#and even said happy birthday to the guy whose house they were using to film in

[davidtennan-t]

Jacqueline King (Sylvia Noble) is such an underrated and amazing actress… she plays a rather cold, overbearing and often cynical mother who you truly detest at times but in reality she is the sweetest human being who was a life-long fan of Doctor Who before appearing in the show

[leejungchans]

random juliet moments.

(a/n: this will probably be updated regularly as i think of more things to add!! i tried to organise these chronologically to the best of my ability but there may be some inconsistencies, so apologies in advance!!🤍)

started crying when she saw yunho cry at their first fansign

when hongjoong forgot to say “dul, set” and said “8 makes 1 team” alone, san and juliet coincidentally said “1 makes 1 team” to clown him and they looked at each other like 👁👄👁

when san backwashed into his bottle of cola and hongjoong unknowingly drank from it which made her go 👁👄👁 and she made san pinky-promise that he wouldn’t do that to her

when felix, chan and somi hugged her when ateez got their first win on m countdown

when she wrote another one of their iconic instagram live “please leave” signs in her pretty cursive handwriting

she really said “𝓅𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓋𝑒 ❤️” 😭😭😭

when that one australian interviewer asked “if you don’t have any sexiness or charisma like me, what do you do then?” and she half-jokingly went “yeah, that’d be tragic”

cried at their concert in sydney and couldn’t sing for the remainder of the song they were performing because she was crying so much

said “sorry, this is his mission, i’m just here for moral support” when the employees at the pharmacy heard her speak fluent english and asked her to translate for mingi during ateez treasure film

(disclaimer: i’m pretty sure mingi mentioned in a v-live that the producers (?) of ateez treasure film told him to exaggerate the mission for entertainment purposes. so this is in no way trying to make fun of anyone’s english, and is intended to be light-hearted. as someone whose mother tongue isn’t english, and is currently learning a fourth language, i can say with full confidence that learning other languages is really, really hard and i’m so proud of the boys for their english!! in conclusion, mingi english king and mingi bestest boy!! 🥺)

climbed the sydney harbour bridge with seonghwa and mingi for the former’s mission

when they all went to juliet’s house in sydney to have dinner with her family during ateez treasure film; she also saw her cat in person for the first time in years and teared up because it had grown a lot

also cried during the confessional activity on the beach while filming ateez treasure film and clung to seonghwa and yunho for the rest of the activity

reacted to the ateez meme song with hongjoong

“ateez meh-meh song?” pls he’s so cute

*dying in the background* “MEME song” 😭

laughed for 5 minutes straight after seeing yunho in his thor costume

showed off a hydro flask that she customised during a v-live before going “sksksksksksksksk”; this moment went viral on stan twitter

eating fairy bread and toast with vegemite during a v-live

making the boys and their staff try vegemite

san: “ewwwww!”

“yAH! YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO EAT A SPOONFUL! THAT’S NOT HOW YOU EAT VEGEMITE!”

almost said “fuck” once during a v-live with wooyoung and he immediately slapped a hand over her mouth

“everyone, i apologise on her behal—JULIET WAS THAT YOUR TONGUE DID YOU JUST LICK MY HAND”

after joking about choosing a leader for the ‘99 line on idol radio, the djs asked juliet what leader she was, and she teasingly replied that she was the leader of k-pop’s “aussie line”; felix later brought this up in a v-live with chan to clown her

when it was time to shoot her solo scenes for the music video for answer no one could find her and everyone panicked until they found her curled up in a corner sleeping

was close to snapping during a group v-live because of the hate comments and didn’t bother masking her irritation towards the end; jongho had to pat her head to subtly calm her; this was the first time atiny’s ever saw her angry on camera and realised how scary she could be

when a few atiny’s brought juliet flowers during a fansign which made her incredibly happy for the rest of the event, so now atiny’s bring her flowers all the time

was so focused on eating during a v-live that she was completely oblivious to some of the boys quietly watching her eat adoringly

when an atiny told her that they hadn’t eaten yet at a fansign and she asked them to pinky-promise that they would eat something after the event

almost lost her shit with san when seonghwa rapped on weekly idol

covering “someone you loved” on weekly idol which went viral

almost died laughing when they sang “wonderland” in spanish on hello82

fangirled over basically every artist during mama 2019; clips of her just having the time of her life went viral and many asked about “the girl in the boy group who was jamming out”

when san almost gave her a heart attack by spinning the gold play button; she was still very impressed

rounded up all 8 of her members to sing “thank you” to them during “thank u” at their seoul concert and make them all emotional

during the same concert, she accidentally whacked herself over the head with her mic when waving to fans and went “ ᵃ ʰ ”

she’s babie :(

randomly asked “toes for fingers or fingers for toes” during a v-live and the other members looked at her like 👁👄👁 for a good minute

got very passionate about having fingers for toes being better than having toes for fingers

“how will you even find shoes that are big enough?” “custom shoes, duh🙄”

almost died laughing during san and mingi’s round in the “scream in silence” game during their v-live

nearly lost her cool from playing the “scream in silence” game with yeosang

“yOU I D I O T”

made friendship bracelets for herself, the boys, and some of their staff members on an episode of juliet’s archive; they can all be seen wearing the bracelets frequently

when she couldn’t attach the wristband to her lightiny and asked seonghwa for help, but he couldn’t do it either so they looked at each other in exasperation for a few seconds before deciding to give up together

wore her huge platform boots in a v-live so she could be taller than hongjoong, much to his dismay

when she tried to show her boots off by lifting up her leg, she forgot she was wearing a dress; seonghwa immediately panicked and moved in front of her to shield her from the camera, not knowing she was wearing shorts underneath the dress

watching seonghwa’s birthday v-live in the corner with san

when their staff brought out a “cake” that was built from packets of timtams for her birthday v-live and it made her so happy she almost cried

reacted to hongjoong’s cover of “black or white” during a solo v-live and teared up

when an atiny asked her to help with their maths homework during a v-live and she said “uh...i’m probably the last person you’d want to ask...”

cried during an inception music show performance because she got so into the performance; it scared atiny’s until she went on v-live explaining what happened

helping yunho expose san on weekly idol

when she imitated seonghwa’s “num-num” and did the “ottoke” song on weekly idol and made everyone on and off set soft for her

when her and wooyoung both lost it when yeosang sucked on a piece of radish on weekly idol during a game

when she said “i have the only braincell in ateez” and was almost immediately clowned by atiny’s who made compilations of moments when she acted questionably

“jeez, you guys didn’t have to come for me like that”

said “wow, geography king” when yunho said “thank you, scandinavia” for his “thanxx” acoustic poem during idol live tv

during a game on idol live tv, she caught wooyoung and yeosang copying the answer to the number of days since ateez’s debut from atiny’s live comments and subsequently changed her answer, unbeknownst to them

when even san didn’t want her to eat the “detergent hwachae” he, hongjoong, yeosang and mingi made on studiok

she ate it anyways and it was instant regret

“we’re not friends anymore >:(” — to jongho on ateez fever road after hongjoong found the real key which was attached to jongho’s bag all along

was so scared when the masked man appeared during ateez fever road that she hid behind hongjoong and they freaked out together

but started laughing when the masked man “kidnapped” wooyoung

“if we let you have him you won’t come back for us, right?” “yAH! BAEK MINYOUNG!”

then did the “7 makes 1 team” chant with the others, excluding jongho and wooyoung after the former suggested “saving” wooyoung

was slouching in a chair in the background of an ateez log but immediately got up and sat upright once the cameraman came over to film her while pretending nothing happened

when one atiny showed their cat during a video call with her and she went “CAT :D”

when she went on and on about her coffee preferences and opinions during a solo vlive without realising, and wooyoung had to call her for her to realise that she had been ranting about coffee for five minutes straight 💀

when she was about to fight hongjoong for slandering mint chocolate chip ice cream

being an iconic legend when she was on the kpop daebak podcast with eric nam (and also fangirled over him)

dancing to what type of x by jessi with san and yunho during their kcontact 3 interview

“jessi-sunbaenim i love you!!”

(a/n: ajshakjska this is so long i’m so sorry 😔😔)

[popculturebuffet]

The Legend of the Three Caballeros: Dope-A-Cabana Review (Commissioned by WeirdKev27)

Salduos Amigos! Since i’m covering a full series, i’d like to welcome any newcomers to the first part of the epic final stretch of THE RIDE OF THE THREE CABLLEROS! For those of you just joining us, a few months back WeirdKev27, easily my biggest supporter as the only one who comissions any reviews from me, asked if I could do a big project for him: a comission of EVERY major american apperance of those three happy chappies in matching serapes. Give i’ve ALWAYS loved the boys ever since house of mouse and had been sitting on Legend of the Three Cablleros for far too long, more on that in a minute obviously, I happily agreed. Plus the rather nice influx of cash from the comissions was very welcome. If your intrested in comissioning your own, hit me up via my direct messages. It’s 5 dolalrs an episode, though I do do discounts on orders of 3 or more, and 10 for a movie, with again discounts for orders of more than one. And yes that plug was very shamless, but again I have no other job than this.  Back to the point these reviews have taken me on a wonderful journey: I got to rewatch the movie and revel in the fun songs, acid trips and super horny Donald Duck, got to both revisit one of Don Rosa’s best story and read another all time classic from the man I hadn’t before, took a trip back to the house of mouse to hear some great songs and see some great cartoons.. and some not so great ones, took a small detour to Mickey and The Roadster Racers to be baffled and annoyed though I am proud to say it was my first review back after I came down with Cornovirus and lost a week of work time. And finally I covered the town where everyone was nice, and got to see the boys have a joyous reunion with Donald and be lushly animated while.. Dewey jackassed around in a B-Plot and Webby resisted the urge to throat chop him. It’s been a long ride and you can find all of it is so far RIGHT HERE IN THIS CONVIENT LINK ! CLICK IT NOW IF YOUR CURIOUS. Point is while this was well paid for.. it’s easily one of the projects i’ve been most proud of and while i’m sad to see it winding down, i’m proud of what i’ve done so far, and I just wanted to heartily thank Kevin for the ride and for being so generious as to fund the whole damn thing. Your a good dude man. 

Which brings us here, to the grand finale. The Legend of the Three Caballeros! As the boys first starring roll as a group since the movie, there was really no other way this retrospective could end, and since I have a terrible problem with procastination and really hated this series version of daisy I just kept pushing back watching the series until now. I’m not proud of it but I am happy to correct it and hope you’ll all come along with me.  Before we get started I could not find much background on the show. It was directred by Matt Danner who was the character designer for the utter classic Xiaoilin Showdown and currently works on the Muppet Babies reboot, so i’m happy he’s still getting work. Otherwise I couldn’t find much. The most I could was on tv tropes, claming the series was orignally meant for Netflix.. and while I have no proof and this could easily be conjecture.. i’m inclined to belivie it. The series was apparently done long before the Ducktales reboot, to the point Frank Angrones was only vaguely aware of it and it didn’t even remotely impact the series, with Panchito and Jose only debuting in Season 2 because the original idea for bringing them in was scrapped. So while I don’t have proof.. I’m inclined to belivie it since it makes sense: Disney DID have a healthy relationship with Netflix once, setting up the MCU shows and likely being happy there.. but eventually they wanted their own corner of the sky, and likely didn’t want one of their shows bolted to the network like all their marvel shows were.  The problem this created though is Disney was CLEARLY left with a show they no longer had a place for. But even with that the show was still done, they COULD have put it on the Disney Now app or just aired it on the Disney Channel. See if there was any fan intrest in season 2 or throw one into production to at least beef up the episode count. I mean the Cabs have a built in fanbase, kids would likely love it... it’s the logical choice. But this is Disney. They’ve had to be drug kicking and screaming into representation, to the point they had to be fought for the gay romance subplot in owl house to happen, try to hide that the Sparkshort “Out” is about a gay man struggling with coming out despite having you know reams of content on the service with either gay subtext or out and out gay characters, and their attempts at doing representatoin to score points in other little ways.. have been pathetic, easily missable bits in movies that could , and have been, edited out in more homophobic countries. My point is yeah i’m still sore about how they and a LOT of the animation industry have to be dragged into doing the right thing over profit, and they often make very stupid decisions for seemingly no reason. They are a good company a good chunk of the time.. but Disney has done fucked up quite a bit. This is one of those times.  Instead they dumped the show on the Disney Life app in the phillipines and slowly some other countries, basically the Disney Now equilvent over there, and then just sort of forgot about it until Disney Plus launched. And given how many shows they HAVEN’T put on the streamer for again, seemingly no reason, it is a nice suprise the show finally got a release on there in the US. But before that, and proving what a massive mistake just abandoing the show was, the show did gather a massive fanbase via people uploading the episodes online. So yeah the show was treated REALLY shittily for stupid reasons, but thankfully it still has a fanbase to this day and said shabby treatment, as it always does, just encouraged fans to support it harder. So naturally i’m more than happy to give the series some spotlight as fanbase or no, it badly needs it and Disney sure as hell dosen’t want to do it. So if somebody’s gotta do it, might as well be me. This is the Legend of the Three Cablleros.  We open on some narration from Xandra, Goddess of Adventure. Granted she hasn’t been identified yet, and won’t be till next episode.. buuuut it’s easier on me to not have to dance around her name so your learning it now. But Xandra narrates that long ago there were epic battles against the good and the evil and all that by epic heroes, and it’s all cumilated in the Legend of the Three Cablleros. Post title drop we’re treated to the boys, in cool looking armor and with neat weapons, fighting a purple monster man as you do in an really beautiful and epic sequence As this scene illustrates the animation for this show is GORGEOUS, a lavish update of the standard disney style with nice use of shadows. It feels almost film quality in it’s work, and it’s an utter treat to watch and opening at the end was a good call: it both ratchets up excitement and allows the first ep to have some action since this one, as part of a two part premiere, is mostly setup. It’s eyecatching, exciting and makes you want to know what the hell is going on. And since Xandra realizes MAYBE starting the story at the climax was a bad idea, she takes us back a bit.

Okay maybe not that far. No we open properly at Donald’s house, where it’s his birthday! And like the movie, it’s Friday the 13th, an excellent call back. Donald’s making his breakfast, boliling some tea and.. talking with the weird foced warped refelection in the kettle who can apparently only say “right back at you handsome, wink”. Seriously I have so many questoins and all of them are about what this guy is, why is Donald so calm about all of this, and is he still alive after Donald destroys his tea kettle later.  Donaldo gets a call from Daisy, whose visting to spend the day with him and is waiting patiently int he bad part of town. I didn’t know Duckburg had a bad part of town but given Glomgold has to get his sharks and bombs somewhere, i’m not surprised. Unless he special orders them, but even then what if he needs a shark or a bomb in a hurry? He’s gotta get them somewhere and now we know where. So there’s that. So all’s going well until Donald’s asshole boss calls and forces him to come in despite Donald having the fucking day off and it presumably being on the schedule. So Donald rushes to work, and we do get some great gags but as you’d expect for Donald it goes poorly and he botches a kid’s haircut despite the mother being very rude.. and also a female version of pete. LIke.. did he remarry after the divorce from peg or is that his sister? Does that mean PJ and PIstol have a cousin I never knew about? I want answers dammit.. and picutures of spider-man. Not for any slander job I just really like spider-man. 

Eh it’ll do.As i’m doing a full series this time i’m stopping to talk about the main cast as we go soooo.... Tony Anselmo is naturally Donald, even pitching in to consult the crew on Donald’s characterization here, as really what better expert is there? He’s voiced Donald since the original Ducktales and has stuck with the roll since, only taking a break for Mickey and the Roadster racers and that’s likely because between finishing up this series and the Mickey Mouse shorts, and moving on to Ducktales 2017, he likely simply didn’t have the time for it. Granted given how little he was used in the first season of the show, he probably still could’ve done it but regardless, he’s a legend.  Daisy is voiced by Tress Macneile, who not only has voiced the character since House of Mouse and is easily the best voice for her, but is also one of the most storied and legendary va’s in the buisness, having been at this since the 80′s with zero signs of stopping. Just to name a few of her more notable roles, in chronological order; Gadget Hackenwrench, Babs Bunny, Agnes Skinner, Charlotte Pickles, Dot Warner (Which as of last year she’s picked up again and will do the same for Babs, just in case you thought i was exagerating on the “zero signs of stopping” thing), Pookie from Hey Arnold, Mom, Hoodsey Bishop, and Queen Oona among MANY, MANY smaller rolls. I didn’t even realize Charlotte or Hodsey were here, she’s that talented and deserves all the praise.. and way better rolls as Daisy than this one but we’ll both get to that and thankfully much like with Tony, the reboot’s giving her character some depth to work with so she gets to reallys tretch her chops. The woman turns 70 here, will likely keep going until she dies, and is wonderful and deserves more respect. 

 So because this is Donald, life wont’ stop punching him in the face and it turns out his house burned down, the fire people are destroying everything because their assholes, seriously they destroy both a family heirloom and a picture of his parents despite not being on fire. I’d be genuinely suprised if their general strategy wasn’t scremaing “fire, fire fire” and then going “rock rock rock” while they throw rocks on it. Super brucey bonus prize for the first person who gets that refrence and comments on it. I’ll get back to this in a second but SOMEHOW, beisdes loosing his home, all his possesions and his job... it gets even WORSE and Daisy calls, refuses to listen to him despite him having VERY valid excuses and breaks up with him. Oh and then the fire fighters gladly talk about going home to their in tact houses  and partners. 

So yeah let’s talk about this. This first 6 or 7 minutes.. is why I didn’t return to the show for a while. My brain has a bad habit of glomming onto certain parts of things, so it remembered the rough to sit through and not very funny first act.. and not the rest of the episode which is very good and likely more indiciative about how good the series is. Thankfully it does get better but this first act .. frames things like it’s DONALD’S fault somehow. I mean yes he did burn his house down.. but even that really isn’t his fault. He was called away suddenly, wasn’t thinking and made a mistake. Hell he proabably woudl’ve had more left if the fire department hadn’t gone crazy with the axes. His being called into work? He took the day off, and his boss was just a dick. His screwing up at the job? he was genuinely trying his best and doing his best and the client was just wholly unresonable. Donald did nothing wrong but the episode WANTS to frame him like some sort of screwup.. which he is, it’s Donald.. but not in this case. It was just a string of uncomfortable to watch bad luck that cumilates in him having nothing left. It’s not funny, it’s jsust really sad and it’s REALLY hard to tell the tone their going for as they seem to awkwardly bounce from jokes to Donald being utterly devistated and alone. 

And the worst of this.. is Daisy. Daisy is EASILY the most infamous part of the show, as their portryal.. is pretty bad and apparently gets worse. We’ll see as we go but yeah.. her screaming at and breaking up with her boyfriend without listneing to his side and giving the claim we only have HER word on that he’s always screwing up, ON HIS BIRTHDAY no less, when he’s done nothing wrong, does not make a good first impression nor the fact the show seems to AGREE WITH HER. And look Donald is a trainwreck, this is true.. but the show dosen’t remotely portray him as one until AFTER this scene. As I said nothing that happened was his fault. Donald isn’t irresponsible or a screwup or dating a high schooler or anything. He isn’t Scott Pilgrim. He just has really bad luck. Again, we do see some foibles in the scenes to come.. but we don’t see any that would justify her claims, especially since she seemed perfectly happy earlier with him. Now if she’d say brought up some screwups in the first scene, and gently at that, then this would’ve worked.. but as it stands she just comes off as MASSIVELY unsymapthetic.. especially since Donald later calls her nieces over for help, which is objectively weird not gonna lie.. so she now KNOWS he had to move to a new house and his likely burned down.. yet still apparently has nothing good to say about him. 

It didn’t help this rubbed me the wrong way in a very special way. As i’ve made plain before I don’t like THIS version of Daisy, the nagging, selfish, vindictive asshole who will gladly try and cheat on donald, dump him at a moments notice and you know PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE. Which just in case you think i’m exagerating...

She fucking upercutted him..and like here for something that isn’t his fault. I mean this Daisy isn’t physically beating Donald.. but that’s a VERY low bar to clear. And emotional abuse is just as bad, so there. My point is too often in the comics when written poorly, Daisy is a pretty terrible person and I REALLY didn’t want a screen adaptation of this form of Daisy. It took a WHILE to recover from not liking daisy over this version, with help from remembering house of mouse, some good barks story with her and the AMAZING Ducktales version and the suprisingly good Quack Pack version.. I did. But yeah.. this is not a good sign of things to come for the character in this show. 

So yeah Donald’s heart is in the basement and his week is at an all time low when a post man shows up and gives him a letter.. well puts it in the box for a good gag but semantics. But the letter turns around as his ancestor Clinton Coot left him an inhertance for his 3Xth birthday: a house of some kind in the swanky neighboring town of New Quackmore. And i’ll also say.. it’s REALLY nice that for once, we focus on the Duck side of Donald’s legacy, or rather the coot but semantics, instead of the McDuck part. Don’t get me wrong, I fucking love the clanmcduck, always will and I love Ducktales exploration of it.. but it’s still nice to acknowledge Donald comes from two sides and while one of those may be humble farmers, they still accomplished a lot, including founding Duckburg in most continuities including presumably this one. It’s also a good way to seperate thigns from other properties including the reboot: focusing on a part of Donald’s lineage that isn’t usually touched on and making THEM just as badass as the other side. 

So we get a quick montage as Donald takes a cab there and takes in the rich and fancy sights. It’s also a brilliant way to set up New Quackmore and it’s attached instutite as a fancy, upperclass place.. and thus perfectly clash it with Donald. Donald ends up getting dropped off at a big mansion.. which is not his , but belongs to the insittutes head, Baron Von Sheldgoose, played by WAYNE KNIGHT. 

Hell. Yes. I freaking love Wayne Knight. In case you don’t know who the man above is, or at least don’t recognize his face, Wayne Knight is a very funny and talented actor and voice actor with a lengthy career primarily in side rolls, with the rolls that he broke out with being loveable asshole and Jerry’s enternal nemisis Newman on Seinfeld and Dennis Nedry, aka “that guy who got sprayed acid in his face by those horrifying frilled dinosaurs that will never not haunt my nightmares”. Seriously that scene fucked me up as a kid and I could not watch that part of the movie. For the most part he’s been a side character man but he has done a LOT of voice work, most notable Zurg in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Dojo for the aformentioned and excellent Xiaolin Showdown, and Mr. Blik for Catscratch and I wish he’d do more. He also recently voiced the penguin in Harley Quin so when I get to that you better belivie i’m looking forward to it. Point is while he may not always get the glory, and had to settle for starring in a mediocre tv land sitcom to get a steady paycheck once, the man is VERY talented, very funny and perfectly cast here. 

So Donald makes himself home, finds out it’s not HIS home and gets thrown out by the snooty rich asshole’s bodyguards. As you’d expect. Donald does find HIS home, a run down cabana next door to the mansion with caution tape all over. Still Donald takes it best he can as it’s better than no home at all> What he doesn’t take well is finding out from the executor of the will that he’s not the only one inheriting the house... which is  absolutley fair. The guy just had the worst day of his life, and this lady didn’t bother to put in the letter to any of them that they were sharing the house. The Sheldgoose thing was just an average Donald screw up. This is just this lady going...

But yes we meet our boys.. and the introductions are naturally given this series is about them the best we’ve gotten so far: Jose is thrown off a bus, having ran out of fair, and having wooed all the ladies on board, and quickly charms the executor and is perfectly cordial to Donald, while Panchito parachutes out of a plane and marvels at how he went from nothing to having two new best friends, a run down shack and a sleezy lawyer! In short the two make a great first impression, helped by wonderful casting.  Jose is voiced by Eric Bauza, a talented voice actor whose had WAY too many roles to list here, but two of the most notable are being the current voice of Bugs and Daffy, and his most notable role outside that recently has been playing Splinter in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But the guy is endlessly talented, seems really nice, and is easily one of my faviorite Jose’s so far after just one episode. He just.. gets the character perfectly and is thankfully NOT another white guy stepping into the role, so that’s nice. He easily oozes the charm and layabout nature Jose and was a natural in the role and i hope he gets to take it up again at some point.  Speaking of naturals we have Jamie Camil as Panchito, who easily steps into the guys boundless energy and the sterotpical bits are swapped out for making him a cloud cuckoolander instead, which I genuinely love and fits the character perfectly. He’s best known for CW Soap Jane the Virgin, where his charcter Rodrigo just sounds like a delight, but has recently picked up a pretty good voice acting career, vocing Don Karnage in the Ducktales reboot, Globgor in Star vs the Forces of Evil and Todd’s Stepdad George in Bojack Horseman. I only hope he gets more voice work as he’s really damn great at it and it’s wonderful to get to see him in a role that’s not limited to a few episodes at best for a change. 

So Donald’s less than happy about this, again it’s hard to really be that mad at him when he’s had a really, REALLY bad day and wasn’t told about this, but it’s kept to just the light level of grumpy as to not make him unlikeable. Granted after that intro it’d take a LOT to make him unsympathetic, but after their version of Daisy I really dont’ want to test this series.  Our boys also find out they have a groundskeeper, ari, aka THE ARCUAN BIRD! He’s just a delight any time he pops up, doing his usual “ya ta ta ta” bit, and being adorable and hilarioius as always.. and also hilariously failing to fix the boys door. So Donald ends up just accepting he has roomates now, nothing he can do, and the three explore the house finding all sorts of cool old artifacts, feeling they’ve stumbled onto something specail. And you know what that means: YARD SALE! Seriously it feels like a bit out of Wet Hot American Summer or Stella, a  series from the same creators you really should check out and that is high praise, trust me. 

I wish this series was streaming somewhere.. I mean we finally got Clone HIgh streaming Viacom, get on that. Anyways, it’s just.. fucking hilarious, and a LOT of this episode is once we walk back from the writers kicking donald in the junk and acting like it was his fault. Once Donald gets his inhertiance, the episode picks up immensley and we see the shows real charm and hilarirty fly, with jokes coming at a rapid and wonderful pace. The show really did impress me with the second half and made me utterly excited for tommrow.. or I guess today’s, look at the follow up.  But we’re still in this episode and being a rich asshole, Sheldgoose isn’t happy about a yard sale, though given this series standards, we not only get some great deliveres from Knight of an outraged “A YARD SALE?!”... but a wonderful gag where Sheldgoose out to white guy it up and yell at them over this..accidently takes a wrong turn in his massive house, and turns around, not loosing how upset he is once.  Meanwhile, we meet.. April, May and June. Yeah apparnetly Della isn’t dead or lost in this continuity, so the boys are MIA, and are instead replaced by Daisy’s Nieces, who I hope show up in the reboot before it ends. Especially since the show makes them WAY more tolerable than classic huey dewey and louie and instead enjoyable like Ducktales HDL. While not as indvidual as those three, the three are still idendtical outside of outfits, their voice actress Jessica DiCicco uses her consderiable talents and experince to give each one a unique voice, so while they all share a voice actress, none of them sound alike. And to round out our main cast for now, as our last members will be joining us fully next time, let’s talke about Jessica DiCicco. Jessica is a very talented and increasingly prolific voice actor and if you haven’t heard of her, and you probably have, you’ve defintely heard her voice. Starting out with Disney, hence why the probably called on her for this, she did the voices of Maggie for the Buzz on Maggie and Melina for Emperor’s New School before breaking out as Flame Princess on Adventure Time, whose both one of my faviorite characters from the show and one we’ll be digging into starting next month. And not one to rest easily she picked up a second set of iconic rolls vocing Lynn and Lucy Loud on The Loud HOuse, and funnily enough using those voices for two of the girls here. And along with Loud House she’s also currently starring in it’s Pony and is int he main cast of Close Enough as Candace. My point is she’s exceedingly talented.. as is this whole cast, as it’s a DAMN excellent cast and just further sells that this series deserves better.  We’ll get into the girls more next time as they don’t do much here other than get called in by Donald for help, with what I saw of episode 2 fleshing them out more. Point is Sheldgoose offers a million dollars for the cabana and all it’s stuff and the boys are glad to sell.. they just have to find something Sheldgoose desperately wants, a mysterious golden atlas encrusted with Jewels.  Our heroes head in to find it with Panchito finding it, and being very specific about it. We also get a nice call back to Ari destroying the door as Jose cleverly calls on him to destroy the lock. So our heroes open the book... and a goddess pops out and threatens to kill them all. 

Final Thoughts: Dope-A-Cabana is a decent intro the series, but as i’ve said it’s heavily hampered by a weak and mean spirited first act. But once it gets going it REALLY gets going and as part 1 one of a two part pilot, it does it’s job well once it does get going: introducing our three boys and one of our antagonists well and setting up the side cast and preparing for our last to major additions Next Time: The Boys go on their first adventure, Sheldgoose finds a boss and the girls find their voice. Thanks for Reading, Goodbye, Goodbye, Goodbye. 

[spidernerdsblog]

I forgot that you existed : Chapter one

A/N: okay chapter one is here going a little slow with the storyline wanted to add a little bit of details to the lives of the characters. I can guarantee in next chapter our hero will be in full form and not just in flashbacks. Hope you like it. Feedbacks and suggestions are always welcome.

Pairing : Tom Holland × Singer reader

 Summary: It's been more than five years since you and Tom have gone their own ways after a heartbreaking breakup which had left both of you shattered. Both of you thought that you were finally over with each other and were happy in your respective lives until you meet again at a reunion trip planned by your best friend and you realise you are still not done with each other.

 Warnings: none, flashbacks.

 Mini playlist: love story, ME! By Taylor Swift

We were both young when I first saw you

I close my eyes, and the flashback starts

I'm standing there

On a balcony in summer air

 Sounds of giggles and laughter " No! she is my best friend" Harrison exclaimed pulling you by grabbing your left hand towards him "No she is my best friend!" Tom said, pulling your right hand. You couldn't stop giggling as you were stuck between a tug of war between your two best friends who stated that you can only be best friend to any one of them not both. You were only 5 years old then Tom & Harrison both 3 years older than you but you loved hanging out with them.

Your parents shifted from LA to London for their work and coincidentally your house was in the same neighborhood as were of the boys. You all became friends through your mothers when they used to take you to the park when you were toddlers. You were the only girl of the whole boys gang consisting of Tom, Harrison, Harry and Sam and they were very protective about you. You used to boss them around.

 As Haz and Tom were quarrelling over whose best friend you were in the backyard of the Holland's house. Tom out of nowhere declared "if it's that so Y/N is my girlfriend" and gave a gentle peck on your lips, you stood there in shock and soon you started blushing as you covered your face with your hands and ran inside to your mother who was chatting with Nikki.

 You went up to your mom and asked innocently "Mom, Tom said that I'm his girlfriend and gave me a kissy like you give me every night before bed. Is he no more my best friend ?" Both the mothers started laughing as Nikki spoke  “no peanut he will always be your best friend and if you love bugs stay like this forever maybe he can be your husband too."

 You scrunched your face and said "eww!! I will not marry him"

 “why is that so? " your mother asked laughing

 "he always steals my chocolates" you said innocently “no I don't!! Tom said from behind as he entered the house with Haz, “yes you did yesterday only you took it from my bag at school” both of you now started arguing. Nikki and your mom burst into laughter after hearing it. That was the beginning of your love story.

 Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone

I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run

You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess

It's a love story baby just say "Yes"

 .........................................................

You loved to listen to songs as it helps to release your stress and this song of yours was very dear to you as it reminded you of some sweet memories. You were scrolling through the photographs that you had taken back when you were living in London together with the boys as you thought about that whole incident, your actual first kiss, you smiled and shook your head at the realization that you both had disappointed your mothers.

 You finally dialled Harrison's number he picked up instantly

 "Hey Y/N!"

 "Hello.. this is 911 what is your emergency?" You chuckled

 "You will never change will ya?"

 "That was the plan actually to never change"

 "Talking to you after a long time man missed your voice so much"

 "Me too Haz.. So how's everything going there?"

 "Yeah everything is fine here just wrapped up my new film."

 "Great!! How are the boys, Nikki and Dom?"

 "They are all fine. Harry is busy with his new film's plot, Sam as usual experimenting with new dishes."

 "An.. and how's he?" You hesitatedly asked

 "He's good too wrapped up Avengers 5 will be returning home tomorrow.

By the way congratulations for the success of your new album to be honest it's a badass album the lyrics are dope."

 You giggled.. "Thanks Haz"

 "So now are you free or still have any upcoming projects?"

 "I can never be free Haz I m always working, always thinking of lyrics for my next song. Leave all that, what was the emergency that you said to call so urgently?"

 "Ummm.. Y/N I want something from you."

"Anything for you Haz"

 "You have to promise me first Y/N that whatever I say you have to say yes"

 "When have I ever said you no anyways just tell me"

 "No! Y/N first promise me"

 "Uggh Okay Haz I promise now spit it out. Sometimes you really act childish." you rolled your eyes.

"I want you to come back home I mean back here at London I have planned a 10 days trip to Cornwall at my beach house which we all used to go every summer when we were kids it's a sort of reunion for the whole gang I have invited Z and Jacob too"

 "Haz you know I only go on Christmas every year to spend time with you guys because that is when I m free. And I'm pretty busy this month. I have a recording to be done next week for my upcoming single."

 "Y/N you promised you will not refuse me. I just want a little time from your busy life.”

 "But Haz…"

 "And also I'm gonna celebrate my 30th birthday there, your man is getting old love."

 "Umm... I don't know what to say Haz I'm confused"

 "If you're thinking about him I can assure you there will be no problem besides he is not single anymore so why worry?"

 That is the problem Haz you said in your mind.

 "Umm okay I'll give it a thought and let you know after confirming the availability of dates." You ended the call and fell back on your bed, your hands and legs spreading across the bed  like a starfish. You face palmed and groaned.

 You went into a deep thought, your brain still processing the whole conversation you had with Harrison. After a few minutes you heard your phone buzzing and you smiled as you looked to see who was calling. It was Zendaya, face timing you. You had seriously wished to talk to someone right now. You have very few close friends in the industry and Zendaya was one of them. You collaborated with her for your bad blood music video and you guys clicked instantly from that day you became really close. She was your 3am BFF and you both knew each other's darkest secrets. You picked up the call.

 "So Haz called you up didn't he?"

 "Bingo!! So what are you thinking?" Zendaya laughed

 "I don't know Z. I just feel scared. I know I have met him a couple of times during my Christmas visits after everything happened  but that was just a one day thing and this whole 10 day trip is freaking me out. I also don't want to disappoint Haz. I missed all of his birthdays for the past few years on purpose just to avoid Tom."

 " You are just over thinking babe everything will be fine and I will be there to cheer up your emotional ass. Besides as much as I know Tom is very chilled out he will not bother you."

 " I don't think so. He has a very cold attitude towards me even now whenever I go back home. "

 After you moved to NY you almost begged your parents to move here and stay with you but they were adamant of staying in London so once in a year you used to visit your family and friends during Christmas. The Christmas Dinner was always hosted by the Holland's after your break up you always panicked to go to their house. The first year when you went. The boys, Nikki, Dom welcomed you as if nothing had happened; they hugged you with joy. But when you went to give Tom a hug he just backed off and out of formality gave you a shoulder hug and you got your hint to stay away. He even brought his new girlfriend for the dinner which you thought he did on purpose to make you jealous or hurt you. And you were actually hurt at the thought that he really moved on so quickly. So you avoided family gatherings to prevent such awkward situations.

  "Babe your life doesn’t revolve around Tom he was a part of your life which is over. Start living your life. And we are in our early 30’s and still single don’t wanna die like that do you ??. Even if you want you can have your sweet little revenge by showing off that hot body on the beach and show that asshole what he missed." Z smirked.

 You quirked your eyebrows “So you're telling me to be a bitchy ex who doesn’t want to see her ex boyfriend happy”

 " Nooo!!! I didn’t mean that just show him how happy you are, that you are one of a kind, he will never find anyone like you in his life. We are gonna have a blast honey and you are coming so start packing."

 You had to finally give in with a deep sigh you said .."okay Z I ll go but if I jump off the cliff after all the mental stress I'm going to get in those 10 days you and Haz will be responsible for it." you laughed.

"Oh we won't want that. Besides you have handled more stressful moments than this you will be fine dramaqueen." Zendaya said.

 You talked to Alex about the whole trip to sort out the dates. He was a little sceptical at first about the whole reunion with ex trip , but he believed in you and gave you a nod for the trip. You informed the good news to Haz of your approval to the whole trip. Before you could leave for your unplanned vacation you had to finish recording and shooting for your new upcoming single featuring Breidon Urie.

 "I promise that you'll never find another like me

I know that I'm a handful, baby, uh

I know I never think before I jump

And you're the kind of guy the ladies want

(And there's a lot of cool chicks out there)

I know that I went psycho on the phone

I never leave well enough alone

And trouble's gonna follow where I go

(And there's a lot of cool chicks out there)

But one of these things is not like the others

Like a rainbow with all of the colors

Baby doll, when it comes to a lover

I promise that you'll never find another like

Me-e-e, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

I'm the only one of me

Baby, that's the fun of me

Eeh-eeh-eeh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

You're the only one of you

Baby, that's the fun of you

And I promise that nobody's gonna love you like me-e-e"..............

 The song was soon officially released by the music company and the audience loved it and your work was done for the moment and now you could focus on the trip. All of a sudden you were really feeling excited about the whole thing. You and Z were constantly texting each other to plan about the journey.

 The day arrived and you met Z at the airport. "So ready for the battle?" she chuckled. You rolled your eyes and laughed "going on a battle would have been much easier compared to this I guess" but in your mind you were confident. Yes you had finally decided that you're ready to face Tom Holland to show him that you have also moved on. And to show him that he'll never find another like you.

 The nine hour flight was uneventful as both you and Z slept most of the time which proved that you both were in dire need of a vacation away from your hectic glamorous lives.

 It was around 5 ‘o’ clock in the morning in London when your plane landed. Both of you collected your check in luggages. Check out was hassle free as it was early morning with few people around and nobody recognised you as both of you were in your hoodies. As you came out of the exit door you started to look amongst the crowd and finally you saw those familiar icy blue eyes approaching towards you.

 “Ah!! Finally the star arrived” Harrison hugged you tight

“And all credit goes to you Z because our star has stopped listening to her best friend may be got someone else to replace me” he hugged zendaya and started laughing

“getting rid of you has been one of the failures of my life" you pouted

 "Ouch!" Harrison dramatically placed his hands on his chest as if hurt.

 "No one can ever replace you from my life you idiot" you lightly punched his arm.

 Harrison chuckled and said with a fake French accent "I m your chauffeur for the day, madame your car awaits at the parking lot."

 After you three put all your luggages in the car. Z and you sat at the back seat and Harrison sat on the driver's seat as he started the car. It was an approximate four hour ride to his beach house.

 " You know Haz I really missed the summer in London so glad I said yes to your plan."

 "The only thing I liked about London when I came for Spiderman:FFH shoot is the Harry Potter museum" Zendaya declared

 You noticed Harrison looked a little off today so you asked "you look a little bit stressed out Haz what's the matter bud?"

 "How do you read my mind so easily?" Harrison sighed.

 "I'm your best friend dumbo now tell me what is the thing that is bothering you so much?" you said with concern in your voice.

 "Okay I need to say you something, just don't be mad Tom will be bringing his fiancee too at the beach house. But don't worry everything will be fine I promise."

 Your face went expression less as you looked at Harrison then to Zendaya. You were starting to panic from inside. You let out a sigh and rolled your eyes as you leaned on Zendaya's shoulder. She rubbed your shoulder to comfort you as you thought in your mind "what a great start to this cursed trip."

..................................................................................

Taglists:If you want to be added send in an ask i will be happy to add you.

@sophs-library

[askmeforafic]

Everything will be just fine (We moved the furniture so we could dance)

Arthur’s birthday fell late March and this year it also fell two days after his break up with Deborah “Call me Debs” Smith. Obviously he didn’t choose that time to break up with her but it had been coming for a while.

They met while at a charity night that Arthur’s work were sponsoring and Deborah’s had been in charge of the advertising for so they had been working together for weeks before the actual event happened. She had been clear from the start that she was interested in him in more than a professional way but he had managed to keep them on track until the charity night happened. Arthur’s boss after a few too many on the night suggested that Arthur be used after hearing that one of the guys they had lined up for the date auction portion of the evening  had fallen ill and couldn’t come.

That had been early October and the cracks started to show by Christmas when she invited herself to his works Christmas night out and had insisted on going to a market the day him and his friends were going to do their mini Christmas. Most of them went home for Christmas so over the years they had started to do their own version the week before but he was late by almost an hour and a half which would have been more if he hadn’t threatened to leave her alone at the market so he could still make it to Percy’s before he served dinner. The argument the next day was so explosive that Arthur’s neighbour came over after with brownies and wine for him but they made up  or rather she appeared the next night in a long coat and thigh high boots and nothing else. That set the pattern until the final fight where even the smallest thing was brought up before she screamed at him it was over.

The original plan had been to go for dinner and then to see Wicked after a lazy morning in bed and a flying visit to see Morgana for a home-made lunch.  Deborah was reluctant to go to Morgana’s for lunch saying that they could meet her at a restaurant but it was a tradition between them since they were teenagers that the other made them lunch for their birthday. Instead it was something she had hurled in his face during their last fight – why didn’t he want her to know why it was a tradition? Did Merlin know? Why was he allowed to know but she wasn’t? Was Merlin more important than her? No, don’t answer that.

Instead he was dragged out of bed by Morgana who had used her spare key to barge into his house and destroyed his kitchen while making them pasta bake. She had, however, brought several bottles of the red wine they both liked and helped him polish off two before leaving and telling him that she wouldn’t let him waste today but after that she was giving him two more days of sulking before he was being dragged to that new tequila bar she heard about. When he went back to his living room with a new bottle he found the menu for The Princess Bride playing and an unopened bag of caramel popcorn. By the time he finished that and was just deciding what to put on next there was a knock on the door.

He opened it forgetting that he was only wearing grey jogging bottoms, an old stretched out tank top with Ibiza written on it in highlighter pink and his hair looked like he’d been dragged through a hedge backwards. It was a relief then when it was Merlin on the other side of the door with a huge smile on his face and a bag of Chinese food in his hand. He smiled as Merlin immediately reached out and pulled him into a hug, pinching his side as he heard Merlin whisper “Happy birthday Princess” into his ear.

Arthur reluctantly pulled back from the hug while grabbing the bag from him and heading back into the living room. “You’ve been spending too much time with Gwaine I think, you never use to call me that” he threw over his shoulder.

“And whose fault is that? I would’ve hung around you more if Deb” Merlin paused here to roll his eyes. “Hadn’t insisted it was weird when she broke in and we were on the couch because Morgana called dibs on your bed and you still refuse to sleep in your spare room”.

By this point he had taken off his jacket and shoes and headed into the kitchen to grab plates and cutlery, he spotted the bottles on the counter that were still unopened and picked one up. Leaning on doorway between the two rooms he tilted his head towards the bottle, passing it to Arthur and getting everything else from the kitchen before making himself at home on the couch. Arthur immediately started plating up the meals for them as Merlin grabbed the remote and queued up the original Jumanji on Netflix. They quickly fell into a comfortable silence eating and being absorbed into the movie.  

--------------

They both sighed as they readjusted after finishing their meals, Merlin leaning into Arthur’s side and Arthurs arm automatically wrapping around Merlin’s shoulders. They stayed that way through the Jumanji remake and the rest of the bottle of wine.

Arthur tightened his hold on Merlin while the end credits rolled, not realising until then just how much he missed the casual contact and intimacy between them. It was, unfortunately, one of the valid points that Deb had when they had their final argument. He and Merlin were a lot closer and comfortable with each other than most men were with their friends. He didn’t understand what her issue with it was though, she’d seen him with Leon and Percy too and they were just as free with their affection. Arguably more so given they’d known him for almost their whole lives where he hadn’t met Merlin until he transferred to their high school until the start of their third year. They had fallen into an easy friendship after a misunderstanding on the first day where Merlin thought he was bullying Elyan, Gwen’s little brother. Thankfully it was cleared up quickly and by the end of their time in high school they were rarely seen without each other.

“You know that I didn’t mean to ignore you or make you feel like I was choosing her over you don’t you?” Arthur murmured into Merlin’s hair, absentmindedly stroking up and down Merlin’s arm.

Merlin tilted his head toward Arthurs with a confused look on his face, his nose scrunching up as he tried to work out what had prompted that confession. “I know you didn’t mean that you prat, I’ve told before you can’t get rid of me that easily. You knew that when you signed up to be friends with me, no girl or boyfriend is going to change that - they haven’t before.”

“I…..uh…I was just thinking about that last fight and how she asked if she was more important than you. Which is ridiculous because I’ve known her less than six months and I’ve know you for more than six years. Why did I let her convince me that spending less time with you would fix the cracks in our relationship? You didn’t cause them; me and her being different people did and no amount of trying would change that.  I don’t know, I think the wine’s gotten to me and I just wanted to know that even if she almost messed up my birthday she didn’t mess up us.” Arthur scrubbed his hand over his face and drained the last of the last dregs in his glass.  

Arthur stood up and held his hand out to Merlin who silently turned off the TV and grabbed Arthurs hand and allowed himself to be led to Arthurs room.  He knew that although Arthur may blame the wine that he was really effected by their lack of closeness in the past few months. They stripped down slowly and with the ease of knowing that neither of them would judge the other.  As they slid into bed Merlin turned his back to Arthur knowing he would want to hold Merlin after his confession earlier.

They both slept in the next morning and woke up feeling more content than they had felt in a long time. Arthur grabbed them both shirts from his drawer and agreed to make breakfast if Merlin could find them something to watch. As he was making the pancakes he heard Merlin drop something, not an unusual sound from him but Arthur wanted to make sure he was okay. When he walked out of the kitchen he heard the words that had caused the remote to drop.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the United Kingdom, given the current situation the decision has been made to enact lockdown measures.”

-------

After that it was as if time was simultaneously too fast and too slow, April passed in the blink of an eye it seemed but then some weeks passed like they were drenched in syrup. They fell into a pattern quite quickly, Merlin had his work send him a laptop to work on articles and they both used the living room  to work preferring to have someone to talk to while they worked. They traded off making lunch and dinner and reminding each other that they needed to move and stop working.

No matter how the week was - good, bad, quick, long they always ended it the same way by sitting on the couch watching movies and cuddling.  They started by going through all the movies they had said they were going to watch while Arthur had been with Deb and then started working on their old favourites.  They made a point of always wearing their most comfortable clothes while they were watching films, ordering in, opening (and finishing a bottle of wine) and changing the way they watched them.  Some older ones they watched on dvd, some of them on Blu-ray and some on Disney+ (which Merlin made Arthur get a subscription for at the start of lockdown).  The only official rule was that they didn’t talk about anything outside of the house during the movies.

The other rule was unspoken – no matter what had happened during the day, how shitty their bosses had been or if they had argued with each other they always went to bed at the same time and they always shared Arthur’s bed. Sleeping curled around each other always made them feel safe and any frustration or arguments between them were forgotten by morning.

It was the 27th June and that night him and Merlin decided to order in from Merlin’s favourite Italian just around the corner from Arthurs. They had splashed out on Arthurs favourite wine and decided to watch Beauty and The Beast and then Tangled. Between the food, movies and wine Arthur was content but when Merlin curled further into him he felt a rush of affection. Looking back on the time they had spent trapped in Arthurs house so far for all the frustration and anxiety it had caused them he could only feel a wave of correctness flow through him. That this was how it should always be, this house being his and Merlins home, the bed being their bed, them having a routine as a couple and being domestic with each other.

Arthur wasn’t blind, he’d known from the second he met Merlin with his bright blue eyes flashing and plush pink lips that he was going to be handsome. At the time Merlin’s limbs flailed about without warning and he hadn’t grown into his own yet but Arthur knew know that he had and while he still flailed occasionally that he was now the heartbreaker that Arthur knew he would be. He wasn’t sure when Merlin had captured his heart, he knew it was before they went to university but in the time between when they met and then he couldn’t tell. All he knew was that Merlin had taken it as if it was always rightfully his and by the time Arthur realised he knew that he would follow Merlin anywhere. Which was why he had never told him, Arthur was given the chance to have this man by his side and he wouldn’t give that up even if it meant never knowing how Merlins lips would feel on his own.

Just as he was having this realisation Tangled finished and in the moment before the credits rolled he saw them in the reflection of the TV. He saw Merlin laid along the length of the couch, his head resting on Arthurs chest and Arthur himself curled around Merlin, his forehead resting on the crown of  Merlins head. He got up and offered Merlin his hand as he done every night but this time he stumbled into the table pushing it back and when Merlin went to take his hand he hit the wrong button on the remote to turn the TV off. Instead of turning off it the channel changed to a music channel with a new song starting to play.

The song washed over him and when Merlin put his hand in his he couldn’t help but pull him towards him instead.  Merlin stumbling into him and resting his head in the crook of Arthurs neck, his other hand automatically reaching for Arthurs shoulder. He started to sway them together as Taylor Swift crooned to them about how there was a mysterious haze about her Lover. The longer the song went on the more he wanted it to apply to him and Merlin, he wanted Merlin to be his lover and to tell the world about it.

As the song faded out he looked down at Merlin, only to find that Merlin was staring up at him. Overcome by the evening’s effect on him and Merlins effect on him he leaned down and fit their lips together. Arthur sank into the kiss, feeling Merlin do the same as they kept swaying around their living room.  Eventually they broke the kiss and continued to walk towards their bed as they continued onto their bed never breaking their hold.

Later they would talk about their relationship and Arthur would ask for Merlin to make this their home. They would tell their friends and deal with Gwaine’s sending them a cake with the words “congrats on getting your heads out of your asses”.  They would deal with that after they had spent their first night together as a couple and then made breakfast in their underwear trading soft kisses as they danced around the kitchen.

[whattimeisitintokyo]

Somos Familia Ch 40- Parting Words of Regret

With a loud clatter and a few more pathetic twangs, the guitar shattered into more chunks and splinters as it was flung in front of Matty and Coco’s feet. Most of the crowd had already dispersed with the promise that the contest would continue an hour later to give everyone a chance to calm down. A few annoying onlookers still hung about, wanting to witness the drama unfold with morbid curiosity. Oscar and Felipe’s vain attempts to get them to leave proved to be fruitless, but Imelda’s threat of a well-placed boot to the face seemed to finally convince them to go on their merry way.

The family was now alone in the plaza, able to talk peacefully and calmly.

Unfortunately, “peace” and “calm” were two words that Héctor Rivera was entirely incapable of utilizing at the moment.

“A guitar!” He snarled as he paced back and forth in front of his two oldest children, the res of the adults standing behind them ready to offer some form of support. “You taught him to play the guitar. And here I thought he went over to your house all those times to have some sibling bonding. I was so happy that you two were so close despite the age gap. Instead you were teaching him how to play that-that… Dios, of all the things you had to teach him it was that good for nothing-”

“I did not teach him to play the guitar Papá. I play the violin, not the guitar.” Coco said softly, hoping that if she remained calm then maybe her father would too. “He taught himself how to play it, by watching Tio Nesto’s films and listening to his records. To your records Papá. He’s practically following in your footsteps.”

“Oh sí, my footsteps.” Héctor murmured, turning his intense gaze over to Vicente. “That reminds me, was that your intentions yesterday, Chente? When you convinced me that Miguel would want to work with Rivera de la Cruz? Did you know he could play music as well, trying to churn out another throwaway musician like you do every year?”

Leaning back slightly as Héctor started to bear down on him, Vincente was able to stay calm and looked at him. “No Señor Rivera, that was not my intention. We’ve always known he has looked up to you, practically idolized el Señor de la Cruz. I just thought he would want to work someday in the company his father and godfather personally founded. I had no idea he had any musical talents of his own.”

Héctor stared at him for a moment longer then nodded, chuckling bitterly. “Ha… That’s good to hear. That is very good, I am glad you were honest with me, seeing as how your employment depended on your answer.”

“Now just hold on!” a voice popped up, and Javier came between Vicente and Héctor. Flicking ash from his cigar at Héctor’s feet, he pointed it towards him with emphasis. “You can’t threaten to fire someone over something as stupid as that. Especially when that someone has more than doubled your profits in the music industry in the last year while you sat here in Santa Cecilia. And who has produced more groundbreaking movies in three years that Señor se la Cruz ever did in his entire tenure.”

Héctor stared at Javier, completely dumbfounded at being talked to like that, and exploded. “Who exactly are you, cabrón?!”

With a click of his tongue, Javier smirked. “I’m the guy who makes those movies look good.”

“I meant who are you in this conversation?” Héctor said. “This is a family matter, and you are not our family! So why don’t you and Vicente head back to the house and stay out of this!”

“Actually, Señor Rivera, I believe that I will get Señor Barbero and I a couple of rooms at a nearby inn for the night.” Vicente said. He spoke calmly and coolly, almost as if in a business meeting, but everyone could tell that he was just masking some hurt. “We have to leave very early in the morning to go back to work soon, we wouldn’t want to disturb anyone. If you are done with me, then-”

“Yes, go!”

With a short nod Vicente mumbled quietly to Imelda. “Thank you for your hospitality, Señora Rivera.” With a turn he made his way down the street, with Javiar following close behind. Javiar made a point to flick the end of his cigar towards the ground out of spite before he left, but it was lost to Héctor as his attention was back on his family.

“You knew how I felt.” Héctor said to Coco. “All of you know how I feel about this garbage. And yet you went behind my back and nurtured this fixation on music and fame, despite all that has happened to us. What goes on in that house of yours?!”

“I dance Abuelito!” Victoria spoke up boldly, trying to diffuse the situation a little. Or at least take the heat off of Miguel in some way. Make her grandfather see that he was not the only one who had messed up. When Héctor’s gaze fixed onto hers, his face twisting a little in surprise and pain before seetling back down to anger, her confidence dropped. She ducked her head to look to ground, and to her shame clung to her mother’s skirt like a child. “I d-dance… ballet. Miguel and I practice…”

“Well that’s just perfect, isn’t it?!” Héctor ran a hand through his gray hair and balled a fist into it, letting go to point viciously at his daughter. “Well guess what? He’s not allowed to come over to your house anymore. You want to see him, then you come to us! You are enabling not only your brother but your daughter as well, and you’ve got your husband trying to keep up the charade. Elena is the only one to make any sense in your messed-up family!”

“Héctor!” Imelda gasped.

“You’re one to talk about messed up, Héctor!” Julio said angrily as he held his wife and daughter close to him, both of his girls close to tears. “You don’t talk to my wife like that!”

“I’ll talk to my daughter anyway I like!” Héctor shouted back. “If you were a real husband and father you would have tried to stop this before they got hurt!”

“Héctor!” Imelda gasped, but before she could intervene Matty spoke up.

“I told you, Papá!” Matty shouted as he pointed at Héctor. Wanda tried to hold him back, whispering at him to just leave it, but he kept on. “I told you that you were shell-shocked. All it took was a song and Miguel performing and look at you! You’re out of control, screaming and raving at your family. You probably feel sick and trapped and are lashing out. I know how you feel, but this isn’t how you deal with it.”

“Don’t tell me how to deal with my family!”

“Papá, don’t you see?! The only one whose hurting anyone is you! You’re hurting not only yourself but the people around you! Just like I hurt my son, now you’ve gone and hurt yours.”

Héctor laughed. “Oh please! This is completely different. My son screwed up, yours didn’t.” Héctor then leaned in close, sneering. “And I’m pretty sure when Miguel ran off all of his bones were still intact!”

“HÉCTOR!”

Imelda’s shout, as well as the horrified gasps of everyone around them, caused Héctor to draw back a little. In an instant he knew that he had gone too far, and if he didn’t know then he would have realized it less then a second later: When Wanda came up and slapped him hard across the face. Staggering back slightly and reaching up to his stinging cheek, he could barely make out Wanda standing before him past the flashing colors and white spots.

“How dare you?!” Wanda screamed as Héctor shook his head to clear his vision. “How dare you throw that in his face?! Your own son! You stupid bastard!”

“I need to leave.”

Wanda turned back to Matty, instantly by his side and murmuring soothing words to her husband. Matty stood their trembling, clutching his cane for dear life and trying not to raise it in order to attack his father. So many emotions rushed over his face: Shock, fury, despair, shame. He looked like he was at war with his emotions and about to lose control, but through his pain he could only managed a choked-out whisper. “Wanda, I need to leave. I need to leave. I need to leave…”

“Shh shh, it’s alright darling. We’re going now. It’ll be alright.” Guiding her shaking husband away from everyone else, Wanda turned back to Héctor. Despite his back being towards her, she still shouted at him. “You should be ashamed of yourself! We’re leaving too, and we’re not waiting until morning! We’ll take the private plane out tonight! And don’t even bother coming to Thanksgiving dinner, you are not wanted! Goodbye Mamá Imelda. Coco. I’ll let you know when we’ve landed.”

Watching Wanda lead her distraught son away from the plaza, seeing Julio try to console his wife and daughter, Rosita and her twin brothers standing there not knowing what to do, Imelda decided she had seen enough. Walking up to the three other unaffected members of the family, she spoke as calmly and sternly as always. “Rosita, go back to the museum to your husband. Make sure that the children haven’t killed him, Bueno? Oscar, Felipe, please escort Coco and her family back home safely and then you all come back to the mansion. I’ll handle Héctor.”

Rosita wrung her hands worriedly. “Are you sure, Mamá Imelda?”

“Sí, are you sure hermana?’

“If you want we can stay with you-”

“-So you won’t be alone to deal with him.”

“I’ll be fine. Gracias.” Imelda said. “But Mateo is right: This needs to end. Go on home.” Watching the rest of her family walk off in dejection, Imelda turned to glower at Héctor who was still facing away from her and holding his cheek. “Well I hope you’re happy, Héctor Rivera! You have blown this whole mess way out of proportion and now-”

A sniffle broke through her tirade and she stopped to listen. Another sniffle and then a shudder throughout Héctor’s body immediately diminished much of Imelda’s anger towards her husband. Héctor had gone way out of line, humiliated his youngest child on his birthday and had pretty much alienated the entire family in the span of five minutes, but he wasn’t totally without sympathy. He was in a great deal of pain, and Imelda found herself gently placing her hands on his shoulders as he gently wept. “Oh Héctor. My sweet Héctor… It’ll be all right, mi amor.”

Lifting his head up Héctor looked at Imelda with his eyes full of tears, taking his hand off of his reddened cheek. “Imelda, please tell me you didn’t know about this.” He whispered. “Please.”

With a small sigh Imelda gazed away, but Héctor already saw the look of guilt and started to draw away again. “I knew he was listening to music at Coco’s… I didn’t know that he knew how to play an instrument.”

“Dios mio, it’s ruined…” Héctor moaned out, walking away from her to start pacing the ground again. “It’s all ruined! Everything! I hate this stupid day and everything about it!”

“I know you do Héctor.”

“You think I don’t know, Imelda?!” Héctor yelled at her, his anger quickly flaring back up as he paced. “You think I don’t know how much everyone laughs at me?! The company, the whole industry, even the people of Santa Cecilia? ‘Ay, there goes Señor Rivera. Made his fortune with his music but can’t even stand to listen to a creaky old music box.’ ‘If he doesn’t like music then maybe he should give his money away to the people who actually want to make music.’ I bet they even wish that Ernesto was the one who… who survived. He was the face of the entertainment industry, the entertainer. Everyone loved him and tolerated me because I was a package deal.”

Imelda shook her head. “That’s not true!”

“They all laughed at me, but I had hoped… That my family would understand my feelings.” Héctor sniffled again, but with a harsh brush across his eyes he continued. “That they would understand that music has brought me nothing but pain and misery. How much I can’t stand it. I thought they would but that ended up being wishful thinking, didn’t it? They went behind my back because they think I’m foolish just like everyone else. They don’t care that it hurts me, that they hurt me. They don’t care.”

“They do care about you, Héctor.” Imelda said softly, taking him by the arm. “They love you. But you know you don’t really hate music.”

“I do!”

“No, mi amor. I know that you are traumatized by what happened to Ernesto and you link music to it, but you don’t truly hate it.”

“I hate it! I swear that I hate it. Why doesn’t anyone understand that?! I hate-”

“Héctor, you sing in your sleep.”

Héctor stopped as the air was sucked out of his lungs. He stood there for a moment, trying to really process what was just said to him. He stood frozen until finally, with a choked gasp that was almost a sob, he looked at Imelda. He tried to find any hint of a lie in her face, but she just smiled sadly at him. Wistfully. His face crinkled in confusion. “What?” he whispered.

“You sing in your sleep.” She repeated. Rubbing his arm soothingly, she leaned into him for comfort. “Sometimes you sing songs that you’ve written before, sometimes they’re ones that I’ve never heard of. Not whole songs, just a random verse or two. Mostly you just hum out what’s in your head. And yes, they’re all wonderful melodies. Beautiful. After all these years you haven’t lost your touch.”

As Héctor continued to stare at her incredulously, as if she had just told him that he might as well have killed someone, she smiled again and brushed back his hair into place. “You don’t do it every night, just sometimes. You did last night. I think you only do it on nights that you’re upset. I think you do it to make yourself feel better.”

At that comment Héctor suddenly found himself flashing back to a long-forgotten memory of his youth. Perched on a branch of an old tree by the cemetery, with an ancient guitar on its last legs resting in his lap as he plucked at the strings. And sulking. Not about the tragedies of his life, the tragic death of his youngest daughter, the brutal demise of his best friend. No, just the minor grievances of a teenage boy that would be forgotten about not long after.

“Why so down, hermanito?”

“Ay, I tried to speak to Imelda today, but she won’t talk to me. I think she’s still mad that I ruined her quince anos. Not that I blame her. I did knock the punch bowl all over her.”

“Well I see that your foul mood hasn’t affected your playing.”

“Eh, when life gets me down I play my guitar.”

“… That’s really corny, Héctor.”

“It’s poetic. You’re just jealous that you didn’t come up with it.”

“Whatever. Not skooch over and teach me that scale you just did.”

No no NO! He did not need to think about nonsense like that! With a hard shake and a jerk he wrenched himself from Imelda’s gentle hold, his anger returning to warm him back up after being left so icy cold from that revelation. To give him strength.

“I asked for one thing Imelda.” He said with a snarl. “I have provided for my family quite well and provided for other families quite well. I have sacrificed so much to get where I am today, and the one favor I ask for myself is scoffed at and completely ignored. By my own family.”

Imelda reached out for him again. “Héctor, please-”

“If it had been you who would have said ‘no music’, everyone would have bent over backwards to please you. But since it was me who asked, well, he must not really mean it, si?” The thought of that clicked inside of Héctor, made things seem clearer to him. And it also started to curl something dark and ugly inside his belly. His glare darkening to something fiercer, he snarled. “Maybe… if my family feared me like they feared you… If I was as cold and unyielding as you… Then I would have some respect around here.”

Imelda’s eyes widened in shock and hurt, then it was her turn to glare. “Cold and unyielding? How can you say that?”

“You made me believe, for three years, that you didn’t love me. And then kicked me out of my own house.” Héctor hissed out. “I can’t think of anything colder than that.”

Imelda gasped at that, and her anger turned to hurt once again. Her eyes lowered, ashamed, she sighed sadly. “Héctor… that was years ago. I was hurt and confused… and I apologized to you. Several times. Are you saying that you’ve never forgiven me for that?”

“All I know is that if the roles were switched, that I had abandoned you, there would be no apologies or forgiveness. I would be persona non grata in my own family.” Crossing his arms, he stood tall over his wife as he stared her down. “Look me in the eye and tell me I’m wrong.”

Héctor gave her a moment to try to come up with an answer, a very generous moment.  A full ten seconds, even. But when she continued to stare at the ground, Héctor smiled and nodded bitterly. With a shake of his head, he waved her away as if done with her, and started to walk away. But then finally her voice spoke up again, firmly and with no emotion.

“Trying to burn as many bridges as you can tonight, Héctor?”

Turning back, he shook his head. “I’m trying to get the respect I deserve as patriarch and provider for this family. And if that means a total change in attitude, to be stricter and less forgiving, then so be it. Go back to the house, Imelda.”

“We have to find Miguel.”

“We don’t need to find him, I know exactly where he’s going.” Héctor said. “Chente said Miguel idolized Ernesto, then there’s only one place he’d be at this time of night and on this day: The cemetery. Now go home, Imelda. Now.”

“Héctor, please don’t punish your son!” Imelda pleaded, trying one last time to push some sense into her husband. “You’ve already publicly humiliated him on his birthday, isn’t that enough?”

“…Apparently not.” Héctor said, and with that he started towards the cemetery. Not listening to his wife’s weakening pleads and calls for him to come back, he was on a mission. And nothing would stop him.

In an alley next to the plaza, a small cat and a hairless Xolo dog watched as the irate man left his mate alone next to the gazebo. Dante whined as he watched the woman start to weep softly into her hands, but was cut off when a soft nudge jostled him. Looking down he saw Pepita staring up at him with half-lidded yellow eyes, then, with a quick tilt of her head, gestured at him to follow the old man.

With a yip and a goofy wag of a tail Dante bolted like a bat out of hell after Héctor, tripping a little and then smacking into the gazebo stairs, before just as quickly shaking it off and continuing on. With a slight exhale aof a sigh coming out of her nose, Pepita made her way over to her desolate soul. Her task now was to watch over her: to comfort her throughout the night, maybe even comfort the rest of the family as well. Aside from a few grabby children trying to pull her tail, her job for the night was relatively easy.

Dante’s, though, was just beginning.

“Buena suerte, pelón…”

---------------------------------------------------------------

As Héctor walked down the streets of Santa Cecilia towards the cemetery, many thoughts were running through his fury-addled brain. ‘How could they?’, ‘Doesn’t anyone care about how I feel?’, and ‘I’ll show them not to disrespect me!’

But there was one other thought that was just beneath the surface of his anger, something that he couldn’t shake off or ignore:

‘What have I done?’

Because despite all the self-righteous anger coursing throughout his body, the acrid bubbling of guilt was threatening to come up. He could still see his family’s horror, their sadness, their rage. He could see Coco ashamed and cowed, Matty shocked into a dumbed stupor, Imelda’s quiet sadness. He could see Miguel’s absolute heartbreak as he had cried and ran away from him. All of that because of him.

But every time the guilt made its presence known to him, anger and pride would push it right back down. No, it was not because of him. Not entirely. His family had disregarded his feelings. They kept secrets from him. They had betrayed him. It was high time that got the respect that he deserved, even if he had to force it upon everyone.

Before he knew it he had reached the cemetery. It was beautiful to behold, just like it was every year. Hundreds of softly glowing candles on every grave, thousands of cempazuchitl flowers gathered in bunches and petals littering the ground. The scents of freshly baked foods and incense, the quiet murmurings of the townspeople crowding the area. Such a warm and inviting atmosphere in a normally morbid environment.

But Héctor’s attention was solely on the mausoleum. Weaving his way through the gravestones, tilting this way and that so as not to disturb anyone on his trek, Héctor kept an eye out for Miguel. But as he got closer, close enough to see Ernesto’s smug grinning bust atop the obscene eyesore of his final resting place, there was no sign of his son. His brow crinkled in confusion. He was so sure that he would be here. With his hands on his hips he glanced around the cemetery, then back to the mausoleum. Where in the world could he be?

Then he saw the window.

It was open. And it looked like it was opened by force. Slowly he made his way towards the open window, and as he got closely he heard something: A soft voice near whisper but echoing slightly in the almost empty crypt. An awfully familiar voice.  Peering inside, Héctor was shocked by what he saw. It was Miguel, alright, kneeling on top of the crypt where Ernesto’s remains laid, staring reverently up at the painted portrait and the golden guitar supported on the wall pegs.

“-don’t be mad. I-I’m Miguel. Your godson, remember? I was smaller than when you last saw me, heh... But I’m in trouble and I need your help.” Then, to Héctor’s horror, Miguel reached up to grab the guitar. “I-I need to borrow this.”

“MIGUEL!”

With a gasp Miguel whipped around, tucking his hands back to his sides without ever having touched the guitar. He shrunk back in horrified panic at who he saw. “Papá!”

“What the hell are you doing?!” Héctor said as he forced his way up and through the window. It wasn’t easy for his fifty-year old body, and he was sure he felt something pop, but he ignored it as he came inside and headed straight for Miguel. “Have you lost your mind?! Get down from there now!”

Gasping in panic Miguel scurried down off of the crypt and in his hurry landed hard on his backside, but Héctor just went over to the crypt to make sure everything was in order. “Dios mio, you moved the lid! How?! You only weigh-Ay!” With a choked off gasp Héctor backed away from the crypt in terror. The lid was slightly moved to the side, almost cracking open. Almost revealing what was inside. The very thought of Ernesto’s body inside of it made him painfully nauseous. His body was in there, and he almost saw it again. Saw all that blood again. All over him. All-

“What are you doing here?!” Miguel shouted at his father, breaking Héctor out of his downward spiral.

“What am-what am I doing here?!” Héctor asked in disbelief. “What are you doing in here?! Better yet, what were you about to do? And-” Suddenly something caught his eyes as he looked over his son, something he had never noticed until now. Horror and disgust filling him, he numbly pointed at his wrists. “What are those?...”

Looking down at his new wristbands, Miguel held them protectively to his chest and glared back at Héctor. “They’re my de la Cruz wristbands.”

“Take them off.”

“No!” Miguel shouted. “Everyone wears them! They were his signature look! And Victoria made them for my birth-”

“TAKE THEM OFF NOW!”

At Héctor’s thundering yell Miguel ripped them off quickly, scraping his wrists in the process, and flung them to the other side of the mausoleum. There was some whispered mutterings of the people outside, someone saying that they should get the groundskeeper to unlock the tomb to see what was going on, but the two occupants paid them no mind. They just stared at each other: one in terror, the other in anger.

“So what?” Héctor finally asked, causing Miguel to flinch. “You a grave robber now?”

“N-no!” Miguel stammered out. “I’m not a grave robber. I was just taking it… from his… grave.”

“That’s grave robbing.”

“No, I was just going to borrow it!” Miguel said. “For the contest! Then I was going to put it back.”

“You’re not playing in the contest, Miguel. You’re not going to play ever.” Héctor said. “I forbid it.”

“What is wrong with you?!” Miguel shouted, angry tears forming in his eyes. “Why do you hate music so much?! You were the greatest songwriter of all time. People sing your songs every day. They made you famous! They made you rich! How can you hate music?”

“Because it took my best friend away from me!” Héctor shouted back.

“No it didn’t! A giant bell did!”

“And what put him under that bell, huh?!” Héctor asked, then shook his head. “You know what? No. No, you’re right. A giant bell did kill him. But really it only sped up what was going to happen to him anyway.”

At Miguel’s confused look, Héctor walked over to where the wristbands laid and picked them up, holding them in front of his son. “Guess what these were for, huh? Why Ernesto always wore them, even on hot summer days?”

Thinking about it a little, Miguel couldn’t do more than shrug. “Th-they… They were cool. I don’t kn-”

“He used them to hide his slit wrists. I saw them myself, and he admitted to it.” Throwing them back to the ground, he made his way over to the portrait. Gazing at his friend’s proud smiling face, he whispered painfully, “He tried to kill himself.”

“What?...”

“He tried to end his own life. But that’s not all…” Héctor kept looking at the portrait, even when the picture before him started to blur more and more. “He was also on drugs. The bad ones Miguel: cocaine, heroin, pills. I don’t know what he didn’t take.” He held his tongue about all the women who had come forth to try and get a piece out of the de la Cruz estate after his death. And a few men as well. Miguel didn’t need to know about that. “And I know why he did it too. Why he tried to kill himself.”

“You do?”

“Si… It’s because it was too much for him.” Turning back towards Miguel, Héctor continued. “The fame, the Papárazzi, working nonstop on music and movies. Sometimes it just causes a man to wear too thin. That’s what happened to him, Miguel. I can’t let the same thing happen to you, claro? It’s for your own good.”

Miguel looked at his father, then at the portrait of Ernesto, before his face hardened. “No… No, it’s for your own good!”

“What?”

“Everything has been for your own good and I’m sick of it! Especially on my own birthday, it’s Héctor Rivera’s birthday instead!” Miguel shouted. “We don’t play music, we don’t even listen to music. We can’t watch Tio Nesto’s movies, we can’t even talk about him! You don’t talk about Leti, everything I know about her I’ve heard from someone else, never from you! It’s like you don’t even like them!”

“I loved them!” Héctor shouted back, his rage boiling over again. “I loved them more than anything else on Earth! They were taken from me, and I would give every centavo I have just to get them back!”

“And you’re rich because of music!” Miguel kept on, ignoring Héctor. “Saying you hate music after it’s made you rich, and makes you richer every day, makes you a hypocrite! You don’t care about what’s good for me! You don’t care about anyone but yourself! You’re a coward, a terrible father, and I don’t want to be a part of your family anymore!”

Héctor couldn’t believe this. Was everyone out to get him tonight? Did no one respect him at all? He couldn’t stand it anymore. He was the patriarch of the Rivera family, it was high time he started to act like it. No more pushover Héctor. It was time to put his foot down.

“I’m a terrible father?” Héctor asked. “Oh no no no… No, I’m not the terrible father. You know who was a terrible father? My father. And I had a terrible mother too. I was left alone on the steps of the church as a newborn, thrown away by the people who I depended on the most. My whole life I craved a family that I never had, and in the end I got it. And I gave my family everything I never had and more. But it’s not enough for you is it? You have the nicest clothes, a full stomach every day, a huge bedroom all to yourself filled with toys and games. And it’s not enough for you. You’re spoiled rotten.”

Bowing his head, tears finally fell down Miguel’s face at the insult. He shook his head and weakly squeaked out, “No, I’m not…”

“Well I am done being the nice parent. The nice husband. The nice little brother who does what he’s told.” Héctor hissed. “I couldn’t stop your brother from going off to war. I couldn’t stop your mother from kicking me out. I couldn’t stop Ernesto from going on that stage that night. I tried to stop them, and I couldn’t. But I’m certain that I can stop you from going down the same path that he did.”

“So first of all, you can forget going to that new school on the weekends, and you can forget waiting for the next school year. Because as soon as we get home we’re packing your belongings and setting you up first thing Monday morning. And you will stay there until summer break!”

Miguel’s eyes widened in horror, and cried out, “No! You can’t!”

“And I’ll make sure that you never come in contact with music while you’re there as well! No guitars, no radios, no record players, nothing! I don’t care if I have to pay extra nor if you’re under lock and key 24/7, you will never play or hear music again! Ever!”

Ignoring his son’s broken sobs and wails, Héctor turned on his heel to glare at Ernesto’s golden guitar mounted on the wall underneath his stupid fat face. A gift that he had given him out the love for his brother, now the bane of his existence and an unwanted temptation to his son. “And the first thing I’m going to do is get rid of this stupid thing once and for all!”

He grabbed the guitar and swung it off the pegs. It must have been a little too hard, or maybe he just didn’t know his own strength, because when he did the force of it sent a flourish of golden petals to drift and float in the air with a loud whoosh! And if was paying a little more attention he would have noticed that the petals seemed to have glowed a little brighter. Turning back, he gestured at Miguel with hard jerk of the guitar. “Now get up. We’re going home.”

Miguel didn’t say anything. He just stared at him silently, mouth agape. He wasn’t even crying anymore. Just staring up, a little vacantly and with his eyes darting slightly. Finally, just as Héctor felt himself getting more annoyed and angrier by his silence, Miguel whispered, “…Papá?...”

Héctor sighed and shook his head. “We’re done talking about this. I’ve made up my mind and you won’t-”

“Papá?! PAPÁ!”

Now Miguel wasn’t even staring at him, instead looking frantically around the mausoleum, and now Héctor was getting fed up. “Enough of this! Miguel, we’re going home now! Miguel stop screaming! Miguel!”

Suddenly the sound of a metal key grating through the door lock was heard, and both Héctor and Miguel turned to see a pock-mocked teenager walking inside with a flashlight. “Alright, who’s in here?” he asked in a squeaky voice.

Héctor stepped around Miguel and held up a hand towards the young teen. “It’s all right chamaco. I’m handling this, we’ll be on our way shortly.”

“Miguel?” the teenager said surprised. “What are you doing in here? Where’s de la Cruz’s guitar?”

Miguel said nothing, just stood there shaking in terror and struggling to breathe. Héctor held the guitar up for him to see. “I have it, and I’ll be taking it with me for the time being, so if you’ll excuse-”

“Ay, mi abuelo is going to kill me if he finds out you took it on my watch!” the teenager moaned, then walked towards Miguel. “Come on, you shouldn’t be here. I’ll take you home.”

Héctor stood firmly in front of Miguel, stopping him from coming closer. “Oye, I said I’ll handle it! What is with everyone?! Why does no one ever listen to-”

*whoosh*

“-meEe?...”

With a sickening feeling, and a hot and cold sensation, Héctor felt the young boy walk through his body and out the other side. Clutching his stomach at the feeling, he whipped around to see the teenage boy grab Miguel by the arm and start to pull him away. “Hey, let go of him!”

He reached out to pull the boy’s hand off of his son, but as soon as he made contact his hand phased through the arm like a wisp of smoke before forming solid again. Staring at it disbelief, Héctor twisted his hand side to side to look at it. And to his horror, he found that he could actually see through it. And his hand, as well as his arm, his leg, his whole body… was glowing gold.

He kept staring at it, mesmerized and confused, until his son’s voice broke through his mental short. Miguel was screaming as he tried to break free of the older boy’s grip, and what he screamed made Héctor’s insides run cold.

“No, stop! Please! My papá disappeared! He’s gone! He vanished into thin air!”

No.

No, I’m still here.

“Hey stop!” Héctor shouted as he followed them out into the cemetery. “Give me back my son! I’m right here! Can’t you see- aah!”

Suddenly another person bumped into him, or rather through him, and Héctor was once again bombarded with that nauseating sensation of cold and heat. Then another came. And another. Apparently everyone thought it was a good idea to crowd around the mausoleum to see what all the commotion was about, but all it was doing was knocking Héctor’s world off course.

Trying to weave through the mass of people, trying to locate Miguel by his shouting over the rush of blood through his ears, Héctor finally made it through the crowd. He had practically swam through all of them, and not one of them ever looked at him.

No one could see him at all.

Another shout from Miguel brought his attention back to what was important. The teenager had now almost dragged Miguel to the exit, but the path was clear now. Dodging through the maze of gravestones, Héctor was getting closer and closer towards his son. “Oye kid! Let him go! You hear me?! Let him-”

With another whoosh, and another nauseating tilt as a random woman walked into his direction, Héctor’s legs folded out from under him and he planted hard on his face. Laying on the ground for a few moments, trying to get his bearings and his breathing back under control, Héctor didn’t notice the shadow loom over him. Not until a sweet voice called out and a gentle hand touched his shoulder.

“Dios mio! Señor, are you okay? You fell pretty hard! Here, let me help you up.”

As he felt the hands grip his arms and his body lift off the ground, Héctor sighed in relief. Someone could see him, and he could be touched. He was normal again. Probably was normal to begin with. He had been so angry before; it must have popped a few screws loose. His brain had been a little addled, but it was all just a simple mind trick. Nothing was wrong. He was seen and heard. All was well.

“Ay, gracias a Dios.”

“Are you all right now, Señor?” the woman asked, brushing the dirt off of his jacket with gloved hands. Héctor nodded and smiled, looking up.

“Sí. Gracias Señoritaa-aaa-ha-AAA-HAAA-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

[marlacrane]

『COURTNEY EATON ❙ CIS FEMALE』 ⟿ looks like MARLA CRANE is here for HER JUNIOR year as a JOURNALISM student. she is 22 years old & known to be inventive, dogged, heedless & blunt. They’re living in GORHAM, so if you’re there, watch out for them. ⬳ mia. 23. pt. she/her.

[without me by eminem plays muffled from the next room as marla wanders thru the door w a mickey of vodka in her left hand and the communist manifesto in her right]

tws for drug use, mental illness

history

she has a happy childhood in a seattle suburb. she’s the youngest of two girls, and even though her mom works all the time, and her dad’s overseas, everything’s fine. until marla gets to second grade, which she hates, gets into a fight with a boy, and nearly bites his finger off. this time she gets off with a warning. then, later that week, said boy and her are working on this paper maché duck together, and the teacher's keeping an eye on them at first but has now dismissed them as totally getting along, and then the teacher glances at them again to find that they have vanished, and so have the art supplies. the two of them are found six hours later hiding in a park. they’ve been hanging out there all day, asking for a quarter from each unsuspecting parent or guardian they’ve seen. they’ve used this to buy as much food from the community centre vending machine as they can carry. their goal: wait until their parents are sleeping, steal the tent from marla’s backyard, and go live in the treehouse in his backyard. upon discovery, they’re both grounded for a month. marla is no longer allowed to read calvin and hobbes  ––  her mom is pretty sure it’s what inspired the escape attempt.

she and this boy, whose name is jasper, regroup once they’ve been ungrounded. jasper and her are both the sort of kids who bite their nails at the sign of a group project. their fight had been over who got to read the classroom’s only calvin and hobbes anthology. their initial truce had been based entirely around a mutual desire for treehouse living. now, they just want insurance. so they agree to partner up, always.

they’re bad influences on each other. apart, they’re both a little feral, sure, but they understand that certain things are not possible, and they avoid danger if they can help it. when they hang out, though, they egg each other on. jasper breaks his arm because marla dares him to climb the school; marla’s suspended after jasper dares her to pull the fire alarm; jasper and marla accidentally burn down a garden shed; jasper and marla scam five people out of their lunch money so they can go see a movie after school. (they pay them back a week later. they’re not total monsters. also, they were getting scared one of the kids was gonna tell on them).

jasper’s parents are moving. jasper’s moving with them, out to the country. marla hates it, but she steels herself. she can be independent. she’s nearly sixteen now, and it’s about time she started. but she’s going to miss him. he tells her that nothing’s going to change, which she tells him is bullshit. he takes this the wrong way, and they stop speaking to each other. this goes on for five months. marla’s lonely at first  ––  she doesn’t know how to talk to people who aren’t him. she starts dating this guy, and that opens things up a little bit. he introduces her to his friends, and suddenly she doesn’t feel as wild. she’s no longer a product of the outskirts.

one night she thinks fuck it, that’s enough silence. she sneaks out at one am, texting jasper to meet her halfway. she borrows her sister’s car. marla figures she practically knows how to drive. she’s done it a few times. and, to her credit, she makes it to where she and jasper are meeting. she also wraps the car around a pole. she emerges relatively unharmed, and she panics. jasper doesn’t show up. he texts to tell her he got caught trying to leave. she calls him an idiot. then she waits there, arms crossed, incapable of doing anything but dreading consequences, until it’s nearly morning. that’s when a cop drives by and the process of being in trouble begins. it’s a clusterfuck. this is when her sister stops speaking to her  ––  marla’s been on thin ice with her for a long time, but now it’s over. it isn’t so much that her sister wants to hold a grudge. it’s just finally too much. and marla gets it. for once, she doesn’t try and change things, or slip out of trouble. that doesn’t mean she doesn’t get into a number of shouting matches with her mom. her phone is taken away, as is all of her money, which goes toward buying her sister a new car. her laptop is sold in the name of the new car too. she can use the family computer if schoolwork absolutely demands internet access.

she hasn’t heard from jasper in a long time. her now ex boyfriend is still sort of a friend, but not the kind she can hang out with. there was one girl she really got along with at their school, but they made out at a party and the next day the girl wouldn’t really look her in the eyes. she turns seventeen, the birthday celebrated more or less alone, and does a little stint in juvie for keying a teacher’s car. she then spends a year at a community college, followed by radcliffe. she picks radcliffe because she’s accepted, and because it’s far from home. being at home fills her with this sick feeling now  ––  something went bad somewhere along the way, and she’s pretty sure it was her that made the wrong turn at the crossroads. not her mom, not jasper, not anyone else that had power over her life. and she won’t reach out to her friend, or to her sister, because that would mean admitting she cares more than they do.

she sort of wishes she could go back to being a careful person. she wants to understand boundaries. she also wants her life to have a purpose, and she likes writing, and she’s always loved nancy drew, but being a detective would’ve meant being a cop and she'd genuinely rather die, so she’s gone for journalism. she’s not loving the university experience, but it’s better than before, and it’s provided a lot of distractions that she’s grateful for.

headcanons / personality :

she can be a little abrasive.

she smokes weed whenever she can afford it, because if she doesn’t she tends toward feeling depressed and highly uninspired. she carries this apathy with her, and then every once in a while she’ll snap, and either get a lot better or a lot worse. klonopin is her best friend now.

she’s 100% a leftist and the way to her heart at this point is through communism memes. she’s slowly but surely making her way through the works of karl marx. she’d probably be done by now, but she keeps reading romance novels instead. (this is also a secret. she reads them on her phone and deletes them the moment she’s done so that nobody can know).

she lives to pirate movies, but claims that the only movie she’s ever seen is showgirls. this is because she dated a film major during her first year of college and found him so insufferable that she’s decided nobody can ever know she watches movies. she gets that he was just a jackass, and she shouldn’t judge anyone by their major, and yet................ that said, she has a secret letterboxd account (when she made it, she found her ex’s account and blocked him, just in case) and on it there’s a list of films in which richard nixon gets punched in the face.

deep down she’s actually very sentimental and sensitive, which is why she worked so hard to Not Be That growing up. she does her very best to never show that side of herself  ––  if someone sees her crying she’s just gotta kill them ! those are the rules. and after a while it got more and more difficult to actually access that side of herself. when she cries, it’s an Event.

she’s always broke. she’s also somehow always capable of scraping together exactly enough money to go out.

she knows that if jasper contacted her now, even after the years of radio silence, she’d do anything for him. they’re still friends, even if that friendship only exists in her memories. she realizes she could text him, but that would violate her strict double texting rules. and she’s afraid to.

she definitely makes bad decisions while drunk. like, all the time. speaking of which, she’s up for anything ! wanna attempt to summon a demon at 3 am? she’s ur girl ! wanna break into someone’s house and move all of the furniture over by about an inch before stealing away into the night? she’s already there !

she’s actually a good listener, which is one of the only positive traits she credits herself with. that, and creativity.

she’s a taurus but like . there is almost definitely some pisces / scorpio / sagittarius on her chart

she can play piano. she’s actually pretty good at it. or she was, back when she had access to pianos.

she really really really really really really wants a dog but there is no way in hell she can afford one

she’s bisexual

wanted connections :

(i mean. i will love anything, but....)

exes  –  whether they dated for a while or just hooked up once or twice tbh

enemies  –  these are easy because marla often does not consider consequences, so she could easily have done smth :/ to ur muse

friends  –  pls ! she needs them

unrequited crush  –  on her part, probably ? maybe they’re friends and she doesn’t wanna fuck that up but she’s starting to care about them in a different way. I Love Repression. what a good trope.

if anyone’s down for spontaneous tattoos............ she loves those (@chase hi, hello, come here)

a good influence would be fantastic

anyone else from seattle / the seattle area who maybe knew her in passing

um i really want this

[sparkles-rainbows-severed-heads]

Nazi-Hating, Bisexual King, and German actor, Conrad Veidt (1893-1943) whose performances inspired the creation of Edward Scissorhands, Jafar from Aladdin, and The Joker, was a gem in real life. Be like Connie. Do it for him.

Here’s some information on how great he was:

https://aikainkauna.tumblr.com/post/41163268378/ten-reasons-why-you-should-love-conrad-veidt

“In honour of Conrad Veidt’s 120th birthday, let us present you with a list of reasons why you should love him. Because, let’s face it, he kicked more arse than you ever will. While wearing your great-grandmother’s dress.

1. He was an awesome actor who could hypnotise the screen in both the silents and the sounds. He could do amazing things with his body language, his eyes and his voice and move like an actual cat. Oh, and he was Method before it became popular. To the point where his friends and colleagues would get worried because his entire body language and way of speaking would change. He genuinely believed he was possessed by some greater spirit when he was acting. And it shows. 2. He was an amazing human being—everybody loved working with him because he was incredibly polite and jovial and charming, but he was even more amazing off the screen. Let us tell you why.

3. This guy starred in the first gay rights movie ever and played the first explicitly-referred-to-as-gay character on screen, and the first sympathetic gay character on screen. In a movie that said it was okay to be gay and that some people were just born that way. In 1919. The makers of the film and Connie himself were flooded with death threats from the far right. They would arrange riots in theatres and release gas and rabid rodents into the aisles. But the makers of the film stood their ground. Later, the Nazis tried to burn all copies of the film but over half of it still survives and a reconstruction can be seen here.

 4. Oh yeah, and this guy also starred in an early pro-choice film, had a high opinion on women (with some progressive views for his time, when the right to vote and to wear trousers were still seen as new and scandalous things) and was a fierce campaigner for human rights and a vehement anti-Nazi for his entire life. Speaking of which… 

 5. In the Thirties, he starred in two British movies sympathetic to the plight of the Jews. While still a German citizen. Hitler sent him personal hate mail, Goebbels tried to persuade him into doing propaganda films for the Nazis instead and he told them to go stuff themselves. This was after some of his Jewish and gay friends had already been killed by the Nazis, too, so he knew exactly the sort of danger he was in. Oh, and they imprisoned him and tortured him with sleep deprivation and put him on the Gestapo hitlist. Guess what? He didn’t budge. He never raised his hand in the Heil Hitler salute, once. And when, finally, the British authorities helped him escape to England, he never went back to Germany again. Also? Despite being Protestant, he identified himself as Jewish on official forms as a form of protest. In. Nazi. Germany. I’m sorry, but Conrad Veidt’s balls»»»>yours. 

 6. He spent a huge amount of money supporting the British war effort and personally smuggled people out of the hands of the Nazis. Including driving his third wife’s Jewish parents out to Switzerland in his car under the cover of night after much bribery and passport shenanigans. In the Forties, he participated in a fund helping fellow Europeans escape Nazis and settle in the UK and the US. One of the people he helped was his Casablanca co-star, Paul Henreid. By the time Henreid had reached the UK, the war was in full swing and he was treated as an enemy alien. Connie (who had managed to acquire British citizenship just before war broke out) personally rang the British authorities and vouched for him until Henreid could finally cross the Atlantic to safety (with some monetary assistance from Connie himself). So, kids, when you watch Major Strasser menacing Laszlo in Casablanca, remember this guy actually helped him escape the Nazis in real life. 

 7. While living in London in the late Thirties, he and his wife would regularly shelter war children at their house. When the air raid sirens came on, he’d rather run back home to be with the kids rather than stay safe at the studio’s bomb shelter. No, really. And even when he’d left for Hollywood in the 40s, he would do stuff like this for the poor kids of London huddled in bomb shelters. You might need tissues. 

 8. He was made of actual sex on and off the screen. He possessed an amazing, androgynous sexual aura that would take no prisoners. He could be feminine without being effeminate, seductive and possessing and powerful without being gruff or macho, incredibly catlike and soft without being weak. Despite being skinny as hell and 6’3” tall, he was as graceful as a dancer, gliding around so smoothly it was uncanny, slightly unnatural (when Disney were making Aladdin, they deliberately based the cartoon Jafar on his performance in The Thief of Bagdad and told the animators to make him glide like Connie did. Yeah, that’s right, Disney villains were based on him. No wonder. No, really, look at that). From the Thirties onwards, he was repeatedly described as pantherlike. He had a sensuous, cruel mouth (always a little more red and open and wet than it should have been in order to be decent), large, pale blue piercing eyes (oh yeah, he was well-read in hypnotism and occultism, so he is actually hypnotising and possessing you for real), finely manicured fingernails (sometimes filed into sharp points) and a voice to melt knickers off anyone within a five-mile radius. When he smoked, it looked like he was giving oral sex to a woman and a man at the same time. Watch A Woman’s Face, The Thief of Bagdad and Dark Journey for good examples of this amazing man’s slinking, slithering, purring charm. 

 9. Oh yeah, speaking of the off-screen sex… Merle Oberon said “he would have sex with a butterfly”, Anita Loos quipped “the prettiest girl on the [Berlin] street was Conrad Veidt” and he was a major gay icon in 1920s Germany thanks to the aforementioned gay rights movie and his androgynous looks and style. Let us remember this guy spent his youth in Weimar Berlin and its cabarets, a modern Babylon where “anything goes” was an understatement. Drugs, wild parties and sexual diversions of every sort imaginable were the done thing in those days. You were considered unfashionable if you didn’t dress in drag and experiment with bisexuality. In that, he was hardly different from his peers (like, for example, his good friend Marlene Dietrich). But then again… there were people who experimented and there were people for whom it was all a phase, but according to numerous sources, he was a natural, voracious bisexual and so in love with everything feminine he genuinely loved to dress as a lady. And apparently he would fall in love all the time, so the Twenties were… busy years for him, especially when his second marriage had started to fall apart. Just don’t ask what he did to Olivier. And according to a couple of sources, Gary Cooper. Oh, and his first wife left him after she found him wearing her dress (her loss). Most of the time, his friends would describe him as a ladies’ man during the day, and going after the men as well after he’d had a few drinks in the evening. He seems to have calmed down a lot in the Thirties after he found genuine happiness with his third wife and escaped the Nazis to the UK, but apparently he was still an incorrigible flirt with both sexes until the end of his life. If you think he looks seductive and deliciously perverse on screen, that’s all real and then some. So, yep, this was a guy who was a genuine saint and an amazing human being and a naughty, naughty man at the same time. How often do you hear of both sides coexisting in the same person? 

 10. He was, basically, the last lingering sigh of Romanticism as a genuine cultural movement. On screen, he played the Gothic, Byronic hero to the hilt (The Student of Prague being one of the greatest examples of the type). In the silents, he played degenerate dandies, tortured painters and pianists and violinists, cruel yet seductive tyrants, men haunted by their doppelgängers, possessed creatures wanting to crawl out of their own bodies, sleepwalking and twitching and writhing on the screen, turning everything into a dark, exquisite ballet. In the sound films, he turned that demonic energy outwards and would pin people down with his gaze as he cursed them, would undress women with a flick of his pitch-black lashes, would curl his long fingers around their arms in a sadomasochistic, erotic stranglehold. He never completely lost his accent, but he compensated for it with pitch-perfect softness and tone, speaking very slowly and quietly when everybody else would speak loud and fast. His voice in The Thief of Bagdad was compared to poisoned honey. The MGM bosses were surprised at the mountains of fanmail he received from women in the Forties, even if they had never given him a starring role, only supporting, villainous ones. And the ladies wanted this villain, oh yes. A woman moviegoer (presumably after seeing his performance in A Woman’s Face) described him thus: “Conrad Veidt has wicked eyes, a sinister mouth, strange hands and a half-man/half- woman quality about him. His walk is frightening. There is something not quite normal about him. And yet, he was totally fascinating, charming and appealing to me at the same time!”

So, there you have it. There are many more reasons to love him, but it would take forever to try and list all of them. I suggest you watch his movies and read up on him yourself, because he deserves to live forever.”

[sunnyie-eve]

Somebody To Love (Part 20- Falling Of Queen)

(Ben!RogerTaylor)

Words: 2102

Warnings: Language

A/N: Sorry I haven’t been very active with the story. I’ve been busy and everyone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

London 1982

Felix just had his second birthday and Louisa had her first. Jim asked me to tag along today to an interview the bands was going to for the new album. Which meant I had to get a someone else to watch Felix because my parents were out of the country for a holiday. Lucky my brother Harry and his girlfriend said they would look after him for me today and whenever I need someone in the future.

"Why are you here?" Paul asks as I hope out of the car with Jim. "I told her to come. It's her job to be here too remember. Plus I made Alice my assistant to help co-manage the band." Jim says smiling at me and I follow him inside. "Jim, were you just being serious out there?" I ask as we get closer to the back room with the band. "Yes darling. I feel like you need a better position then just sewing the bands clothes. Now you'll help me keep the band on schedule, help with concert dates and more." He pats my back opening the door for me. "Thank you!" I hug him and Roger rushes over to me.

"Do I look alright? For the press?" He shows off his outfit making me laugh at him. "Umm Where's the tie you had leaving the house... add that then maybe you'll look better." I pat his chest going to sit by Brian and Deaky. "Fred looks like a mess." I sing quietly looking at him talking to Paul. "Probably high once again." Deaky shakes his head as I lean mine on him and throw my legs over Brian's lap. "Look Deaky, Alice is actually giving us attention." Brian says slapping my thighs. "She loves us again." Deaky shouts holding me in his arms. "I've always loved you guys. It's just I've been busy." I sit up and kiss their cheeks. "YOUR MY WIFE! BACK OFF ALICE!" Roger yells sitting on my lap.

"It's time." Jim tells the band and we all leave the room. "Please tell me you're going to take off those sunglasses." I look at Roger as I fix his outfit one more time. "Love you." He kisses me before following the guys out. "Alice dear, you can stand next to me." Jim motions for me to follow him. When the questions started it was all Freddie, Freddie, Freddie... with unnecessary questions that had nothing to do with the album. Brian looked at me and Jim and we just had the same look as him.

"I don't know, I haven't figured out love yet." Fred says to one of the reporter. "But it implies something else, Freddie." The same reporter says. "That might be a better question for Rog." Fred says looking at Roger. "Watch it." Roger says taking a drag of his cigarette then turns his head towards me. I cross my arms then pop my neck looking back at the press. They still go on and only ask Freddie questions about himself and not the band. Brian tries to get them to ask about the album but no one listens. It jus gets more louder and Fred snaps right back. I could tell he was going to crack at any second and then bam! He stands up starting to yell. "Okay, Thank you. Time is up." Jim says and the guys start to walk back. Roger walks over to me and takes my hand into his. "Fuck Freddie." He says as we try to walk throw the crowd.

"Roger, Alice is your marriage working? What was Fred saying about asking you?!" A reporter asks us making more follow us now. "No questions." Rog says pulling me closer to him. "Is that a no then? Are you cheating on your wife?" Another asks and Jim, Brian, and Deaky rush over to us. "We're perfectly fine." He says trying not to break like Fred did. "No more, questions. The press conference is over now." Brian says holding me close to him since Roger passed me to Brian to get in the car.

When we get in the car Roger starts to cruse up a store and I try to calm him down. "Rog, baby breath." I hold his hands and he glares at Freddie in front of him, "You started it." He points his finger at him and he just laughs at Roger. "Darling, I don't know what you're talking about." Roger's face starts to turn red. "Roger, Quit it please." I make him look at me and he just looks at me the whole ride trying to ignore Freddie and Paul.

~

"Oh my god, look at you!" I clap my hands at Freddie and he poses for me. I just arrived to the set for I Want To Break Free music video. "Where's Roger?" I ask and I see Brian walk towards me and I start to crack up. "How the hell did they get all those rollers in your hair?" I look at his hair and Deaky then joins us making me die more. "Just wait till you see your husband." He says and points towards the door he came out of and I quickly walk towards the door.

I open it to see Roger in his drag outfit of a school girl and I crack up making him get embarrassed. "Look at you!" I clap my hands and he stops me, "Stop, I'm embarrassed like this." He says making me giggle, "Why? You're bloody hot!" I give him a small kiss and he whines, "Stop!" He lets go of my hands and goes to join the boys. "Babe, you don't need to be embarrassed." I say wrapping my arms around his waist and he slaps my hands. "You know, I'd rather see you in this." He whispers turning around kissing me. "Nah, I prefer you in it." I wink going to go sit and watch them record.

Once they were done filming the music video one of the dancers took pictures of Roger, Brian, and Deaky on the couch. "Brilliant. Can I get up now?" Roger asks laying on his back across Deaky and I smile at them. "What is happening?" Roger asks as Deaky keeps him in place. "No, you can't." Deaky says and Brian joins in, "I wanna be in it." I shake my head walking up to them. "Get off me!" Deaky yells as Brian gets in him. "You are grown men acting like this." I laugh and Roger reaches for my hand pulling into the beg mess.

"Come on, guys! You gotta get out of this and back into normal clothes." I laugh trying to get up as they hold me down. "Ugh Fine." The all getting up going to their chairs and I follow Roger. "You know, I'm happy that you went with my idea I gave you because you pulled it off." I say taking off his makeup and wig. "You fine me attractive in this still?" He laughs and I nod my head. "I told you earlier didn't I." I kiss him and he holds me by my waist. "Now, have fun getting out of those tights baby." I wink at him while he leaves to go change.

~

"So why exactly is Fred calling everyone to meet up and again why do I have to come too?" I ask Roger as we go to see Freddie. "I don't know, he said he had something to tell us. And I drag you along because you're not only my wife but also part of the band too." He holds my hands as we park the car and the other two show up too.

"He'll be right out." Paul says walking into the room and we all take a seat and I sit on the same sofa as Deaky. Freddie walks into the room and is quite for a few minutes before speaking. "MTV banned our video. The youth of America. We helped give birth to MTV." He says turning to face us. "It's America. They're Puritans in public, perverts in private." Brian tells him and he shakes his head. "I'm never tour in the U.S again. And I'm the one being blamed for it. Not you, dear... whose idea, I believe, it was to dress up in drag. Not you... Not even you, who wrote the bloody song." Fred points at each member.

Freddie continue to say what everyone was calling him and that's he's tired of touring, which made all of us look at him. "Well I need a break." He says before going on, "I'm sick of it." He says not looking at us. "What are you saying, Freddie?" Deaky asks him and he stays quiet for some quite of time. "I've signed a deal with CBS Records." He says with his back still facing us and we all react differently. "You've done what?" Roger sits up all the way. "Without telling us?" Brian asks turning around. "What kind of deal?" Deaky asks.

"Look, I'm not saying we won't record or ever tour again. Queen will go on. But I need to do something different." He goes on and I was screaming on the inside not listening to him anymore. "A solo album?" Brian asks and Paul speaks up, "Two, actually. Back to back." I see Roger getting mad, "Another word out of you and I'll throw you out the bloody window. " Paul just looks away. "But that's years, Freddie. I mean... that will take years." Deaky sits up. "I don't believe this... how much?" Roger asks him and he does answer him. "What did they pay you?" He asks again and no answer. "I want to know how much they paid..." Fred cuts Roger off. "4 million!" He yells at him. "That's more than any Queen deal." I say shaking my head.

"Fred, we're a family." Brian says making Fred snap. "No, we're not! We're not a family! You've got families, children, wives. What do I got?" Fred shouts. "You've got 4 million dollars. Perhaps you can buy yourself a family." Deaky says. "I won't compromise my vision any longer." He says and Roger gets pissed again, "Compromise? Are you joking? You were working at Heathrow before we gave you a chance." Fred spins around very quickly, "And without me... you'd be a dentist... drumming 12/8 time blues at the weekend at the Crown and Anchor. You wouldn't even have your wife if it wasn't for me." He says then turns to Brian and I start to get mad.

"And you. Well you would be Dr. Brian May... author of a fascinating dissertation on the cosmos... that no one ever reads. And Deaky... for the life of me... nothing comes to mind." He tells the other two. "I studied electrical engineering. Does that meet your standards?" He lets him know. "Perfect." He laughs. "Dear Alice, you would probably have such a better life then being stuck with this band and your messed up husband. You just turned into one of his little fuck toys to play with your dumb heart. You stupid little slutty girl. " He smiles at me and Paul chuckles.Roger was about to grab him but I put a finger up to stop him, "Fred, Why didn't you just take the offer when Reid told you years ago? You basically fired him for no reason because he was just doing what someone else told him to do. Also Darling, I'm not the toy here anymore... You are one now. " I spit at him clearly pissed off with him and he stays quiet and begins to leave the room.

"You just killed Queen." Roger tells him. "Oh, give it a kiss one day. She might wake up." He says. "You need us, Freddie. More then you know." Brian tells him. "I don't need anyone." He says leave us and Paul gets up to follow him. "Told you." He whispers to me and I flip him off, "Fuck you."

"You said something about an offer in the past?" Roger asks me as I run my hand through my hair. "Yes, that's why Fred fired Reid. Paul talked Reid into telling Fred about a solo deal back then." I say looking at the floor. "And you didn't tell us?" He raises his voice at me. "Don't raise your fucking voice at me! I told you I didn't trust Paul and that he was up to something! BUT NO, you told me that I was stressed out with the baby!" I yell at him standing up to face him.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #265

“all is fair in love and war, i’m still rotten to the core.”

What's the latest youtube channel you've discovered and binge-watched? Ha, a WoW channel that basically gives advice and tutorials on stuff. She doesn't have many videos, but she's pretty successful already and chill as hell. Kraken Latte. Does it snow where you live? Occasionally. Very rarely does the snow stick, though, because the ground will be too warm. Do you think your hair looks better long or short? Short. Do you look best with or without bangs? Bitch I loved my emo bangs fuck off. Well, they weren't technically bangs, my hair was just parted far to the left. Do you enjoy editing photos on your phone? Well, my phone doesn't have GREAT camera quality, but I usually do some subtle edits if I take a pic on it. What's your favorite thing to do on your phone? Play Pokemon GO REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Which season do you wish would last longer? Shit man, fall. At least here, the phase of colorful leaves is VERY short. Goes from green to totally bare in what feels like just a couple weeks. How many outdoor birthday parties have you had? Hell if I know. How much taller or shorter are you than your mom? We're the same height. Who is your favorite sibling? Lol wow that's mean. Do you have neat handwriting? Yeah. Do you like sushi? I've actually never tried it, but I'm quite certain I wouldn't like it. Have you ever tried seaweed? Actually yes, I believe in the 4th grade? We had I think authentic Japanese (or Chinese, idr) food, and I recall there being seaweed. I didn't like it. The only thing I liked was the white rice, I think. Do you have an actual pig-shaped piggy bank? No, but I think I may have as a kiddo. Did you dream of becoming famous as a kid? No. Have you ever been to a gynecologist? I actually haven't because I've always said I wasn't sexually active (back then it wasn't a conscious lie, I just genuinely didn't realize what we were doing was just shallow sex). I'm absolutely terrified to go anyway because I'm just very very very private about this sort of thing and honestly think I'll have a panic attack when I do have to for the first time anyway. Name three games that you are good at. Shadow of the Colossus, Silent Hill, World of Warcraft. What was your favorite board game as a kid? Ha ha, somehow, it was this shopping game called "Mall Madness." Veeeery unfitting of who I was and what I enjoyed as a kid. Do you get on Facebook every day? Pretty much. Did you watch the Kids Choice Awards when you were a kid? No. What was your favorite girl group when you were growing up? Spice Girls, I think. Do you have memories that still make you cry? Yes. Have you made your own mask to help prevent the spread of the virus? No, considering I don't leave the damn house like ever. Do you know anyone who has the virus? Yes. Not personally, but distantly. Are you proud to be an American? (if applicable) Sometimes. What countries have you visited? I haven't left America. Have you ever had a controlling boyfriend/girlfriend? No. How many true heartbreaks have you had in your lifetime? Romantically, I only consider one to be a *real* heartbreak. Have you ever cut yourself? Yeah. Do you feel like everything is falling apart around you? BOY DO I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Was your first kiss romantic? Yes. Do you miss any of your exes right now? My PTSD has been awful awful AWFUL the past few days, so yes. A lot. Have you ever overdosed on anything? Yes. What would you say if you found out your last ex was in a relationship? I'd be happy for her of course, but I'd also be very confused. She's made it clear she doesn't believe a relationship is the best idea for her right now. Who was your date to prom? Jason took me to his senior prom, and I took him to mine. Do you still talk to your first love? No, I haven't spoken to him in over three years now. Wow. Whose wedding did you go to first? I don't remember. I'm sure it wasn't the first, but ONE of the earliest that I do remember was when my friend Summer's mom got remarried. He sadly passed away a long while ago though. Are you ashamed of anyone you've dated in the past? Tyler, yes. It was so pointless and a "let's see how this goes" versus a "I really like this guy and really want this relationship" thing. I honestly think I only said yes to dating because I didn't want to hurt his feelings and I was lonely. What about anyone you've been friends with? There were certainly times it felt very weird calling Colleen my best friend with how bitchy she could be. Especially when you consider how non-confrontational I am, while she charged like a goddamn bull into arguments. Have you ever made out with someone in a pool? Uhhh I think that one night when I lived at the apartment and it was just us out there late at night. He and I went back inside before Jacob and Amanda TO hardcore make out because we both way too obviously wanted it so I wouldn't be remotely surprised if we snuck in some action at the pool oof. Who’s the last person that slept over your house? Sara. Do you still talk to the last person you kissed? Yes. Have you ever kissed someone with a tongue ring? No, I was the person with the tongue ring. I actually took it out a little while back because I was tired of accidentally chomping down on it when eating and chipping teeth. I'd already told myself if I did it one more time I would, and especially right now, we can't afford to keep filling cavities that have come from it. I don't at all regret getting it and it'll always be one of the cutest piercings I think I've ever had, but it was just time for it to come out. Is it hard for you to get over a lover? I THINK I'VE MADE THAT!!!!!!!!!!! O BVIO US S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you ever tried making someone jealous? Not to my recollection. Did your last relationship end because of you or the other person? Both of us really, but she initiated the breakup, you could say. Who is the last person you flirted with? Sara. Who's the most racist person you know? Jesus Christ, I live in the South. I know dozens of racists. I guess the worst is uhhh OH the aforementioned Colleen, holy fucking shit. I highly highly highly doubt that has changed at all since we last associated with each other. If you could be a film character, who would you be? Let me be Alice Liddell. Crunchy peanut butter or smooth? Smooth is the only way to go with pb. Would you rather always be in a crowd, or be the only person on earth? "Always be in a crowd. It wouldn’t be fun, but I think it’d be better than being that alone." <<<< This. I legitimately think I'd wind up killing myself in the other case. Would you rather be rich, or famous? Why? "Rich, because...what’s the point of being famous if you’re not rich? Just everyone knowing all of your business?" <<<< Also this. Do you squeeze the toothpaste from the top or the bottom? "I start off from the top until it gets used enough that I have to squeeze up from the bottom." <<<< Lemme just steal all this person's answers lmao. How many children do you want? Girls or boys? None, but if I was to have kids, I'd definitely want a girl. Is there a story behind your name? What is it? No. What was one of the most fun things you and your college roommate did together? I didn't have a college roommate. Well wait no, during my first college attempt is when I lived w/ Jason, Jacob, and Amanda. I'd honestly prefer to not think too hard back on it to answer this. Does anyone know your bank pin number other than you? Who? I don't even have a bank account. Have you ever had a boyfriend/girlfriend who was depressed? Yeah, multiple. Would you be embarrassed to buy pads/tampons/condoms? Which one more? Pads or tampons, nah. I'd feel awkward buying condoms though. Are your parents gullible? Dad probably is; he has very little common sense. I got it from him lmao. Mom, heeeeell no. Do you still own a VCR? No. What color is the computer/laptop you’re on? Did you buy it yourself? It's black. No. Does the smell of cigarettes, weed and beer repulse you? All three do. Was the last person you kissed younger or older than you? Younger. Have you ever purchased Girl Scout cookies? Yeah. How often do you drink Monster? Never, because I don't like it. Have you ever made totally pointless videos with your friends? HAHA I was a cringy teen once, my friends. Do you like sitting on the inside or outside of a restaurant booth? Inside. I feel safer. Do you own a nightgown? No, I haven't worn those since I was a kid. Have you ever worn fishnets? Fishnet gloves. I WISH I could pull off fishnet pants. Would you rather go out to eat or be eaten out? In times like THESE???????? Bitch I wanna go eat out at a yummy restaurant. Do you always wear your seat belt? ABSOLUTELY. I get so stressed out when I see people not wearing one. Have you ever liked someone much older than you? Not much older. Have you ever been in a play? Just school ones as a kid. Is there ice cream in your freezer? No, but there's popsicles from when I couldn't get my tongue ring out and it was massively swollen and in terrible pain. Thank God I finally got it out. Have you ever liked the lyrics of a band but hated the music? Probably. Does your bathroom have a window? Yeah, but it's very small and up kinda high. Do you go somewhere to get your eyebrows done? I used to, but I don't anymore. I just leave them be. Do you believe prayer really works? Nope. Have you been on a date in the park? No. Are there any diseases/health problems that run in your family? A whole. Fucking. Lot. To just name a few, depression, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, diabetes... Do you have asthma? No. Last person to take off your pants, besides you? Jason. Least favorite alcoholic drink? Mother of God, this white wine I tried at Colleen's forever ago. It was fucking repulsive. How did you meet the last male you texted? I mean I literally came from his balls so like Have you ever had an embarrassing email address? Ha ha yeah, the one I've always had. It's not very adult-ish or "serious"-sounding, but I don't want to change it now. Do you put shampoo in your left or right hand? Left. I squeeze with my right. Do you have a bull ring through your nose? No, I don't feel that would look good on me. Do you and your dad get along? Yes. When was the last time you did clay work/pottery? My last year of art in high school. I made an anatomical heart for Jason. I wonder a lot if he still has it after how much work I put into it. Do you like art, hate it or just not mind it? I adore art. The world would be so much more boring without it. If you had to choose would you prefer dull pain for 12hours or sharp for 2? Ew, dull. Two hours with sharp pain sounds awful. Do you know the words to the national anthem of your country? Yeah. Would you rather be a Model, Famous Scientist, Singer or Chef? Scientist, probably. I'd love to be a biologist anyway, and that's a type of scientist. Would you rather be a pilot, crime scene investigator or estate agent? Ohhh, crime scene investigator. Does making others happy really make you feel happy? Yes! Did you ever swear at a teacher in school? Why? No. Have you ever pricked your finger on Holly or another ‘sharp’ plant? Yeah. Have you ever written your own short story? Yes. What about a novel? Or perhaps you started and couldn’t finish? "I started writing several novels, but abandoned them all." <<<< Same yo. Either of the above, if this was the case, place short synopsis here: The first one was about a very close meerkat family, divided into elemental "breeds," and the prince falling in love with another of his kind. His father had a stray brother who constantly aimed to destroy the family, but he was converted towards the end. That's all I can really remember about that one. There were others like two species of animals I made also falling in love, despite being predators and prey of each other, and fulfilling some sorta prophecy with their offspring. The other two I recall- yo fuck it I keep remember more and more okay I wrote a LOT. Do you prefer SciFi/Fantasy/Action/Horror or Rom/Com/RealLife? I'm guessing you mean in books, given the last three questions? I have a strong preference for fantasy. What do you have a lot of faith in [note: can be anything]? Hell if I know. Would you rather have a big house, a lot of kids or a high flying job? High flying job, easily. I don't want kids, nor do I need a large house, especially considering I hate cleaning even this tiny one. Have you ever been to a creepy/haunted/abandoned place? Yeah. What did it look like and what were the circumstances? It was this really old, mostly dilapidated shack full of cool stuff. It was by the field near our old house. Me, my sister, and our friend hung out there and explored all the time until this freaky woman showed out and told us we shouldn't be there. Do you know a Jack? What’s he like? Yeah. I don't him that well though, so idk. How about a Lisa? What’s she like? Yeah, she's one of my WoW friends that I've become really close with. She is an absolute sweetheart, but talks about herself way, way too excessively to the point it's hard to have a conversation sometimes. I know she doesn't realize it, though. When you have children, would you like twins? I say enough that I don't even want kids, SO FUCK NO. Do you know any twins? If so, what are they called? Yes. Tyler and Taylor. I know others, but idr their names. What personality trait does nearly everyone in your family seem to have? We're stubborn as all fuck hell. Do you have any nicknames that aren’t derived from your actual name? Yeah, some online ones and then my mom has called me "Twinkie" since I was a baby. Do you have any allergies? Yeah, of pollen and silver. What is the longest your hair has ever been? To or maybe even past the small of my back. Have you ever been on a blind date? No, not my jam. What is the oldest piece of clothing you still wear and how old is it? I really don't kn- oh yes I do. I have these oooold old thin and sewn-back-up-fifty-times Batman pj pants from when Jason and I were together, so maybe like... seven years? Thanks PTSD, I'm attached to them because Batman was his thing. How often do you eat out at a fancy restaurant? Just about never. Nutella or peanut butter? UGGGGGHHHHH I've been on a nutella thing lately. Have you ever hosted a wild party? Definitely not. Name/author of the last book you read cover to cover. Do you recommend it? Wings of Fire: The Lost Heir by Tui Sutherland. Yes, it was very good. How many of your Facebook friends do you actually hang with? Besides my immediate family, like... none anymore. Have you ever donated blood? Yes. From 1-10, how much do you like decorating for holidays? This is hard to gauge. I've never seriously done it myself, and I don't really have the motivation to do it just to take it all down a month or so later. I love it in concept, but yeah. Favorite animated Disney character? Probably Kiara from TLK2. Have you ever cooked a big family meal by yourself? Ha, no. Favorite winter activity? TAKING PICTURES IN THE SNOOOOOOOOW. Do you consider rapping singing? I mean I guess? Does your home have a fireplace? No. Do you listen to any religious music? No. Do you drink soda? If so, which one is your favorite? Ugh... soda is my weakness. I'd probably lose weight easier if I just stopped drinking it. Mountain Dew Voltage is my favorite, and I've also been on a serious strawberry Sunkist thing lately. How easily do you cry? I cry very, very easily. Can you handle spicy foods? What is your spice limit? Oh yeah. The only way I know how to gauge this one is that I enjoy the "hot" sauce at BWW lol. I've actually kinda cut back on HOW much I enjoy it, though; like I'm more into enjoying my food thoroughly lately than the adrenaline of spicy food. What day of the week is laundry day for you? I personally don't do the laundry because Mom prefers to just do ours together, so. It varies, I think. Have you ever played spin the bottle? No. Do you have any stickers on your laptop computer? If so, what are they of? Not on mine, but the one I currently have to use has tooons. I don't feel like looking at the lid trying to list what they are tho. How often do you say "y'all?" It's pretty much in my normal vernacular due to where I live. Do you believe in evolution? Yes. I have questions and curiosities about it, but when you consider how truly short it has been since considerable natural selection has been observed, why couldn't it exist on a bigger scale? Do you live in an apartment or a house? I live in a house. How long have you been at your current job? I'm unemployed. Have you ever ended a romantic relationship? Yes. Phrase you say the most? Probably "oof" lmao. Have you ever kissed anyone of the same gender? If so, did you like it? Yes and yes. Have you ever given anyone CPR? No. Have you ever learned to do anything from a how-to video on YouTube? Yes, mainly just editing stuff. Have you ever auditioned for a reality competition show? No. Have you ever been in the audience for the taping of a TV show? No. I've been at hockey games with Dad, but I don't consider those "TV shows." Have you ever given money to a street performer? I've never even seen one. Do you own any homemade clothing? Not that I know of. Have you ever bought anything from a flea market? Yeah, decorations 'n trinkets and stuff. I love flea markets. Have you ever quit a job? Yes. Are your birth parents together? No. Do you or have you ever worn glasses? I've worn glasses for years now. Have you ever been broken up with? AKA died in spirit? :^) Have you ever been the victim of a nasty prank? Not to my recolleciton. Favorite fandom? Y'all been known, the Markiplier fandom is a goddamn family. Can you surf? No. What motivates you to do well in life? The knowledge that I've most likely only got one life to make something of. How lucky do you consider yourself? I mean, ALL things considered, I'd say I'm at just below the baseline, maybe? I mean I could be homeless or dying of malaria or something. Have you ever been summoned for jury duty? No. Favorite summer activity? Swimming! Have you ever lived on a farm? No. I wanted to for years as a little kid, though. How often do you get mad at yourself? I've lately been in an almost constant state of anger regarding myself, honestly. Have you ever gotten any stitches? Yes. Favorite YouTube channel? The Marker Plier guy. Do you have a pool at your house? No. Last thing that made you laugh? Something on Game Grumps. Earbud or earmuff headphones? Earbuds. Earmuffs hurt my head and ears. Have you ever been a bridesmaid or a groomsman? Yes. Have you ever gotten a New Year’s kiss exactly at midnight? I don't think so. Have you ever voted for a reality competition show? The only time I did that I remember is when Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. won America's Got Talent. I adored him and voted like mad. Does anyone in your family currently serve in your country’s military? Ummm maybe distantly? I don't know anyone off the top of my head. Are you comfortable with watching rated R movies? Well yeah.

[maximows]

Against the Odds - Chapter III

Riiiight,

MASTERLIST (mobile) AO3

Warnings: smut, too much fluff, dirty talk,

I was sitting on Chris’ sofa in his house. I spent the last few days in there, babysitting Dodger. I took over from Scott, who took care of him while I was in England filming Macbeth and Chris was promoting Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  

So, I was there, petting the dog, whose head was on my lap, watching Modern Family and eating popcorn. Chris had had a premiere today and was now asleep in his hotel room, trying to get some sleep before his flight home. Dodger and I were missing him dearly, because we both haven’t seen him in two weeks, but since the dog accepted me as his temporary care-taker, we’ve had some decent times.  

We’d FaceTime Chris a few times a day, when we had time and would just keep the connection on while doing what we had to do. It was just so natural and casual.  

I looked at the clock and realized it was time to walk Dodger. He followed me enthusiastically when I stood up and grabbed his leash. I was very happy when he got used to spending time with me as he was one of the most beautiful and well-behaved dogs I’ve ever encountered.

He was pulling me to walk faster towards the park. I took a few pictures on the way. I got used to taking hundreds of photos and flooding Chris with them.  

At first I sat down on a bench and let Dodger run around on the grass. At one point he started to chase a butterfly, which was one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen. I stood up and started to play with him using the ball I brought. Chris taught him to fetch, sit, lay down, roll and he was so well-behaved that spending time with Dodger was truly a blessing.

I had to go back to run over my calendar for April with Hannah. I wanted to see how much time I would be able to spend with Chris, since we missed out most of March. It turned out we had a lot of filming together in Atlanta, Seoul and England, which was great, because we’ve been dating for 5 weeks and only spent 1 one week together.  

To be honest, I was already falling in love with him. Chris was this perfect guy every girl dreams of. He's the full package. The way he takes care of me, when we're together and asks how I'm doing when we're not. And tries to solve my problems despite being thousand of miles away. I can’t ever imagine myself being with another man, because no one will ever come close to that.  

I spent some more time outside in the backyard, playing with Dodger, before laying down on the sofa, with the dog next to me and playing some films.  

I must've been really tired, because I fell asleep watching the movies and woke up to Chris standing over Dodger and me. “Hey, beautiful,” He greeted me quietly. “What did you do to him? He always freaks out when I come back.”

“We had some long walks yesterday and I must've tired hi out. I fell asleep around 9PM.” I smiled as he leaned down to kiss my forehead.

I closed my eyes and smiled. I tried to get up without waking up the dog, but I failed and Dodger started to bark happily at Chris. It took him 10 minutes to calm down and get over it.

“Wait, what time is it?” I asked, noticing the dark sky. It was only 4 in the morning. “How am I not tired?”  

Chris walked up to me and pulled closer to his body by my waist. “It’s cause you’re as excited to see me as Dodger is.” He planted a kiss on my lips. “Happy birthday, baby.” He whispered against my lips.

“Riiiiight,” I grinned. “I don’t feel like celebrating, though.” I snuggled my face into his chest. He smelled so good. It was actually a part of my little plan. Surprisingly, I was ready for another step with Chris and wanted it to happen on my birthday – mostly because I knew it would be one of few days off we’d get together in a while. He’s the sweetest and kindest person on Earth and I wasn’t even nervous about that decision.

“Let’s go take a nap then, huh?” Chris suggested. I nodded and he simply lifted me up, just to carry me to the bedroom.  

He put me down on the bed, but I was already prepared for what was going to happen tonight. “I’ll just go to the bathroom for a minute.”  

I had already prepared a white lingerie set for tonight. It consisted of a delicate, sheer lace bra and panties. I covered it up with a short, white, silk robe. I checked my face and it was flushed delicately, I fixed my hair. I took a few deep breaths and opened the door slowly.  

Chris was laying on the bed, he was on the phone with Scott, who’s in Boston. “... I mean, she really has to lay off. I don’t know if Emily would want to meet them so soon...” he turned to me and stopped. “Tell mom I say hi, bye.” I moved slowly and walked up to his side of the bed. “What is happening?” he asked.  

“When I was here alone, I kept thinking how great you are, you are an incredible man,” I started. “And I was wondering why I never let anyone have sex with me and it's because no one's ever made me feel safe like you do.” I took his hand and sat on the edge of the bed, next to him. “I want to do it, if you’re up for it.”  

He seemed surprised, astonished. “Emily, are you sure you want me to deflower you?” he asked and I smiled at his choice of words. “I mean, I’m much older than you, I’m a mess, I might be having a panic attack right now...”

I put my lips on his to shut him up. “I want you, Christopher.” I mumbled against his lips and moved to sit on his lap. “You are all I want and need in a man, you make me happy the moment you come near me and I want this to happen.”

Chris took my face into his hands and deepened the kiss. His tongue massaged mine as I his hands slid the robe off my shoulders. “Tell me if you want to stop.” He whispered. “I really want this, but I don’t want you to regret it.”  

“Oh my God, Evans,” I sighed and pulled his shirt off. “Just fuck me already.” He rose his eyebrow and pushed me rapidly to lay under him.

“The lady gets, what the lady wants, then.” He sunk to kiss my throat and nibble on the delicate skin of my neck. I creeped my hand up his muscular, tense arms and rested on his shoulder blades. “No teasing tonight, baby.”  

While Chris' lips moved to my breasts to suck on my hardened nipples, his hands moved down to my pussy, his thumb rubbing my clit. “Just gotta get my girl ready for me,” I squirmed under his touch. “But it seems like you are ready.” Chris moved back to look me in the eyes, while his fingers were doing wonders on my pussy. I felt one finger circle around my entrance, it made my pelvis jolt up. “You’re so responsive, princess. I love it.”  

Chris stood up to get rid of his trousers and I bit my bottom lip as I saw his hard cock slap against his stomach. It made me a little nervous, because I’ve never masturbated with anything more than my two fingers and it still felt a little tight. “You look angelic, baby,” Chris whispered as he stroked his shaft gently. “I’m gonna be gentle for now, ok?”

I nodded and wrapped my hands around his shoulders as Chris hovered over me, resting his weight on his elbows. He captured my lips in his, I felt him guide his cock against my wet folds and let out a moan. His tip pushed against my pussy and I gasped as he moved inside me gently. As Chris deepened out kiss, I felt him hit my hymen. He made a more rapid move and tore the thin tissue. It was more uncomfortable then hurtful, but Chris broke the kiss to look me in the eyes. “Is everything ok?”

I nodded. “Just go slow, ok baby?” I whispered. He seemed relieved and continued to move inside me, still not burying fully inside. I wanted that, I couldn’t wait for him to be fully inside me. My pussy started to clench around his length and we both moaned loudly as Chris buried himself inside me completely.

“Fuuuuck, Chris...” I arched my back as I reached my first orgasm, while Chris wasn’t even close. I dig my fingernails into his back as he continued to thrust into me, slowly quickening the pace. Chris was panting heavily, while I kept moaning his name. He angled himself to hit my g-spot and it made my second orgasm come even sooner. Chris changed his position and lifted my leg to reach even deeper.  

“Baby girl, you feel so good around my dick,” he breathed out and moved his hand from my hip to my clit, to speed up my third orgasm. He rubbed his finger against it. “Come on, baby. One more time. Come with me.”

I was so sensitive at this point, that another orgasm arrived quickly just as Chris’ did. The room was filled with our heavy breathing, our bodies covered with sweat. Chris pulled out and sat between my legs.  

“We should’ve done that weeks ago,” I mumbled. “Chris, that was...”

Chris smirked and kissed my knee. “I know,” he moved to lay down next to me. “I might need to eat more, since I’ll be doing more cardio from now on.”

I smiled and hid my face in the crook of his neck. “How did you do that?” I asked. “I came three times while you only came once... You're like a sex God.”

Chris chuckled. His hand wandered down to my ass and grabbed the flesh. “Gotta be at my best for my best girl.” I laughed at the use of old slang.  

We both fell asleep and it was the best sleep I’ve ever had. I woke up at 12PM to a empty bed and got out to look for Chris. I put on his black t-shirt and panties and left the room. My thighs were a little sore from last night. Actually, I had trouble walking normally.

I found my boyfriend running around the kitchen like crazy. He was cooking something for me. He really is a real prince charming.

“Hi,” I said. “What's cookin, good looking?”

Chris lifted his head to look at me and grinned. “Hello, birthday girl! You should be in bed, wearing your birthday suit!”

I sat on a stool by the kitchen island. “Are those pancakes with chocolate and strawberries?”

Chris nodded. “I mean, I'm trying to make it look like pancakes.” He explained. “Seriously, go back to bed. I’ll bring everything there.”

I sighed, went back to the bedroom, brushed my teeth and jumped back into the bed. I had some text messages waiting for me, like the one's on my group chat with the girls. They wished me new roles, good reviews, an Oscar and great sex with Chris in the future. Well, I did have to let them know.

Me: Ladies, just so you know. A mere 7-8 hours ago I had my first time with Chris.

Me: I came three times.

Me: I can barely walk like a human being.

I was fully expecting my phone to blow up with notifications, but I heard Chris come in, so I switched the internet connection off.

Chris brought my breakfast on a tray along with a few roses around the plate, a mug of hot chocolate and a Harry Winston box. I glared at him immediately. “I think we’re gonna have to name a price limit for the next occasions.”  

Chris sat down next to me and kissed my forehead. “Happy birthday, baby girl,” he whispered. “I hope you’ll let me occupy you for the whole day.”  

I smiled. “I wouldn’t want to spend the day in any other way.”  

He let me eat the pancakes, while he answered some e-mails. They weren’t the best, but I knew he tried his best, so I wouldn’t dare to complain. “Thank you very much,” I said and sat next to Chris, resting my elbow against his hips. “I didn’t know you were a culinary mastermind.”  

“I really wish I was,” he smirked and tossed his phone aside. “So, why won’t you open your present?”  

I grabbed the box. “You know that’s my fifth present today, right?” Chris raised his eyebrow. “Three orgasms, breakfast and now this.” I explained.  

Chris started to laugh. “There will be more coming, then.”  

I opened the box and saw a beautiful, gold bracelet. It was delicate and thin. It had a few little leaves on it, it looked so amazing. “I love it,” I smiled at Chris and hugged him. “Thank you.”

Chris took the piece and put it on my wrist. “How about it draw you a bath now?” he suggested.

“Am I going to get the Royal treatment for the whole day?”

Chris smiled and went to the bathroom. “This is how I’d like to treat you every day.” He explained.  

I laid back down on the bed and took my phone. As I suspected, Sophie, Mary and Amy sent like a hundred messages, asking how it was and how good Chris is in bed.

Mary: You can't just send something like that and leave!

Sophia: Yeah, that's a dick move!

Me: It was amazing, Chris is incredible. If he keeps it up, I won’t be able to walk by myself. He made me breakfast to bed, got me a Harry Winston bracelet and now he’s drawing me a bath.

Amy: He sounds like perfect husband material.

“Emily, it’s ready!” Chris called. He left the bathroom, waiting for me to join him. I stood up and took my shirt off. Chris was waiting for me by the bath. It was filled with blue coloured water and rose petals. “What do you think?”

I smiled widely. “It looks great,” I said. “Will my perfect boyfriend be joining me?”

“Only if you want me to.”  

We sat in the bath, my back against Chris' chest. He was massaging my shoulders and I was just trying to relax and not think about anything. “God, baby...” I moaned.

“I love that sound,” Chris whispered. “I’m gonna make sure I hear it as often as I can.”

I rested my head against Chris’ shoulder and reached out with my hand to scratch the back of his neck. “I’m a very lucky girl, then.” I whispered before dosing off.  Chris’ hands roaming around my body made me as relaxed as I hadn’t been in a while.

When the bath started cool off, we got out and it turned out Chris had planned everything out. He got dressed before me and told me to wear something comfortable and meet him by the car. I got a little confused, but did what he told me to. “Dodger is coming with us?” I asked as I saw the pupper in the backseat.

“He is,” Chris answered. “But please, just relax and try not spoil the surprise this time, ok?”  

“Fine.” To be honest, I had already worked out that we were going on a picnic, but didn’t want to say anything. Chris had mentioned a few times that he was a hopeless romantic, but he really understated that.  

We arrived at some part of the Hollywood Hills. Chris got a basket and two blankets out of the boot. I put Dodger on a lead and we marched some way up. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever had so far,” I admitted. “Even better than the time I got pissed for the first time.”  

“Oh God, you have to tell me now.” Chris grinned and laid one blanket on the ground.  

“I was 17 and it was the first time I drank vodka. My friends showed me pictures and videos from the evening and I couldn’t recognize myself. I was on the ground, on my hands and knees. Literally, a mess. And I was running around, chasing a guy I liked back then.” I explained.

I sat on the blanket and Chris laid his head on my lap. “You know, I’m not a jealous guy, generally, but whenever you talk about other men in your life, I feel like punching them real hard.”  

As Dodger laid next to Chris, I reached out my hand to scratch his head and leaned down to give Chris a kiss. “I never thought you would be a jealous type.” I said. “I thought I’d be the jealous one in our relationship.”  

“I never was, you broke me, woman.” He joked. I pinched his cheek in response.

We dropped the jealousy topic and moved on. Chris admitted to having anxiety attacks before agreeing to portray Captain America. “I also refused a few times, but thankfully, Marvel didn't stop asking.”  

“Do you still get those?” I asked, playing with a few loose strands of hair on his forehead.  

“Sometimes,” he admitted. “During premieres, interviews or conferences, just around people who judge me.”  

“I’m judging you right now,” I said and made Chris shifted on his elbow. “I know anyone can get anxious, but you are a smart, generous, kind, handsome, sexy, tall man...”

“Oh no, keep going.” He smirked. “I get ‘I thought you were bigger’ too often to miss an opportunity like that.”  

I laughed at him, looking at his incredible biceps and chest and just his whole face and body. “If it makes you feel any better, you’re big enough for me,” I whispered wrapping my arms around him. “I still have sore thighs.”

“Maybe I should give you a massage?” Chris asked. “To make up for it...” He put his hand on my thigh and gave me a gentle kiss, before giving another, a deeper one. His thumb brushed against the sensitive skin of my inner thigh and I opened my mouth in a quiet moan. Chris used it as an opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth and explore it. I ran my fingers through Chris’ hair as he bit my bottom lip. He pushed me gently to lay on the blanket and laid next to me. I smiled against his lips as his hand moved to my hip and then gripped my ass. “God, I love it.”

“You really are an ass man, Christopher.” I gasped at the rough squeeze.

“You know, I used to be pretty sure about this, but then you appeared with those beauties...” He looked down at my breasts. “It’s a draw right now, I guess.” Chris’ lips moved to my neck, which he already knew, was sensitive. He found my sweet spot and started to suck on it. I felt that our activities were making Chris more and more excited.

“Chris, I’m loving it,” I whispered. “but we're in public and your dog is napping next to us.”  

He pulled back and smiled. “Sorry,” he apologised. “Once we’ve started, I don’t know when I’ll get enough of you.” I smiled as he laid down next to me. I moved to put my head on his chest while he wrapped his arm around me. “Let's stay here until the sunset and then we can do whatever you want.”  

I pulled out my phone and opened the camera. “Smile!” I said. I took one normal picture which was followed by a series of selfies photobombed by Dodger.  

“Oh God, send me all of them.” Chris laughed.  

I scrolled through the pics and chose one. “Can I post this one on my private Instagram?”  

“You have a private and a public one?” Chris asked.

“Hannah handles most of the stuff on the public one, I only do stuff on my private account. “ I explained. “Only some of my friends follow me, cast mates and family. Also, Scott follows me.”  

“Post it, then,” Chris agreed. “But I want the caption to say My incredible boyfriend took me out to see sunset over Hollywood Hills on my birthday and I’m so grateful for it.”  

“Yeah, it really sounds like me.” I smirked and posted the photo. “Done.”

We watched the sun, making small talk about nothing and everything, until the Sun disappeared. When it started to get dark, we gathered our things and went back to the car.  

Suddenly, I remembered something. “What were you and Scott talking about?”  

He smirked. “My mom wants to meet you.” He said. “But I asked her not to pressure us, because you might not want to do this yet.”

To be honest, every time Chris told me anything about his parents, they seemed like really kind people, ones you’d like to meet. So maybe I should? There will be an opportunity when we get back from filming in London. Maybe he should meet my parents when we are in London?

“How about...” I started. “you meet my parent’s while we’re in London and then I meet yours when we get back?”

Chris nodded, but didn’t seem convinced. “Aren’t you still not talking to yours?”

“Then called me today, I’ll call them back tomorrow.” I sighed. “I’ve already spoken to my brothers, so it’s alright between us. I had a heated text exchange with my dad. I reckon we’ll be fine by June. And it’s still plenty of time, so it definitely won’t be too soon to meet yours.”

Chris sighed. “I know your parent did you dirty, but they’re still your parents, Emily. I hated my parents’ divorce, too. But if they were alright with you before that then you should try to make up with them? I know that this lie thing was just awful and I’m not justifying their actions, but...”

“Then don’t.” I snapped and ended the conversation.  

We remained quiet for the rest of the ride. When Chris parked outside his house, I left the car, let Dodger out and took him for a walk. Chris didn’t say anything, he just texted me.

Can you just confirm that you’re taking him on a walk and it’s not a kidnapping?

We’ll be back in half an hour.

I took Dodger to the same park we usually take him to, where I sat on the bench. I pulled my phone out and dialled my Mum’s number.  

“Yes?” she answered with a sleepy voice.

“Mum, why didn’t you tell me about Dad straight away?” I asked.  

She sighed. “I told you we wanted you to be able to come back to a normal, regular home, but to be honest, I was ashamed.”

“Ashamed of what? He should be ashamed.”

“Emilia, I’m wasn’t surprised he got into an affair,” she started. “We started to get more and more distant, we stopped spending time together, despite your father’s efforts.  

She explained how they just got worn out and both started “working late”, spending time with other people. I turned out that my Mum got into an affair too, but she didn’t have a kid with that other guy. The actual truth didn’t sound half as bad as what they initially told me.

“Why would you hide all of it from me and not from Matt and Charlie?” I asked.  

She didn’t respond right away. “You didn’t feel comfortable in the U.S. at first and you always came home seeking comfort. We didn’t want you to come here and have to deal with our problems.”

I tried to explain that solving other people’s problems is a part of being in a family and it would’ve been easier for me to understand two adults divorcing each other, even if they were my parents, rather than have them lie to me to make me feel better.  

After we got everything of our chests, I changed the topic. “Anyway, Chris wants to meet you. Both of you.”

“That’s nice, when?”

“We’re filming in England by the end of May, so we will be free to go to London in the beginning of June.” I explained. “I’m just afraid Matt and Charlie will try to scare him off.”

“They’ll behave, I’ll make sure of it.”

Soon we ended the call and I decided to go back. I felt bad about lashing out at Chris. He was right after all and I refused to admit it.

He was sitting by the kitchen island, reading an e-mail. He didn't turn my way when I walked in. “I'm sorry,” I said, hugging my face into his bicep. “you were right.”  

“About what?” he locked the phone.

“I called my Mum, we apologized to each other,” I explained. “And now I’m apologizing you.”  

“Could you never do something like that again?” he asked quietly. “It's also things like that that trigger my anxiety.”

Suddenly, I felt terrible. He told me about his anxiety moments before I decided to do something so stupid. “Chris, I am so sorry,” I whispered and pressed my face against his chest. “I’d never leave like that. J just needed a moment alone, that’s it... I promise.”

He hugged me back, squeezing me tightly against his body. “It’s okay. I overreacted. It wasn’t the easiest topic and you deserved some time alone.” He spoke. “Besides, your relationship with your parents is none of my business.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s not. You’re my boyfriend and you’re going to meet them when we go to the UK, so it’s also your business now.” He raised his eyebrow. “My mum is excited to meet you and I’m sure my dad and brothers will be too, so we're doing it.”

We moved to the sofa, where I told Chris about the phone call and explained the entire situation. He was as surprised as I was, but didn’t comment on my parents' actions. “It was a stupid thing to do, but you were right – It’s between them, they both knew what was going on, and even though I don’t like it, I can’t be that mad at them,” I continued. “They lied to me, but I know they thought it would be the best for me.”

“People do weird things when they care about someone.” Chris sighed. “Let's just forget about it for now and watch some movies.”

He moved to lay his head on my lap. “I loved today, thank you.” I said, scratching his beard. “We should have picnics more often now that it’s getting warmer.”

“Sure, of course,” Chris agreed. “Just a quick note – I’m shaving my beard by the end of the week.”

My eyes widened. “I think we need a break, then.”

@daybreak96 @coffeebooksandfandom @smilexcaptainx @betinalunardi @rollinsuh @lily2089@stella2445 @hy-pocrite @l0rd-disick @beholdoritou @klaussstilinski@achishisha@givenchymercury @just-trying-to-survive-marvel @henry-cavill-gossip-girl @rock-titties @bombsandsparkles @marvel-fan23 @cap-just-said-language @blackaestheticislife @justsomemarvelspam @nerdchester17 @shyofaspark @cssrogersse@crispyearthquakezombie@ultragalaxy @bit-of-a-timelord @kingofallthingsz @morguleth@calicokitkat @areelphony@gemgemswift @donut-crazs @dontchawishyouknewhowtosalsa@kandomeresbitch @deafeningpsychicpandahands @severely-theoretic @chmedic @patzammit@winterssoliderss@metalarmlover @saturnki @dundun-baby @monselxo @im-a-mess24 @capsgirl516 @shelbyaesthetic @asia-mclaren @missminnie-123 @dundun-baby @monselxo

[deeahhnuh]

2018!!

I've done this year-in-review thing since 2007! 2007-2012 are over on my old LiveJournal, and 2013-on are right here on my Tumblr. :)

2019 is coming. What?!?!?

Happy almost New Year, Tumblr! :)

What did you do in 2018 that you'd never done before?

Huh... I don't think I actually did anything too different this year! Well, this review is off to a great start, lol!

Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

As usual, no real official resolutions - I like having little goals as the year goes along!

Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes!! My cousin had a precious baby girl!!

Did anyone close to you die?

My grandmother - Ma - passed away in late November. It's difficult to articulate, mostly because I just can't quite comprehend it yet, how much I will miss her. Ma was the biggest, warmest presence in our family. All of my memories have at least some trace of Ma in them!

One memory that I've recalled a lot lately is of the times we played my Barbie board game, sometime in the late '90s. There were so many wonderful times, but those Barbie game nights with just us girls - Ma, my mom (her daughter), and me - were magical. I would set the game up on the dining room table at BaBa (my grandfather) and Ma's house and we would play and talk and laugh! Ma was in her early 70s then, but her peals of laughter and her face lit up with smiles gave me a glimpse into what she must have been like as a teenager.

That was Ma!! ❤️ She was always up for having fun, for reminiscing about funny memories, for enjoying life. Ma was there for every big event and for all the quiet moments, too. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had Ma for so long into my life. I love her, and I miss her.

What countries did you visit?

None! I really need to get out more, lol!

What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?

Of course there are things I'd like to have, do, and learn in the next year - but I'm happy to say I didn't really lack anything in 2018! :)

What date(s) from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The end of November and beginning of December were marked by sadness and loss, but also with connection and love - my family really helped (and continue to help) one another through a hard time. I feel closer than ever to my fam. ❤️

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Been a Registration Assistant for two years now, and I love it!! Less real-lifey, and actually very goofy - I hit (and passed) 10,000 scrobbles for the year. I haven't hit that kind of high number for a while, so... Achievement!

What was your biggest failure?

Didn't do anything too stupid this year, haha!

Did you suffer illness or injury?

No, yay!

What was the best thing you bought?

I love fragrances, so my fave purchase this year is, of course, a perfume! Calvin Klein Euphoria Amber Gold just smells soooo gooood. It's rich and sweet, kinda syrupy - really beautiful.

Whose behavior merited celebration?

My family. The mama, the dad, the bro - they are so awesome. We're always there for each other - I love them more than words can say!!! ❤️

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

No one really! I've been pretty even-tempered all year, haha!

Where did most of your money go?

Probably perfume, lol! But music is right up there, too. Maybe movies as well! Basically, entertainment!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Kylie's new album, Golden!! Actually, a few other music faves had new releases too, and I was hyped about them all - Richard Ashcroft (Natural Rebel), Florence + The Machine (High As Hope), Lykke Li (so sad so sexy), Emika (Falling in Love With Sadness), Sarah Brightman (Hymn), and Arctic Monkeys (Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino). Great music, all year long!

What song will always remind you of 2018?

List time!

"Dancing" by Kylie Minogue. Of course! My queen returned with a lovely album this year (see above!), but this seemingly simple first single had to grow on me. I say "seemingly simple" because at first listen, it is! Guitar, stripped-down beat - where's the glitter? It's in Kylie's voice, in how she declares with gusto: "When I go out, I wanna go out dancin'!" A quietly bombastic grower.

"Breathe" by Jax Jones. Catchy and bouncy!

"One Kiss" by Calvin Harris feat. Dua Lipa. Breezy fun!

"In My Mind" by Dynoro & Gigi D'Agostino. Hypnotic!

Compared to this time last year (2017), are you:

Doing really well, kinda like last year! :)

What do you wish you'd done more of?

Quoting last year's year in review: "wish I'd listened to more new albums, and not just compilations." But I loves my dance music comps so much! :O I really think I'll try to listen to more new music in the new year.

What do you wish you'd done less of?

Not to be too serious business, but doubting myself. I worry I'm not doing enough, or not doing it right, or could have done it better. I guess a little self doubt keeps you on your toes - keeps you challenging yourself - but I'm happy that as I've gotten older and a tad wiser, and gained more confidence in myself, these worries have lessened. So this year, I did doubt myself, but not as much as last year, or the year before. Here's to an even more confident 2019! ;)

How did you spend Christmas?

Fam, ham, and fun! :)

What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2018?

I managed to not embarrass myself all year, haha!

How many one-night stands?

None, lol

What was your favorite TV program?

Forever a fan of goofy cartoons!

Real Housewives! All of 'em are wonderful trash TV. :) (Gif source!)

And for no good reason I watched every season of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! on Hulu. Cracks me right up!!

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?

Put-together and polished, I like to think!

What kept you sane?

Lots of music, movies, and TV. Always up for some entertainment!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Nah!

What was the best book you read in 2018?

Ooh, just got a New Year's Resolution for 2019 - read a book, lol.

What was your greatest musical discovery?

I rediscovered some old faves! "Love Today" by Mika has forever been pure joy, "You Can Dance" by Bryan Ferry can't be any smoother, "Spirits" by Jamie Woon stays majestic, "212" by Azealia Banks still slaps, "Reagan's Skeleton" by Yeasayer continues to be massive, and "Watch Out For This (Bumaye)" by Major Lazer is always a banger.

What did you want and get?

Lots of good things - I'm very fortunate!!

What did you want and not get?

Nothing! Like I said, fortunate. ❤️

What was your favorite film of this year?

I didn't see many movies released this year, but I did really like Ant-Man and the Wasp!

And A Quiet Place!

I also saw Midnight in Paris (2011) after years of meaning to - it's such a lovely film!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

32! Little fun things - used CD shopping (a fave thing to do), movies, good meal...!

What three things would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Can't ask for more!!

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

I've never watched American Horror Story because it seems pretty spoopy and I'm a wimp, but I was going around the channels and that guy who plays the Antichrist lol - Cody Fern - caught my eye. He fine!

What political issue stirred you the most?

There's something new stirring every day, ugh!

Who did you miss?

Ma. ❤️

What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018?

Family matters - not the TV show, although that's good too! I already knew this, but I really really felt it so much this year. ❤️

What quote can be used to sum up your year?

"When I go out, I wanna go out dancin'!" No matter what's going on, I want to try and have a good time and enjoy things! Here's to a 2019 full of goin' out and dancing! :)

[bby-calum]

“I think I forgot how to breathe.” / “Shut up and kiss me.” - Tom Holland Imagine (prompt)

prompt: 54. "I think I forgot how to breathe.”

25. "Shut up and kiss me.”

request: Hello! Assuming that request are open- could you maybe do a tom imagine? Where the reader is Harrison's little sister (by like 2 years?) and she's always been that really dorky annoying younger sibling, and tom hasn't seen her in awhile because of his career. But she visits harrison while they're in Atlanta and she grew up rlly well (yanno what I mean?) and Tom is just ???? How ??? With a fluffy ending? It's super cheesy but I've been thinking about this a lot haha

a/n: i merged two of the requests i had in my ask, so i hope this is okay. i’ve low key been day dreaming about this imagine for the past three days, like this is the dreeeeeam lol, hope you guys enjoy it! (also i hope you don’t mind there’s a tiny bit of smut at the end)

word count: 1483

masterlist: (x)

Tapping your foot impatiently, you stood outside the house Tom and Harrison were renting in Atlanta while Tom worked. You heard muffled voices behind the other side of the door, feet shuffling along the floor as your older brother made his way to the entrance of the house. The door opened, Harrison stood smiling in the hallway, moving to the side to let you in. He hugged you tightly, then reached for your suitcases outside.

“Jesus Christ, how much did you bring?” Harrison noted your large amount of luggage. You shrugged. “I need options,” you said simply. He laughed. “I’ll take these upstairs. Go in the kitchen through the back, the others are in there.” You were nervous, about to enter a room full of strangers. You inhaled deeply, stepping into the kitchen as Harrison lugged your suitcases up the stairs.

“You must be Y/N!” Jacob said. You smiled at his welcome as he introduced you to his friends. “Tom’s actually on set at the moment, but you know him anyway. He’ll be back for dinner tonight. Laura’s gonna cook for us.” You’d known Tom for as long as you could remember, always having a tiny inappropriate crush on your brother’s best friend. You hadn’t seen him for months now he had a successful career under his belt, he was rarely ever home. It was Harrison’s idea that you came out to visit them, he felt guilty he’d been away and missed your birthday.

Jacob was friendly, already making you feel at ease. The others smiled at you, including you in their conversation. You took the kitchen stool in between Zendaya and a vacant one, where Harrison sat once he had finished with your bags. “So guys,” Harrison piped up. “Obviously my sister is gonna be here for a couple of weeks, so you better treat her like family and make sure she’s happy all the time. She needs a lot of attention or she’ll start to get weird,” Harrison teased, poking your sides. “A bit like you then,” Zendaya quipped, making everyone laugh. “Why don’t we chill in the pool?” Laura suggested.

You were never one for dive-bombing and flipping into the water like Harrison was - you were more of a ‘floating on a lilo' kind of girl. You’d had to buy a whole new wardrobe of bikinis and one pieces for your trip, since you’d filled out a little since your last holiday. You had your eyes shut underneath your sunglasses as you lay floating in the water, basking in the sunshine. The boys were playing with a ball on the other side of the pool, Zendaya was reading on a lounger and Laura was in the kitchen prepping dinner. You heard the faint clink of keys being dropped onto a table, followed by Tom’s voice, deeper since the last time you saw him, calling out as he entered the back garden. 

“Woah,” he said quietly to himself, his eyes scanning the pool, pausing as his gaze reached you. You tilted your sunglasses so you could see him better, returning the smile he was giving you. You suddenly became very conscious of your bikini clad body as you noticed he was still staring. 

“Get in the pool!” Harrison shouted, diverting Tom’s eyes away from you. You lay back down, watching him discreetly as he pulled off his shirt, followed by his sweatpants, leaving him in the swim trunks he was already wearing. Your eyes scanned his chiseled abs, toned pecs and strong legs. He dived over your lilo, splashing you as he hit the water, making you squeal. He winked at you as he surfaced, swimming backwards towards your brother and Jacob, his eyes still on you. Jacob threw the ball, hitting the back of Tom’s head. You laughed, closing your eyes, returning back to your sunbathing.

Your flight earlier this morning had messed with your sleeping pattern and you were lay in your bed, staring up at the ceiling after a long day. You could hear the television downstairs still blaring, and decided to join whoever was watching in the living room.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” You asked from the doorway. Tom was sprawled across one of the sofas, a blanket spread lazily across him, his feet propped up on one of the sofa arms, his head resting on the other. He lifted his head as you entered the room, sitting on the sofa opposite his.

“I finished night shoots two days ago, they kinda make me jet lagged,” he told you. You made small talk for a while, asking each other how you’d been since you last saw each other. He asked you about what you’d been up to, and you asked him about filming. “You wanna go swimming?” He asked. It took some persuasion, but eventually you agreed. As you left the living room, you made a diversion to head up the stairs. “Where are you going?” Tom said in a hushed voice, aware that the others were upstairs sleeping. “You said we were going swimming, don’t I need to get changed?” “Just go as you are,” he said. “In my pyjamas?” You shot him a confused look. “Take ‘em off then,” he said, smiling cockily, grabbing your hand and pulling you away from the staircase, through the kitchen and out the patio doors. Once you were outside, he pulled his sweater off, followed by his pyjama pants. His toes curled around the side of the pool as he stood in his boxers, facing away from you. He looked over his shoulder, winking at you again like he had done this afternoon, and pulled down his boxers. You caught a glimpse of his bare bottom just before he dived in the water. He wiped the water from his eyes as his head bobbed back up, looking at you. “Are you coming in or not?” He asked.

“Tom!” You said, loud enough for him to sense the worry in your voice, but quiet enough not to wake whoever was staying in the room above the kitchen whose bedroom window was open. You prayed it wasn’t Harrison’s room, just in case. “You’re naked!” “And you’re still stood there!” He moved his arms around in the water. You sighed, rolling your eyes, mentally preparing yourself for what you were about to do. You pulled your tank top over your head, followed by your pyjama shorts. You hugged your arms around your body. Tom took note of your self-consciousness and turned around in the water. “I won’t look, if you don’t want me to.” You unhooked your bra, removing it, and finally, stepped out of your knickers. You were naked in the garden of the house your brother was renting with his best friend, who was also naked and waiting for you to join him in the pool. You lowered yourself into the pool, the coolness of the water taking you by surprise. You swam over to Tom, gasping at the chill.

“Fucking hell, it’s so much colder than this afternoon. I think I forgot how to breathe.” He turned around, his wet hair dripping onto his skin, a stupid grin plastered on his face. “You’ll warm up,” he said, pushing his feet against the pool floor, moving away from you in the water. “I’m aware this is probably wildly inappropriate of me, you’re Haz’s little sister for fuck’s sake. I don’t know why we’re naked together in a pool in Atlanta,” he shrugged. You swam after him, your bodies close again.

 Your fingers touched his arm, tracing the bulge of his bicep. He watched you, even in the dark, he thought you were so beautiful. 

“I’m not some kid anymore,” you said. “You forget, I’m only two years younger than you.” You were still staring at your fingers, dancing over his skin under the water. His own fingers found your waist, pulling you even closer to him. He smiled down at you. “You know,” he gulped. “You and Harrison don’t look anything like each other.” You laughed gently, exhaling heavily and fast through your nose. “You’re a lot prettier.” He was making you blush. “And you don’t have that-“ “Shut up and kiss me,” you interrupted. His lips were already almost on yours, his breath tickling you. Your hand reached the back of his neck, pulling him into your kiss. His lips were soft, his tongue wet as it dipped into your mouth. His arms were wrapped around you now, your legs hooked around his waist as his hands grazed the skin of your bottom. He moaned ever so quietly as you tugged on his damp hair, his fingernails digging gently into your bare skin. Being wrapped in Tom’s arm at midnight felt like pure bliss.

Then you heard your brother’s voice, bellowing from the open window above the kitchen. It was his room. “What the fuck?!” Harrison shouted.

[mmakehappy]

2017

1. What did you do in 2017 that you’d never done before? i’ll try to do this chronologically again: so at the beginning of january one of my best friends left to study abroad in rome which was sad and i missed her a lot. i saw rory scovel do stand up. i took an animation class which was fun for the first few weeks until i failed it lmao. actually my classes from jan to march did not go so well tbh but whatever i made it through. my sister came to visit me the weekend before st paddys day which was super fun and then we saw panic which was soooooooo fuckin rad i love them still wow! i went home for spring break and visited a local winery w my dad which was a lot of fun and then a week later uhhh me and @carrot-gallery became gfs!!! and my whole frickin life changed bc i love her so much wow!! but then a week after that i turned 22 and spent my birthday alone! which i tried to pretend didnt make me sad but by the end of the day i was very sad about it and thats when my sweet gf called me to sing happy birthday and i sobbed on my couch and ill never forget that!!! so okay then spring quarter classes started and i was a part of depaul’s visiting artist series which was super cool... i met a lot of new awesome people (both at depaul and the industry ppl that were our guests!) and made some great friends in that class! i was a house manager and camera op which was super fun. i went to a screening of my fave professor’s short film which was also rad. i saw a ghost story at the chicago critics film festival, which was amazing. i saw idiocracy in 35mm and then mike judge did a q&a! the very next day i was house manager for depaul’s student film festival at the music box! i saw chris gethard do a live recording of beautiful/anonymous and then also do some standup, that was awesome. i saw day wave live!!! amazing! i spent an entire dystopian day dealing with megabus. that was hell! i sat at an outdoor amphitheater and even tho i couldnt really see him i got to listen to seu jorge sing david bowie covers and life was magical for a few hours. my sisters came up to visit me and we saw aladdin the musical and had our minds blown, it was soooo fun! i went to the chicago pride parade for the very first time but i went by myself and at one point i was sitting on the curb just crying! not a high point but still memorable. i won a ticket to an advanced screening of the big sick where kumail & emily were there to do a q&a after the movie.... had a fuckin blast OBVIOUSLY and then saw the movie 9 other times in various theatres. i also made it into a commercial FOR the movie i just loved it that much lmao! i moved into a new (and my current) apartment! lorde released melodrama and fucking murdered me in my own home. otherwise i had a pretty uneventful but anxiety filled summer bc of financial aid stuff so that really sucked. i saw good time w taylor and the safdie brothers were there to do a q&a and they were such interesting guys i could listen to them talk for hours honestly. my mom and sisters came up to visit me and we took our mom to her very first cubs game which was sooo so much fun and they won that day too!! it was awesome and we had a great time :) watched the eclipse (or tried to anyway!!) fall quarter classes started and i honestly kicked ass at them, i got on the deans list (i almost typed honor roll lmao i mean its basically the same) i hung out with ari again which was cool!! we went to the aquarium! me and taylor saw beach fossils which was honestly the most buckwild concert ive ever been to i think, it was good shit. i got jobs at AMC (which i have since quit lmao) and starbucks and left my job at the paint place which was bittersweet! me and taylor saw mbmbam live!!! so fun!! and we watched trolls that night and goofed on it so hard!! i went home for thanksgiving and found out my big sister is gonna have a baby this year!! :D i saw mike birbiglia do stand up! which was soooo incredible of course (except i felt bad bc my mom was supposed to come w me but she couldnt go! so i brought taylor lol) UMMMMM MY DAM GIRLFRIEND CAME TO CHICAGO TO VISIT ME AND STAYED FOR A WHOLE DANG WEEK AND IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER SHE MAKES ME SO HAPPY WE HAD SO MUCH FUN AND I MISS HAVING HER RIGHT NEXT TO ME EVERY SINGLE GOSH DANG DAY <3 ;_____; and that was my year!!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? last year i said id like to read at least one book each month and watch at least 100 movies - i did neither! im keeping the movie resolution though bc cmon 100 movies should be EASY for a film major wtf am i doing!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? no but it will happen in 2018! 

4. Did anyone close to you die? not a person but we had to put down my sweet doggo, flash :(

5. What countries did you visit? still none :/

6. What would you like to have in 2018 that you lacked in 2017? More confidence that I actually deserve to be in college and that I can do this shit and I’m awesome <– that was my answer from last year and the year before but yeah. same. also money.

7. What dates from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? ummm march 25 when me and gf became gfs and also dec 17 when she came to visit :)

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? putting myself out there by doing VAS/Premiere, getting on the deans list for the first time since freshman year and then also getting a new job

9. What was your biggest failure? this summer i didnt do shit besides wallow and cry and it sucked!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? nope

11. What was the best thing you bought? every movie ticket and the bras i bought for natalie ;-)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? natalie’s because she’s amazing and works so hard!!!! and she can always cheer me up and im so in love w her

13. Whose behavior made you appalled? mine bc i could never just get my shit together and do my homework when i was supposed to :) < thats from last year but lmfao same!

14. Where did most of your money go? RENT, movie/event tix, food, in that order

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? THE BIG SICK, the new season of sv, p much all of the events that i listed in the first question lol

16. What song will always remind you of 2017? umm honestly probably any song from melodrama

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer? I’m a. happier, b. probably thinner? or maybe the same idk, and c. definitely DEFINITELY poorer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? read and write and watch movies and write and read about movies

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Spending money and also being bitter about everything for no reason <– last year and the year before that AGAIN and also same!

20. How did you spend Christmas? working at AMC which i hated every second of :)

21. Did you fall in love in 2016? yes with my amazing girlfriend @carrot-gallery

22. What was your favorite TV program? silicon valley, AMERICAN VANDAL, the good place, great british bake off

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? nah just politicians who like. actively want me to die lol

24. What was the best book you read? bitch,

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? mitski like why the fuck did i sleep on her..... tbh thats about it bc i still listen to the same music i did 10 years ago

26. What did you want and get? I wanted a steadier/better paying job and i have it!

27. What did you want and not get? idk i wanted to be financially stable on my own and i still dont have that

28. What was your favorite film of this year? ugh i hate this question! ok in no order: THE BIG SICK, GOOD TIME, A GHOST STORY, GET OUT, THE FLORIDA PROJECT

29. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying? uhhh having my sweet girlfriend by my side each and every day 

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017? sometimes chic, always sweaty

31. What kept you sane? Sydney, my best friend in the entire world. (This was my answer from last year and the year before that and the year before that AND THE YEAR BEFORE THAT but it still holds true) also everyone in the sv discord chat still AND natalie of course of course

32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? kumail nanjiani duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, taika waititi, and martin starr always and probably more but i legit cant think of anyone rn lol

33. What political issue stirred you the most? yikes all of it. all of the issues (this was from last year but same lmao)

34. Who did you miss? i miss my dogs and my family and my girlfriend 35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2017. You can set goals for yourself and talk about it all you want but it’s nothing until you actually start working towards it and doing something about it. <– answer from last year and the year before that and the year before that, still true!! imma keep that. also idk just like, there are good days and super bad days and ive survived all of them so its just a reminder to myself that ill be okay.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. These days will all seem better in time Waiting on that hindsight

[cassielavery]

Christmas 2019

Christmas is the one day of the year that it isn’t completely odd for Benjy to wake up before Cass. Not completely odd but still a bit jarring for Cass to reach out to his left just as he’s starting to blink awake and not find his husband, snoring quietly into his pillow. But as it is 7:36am on December 25, 2019, according to the digital alarm clock on their dresser, Benjy will most assuredly be in the kitchen, either fussing over the finishing touches to the gifts Cass isn’t allowed to help wrap or frantically putting more easy-bake sugar cookies in the oven because the four dozen they decorated with Luke last night won’t be enough for some reason.

Cass smiles at the memory of last night, their first Christmas Eve with Luke. They’d kept it low-key, of course, staying in pajamas all day, only leaving the house to take Darling and Honey outside. At one point, Luke had insisted that they order pizza and hate-watch The Phantom Menace, which was apparently a tradition he had with his little brother Jake. Of course Cass and Benjy had found that out completely by accident when Luke let it slip when Jar-Jar Binks made his first appearance.

“Jake used to loooove Jar-Jar,” he laughs from where he’s stretched out on the couch before glancing over at Cass watching him and clamping his mouth shut.

Neither of them press, Cass eventually turning from his nephew to face the screen but more focused on tracing Benjy’s fingers when Luke speaks up again.

“We used to watch this every year,” he says quietly, his gaze focused on Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi entering the underwater Gungan city. “Christmas break is the one time I’d watch it with him.”

“That’s cute, Luke,” Cass smiles at him and Luke shrugs but a small grin tugs on his lips as he pets Darling curled next to him. Jake was the youngest of Cyrus and Rebecca’s three children, three years younger than Luke and obviously the one ally he had in that house. He didn’t talk much about any of them but Cass had seen a framed photo on his desk of Luke with his arm slung around a slightly smaller clone of himself who he assumes must be Jake. Both boys are smiling ear to ear with Jake gazing up at his big brother with clear admiration in his eyes.

“Yeah, cute that your brother likes the worst character in the Star Wars franchise,” Benjy pipes up, frowning at the television and interrupting Cass’ train of thought.

Luke sticks out his tongue at him. “This coming from a guy who’s favorite ‘film’ takes about an hour to start.”

And it pretty much went downhill from there.

Eventually, Cass forces himself to get out of bed if not for the need to tend to his bladder but out of curiosity to see what exactly Benjy is up to and whether Luke has even woken up yet. However, the bladder does have to come first. As well as putting on pants and a sweatshirt just in case his nephew is up.

When he makes his way downstairs to the kitchen, he sees them before they see him and the sudden warmth in his chest is overwhelming. His husband, his favorite person in the world leans against the kitchen island, his pink kimono thrown over navy blue pajama pants covered with dogs in Santa hats, frowning slightly as he talks to Luke who laughs and flips more pancakes onto a platter between them. Dark curls peeking out from underneath his hood and perpetual dark circles under his eyes, Cass is once again reminded of himself at that age. Except he didn’t smile nearly as much.

Thankfully, that changed.

Luke is just about to say something else to Benjy when he catches sight of Cass lurking in the doorway and if possible, his smile actually grows wider.

“Morning, Cass!”

At Luke’s greeting, Benjy springs up, followed by Honey who had been apparently just out of sight behind the island, and bounds over to Cass to fling his arms around his neck. He could live a hundred years and still never understand what he did to be the object of Benjy Fenwick’s affections.

“Look up.”

Cass lets out a fake exasperated groan and leans forward to press his forehead to Benjy’s, giggling a little as Honey bites at his sweatpants. “Don’t wanna.” Why look up when those star eyes already have everything he wants to see?

Benjy scrunches up his nose and dodges Cass’ attempt to steal a kiss. “Look up first.”

Cass hums, settling for a kiss on the cheek before finally relenting. “Let me see, it couldn’t possibly be...ah.”

Sure enough, a sprig of mistletoe hangs above them in the kitchen entryway. Identical to every other doorway in the house down to the perfect red bow that secures it in place.

“You’re a menace,” he grins back down at his beaming husband.

“Yes, but I’m your menace.”

“Thank god for that.”

This time, when he dips down for a kiss, Benjy returns it enthusiastically and Cass practically lifts him off the ground. Only to be interrupted by their nephew loudly clearing his throat.

“Just wanted to make sure you remembered I was still here,” he smirks, flipping more pancakes onto the platter.

“Mmm, couldn’t forget you if we tried, Luke,” Cass grins, giving Benjy another peck on the cheek and scooping up Honey for a quick kiss before letting her go off to bother Darling in her bed in the corner. In spite of not being able to spring up with the rest of them anymore, her tail still wags happily when Cass bends over to scratch her ears and whisper a soft Merry Christmas into her fur

“And God knows we have tried.”

“Oh shush, you,” Cass laughs, rolling his eyes at Benjy as he crosses the kitchen to give Luke a one-armed hug and yanks his hood down to kiss his sleep-mussed hair. “Merry Christmas, kid. Pancakes look delicious.”

Even that small praise makes Luke’s cheeks glow red as he works the spatula around the last few rounds of batter speckled with red and green M&M’s. “I think there’s still some coffee on. If Benj didn’t drink all of it.”

“I don’t know whether to be proud or offended that you think I have the capacity to drink two carafes already this morning,” Benjy says, resuming his position at the end of the island. “Even I have limits.”

“Mm sure,” Cass chuckles and gives Luke another squeeze before going off to see if indeed there was any coffee left. “So what were you two talking about all serious just now?”

“Oh I was just telling Luke that all the presents under the tree are actually for another Luke we know,” Benjy shrugs as he snags a pancake and takes a bite. “You know, let him down easy.”

“Ah right, sorry, Luke.”

“Right, and I told Benj that I don’t even mind if I don’t get any presents because that’s not what Christmas is about.”

“And then I called him a liar.”

“You called our nephew a liar?”

Benjy shrugs as he finishes off the pancake in his hand in two bites. “He’s 16. What else could Christmas be about?”

“Goodwill towards men perhaps?” Luke pipes up dryly.

“Oh,” Benjy grins wickedly at Cass. “I know all about goodwill towards men.”

“Benjy!”

This, this is what Cass lives for these days. The playful bickering between his husband and his nephew. Honey climbing on top of Darling only to roll off of her and get up in her face to bump noses as if to check that this is still acceptable before starting the cycle all over again. Even light blue mug in his hands, painted by Zane for his birthday last year. It’s everything.

They soon all go into the living room, each with a plate of their own, and pile onto the couch for presents, the majority of which, of course, are labeled for Luke. The matter of presents actually had been a hot topic of discussion for Cass and Benjy since the beginning of November. They’d missed fifteen Christmases and sixteen birthdays along with countless other milestones that could never be duplicated, but they still wanted to mark their first Christmas together while remembering those moments they’d lost. It was hard to think about that part of all this. Obviously, Cass had figured that Cyrus and Rebecca would have children but had accepted long ago that he and Benjy would never be in their lives. He had been more than happy to just give all the love he could give to the kids whose lives he did get to be a part of.

But now, he gets to grin at his nephew, the son of his brother who told his kids that he was dead, and nods toward the tree.

“Well, go on.”

Instead, Luke balks, tapping his fingers against his plate and chewing on his lip before standing back up suddenly and setting his plate of barely touched pancakes on the coffee table. “I uh have to get something.” He gives Cass a nervous smile. “I’ll be right back.”

“Oh.” Cass glances at Benjy, who just raises his eyebrows at him, and looks back at Luke. “Okay. Whatever you gotta do.”

They both watch as Luke dashes up the stairs to his room, Cass slumping back into Benjy’s arms the moment he’s out of sight. “He’s okay, right?”

“Baby, he just went to go get something,” Benjy says gently, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“I know, I know. I just-I don’t want to miss anything, with it being, you know, the first Christmas...”

“And you’ve literally done everything so we don’t miss anything.”

Cass cranes his neck back to look Benjy in the eye, needing that extra reassurance when it comes to Luke sometimes. That they’re doing everything they can to undo the hurt that seems to come from being a member of the Avery family. “Yeah?”

Benjy smiles and rubs Cass’ shoulder, his voice dropping as they hear Luke on the stairs again. “Yeah.”

Cass tries not to let his surprise show when he comes back into the room with his laptop clutched to his chest, radiating nervous energy as he opens it up on the coffee table.

“I um didn’t wanna wait anymore,” Luke grins at Benjy over Cass’ shoulder.

“Good, because I’ve been barely holding it together over here.”

“What are you-?” Cass sits up to look between Benjy and Luke, nearly giving himself whiplash in the process. “Wait for what?”

Benjy just grins at him while Luke busies himself with pulling up something on his computer before focusing on his uncle.

“I wanted to make sure I said all the things that I wanted to say.”

Cass nods slowly, as if that is supposed to mean something to him. “Right, sure.”

“Because I know I won’t say it right if I say it now,” Luke explains, wringing his hands together, or Cass supposes he would be explaining if he had any clue what was going on here.

“You can tell us anything, Luke,” he replies carefully, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands folded in front of him. “You know that.”

Luke smiles and sits down on the floor in front of the couch. “I do.”

Before Cass can say anything else, Luke presses the spacebar on the laptop and a sheet of paper with the words “TO CASS LOVE LUKE” written on it in red ink appears on the screen. After a few seconds, the sheet of paper drops away to reveal Luke in a green flannel and black beanie sitting at his desk in his bedroom and smiling at the webcam.

“Um, hey Cass...and Benjy, since I guess you’d be there too,” video Luke chuckles and waves at them. “Um...I’ll try to keep this short so I don’t uh cry or something, but I had a few things that I wanted to say...and then something I wanted to ask you and I wanted to do it right...if I could.”

Video Luke swallows, glancing off-camera, and Cass glances at real Luke, his hands clenched tight together under his chin.

“It’s been kind of a weird year,” video Luke says, this time his laugh an obvious effort to disguise the emotion in his throat. “I suppose that’s putting it lightly, but weird by our standards might be a little different than families that uh aren’t ours. Well...I guess they technically aren’t ours anymore anyway.”

Video Luke shakes his head and quickly swipes at his eyes. “Fuck, what did I literally just say? This is the third time...geez, okay, get it together!”

He scrubs his hands down his face, clears his throat, and stares evenly into the camera.

“I’m just gonna keep that all in there and we don’t have to talk about it,” he huffs a small laugh. “But um, the point is, that’s what I came from...to you. And it could have been, I mean let’s be real, I didn’t really know anything about you, you didn’t know anything about me. This could have been just disaster compounding on disaster. But uh...it wasn’t.” Video Luke looks away from the camera again, shy smile spread across his face with a few lingering tears just barely visible on his cheeks. “It was everything. It is everything.”

“Oh my god, kid.” Cass hears Benjy’s hushed voice and catches him squeeze Luke’s shoulder out of the corner of his eye, but he’s frozen in place, hinged on every word Luke says in the video.

“So, um, you made this a home for me within like, days of me being here,” video Luke continues, “I can’t imagine that was easy...because of all people, you know...you know better than anyone what it could be like so...I guess that leads me to my question.”

He pauses as he reaches for something out of sight, the sound of papers rustling over the speakers, and lifts a sizable stack so Cass can just make out the words in bold across the top of the first page.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA APPLICATION FOR ADOPTION REGISTRATION

When the same stack of papers are set in his lap, Cass finally tears his gaze away from the computer to look at his nephew, only realizing now that he has tears in his eyes and Benjy is gripping his hand in that secure way that always keeps him grounded.

“I know I only have like less than two years until I’m an adult and she already legally emancipated me and whatever but,” Luke shrugs, “I guess I’d rather have a family. With you guys. So...will you adopt me?”

Everything Cass wants say gets stuck in his throat, coming out as a weird strangled noise instead that makes Luke smile.

“Is that okay, Uncle Cass?”

Is that okay? Jesus Christ, what could possibly be more okay? He didn’t think he’d ever feel like this again, after Benjy and he ran off to city hall to get married moments after it was announced on TV that gay marriage was legalized. Another person expressing such unconditional trust in him--it’s too much but Cass wants more than anything to be worthy of it. Not trying to speak this time, he sets the papers aside for now and sinks onto his knees in front of Luke, who is now crying a little bit too. There’s a split moment of recognition between the two of them, even with their vision blurry from tears. He was in this same position once, cease and desist notice wrinkling in his fist, leaning heavily against the counter as his knees threaten to give out tight and dialing the number of the one person who’d given him so much hope in a few short months and now needed him to get him out of his deepest hole yet. Luke’s younger than Cass was, but now he gets to put so much ugly hurt behind him, not forgotten but healing, and Cass and Benjy get to help him start anew.

With a shaky gulp of air, Cass grabs the teenager in a tight hug right there on the floor, cupping the back of his head as he breaks down against his chest. They stay like that for several seconds, Cass rocking Luke side to side and rubbing his back through his sobs, his lips pressed to the side of his head. He glances over at Benjy, tears streaming down his cheeks as well, and reaches for his hand again, only speaking again when Luke has calmed a little against him.

“You knew?” he asks his husband with a watery smile.

“Yeah.” Benjy lets out a choked laugh, his finger tracing over Cass’ wedding ring. “I told him it might be nice to have someone to take care of us when we’re old.”

“I didn’t think that far ahead yet,” Cass chuckles, resituating himself and Luke so Luke can lean against him while Cass gets off his knees that are already starting to ache.

“Yeah, well I’ve had more time to think it over, Cassie,” Benjy grins as he scoots off the couch to join them on the floor. “And I have to tell you that I think the pros greatly outweigh the cons here.”

“Mm, I think you’re right,” Cass smiles and looks down at Luke who is watching both of them, still a little teary-eyed and clutching onto Cass as if Cass had any intention of letting him go anytime soon. “You’re perfect for us.”

“That’s exactly what I said.”

“So Luke?” Cass gently swipes his thumb under his nephew’s right eye.

“Yeah?”

“You wouldn’t by chance happen to have a pen on you, would you?”

[feminariden]

Curse of Chucky is a film that exist uhhh

Ok, generally i find something good to say for every movie, and this is no exception, but i admit i would have dropped this one if it wasn't part of this saga.

Let's start by saying this more feels much more like a typical horror movie than the others, we have a bunch of people trapped in a old-style creepy big mansion with a monster trying to murder them one to one except for the Final Girl, while i can't say this "style" is bad (it has his perks), Child's Play was an "open world" kind of story that averted these tropes.

Probably my least favorite thing in the whole movie is the fucking LIGHTING, every scene that wasn't the prologue, flashbacks and ending is WAY TOO DARK, i get they were trying to make the film edgy but it was too much, there is no excuse for making most frames that black, i won't accept any "the illumination was broken" bullshit excuse.

Child's Play 1 was a bright movie, did the light made it less thrilling? No, same here, a scene i really liked was when Nica was blocked in the elevator and it was so dark we can only see her silhouette, image how cooler the scene would have been if she wasn't in the darkness all the time.

Now, like i said before "a bunch of people in a cursed house" story has its perks, the characters are easier to write and rate.

My ranking, who i liked:

Nica: she was a strong character, i a admired how proactive she was despite the adversities and ableism, i related to her struggles if wanting to be indipendent while still living with her mom, she was the only smart one and one of the few character to win against Chucky as she survived (despite being unable to use her legs!) And she managed to taunt him with his own failures, kinda sad she still didn't her happy ending

Sarah: one of the most interesting characters and she dies in the prologue :P, i really want to know why CLR wanted her so much (btw i loved when in the flashback CLR asked her if she liked the yellow flowers and then it shows he already bought dozens of them lmao)

Chucky: he is back! From the character degeneration of the Bride/Seed it's nice to see he is a menace again, i might prefer him here than C'SP 3, he was scarier and smarter, the new addiction to his backstory were cool (when he run in the toy store and the only colored thing is the signboard? THAT was a good shot), the complex revenge plot was kinda like killing Eddy in C'SP 1, cool

The doll used seems a chinese knockoff but this is just a nitpick (i think the doll design peaked in C'SP 1)

Tiffany: she was here for five minutes but i still liked her, many good nods to Bride and Seed

Alice: she was more of a plot device than a character, still liked how she was written.

She seems to be Andy 2.0, both are naive children that love Chucky from the moment they saw it; she even repeats his own quotes (i liked to be hug/i liked hugging you too) but then it gets revealed that unlike him she is sadder, way less smart (in one of her first scenes she locks herself in the bathroom), her naivety is so high it's off charts and trusts Chucky to an insane degree (she is more similar to Tyler, no real kid is that dangerously stupid) while Andy has Karen, Alice's mom is cold, unpleasant and selfish, even with her own daughter, like when she leaves Alice alone in her bedroom despite her being VISIBLY very scared, they just came back from a funeral and there is a thunderstorm outside, poor child.

Another thing i liked is she remains hidden for most of the movie, it helps to create the little mistery of "where the hell is Alice? Is she fine?" For both the characters and audience, just to keep them on their toes a little more (i still can't image WHY she remained hidden for so long without hearing her family getting murdered, but after Jess and Jade i don't really have high standards)

She is pretty much Tyler if Andy wasn't in the military school

ANDY: Alex Vincent (bless him) himself bring the best scene in the movie and shows he is still the most preparated guy against Chucky, to be fair, when some stranger sends you a package of the same size of a Good Guy doll box the day of your BIRTHDAY, it's pretty easy to think it could be' a certain stalker doll, but shooting it to prevent another similar tragedy was a great way to end the movie.

Hated characters:

Father Frank: useless and without any personality, he just exist for being the first death and causing some incidents, you might think the story with the cop that he knew will land somewhere but it just ends with the cops arriving to the house, i don't really get the point of this guy

Jill: fuck her, terrible babysitter, not only she let the child she was supposed to TAKE CARE to sleep completely alone in a scary night, she also stripped down in her room like a camgirls. What if Alice suddently wake up?

She was also bad person that was in relationship with a married mother whose child trusts and likes Jill, how can you toy with a child's family like that?

Her death was kinda "nice" and original, i still don't get why the power socket was on the floor (that's pure r/crappydesign material), either way a funny scene with her was when Nica screams her and Ian's names, and we get a shot of Jill still frying on the floor and then a shot of Ian sleeping pacefully, i wish we had more of that humor

Ian: initially i liked how he accused Barb of cheating him with Jill without acting like an homophobe or mysoginistic prick; but then we get to scenes like he refusing to give Nica her meds and strapping her down so she can't move like a massive son of bitch, you would say "he thought she was a killer" ok fair, but it still doesn't explain why he didn't call the fucking police, or when he examins Chucky's videotape, even when evidence said Nica is innocent and that Chucky was coming he still did nothing to free her or protect himself

Dumb and bastard as hell, fuck him

Barb: what an toxic person, i didn't find a single reediming quality about her, both as person and character (same for Jill and Ian)

She is a terrible mother that leaves her scared daughter alone, a terrible wife that cheats on her husband and a really terrible sister that treats Nica (she has paraplegia and anxiety and Barb clearly never supported or helped her) like she is a nuisance when she doesn't want to sell her own house because Barb is poor and stuck up.

And the cherry on top is when she finds the knife in Chucky's clothes and then she leaves it! What a dumbass! Also how the hell they didn't noticed her eye is blue when it falls down the stair??

Overral, it wasn't the worst, but expected better from this franchais: 5/10