#and she loves to study the actors costumes

[magnus-rhymes-with-swagness]

THEATRE ‼️ 💛 💥🔥✨🧡⚡️

[scremogirl]

☾✧꥟ 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 ✧✰☀︎︎

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐧

Yandere! Serial Killer x Reader

Mentions of blood! Mentions of Death! Mentions of mutilation! Mentions of Murder, GN! Reader, NReader/Diolouge uses a lot of black colloquialisms/AAVE *slightlyyyy black coded but only for the speaking bits. NO APPERANCE MENTIONED!* READ THE NOTE AT THE END PLZ! (●’◡’●)ﾉ Part 2 here Part 3 here

Halloween.

The day where people grasp the fact that the summer's over and the seasons have finally changed. Corny decorations on front porches, masks in windows to scare unaware customers, and people dressed as slutty cartoon characters.

You loved the last one. You’ve always worked hard on your costumes; from a small cameo in the school yearbook to entering contests and pageants. You loved fashion, everything about it. The different fabrics, colors, patterns; you cherished it all. So, it’s no wonder that’s what you’ve chosen as your destined career path. You somehow managed to get into the third most prestigious fashion school. I say third because the first one you applied for, was full of egotistical French exchange students who do nothing but compare their lives at home to their lives in America. The second… well, you don’t want to talk about it. Regardless, you’re so grateful your talents have been recognized.

That leads us to now. At the biggest fright fest of the year. Your professor decided that if everyone got at least a 95% or above on the unit test, he’d take the whole class on a field trip to the annual Freak do Shek Carnival. A free trip and creating a new costume? You’ve never studied harder in your life. You spent days working on your costume; hoping to win the annual costume contest.

“Breaking news! The killer know as the “Mask Maker” is still on the loose and is currently suspected to be in the Witchwood area. It is recommended for all residents to stay indoors travel in groups-,”

Your heart sinks.

No, no, no! Why does it have to be now? Why here? The area you lived in was one of the safest in the city! Police patrolled regularly, security systems were available to all, and most people have been traveling in groups these days. So, why? You look at your friend, Malika, who no doubt received the same alert as you did, judging by her face.

“Well what the hell are we supposed to do now!?” She yells in frustration. You all have arrived at the festival and the bus has already taken its leave. Unless you call an Uber, there’s no way out; but then again, with a killer on the loose, no person would be dumb enough to let any stranger in their car. You tell your teacher your concerns, but does he listen? No.

“We’ll be fine,” , “just travel in groups,” , and “make sure you check in with everyone at least every 15 minutes,” is all he says to shake your worries. Great job by the way. With that, he goes ahead with another one of the chaperones, probably on their way to get drunk on cheap beer and look at young girls. Pig.

“I know I ain’t stayin for damn sure,” you chuckle at Malikas abrasiveness and nod your head in agreement.

“Who’s gonna pick us up though? We all came here on a bus and no Lift driver is stupid enough to let strangers in at this time,” you both sigh and end up agreeing that she’d call her boyfriend to come get you. The only downside is he lives in the next county. That means 3 whole hours plus some that you two have to try and rid your paranoia.

“How ‘bout we go check out the costume display for the upcoming show? Maybe scope out some the competition?”

“You know what Malika, that sounds like a great idea,” she holds out her arm and you take it , laughing your way down the hay covered dirt path wearily dodging scare actors. Unbeknownst to you the glowing eyes of one of the masks are filled with anything but fake intent.

“Hey, Mal? Is he on the way yet?” You two have already viewed the display, concrete knowing you’re gonna knock everyone at the park. So you decided that maybe a little sightseeing wouldn’t be that bad.

“Ugh! He said he’s on his way but knowing him, that means he just got in the shower,” with a deep sigh she puts her phone back in her pocket.

“Look,” she continues

“ How about we go get something to eat and enjoy what we can. I mean, we did wait all year for this,” you’re a little hesitant but you end up caving; fried oreos do sound good right now.

The walk to the concession stands is filled with jump scares from actors, Jack, o lanterns illuminating your path and the laughter of children and adults a like. The environment reminds you of why you came here in the first place, maybe there is nothing to be worried about.

Oof!

“Oh I’m sorry! I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going,” to wrapped up in the scenery and nostalgia, you failed to notice one of the actors scrambling by. You hear the muffled laughter of Malika and try your best not to strangle her to cover up your embarrassment. Fortunately , it was just the water that spilled on them; Unfortunately, your oreos lay spread eagle on the ground. However, even with a soaked costume and powdered sugar all over their boots, they remain in character. Only giving you a tilt of the head, a grunt, and tightening their grip on their axe. The eyes that lay behind the papier-mâché mask boar deep into your soul, the white contacts holding something deep and dark. The feeling of guilt is slowly washed away and replaced with anxiousness. Man, they're getting employee of the month. Still, you feel bad so you grab the napkins from your back pocket and gently wipe their mask, some of the fake blood coming off along with the water. Hmm, these effects are off the chain too.

As you clean them up you can’t help but to think that they’ll join the costume contest, definitely giving you a run for your money. You're snapped out of your thoughts when Malika pulls you along the road, whining about how upset she is because she didn’t get to snag one of your Oreos. Making your leave, you look over your shoulder one last time, only to find those same white eyes trailing your figure.

My god, you're even more beautiful up close.

“Personally, if that happened to me I’d kill myself,” once again, your friends laughter snapped you outta your own mind. You just giggle and brush it off.

“Shut up! It’s not like I did it on purpose! Besides he was kinda fine not gon’ hold you,”

“I know right! the way he titled his, had a tear running down my leg not gon’ lie,”

“Girl… don’t you gotta man? Like… on his way here?”

“Shhhh don’t ruin the fantasy,”

Two hours have officially passed, the same old texts between Malika and her boyfriend, this time however he was actually in the car. She had pressed him to turn on his location for safety, you could never be too sure now can you? He should’ve been here by now but with how crowded the festival is getting, you can’t blame him. Thankfully, the contest is just about to start! Going against your better judgment, you and Malika thought that being apart for about 15-20 mins wouldn’t hurt. She’ll be waiting in the audience while you go change anyways.

Rushing to the changing rooms you fail to notice another contestant coming towards you just as fast. For the second time this night you managed to bump into someone.

“I am so sorry! I didn’t mean I-,”

“Watch where you’re going bitch! Y’know how long it took me to make this thing?” You look to the left and then to the right trying to figure out who the fuck they think they’re talking too.

“Look I didn’t mean it, I’m sorr-,”

“Yea yea whatever, just stay outta my way next time. Besides, it’s not like you're gonna win this thing anyways,” just before you were about to give them a piece of your mind, the manager stepped in and separated you two. Jeez now this is gonna take even longer than you expected. You thought it was only fair to let Malika know shoot her a quick text. “No worries, babe! Gill's location says he’s here already so Imma grab us a quick bite to eat before I look for him and we head to you. See ya soonnn❤︎︎!!!”

Good; that buys you just enough time. After getting changed and checking your reflection for the hundredth time, you step out feeling as confident as ever. Just as you exit the stall, you hear the worst blood curdling scream of your entire life. You look over to your right and see that asshole from early and that guy with the really nice axe murder costume. Your eyes have to be deceiving you! One of their legs is completely severed, blood dripping from the stub left behind. Slash marks, deep and crooked, adorn their arms and remaining leg. They Look as if their limbs could snap off at the slightest breeze. They cry and groan as they reach out to you. Following their eyes the crazed murder shifts his eyes to you. Their weapon of choice freezing in their hands mid swing. Their victim continues to moan in pain and crawl away, begging and pleading for someone to save them. But…you just laugh.

“I see what you're trynna do here, and it ain’t workin’. Your costume is good but it isn’t better than mine. Assholes,” the last part is mumbled under your breath as you walk away. Even though you presented yourself in this prideful manner, you can’t help the feeling of disappointment that bubbles inside you. You tried really hard this year, let’s just hope that everyone else thinks you did too.

CHOP

Finally. Holding up the severed head he smiles, crooked and eerie. The bitch wouldn’t stop screaming, but at least he gets to see the look of fear in their face forever.

“Hey! What the hell’re you doing!?” hm? Turning around he sees the manager from earlier, standing before him with wide eyes filled with shock and anger. He can’t have his plans be ruined by a little slip up! He didn’t mean to act so impulsive but he couldn’t help. Nobody talks to you like that; not if he had something to do about it. Swinging his weapon of choice up on his shoulder, he’s about to take a step before he’s interrupted.

“Didn't I tell you guys to keep all spare props in bags because of the fake blood?! It gets everywhere and I’m the one who has to clean it up!” They shoved him to the side before grabbing a large trash bag from the cart they lugged behind them; simultaneously grabbing a mop and bucket. Continue to grumble about how “they don’t get paid enough for this” and “all the newbies are irresponsible”. But hey, free disposal.

“Sh, sh it’s okay; it was never your fault,” you tried comforting her but to no luck. All she can see is red as the burning hot tears streaming from her eyes ruin the makeup she spent so long on

“Okay?! It’s not okay (Y/N)! He said he was stuck in traffic all the while he was toungin’ down some bitch in a slutty cat costume. Very unoriginal btw!” You try to keep your giggle in for her sake. You kept trying to tell her this idiot wasn’t any good for years but nooo “the dick was too good to let go,” and apparently, someone else thought so too. Her weeping continues before she builds up the courage to speak again.

“All I wanna do is go home; fuck this competition,” you smile seeing her personality shine through her sadness just a little.

“Yea, fuck this competition,”sure you’re sad about to being able to participate this year, but with your best friend in distress and a serial killer on the loose, you can’t help but to think that maybe you could wait until next year. Ordering the Uber, you suggest that before it gets here, you should check in with your teacher first. Of course you don’t have his number and you're sure your other classmates are not worried about their phones unless they’re snapping pics and recording for their stories . You send them a quick text to your classes group chat and look for the exit.

“He really is a dick, you don’t need him,”

“Yea, I know. Besides, maybe that axe guy will take care of him for me,” she giggles but you don’t find it funny at all.

“What?”

“Yea, I saw him outta the corner of my eye when I walked in on he who shall not be named about to fuck that other girl,” she rolls her eyes and continues walking but you remain stationary.

“You gotta be joking,“ she turns around and gives you a quizzical look so you continue further.

“He and another dickhead I bumped into put on this whole show to get me to drop outta the contest. Lost limbs, fake blood and everything. I don’t know what his problem is, but he needs to leave me the fuck alone before I get the manager, on some Karen shit”

“Now that I think about it, he has been high-tailing us ever since we’ve got here,” she freezes before looking at you dead on. She wipes away the tear stains and brushes her nose against her sleeve before scanning the area.

“You don’t think it’s Kee-,”

“No! Don’t. It’s not him. It couldn’t be,” she holds up her hands in defense before pulling you along to get the hell up outta here. It goes dead silent, tension filling the air. It couldn't be him! It’s just some rando whos jealous of your skill! But…your mind was just playing tricks on you. That feeling of paranoia started to rise again and the flashbacks felt like they were hitting you in waves. She saw this and decided to speak up before it got worse.

“Hey, I’m sorry for bringing it up. I really didn’t mean to-,” this time it’s your turn to cut her off. You offer her a light smile and hold her hand in yours before squeezing.

“It’s alright. Besides, who needs men anyways. You’re all I need,” she gives you an even brighter one, her usual self returning, before squeezing just as hard, laying her head on your shoulder while you walk.

“Yea, fuck men,” you two laugh in sync before changing the conversation to what you’ll do when you get home; maybe a Horror movie marathon and some junk food will cheer you up. Who cares, the night has just begun for you and there’s no way anything was gonna ruin it.

Watching you walk away a gloved hand slams into a tree. Dammit! You won’t get away so easily. You’re his. Nobody else’s. He’ll make sure of it. Starting with her.

Hello everyone!!!! Hope you enjoyed the first part of my Halloween special. I’m breaking this down into 3 parts because I’m afraid people will think it’s too long if I put the whole thing on tumblr. I will be making an Ao3 and the whole fic will be posted without any split up. When it’s created and up I’ll let you know. Hope you enjoyed Loves!!! ( ˘ ³˘)♥︎.

-Love, Sosa❤️

[phefics]

This just came to my mind while I was studying for my psychology exam - but what do you think THG would be like if they were dating a reader who is a theatre performer? Like them picking the reader up from rehearsals that ran overtime, watching their performances and listening to them talk about their crazy (and sometimes kinda weird) rehearsal memories?

I hope this makes sense because I am not too great with explaining things

this is so cute, not weird at all!! you didn't specify the guys so i'm gonna do all the characters i write for. hope you like!! xo

coryo is supportive, mostly because he likes the idea of dating someone who could be famous one day. he brags about your talents to people at school/work, and comes to every show, sits in the front row, and brings you roses. he admires your dedication, even when it means staying late to run scenes or crazy rehearsal stories.

finnick loves to watch you perform. he's been caught trying to sneak into your rehearsals before, and given you a sheepish grin as he's escorted out of the theater. he's just so captivated by you. as someone who has spent a lot of his life performing against his will, he loves to watch you flourish doing something you love. he loves hearing about cast drama, like straight up will make popcorn to listen to the gossip.

gale isn't super into theater but will be supportive! he likes that you have a hobby you're so passionate about, even if he doesn't understand. he tries to make every show when he isn't busy with work, and has terrible theater ettiquette the first time and keeps cheering every time you're on stage, so you have to explain that he can't do that, lol. he also picks you up from rehearsals because he won't let you walk home late at night, ever.

haymitch isn't very into the arts, in general - he's just never had an urge to consume it or have a hobby of his own. but seeing you feel so passionate about it and have so much fun opens him up to the idea a lot, and i can see him definitely going to your shows and finding the beauty in live theater.

johanna would be a stage crew girly, so i think she would participate in your theatre stuff (if it was local/small, i don't think she would pursue it as a career) and she does the lights or sound. definitely ignores directions so she can put the spotlight on you even when you aren't talking in a scene.

katniss is very supportive, but i don't see her being into theatre at all - she'll go to your shows but doesn't really vibe with it, so she's there to support you but wouldn't go if you weren't involved. if you are in a musical production, though, she will get the songs stuck in her head and whistle/sing them around the house.

lucy gray is probably also involved in theatre!! or, she at least totally understands your passion as well as your workload. if you do musical theatre, she helps you practice your songs and learns them on guitar so she can play them for you. she is always cheering so loud in the audience - she is so supportive and loving.

peeta would probably get involved in your production behind the scenes, painting sets. he is so supportive and i could even see him joining the show if you convinced him he'd be good - he's clearly a very charming actor and would probably find it fun. if he doesn't join you, though, he is in the front row of every single performance with flowers.

sejanus is the most supportive boyfriend ever, i swear. he will singlehandeldly fund your local theatre just so you can participate. he takes time off of work to go to every single show, and has flowers sent to you backstage. he helps you rehearse at home, always being a bit goofy and over-the-top when he reads the lines.

tigris would probably be involved as well, designing and altering costumes!! she loves to design and sew and having that outlet that benefits the community as well as her partner would make her really happy.

[rwrbmovie]

BTS of #RWRBMovie: Uma Thurman as Ellen Claremont + her accent (under the cut)

>> BTS: Taylor on working with Uma

via Variety:

In McQuiston’s novel, Claremont reads as an alternate reality version of Hillary Clinton, but López strove to differentiate the character from current female politicians. “So many women in politics are asked, it seems, to sacrifice whatever their idea of femininity is in favor of an exchange for power,” he says. “It was so important to me that this was a woman who could hold both things — that she could be a powerful woman who also presented her own femininity in the world without apologies.”

From Gay Times:

For López, it was important to cast an actor who “you would actually vote for president”. “We did a list of all the people that we thought would work in this role and Uma was always at the top of it,” he reveals. “We sent her the script and she wanted to meet with me, which was great for me! I figured, even if she doesn’t do the movie I get to have a Zoom with Uma Thurman.”  Thurman was heavily involved in the creative process from the beginning, arriving at her and Lopez’s first meeting with “so many thoughts about the character”. “She had actually studied the script. We both realised that we were interested in the same thing,” continues Lopez, which was telling the story of a woman who is the president and a mother, “who is powerful but retains her sense of femininity”. The director highlights the harmful trope “in American culture” of women in power being “asked to deny their femininity”. “Both Uma and I were interested in creating a woman on-screen who did not feel like she had to make that sacrifice,” he says. “Once we realised that we wanted the same thing, it became very easy for her to say yes, which I’m grateful for.” 

ML via Collider:

From the day I first encountered her, as a moviegoer, I’ve just loved her. It was a real blessing to have her there with us. She came to this film with the exact same set of desires for the character that I had. We had a lot of conversations about how, in American politics, women in power often have to sacrifice their understanding of their own femininity, in order to attain and hold onto power. What was most important to her and I was that Ellen can both be powerful and maintain her definition of femininity for herself. I included Uma in conversations about costume design, production design, and of the oval office set. When she walked onto the set, I have never encountered a more prepared actor. She understood, implicitly. She already understood why every piece of furniture was chosen for her. She understood why every article of clothing was there. It was a master class in prepared acting. She really rose, and she brought everybody’s game up.

ML via OutSFL:

I adore her [Uma Thurman]. She was so very happy to be in this movie, which was so wonderful. She really understood Ellen. She and I had so many wonderful conversations about her before production. I involved her in a lot of costume design decisions. She was really wanting to understand this woman holistically.

>> UMA'S ACCENT

via Variety:

“Red, White & Royal Blue” was already a few weeks into production in the U.K. when Thurman reached out to Lopéz so the director could hear her perform as Alex’s mother, President Ellen Claremont, for the first time. McQuiston envisioned Claremont as a fiery Democrat from Texas, so Thurman worked with dialect coach Tim Monich on a buttery Texas drawl that has become one of the standout features of the film. “And I was like, ‘Uma, it sounds great,’” López says of their first Zoom conference. “And she says, ‘Are you sure?’ And I’m like, ‘I think so.’ But I was also very distracted. Then she gets on set and I finally listen to her. I’m like, Okay, we’re good, we’re good. We’re very, very good.”

ML via Windy City Times:

Uma came in so prepared and so eager to be there. She was happy to be a part of it and we just had the best time with her. It was a very happy set and that is thanks to Uma in many ways, too. 

[nerdlingmerchling]

So, I've watched Out of Darkness (2022) starring Mr Kit Young himself. 🎬 🎞

Full disclaimer, I hate horror movies, but I watched it anyway cause Kit (yes, it's a good reason). My verdict is that it's more of a thriller than a horror movie, and to my delight, it didn't rely heavily on jump scares.

It's rare to see movies set in the paleolithic era, and I think that's where the true originality of this movie lies. The costumes and props look overall pretty authentic, up to the stitching of the clothes, which I was happy about. It shows that there had been some anthropological research done beforehand.

The made-up Tola language was such an interesting, fascinating aspect to the movie, and all of the actors sounded exactly as if they had spoken it all their lives. They adopted such unique intonation that I even had a hard time recognizing Kit's voice at first. Acting was incredible, from everyone, and from start to finish.

Also, very glad to see an ethnically diverse group of prehistoric humans. Some recent studies tend to show that paleolithic groups were more complex in terms of origins than we might think.  So, props to the casting direction for that.

I also loved how this movie was much more than a slasher and had a true reflexion on what it is, and what it means to be human.  The movie was efficient in presenting the characters and their individual motivations. Each of the six main characters represented different angles of human nature : ego, ruthlessness, innocence, kindness, religious zeal, and determination/weakness. I thought it was such a great way to explore that theme.

It's also a beautifully-shot movie, which shows its Scottish Highlands setting in all its gloomy glory : making it both breathtaking and menacing. No green screen in sight, and you can feel the harshness of the elements piercing through the screen.

Overall, I had a good time, but I'm a sensitive creature, and I was still affected by the movie hours after I was done watching it. Much of it has to do with the character played by Kit.

Character analysis and SPOILERS under the cut :

Kit plays Geirr, a young hunter and the most sympathetic character overall. To no one's surprise, Kit plays him with a lot of nuance.

Geirr is a hunter and a warrior by necessity. He's a gentle, sensitive, artistic soul and the stark opposite to his older brother Adem, the leader of the group, who's proud, selfish, and prone to violent outbursts.

Geirr has a special bond with Beyah, a teenage girl the group picked up "en route". The others still treat her as a stray and an outsider. Geirr, though, accepts her and sees her as being part of their little tribe. He vows to protect and take care of her.

Very few people smile in that movie, but when someone does, it's usually Geirr, and he's smiling at Beyah.

You might think at first that their attachment is a brother-sister or friends type of bond, but something happens that make the viewer understand Geirr's feelings for her extend further than that. While the group is resting after a day of walking the treacherous terrain, Geirr realizes his friend's pants are stained in blood, and he looks alarmed. She's having her first periods ; she's a woman now, and that means leader Adem can get to have a claim on her as he pleases.

Well aware of that fact, Geirr is devastated, and you understand at once that he was hoping to make Beyah his own companion.

You also understand that he's not going to fight for her. He's going to suffer in silence, accept the situation and accept his brother's authority. Because that's the thing with Geirr ; he's not a fighter. And throughout the movie, Beyah is going to prove that she has a lot more fight in her than he does.

Geirr is someone who has principles, and he's going to follow those principles even when it leads him to suffering or even be at risk of dying. He refuses to kill someone, even out of mercy, or to resort to cannibalism, even when it's the sole way to survive.

By the end of the movie, he has given up, and it becomes clear he's not destined to make it. It makes his death even more devastating, because you're still hoping against hope that he's going to live.

I'm still mourning that sweet prehistoric cinnamon bun, and I blame Kit's acting (and his face) for my emotional turmoil.

[eemcintyre]

Thirty Minutes (Tom Cruise)

TW- some saucy dialogue and innuendos; some hot vampire moments ™️

Summary- You're making last-minute preparations for the Halloween gathering that you and Tom are hosting. Since you have a tendency to go overboard with these kinds of events, Tom has to remind you to have some fun.

Y'all gave me the go-ahead to post an autumn-themed one-shot in June, and who am I to deny the voice of the people? 😆 But, in honor of the fact that I've already bought my first autumn decorations of the year, here ya go and there will definitely be more where this came from 🙃

To commemorate the upcoming Halloween and bring some life into the spacious Colorado house, Y/N had suggested to and pleaded with Tom to host a Halloween party.

Tom wasn’t as enthusiastic about the idea- not because he didn’t think it would be fun to catch up with friends for a few hours, but because he knew Y/N’s tendency to get way too wrapped up in projects like this. Events that were supposed to be lowkey could quickly turn into absolute ordeals that occupied her every thought. Then, each time, she would inevitably get overstressed, and Tom had to talk her down and provide copious amounts of Advil and tea.

He knew it was probably just the production designer in her that wanted everything to be aesthetically pleasing; his motivation and risk-taking as an actor also frequently emerged in real life. Still. He would be just as happy skipping it all for a quiet, romantic evening with Y/N alone.

He loved his wife.

And because he loved his wife, here he was, studying his costumed reflection in the bathroom mirror, outfitted in a black button-up shirt, vest and pants with a silver cross hanging by a red ribbon. His face was covered in a faint dusting of white powder, and a small amount of fake blood stained one corner of his mouth.

He opened his mouth and made a face at himself in the mirror, revealing a pair of fangs, and then shrugged, resigned to his fate. After “Interview with the Vampire,” he figured that would have been the end of his time in plastic fangs and red corn syrup. But he figured that, since he was all decked out, he might as well have some fun with it.

Tom crossed from the bathroom mirror, dotted with leaf and pumpkin-shaped window clings, into the hallway, where the accent table was decorated with an arrangement of festive knickknacks. Y/N was in the kitchen, in the middle of crafting a pumpkin pie for their guests.

He treaded silently to the kitchen entryway, watching from around the corner as she worked intently on shaping the crust. She too was sporting an elaborate vampire look, in a form-fitting black mini dress, red capelet, white powder, and dark red lips with fake blood dripping from the corners. Tom enjoyed admiring this outfit, to say the least, and for a few moments he just watched her work.

But then, he crept up behind Y/N and lunged at her with a roar, throwing his arms around her. She jumped and screamed, hands flying from the pie crust up to Tom’s arms that were looped around her shoulders. As soon as she realized it was him, she stopped screaming but continued to struggle against him.

“Fuck, Tom! You almost ruined the pie,” she said irritably. It was too close to the long-awaited party for her to put up with any kind of shenanigans.

The pie was especially important to her- she wanted it to be perfectly smooth and still warm from the oven when their guests arrived, so she was cutting it close time-wise with less than an hour to go. But Tom was not to be dismissed; he was determined to remind Y/N that this was all supposed to be fun.

“Didn’t Ashlee say she would bring a storebought pie?” he murmured, playfully swaying the two of them back and forth.

“I will purposely crash my own car before I serve a storebought pie to my guests…”

Tom chuckled and shook his head. His wife truly was an all-or-nothing kind of person, just like him. He dipped his head and brushed his fangs across her neck.

“Tom…” Y/N rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. “Later, okay? I really have to hurry. Please?” She craned her head to glance back at him flirtatiously.

“How long does this thing bake for?” he inquired, gesturing to the pie dish in front of them.

“About an hour. Why?”

“An hour?” Tom exclaimed, bewildered. “Baby, we’ve pulled fast ones before that were, like, fifteen minutes...”

“I have to finish hanging the spiderwebs while the pie is baking,” Y/N pouted.

“Later?” he gazed at her hopefully and she nodded.

“Now, down, boy,” she whispered, kissing him on the nose, and his face broke into a boyish grin. “You’re going to ruin both of our makeup.”

As he let go of her and circled to the opposite side of the counter, she added “Y’know, you’re not as scary as you think you are.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Maybe not, but I can still make you scream.”

Y/N turned bright red as she tried to return her attention to the pie crust. “If you keep hanging around here, I’m going to make you help with the cooking.” She was trying so hard to look and sound serious and keep her voice from wavering into a giggle.

“Oh, I mean…” Tom was about to reply when a thought occurred to him. “Wait, now, hear me out on this… what if I hang the spiderwebs while you’re wrapping this up… I mean, that would give us at least… thirty minutes?” He shrugged, tilting his head, not breaking their intense eye contact all the while.

After some thoughtful contemplation, Y/N decided that this was indeed a good way to kill two birds with one stone- and who was she to stand in the way of efficiency and productivity? She flashed Tom a knowing smirk, giving him all the confirmation he needed to head in the direction of the living room and the bags of fake spiderwebs.

“Now, if I come in there and you just threw them all around…” she warned. “Don’t make me regret inviting you to participate in my creative process!”

“Yes, ma’am,” his voice sounded from the other room, slightly muffled by laughter, and she grinned to herself. She had never finished shaping a pie crust so quickly.

[accio-victuuri]

from this article by China Daily about Xiao Zhan’s drama WDB. 🤍

"The integrity, kindness and sense of justice that define Xiao Chunsheng harmonize seamlessly with Xiao Zhan's simplicity and sincerity. Moreover, in terms of appearance, Xiao Zhan's stature and posture perfectly suit the role,"

TV series taps into nostalgia of bygone era and the sense of optimism that captivated China's youth in 30 years.

As winter descends, the frozen Shichahai ice rink becomes a stage for young individuals gliding carefree across its surface. The profound contrast between the frigid ice and the passionate fervor of the young skaters creates a captivating tableau.

The youthfulness of this cohort finds its genesis in Shichahai, where their emotions and destinies will become intricately woven together. Over the next three decades, their fates will undergo a continuous metamorphosis, mirroring the relentless changing of the times.

This is the narrative that unfolds in the domestically produced drama The Youth Memories, a 38-episode television series that was broadcast on both China Central Television and Tencent Video this year.

Directed by Fu Ning and starring Xiao Zhan, Li Qin, Liu Ruilin, Cao Feiran, Zhao Xin and Cui Hang, the drama is set in Beijing in the 1970s and tells the story of a group of young people who grow up, pursue their dreams, and struggle during the early period of reform and opening-up.

This series has captivated attention since its casting and production to its on-air debut. The conscientious craftsmanship of the production team, evident in details like costumes and props, coupled with the dedicated performances of the group of young actors, has resulted in the show achieving both impressive viewership ratings and positive acclaim.

Yang Chenghu, a professor from Beijing Normal University, comments that the series not only provides a snapshot of a bygone era, but also preserves a love story etched deep within the memories of an older generation.

Through its vibrant portrayal of ambitious and dynamic young characters, it gives play to the anthem of youth, conveying profound reflections on the spirit of the times and the essence of life, Yang says.

Zhou Xiaoxiao, chief editor of the drama, says her goal is for the show to resonate with the memories of older generations, while simultaneously helping the younger generation comprehend an era where warmth and challenges coexisted.

"This isn't a documentary series, so it's impractical to comprehensively delve into every historical nuance. Nevertheless, the destinies and fluctuations of the characters undoubtedly stand as the era's most compelling testimony," she says.

"The Youth Memories serves as a poignant bridge in this regard. The personal growth that Xiao Chunsheng and his cohort of young individuals undergo throughout their journey resonates with the evolving times, encapsulating a condensed path of life."

Director Fu Ning has crafted numerous TV series that unfold in the heart of Beijing. Raised in the Beijing hutong, Fu maintained a profound connection to the core narrative and the atmospheric backdrop of the depicted era in this drama.

With a stringent approach, he ensured authenticity in shaping the essence of the story and the period ambiance, striving to present a genuine portrayal of 1970s Beijing through his lens.

Yang Xiaopei, general producer of the TV series, has served as the executive producer for several renowned dramas including Legend of Fuyao, Ancient Love Poetry and Who Rules The World. The Youth Memories marks her debut in the realm of realistic historical dramas.

According to Yang Xiaopei, this drama delves into discussions on themes such as love, friendship, dreams and faith through a youthful lens, with its creative exploration that touches upon every facet of characters' lives.

"I think the drama has the capacity to resonate with audiences across different age groups," Yang Xiaopei says.

As per Yang Xiaopei's explanation, the crew meticulously studied the daily habits of individuals living in Beijing during that period to capture authentic details in props, including practices like winter cabbage storage, burning coal balls, and the presence of street vendors selling sugarcoated hawthorn.

In terms of costume design, items like batwing sleeves, bell-bottom pants, scarves and headbands authentically recreate the ambiance of that era.

To recreate the Shichahai ice rink of the 1970s, the team crafted detailed blueprints, and ultimately enclosed an area exceeding 10,000 square meters.

Yang Xiaopei highlights the involvement of over 100 members from skating clubs who served as extras. As the machines operated, they glided naturally, infusing the entire scene with a profound sense of authenticity.

This was not just a leisurely pursuit or hobby but a genuine reflection of the lifestyle of Beijing residents during that era, she says.

Young actors' ambitions

The series unfolds over a span of 30 years, requiring each key actor to navigate three decades of character development. The main cast delivers a compelling performance that leaves the audience thoroughly satisfied.

During casting, Yang Xiaopei emphasized her willingness to provide opportunities for young actors, but she steadfastly avoided relying solely on popularity. She placed greater importance on the suitability of the role and the actor's genuine passion for the character.

Xiao Chunsheng's character is played by actor Xiao Zhan. Yang believes that Xiao Zhan shares commonalities with the role in both image and character.

"They both exude optimism, sincerity, uprightness and the courage to confront challenges. When combined with Xiao Zhan's profound understanding and portrayal of the character, he can be deemed the ideal choice to bring Xiao Chunsheng to life," Yang Xiaopei says.

"The integrity, kindness and sense of justice that define Xiao Chunsheng harmonize seamlessly with Xiao Zhan's simplicity and sincerity. Moreover, in terms of appearance, Xiao Zhan's stature and posture perfectly suit the role," Yang Xiaopei comments, adding that Xiao Zhan even sought out a teacher to learn the Beijing dialect.

Zhou acknowledges the outstanding performances delivered by the entire main cast. "Li Qin's portrayal of Tong Xiaomei also stands out. She is an exceptionally thoughtful actor, meticulously considering whether each plot point aligns with Tong's character, and whether it is within her capabilities to portray them." Zhou says.

"Of course, this extends to Liu Ruilin, Cao Feiran and the other young actors who, to my pleasant surprise, shone brightly. Everyone surpassed expectations, delivering performances that were truly exceptional."

Cao, 28, portrays the character of He Hongling, who shares numerous emotional scenes with Xiao Chunsheng in the drama.

Reflecting on the filming experience, Cao mentions that Xiao Zhan, with his extensive acting background, often provided valuable assistance on set. "If I did something well, he would point it out, enhancing my confidence in the process of shaping the character," she notes.

As both Cao and Xiao Zhan fully embraced their respective roles, spontaneous dialogue between them became a common occurrence on set.

Cao perceives He as a radiant, goal-driven individual with ambitions. However, influenced by her family background and the era's milieu, He is also a complex, self-interested individual living in the present, Cao adds.

In preparation for her role, Cao learned the violin and how to ice skate before joining the production. Additionally, she sought insights into the emotional experiences of individuals from that era by consulting her parents. "My parents mentioned that emotions during that time were relatively straightforward and pure."

Cui Hang, 34, delivers a compelling performance as Chen Hongjun, the close companion of Xiao Chunsheng. Successfully overcoming the challenges of the college entrance exams, Chen gains admission to university, and eventually becomes ensnared in the tumultuous currents of power, while ultimately landing in prison.

Before delving into this role, Cui took the time to thoroughly understand the character, charting the logical progression of changes in Chen's journey.

Throughout the series, Chen's glasses change three times, with each pair symbolizing a significant shift in identity, status and mindset.

From glasses mended with tape, to the pair gifted by Ye Fang so he could focus on preparing for the college entrance exams, to the gold-rimmed glasses worn after ascending in rank. Cui explains that the prop was chosen to signify changes in his character's social standing and mindset.

In the final office scene, Cui devised a meaningful gesture. He meticulously straightens the national emblem on his cap, wipes it clean, and then places the hat on the table, simultaneously removing his glasses.

"This is a farewell to his mistakes of the past," Cui explains.

Spanning 30 years, Chen's narrative presented a unique challenge for Cui, marking his first portrayal of a character with such a broad age range. Despite the inherent challenges, Cui found the experience immensely gratifying.

"The set design instantly transported us to an era half a century ago as soon as we arrived. The props, hats, scarves — everything belonged to that specific period. As actors, it was effortless to immerse ourselves in our roles," Cui says.

In the series, the character of Ye, Chen's wife in the drama, is brought to life by Beijing native Zhao Xin, who was profoundly captivated by Ye's personality when delving into the character's background.

"I find this girl incredibly intriguing. In that era, how could there be such an intelligent and clearheaded young lady? She is remarkably perceptive and forthright," Zhao says.

Ye earned the endearing nickname "prophet" from the audience, due to the character's accurate prediction of the reinstatement of the college entrance exam. Zhao believes that Ye's popularity is attributed to the fact that contemporary young women exhibit a strong sense of independence, and they can connect with Ye on a personal level.

"I've learned valuable lessons from the character. She possesses a profound pursuit of ideals and approaches situations with a highly rational mindset," she says.

[howlingday]

Fic idea: Comic Relief (Maybe? WIP)

Ruby and Jaune go to a con dressed as a cosplay couple. Ruby chooses who she wants to go as and wants Jaune to dress up, too. Trouble is, Jaune has no idea who Ruby wants him to dress up as, so he does a little character studying (watching quotes clips, listening to other character studies on them, looking at actor methods to get into the role) until the big day arrives. Everyone loves his costume! ...So much so that Ruby feels very inadequate compared to him. She's happy that Jaune's part of something she loves, but she was hoping to do everything at the con with him, too. Maybe there's a way to make herself look better?

[darlingkirstein]

fic masterlist — ao3:

EREMIKA:

abgtdtm/mpwd (gang au series):

• a beginner's guide to destroying the moon — after a chance encounter at the casino eren is employed at, he and mikasa instantly hit it off. the problem lies in the mystery that surrounds him — and his temporary unwillingness to answer certain questions. mature, multi-chapter, complete. 156k words. contains smut scenes.

• man proposes, woman disposes — motivated by the murder of her love, eren, mikasa teams up with all his greatest allies to take down the person truly responsible — grisha jaeger. mature, multi-chapter, ongoing.

other multi-chapter fics:

• thespian's coquetry (broadway au) — eren jaeger, a well-loved broadway actor rising in popularity, gets the chance to work with the talented, up-and-coming costume designer mikasa ackerman. mature, on-going.

• salvation's on your lips (midsommar au) — after a devastating accident leaves him without a family, eren jaeger is in search of inspiration abroad. mikasa ackerman, an inhabitant of a remote settlement in finland's lapland, offers him and his artistically-inclined friends the opportunity of a lifetime — until the group slowly realizes that the secluded paradise is not what they imagined. explicit, dead dove, ongoing.

smut one-shots/short fics:

• breed (breeding kink eren) — whenever he's inside mikasa, all eren can think about is putting a baby inside her belly. explicit, 3.1k words.

• heat lightning (phone sex) — stuck in a long-distance relationship, eren and mikasa have to be creative when it comes to satisfying their sexual frustration. explicit, 2.4k.

• nepotism baby (office romance) — mikasa starts working as grisha jaeger’s assistant at his company and is quickly introduced to his son, eren — the chief operating officer and the talk of the office ladies. mature, three chapters, complete, 16.8k words.

• divine feminine (stripper mikasa) — eren jaeger becomes infatuated with a stripper going by the name rose after she selects him for a random private dance. explicit, ongoing.

• dinnertime debauchery (medieval smut) — the lord and lady of shiganshina struggle to make it through a duke's party without excusing themselves to relieve their lecherous appetites. explicit, 12.2k words.

• nothing pairs better than pie with a glass of milk (1950s au) — mikasa, a housewife sick of her monotonous existence with a husband who hardly sees her as a person, falls into the open arms of eren — the handsome new milkman stopping by with the latest delivery. explicit, ongoing, 4.7k.

JEANPIKU:

one-shots/short stories:

• punch-drunk love — pieck tends to jean after an irresponsible night of drinking with his friends. teen and up, two chapters, 5.2k words.

• something like healing — jean takes care of pieck during a bad depressive episode. teen and up, one-shot, 4.7k words.

• kirsten's anatomy — a collection of all the times that medical mishaps befall jean — and all the ways that pieck is right there to support him. teen and up, on-going/anthology.

• dreams of dissonance — jean wakes up with a distressing nightmare, and pieck is right there to comfort him. teen and up, one-shot, 1.6k.

• sit pretty (let your wife do the work) — contrary to what his friends might assume, jean definitely isn't the dominant one in his marriage. pieck is. explicit, 3.7k.

EREMIKA:

• letters to hizuru (medieval) — prequel to dinnertime debauchery. details the arranged marriage of eren and mikasa following the death of eren's father, the lord of shiganshina. mature, multi-chapter.

• sequel to dinnertime debauchery (medieval) — detailing mikasa's pregnancy and the birth of the lord and lady's first child.

JEANPIKU:

• canon-verse ambassadors boat smut — explicit, one-shot. tbd.

GENERAL:

• jean kirstein trichotillomania character study — teen and up, one-shot. sensitive content.

[darthstitch]

the professor wet cat fandom

Imagine that you're a Rose Walker fan.

You remember the first time you saw her book Into the Night on the shelves of your favorite bookstore. Let's face it - the intriguing cover art and the title caught your attention. The synopsis on the book jacket and a quick skim of the first chapter made you bring that book to the counter. Something about the story just resonates with you, the aching sense of loss and grief that Briar, the main character, had felt, the headlong rush into adventure that was a means to escape that sorrow, beckoned by the enigmatic King of All Night's Dreaming.

You read that book in two days. And then you read it all over again. Rose has just opened up a universe that you don't want to leave.

Then the audiobook is released. The voice who did the reading is incredible, a voice that's deep and resonant, like the voice inside your head, seducing you into the very heart of Night.

Everyone thinks it's an actor like Richard Armitage or that other guy with the cheekbones whose name everyone just loves to mangle, Betadyne Carrotene or whatever but he's not credited at all. Either way, you're all in agreement about this.

It's the voice of the King of All Night's Dreaming, the voice of the Prince of Stories.

Fine, you and everyone else just fell in love with the antagonist of Rose's novel. He's not really evil, more a neutral entity than anything else. But he was a bit of a bastard to poor Briar, even though you can understand the reasoning behind his manipulations. He's described as beautiful and mysterious and very charismatic.

Of fucking course he'll be internet catnip. Edward Cullen whomst? Tumblr and Twitter are fighting over their new precious blorbo. There's meta and fan art based off Rose's description of him in the novel and yes, you're among those who check AO3 every day for brand new fan fiction.

You end up trying to find all the articles about Rose Walker. She's a lovely young woman who looks around your age and she talks about going back to university and continuing her studies. She's all mysterious about her voice actor, only saying that "he wants to stay anonymous and really, I got him to promise that he'll read the next book for me!"

And everyone in the fandom rejoices because Rose just officially confirms that there's a sequel.

You're among the first to hit the bookstores when the sequel The Prince of Stories comes out. The cover art is gorgeous, somewhat reminiscent of Yoshitaka Amano or Ayami Kojima, a rendering of the Prince in glorious detail - the fantastic costume in black and gold, the wild black hair, the pale skin, the fine features and the brilliant blue eyes.

On second look, the Prince looks strangely familiar.

Rose Walker doesn't disappoint. The sequel is just as good as the original, expanding a little more on the character of the Prince of Stories. There's also a new character joining Briar and her brother in their adventures all over the Land of Night's Dreaming. He's something of a rogue and adventurer straight out of medieval England, charming, mischievous but ultimately quite noble and kind.

You start chortling at his scenes with the Prince, which are so obviously charged with UST. Everybody to kingdom come is going to start shipping those two. You hit Tumblr and already, there's a goddamn ship name. Oh, this is going to be fun.

You scroll through the blog posts, enjoying the fan art, the fan fiction and the meta and then you see this post:

Is the Prince of Stories based on a real person?

And there's a screenshot of a dedication on Rose Walker's book:

For Uncle Dream, our Prince of Stories.

Oh, come on.

So out of curiosity, you do a little more digging. Rose Walker also has a blog, in which she entertainingly talks about the writing process, answers asks with humor and wit and occasionally, she talks about her family. The antics of her little brother are hilarious. There are also stories about her great-grandmother Unity, who she had tragically only known for a short time, and then stories about her recently found "Uncle Dream."

You can see why the other blog poster had started to blur fiction with reality. Rose's descriptions of her Uncle Dream oddly matches up to the King of All Night's Dreaming, with some added extras, because obviously, magical anthropomorphic personifications of dreams and nightmares do not wander around in Real Life.

Apparently, he's also an adorkable wet cat of a man who unfailingly helped her with the writing process, giggled with her brother over his superhero comics and was completely gone on his husband the history professor.

Hang on a minute. Some of the details sound really familiar.

"Uncle Dream" also teaches on occasion at university, keeps a raven as a companion and is known to talk to him like they really understand each other, outrageously flirts with his husband the history professor in Middle English, in iambic pentameter and in Shakespearean quotations, even if said history professor loathes Shakespeare...

You suddenly raise your head up from your phone because your literature professor just walks in, holding on to a copy of Rose Walker's newest book.

Holy shit. No way.

"Professor Murphy, we didn't know you were a fan of Rose Walker," one of your classmates say.

Professor Murphy has a proud smile on his face. "My niece has quite the story to tell. I've been looking forward to reading her next book."

You can't help it and now, hearing his Voice, you're also suddenly dead sure who Rose Walker's audiobook reader is too. "You're Rose Walker's Uncle Dream?!"

Eventually, you all get to explain to Professor Murphy why you want his autograph as well as his niece's on your books. He's still a little confused about that but he's fairly gracious about it.

He's amused and is barely able to contain his laughter when everyone starts asking if the dashing rogue "Captain Gadlen" is based on Professor Robert Gadling. For once, Professor Murphy neither confirms or denies anything.

-end-

[avacoleman]

when the lights go out || a firstprince fic

summary: Henry Fox’s career is in crisis and his dating life isn’t faring much better either.  After a chance encounter with a charming man becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons, Henry throws himself into his next assignment: writing the memoir of a beloved C-list actor. Henry, however, knows Alex best for the role he played as his random, awkward one-night stand. Henry enters their professional partnership keen on keeping their relationship just that. But after Henry confesses that their hookup was less than spectacular, Alex concots an arrangement that Henry is unable to resist. In addition to ghostwriting Alex’s life story, Henry will teach him a thing or two about satisfying a man.  As they spend months out on the road together, they must decide if the connection between them is yet another story worth telling.

chapter 2/8 || rated e || read on ao3 *updates every tues. and fri. *

Portland, OR Rose City Comic Con Day 1 [Unknown number] hey, i hope you’ve made it safely [Unknown number] in case it wasn’t clear, this is alex. i’ll catch you later. maybe we can grab a bite or something after today’s panel? Henry saves Alex’s number and confirms that yes, he’s arrived in one piece and would be happy to join Alex after the event. All of this is still wrapped in impossibility for Henry. Even though he’d been fully briefed on the tour and signed his contract, the fact that he’s now embarking on a multi-city tour with Alex hasn’t sunk in yet. The six and a half hour long flight didn’t do much to lessen the surrealness and now that he’s here at the venue, Henry doesn’t see an end in sight to the feeling. The convention center is, in a word, daunting. For as much as Henry loves Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, he can’t say his appreciation for the franchises has ever been this devout or even close to it. All around him people are decked out in elaborate, truly remarkable costumes. Some are easy to ID like Doctor Who and Marvel characters. But others are so obscure that Henry can’t even hazard a guess. It’s overwhelming but also kind of intriguing too, seeing people be wholly themselves and embrace the things they love. He forces himself to focus up as he grabs a directory map of the convention’s floor plan for reference before going up to one of the booths for his credentials. With his badge secured, he looks at the map again and makes his way over to where Alex’s panel is being held in one of the larger rooms. It takes him some time to find it; the convention center is practically a maze. But he spots a blowup outside the door clearly marking the panel, Supernatural in the Mainstream. By the time he gets inside, the room is packed and the excited chatter is practically tangible. 

Henry spots a few Crescent Valley fans in t-shirts referencing the show. Admittedly Henry still hasn’t started the series, but before he hopped his flight out of JFK, Pez spent the vast majority of their last few days together giving Henry a pretty substantial rundown of the essentials, including some cast trivia. Most notable from the recap was learning that Alex had dated one of his co-stars, Nora Holleran, during season two. Henry decided it was none of his business– only after doing a Google search on her.

Even with the knowledge that the show resonated with so many people while it aired, it’s strange to reconcile it with the fact that the guy he met on a whim at a bar is part of such a cultural force.

After a few moments, a woman takes to the stage, introducing herself as the moderator. The audience is ravenous as she introduces the panelists and Henry almost goes deaf from the screams Alex earns when his name is called.

Henry studies Alex as he crosses the stage, waving to fans and putting a hand to his heart in appreciation for the warm reception. The large monitors on either side of the stage zoom in on his face and the sincere gratitude Alex feels is plain as day in his eyes.

“Alright, let’s get started, shall we?” the moderator says to kick things off.

Alex in his element during the panel, magnetic really. Even though he’s one of four panelists, it’s so clear to see how he effortlessly draws people in. 

Henry takes out his notebook, hoping to glean something in any of Alex’s responses to the questions directed at him that can be a kernel of an idea they can turn into the core of this book.

He can’t shake Alex’s words during their lunch with Zahra, the way it seemed that Alex sincerely wanted his book to be about something real. 

Vanity cash grab celeb autobiographies were a dime a dozen. Henry figured for people who lived so heavily in the spotlight, it probably felt like the natural progression of things. But with Alex and his team being so adamant in their search, scouring through profiles in hopes of finding the right person to pen Alex’s story, he had to believe this book would actually stand for something other than more dollars in their pockets.

There isn’t much that Henry is able to take away for research other than noting the way people gravitate towards Alex. More than once, he’d actually seen people in the audience quite literally shift to the edge of their seats as he spoke.

When the panel is over, Henry fights against the current of attendees to make his way backstage. He presents his badge to the man at the entrance who gives it a once-over before deeming it to be authentic and ushering Henry through the curtain.

Alex is easy to spot, holding court just as he’d done on stage before, this time with a small audience of just the moderator and his fellow panelists. He’s got a water bottle in his hands, preparing to take a sip when he catches sight of Henry instantly and politely excuses himself from the group.

“You survived day one. How’d you like it?” he asks.

“Your world is very different from mine, but it’s pretty cool,” Henry admits.

“Good, I'm glad to hear it.”

There’s a lull as Alex looks him over and Henry suddenly feels oddly self-conscious and small. Seeing this side of Alex, the sheer star power, is a bit overwhelming.

“You're done for the day, right? I took another look at the itinerary this morning. You’ve got the signing tomorrow, yes?”

Alex nods. “Yeah, I’m all yours starting now.” The man’s face instantly flushes. “You know what I mean.”

Henry offers up a smile that feels more like a white flag. 

“We should head out,” Alex says.

He moves away and heads back to the others in the room, making his parting remarks before touching Henry’s elbow and guiding him to a set of double doors he hadn’t initially noticed when he entered. Henry is treated to a glimpse of the convention center’s underbelly, the private exit that leads them to a secluded area outside on the street level.

Henry is sure it’s probably all in his mind, but now that it’s back to just him and Alex, away from the adoring fans and bright lights of a main stage, the man standing before him now is someone else entirely again. Henry wonders if he’ll ever be able to wrap his head around the two versions of Alex that exist in this world.

“There’s a park not too far from here. Do you want to walk around for a bit?” Alex asks.

It’s a random ask but Henry is glad for it. He’s not sure what to do with himself as they try and find their rhythm around each other.

They make it to the park a few minutes later and walk alongside the edge of a small pond.

Henry turns to attempt starting a conversation and it seems as if Alex had the same thought too; they bump arms immediately and both rush to apologize.

Henry sighs and stops walking.

“I have to ask. Are you still sure about this?” 

Alex’s eyebrows furrow. 

“What do you mean? This walk?”

Henry crosses his arms and gives him a dry look.

“Ah. You being on this project then,” Alex says.

Henry nods. 

Alex looks at him. “Of course I am. I won’t lie, it is a bit of a mindfuck when I stop and really consider it. I’m still trying to figure out how to be around you. But my opinion on your work? My decision to collaborate with you? That hasn’t changed. Not one bit. So, yeah, we had a good night. Great conversation and even better sex,” he muses. “But I can forget it if you can.”

Henry snorts out a laugh in surprise that he quickly tries in vain to cover up as a sneeze. Alex, rightfully, doesn’t buy it though Henry wishes desperately that he would. He hates the way Alex’s face falls. 

“Are you…do you mean you didn’t enjoy it? That I wasn’t…,” Alex trails off.

Henry’s basic functions betray him and his mouth merely opens and closes like a landlocked fish struggling for breath.

In the end, no response is an answer within itself and Henry watches the varying degrees of what can only be described as horror play out across Alex’s face.

Goodbye tour, goodbye contract, Henry thinks. All gone before it even truly got started.

For a man that writes for a living, Henry falls short on what to say. How could he possibly salvage this now?

“I…it…,” he flounders. 

Bang up job, Henry, he internally chides.

“Oh, my god. Oh, my fucking god,” Alex whispers to himself. “Crap, that’s why you snuck out then, isn’t it?”

Henry winces. While that is an astute, wholly accurate description of what he did last week, hearing it so plainly — and from Alex’s lips no less— just makes it sound that much harsher.

“Maybe it was just an off night. It happens sometimes. But look, we don’t have to talk about it. Like you said, we can both forget it ever happened. Today can be our official day one.”

Alex shakes his head, refusing to let it go.

“No. What didn’t you like about it?”

“Alex, come on. Seriously. We don’t have to get into it.”

Alex takes a step closer.

“Please? I want to know what I did wrong.”

Henry frowns.

“That’s harsh; don’t frame it like that. Just think of it as…areas of improvement.”

Alex crosses his arms. “That isn’t much better, but I guess you’re right.” Alex pauses. “Okay then, what do I need to work on?”

Henry groans and looks up at the sky.

“I…how is this happening right now?” Henry mutters to himself, rubbing his forehead and turning his eyes to the water.

He gets a wild fantasy of jumping into the pond and hiding in its depths to avoid this conversation. Could he hold his breath long enough to wait Alex out? He’d be willing to test that hypothesis if it meant even five seconds away from this talk.

When he looks back at Alex, the man’s eyes are unwavering and Henry’s instantly transported to the night in question. To how wide eyed and earnest Alex had been after they had sex and he checked in. It makes something in his chest crack a little, enough to put a hole in the wall he hoped to build around the truth.

“Well, the handjob was a bit…rigid. And when you were working to open me up, that felt a touch awkward. And then when you were actually inside me, it was rushed and uh, a tad repetitive. You were enthusiastic, which was nice, but I couldn’t quite mirror that.”

He hopes his answer is diplomatic, but he knows there’s simply no easy way to say any of this. 

Alex’s brows knit together deeply and it feels like a lifetime before he speaks again.

“So…sex. You’re telling me I’m just straight up bad at sex as a whole?”

Henry groans and slaps the palm of his hand against his forehead.

“Like I said, it could have been an off night. We were drinking, we were both overexcited. The room was cursed or perhaps I really was, remember? There’s a lot at play here.”

Alex is quiet again, too quiet for Henry’s likings. Henry awkwardly scratches the side of his nose and rocks slightly on the balls of his feet as Alex stares off at nothing before turning his gaze back on Henry.

“I’ll take this into consideration. Thank you, Henry. I appreciate your honesty.”

It’s clinical and closed off and Henry wishes he could take back the last few minutes. But the truth is out there, the ball squarely in Alex’s court and Henry can’t help the sinking feeling that he’s about to lose it all.

~*~*~

Rose City Con

Day 2

Much like yesterday, Alex continues to be incredible with fans. It’s only a signing today, but Alex’s energy is on one hundred for each and every person that comes his way. He poses for pictures and makes good conversation with fans. He asks them questions, learns a bit about each of them. It’s clear to see the knack he has for making everyone feel like they’re having a unique, truly personal interaction with him.

Several people come up to him already in tears and overwhelmed, but Alex doesn’t seem fazed by it at all. Henry is impressed with the way Alex puts them all at ease in no time, cracking jokes as he signs merch.

Henry has no clue how Alex manages to keep his enthusiasm going for hundreds of people. The fact that this is only the first city makes his head spin. He’s not even the one engaging with people and yet Henry feels exhausted merely watching Alex in action.

Henry barely managed to sleep last night. Each time he closed his eyes, he was brought right back to the water’s edge with Alex, replaying every painstaking moment of their conversation. 

There was no time to talk about it this morning. The last thing Henry wanted to do was throw a wrench in Alex’s day when he had this signing scheduled.

Looking at Alex now, it makes Henry commend actors for their ability to truly compartmentalize and put their focus where it needs to be.

Once the signing wraps and the final Crescent Valley fan is off with a bag full of newly inked merch, Henry sees the first crack in Alex’s mask. His shoulders sag a little and he rolls his neck from side to side before standing.

He hops down from the slightly raised platform he was seated on. Henry walks towards him without really thinking about it.

“Are you heading back to the hotel now?” Alex asks.

Henry cocks his head to the side, adjusting the strap of his bag.

“I was going to…unless, do you have something else you need me to shadow you on?”

Alex shakes his head.

“No. I was hoping we could talk.” 

Henry looks around. There are still some stragglers from other signing lines though they’re out of earshot.

“We can go back together,” Alex says decidedly. 

They take a car service back to their hotel and Henry is all too relieved once they’re outside again. The ride over was silent and heavy with the weight of whatever Alex wanted to say but couldn’t in the moment.

All that free time merely left Henry with a thirty minute window to dream up scenarios of what Alex wanted to discuss. Every single one of them ended in him being fired and pulled from the tour.

“Can we go to your room?” Alex asks.

Henry nods stiffly. He figures maybe it’s for the best. At least he’d be able to pack his things immediately after Alex chewed him out and sent him on his merry way back across the country to New York.

For now, three thousand miles don’t separate them, merely three feet as they head up the elevator. 

A feeling of déjà vu sweeps through Henry, but this evening couldn’t be any more different than the night they met. Instead of crowding each other’s space and making out, they keep enough distance that their clothes don’t even come close enough to touching, never mind any other parts of them.

Henry lets them into his room and pockets his keycard as he steps inside. The door slamming shut behind Alex sounds ominous though Henry fully recognizes that’s probably his irrational brain conjuring the sense of foreboding.

“So…you wanted to talk,” he says, toeing off his shoes and setting them neatly along the wall. The sooner they got this over with, the better.

Alex nods, crossing his arms against his chest, his hands holding firm to his biceps. The positioning makes him look so small suddenly, vulnerable even. It’s such a sharp contrast to the energy Alex had with fans not too long ago. 

The enigma of Alex Claremont-Diaz continued to baffle him.

“After we spoke yesterday, I took some time to think about everything. I decided to do some research,” Alex says. “I went back to past partners to see if they shared your point of view.”

This isn’t at all where Henry thought this conversation was going. All the same, he plays along, still bracing for the worst. This could all well be a roundabout way of him getting the axe.

“And what were the results of your findings?” he asks.

“They were inconclusive. They all said they never faked it with me which got me thinking again. There’s a factor to consider here that varies from the others.”

Henry's confusion must register on his face because Alex sighs and rubs his face.

“I’ve recently…uncovered something about myself that probably should have been super obvious to me. But hey, you know what they say about hindsight.” 

Alex groans in frustration at himself.

“Can you, like, just face the wall or something? I’d really rather not have to look at you when I say what I’m about to.” 

“Your ridiculousness truly knows no bounds, does it?” Henry huffs but Alex quickly levels him with a glare.

Henry holds his hands up in defense, knowing a lost cause when he sees one.

“Fine, fine,” he says, turning away. 

He can see Alex in the reflection of the TV screen and a part of him feels guilty for not owning up to this fact when sees the tension in the man’s shoulders and watches as Alex shakes his hands as if warding something off.

“My past partners were all women. It’s come to my attention in recent weeks that I’m bi and the night we hooked up…that may or may not have been the first time I had sex with a guy. So maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t stellar at it for what I think is a pretty valid reason when you think about it.”

Henry turns back so suddenly the soles of his clothed feet scrape against the carpet. He’ll think of the rugburn later, but for now, there are bigger things to focus on.

“Alex,” he says, unsure of where to even go next. His mind is racing so quickly, it’s hard to make sense of anything right now, not with Alex’s confession laying bare before him. 

“Your shoulders barely even fit through doorways so I don’t want your head getting big too,” Alex quips, “but…I wanted to be with you that night. It felt like nothing else really mattered to me except getting into bed with you because we really vibed and I wanted to see where it could go. And I know that sounds totally lame and cheesy and probably pathetic as hell or whatever, but it’s true.”

Alex rolls his eyes at himself, stuffing his hands in the back pockets of his jeans.

“This doesn’t have to be a big deal. Hell, it doesn’t even have to be a thing, period.”

“Alex,” Henry says again. This time, something in his voice must stand out because the other man finally stops talking and looks directly at him.

Henry holds his gaze for a moment, needing his words to ring clear.

“It should be a thing because it is in fact a big deal, contrary to what you might think of the matter. Coming into your sexuality, it can be a lot mentally and emotionally. Add in making physical strides…you took a major step that night. That sort of thing isn’t easy to do.”

Alex huffs out a terse laugh.

“It was a swing and a miss.”

“I’ll pretend that’s a cricket reference instead of the tragic baseball one I’m sure it was intended to be.”

Alex’s lips quirk into a reluctant smile just as Henry was hoping it would.

“The only cricket I’ll acknowledge is Jiminy,” he says.

Henry laughs. “I’ll allow that inane response. We’ve got more important things to discuss.”

Alex sighs and takes a seat at the edge of the bed, his head lobbing back as he looks up at the ceiling. All it does is expose his smooth neck and Henry looks away before the sight gets the better of him.

He follows Alex over and sits beside him, his hands resting on the comforter on either side of him. Alex doesn’t rush to speak which Henry grows a little concerned with. Alex is hardly ever quiet or still. Seeing him like this now, Henry can practically hear the whirlwind of rushing thoughts. 

“I should hope that by now, you know you can be honest with me. That’s quite literally what I’m here for. Whatever’s on your chest, you can say and it’d be completely safe. Let your conscience be your guide and all that.”

“God, I hate you,” Alex says, but there’s no bite to his words, especially as he smiles softly and rests his head against Henry’s shoulder.

“Thanks for being so cool about this. Part of me is still not entirely convinced I won’t be struck dead from embarrassment later but, if I had to get news like this from anyone…I sure as shit am glad it was you.”

“You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about. This just explains a lot. I’m sure you’ll only get better from here on out, now that you know.”

Alex sits up and snorts a laugh.

“And how many guys will I have to fuck until I get it just right?”

“Is that a riddle? A rhetorical question? Some kind of demented R-rated Goldilocks reference?”

“I’m genuinely asking here,” Alex says sincerely, enough to get Henry to quiet down. “What if I never figure it out and I’m just this trash partner for dudes going forward? How many is standard for it to, you know, click?”

Henry smiles sympathetically. “I can’t answer that for you.” Alex frowns, but Henry continues. “It could be ten or it could be as little as one. It’s different for everybody. You just need to get more comfortable with it.”

Alex’s brows furrow, his lips pinching slightly before he looks away. It’s almost an identical look to his expression that night when he was taking his time in touching Henry for the first time.

“What are you thinking?” Henry asks now, unlike that night. They’re well past that stage of being tentative.

Alex opens and closes his mouth before shaking his head.

“Nothing. It’s nothing,” he says, getting up from the bed and running a hand through his curls.

Henry rises to his feet too as Alex turns back to him and speaks suddenly.

“I’m hungry. You hungry? What do we think the room service situation is like here, hmm? I’m guessing high volumes of quinoa and other rabbit foods. A damn shame. I weep in Texas barbecue. Fuck, what I wouldn’t give for some good barbacoa right now,” he prattles on as he tries to sidestep Henry.

Henry gently catches hold of his arm and stops him in his tracks. Alex sighs defeatedly and looks up at him.

“Maybe we’ll get to a point where I’ll be able to read your mind, but until then, I’d really like to know what you’re thinking,” Henry says. “Please.”

Alex sighs again. “Well, when you ask so nicely.”

Henry lets go of him then and holds his gaze. The stalemate ends as Alex collects his thoughts and courage.

“I was thinking, maybe you’re onto something with that whole ‘one person’ thing. Like…I don’t know, maybe that one person could be you? You could, maybe, teach me. Show me the ropes. Or at the very least, explain how I could be better. You know, give me pointers and stuff…if you’d even go for that.”

Henry’s jaw drops slightly, his blood rushing and pounding in his ears. For all his ribbing and joking before, Henry can tell Alex is completely serious now.

“You know, I can’t read your mind either, right? You’re gonna have to say something. Ideally right this second because if I thought I was out on a limb before, I’m freefalling right now and spiraling is not cool or sexy,” Alex says.

Henry blinks twice, letting Alex’s words fully sink in.

“Wait…you’d want to…with me again?”

Alex rolls his eyes and throws his hands up.

“I feel like you deserve a redo. And besides, do you see any other hot British men around here who know my secret shame?”

Henry startles out a laugh.

“You shouldn’t be ashamed and we British men do not travel in packs.”

“Tell that to the Redcoats. British men traveling in packs,” Alex repeats and shudders. “No good ever came of that. Just open any history book at random.”

“My god, do you ever stop talking?”

“Usually when my mouth is occupied in other ways.”

Henry quirks a brow.

“Down, boy. Get your mind out of the gutter. I was absolutely talking about when I’m drinking coffee or eating food or—“

Henry puts his hands on either side of Alex’s face.

“For the love of God, can you be quiet for two seconds so that I may think?”

Alex mirrors his raised brow.

“Holy shit, you’re actually gonna consider this?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t?” Henry shakes his head and lowers his hands. “I mean, yes, there are a hundred and one reasons why we shouldn’t. Chief among them being that we’re here for business not pleasure.”

“But seeing as though we kinda shot that to hell without meaning to…,” Alex supplies. “I freaking love loopholes. I really do.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

Henry looks up at the ceiling briefly before shaking his head.

“If we do this, we’re going to have to be very, very careful. I don’t want to jeopardize our working relationship. This book has to always come first.”

“Of course.”

Henry sits once more on the bed, Alex stepping close to him with his arms crossed against his chest.

“If this were to happen, we’d need to establish some ground rules. No staying overnight in each other’s rooms. If, for any reason, one of us wants to call it off—,”

“No questions asked. No awkwardness,” Alex says. “Simply not wanting to anymore would be reason enough.”

Henry nods. “Yeah, exactly.” He purses his lips. “And it won’t be a daily thing either.”

Alex scoffs and puts his hands on his hips.

“Jesus, do you think I’m insatiable? You’re hot, but I promise you, I can in fact exercise some self-control.”

“In the short time that I’ve known you, I must admit that’s coming as quite a revelation, but I suppose I’ll have to take your word for it.”

Alex rolls his eyes and smiles softly, his face a bit thoughtful. Henry can’t look away as Alex speaks, especially as he takes note of Alex’s change in tone, the way he grows more serious and contemplative.

“I’m gonna make it up to you. That night.”

“You don’t owe me anything. Besides, this isn’t even about me. I’ll just be here to help you figure out what your future partners might like.”

“And the best way for me to start with that is by learning what you like. When the time comes, yeah, I’ll figure out how to make another guy come undone. But in the meantime? These next few weeks? It’s just me and you. I want to make you feel all the things you should have when we were together. Every sigh, every moan, every desperate breath. I’ll earn it for real this time.”

Henry’s throat feels a bit dry at the thought, at the determination in Alex’s eyes. 

“Is that a promise then? A challenge perhaps?” he manages to say, trying to keep his composure even as he feels himself getting aroused.

Alex doesn’t miss a beat as he says, “Sweetheart, that’s a goddamn guarantee.”

~*~*~

Phoenix, AZ Canyon Con

One of the best parts about agreeing to be the ghostwriter for this project is undoubtedly the ability for Henry to visit cities he’s never been to. 

The flight to Arizona with Alex was enjoyable and this time around, they’re set up in an AirBnB for an entire week.

They’ve settled into their temporary new digs pretty nicely and Henry is looking forward to making further progress with Alex and this book. 

Neither of them has actually brought up the other day and the deal they’ve struck with each other. Henry hasn’t been sure how to breach the topic, but now that they’re set to stay inside this rental for the week, it feels like it’ll take true Herculean effort to ignore the elephant in the room for much longer.

He reasons that since it was Alex’s idea, he’ll leave it to him to mention when he’s ready. For now, they have been able to tiptoe around it, making conversation about virtually anything else.

Henry takes up residence on the couch with his laptop, headphones on as he queues up Crescent Valley. He’s begun watching the series as part of his research. He’s halfway through season one and he still can’t tell if he likes the show or not. Despite that indecision, he can sincerely say Alex is a pretty great actor.

The show itself is campy at best, but there’s something very earnest in Alex’s portrayal of a newly turned vampire attempting to find balance in the two worlds he’s a part of.

Episode nine begins and for better or worse, Henry finds himself getting sucked into it. He rues the day already when he’ll have to confess to Pez that he should have watched along with him back when they were roommates in university. He’ll never hear the end of it. He’d better start preparing now for the resounding chorus of “I told you so”.

Henry’s so wrapped up in the show that he jumps a little when he sees a figure in the doorway of the living room. Alex is now both on his screen and here in the flesh.

Henry awkwardly makes to get up, hitting pause and taking off his headphones.

“Did you want to watch television in here? I can go.”

Alex’s brows furrow a little.

“Oh, no. I just wanted to hang with you. I know we haven’t really had much time to sit down about the memoir yet, so maybe we could now? But if you’re busy though, we can do it later.”

Henry shakes his head and closes out of Crescent Valley. He switches over to the Google Doc he created, storing away all the notes he’s been taking from various interviews he’s watched and read of Alex.

“Now would be great. It’s been nice seeing you out there with fans, but what I’m still trying to understand is the reason why you want a book at this time. What’s the angle or message you want readers to connect with?”

Alex takes a seat on the single seater across from Henry. 

“I want to talk about my sexuality, my ADHD, being a tragic child of divorce, the highs and lows of being in this career. But, mostly the first part.” 

Alex takes a deep breath and lets it out.

“I want to come out and maybe in doing so, it’ll help someone else to make sense of the things they might’ve been feeling for years, but never knew how to dissect or put a name to.”

Henry thinks back to their initial business meeting. Alex had made it clear that despite their past, Henry still remained his top pick to ghostwrite. Alex had also said there were different reasons why he hid the truth of who he was. Now it all slid into place since Alex’s admission the other day.

“Alex, that’s incredible. This is huge.”

Alex smiles nervously. 

“I can’t believe I’m doing it, but I feel good about my decision. My friends and family know. I feel good about myself, even though I’m still figuring this out.”

“You’re taking a big step and on the world stage no less. That’s pretty remarkable. I’m proud of you. I’d be honored to help tell your story.”

He takes his phone out of his pocket.

“Do you mind if I record? It helps me to get details correct and it’s also useful in getting your cadence right when it comes time to start writing.”

“Not at all. Go for it,” Alex says.

Henry nods and opens his voice memo, hitting record. He asks questions about Alex’s upbringing, the sort of little things a quick Wiki search can’t tell a person. 

True to the terms of the contract and Zahra’s assurance, Alex makes himself, for a lack of a better term, an open book. He gets candid about how his parents’ divorce coupled with his relative celeb status has made it difficult for him to put much stock into the concept of dating, especially with people outside the industry.

This fact in particular strikes Henry though he decides not to examine that too closely.

After about an hour and half, Henry decides they’ve covered enough ground to get him started.

“This was great. Thank you,” he says, looking over the new notes he’s taken and saving the recording.

“Yeah, of course.” Alex still looks contemplative and for a moment, Henry merely chalks it up as a side effect of their in-depth conversation until he stands and Alex speaks up.

“Um, could we talk about the other thing too?”

Henry doesn’t need clarification. He tucks his laptop under his arm and sits back down.

“Of course we can.”

Alex lets out a relieved breath.

“I couldn’t sleep last night and I kept thinking about the problem areas you mentioned. One thing you’ll learn about me is that I like making lists and stuff to keep me on track. There’s a neurosy or two in there, but let’s not look at it too hard right now. We can get into that later for the book,” Alex says.

“Point is, I ended up making a sort of…outline for us and these sessions so they have some structure to them. You can talk things out first and then maybe we could have a practical portion. I can link you to the live doc.”

Henry blinks a few times.

“That’s comprehensive. You've made a sex syllabus.”

Alex’s cheeks flush slightly.

“It’s too much, isn’t it?”

“Alex, I’m British. I thrive off structure and formality. I’d quite like to see this outline so yes, please, link me.”

He stands up again.

“Maybe you could come by my room in about an hour?” Henry suggests. “The deal was that the book comes first. I’d say we made sufficient progress today in that area,” Henry says, tapping his laptop.

Alex blinks twice. “Sounds good.” 

His tone is almost detached and before Henry can ask if he’s alright, Alex is already on his feet with his phone in hand.

Henry retreats to his room and sets his computer down on the nightstand. He hears the chime of his inbox and he opens it to find an email from Alex, subject line “aforementioned sex syllabus 🍆💦”.

Henry laughs and opens it.

The first lesson, Back to Basics, has subsections for kissing and touching.

Henry closes out of the doc as his eyes look at later topics like fingering and oral. He begins to pace, his neck feeling hot at the road ahead. 

In all fairness, at least, this first lesson won’t be difficult at all. Kissing is as harmless as it comes and Henry can attest to the fact that this wasn’t actually an area in which Alex needed improvement.

All the same, Henry knows there’s merit in easing them into this new working relationship instead of jumping into the deep end on day one.

An hour goes by much faster than Henry could have anticipated and suddenly Alex is knocking at his door.

Henry squares his shoulders and crosses the room to let him in. He takes some reassurance in the fact that Alex looks as uncertain as he feels.

“Hey,” Alex says as he comes in, taking a look around himself before landing back on Henry. Even though these sessions were Alex’s idea, Henry gets the feeling he’ll have to be the one to get the ball rolling tonight.

“I will preface this lesson by saying you don’t need any pointers in this department.”

Alex smiles to himself and Henry has to admit, it’s kind of adorable seeing that reaction.

“Regardless, I think your guideline was pretty smart in starting out slowly with these sessions. We can build up from there.”

Alex nods. “Cool, I’m glad you agree.”

Henry stuffs his hands in his pockets. “And you’re sure you want to do this, right? I won’t be offended or anything if you’ve had a change of heart in the past hour.”

Alex shakes his head. “No, I’m still in. I guess I’m just nervous about screwing things up a second time. I don’t know if I could readily bounce back from that level of humiliation.”

Henry steps closer to him, removing his hands from his pockets and instead encircling Alex’s waist.

Alex’s eyes widen but he doesn’t shrink away or look uncomfortable. If anything, he looks curious. Expectant even.

“I think the best way for us to get past the awkwardness might be to simply embrace it,” Henry says.

Alex peers up at him, his eyes drifting to Henry’s lips and back just as he’d done that night right before they kissed for the first time.

This time around, it’s Alex who makes the first move and tugs Henry closer. Henry can’t hide the way this affects him. His breath catches as Alex leans in and presses his lips to Henry’s.

It’s reflexive to kiss him back at once. Alex had left his brain in an absolute fog that night in New York as they kissed on the street and weeks later, Alex hasn’t lost his spark.

This kiss doesn’t mean anything. It won’t lead to anything and Henry thinks that’s what allows him to rid himself of any self-consciousness or second thoughts.

Alex’s kiss grows hungry and quickens and for the sake of Henry’s quickly beating heart, he needs them to take it down one notch or two.

“A bit slower,” Henry says softly against his lips. “I don’t want to rush this.”

Alex smiles and does as he’s instructed. He kisses Henry agonizingly slowly, perhaps out of spite, but Henry relishes in it. Alex’s tongue skims along the seam of his lips and Henry opens his mouth to him at once, gripping Alex’s hips as their tongues meet.

He breathes in deeply, his mind growing hazy in that way that Alex is too good at initiating. Henry feels like absolute putty in Alex’s hands, entirely malleable. 

Alex must know it too as he takes control and walks Henry back to the nearest wall. Henry instinctively drapes his arms over the man’s shoulders, lightly threading his fingers through Alex’s hair.

Alex lowers his hand between the two of them and lightly cups Henry. Henry sucks in a surprised breath at the touch.

“Next time,” Alex says quietly, tauntingly.

Henry whimpers in protest.

“Unless,” Alex tacks on in question.

Henry pulls his face back a little and licks his lips.

“Touch was on the agenda, right? We can do a teaser.” Henry sighs. “Rather, selfishly, I really want you to keep touching me. That felt nice,” he admits.

Alex laughs softly but places his hand back over Henry. His cock twitches immediately at the attention. He clenches his jaw as Alex strokes him lightly over his clothes. Henry’s eyes shut, his head resting back against the wall.

His arousal grows with each stroke, his whole body feeling liable to melt. If Alex had touched him like this their first night, it most definitely would have set a different tone for the evening.

He rocks forward as he resumes their kiss. Alex tentatively squeezes his cock. Henry moans against his lips, heart pounding. Alex squeezes him again before continuing to stroke him. Henry can feel himself leaking.

Alex’s hand creeps up, gripping the waistband of his jeans. Henry desperately wants to feel Alex’s skin on his in earnest, but he reminds himself that this is merely their first day. He can’t lose himself like this, no matter how good it feels.

He touches Alex’s wrist lightly and opens his eyes. Alex stills at once and lets go.

“I think that’s good for day one,” Henry whispers.

Alex nods. “Yeah, that was, uh,” he clears his throat and returns his arm to his side as he steps back, “that was enough.”

And yet still, Henry wants more. He wonders if it would be wiser or more efficient for them to blow through the lessons in one go. Maybe that way they could in fact spend the rest of their time together doing what they’ve signed contracts for and are actually getting paid to do.

But the knowledge that he can get access to Alex like this for several more weeks makes him throw away all sense and logic. He wants an excuse to keep these clandestine meetings going.

“I’m gonna grab a shower,” Alex says unhelpfully. All his words do is put images in Henry’s mind that shouldn’t be there.

Henry nods stiffly. 

“I’ll get started on dinner for us in the meantime,” Henry says. Maybe getting lost in the rhythm of cooking will make it easier for him to calm down.

“I’ll see you in a bit then,” Alex replies.

Henry sees him out and waits until he hears Alex’s footfalls down the hall before locking his door and undoing his pants to finish the job Alex started.

[ecargmura]

Pokemon Horizons Episode 1 Review: The Era of Liko

Here it is! The third and final anime I’ll be reviewing episodically for this season! It’s the start of the Pokemon anime’s new era! How is it? I really liked it! The anime gives off a modern feel compared to Ash’s first episode, but it also has that Pokemon charm to it! For this review, I might just be pointing out the things I liked and disliked in this episode. Hopefully, the reviews will become more solid as more episodes air.

We are introduced to the first of the dual protagonists, Liko. Liko is much different from Ash in that she’s timid and reserved. She has a hard time expressing herself. She is from the Paldea region but moved to the Kanto region to study at Indigo Academy after hearing about it from her parents as it was their alma mater. I can sense that she will have a backstory similar to Penny’s in that she had a hard time fitting in and decided to go to another region to sort herself out.

I really like Liko a lot. I can relate to her as I am also reserved and an over thinker. What I like about Liko is that her thoughts are heard, compared to Ash who does not have his thoughts voiced out. I think it gives a different approach to a Pokemon protagonist and it also helps viewers understand what sort of person Liko will be. She’s also someone who relies on her Rotom phone. She uses it as a diary and as a way to take notes and such to analyze and observe as she did with Sprigatito’s napping spots.

Liko’s most notable aspect is having a mysterious pendant. Her grandmother gave it to her as a good luck charm and it’s sought out by the mysterious Amethio. I can’t wait to find out what that pendant is. I also really liked how Liko knew something was suspicious and decided to escape. It makes you wonder how Amethio knew about Liko having the pendant and how he knew about it being from her grandmother.

Liko’s partner Pokemon is Sprigatito. I find it interesting that the choices for starter Pokemon is randomized and it is not region-locked. Liko’s roommate Anne got an Oshawott because of the random picks! While Liko adores her Sprigatito from the start, it took a while to warm up to her. I do like how the bond between Liko and Sprigatito change slowly as time passes. Time passes in this episode because Liko’s school goes on a long holiday, implying that months had passed since her first day. While Ash’s Pikachu was flat out disobedient in the beginning, Sprigatito prefers sunbathing and relaxing over battles. My only gripe with Sprigatito is that it wasn’t as focused as much as Liko was. Hopefully that changes in the second episode. This is just the start of something amazing, after all.

The side characters are interesting. Anne is a cutie and I hope she’ll get some focus in future episodes. I love that she doesn’t think Liko is weird and just does her best to get along with her. She’s pretty much Liko’s only friend as of now.

Amethio is pretty manipulative. He got information about Liko’s family background and uses it to deceive her into giving her pendant, but Liko’s too smart to fall for it. I like how politely sinister he is. It shows how far he is willing to go to get something he wants but he still tries to be respectful. I can see Amethio as an interesting villain later on. His crew doesn’t have much focus in this episode, but they seem interesting with their designs.

Friede wasn’t shown as much as his crew, but the fact that they’re also looking for Liko is strange. I don’t think they’re looking for the pendant? Why are they looking for her exactly? I hope it gets answered.

The fictional Poketuber Nidothing is also interesting. Why is she wearing a Nidorina costume? Why does she have a Quaxly? I do wonder what she looks like underneath. However, I do like how Liko refers to her videos for advice on battling and other necessary advice.

The voice acting is superb. Voice actors from the previous anime make a return in this brand new series. For example, Goh’s VA Daiki Yamashita is now the Rotom Phone. Megumi Hayashibara who voice Jessie and various Pokemon returns to voice Sprigatito; fun fact: she voiced Litten in the SM anime, so I guess the staff wanted her to make cat noises again. Daisuke Namikawa returns as Quaxly (He was also the background character with the Eevee). Kei Shindou returns as Mollie; she voiced Lillie, Goh’s Raichu and Ash’s Riolu. Murdock's VA is Kenta Miyake, aka Giovanni. Yuka Terasaki returns as Roy, but he’s not in this episode. I think it’s cool how while it’s a new era of the anime, familiar names return to bring a new experience. I do think Minori Suzuki’s performance as Liko is really good. She is able to portray Liko’s shyness very well. I can’t wait to hear more from her. I think Shun Horie is also a standout as the voice he uses for Amethio isn’t what I’m normally used to from him. Taku Yashiro as Friede is good too! I just need to see more from the side characters in future episodes. Overall, all the voice acting is good.

The music was amazing to listen to. It brings about a different feel from the previous anime. I like all the soundtracks equally so far.

The animation was amazing. The way everything moved was fluid. I think my favorite animation portion was when Ceruledge appeared for the first time. It gives off the menacing, sinister feel as it opens its eyes and stands up. That’s how you make an entrance.

So far, I really like what I’m seeing so far. I have no particular dislikes. I just hope the anime keeps up the amazing quality. It has potential to be amazing. I can’t wait to see what this new era brings for the future of the franchise. 

[mariacallous]

If you were asked to guess which prestigious film-making duo had spent their career scratching around desperately for cash, trying to wriggle out of paying their cast and crew, ping-ponging between lovers, and having such blood-curdling bust-ups that their neighbours called the police, it might be some time before “Merchant Ivory” sprang to mind. But a new warts-and-all documentary about the Indian producer Ismail Merchant and the US director James Ivory makes it clear that the simmering passions in their films, such as the EM Forster trilogy of A Room With a View, Maurice and Howards End, were nothing compared to the scalding, volatile ones behind the camera.

From their initial meeting in New York in 1961 to Merchant’s death during surgery in 2005, the pair were as inseparable as their brand name, with its absence of any hyphen or ampersand, might suggest. Their output was always more eclectic than they got credit for. They began with a clutch of insightful Indian-set dramas including Shakespeare-Wallah, their 1965 study of a troupe of travelling actors, featuring a young, pixieish Felicity Kendal. From there, they moved on to Savages, a satire on civilisation and primitivism, and The Wild Party, a skewering of 1920s Hollywood excess that pipped Damien Chazelle’s Babylon to the post by nearly half a century.

It was in the 1980s and early 1990s, though, that Merchant Ivory became box-office titans, cornering the market in plush dramas about repressed Brits in period dress. Those literary adaptations launched the careers of Hugh Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Rupert Graves and Julian Sands, and helped make stars of Emma Thompson and Daniel Day-Lewis. Most were scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who had been with them, on and off, since their 1963 debut The Householder; she even lived in the same apartment building in midtown New York. Many were scored by Richard Robbins, who was romantically involved with Merchant while also holding a candle for Bonham Carter. These films restored the costume drama to the position it had occupied during David Lean’s heyday. The roaring trade in Jane Austen adaptations might never have happened without them. You could even blame Merchant Ivory for Bridgerton.

Though the pictures were uniformly pretty, making them was often ugly. Money was always scarce. Asked where he would find the cash for the next movie, Merchant replied: “Wherever it is now.” After Jenny Beavan and John Bright won an Academy Award for the costumes in A Room With a View, he said:“I got you your Oscar. Why do I need to pay you?” As Ivory was painstakingly composing each shot, Merchant’s familiar, booming battle cry would ring out: “Shoot, Jim, shoot!”

Heat and Dust, starring Julie Christie, was especially fraught. Only 30 or 40% of the budget was in place by the time the cameras started rolling in India in 1982; Merchant would rise at dawn to steal the telegrams from the actors’ hotels so they didn’t know their agents were urging them to down tools. Interviewees in the documentary concede that the producer was a “conman” with a “bazaar mentality”. But he was also an incorrigible charmer who dispensed flattery by the bucketload, threw lavish picnics, and wangled entrées to magnificent temples and palaces. “You never went to bed without dreaming of ways to kill him,” says one friend, the journalist Anna Kythreotis. “But you couldn’t not love him.”

Stephen Soucy, who directed the documentary, doesn’t soft-pedal how wretched those sets could be. “Every film was a struggle,” he tells me. “People were not having a good time. Thompson had a huge fight with Ismail on Howards End because she’d been working for 13 days in a row, and he tried to cancel her weekend off. Gwyneth Paltrow hated every minute of making Jefferson in Paris. Hated it! Laura Linney was miserable on The City of Your Final Destination because the whole thing was a shitshow. But you watch the films and you see no sense of that.”

Soucy’s movie features archive TV clips of the duo bickering even in the midst of promoting a film. “Oh, they were authentic all right,” he says. “They clashed a lot.”The authenticity extended to their sexuality. The subject was not discussed publicly until after Ivory won an Oscar for writing Call Me By Your Name: “You have to remember that Ismail was an Indian citizen living in Bombay, with a deeply conservative Muslim family,” Ivory told me in 2018. But the pair were open to those who knew them. “I never had a sense of guilt,” Ivory says, pointing out that the crew on The Householder referred to him and Merchant as “Jack and Jill”.

Soucy had already begun filming his documentary when Ivory published a frank, fragmentary memoir, Solid Ivory, which dwells in phallocentric detail on his lovers before and during his relationship with Merchant, including the novelist Bruce Chatwin. It was that book which emboldened Soucy to ask questions on screen – including about “the crazy, complicated triangle of Jim, Ismail and Dick [Robbins]” – that he might not otherwise have broached.

The documentary is most valuable, though, in making a case for Ivory as an underrated advocate for gay representation. The Remains of the Day, adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s Booker-winning novel about a repressed butler, may be the duo’s masterpiece, but it was their gay love story Maurice that was their riskiest undertaking. Set in the early 20th century, its release in 1987 could scarcely have been timelier: it was the height of the Aids crisis, and only a few months before the Conservative government’s homophobic Section 28 became law.

“Ismail wasn’t as driven as Jim to make Maurice,” explains Soucy. “And Ruth was too busy to write it. But Jim’s dogged determination won the day. They’d had this global blockbuster with A Room With a View, and he knew it could be now or never. People would pull aside Paul Bradley, the associate producer, and say: ‘Why are they doing Maurice when they could be making anything?’ I give Jim so much credit for having the vision and tenacity to make sure the film got made.”

Merchant Ivory don’t usually figure in surveys of queer cinema, though they are part of its ecosystem, and not only because of Maurice. Ron Peck, who made the gay classic Nighthawks, was a crew member on The Bostonians. Andrew Haigh, director of All of Us Strangers, landed his first industry job as a poorly paid assistant in Merchant’s Soho office in the late 1990s; in Haigh’s 2011 breakthrough film Weekend, one character admits to freeze-framing the naked swimming scene in A Room With a View to enjoy “Rupert Graves’s juddering cock”. Merchant even offered a role in Savages to Holly Woodlawn, the transgender star of Andy Warhol’s Trash, only for her to decline because the fee was so low.

The position of Merchant Ivory at the pinnacle of British cinema couldn’t last for ever. Following the success of The Remains of the Day, which was nominated for eight Oscars, the brand faltered and fizzled. Their films had already been dismissed by the director Alan Parker as representing “the Laura Ashley school” of cinema. Gary Sinyor spoofed their oeuvre in the splendid pastiche Stiff Upper Lips (originally titled Period!), while Eric Idle was plotting his own send-up called The Remains of the Piano. The culture had moved on.

There was still an appetite for upper-middle-class British repression, but only if it was funny: Richard Curtis drew on some of Merchant Ivory’s repertory company of actors (Grant, Thompson, Simon Callow) for a run of hits beginning with Four Weddings and a Funeral, which took the poshos out of period dress and plonked them into romcoms.

The team itself was splintering. Merchant had begun directing his own projects. When he and Ivory did collaborate, the results were often unwieldy, lacking the stabilising literary foundation of their best work. “Films like Jefferson in Paris and Surviving Picasso didn’t come from these character-driven novels like Forster, James or Ishiguro,” notes Soucy. “Jefferson and Picasso were not figures that audiences warmed to.” Four years after Merchant’s death, Ivory’s solo project The City of Your Final Destination became mired in lawsuits, including one from Anthony Hopkins for unpaid earnings.

Soucy’s film, though, is a reminder of their glory days. It may also stoke interest in the movies among young queer audiences whose only connection to Ivory, now 95, is through Call Me By Your Name. “People walk up to Jim in the street to shake his hand and thank him for Maurice,” says Soucy. “But I also wanted to include the more dysfunctional side of how they were made. Hopefully it will be inspiring to young film-makers to see that great work can come out of chaos.”

[as-i-watch]

Episode 6 Veredict:

3/5 Straw Hats 👒👒👒

The Good:

Zeff and Sanji. Just individually but also together. I knew the actors had a mentor/padawan relationship (mentee i think it is the right word) but holy shit it translated so well to the screen

Craig Fairbrass stole the show for me with his Zeff, for real. I want to rewatch and study every scene

I liked the delt with Zoro's injury. In anime/manga (except for very serious cases *ahem*) usually they dont deal with it at all. They give Zoro or whoever some bandages and good to go. I liked they presented them with this challenge. Specially the crew not knowing if Zoro was gonna make it or not. We all always trust they are gonna be ok no matter what. It was interesting and presented new dynamics

This an amend, last veredict i complaint about Nami not leaving. I like she did and it made sense for her to leave bc she was pushed to it and wanted to save her friends

I also liked that Zoro and Sanji had like no interactions prior to Sanji joining. I'll wait to see how that developes but it present an interesting atarting point for their dynamic.

Fuck Yeah Buggy

Ehh could've been better

The overall ep felt a bit flat. Nothing really happened...

They saved it with the acting but the last goodbye with Sanji and Zeff could've been very flat. I found it not very memorable (again the acting was great and saved it for me). But its honestly one of my fav moments of the whole anime so im not unbiased

I really dont really quite like Arlong. Sorry. And its not like 'love to hate' i just dont like where they went with it. The fishman costume is ok (it was a hella tricky concept tho) but i found him more annoying than anything. But im open to change my mind next ep

[astrronomemes]

A CINDERELLA STORY: STARTERS

a collection of quotes, phrases, and sayings from the 2004 film, A Cinderella Story. change & alter as needed.

"Do fairy tales come true, [name]?"

"Where do princesses go to college?"

"You know, fairy tales aren't just about finding handsome princes. They're about fulfilling your dreams, and about standing up for what you believe in."

"Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game."

"You know, it costs them a fortune to fly this stuff all the way from Norwegia."

"What are you doing just standing there? Get to work."

"People go to school to get smarter, so that they can get a job. You already have a job. So it's like skipping a step."

"Droughts are for poor people!"

"[Name], I am a method actor, okay? This is part of my training."

"I've talked to her, okay? In my mind. And let me tell you, in my mind, she wants me so bad."

"And you thought they didn't know you exist."

"Sometimes fantasy is better than reality, [name]."

"I can be surrounded by a sea of people, and still feel all alone."

"It's two AM. We've been at this for five hours."

"What's with all those college brochures in your bedroom?"

"What are you, the Dirt Police? Like, 'excuse me, miss, do you know how fast your dirt was going'?"

"Sweetheart, now that you're old enough, there's something I've always wanted to tell you, and I think you're finally ready to hear it."

"Keep it up, [name], and I'm gonna find a place to put my six-dollar pedicure."

"[Name], if I wanted to look like a clown, I'd join the circus."

"I am a very appealing person!"

"Fortunately for you, I'm going to overlook this mental breakdown of yours."

"If a man is taking his time to write down his feelings for you, it's a love note."

"She's gonna have to go through me to hurt you."

"You're always studying, always working... Take some time for yourself!"

"I was saving this dress for my next attempt down the aisle. ...Long story."

"I cannot believe I put you in charge of costumes."

"Any guy would have to be completely insane not to like you, all right?"

"I knew this was too good to be true."

"I guess my costume doesn't do a very good job at hiding who I am."

"I live in a world full of people pretending to be something they're not. But when I talk to you... I'm the guy I want to be. Give me a chance to be that guy."

"If I ask you to dance, does that count as a question?"

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"And do you, [full name], ever want to see me again after tonight?"

"I was right in the middle of a power jam! You totally harshed my mellow!"

"I'll be doing him a favor if I just disappear."

"I can't show emotion for another hour and a half."

"I know you want to take care of this car, but can you step on it?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm already going thirty-eight in a thirty-five-mile zone, [name]!"

"What am I supposed to do with a dead fish?!"

"Isn't it better to cling to what might have been instead of ruining everything with reality?"

"Let's go back to our usual lives, where we only mingle when I copy off you in Algebra II, okay?"

"Look, you're beautiful, okay? But I'm not your prince. You'll meet him someday, but it's not me."

"Look what you did! See?! You always ruin everything!"

"Do you ever feel like if you show someone who you really are, they won't accept you?"

"I want you to know who I am. But I'm scared. I'm scared that you'll reject me."

"I can't believe I actually thought I had a chance."

"We have faith in you. And you've got to have faith in yourself."

"I had no idea you were that tough."

"I never pretended to be somebody else. It's been me all along."

"I know what it feels like to be afraid to show who you are. I was. But I'm not anymore."

"[Name] told me where you might be. I thought you could use a friend."

"[Name], I thought that I could handle this, but I really can't. I'm gonna go."

"You've got to love high school."

"Anything is possible if you just believe."

"Hey, I'm only a freshman!"

[mysticarts]

Hi @mysticarts! :D my brain just threw a random idea in the middle of 3 pm- (A headcannon tho.)

Idea abt my lmk oc: What if Ren planned to go to the school were Ling is studying at to cause some havoc, but instead unintentionally became a student because of this. (Note: I will sometimes switch Ren pronouns to she/They. Sorry if this gets confusing.)

It started where a mundane day Ren was left being alone in the headquarters .(yes they three built a headquarters in my hcs.)

As the gold and sliver demon brothers left with the plan there doing (Obviously failing and blasting off again like team rocket lol.) So she heads outside get some fresh air, suddenly they see a poster nearby the street light a poster that saids about certainly theater event coming soon.

Here's the thing, Ren in fact LOVES theatre/opera stuffs so immensely she would do anything just to get on a spotlight to shine, and causing mayhem to lietrally everyone after finishing so. Alas the problem is there unable going to school let alone having money to pay off for it. Nevertheless Ren had a plan:

• one is where she'll snatch enough money.

•two go somewhere to create a fake birth certificate, come up with a fake name.

•Three find a perfect disguise (that is flamboyant) to blend in with the other students.

•Four lastly is to make sure research the schools background, then find where the there room is.

Xing (Ren's now fake name) carried the plan so on and forth, now disguising as a normal human being. (Meaning she doesn't has the mask thingy in her face now.) Just imagine she's wearing one of those androgynous outfits or straight up gender envy/non binary ones- (or like the theater kid style.)

Entering the school is a piece of cake, she managed to trick the guard giving their ID stating their a skilled student from a foreign country. The guard let her in, that fool. She was about to find the classroom only to get sidetracked by hearing some music in the halls, their like "Screw this, it'll be fast, Imma go in there! >:)" Goes to the theater room.

Appears in the backstage seeing bunch of students wearing costumes, some practice their lines, some are applying makeup to their face. She guess it's a rehearsal, now deciding she'll act 'nice' asked the nervous student #1 to take her role which succeeded. As the stage is about start so Xing being the skillful actor they are, prepare on memorizing every lines and moves then heads outside of the stage to perform, boy did it shook the entire students and staff. Including the school president, Ling.

I imagine Ling is either here or just came here to watch the rehearsal. I think she would be most shocked at the same time curious on who's this skilled 'newcomer' is.

The stage eneded everyone unexpectedly applause Xing which suprises her sligthy for the first time as no ever compliment nor applause for her compassion of acting other than Yin and Jin, they bowed down thanking the audience then heads out to figure this akward emotion she felt. Unknowing Ling was about to go towards to the disguised newcomer only to be blocked by students crowding.

Bonus: Alt ending where Xing/Ren becomes a member of a drama club and started to attend school like a normal person, with being weird of course..

Feel free to comment a feedback what your thoughts about this! I hope you had a good day/Night! ^^

CDSHAECHWF I LOVE THISS!-

Ling would definitely be suprised watching Xing (Ren) do amazing acting performance. Mostly because Ling loves watching theater, but not doing it.

But here's the thing....Ling can sense power levels like her mom. So Ling has a small suspicion on Ren. But then again, other demons in disguise were going there, so Ling decided not to think much about it.

Ling would watch Xing from afar after that, seeing if she did anything suspicious. Just in case, she wants people in the school to be safe, after all.

Xing would probably already know Ling after they made some friends and overhears them talking about how 'bossy' Ling was. So Xing may or may not have a good impression of Ling

However, I am confused about Ren's age. I mean Ling is a next gen oc, so I'm guessing during the main series, Ren is still a kid, watching others and then when the next generation rolls around, Ren's a teenager-

Anyways, tysm for sharing this to mee!-