oh jshsjakakk the hole is deeper then- I recommend 😶 you brought up a good question because it's something I like to think about sometimes. soooo.... yes? in my humble and pure opinion, she has ADHD (Robin having ADHD is also a hc, and as I see them as practically the same person but in different fonts this plays a role in me thinking about it for kate too). you just dropped the greatest act of love in the entire world- it's literally impossible for any human being to hide a +4 to let the other person get revenge, that's cute 😔 not the feigning shock jahskaaksjk kate would notice it?

– 🌟

remember a while ago when you said you were fighting the urge to apologize for apologizing? that's me rn. starting to realize my tendency to overexplain myself comes from the awful friend choices i've made in the past but that's another topic. that's a good point, once again, we've proven that we are in fact incredibly fast when it comes to writing these essays. i don't know what we're going to do with this information but i'm glad we have it now. yes, although i think entertaining is a better word. adflhgadsgkl it's long gone by now but it stuck around as long as it could. ...fine, we can let it go for now unless there's something more you'd like to say 👀

OH MY GOD, when are you going to let that go??? i already apologized like three times, smh. i would say i didn't mean it like that but no, i did mean it. i just couldn't figure out what kind of decorations a party with a theme like that would have, maybe if i was invited i could help you figure it out but fine 😑 does it really count as being attacked if i'm completely right? i would be upset about that if i didn't find your brattiness endearing. damn, that sucks, i tried my best to make it convincing as possible for you. i can't believe you still found a way to leave your sentence unfinished, smh. i'm definitely not saying your idea intrigues me but i'm certainly thinking about it. i think this win is half-and-half but whatever floats your boat, darling. look at you finally answering a question, good job, i'll take it as a compliment. i agree, we'd be very successful 'cause we're hilarious. [we can even ask the audience, i'm sure at least one person will agree with us]

again, i'm an overthinker, not an analyst but if you say so 🤷 well, i'm glad your reflections didn't make you delete it because i loved reading it. but still what??? you just don't want to let me win, huh? look at that, i won again, i'm starting to feel a little bad but then again, you make it very easy. well, as long as you're not complaining, i guess i have no choice but to keep being as obvious as possible. just so that you don't get confused, of course, no other reason. yeah, definitely not. i also won't admit that you've had the same effect on me more than once 😶

i don't know why but i'm having a hard time believing that 🤨 i won't say i'm glad to hear you admit it because i certainly wasn't worried that i was being dumb. well, i certainly didn't forget to follow this person back last night which means i certainly didn't just follow them back right now. well since you're not interested, i won't give you another math problem to find me. take the 11th letter of the alphabet, add a . and then add my nickname. [if anyone else is doing this to stalk me, you're legally obligated to like my two most recent pictures, i don't make the rules 🤷] well, i won't say that i haven't given you all my cards and now it's not up to you how to proceed. you certainly don't have both my tktk and my insta and i'm not waiting for a message from you at all.

definitely lmao

i agree, they also help make things less repetitive. sdghjsjh yeah, yeah, okay, i like your version better. listen, i know grammar exist for a reason but i would prefer it if it stayed away from my long and pretty sentences. i'm very proud to say that i think i understood that and i DIDN'T have to use google translate for it. [but please don't test my understanding because i will probably end up looking stupid] i'm still convinced you have some sort of superpower because you understand basically all of my incoherent sentences. i don't even understand what i mean most of the time lmao. it certainly is and it's never-ending lmao. i'll think about it 🤘 i think so too, tbh. she's like a heavy mix of ADHD and anxiety in my book. which is why a lot of her "quirks" in my fics are really just subtle signs of anxiety or hyperactivity. are they cute? yes. should we be a little worried about her? also yes. and yes, well, yelena isn't just any human. she has to go above and beyond while also being sneaky af because if she's not, kate will not let it go lmao. honestly, i think kate would 100% notice but she'd be far too excited to question yelena about it...which would probably lead to yelena actually becoming interested in the conversation.

[72000]

idk how to even look at my "profile" anymore

I lied when i said i would post more art here. I didnt really, and i havent, really. I still do prints, I still do music. I sometimes do videos. I post on instagram to the two people who love me and see them in person first. https://www.instagram.com/d722220

instead i will throw 200 words you.

I have decided to listen thru all of Prince's discography. I've fallen in love with every single one so far (For You, Prince, Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day) EXCEPT for Parade. still revisiting but its not grabbing like the others did. I did not like Dirty Mind at first. I also didnt care for Around the World in a Day, but both i have come full circle on. Particularly ATWIAD. I am now in love with them and Do Me, Baby is a perfect song. It's funny to think (and read) that people weren't crazy at ATWIAD when it came out and last 3 songs are an incredible run (Pop Life, The Ladder, Temptation). It is also over started how Purple Rain is a 10/10 perfect album but let me be the 249,406 person to tell you that it's a perfect album. I was moved to tears on the first listen. Very few albums have done that (Kate Bush Hounds of Love being an example duh). Decided to take on this task on a whim and I'm so in love.

I had also decided to revisit and continue listening through Alan Vega's discography. Once again, 10 years ago when i first heard Just a Million Dreams i HATED IT. a lot. its so vastly different from anything Suicide related, and though you could say the same for the first few Vega solo albums, something about JAMD irked me. I even liked Saturn Drive more. I revisited it last week and only days later drove to the record shop to buy it, I NEEDED IT. it's really fucked up he could start as protopunk protoindustrial w Suicide then do rockabilly (S/T - collision Drive) dance pop and dance rock, then go totally avant garde(?) once you hit Deuce Avenue. it's still dance oriented but not in the same way Saturn Drive and JAMD are.

I cannot lie I love dance music. I also picked up Sheila E. " The Glamourous Life" and Nik Kershaw "Human Racing". I love dance music. The last haul was Toni Braxton first album (s/t ?) and The Time s/t.

Other than that I've slowly been working my way through Dean Blunt discography. (pattern?) I made it through Jill Scott Herring OST and Narcissist II but once I hit The Redeemer something in me knew I liked it but I couldnt articulate why. Still kinda can't tbh. after the 3rd listen it finally clicked and I "got it". The only thing I didn't care for up to this point is the last song Gass on Babyfather. I've only made it up to Walhalla. I'd always seen BLACK METAL be a topic of discussion any time his name is brought up but The Redeemer is the one I come back to the most. time will tell.

The funny thing is i live alone and have been for almost a year now and normally I would come home and throw 1000 words at my then roommate about what I'd been listening to and what I thought. Now that I can't do that maybe I'll bring it here. maybe I won't. maybe I'll delete this out of some sort of weird humility and temporary attempt at pretending to be elusive ?

I keep track of full albums I listen to on a monthly basis a la Topsters so maybe I'll start posting them here. Nobody will see this and I feel like posting them to twitter is a little to revealing. I've been kinda showing my ass lately.

how many words was that ?

9/25/23

[starhallows]

THANK YOU for saying what you said on twitter! I was seriously disappointed by this season and I’m tired of walking on eggshells around it. The heart of the Kathony story is their shared love for their families. And their families treated them terribly. Especially the Sharmas. I cannot forgive how Mary and Edwina treated Kate. And there was no resolution to that at all. The whole triangle storyline was yucky. Edwina was not “fleshed out” she was a plot device. I only rewatch Kathony scenes.

For context, this was my tweet:

Prompted by, but not limited to, CVDs and Shonda's comments yesterday.

Am I about to get in trouble? I think I'm about to get in trouble.

I have seen the tweets and the reaction some people have to any kind of criticism regarding season 2, and that's just not for me. It seems to be contained to Twitter, so I've been curating my timeline for the past month. I said it yesterday, and I'll repeat it: no one should be attacking anyone as long as you are respectfully stating your opinion. The fact that some people are doing it says more about them than I think they realise. Be respectful but call shit out; there are at least 2 other seasons left, we need to try and get heard.

I've been pretty much silent about the season so far because I didn't know what to say when I finished it the first (and only) time. It was pretty late when we finished binge-watching, and I'd had a long week, so I blamed the hype and my high expectations for the way I felt.

Instead, I created this happy bubble, reblogged gifs, read fic, gushed over edits and fanart... and I've been reluctant to burst that bubble. I did read the deep dives and the reviews that fans were writing, but there are aspects I can't comment on (because I'm white as snow).

Having said that: the season has issues.

It has issues with characterisation (hello, Edwina, my love, how's the whiplash?), plot, character motivations, pacing... I could make a 2000 word essay about it - I sent a 15-minute voice note to a friend of mine the other day ranting about the show, and I hadn't even moved past Kate and Anthony - so I'll try to summarise some "hot takes" (that aren't hot because everyone has already talked about it). Don't get me started with the Featheringtons, Benedict, Polin and Philloise... OR FRANCESCA (honestly, Frannie, babes. Just run away to Bath with Aunty Winnie, and we'll write you fic, we promise. We'll make Franchael Week a thing if we have to)

Edwina:

Let's start with the elephant in the room. The only "nice" way I can describe my feelings about the Edwina arc is: I see what you were trying to do, but you didn't do it.

What we know about Edwina from the books is that, yes, she is innocent, but she is also intelligent. Edwina knows that her family is not doing great financially, no matter how much Kate and Mary try to hide it from her, and that's why she pushes for Anthony - she knows that Anthony will give her the security she and her family need.

What we see from Edwina in the show is that she is young and naive, and incredibly sweet. You understand why Kate wants to protect her, it makes the audience want to protect her, I was in love with her from the beginning. When we meet Edwina at the beginning, we very quickly see a side of her that is unsure, almost as if she knows this is their big chance, and she feels all the pressure she is hiding. "I hope they like me," she says, and you feel for her. Then, she tells Kate she wants Anthony because he is honest in episode 2, and there was this moment in episode 3 when I had hope for her character development and depth. When Edwina doesn't get proposed to at dinner, and she cries when Kate is doing her hair, she chastises herself, "I should have been better, I should've known better..." and I thought we were going to see what was under the surface of this perfect diamond. And then, we just didn't.

They made Edwina fall in love with this perfect persona Anthony kept presenting, and she wouldn't listen to anyone: not her sister, not Daphne, not all the noise Anthony's eyes must've made while he looked at Kate like I look at chocolate cake.

And still, even after the proposal, there would have been hope for something more. They could have fixed it, which brings me to...

Mary:

*long and deep sigh* I will never forgive them for turning Mary into a doormat. You can take Mary out of the entire season, plop her in for episodes 7 and 8 and nothing changes, and it breaks my heart because I LOVE Mary. She could've just tried to find Kate in ep 6, and she would've won so many browny points in my book.

Kate is completely alone until she falls off that horse (aka Mufasa the horse pulls a Scar):

I don't have words to explain how much this hurts. Kate, who sacrifices her future and happiness for her sister; who is ready to let the man she loves go so Edwina can marry and love him instead; Kate, who has no prospects and is going to leave once the season is over to go back home and will be forced to live through others. Kate is isolated from everyone the entire season, and all everyone can do is be angry at her for things.

Anthony is angry because he can't feel feelings, and now he has them for her, and it's all her fault.

Lady Danbury gets angry because she knows that there's something between K&A while Anthony is pursuing Edwina. You know, the match that Kate has been against since the very beginning? The one LD pushed for? The same LD that will talk to Kate about her part in the emotional affair but never calls Anthony out?

Edwina is angry, and she's not even angry with Kate for the right reasons! Be angry because your sister pushed you until you met all these standards, and she was projecting her idea of perfection onto you, not because she is willing to sacrifice everything for you even if it destroys her! What? Episode 6 is a shitshow, and it shouldn't exist.

I could go on, but I think I've ranted enough. My asks are always open if anyone wants to talk about the season and its characters.

[geraltcirilla]

it sucks that bridgerton wrote their only fat girl character in such a way :( as much as bridgerton likes to tout it's diversity and representation, those characters are either treated bad or written poorly or shafted. like what daphne did to simon in s1 and he had to apologize. in s2 the love triangle with kate and edwina that hurt both their characters, and mary being nonexistent. lady danbury and the queen are iconic but they're supporting characters. and penelope's actions as whistledown (but i have hope for character development and i personally love messy women)

I both agree and disagree with this. I appreciate the writers taking risks and doing something different, although sometimes they fall short. But I also think the fans are as much to blame for how these characters are treated for their inability to accept any nuance.

For example, I think both Kate and Edwina were written EXCELLENT in season 2. They were given conflict, which is a necessary part of entertainment. You cannot have a story without conflict. But both had sympathetic perspectives. Regardless of whose side you took in the argument the other side isn't unforgivable and you can tell they still love one another. This issue is that FANS absolutely refuse to digest nuance and subtly. They refuse to allow dark-skinned girls to be imperfect. And they refuse to allow two dark-skinned girls to be main characters at the same time. (I say this because after everything Penelope or Portia have done, Edwina is still the most disliked character right now. Portia who abuses her daughters, and Penelope who runs a gossip column that ruins lives and is proud of it, are both more liked than Edwina whose only crime was to be ignorant and get mad at Kate once.) So to fans, either Kate or Edwina MUST be in the wrong and be manipulative, selfish, stupid, or whatever else they're saying about them on Twitter. (I literally saw a Tweet calling Kate a groomer and I’m not even going to get IN to the fuckery of that statement.) The truth is the narrative never favored or disfavored either side of the argument. The writers made sure to show both perspectives and to make both characters sympathetic and understandable, and I know they succeeded because if they didn’t we wouldn’t be having these debates about who was right or wrong in that situation. 

Edwina was actually given a personality with wants, needs, and motivations that she didn't have in the book. Book Edwina wasn't even a character. She was a hollow shell, a yes-girl with no distinguishable personality. I almost laughed when I read the book because Edwina went from “I’m going to marry Anthony because he’s a wealthy gentleman and he’s interested. Stop being so rude to him, Kate!” to “You're engaged? I always knew you two were in love. Also I’m in love with a random man I’ve never mentioned before so you know I’m not at all bothered by this turn of events.” The complete lack of literally anything from her was astounding. She was “Go girl, give us nothing!” the whole damn book. She only existed as a plot device for Kanthony’s relationship.

And Kate was given a far more nuanced and complex motivation in the show than she was in the book. In the books she’s considered plain next to Edwina’s beauty so no one wants her. In the show her being single is a choice because she refuses to consider herself before her family is secure. In the books she is jealous of Edwina always being considered first (and she’s ashamed of being jealous), in the show she’s not only not jealous, but incredibly PROUD of Edwina AND is responsible for helping Edwina become the perfect diamond. When people compliment Edwina in the show Kate feels nothing but joy and pride. In the books Kate has a traumatic memory of her mom dying in an incredibly weird way during a lightning storm, which was honestly kinda silly. In the show, she has older sibling trauma that SO MANY older siblings, particular older female siblings, can understand and relate to: when your parents make you a de facto parent to your own siblings and force you to grow up earlier than you want or deserve. It’s a trauma Anthony himself relates to: “There are times I had to be your father when all I wanted to be was your brother.” I could go on and on forever, but show Kate is remarkable and I absolutely adore her!

Regarding Mary: she was made more a person than she was in the books. She had some great dialogue and scenes, she’s fleshed out well enough for a supporting character. Remember that her entire identity in the book was “mom”. Mary of the show has a spicy little backstory and her own love story and tragedy to flesh her out, also her own guilt and shame she needs to contend with.

I cannot sit here and agree that Kate, Edwina, or Mary are examples of characters being wronged by the writers, because I don’t simply disagree, I wholeheartedly disagree and actually feel the opposite -- that they are examples of the writers EXCELLING. My only complaint about season 2 are the side plots falling flat and lacking any emotional depth. But if we’re only talking main story and Kanthony I think it’s near perfection.

-

With Penelope... I do feel she was done quite dirty, but I don’t think it was intentional. The writers wanted to do something unique and creative with Lady Whistledown, and in their credit, they did. LW framing the episodes is fun, it makes the show stand out among all the other regency period dramas out there. And the exposés she writes propels the show’s plot along. It makes for a really good story. I’ve said this before but I will be sad if we ever lose LW because this show’s gonna get a lot less interesting. But unfortunately when you use LW in such a manner and you have her cross lines like she did with Marina, you make her a bad person. And even more unfortunately, Penelope is LW. And that’s a detail they kept from the books, so it’s not like they were intentionally targeting Penelope. I think Penelope is a victim of the writers choosing intrigue and excitement over characterization. Penelope’s kinda a shitty person as LW, and I don’t think the writers even realize they did that. It just sucks that they’ve created a situation where a fat girl in a romantic regency drama is hated as she is, when she’s quite literally breaking barriers with her mere existence. Quite honestly, I wish the writers said fuck the books and made LW someone else, perhaps completely anonymous and never revealed. Because I adore her mischief but I don’t adore what it’s costing Penelope. Ofc at the end of the day people don’t give a fuck about fat girls regardless, and tbh I think Penelope could be the perfect model citizen and still be disliked by some.

But I’m very much with you when you said “I like messy characters”. I adore messy characters, it’s the reason I loved season 2 so much, because you can’t get more self-sabotaging person than Anthony Bridgerton. So I’m not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater and give up on Penelope. (Or any of these characters.) She can still be redeemed, but that would have to involve a subplot where she acknowledges how being LW has harmed her friends and understands it was wrong. I think she also needs a scene with Marina for closure. Although I will be quite sad when Penelope stops being LW (or if she doesn’t quit, “tames” LW). Because LW is sooo much fun and I really enjoy the chaos she causes.

-

That all being said I agree with you about Simon. His voice was completely silenced after Daphne's assault and his perspective totally lost in the last two episodes. But I will point at that the same can be said for the book. So the show writer’s crime may actually be following too closely to the books. Because let’s be real, that scene shouldn’t have been adapted period.

[lokiondisneyplus]

Sophia Di Martino was launched into the pop cultural consciousness thanks to her role as Sylvie – AKA the Loki variant on Marvel Disney Plus series Loki, where she trades barbs and shares background stories with Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief.

Episode Three of the series found Loki on a wild adventure with Sylvie, after he accidentally sent them both to the doomed moon Lamentis-1, on a collision course with a planet. Facing an apocalypse, the pair hatches a plan to find the escape vessel that some of the moon's wealthier residents are hoping will carry them to safety and, while on the train to the ship, they discuss everything from the nature of love to their respective magical abilities.

When the opportunity arose to talk to her, we naturally jumped at it, so here is part of Chris Hewitt's conversation with Di Martino, who was frank and funny while chatting about getting the job, Loki's sexuality and more.

The last two weeks in particular must have been a heck of a whirlwind for you. What's it been like being at the centre of the storm?

It's been a strange one. Because I feel like I've been waiting in the wings for quite a while. And I haven't been able to talk to anyone about this until today. So, it's been a really strange few weeks, just watching the show start and listening to people's reactions, but not being able to talk about it. I don't feel like I've been in the centre of the storm at all. I feel like I've been watching it play out.

Have you been able to say anything to anybody, family friends... Postmen?

Absolutely no-one! My mum has no idea where I've been for the past two years. It's been really difficult. But to be honest, I'm actually really good at keeping secrets. So, I've perhaps been too good and haven't told anyone, anything. My agent, no one knows anything! I’m taking it really seriously, maybe a bit too seriously!

You and director Kate Herron have worked together in the past. Is that how it began for you?

Kate and I worked together on a short film of hers a few years ago now. And we stayed in touch, we're mates, we'll go out for coffee and do a bit of improv. We exist in the same circles in London. I'm trying to remember how exactly it happened. I was shooting another film in the UK, and I think I got a message from Kate saying, “I'm on this show, I'm not allowed to talk about what it is... There's a role, we'd like to see what you do with it. I can't tell you any more. Just wanted to give you the heads up...” A really vague WhatsApp message. So, then I got a request for a tape through my agent. But obviously, my agency also couldn't know anything about what was happening and what it was or anything. I was given a really short scene, made a tape of this scene and just had to guess what it was about. I think it was actually what ended up being the scene from Episode Three, which is Loki and Sylvie on the train. I think it ended up being that scene, but it was very different when I did the audition tape for it.

Did it have the word Loki in the script at any point?

No, no, no names! I think it was Bob and Sarah or something completely different. I didn't have a clue what it was.

I was really interested in how angry she is and how sort of laser-focused she is on this mission that she's given herself.

At what point did the penny drop? At what point did you realise that you were auditioning to play a Loki on Loki, and then this incredibly complex character?

I can't remember what happened first. It might have been the news that Kate was directing the new Loki came out. And then I was like, “Oh, maybe that's what I read for...” Or if it was that I was just offered the job, and they told me what it was. But yeah, it was a surprise. And I had a chat with Tom on FaceTime because he was in New York. I never actually met anyone because I was nine months pregnant, I couldn't fly anywhere. So, I was in London, everyone else is in the US. So, it was just that tape, it was all based on that. And obviously, I've worked with Kate before, so she knows that I'm not some weirdo. And she must’ve convinced them to cast me!

Let’s talk a little bit about Sylvie as we now know her. What's clear is that you're not doing a Tom Hiddleston impression. This is not your take on a Tom Hiddleston Loki, this is a very, very different iteration of their character. So where did you start?

Well, probably exactly there, making that decision that I didn't want to go in and do an impression of Tom, because that would have been awful. I'm really bad at impressions for a start! Sylvie’s very different to Loki in a lot of ways. There's the chaos and there's the mischievous, which are very, very Loki traits. But for me, I was really interested in how angry she is and how sort of laser-focused she is on this mission that she's given herself. And I think that plus the playfulness really helped me get into the character. And, and so that was the way I started.

The stunt training and the fight training really helped me with her physicality, and we were all really keen on her being a really strong, sort of street fighter, almost. She's not as elegant as Loki. She's fit and rough around the edges, she's had a harder time, in a way, she's been on the run for the majority of her life, getting into scraps. And I like the idea that she really enjoys fighting. And she'd really get something out of it. Because she knows that she's probably going to win. Right? And that's where her cockiness comes through, maybe. And so that was part of it as well. And then as soon as you put the costume on, you're there.

What was that like? Because the costume says so much as well. There's the headpiece, which obviously has a missing horn, which says a lot about the scrapes that she's gotten into in the past. And also says that this isn't the Loki we might be expecting.

We were really keen on making the costume look like it's been through the wringer a bit. And she's sort of gathered bits of it from places that she's been throughout her journey. We didn't want it to be too clean and shiny. And it was also important to me that it was a really comfortable costume and that I could actually fight in it, and I could kick in it and just do things that I needed to kick not have to worry about breaking it or being uncomfortable. And then Christine Wada, the costume designer, was amazing at just making it super comfy. But I still felt like a badass when I put it on.

The train scene has that wonderful moment where you’re talking about your romantic pasts, and Loki confirms that he is bisexual, which has been received rapturously since the episode came out. Did you get a sense of how momentous it was when you were filming it?

I knew how important it was, yeah. And I'm just so pleased that it's been received so well. And people are super happy to have seem that scene. And like I said, the show is inspired by the comics, and the comics for a long time have alluded to Loki being bisexual or pansexual. And his sexuality is not straight. And even back to Norse mythology. So, it was important to Kate, and it was also important to me and Tom, that this was represented in a six-hour story about that character. Because representation is important.

It's such a beautifully written scene. Can you just talk about your memories of filming those exchanges? Because we've only just met Sylvie, and we haven’t seen Loki consider the idea of love or falling in love or being frail or vulnerable in that way before.

It’s a super important scene. And it was interesting to shoot it because it's the first time that you see Sylvie vulnerable. And it's just a really important moment for the two of them to understand each other in a different way, and not just be miffed by each other for the first time. And when we were filming it, it is quite a long scene. And it just felt really good to do a long, talky scene. It didn't feel long when we were doing it. But it was nice to get into those characters, and it sort of felt like doing a play, when you go a bit deeper and it’s great. It's just another way of understanding the character that you're playing. And listening to Tom singing was also an experience! Didn’t he do such a good job of learning all those words? I was just amazed that he could learn a song in a different language. And he did it so quickly! Like, one day he got the words and the next day he was fluent in Norwegian! That’s Hiddleston, isn’t it? He’s just so smart!

[folklauerate]

Hi! Any head canons of grandpa Anthony?

I have tons!! Specifically within the lil universe I'm creating with all of Kathony's kids stories :)

So Anthony becomes a grandpa when Ned and Rosie have Henry, their firstborn! A little background on this; Henry is named after Rosie's grandfather, whose full name and title was Harold Bracebridge, the Earl of Kent. Everyone called him Henry since childhood, however, and the nickname stuck, and so all his family and close friends would call him Henry. He's only ever Harold when doing important Earl things or in the House of Lords. He's a good sort of grandpa, and he's around for a bit before he sadly passes away, and so Anthony has some memories of him being generally quite kind and known to crack a joke while they're in parliament together. Of course, Anthony is far more familiar with his son, the next Earl of Kent, Marshall Bracebridge, Rosie's father. The two of them are friendly enough; they're both landowners in the same area, they run in the same social circles, etc. However, their wives are actually the ones that are quite close friends; Kate gets along spectacularly well with the Earl's wife, Louisa. They're both no-bullshit sorts of people, married around the same time, and navigating their new positions in society at the same time, and quite like having the other as a sort of friend and ally. Louisa is also a fan of the sorts of balls Kate throws, which makes her a firm friend in Kate's book. They both get pregnant around the same time and Ned and Rosie are born a day after the other, which they didn't anticipate on happening--Rosie is actually born about two weeks early.

Anyways, we're going to fast forward through Ned and Rosie's story, since I'll be writing that :) But they get married when they're both 21 and have Henry a year later, who they name after Rosie's grandfather.

(Side note that, two years later, they have a daughter and name her Hyacinth, after Aunty Hyacinth, who both Ned and Rosie have incredibly fond memories of because Hyacinth was obsessed with baby Ned. I know this is in the latest chapter of Miles the Rake, but since Ned and Rosie grow up together, doing a lot of everything together, they both sort of think of her as Aunty Hyacinth who will tell them funny stories about Anthony and indulge any sneaky behavior)

Baby Henry is Anthony and Kate's first grandchild and they are absolutely besotted with him. He is also Louisa and Marshall's first grandchild, so this kid is growing up with two sets of first time grandparents who are absolutely obsessed with him.

Ned and Rosie have a house in both Kent (where their family's ancestral seats are), a house in London, and a smaller (though it's not really that small lol) home in Brighton that is for the occasional holiday to the seaside. That house is actually featured heavily in Mary's story but more on that later ;) Anyways, they're raising their family quite close to their families as well, and you know that known Baby Tamer Anthony is there every spare moment of the day. He is truly just so infatuated by this little life that his son and daughter-in-law created and just so overcome.

Henry's first "word" is Dada, which, in Hindi means grandfather, and since both Kate and Anthony have decided they'll be Dada and Dadi, Anthony likes to tell everyone that his grandson's first words were Dada.

Anthony loves taking Henry out for rides; he actually sneakily teaches Henry how to ride on horseback a bit earlier than Ned and Rosie planned, simply because he's not going to say no to his grandchild. After years of looking after his siblings and then raising his own children, he's really happy to be settling into this new role in life, where he's not directly responsible for the wellbeing and security etc of a life, he's just able to sit back and spoil his grandchildren as much as he likes. So Henry becomes proficient at horseback riding at a young age because, well, Anthony really can't say no to his little face.

This is a hard maybe, as in maybe once I'm done with Miles, Charlotte, Mary, and Ned's stories, maybe when I have a breather, I'll write a oneshot of this, but there's this really bittersweet feeling Anthony has about being a grandfather. His whole life he feels like he's been trying to fill the shoes of someone else, stumbling or tripping or half convinced that he can't get it right. He's trying to be what his father was for him in a lot of ways. But when he himself has his kids, he is, of course, sad that his father would never know his children. And when his children have children, he is for the first time in his life settling into a role his own father never had. A role that he has no sort of set perception for, or expectations for. He is a grandfather and it is a position of entirely his own making, and he is happy to be indulgent and affectionate, happily spoiling his grandchildren.

Whenever Ned and Rosie are visiting Kate and Anthony, they truly will never see head or tails of their kids again because they've happily been bundled up into their grandparent's arms. As I mentioned earlier, Ned and Rosie have Hyacinth two years after Henry, and she'll happily spend any amount of time in her grandfather's arms. She's also a very fussy baby, and, much like her namesake, always settled when she was being rocked by Anthony, who is more than happy to hold her.

I am actively holding back on discussing Miles and Charlotte's children, actually, as talking about them will get a bit spoiler-y since their children and Kathony's relationship with them does have a lot to do with big events that happen with both Miles and Charlotte's stories! That's not to say anything bad happens or that any relations are soured, though. Kathony love all their grandchildren a whole damn lot <3

Charlotte and Freddie have baby Nicholas, named after Freddie's late father, and since Freddie doesn't either of his parents, or a ton of relatives, Kathony are a big presence, just very happy to help make up for the lack of family. In fact, most of the Bridgertons are. Seeing as Miles and Freddie have been best friends since age four, and basically inseparable, and seeing how Anthony and Simon both step in when Freddie's father, the Duke, passes away when Freddie is 18, passing the dukedom to Freddie who is far too young and newly orphaned, somewhere along the way, the Kate and Anthony came to think of him as their own, just one more kid thrown into the mix. When he and Charlotte get married, it's sort of just making official what everyone felt; Freddie's always been a Bridgerton.

Freddie is actually a very nervous new dad; once Nicholas is born (and then, later, the twins), he settles into the role nicely because he loves his kids so much, just obsessed. However, leading up to the birth of baby Nick, he is quite nervous, and finds himself turning to the only remaining father figure he has in his life--Anthony. And of course, he's lucky that Anthony's quite practiced at being a dad. The two of them have a lot of talks about fatherhood and the responsibilities, sense of care, sense of duty, and everything else that comes with it. Freddie is not a natural disciplinarian, he is an only child, and his mother passed away while in childbirth with him, due to the fact that she was a lot older when she was finally able to conceive, and it was a complicated pregnancy. So Freddie was raised by his father, who was also quite old, and though Nicholas senior was a really loving father, who cared for Freddie deeply, he did pass away due to a heart condition when Freddie was only eighteen (like I mentioned earlier) and even when he was around, it felt a bit like he raised himself. So he appreciates having Anthony to lean on and really talk to when he needs it, which happens with increasing frequency the closer they get to Charlotte's due date.

This post is just... obscenely long lol. I have clearly thought about this world... a lot. Like just today I was plotting out the family trees of absolutely everyone, simply because I don't know what I'll end up needing in this fic! I even know that Henry ends up naming his firstborn Anthony, after his beloved Dada. I haven't done the math yet because I'm not sure when Anthony ends up passing away in canon (I read 92 somewhere?) and I haven't sussed out the exact year Henry gets married, but I like to think that Anthony gets to hold his namesake :)

Anyways! I hope this very long and rambly response answers your question! Feel free to lmk if anything needs to be expanded upon or if you've got any other questions :)

[twh-news]

Loki: Sophia Di Martino Talks About Songs, Sexuality, Scoring The Role Of Sylvie And More

Sophia Di Martino was launched into the pop cultural consciousness thanks to her role as Sylvie – AKA the Loki variant on Marvel Disney Plus series Loki, where she trades barbs and shares background stories with Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief.

Episode Three of the series found Loki on a wild adventure with Sylvie, after he accidentally sent them both to the doomed moon Lamentis-1, on a collision course with a planet. Facing an apocalypse, the pair hatches a plan to find the escape vessel that some of the moon's wealthier residents are hoping will carry them to safety and, while on the train to the ship, they discuss everything from the nature of love to their respective magical abilities.

When the opportunity arose to talk to her, we naturally jumped at it, so here is part of Chris Hewitt's conversation with Di Martino, who was frank and funny while chatting about getting the job, Loki's sexuality and more.

The last two weeks in particular must have been a heck of a whirlwind for you. What's it been like being at the centre of the storm?

It's been a strange one. Because I feel like I've been waiting in the wings for quite a while. And I haven't been able to talk to anyone about this until today. So, it's been a really strange few weeks, just watching the show start and listening to people's reactions, but not being able to talk about it. I don't feel like I've been in the centre of the storm at all. I feel like I've been watching it play out.

Have you been able to say anything to anybody, family friends... Postmen?

Absolutely no-one! My mum has no idea where I've been for the past two years. It's been really difficult. But to be honest, I'm actually really good at keeping secrets. So, I've perhaps been too good and haven't told anyone, anything. My agent, no one knows anything! I’m taking it really seriously, maybe a bit too seriously!

You and director Kate Herron have worked together in the past. Is that how it began for you?

Kate and I worked together on a short film of hers a few years ago now. And we stayed in touch, we're mates, we'll go out for coffee and do a bit of improv. We exist in the same circles in London. I'm trying to remember how exactly it happened. I was shooting another film in the UK, and I think I got a message from Kate saying, “I'm on this show, I'm not allowed to talk about what it is... There's a role, we'd like to see what you do with it. I can't tell you anymore. Just wanted to give you the heads up...” A really vague WhatsApp message. So, then I got a request for a tape through my agent. But obviously, my agency also couldn't know anything about what was happening and what it was or anything. I was given a really short scene, made a tape of this scene and just had to guess what it was about. I think it was actually what ended up being the scene from Episode Three, which is Loki and Sylvie on the train. I think it ended up being that scene, but it was very different when I did the audition tape for it.

Did it have the word Loki in the script at any point?

No, no, no names! I think it was Bob and Sarah or something completely different. I didn't have a clue what it was.

"I was really interested in how angry she is and how sort of laser-focused she is on this mission that she's given herself."

At what point did the penny drop? At what point did you realise that you were auditioning to play a Loki on Loki, and then this incredibly complex character?

I can't remember what happened first. It might have been the news that Kate was directing the new Loki came out. And then I was like, “Oh, maybe that's what I read for...” Or if it was that I was just offered the job, and they told me what it was. But yeah, it was a surprise. And I had a chat with Tom on FaceTime because he was in New York. I never actually met anyone because I was nine months pregnant, I couldn't fly anywhere. So, I was in London, everyone else is in the US. So, it was just that tape, it was all based on that. And obviously, I've worked with Kate before, so she knows that I'm not some weirdo. And she must’ve convinced them to cast me!

Let’s talk a little bit about Sylvie as we now know her. What's clear to me is that you're not doing a Tom Hiddleston impression. This is not your take on a Tom Hiddleston Loki, this is a very, very different iteration of their character. So where did you start?

Well, probably exactly there, making that decision that I didn't want to go in and do an impression of Tom, because that would have been awful. I'm really bad at impressions for a start! Sylvie’s very different to Loki in a lot of ways. There's the chaos and there's the mischievous, which are very, very Loki traits. But for me, I was really interested in how angry she is and how sort of laser-focused she is on this mission that she's given herself. And I think that plus the playfulness really helped me get into the character. And, and so that was the way I started.

The stunt training and the fight training really helped me with her physicality, and we were all really keen on her being a really strong, sort of street fighter, almost. She's not as elegant as Loki. She's fit and rough around the edges, she's had a harder time, in a way, she's been on the run for the majority of her life, getting into scraps. And I like the idea that she really enjoys fighting. And she'd really get something out of it. Because she knows that she's probably going to win. Right? And that's where her cockiness comes through, maybe. And so that was part of it as well. And then as soon as you put the costume on, you're there.

What was that like? Because the costume says so much as well. There's the headpiece, which obviously has a missing horn, which says a lot about the scrapes, that she's gotten into in the past. And also says that this isn't the Loki we might be expecting.

We were really keen on making the costume look like it's been through the wringer a bit. And she's sort of gathered bits of it from places that she's been throughout her journey. We didn't want it to be too clean and shiny. And it was also important to me that it was a really comfortable costume and that I could actually fight in it, and I could kick in it and just do things that I needed to kick not have to worry about breaking it or being uncomfortable. And then Christine Wada, the costume designer, was amazing at just making it super comfy. But I still felt like a badass when I put it on.

The train scene that wonderful moment were you’re talking about your romantic pasts, and Loki confirms that he is bisexual, which has been received rapturously since the episode came out. And it's such a huge moment and I know it was important to Kate, as well. What can you say about that? First of all, about filming that moment? Did you get a sense of its momentousness when you were filming it?

I knew how important it was, yeah. And I'm just so pleased that it's been received so well. And people are super happy to have seem that scene. And like I said, the show is inspired by the comics, and the comics for a long time have alluded to Loki being bisexual or pansexual. And his sexuality is not straight. And even back to Norse mythology. So, it was important to Kate, and it was also important to me and Tom, that this was represented in a six-hour story about that character. Because representation is important.

And it's such a beautifully written scene as well. Can you just talk about your memories of filming those exchanges? Not just seeing Tom singing in what I presume is Norwegian, and what that was like for you? But also, just that exchange about love and how important it is for these two characters. Because we've only just met Sylvie, of course. And we haven’t seen Loki consider the idea of love or falling in love or being frail or vulnerable in that way before. So, it seemed like a fairly important exchange...

It’s a super important scene. And it was interesting to shoot it because it's the first time that you see Sylvie vulnerable. And it's just a really important moment for the two of them to understand each other in a different way, and not just be miffed by each other for the first time. And when we were filming it, it is quite a long scene. And it just felt really good to do a long, talky scene. It didn't feel long when we were doing it. But it was nice to get into those characters, and it sort of felt like doing a play, when you go a bit deeper and it’s great. It's just another way of understanding the character that you're playing. And listening to Tom singing was also an experience! Didn’t he do such a good job of learning all those words? I was just amazed that he could learn a song in a different language. And he did it so quickly! Like, one day he got the words and the next day he was fluent in Norwegian! That’s Hiddleston, isn’t it? He’s just so smart!

[strikingtwelves]

I was thoroughly thrilled with the finale! My thoughts:

Yaz is alive! Dan is alive! But most importantly Yaz is alive and totally fine for now

Jericho is unfortunately not alive, which is sad because I got really attached to him

c a n o n b e d r o o m c o r r i d o r

13 getting split up at the beginning got me in my Valeyard themed clown makeup ngl

That scene! At the end! Sweet catharsis!

Hughughughughug we got a hug boys it happened

Time as a character was really cool and I loved how they were portrayed. 13-as-villian was deliciously sinister.

We were all busy shipping Thasmin and then they turned around and gave us 13 flirting with herself

I liked the resolution with the watch because I thought it would be a hard sell if she got all her memories back but also it would have really sucked for them just to be destroyed

In true Doctor Who fashion, Karvanista ends up with companions of his own after leaving the Doctor

Actually the stuff with him really hit me. It felt awful watching a former companion be so betrayed and hurt and angry with the Doctor. That scene with them both in the cage was reeeeaaalllly good.

Is this the first time 13 has said companion?

I knew we had to have a scene with multiple Doctors at some point but when Alternate 13 walked in I was s h o o k

Also been a while since we had a torture scene in this show

Kate! Kate! Kate! Kate! Kate! Love her, wish we could have had more

Azure talking to 13 was great because it felt like she really didn't see what they were doing as wrong and that was Fascinating. Up until now Swarm was my favorite but she swooped in and stole the spot with that scene.

Can't believe they Monsters Inc.-ed the Grand Serpent at the end

Uh-oh Time foretelling the Doctor's demise, gives me 10 vibes

also, the Master. Pretty obviously coming back right?

Dan has officially decided to travel with them now!

Overall this season has been fantastic! Every episode felt like it was better than the last, which is really hard to do and I'm impressed. It's probably going to be my favorite of 13's run, though I'll have to wait for the excitement to die down to know for sure. It's been a pleasure sharing my thoughts here, I've had a lot of fun. I'm probably going to go on an internet blackout soon to avoid spoilers, so you won't hear from me for a while. But one day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back.

YES EVERYONE IS ALIVE and I know Yaz at least makes it all the way to the centenary special!!

I fell in love with Jericho so yeah that scene HURT

canon bedroom corridor canon bedroom corridor canon bedroom corridor. fic writers are quaking (it's me i'm fic writers)

the hug was everything i hoped for and more, and the embodiment of time?? evil jodie?? i combusted

debatably my favorite part of the episode was the "you're cute!" "Thanks, so are you!" and the "I have got such a crush on her" I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH I NEEDED THAT UNTIL IT HAPPENED

and i completely agree on the subject of her memories. I figured she wouldn't get them back for a few reasons but i'm glad they're not just,,, gone and lost again forever.

yeah no the stuff with Karvanista was unexpectedly sad. (hate to admit the howling scene made us all laugh though) and yes I think this has to be the first time she's said companion bc I went all eye emoji when she did

the torture scene did me in let me tell you

KATE. wish she could've had a bit more screen time but it's at least hinted we'll see her one more time before jodie's run is up??

I liked that azure finally got a really good chunk of plot-driving content bc she was just kind of there as a side piece for swarm for most of the series. That whole scene was incredible

monster's inc'ed i loved that

so i thought i was home alone while i was watching the Time scene where she says "your time is coming to an end" and that was the first time they've even begun to set up her regeneration you know?? a few years ago that would've had me crying like a baby but i can't really cry anymore so i just started LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY FOR A FEW MINUTES and i look over and my roommate is standing in my doorway looking at me like i'm crazy

SO EXCITED WE GET MORE DHAWAN!MASTER CONTENT WHILE WE STILL CAN

It struck me as weird giving Dan the official companion invite this late in?? since he's only got three episodes left?? but hey I'm here for it!

I always looked forward to getting your post-episode rambles in my inbox so thank you!! take care and i'll eventually see you around!!

[katedrakeohd]

A Very Merry Birthday (6)

[Masterlist]

Rated: Mature 18+

(3 🍋s on fire, because we're talking threesome here.)

Characters involved: (TRH)Drake & Kate Walker, Preston Davis the bodyguard.

Content warning: Sexual situations (dubcon, masturbation, threesome), swearing, angst, fluff.

Word count: 6000+ (buckle up, get your popcorn and prefered beverage ready)

Prompts included: From Wacky Drabbles- ( they appear bolded in story, but not necessarily in order)

#82 - I didn't realize I needed your permission.

#84 - Just keep moving.

#85 - Do you want me to leave?

::

Tagging:

@darley1101 @sfb123 @mom2000aggie @fluffyfirewhiskey @jovialyouthmusic @sirbeepsalot @kingliam2019 @no-one-u-know @nikkis1983 @glaimtruelovealways @texaskitten30 @bbrandy2002 @marshmallowsandfire

Drake leaves Preston alone in his room to get changed. Standing in the silence of the hallway all he could hear and feel were the sound of his blood rushing through his ears and the thud of his heart in his chest and throat. 

Being alone with Kate was his favourite way to spend an evening, and now he had invited another man over to participate. He was still unsure how this night was going to go. The thought of watching his wife touching another man in a sensual way was outside of his comfort zone. He had to trust Kate to not take this too far. He also had to keep himself from wanting to murder Preston for taking pleasure out of touching and kissing his wife. And somehow he had to find pleasure of his own if he was to perform adequately to please Kate. Fuck, this feels all kinds of wrong. 

He sees Preston come out of his room with his hair combed, dressed in trousers, but in bare feet. Drake gives him a wry grin and runs his fingers back through his own hair to fix it. Preston's rakish good looks were already exaggerated by the thickness of his mustache and the scruff of his stubble, making Drake feel less masculine with his shaven cheeks and neatly trimmed hair. He suddenly understood how Maxwell felt about Drake showing off his chest hair at the beach, or when he rolled up his sleeves to do a strenuous task. Drake's stomach was suddenly in knots and he wished he had some whiskey to take the edge off his nerves. He doesn't know what to say to the mountain of a man standing next to him, so he just acknowledges him with a nod and then knocks at his hotel room door.

"You don't have your key?" Preston asks, keeping his voice low.

Drake shakes his head, speaking softly, "No, I gave it to her."

From the other side of the door they can hear Kate ask with a playful sing song tone of voice, "Who is it?"

Drake leans against the doorframe and then says, "Room service."

The door opens and Kate looks them over with a smile on her face, "Hello."

Drake grins, "I believe you ordered the two for one entertainment special."

Kate steps back to allow them to come into the room. "Yes, yes I did. Come on in."

After Kate closes the door behind them there's a brief awkward moment as the two men glance at each other and then toward Kate expectantly. With a gentle smile, Kate walks over to Drake and stretches up on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. He wraps his arm around her back to hug her to his side and she rests her hand on his cheek, whispering in his ear. 

"You've done well, my love. Why don't you go off to the bathroom, brush your teeth, and freshen up a bit while I talk privately with Preston for a moment?"

Drake looks quickly to Preston and then lets go of Kate, keeping his voice low, "Are you sure? Maybe I should stay."

Patting him gently on the chest, she grins, "Don't worry. We'll be fine. I'm not going to start anything while you're gone."

Drake looks between Kate and Preston, trying to fight the uneasy feeling in his gut. Walking over to the bed he keeps an eye on them as he sits down to take off his shoes and socks. "No funny business, Preston. I know very well how irresistible Kate can be."

Preston smirks at him, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I promise to keep my hands to myself, sir."

"Good."

After Drake disappears into the bathroom, Preston breathes a sigh of relief, relaxing a little. "Is he always like this?"

Kate grins at the bodyguard, leading him further into the room. "Drake's complicated."

She sits down on the end of the bed and he settles down into the comfortable armchair opposite. 

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

Kate shrugs, crossing her legs and arranging her skirt around her knees. "You can ask."

"What's it like to be married to a guy like him?"

"It's interesting, sometimes infuriating, definitely intense, and absolutely incredible."

Preston chuckles, "That's a lot of 'I' words to describe someone."

Kate glances toward the bathroom, wondering how much Drake can overhear.

"Trust me, Drake's the whole alphabet. The only drawback is that he just won't shut up about his feelings."

Preston chuckles again, "Good one. I know I have some 'a' words to describe him too. But I'll keep those to myself."

Kate nods, "Considering that he's your boss, I think that's smart. I want to apologize again for hurting you. I was afraid if I hadn't stopped things that Drake might have hurt you worse."

Preston looks down at his lap, "You could have just slapped my face again."

"Yeah, I know. So are you still sore?"

Preston leans forward in his seat, resting his elbows on his knees, "A little tender, there will probably be bruising tomorrow, but not my first time taking a hit to the groin."

Kate appraises him over again, lifting her eyebrow, "So you've gotten handsy with an unwilling date before? You don't strike me as that kind of guy, Preston."

He shakes his head, "Nah, nah. I've just been dumb enough to play backyard sports without a cup."

Drake returns from the bathroom, "Oh yeah? What kind of sports did you play?"

Kate interrupts before Preston can answer, "Don't tell me you two would rather discuss sports, than play with me. If so, I'll just send Preston back to his room and you two can chitchat on the drive home tomorrow."

Drake shakes his head, placing his hands on his hips, "No, after all the trouble I went through to get him here, I'd rather see what kind of play you have in mind."

Kate glances between her two men with a smile, "Before we play we need to set some rules."

"Ok," Preston says, sitting back in his chair.

Drake nods, "But, don't forget about my stipulation that I brought up earlier."

"Which is?" Preston wants to know.

Kate sighs giving Preston an apologetic look, "Drake insisted that no part of you was allowed inside of any part of me."

Preston frowns, "That kind of reduces any sort of fun for me in this situation doesn't it?"

Drake folds his arms across his chest, "Well yeah, sorry to burst your bubble but I'm just trying to protect my marital relationship here. I don't want this, whatever it turns out to be, jeopardizing my marriage by turning into some future affair between you two."

"You know I'm the one who is supposed to be in charge here right? One night of fun isn't going to ruin anything. Trust me, Drake." Kate insists. "We've already been over this."

Preston digs into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out a foil condom packet, "And if you're that worried about what might happen in the heat of the moment, I did bring protection."

"See? There you go, Drake. He came prepared. Now let's get this party started. And as the Duchess in Charge, I am deciding our party games."

"Sexual party games, seriously?" Drake grumbles, rolling his eyes. 

Kate gets up from the bed, "Oh come on, Mr. Crankypants. I know you'll enjoy them, and besides I'll be explaining how we play each game as we go."

"Mr. Crankypants. I bet you were a barrel of laughs at birthday parties when you were a kid," Preston laughs.

Drake shoots him an angry glare, and Preston smirks back at him, "Speaking of name calling, that brings up an issue. If she's directing the action, I need to know how I'm supposed to acknowledge you both. In my job I use, 'Your Grace, Sir, and Ma'am.'  And I don't know if that works here, considering how intimate we're all about to be."

Drake breathes an annoyed sigh, jabbing his thumb in Preston's direction as he addresses his wife, "If I hear him saying your name in any sort of passionate or seductive way I'm seriously going to lose it. I'll kill him with my bare hands."

"Ok, fine. To safeguard Preston's life, and my husband's precious ego, I'll allow Preston to call me 'K'. Is that neutral enough?"

Drake nods and so does Preston. 

"And so he'll be 'D' then?"

Kate shrugs, "Works for me, but I'm still using both your proper names."

Drake folds his arms, "Ok, so what's happening first?"

"We undress of course, and I'm hoping neither of you are shy. Because I want you and Preston to undress each other. But I want everyone to keep their underoos on for now."

Drake sticks his hand in his pocket, grabbing a handful of Kate's panties. "Um, but you aren't wearing yours."

Preston swallows, "Sh..she's not?"

Drake pulls the lacy undergarment out of his pocket, "Nope. I took these off of her earlier."

Kate holds her hand out, "I'll take them back now."

He dangles them off his finger and then drops them into her hand. "So who is the lucky guy that gets to put them back on you?"

"The first guy down to his underwear gets to slide mine back on, but here's the catch, the other guy gets to take my dress off of me," Kate says with a grin. 

Preston pushes himself up out of the chair, an amused twinkle in his eye and a smile tugging at his mouth, "So one of us gets to touch you from the top down, while the other gets to touch you from the bottom up? I like how you play games K. Fun for everybody."

Drake steps forward to place his hand on Preston's arm, "Curb your enthusiasm there, cowboy."

Preston shakes his arm out of Drake's grasp. "If you're gonna get grabby then help me out of my clothes, D."

Drake turns to face Preston, staring him down as he untucked his dress shirt. The olive that Kate threw at him earlier falls out and bounces off Preston's foot. He looks down, "Is that an olive?"

"Don't ask," Drake mutters, undoing the buttons on the cuff of his sleeve, "I'm gonna help you out here, since you're dressed a lot more casually than I am."

Preston laughs, grabbing Drake by the sleeve to stop him from undressing further, "Hey, stop cheating. I'm supposed to do that for you."

Drake looks down at Preston's simple t-shirt and dress pants, and sees that he isn't wearing a belt. Damn, I want to be the one putting her panties on. Maybe if I take my time he'll get me down to my underwear first. Shit, that means he gets to touch her first. Damn you Kate. You're determined to piss me off with these party games.

Kate twirls her panties around her finger, "Come on you two, get with the baring of skin already. Don't make me take this dress off myself."

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Drake mutters, as he undoes the button on Preston's dress pants and then plucks at the fabric of his shirt to untuck it.

"Watch it there, D... I'm ticklish," Preston smirks as he works on the last two buttons of Drake's shirt. 

"Shut up, Preston," Drake grumbles, as he hears Kate giggle. 

"I didn't know watching two guys undress could be so entertaining. Keep going."

Preston undoes Drake's belt and dress pants next, staring him in the eye as he pulls down the zipper. "Lemme guess, your underwear are black too."

With a frown, Drake brushes Preston's hands aside. "Hands up, Meathead. I'm gonna pull up your shirt."

Preston's protest is muffled by Drake's yanking of his shirt up toward his head.  "Hey, the name calling isn't necessary. And ouch, you pinched me."

Drake makes sure to mess up Preston's hair as he tugs the shirt off of him and tosses it aside. 

"Hah, you're just jealous of my hair," Preston laughs as he brushes his back into place with his fingers.

Drake barks back, "Hardly, and your mustache looks ridiculous."

Preston shrugs, "Whatever you say, babyface."

"Hey! I'm fully capable of growing whatever beard I want. I just chose to shave before my date, and get a haircut. I..I wanted to look good for Kate," Drake argues, catching his wife's eye briefly, and then squaring off in front of his bodyguard again.

"No arguments here, Honey, but you're still overdressed. Preston, be a dear and even the playing field by taking off my husband's shirt. Then you'll see he has no trouble in the hair department."

Preston unbuttons the cuff on Drake's other sleeve and then peels back his shirt, letting it slide down his arms to the floor. Drake places his hands on his hips. The motion, combined with 

the weight of his belt and the phone in his pocket makes his dress pants fall down around his ankles. "Whoops, looks like I'm down to my underwear first."

Preston turns toward Kate, "He did that on purpose."

While Drake steps out of his pants, Kate shrugs and tosses her panties at him. "Here you go."

Drake tucks the edge of the lacy waistband into his mouth, mumbling as he relieves Preston of his pants, shoving them down over his ass. "There..ffinsh the rest of tht yrself."

Slipping Kate's panties over his wrist, Drake steps over to his wife. "Before I hand you off to him, and I'm forced to watch as he strips you naked, I want something first."

Kate licks her lips as he reaches up to cup her face in his hands, tilting her head back. "Oh, and what's that?"

As he leans in for a kiss the firm pressure of his mouth against hers almost hurts, making her whimper. He was determined to remind her that no matter how Preston touched her, he was the most important man in her life. When he finally pulls back, her lips are tingling.

He whispers a soft apology against her cheek when he sees her pained expression, "I'm sorry. Just please promise me something."

"What?" She whispers back, as he leans his forehead against hers, softly stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. 

"Make sure he asks your permission before he touches you anywhere. If he's rough with you in any way I'll never forgive myself." 

Stepping back, he sees her nod. "Okay," she whispers.

Turning away he glares at Preston, "She's all yours, but I'm warning you that I'm watching your every move. If I see your hands treating her with anything but the greatest of respect, I'll break your fingers and then I'll break your face. Understood?"

Preston nods, "Yes, understood. I promise to be as gentle as possible."

"Good. Oh and Preston?"

"Yeah?" He asks, as he steps out of his pants. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest, it was pounding so hard.

"Make sure she enjoys every second of it."

…

Drake's underwear weren't black afterall, they were blue. Preston's were grey. Kate's were black silk and lace. Drake was currently running them through his hands, and occasionally wrapping them around his fist. He watched Preston approach Kate, hoping he'd chicken out, or at least trip and fall on his big mustached face. His feet were big enough, but no such bad luck. Staring at Preston's back, with its broad shoulders and defined muscles made him feel small. Glancing down at the other man's large hands, he felt an ache in his gut over the thought of them being capable of touching Kate with tenderness. The way Kate's eyes traveled over Preston as he smiled at her, made Drake feel sick. He didn't want to watch Preston undress his wife, but at the same time he couldn't look away. He knew the satiny fabric of her dress wouldn't need much encouragement to slide down off of her, and after being tempted all evening by how great she'd looked in it; he was just as eager as Preston to see her naked.

Kate sized up Preston as he stood before her. Physically he wasn't much taller than Drake, barely an inch, but his posture was straighter. He seemed to tower over Kate, and her line of sight was mostly filled by the wall of his chest covered nipple to nipple by a golden mat of curly chest hair. When she looked up, his lip curled upward in a smirk, making his mustache twitch.

"I'm going to touch you Preston, are you okay with that?"

He sucks in a nervous breath and nods, "If it means I get to touch you back, then go right ahead."

Kate tries not to focus on the significant bulge in his underwear as she looks down, but it wasn't easy. She wasn't going to touch him there, not yet. She starts by stroking her fingers slowly up his arms beginning at his wrists. His fingers twitch, and she can't help noticing his chest rising and falling as his rate of breathing increases. 

"If you're affected this badly when I touch your arms, then what's going to happen if I touch you somewhere else?"

 

"I..I..don't know."

The amount of meat on his limbs was slightly more than Drake's but it was definitely more muscle than fat. Kate knew Drake's measurements off by heart because she helped him pick out his suits. If Preston were to put on Drake's clothes by accident, one flex of his muscles would split the seams. 

When Kate's hands make there way up to rest on his shoulders, his hands are still hanging by his sides. She pouts up at him and the desire in his eyes as he gazes back is obvious. 

"What's the matter Preston, don't you want me?" Kate asks, lowering her lashes and then slowly looking up to search his face.

His eyes widen momentarily in surprise at the unexpected seduction she was laying on him, "Is that a trick question?"

"No."

"You're either trying to kill me, or get me killed, asking me something like that."

"Well, answer the question."

Continues here ..>