#and the director forgot to tell them in what direction to look

[werepuppy-steve]

i keep thinking about that one bachelor au post so here's my take on it (i've never watched the bachelor or bachelorette so bear with me)

the bachelor au where steve's the bachelor and eddie is a contestant, but not because he actually wants to be, he's just in it for the paycheck. robin is also a contestant but only because her parents sent in her application without her knowing and she isn't out to them yet.

they both think that steve is overrated and definitely over hyped. typical rich kid with enough money to buy people's love, yada yada.

until they both start going on dates with him and then realize that it isn't exactly true. yes, he's rich, but he's also kind and funny and actually genuine once you get past the mask he puts on for everybody. eventually, eddie and robin find themselves looking forward to their dates.

only robin doesn't want to date him. he's slowly moving his way up the ranks to becoming her best friend, sure, but this is still tv. she's still expected to kiss him and confess her feelings for him. and when the time comes for her to do that, she can't.

they're in venice. steve is leaning in and robin is very aware of the cameras filming them. the back of her neck goes cold and her stomach churns and suddenly she's running in the opposite direction. her italian is passable so she ends up getting a taxi back to the hotel production put them in.

she locks herself in her en suite and presses her forehead against the cold porcelain. she doesn't know how long she sits there until her phone buzzes and she checks the notification. the nausea rises up her throat again. she forgot she gave steve her number.

there's a knock on her room door and another text.

r u ok? can i come in?

robin debates it but figures she owes him and explanation. she lets him in and they sit on the bathroom floor. robin tells him why she's on the show in the first place, about how she didn't know her parents signed her up until she got the phone call from the casting director. tells him that even if she gets kicked off, she can still use the money for her student loans.

she stares at the water in the toilet bowl when she comes out to him.

steve is quiet, processing, before he laughs. he's not laughing at her, he promises, but "robin. you're on a show with more than a handful of other queers, you know that, right? i'm bisexual."

and yeah, robin knew that, but it's different when you're not into the guy you're supposed to be romancing at all.

steve reassures her that it's okay, and that he still hopes they can be friends and keep in touch after the show ends.

robin would like that.

she apologizes to the production crew the next day and they're understanding and steve and robin get a re-do of their date. it's much more genuine this time, filled with laughs and digs as they eat gelato along the river and people watch and gossip.

it's the best robin's ever been on.

eddie, on the other hand. he's absolutely head over heels for steve, which is surprising even for him. he's trailer park trash, he's got absolutely nothing on steve harrington. not the name, not the money.

hell, the very first day, he insulted the guy's food choices right to his face without knowing it.

eddie wants the earth to give way underneath him and swallow him whole.

he plays it up on their first date, all fake niceties and empty smiles, until steve tells him point blank, "the guy that said the buffet was shit that first night? i want to get to know him."

eddie's flabbergasted.

steve opens up about all the fake people in his life, the ones who just take advantage of them and use him for their own gains. the ones who don't even bother to get to know the real him. the one that likes to play guitar and hang out with the gaggle of teenagers that follow him around all the time for some unknown reason.

he tells eddie about what he wants to do with his life, not what someone else has planned for him and eddie falls deeper and deeper.

this time, when steve leans in for a kiss, eddie doesn't shy away. their lips press together and it's the best goddamn kiss either one of them have ever had.

the show has a deadline, of course, and steve can't just spend all his time with eddie and robin. there are other contestants. robin knows her rose is strictly platonic and steve has already called her multiple times freaking out about his growing crush on eddie. she knows eddie has this in the bag.

the final night comes and the contestants have dwindled. there's only a small group of them left: eddie, robin, and another guy and girl they didn't bother learning the names of.

when steve chooses eddie after a moment of dramatic silence that kind of puts his own dm dramatics to shame, eddie doesn't hesitate to jump in steve's arms, wrap his legs around his waist, and plant a sloppy one on him right in front of the cameras.

[syoddeye]

the meeting

ceo!price x reader / ~3k words

Folks seemed to like the first installment of this maybe-series, so I cooked up a second part in between drafts of the next chapter of For the Record (shameless plug). Not sure if this will be a whole thing or a series of vignettes. Enjoy!

CW: red flags everywhere, power imbalance, alcohol (mentioned)

You lay low after the company Christmas party and losing the drama wager to Jordan. Heads down, nose to the grindstone, and so forth. You never found the courage to respond to Mr. Price's direct message over the holidays. The shock from receiving a response at all kept you up at night. The message was supposed to get lost in his notifications, buried beneath the hundreds of messages he supposedly got a day. And he had not only replied, he insinuated he wanted to grab drinks. You checked it a hundred times.

johnprice - invisible Hi, Mr. Price. I was wondering what you want for Christmas? > World peace. > I'd settle for a drink, though.

You could be reading into it. Flattering yourself. Profile photos were required on the chat app to help put faces to names, so he could have recognized you as the punch girl from the open bar. Most likely, he was making a joke and humoring an underling.

Whatever the reason, his simple reply plagues you well into the new year.

The first quarter is always hectic for The 141 Group. New regulations go into effect, and projects and initiatives kick off, setting the year's foundation. Since your boss Kyle is VP of Finance, it's even busier for him with budget meeting check-ins, payroll reports, and financial policy updates. And if his life is busy, your life is busy because his success is your success.

"Need you to bump everything I have today after three to tomorrow," He murmurs when you collect a stack of documents to copy.

"This is the second time you'll have pushed the meeting with technology directors," You remind him, but make a note anyway. "They'll complain to Mr. MacTavish."

Kyle glances up. "Let them. He's clearing his schedule this afternoon, too."

"Oh?"

"Big man's bringing the C-Suite and a few of us lucky VPs in for a meeting."

A practiced EA, you keep the instant surge of dread from reaching your face. It isn't strange for Kyle, though technically a subordinate to the CFO, to attend such meetings. Mr. Price frequently pulls him into special projects. You simply hoped to avoid the 'big man' for as long as possible. On the bright side, when Kyle never reprimanded you for flippantly messaging the CEO upon return from holiday, you assumed Mr. Price never said anything. Hopefully, he forgot about your message altogether. 

"Need me for notes?" You ask, hovering in the doorway to his office.

"Please. Something tells me it'll be tense." Interesting.

With a nod, you tuck the folder under an arm and pat the doorframe. "Got it. Lunch'll be here soon. I ordered Indian and Thai. Whatever you don't want, I'll eat."

"You're a lifesaver."

"I know."

~~

Conference Room Bravo isn't the biggest meeting space in the building, but everybody knows it's Mr. Price's preference. With an unobstructed view of the water and natural light, you like it, too. Especially since the small group of assistants who attend the more critical meetings sits on a long bench built into an alcove in the wall with a good view of the windows.

You and five other EAs ensure every seat at the main table is set with the appropriate accoutrements. Tea and coffee are on standby. With a three-hour window allocated, everyone will need a spot of caffeine at some point. Fifteen minutes before the scheduled start, you chat and make personal preparations.

"Did MacTavish seem stressed about this?" You ask Jordan as she takes the seat next to you.

She shakes her head. "No. You know him, though. It takes a bit to work him up."

"What about Laswell?" You lean forward and look down the bench at Oliver, the Chief Information Officer's right hand.

The younger man looks up from his laptop. "Same as Mr. MacTavish, kind of. Hard to tell, but she didn't take a smoke break, so…"

"Right."

The conversation drifts to weekend plans until Lucy, the newest EA to Mr. Shepherd, pipes up.

"Isn't it strange Mr. Price doesn't have a permanent assistant?"

It's a fair question for a new person. Since you started at The 141 Group, the desk outside Mr. Price's office has functioned as a revolving door. Guiltily, you stopped trying to learn their names about ten temps in, and since then, it's a coin flip if anyone's there at all. The general rule is if you have something to deliver to Mr. Price, you leave it on the empty desk. 

"Nah, nobody's good enough," Jordan answers. "MacTavish once told me Price is a workaholic with impossibly high standards. Not a good combination for an assistant."

Oliver agrees. "Laswell said as much, too. Apparently, at his place, he has a whole recreation of his office and gets right back to work when he gets home. And, his only staff are the bodyguards."

You would feel sad about that if Mr. Price wasn't a gazillionaire. An older man, hunching over a computer, completely alone in his home…when he could certainly afford staff and delegate.

Still, if he kept himself so busy, it made the fact he responded to your DM quite interesting.

The conversation dies when the attendees trickle in.

Kyle arrives with Mr. MacTavish, the latter of whom flashes a grin at Jordan and you. Close behind is the hulking mountain of a CSO, Mr. Riley, who, as usual, wears a black surgical mask. (The rumors around that accessory are practically 141 Group lore.) Other members of the C-Suite file in and Mr. Price arrives last, followed by his guards who post up at the door. He shuts the door behind him, the click silencing the room.

Your eyes glue themselves to the computer in your lap. Jordan elbows you a little, obviously enjoying the lingering effects of her wager.

As Mr. Price sits down, you finally steal a glance. He's wearing the hell out of a charcoal suit with a blue tie that makes his eyes pop, even across the room. His expression is stern, borderline grim, and thankfully, like everybody else at the main table, doesn't even glance in your direction. He's straight to the point. "Thank you all for making time in your schedules on short notice. Let's get started, shall we?"

~~

An hour and a half in, Price calls for a break. As the most senior EA on the bench, you lovingly pass on refreshment duty to Lucy and Desmond, the most junior. You follow Kyle to the hall.

"Need anything?" You ask when you're a reasonable distance down from the conference room.

"Do you think you can clean up the notes and send them to me by nine tonight?"

Your brows raise. Rarely does the man ask you to work late. He usually doesn't need to, as you pride yourself on efficiency. "Of course. I'll make a physical copy, too. What's your read on it, by the way?"

Kyle gives a tired smile. "You aren't paying attention, are you."

"I take down everything I hear to ensure you have impeccable notes. Listening gets in the way of that," You offer a grin, then glance down at his tie. Crooked. You fix it without thinking and chat more about his schedule tomorrow. A few people pass by in the hallway to use the restroom or stretch their legs, but you don't pay them mind.

"Mr. Garrick?" You both turn to see Jordan's head sticking out of the door. "They're resuming."

Kyle sighs quietly and starts back toward the conference room. You follow.

Settling back into your seat on the bench, you feel eyes on you, but when you look around, there's nothing. Weird.

~~

The meeting concludes on the dot at six. The attendees leave first, as do the rest of the assistants when you volunteer to clean up. Jordan waves goodbye when Mr. MacTavish departs alongside Mr. Riley. You sigh in relief when Price walks out with Shepherd and Laswell, leaving you and Kyle. Your boss swipes through his phone as you collect the trash and dishes, leaving everything for janitorial.

"Do you need a ride?" Kyle asks when you collect your laptop. "I'm heading your way."

"No, I think I'll finish the notes here, wait for rush hour to die down."

Kyle walks out with you and frowns. "If you stay past eight, please text. I'll have a car come back for you."

You suppress the urge to roll your eyes. Kyle is merely protective. "I'll take the train or call a rideshare myself."

He pushes the matter when you return to your corner of the executive floor, but you don't give in. You plan to stop for food on the way home and aren't keen to make his driver wait. When he finally leaves, you find yourself alone on the floor. Most folks leave at five, so everyone else cleared out when the meeting ended at six.

You clean, format, and summarize the meeting notes in an hour and a half. Due to Kyle's earlier comment, you make an effort to read into business. As far as you can tell, it's another big new project with lots of money on the table. The name of a new contractor company for extra hands mildly raises your interest. The usual choice, Chimera Company, must be busy. Other than that, everything's a slog to read. You trust that if something's important and need-to-know, Kyle will explain.

You email Kyle the notes a few minutes shy of eight and send them to the printer. Languidly stretching as you go, you walk to the copy room. At this hour, most overhead lights are on a timer and won't turn back on until morning to conserve energy. So, it's natural your eyes flick to Mr. Price's office at the end of the long hallway. There's a sliver of light beneath the door, beckoning like a golden gate. Turning into the darkened copy room, picturing Mr. Price at his desk distracts enough you don't realize you're not alone until a low, growling curse cuts through the silence.

Hunching over the copier is none other than Mr. Price himself. The low light glints off a silver watch band, encouraging the eye to a pair of thick forearms exposed by rolled shirt sleeves. You get a whole second of the uninterrupted sight before he notices.

A silent alarm goes off, and you're hopeful the lack of light saves you: Please don't recognize me. Please don't recognize me. Please–

Mr. Price does not move, and his focus returns to the copier. "Didn't realize anyone else worked this late."

You're unsure if you're supposed to respond, but you need those notes. "I usually don't. I was finishing up…Is there–Is there something I can help with?"

He answers when you tiptoe closer. "Everything's coming out with streaks," He grumbles, fiddling with random panel doors that open into the machine's guts.

This is not your first battle with the cursed thing. "I can fix that."

"Can you, now." Price mutters, barely audible.

You swallow. You might be several pay levels lower, but you aren't a pushover. "Mr. Price, please let me try." 

Again, he delays, but after an exasperated sigh, he concedes and slams a panel door shut.

After he steps back, you examine the failed jobs resting on the tray, then address the angry, blinking digital display. A few screens and taps later, you trigger the self-cleaning process and the machine whirs to life.

"All fixed?" Price asks, reminding you he's but a few steps behind you.

"We'll see," You move a short distance away, afraid if you stand any closer, it'll be enough for him to remember who you are and your dumb message. "It's self-cleaning. It will take two, three minutes, then produce a test print."

Price hums in acknowledgment, and then the glow of his phone screen illuminates his profile. You glance out of your periphery, almost relieved to see the steely expression on his face. Seems he really is a workaholic, taking advantage of any spare moment.

You lean against the supply cabinets and cross your feet at the ankles. You left your phone at your desk, so you settle for watching the copier hopefully fix itself.

Then, to your utter horror, Price says your name.

You look up without thinking.

"Thought I recognized you." He holds up his phone, and there you are, your profile picture in the workplace chat app.

You are going to murder Jordan. But first, you need to apologize.

"Mr. Price, I am so–"

Price cuts you off. "You're Kyle Garrick's assistant, yeah?"

Relief washes over you. Your message is forgotten. Definitely. All you are is an assistant. "Yes, sir."

With a hum, he pockets his phone, then steps forward to better see you. A hand plants itself on the counter, mere centimeters away. "You were at the meeting earlier." 

"Yes, sir."

"Would explain the swift fix," He muses, and his gaze drags down you in a more than perfunctory look before meeting yours once more. "Normally, I'd use the copier in my office, but it's due for maintenance. Seems this one is, too." 

He has his own copier? It would explain why I've never seen him in here, making his own copies since he apparently hates help.

"Guess so," You lick your lower lip, stomach flipping with nerves with how close Price stands. Between the proximity and the near darkness, it's all you can do to keep your imagination in check.

A cheerful beeping from the copier saves you. Price lingers a moment more, then returns to the printing tray as the machine spits out a test page. 

Price chuckles, which you take to mean the issue is fixed. He restarts the delayed jobs. "Well done, love."

"It's nothing," You say quietly, rooted to where you lean. 

A minute passes, and Price collects the first completed stack of papers. His brow furrows. "Think these are yours."

You finally push off the cabinets and venture closer, reaching for the notes. Only, he does not hand them over.

"Forgot Gaz prefers hard copies," Price murmurs. 

Gaz? 

"This is the kind of work I wish I had received from my past assistants."

If it was not the CEO speaking, you would be the defender of the voiceless, the fired employees of 141 past. If the man's gone through as many assistants as you think he has, he's the problem.

"You like working for Garrick?"

It feels like a trick question. From the outside, it appears he and Kyle like each other. For all of Price's talks on 'openness' and 'camaraderie,' he has his favorites, and your boss is one of them. Though that could be an act, and Price is actually looking for some kind of blemish on Kyle's record. Either way, you can be honest because you genuinely like Kyle.

"Mr. Garrick is a joy to work with." Anxiety flushes half of the English language and all creativity out of your brain.

Price huffs in amusement. "A joy to work with," He repeats. "That's all? You appeared quite friendly during the break."

The comment gives you pause, and you shove back through the day's events. The meeting, the break – was it because you simply straightened Kyle's tie? It's a harmless gesture, you think. No one's ever batted an eye before. You can't help but feel a little affronted. "That's because we are friends, sir. Kind of happens when you work for someone for nearly five years."

Price lifts the notes in a placating manner, then out to you. "No harm meant. It's nice to see, is all. I understand we struggle with retention."

An understatement for him. Your imaginary hackles lower. "We work well together."

Price smiles. "Clearly. And five years, eh? Should get something for that, I think."

Inwardly, you cringe. The last thing you need is another branded mug, t-shirt, or keychain. "That isn't necessary, sir."

"Nonsense. We've got to reward loyalty."

You stiffly nod, figuring it's worthless to protest. It makes sense why he's in charge. He's a steamroller when it comes to what he wants.

"Do you have somewhere to be? Someone waiting for you?"

In this context, a darkened office, alone with a man with the power to make or break your career, it's a borderline sinister question. At least, it should be, yet instead, all you feel is a brief thrill.

"No, sir."

"Then, how about that drink?"

Oh, god. "'That drink'?" You ask dumbly. You know exactly what he means.

He chuckles and sets his gaze on you again. It's heavy, somehow both a blanket around the shoulders and a cinder block to the chest.

"While you are a capable woman, I doubt achievin' world peace is within your power. But a drink? Think you can fit me into your schedule this evening?"

You will kill Jordan for the bet. Then Kyle will kill you for losing it. But do you really have a choice?

"Yes, sir."

"Please, after hours, call me John."

~~

Mr. Price's–John's bodyguards do not seem fazed when you meet them at the elevators. You watch John whisper something into the taller one's ear on the ride down, and the man hails a cab. Meanwhile, John ushers you out to a waiting town car, and the shorter guard takes the passenger seat. 

When he takes the seat beside you, shuts the door, and drapes a big arm over the back of the seats, you think to fake an illness. A forgotten appointment. Something. Then he gives you another grin, a note of triumph in it, and the thoughts of escape vanish.

~~

Your salary affords you nice things like hardcover books, daily coffees, and frequent takeaway. And until ten seconds ago, you could count stylish yet comfortable office attire among said things. Yet, walking through the awning-covered entrance to an unmarked bar, you lose that delusion quickly. The bar's host lights up at the sight of Mr. Price, then openly examines you and the pencil skirt you thought was expensive.

"Welcome back, Mr. Price. Your usual table, I presume? Is this lovely creature your date?" 

"Yes, and yes."

A firm, warm hand at the small of your back flexes. It's a silent suggestion: do not correct him. You don't.

A cocktail later, that same hand lands on your knee beneath the table. 

[scoops-stevie-archive]

i keep thinking about that one bachelor au post so here's my take on it (i've never watched the bachelor or bachelorette so bear with me)

the bachelor au where steve's the bachelor and eddie is a contestant, but not because he actually wants to be, he's just in it for the paycheck. robin is also a contestant but only because her parents sent in her application without her knowing and she isn't out to them yet.

they both think that steve is overrated and definitely over hyped. typical rich kid with enough money to buy people's love, yada yada.

until they both start going on dates with them and then realize that it isn't exactly true. yes, he's rich, but he's also kind and funny and actually genuine once you get past the mask he puts on for everybody. eventually, eddie and robin find themselves looking forward to their dates.

only robin doesn't want to date him. he's slowly moving his way up the ranks to becoming her best friend, sure, but this is still tv. she's still expected to kiss him and confess her feelings for him. and when the time comes for her to do that, she can't.

they're in venice. steve is leaning in and robin is very aware of the cameras filming them. the back of her neck goes cold and her stomach churns and suddenly she's running in the opposite direction. her italian is passable so she ends up getting a taxi back to the hotel production put them in.

she locks herself in her en suite and presses her forehead against the cold porcelain. she doesn't know how long she sits there until her phone buzzes and she checks the notification. the nausea rises up her throat again. she forgot she gave steve her number.

there's a knock on her room door and another text.

r u ok? can i come in?

robin debates it but figures she owes him and explanation. she lets him in and they sit on the bathroom floor. robin tells him why she's on the show in the first place, about how she didn't know her parents signed her up until she got the phone call from the casting director. tells him that even if she gets kicked off, she can still use the money for her student loans.

she stares at the water in the toilet bowl when she comes out to him.

steve is quiet, processing, before he laughs. he's not laughing at her, he promises, but "robin. you're on a show with more than a handful of other queers, you know that, right? i'm bisexual."

and yeah, robin knew that, but it's different when you're not into the guy you're supposed to be romancing at all.

steve reassures her that it's okay, and that he still hopes they can be friends and keep in touch after the show ends.

robin would like that.

she apologizes to the production crew the next day and they're understanding and steve and robin get a re-do of their date. it's much more genuine this time, filled with laughs and digs as they eat gelato along the river and people watch and gossip.

it's the best robin's ever been on.

eddie, on the other hand. he's absolutely head over heels for steve, which is surprising even for him. he's trailer park trash, he's got absolutely nothing on steve harrington. not the name, not the money.

hell, the very first day, he insulted the guy's food choices right to his face without knowing it.

eddie wants the earth to give way underneath him and swallow him whole.

he plays it up on their first date, all fake niceties and empty smiles, until steve tells him point blank, "the guy that said the buffet was shit that first night? i want to get to know him."

eddie's flabbergasted.

steve opens up about all the fake people in his life, the ones who just take advantage of them and use him for their own gains. the ones who don't even bother to get to know the real him. the one that likes to play guitar and hang out with the gaggle of teenagers that follow him around all the time for some unknown reason.

he tells eddie about what he wants to do with his life, not what someone else has planned for him and eddie falls deeper and deeper.

this time, when steve leans in for a kiss, eddie doesn't shy away. their lips press together and it's the best goddamn kiss either one of them have ever had.

the show has a deadline, of course, and steve can't just spend all his time with eddie and robin. there are other contestants. robin knows her rose is strictly platonic and steve has already called her multiple times freaking out about his growing crush on eddie. she knows eddie has this in the bag.

the final night comes and the contestants have dwindled. there's only a small group of them left: eddie, robin, and another guy and girl they didn't bother learning the names of.

when steve chooses eddie after a moment of dramatic silence that kind of puts his own dm dramatics to shame, eddie doesn't hesitate to jump in steve's arms, wrap his legs around his waist, and plant a sloppy one on him right in front of the cameras.

[laiahernandeeezzz]

hi I got an idea for Florence and reader. They're both actors. Reader and Flo are filming a movie together. It's period wlw drama (with good ending of course). And at the end of the filming there is wrap party and Y/n confesses to Flo that she fell in love with her.

I hope you enjoy this, as much as I did writing it... I'm not an expert, but I am quite proud of how it turned out. Also, English is not my first language so bare with me if there's any mistakes!!!

******

BEHIND THE CAMERAS

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Paring: Florence Pugh x fem!reader (R is taller than Florence in this)

Elisabeth is Y/n's charater, and Amy is Florence's one

Words: 1.8K

******

Y/n would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous. After months of filming, the last scene of their film finally had to take place. She didn’t know what she was most nervous of, the pressure of having to nail the last take or having to kiss her co-star. Who she may or may not have a crush on, but that wasn’t the point.

Working with Florence has been one of the biggest opportunities she was ever given. The British actress not only was amazingly talented, but she also was the kindest person Y/n had ever met. Florence was a caring person, always making sure all her co-worker were fine, helping whenever they needed, and always with a smile on her face. So, yeah, Y/n, wasn’t surprised she had fallen for her.

After getting ready, she headed to the set: an enormous ballroom, beautifully decorated, with gold accents, a huge amount of flowers, and full of people dressed in gorgeous gowns. She was admiring the room, so she didn’t notice the person that stood beside her until they spoke, “Don’t you look beautiful?”

That voice had Y/n immediately flustered, she would recognize that voice anywhere, and not just because they had spent months together. She turned to see Florence, and suddenly she forgot how to breathe. The blonde actress was wearing a black dress, with gold accents, her hair tied up in a big bun, and almost invisible makeup on her face.

“That’s rich coming from you, you look stunning, Florence” The blonde actress smiled shyly at the compliment. Both girls kept complimenting the decorations and the set, until the director called them to start filming.

Once in place, one in front of the other, they smiled reassuringly at each other. “Are you ready to do this?”

“You know I’m always ready”

******

As soon as she saw Amy enter the room, Elisabeth ran out to the gardens. She had been trying to avoid her for so long, crying herself to sleep, convincing herself it was the best, even though she felt like she was dying inside. However, as soon as the blonde girl saw her, she followed her.

“Eli, please stop!” Amy shouted, in a whisper, when they arrived at the furthest corner of that huge garden.

“I really do not want to talk to you, leave me alone please” She said while she kept walking in another direction, not really conscious of where she was headed.

“Why don't you want to listen to me? What have I done to hurt you so much?” Amy knew she sounded desperate, but she really wanted to understand why her best friend (if you could call them that) was avoiding them. 

“Seriously? You don’t recall how you told me I was the only one who had a problem? Don’t you remember how you kissed me, and ran away the second we separated?” Elisabeth was mad that her friend (again, if you could call them that) was actually oblivious about what had happened. So she shouted, pointing at both of them, as Amy’s eyes widened.

“Be quiet! Anyone could hear us!” She was scared of someone finding them, hearing their conversation, and that only infuriated Elisabeth more.

“You think I’m not afraid of them finding out? Believe me, I am, but at least I’m not a coward who runs from her feelings” Tears at this point were unstoppable, but neither really cared. 

“Of course I know you are afraid too” Amy tried to step closer, but the taller girl took a step back, trying to keep their distance. 

“Then why do you keep running away from me? Tell me, because I really want to understand”

“Because I’m afraid of losing you!” She finally shouted, exposing her real fears. She had admitted them to herself a while ago, but she never had the courage to say it out loud. 

“What?” Elisabeth was not expecting that. She thought it was because she was scared of being left out, of stopping being part of the society. She knew how much Amy enjoyed the dresses, the balls, the richness. 

“I’m afraid that if they find us out, they will take you or me away, that they will keep us apart… I am not sure if I would survive it. So yes, I ran, although not because I don’t want to be with you, but I’d much rather see you in a ball on the other side of the room, catching your glances, than never see those eyes, those lips and your smile again. I love you so much, that I would rather you be mad at me, than to never see you again” Amy finally could hold her love’s hands, looking into her eyes, trying to put as much emotion she could in them. Trying to get the girl she loved back in her life.

“You love me?” Elisabeth's mind was racing, trying to comprehend everything she had been told. Amy loved her, she was afraid of losing her. Elisabeth loved her too. “I love you too”

They pressed their heads together, when rain started to fall. Both girls smiled, as their breaths mixed up, feeling each other's heat in their hands. They didn’t care they were getting wet, they just cared for one another. “Please, let me kiss you?” The blonde girl asked, not knowing how long she could hold herself back.

Instead of answering, Elisabeth connected their lips, both girls whimpering at the feeling. It had been a while since their last kiss, and they hadn’t realized how much they needed to feel each other. The rain was pouring at this point, but both girls kept kissing, wrapped in the other’s arms.

******

“Cut! Girls, you can stop now!”

Florence and Y/n looked confused around them, not knowing what was happening. Soon they realized that the director had been yelling at them to stop for a while. As some people of the crew wrapped them in towels (they also noticed that they were soaking wet), the director approached them. 

“That was perfect, we got it in just one take, good job! We can call it a day, go change, and we’ll see you tonight at the wrap party! Excellent job, seriously!” As both girls muttered a small thank you, they looked at each other quickly, cheeks completely blushed.

“So I guess I’ll see you tonight” Florence said, and before she left, she left a quick peck on Y/n’s cheek. The latter stood there until someone from her team pulled her to take her to the trailer, so she could get change. 

******

“Can you stop moving? Why are you so nervous?” Hailee had been watching her friend pacing since they arrived at the party, and she was getting frustrated. 

“I’m not nervous” Y/n really tried to play it cool, knowing that her friend wouldn’t believe a word she said. 

“Yeah sure… What has got you like this?”

Rather than getting an answer, Hailee saw the answer with her own eyes. Florence was approaching them, making Y/n stop moving the second she laid eyes on her co-star. The blonde girl looked breathtaking; she was wearing a lilac two-piece set, blue flowers as a pattern. The top was a corset with a very low neckline, and the bottom was a tight mini skirt. 

“Hi! You both look amazing! Hailee, it's been a while, hasn’t it?” Florence greeted them with a huge smile, trying to not stare at Y/n for too long. Her co-star was wearing a black suit, the blazer having a low cut, exposing a black bralette. 

“Do you want a drink? The usual?” Was the only thing Y/n managed to say, trying to not make a fool of herself. The blonde actress was there for that, though.

“I’ll take it, but first come dance with me please?” Y/n wasn’t going to say no, but she wouldn’t have been able to even if she wanted, because Florence was already dragging her to the dance floor. The taller girl managed to send Hailee a glance, and she only found that her friend was sending her two thumbs up, and a smirk.

The place the production team found was huge, and even then, the place was packed. Friends, family from the cast and the production team were there, so there were a lot of people. 

Florence managed to place them almost in the middle of the dance floor, quickly wrapping her arm around Y/n neck, as soon as they stopped walking. The taller actress, as an instinct, placed her hand on the blonde actress’ waist. Soon, both girls set into the rhythm of the music, moving in tune.

Bodies everywhere, dancing and drinking, and the moment they locked eyes they seemed to disappear. Florence smiled at her friend, playing with the small hair that slipped out the ponytail she was wearing. Y/n thumbs caressing the skin between the skirt and corset let visible with Florence’s moves. 

Y/n stared at her co-star as they started to get closer, “Can we go to a more private place? I need to talk to you” Her mouth moved faster than her brain, because those words came out before she could stop them. Only waiting for a nod, Y/n took Florence’s hand, and took her to a corner decorated with some neon lights.

When they got there, the blonde girl leaned back so she was resting against the wall as she saw how Y/n started pacing. She decided not to push her, so she waited until the taller actress was ready; thankfully, she didn’t have to wait more than a few seconds. 

“So… I kinda like you! I mean, like like you. I know this is weird, and maybe I could’ve waited so we weren’t at the wrap party of our film, but you looked so stunning, and then you took me to dance, and your eyes, your hands on my neck… I just needed to tell you, and it’s okay if you don’t like me back, because that would be totally normal… You know what? I’m gonna leave, I’m sorry if I made you uncom-” A soft finger touched her lips, making her shut up. With her rambling, she hadn’t noticed Florence approaching her with a funny smirk on her lips. 

Y/n instantly relaxed, and looked at Florence with confusion. “What are you doing?”

The blonde actress rested her forehead against her co-star’s, remembering for a short moment their characters. “I really like you too”

And that was all it took for them to kiss. Y/n pressed Florence against the wall, lips fighting against each other, trying to put all their emotions on their kiss. After a while, they pulled apart to catch their breaths, still smiling. 

“Are you sure you want this?” The taller asked, shyness taking over her again. 

Florence softly laughed and pecked the other girl’s lips. “I’m sure as long as I have you”

[melanieph321]

Ruben Dias x Reader - Fix You Part 6/10

Part 7 and 8 are out on my Patreon!

Summary - Reader is hired as Ruben's assistant nurse after receiving head trauma during a football game. He has fallen into a deep depression on his road to recovery and does not accept much help from Reader as she only reminds him of how incapable he is.

Enjoy!

You were a liar and a terrible one at that. Ruben shifted to lay on his back, his breath slow and still. But nonetheless there he was, asleep in his bed, with you laying next to him even though you said you'd be gone when he woke up.

It was inappropriate and unprofessional. The most inopportune and unprofessional thing you've ever done. Kissing Ruben in such a vulnerable state felt like a moment taken advantage off. And the guilt it left you with was almost unbearable.

"Y/N?" Ruben muttered your name in his sleep. He had done so several times during the night, with his hands searching for you under the bed covers. It's how you woke up, with Ruben's arms wrapped around you, pressing you to rest against him, to stay with him well into the early morning.

You tiptoed out of his room, having freed yourself from his grasp. But in the kitchen was Max, who's eyes winded at the sight of you. "Y/N?" You're up early." 

His head turned in the direction of your bedroom as it dawned on him that you hadn't come out of it.

"I can explain." You said, as the realization hit him all at once.

"You and Ruben...?" He frowned.

"No. We didn't do anything, I swear."

Liar.

"So you were in his room because....?" Max had every right to look as confused as he did.

"Look. I'll explain everything later." You replied.

"Right."

With your purse in hand you rushed to gather some things. An apple for breakfast and some coins for the bus.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Yes. I have a call back."

There was no time to change. Your outfit from the day before, the one you slept in, would have to do.

"A call back to audition?" Max asked, his presence in the kitchen slightly annoying you.

"Yes. I thought I blew the part but I ran into the director, Joshua, during Ruben's birthday party last night. He told me that if I wanted it the part was mine."

"So you are leaving?"

"Just for the day. I don't know for how long I'll be gone. I believe that they just need me for a dress fitting."

"Does Ruben know?"

"Does Ruben know what?" You paused what you were doing to meet Max's judgmental gaze.

"That you're leaving him?"

"I'm not..."

He raised a brow as you could not fulfill that sentence. "Look." He sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing?"

"I am."

"I'm sure you do. But I'm here to remind you that you're still on the clock, hired to help Ruben with his....condition."

"Well he doesn't need much help now, does he?" Without the bandages Ruben could see again. Sure, last night indicated that he should take things slow, but nonetheless, he was better, almost back to normal.

Max threw his hands up in defeat, not arguing with you any further. "Just know that I'm off to see my girls this weekend, so it'll just be you and Ruben around here."

"Yeah, sure. Tell them I said hello." 

You grabbed the last of your things and went out the door before Max could tell you about the keys to the apartment, the keys that you forgot on the kitchen counter.

Read full chapter and more on my Patreon!

[ak319]

Unveil

(Gp actress x fem reader)

(Scene #02)

(your name is Fairoz in the story)

Part 1

"Then I am going to quit it. I was going to anyway since acting doesn't appeal to me anymore and managing it with business is knackering . But seeing that you are adamant about it, you don't have to worry. I will add your request as a condition, in the marriage contract." Aman took a sip of her tea , waiting for a response from Fairoz. The girl sitting in front , a bit shy as any girl would be meeting their future spouse.

'Hmm. So cute'

The duo was in Director Usama's house. One week after Aman's unforeseen proposal. But who is this girl that has got Aman's heart?

Fairoz who is 24 years old, doing her last semester in Business Administration. She was indeed taken aback when her uncle informed her about the proposal. Her friends on the other hand were overly excited and some of them were still thinking if they were getting pranked by Fairoz as she frequently did that but this time, noticing the sudden dimness in her behavior and her seriousness when discussing the topic, they figured it was true--after all her uncle/father figure was a director for hell's sake. He had done numerous projects with Aman.

The girl hadn't said yes yet nor she wanted to. Marrying an actor just didn't sound right with her. She thought it may be rude to straight up reject her without meeting her and her uncle enforced this idea although in his heart he was praying for Fairoz's change of heart. What will he do if she doesn't say yes? More importantly what will Aman do to him and his family?

"Mhm. Thanks for that. Also , I will do a job after my degree-

"That is not even a thing to ask. We own multiple businesses, you will work wherever you want , whenever you want and as whatever you want." Aman flashed her a gentle smile. Her eyes looked at Fairoz with utmost gentleness and love as if she didn't, the girl would break. Aman couldn't believe that the girl whose in her mind every day, every hour, every second, was in front of her. The same girl whose picture (that she had taken secretly) she gazed at before going to sleep every night hoping that in the morning she would be beside her. That dream was also very near to becoming a reality.

"And-

"Will we keep discussing terms and conditions or...talk?. Like talk about ourselves. Although I am impressed at your ability to negotiate. The moment you entered the room,I knew I was going to get grilled hard."

Aman's ear were blessed to finally hear Fairoz's chuckle. "That means you are taking your studies seriously. That is good." She would definitely make a fine businesswoman. As much as Aman hated the idea. Housewife sounds much better.

"I am sorry--I just. Anyway. Why don't you name your conditions too then? Make it fair." Aman didn't mind one bit about the girl's requests or questions she asked because growing up without one's parents can make you vary of people and also it is normal for everyone to be paranoid regarding their marriage. The girl deserved love, but Aman's only.

"Yes I do actually." Fairoz turned attentive as a watchdog. Her expression now a serious one. Eyes curious glancing nervously at Aman.

"And that is you smiling and laughing like this every day. I forgot to tell you that actually, your laugh is what made me look in your direction for the first time. At the set where there were so many noises, people buzzing and screaming in my ears left and right, your laugh, far away in the distance made me turn away. That moment I was --" Aman gulped and hunched over, her arms on her knees . Looking down at her clasped hands she continued "I felt as if I was locked....turned blind and deaf to everyone around except you. So, yeah. And now fast forward we are here. A year later. " She laughed, still avoiding Fairoz's eyes, now it was her turn to be shy. "So I suppose keeping you happy is also a condition from your side. Because ---that be my duty won't it?." She finally looked up, scratching her neck. Now it was Fairoz's turn to look down. She couldn't believe her ears. someone in love with her? That too being Aman? What the hell is going on? Marriage was not even in first fifty things to do in her bucket list and that is the reason her aunt and uncle were also not looking for any suitors as she had already stated that she is focusing on her studies and in future would be busy in a job. Now this 'celebrity' turns up in her house narrating of what looked like a movie script to her? Like ----an actor seriously? She hated them. Every day you hear about their scandals and just bizarre stuff they do . She doesn't want a part of such life. But Aman is agreeing on leaving acting though. That doesn't change her past ---these actors are not meant to be trusted too. What is she has an affair and multiple affairs? What if I am not the first woman hearing this monlogue she just gave?

Both laughed for a few seconds before Fairoz broke the silence.

"I am flattered--haha. I would appreciate if you give me some time to think about all of this..."

"Of course , of course. That is why I didn't bring my family today as Mr. Usama insisted I meet you first as you had requested. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable but--I just told you the truth and--I want you to know that I am very , very sincere about this. I want to settle now , my family wants it too. And I think--God made me find you at the right time."

Fairoz nodded in understanding. Both stood up , as Aman got ready to leave . "I hope ...for the best. It would mean everything to me if you say yes. And maybe next time you would talk about yourself more too. I want to know about you Fairoz , everything." The girl blushed and nodded once again. What was she supposed to say?. Aman's voice itself was too intimidating.

After leaving the drawing room , Usama and his wife , Sara got up and said goodbyes to Aman . The couple saw her off meanwhile Fairoz watched from window.

'What did I got stuck into, man.'

[badgerhuan]

SO @maverickcalf UNEARTHED THIS PODCAST/INTERVIEW WITH BILL HADER FROM 12 YEARS AGO AND HE ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT TROPIC THUNDER AND TOM IN A MORE DETAILED MANNER I'M VIBRATING THIS IS ALL I EVER WANTED!!!!!

JESSE THORN: What was it like to actually interact with him professionally; especially when he’s doing something as ridiculous as his character Les Grossman in that movie?

BILL HADER: He was great. He was really collaborative and was like, oh, do you want to come in on this, or maybe you say this and I say that.

I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED IF THEY EVER TALKED ABOUT IT!!! like the energy and chemistry they had between them, whatever little screen time they shared, always spoke to me like it's an interaction that was discussed about. you wouldn't get that kind of thing if it was just Tom doing his thing and Bill doing his best to keep up. they talked about it!! Tom asked for Bill's input!!!! I WAS RIGHT

He’s a very committed guy. He works incredibly hard, especially at those dances that he would do, and he would have these long monologues in the movie, mostly directed towards Matthew McConaughey’s character that were really funny and hard to get through, but he was so focused on making it a character; like a person. He looked so crazy in it, but making Les Grossman a real force.

YES god I'm so glad Bill talks about it here. like whenever people bring up Les to Tom they only ever ask about the dancing, but never about the CHARACTER WORK. that's what I love about Les honestly. that he so easily could've been a one note character played for laughs. but you can TELL that Tom put thought into his character and motivations, keeping Les grounded and more human. I love it so much.

He played it very real, like when he would get really angry he would actually be angry. He was really committed to it. But working with him and hanging with him in between scenes and stuff he was the nicest guy on earth. It helped that he was in that makeup, because for me after a while you forgot, oh, that’s Tom Cruise, and then at the end of the day you’d be walking to the van or your car, and he’d be like, “Hey Bill, great job today!” — Oh my god, that’s Tom Cruise!

more points for Tom being really nice 🥺🥺🥺 and him complimenting Bill oueghdgdhh I'M NORMAL ABOUT THIS

JESSE THORN: Bill, you’re a married man with a child; I am too. I would be worried if I ever met Tom Cruise that I would accidentally kiss him or something.

BILL HADER: When he’s dressed like Les Grossman, you don’t.

this part made me laugh honestly dhkfhdj DON'T LIE TO ME BILL

(thank you for playing Rob like he wants Les to rail him anyway)

That is an interesting thing. That’s the kind of guy who will sit there and talk – – like, between doing the movie and doing the MTV Movie Awards thing, like, I had a kid and stuff like that, and he definitely was like, “How’s that going?” Very legitimately interested in what was going on in your life and just very cool. Telling me stories about making The Outsiders, he’ll sit and tell you stuff and it was really cool.

we've all heard about how people talk about when Tom talks to you he always gives you 100% of his attention and is very genuine so this isn't a surprise but it's just so good to see Bill confirming that yet again 🥺

but also ohhh my god Tom telling Bill about making The Outsiders. just telling him stories about movies he's made!!! BILL DID YOU EVER TELL HIM YOU LOVE FILM THE WAY HE DOES!!! DID HE KNOW ABOUT YOUR DREAM TO BE A DIRECTOR!!!!!

I'm so happy this interview exists. and I'm so happy to have confirmation on things I've wondered about for years (did they ever discuss their characters while filming the movie, did Tom and Bill ever talk about films, etc). I can't believe this information was out there for over a decade and I only just learned about it!! thank you Blu so much for sharing this 🥹🥹🥹

[mooremars]

Random Camelot facts I learned from Alan Jay Lerner's book:

Frederick Loewe's reaction to the idea of this musical: "That king was a cuckold. Who the hell cares about a cuckold?"

Loewe couldn't even get through The Once and Future King and that is so valid.

Lerner's determination for whether an audience was into Camelot was whether they laughed at "You wonder what the king is wishing tonight/he's wishing he were in Scotland fishing tonight" and I do think he was right.

The first reading was over three hours. The first show in Toronto lasted four and a half hours, ending at 12:40 AM. The second performance ended at 12. For reasons that will become clear soon, this did not really improve until they went to Boston and even then, they didn't get the show down to length until Broadway.

There was a twelve minute sequence of Lancelot's quests that lasted a single performance before getting cut.

There was also a forest animal ballet.

Alan Jay Lerner's wife (number 4 of 8) took their two year old on a "vacation" to Europe during the writing. She called two days in and said she and the son were never coming back. He had a breakdown.

He went to a psychiatrist but said he didn't have time to do any therapy because he needed to write the second act so he just asked to get prescribed something. The doctor apparently went for this, telling him to start with four of whatever these pills were and then build up to twelve a day.

This is how he wrote If Ever I Would Leave You because of course that would be the song.

During rehearsals, he was getting weaned off the meds. In the two days leading up to opening, he just forgot to take the remaining pills or eat anything reasonable. His wife and son also showed back up.

After the second performance it was discovered he had an ulcer and was bleeding internally. He was hospitalized for almost two weeks.

As he was leaving the hospital, the director was wheeled in after suffering a heart attack.

Anyway, this combination of events led to them not fixing the many many problems in the show.

Also at this point Lerner and Loewe were seemingly barely speaking to each other even though they were rewriting the show and looking for a new director.

Lerner functionally took over directing even though he'd never directed anything. Loewe hated this.

Two weeks before they opened in New York they had an almost entirely new second act.

I think this is pretty common knowledge but Before I Gaze at You Again only got lyrics two days before Broadway previews.

When the director finally got out of the hospital, they started making changes again three months after it opened on Broadway.

Loewe quit musicals after this one and I cannot blame him.

He barely touches on the movie, clearly something is going on there, but the one thing he did mention is that apparently Richard Harris was kind of a nightmare.

[wearethecyclones]

omg hi for the fanfic writer director’s cut thing: ⭐️FREE SPACE STAR TALK AT ME ABOUT ANYTHING!!⭐️

Hi bb!!! TY <333

HMMM there are scenes in Play Crack that I like wish I could scrub the fuck out of it and like scroll past in EMBARRASSMENT when I reread (which is also my confession that I do sometimes go give her a read). The Halloween ghost story comes to mind immediately, but even in past Amanda's defense I was just trying to get them stoned and focusing on each other so I didn't really eat with that one.

Buddie related, I started a Bachelor AU but then the new season came out and blew my brains out so I kinda forgot that I had even started it. Buck is the host of the Bachelor, Eddie is the Bachelor, they fall in love etc. I really didn't get far into it but like here's a snippet below the cut... Someone tell me if I should keep going... lmfao

Hen is talking, Eddie is listening. He feels like he’s going to throw up. But he’s listening as best as he can, trying to absorb everything. 

Her voice is calm and fortifying, like she’s someone used to talking to people in crisis. Eddie is very much in crisis. “I know we already went over all this, but now that you’re here I’m sure you can feel that shit is getting real. So, just as a reminder: there will be cue cards with all the girls’ names on them, I’ll be just off-camera directing your eye line to them when you need, okay? It’s going to be chaos these first few days but you’ll settle into it. Buck is such a professional too, lean on him as much as you feel like.”

Eddie nods along. Is it too late to bail? Is it too late to go home? 

Hen vaguely gestures toward the cluster of monitors and technical equipment under a canopy tent as she talks about Eddie’s mic pack and he catches sight of Buck, cutting an incredible figure in a sharp black suit, yucking it up with an Asian man in cargo shorts and a puffer jacket. He gets the sense that this is truly just a day at the office for the production crew. He gets the sense that there’s a whole world here he’d never thought of and now he’s kinda in it, kinda not.

“So that should cover it,” she concludes, a hand gently falling on Eddie’s forearm. She smiles at him, warm and genuine. “You ready?”

“Guess so,” Eddie says, trying to keep his voice steady.

“You got this, Eddie,” she says. She pauses and her eyes slide off to the side in a way that Eddie is learning means someone is talking to her in her headset. He glances back toward Buck, the only other person on set he knows, and locks eyes with him. 

“Alright, copy,” Hen says. She looks back up at Eddie. “We’re set to start in about five. Buck is going to get set up on his mark, we’ll have makeup give you both a quick powder, and we’re off to the races.”

“What was that about Buck?” Buck asks, suddenly behind her. He sweeps around her, giving her a charming grin, and effortlessly slots in next to Eddie. Eddie looks down at his feet and sees that he is perfectly positioned over the small glow tape X he belongs on. He hadn’t even looked down to do it. 

“I was just saying Buck is a nightmare diva who everyone on set wants dead,” Hen teases. 

Buck plays at being offended. “Not everyone! Chim invited me to breakfast already.”

“That’s because he knows you’ll put it on your card.” But she says it with warmth that nearly catches Eddie off-guard. “I’m sending makeup over. Hang in there, Eddie, it’s going to be a loooong night.”

[kay-elle-cee]

Hello there! I just finished And The Roar Will Rise and I'm speechless (okay maybe not really speechless because I have a lot to say about it) but anyway, I'd love a director's cut of this fic. What drew you to it, why and how you changed some things, et cetera...

Also, while I'm on the subject, I left a comment on AO3 but totally forgot to mention how incredible the kiss and the moment at the pub later on (including Sirius' perfect reaction) were, so please please tell me more about that too.

Much love ❤️

🙈 A director's cut for And The Roar Will Rise? Prepare yourself, Leda, because I have a LOT to say! (also thank you so much for asking, I'm so happy you enjoyed this fic!!!!)

Alright, let's go point by point:

What drew you to it?

I LOVE Newsies. Like, as someone who listens to musicals on Spotify on a daily basis, as someone whose top genre on Spotify Wrapped is Musicals/Showtunes every year, Newsies is one of my favorite musicals. (The others being Next to Normal, Spring Awakening, and Hadestown, if you're interested in that tidbit of trivia). I love the music, I love the choreography, and I love the push-and-pull of Jack and Katherine.

While watching the pro-shot on Disney+ for the umpteenth time (because yes it's available to watch whenever you want and features Jeremy Jordan with a comical NY accent but the face and singing voice of an ANGEL) I was deep into a particular wave of Jily Brainrot and maybe it's because Katherine has red hair and that helped spur me on, but I just thought "oh my god it's Jily." Not to mention the whole fighting-against injustice plot and the ragtag crew Jack is so embedded in.

Fun fact, I worked so hard on including nods to the lyrics and lines from the actual script without just, like, dropping them in clunkily. It was my first time doing something like this and I really enjoyed the challenge of at least trying to make these things seem natural. I didn't want them to feel out of place, but noticeable to people who are familiar with it (like James telling Lily to "Give 'em hell, Evans" in place of Jack telling Katherine to "Write it good." or James shouting to the newsies "All for one and one for all, we newsies are on strike!" in place of the lyrics "No one can make us quit before we're done/one for all and all for one" followed by chants of "strike!") I actually color-coded and annotated my doc last night and you can see that here.

Why and how you changed things.

*cracks knuckles* alright SO. A few things happened during the planning process that brought it all together:

The World

I knew off the bat that I didn't want them to be in New York, so I needed to move them to London. But with this came the complication of the entire plot—namely, the history of labor unions in England. I looked at that and thought "I don't really want to do that research and get something wrong" so I needed to find the new crux of the Newsies issue.

Sometimes I regret not adding magic into the world of my other AU, restless waves rise and fall, so for this fic, I was like hmmmm what if there is still magic, and there's no statute of secrecy. How would that work? (I went through a few different iterations of this, if they still went to Hogwarts or not, if they all lived and schooled across England but came to London for the summer, etc) This also helped firmly establish a fictional world instead of it being more historical.

The Characters

And honestly first and foremost, I quickly identified the direct ties to the Newsies characters. I have been so adamant from the start (you can ask @alittlebitofeverything23) that Sirius was my Crutchie, even though Remus was probably the obvious choice. And Remus still would've been a good choice! But Remus is so Davey to me, and Crutchie being caught and sent to the Refuge very much felt like Sirius being caught and sent back to live with his parents for whatever reason (which I then changed to Azkaban, for ease and also canon-related reasons).

Picking my Pulitzer was hard for me.* I waffled endlessly on if it'd be Petunia or Vernon, but knowing it was them meant that there was kind of a clear canon-adjacent issue for the Newsies to face. It also made the reveal tricky, because if you know Newsies, you know Katherine's father runs the paper, but when you see it for the first time and she's in the office during that confrontation with Jack, it's a complete surprise. To kind of draw out that suspense a bit in Roar, I name dropped Mr. Mason as the owner (who the Dursleys have over for dinner in CoS), then you get Vernon, and THEN you get Petunia barging in with Lily at her heels. I'm calling it "the slow release reveal" 😂.

*On the subject of Pulitzer, I did briefly consider having it be an old wizarding family, or someone like Umbridge or Voldemort trying to sow division but that was too complicated to pull off so we just kept it simple.

The Plot

Now as for the plot (oh god this is getting so long, I'm sorry!), not only did I have a different central premise for the strike (which meant I had to find a new solution), I also had the fallout of Lily's article happen before the act break/chapter break, so that left a lot of questions for me while writing the second chapter. I had to adjust a bit, and I think finagling that is why it took me longer than expected to update. So I brought in a ringer, and that ringer was a nod to Katherine Plumber from Newies, and once I introduced her and other publications, the ending solution seemed a little more clear to me.

I didn't intend to get too in-the-weeds with press and prejudice but that's what I get for not wanting to do research on labor unions, haha. But it was really nice to write something just hopeful about everything, and I really loved writing how the Muggle newsies stood their ground and supported the wixen newsies.

The kiss and the pub.

Listen, the kiss scene in Newsies makes me absolutely FERAL. The anger to kiss speed does something to my brain, and I was SO EXCITED to write it! I've had the line "God you're so infuriating! I’m about three seconds from hexing you, you know.” written since like last summer, lol. James grabbing her wrist to place her wand under his chin, feeling like he deserves it, to have her GRAB his FACE and kISS HIM?!?!?!?! I'm unwell.

And I'm so happy you enjoyed the end scene at the pub and Sirius' little quips. I missed him in this chapter and wanted to give him some of those lighter moments after I rudely put him in jail. The end was a little tricky, I won't lie, because as I had the Newsies script up, I realize Jack's decision not to go to Santa Fe is pretty....abrupt? Like his friends are just like 😔 and Pulitzer offers him a job that he doesn't even seem excited about and he's like ALRIGHT NEWSIES HIT THE STREETS! So I really wanted to make James' decision a little more fleshed out....he's still getting out of London, just not leaving everyone halfway around the world, which seemed like a pretty good compromise to me.

Additionally, in Newsies, Katherine is very much a "wherever you go, I'll go, too" type of person in the finale, and while Lily has her own plans, I wanted her to have that same sort of encouragement for him. She encourages him to go to Australia if he really wants to, because she wants him to be happy. She listens as he talks through his thoughts, even gently offers her own thoughts on it all. It's been a whirlwind week for them, but she helps offer him clarity for his next big step.

*breathes* Wow I'm....so sorry. This got SO long. I hope you at least enjoyed my ramblings? Could honestly talk about this fic for hours probably. Thank you again so much for the ask and I'm so happy you liked this fic!

[triforce-of-mischief]

if you want to, feel free to talk more about trust fall and poor unfortunate souls 👍 id love to hear more of your thoughts :)

sorry for taking a few days, i forgot the original question by now (if there was one) so we’re doing a mini director’s cut ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

Poor Unfourtunate Souls:

“You know, nothing you can do to me will make me talk,” the vet drawled, hiding apprehension under snark.

look. look. opening a scene where legend is snarky at first, but we all know it’s a front and then it crumbles so fast- that makes me go feral, I will never get tired of writing it.

Legend scowled, thinking hard about what would be safe to say without being an obvious lie. “One has a huge, ferocious wolf that follows him around everywhere. Could maul you in a heartbeat, but obeys every command from him. Another hates mirrors. Show him his reflection and he’ll be depressed for a week. Oh, and one guy? Pillows, blankets, anything soft and cuddly.”

just one of those little things i was so proud of thinking of :) it’s so fun to write hints that the readers but not the characters will understand.

“You want the truth?” Legend asked, and the blademaster inclined his head. “I don’t know. I’ve been locked up in here for ages, they could be anywhere by now.”

that moment when he realizes that he’s not getting anywhere by being funny and he takes the risk of telling the truth but it’s not enough-

Now that they finally, finally, had a safe and quiet moment, Legend took the time to actually inspect Four. The smith’s breathing was ragged and wet, and Legend prayed that his lungs were free of water. Liquid dribbled from Four’s mouth, nose, and eyes; water and bodily fluids combining into one sticky mess. The tips of his hair were damp, and the feather which usually swayed from his ear was now heavy and still. His broken wrist was clutched to his chest with his other hand to reduce agitation.

if i knew how to render i would draw this in a heartbeat. gonna go cry over the poor thing instead :(

Four’s eyes were wide, swirling with blue and red, but then he narrowed them and nodded determinedly.

foreshadowing for the eventual sequel!! right now vio and green are in shock so the most emotional colors are stuck in the front. red is still terrified and blue is too, but the latter is trying his hardest to direct his anger at the yiga instead of focusing on their own feelings.

Four’s mouth opened in a silent scream, lungs too weak to produce anything but a high, wispy whine.

there's definitely going to be some lasting physical effects too, he just practically drowned three times for goddess' sake.

****

Trust Fall:

starting with the title this time since i already talked about the other one! this was a stand-in title that i immediately fell in love with. it represents the actual trust fall that legend shares with warriors, letting him administer the sedative. it also makes me think about how close legend was to falling (unconscious), without being able to rely on trust. if warriors hadn’t gotten there just in time, this would be a very different story.

They held him in place as he watched the remaining medic draw up a sedative in… in a…

this isn’t the only time this happens; I try to show how even thinking certain words is a big trigger for legend. even in his own mind, he can’t bring himself to fully acknowledge what’s happening.

He knew that it was worse to look but he couldn’t make himself look away and Warriors would tell him to stop but Legend was alone and scared and-

here’s a writing tip! run-on sentences are very good for when you want to portray that your character is spiraling into a panic. shorter sentences work for a character who can barely think because their panic is more of the hyperventilating kind.

Then the captain spoke, and Legend realized that he was furious. His tone cold and commanding as he ordered the other soldiers to “Release him. Now.” “B-but sir,” the soldier on Legend’s right said, “He’s highly dangerous and violent.” “So am I,” Warriors hissed. “Hands. Off.”

*obligatory pause for the screaming fangirls*

He let out a ragged sob, and let Warriors pull him into a loose embrace.

in hanging by a thread, warriors asked hyrule to hold legend because hyrule is more comfortable with touch. warriors is able and willing to provide physical comfort if there's no other option, and he doesn't hesitate for a moment this time. anything to help his brother feel safe.

While Legend did that, Warriors looked over his shoulder at the confused medic. “Put that away,” he whispered, nodding at the syringe in their hand. [...] Legend heard a few soft clicks as they capped the needle and hid the syringe in a drawer.

this is the first time that legend actually acknowledges the fact that the medic is wielding a syringe. warriors' presence helps him face his fears even the tiniest bit.

He could do this. He was still injured for goddess’ sake.

fun fact i spent so long trying to figure out what injury he should have before deciding that it isn't plot-relevant enough to bother wasting my time on it.

If Warriors asked if he was ready, Legend didn’t think that he would say yes. Warriors gently loosened Legend’s hands and held them in his own. “Come with me,” he said, pulling Legend up to stand with him.

warriors knows. he knows that asking would make things worse, so he just takes things into his own hands. he's exactly who legend needs right now.

Legend heard the rustle of fabric as Warriors awkwardly unclipped his scarf. He fumbled to undo the clasp with only one hand; the other was holding something.

we're back to treating the syringe as an unspoken thing... legend's fear has returned in full force and not even warriors can comfort him enough.

“I’ll be fast. Just a few moments, then you can rest.” The cadence of Warriors’ voice was steady, almost unnaturally so.

this isn't easy for warriors either. he hates that he has to do this again, but he can't let legend know that. maybe i'll mess around with a warriors pov someday...

[talesfromsiteredacted]

Dinner and A Floor Show

My first actual date with Alto Clef, nothing too fancy. Just lasagna, a movie, and... my big fluffy goofball suddenly forgetting how to cat.

Six in the evening, dinner is in the oven, and I'm pacing the floor in my kitchen. Midway between my stove and my refrigerator, and I realize what I forgot to pick up at the shops: a bottle of wine. Probably not a good idea anyway, I do stupid things drunk. Not terminally stupid, challenge 173 to a staring contest dumb stuff, just... really embarrassing once soberish.

My doorbell chimes, too late to think about that now. Clef is here. I wipe my hands on my lemon print apron, and go answer the door. He's on time, impressive. Plus... he seems to have two bouquets, one of white roses for me, and... catnip for my furry junkie. I greet him with a big hug.

While I place the roses in a vase, Clef makes himself at home on my sofa. Liam tries making friends in his usual manner, thumping his hopeful friend in the leg with his fabulous tail until they either tell him off or, more likely, give in and pet him. Clef reaches down, Liam plows his head into his open hand.

"Wow, you're clearly friendly, buddy. How about some ear rubs?" Before long, Liam is purring like a jet engine. Achievement Unlocked: Friend? Friend! I sit down next to them. Never figured Clef for a cat person, but Liam is super friendly.

"Hey, dinner is still in the oven. Yes, I made lasagna. But... I might have forgotten about wine, alas."

"Dr. Clef to the rescue, hope you're okay with chianti. It was the only one I could stand, honestly." He hands me a bottle and I laugh. I recognize the label, it's from Dr. Right's private stash. "Had to cover a shift for that, so I hope it's good." We spend a few minutes talking before the timer goes off. At least... that's how it started. Before long though... well... let's just say we seem to both be into each other. Pretty sure if the timer didn't buzz I'd have burned the lasagna.

I break away to get dinner, and Clef follows me. He's checking out my kitchen, just observing. I plate up dinner, pour two glasses of wine. We take our meal into the living room. I turn on the TV.

"What kind of movie are you in the mood for?" I'm flipping though the streaming services.

"It's been a rough week, I need to ridicule the everloving shit out of something horrible. Even worse than the cafeteria soups."

"Not to worry, Sugarbeard. I know just the director. Two words: Uwe Boll."

"Bring it. Let's start with the House of the Dead."

I put the movie on, and Clef just demolishes every decision the characters made, as well as two plates of lasagna. By the end of the movie, we're both a little tipsy. It's at this point Liam decided to be... silly. First, he got a pretty good dose of catnip. Then... he started with the kitty crack crazies. He zipped around the room, climbing the curtains. Then, lept on top of my bookshelf and knocked off a few plushies. He then stole one of the downed plushies, and began dragging around a Blooper by the tentacle. Blooper was then dropped into Clef's lap, followed by the inevitable crash after a half hour of being chaotic nuts. We're both laughing.

"Not gonna lie, Snowbunny. Liam is hilarious stoned." My crazy housemate is now passed out in the plushie pile, a Yoshi on his head askew. His chin is on Bowser's shell, and before long he's snoring.

We settle in to watch another absolute turkey. Not sure if it was the company or the fact that Uwe Boll can't direct for shit, but I don't remember much about what we wound up watching. I do remember the feel of his hands in my hair, his lips on me. I remember the feeling of absolute peace when we fell asleep on the couch together, him slipping under first. How blissful and serene he looked with his head on my chest, the light from the TV leaving highlights in his golden hair. The way he wrapped his arms around me. The man might have a reputation as the devil, but right now in this moment, he's divine. I press a soft kiss to the crown of his head, then I fall asleep.

[xenosagaepisodeone]

falling down (1993) is a movie I frequently think about because it's a film so saturated in racial politics that doesn't end up saying anything about race. it's not even that the movie is milquetoast in it's messages, it's very upfront about everything else, but when it comes to race, it suddenly stops in its tracks and sputters confusingly in a few different directions.

i would say that it's fair to interpret the film as at least a little racist (despite being critical of it's protagonist, it does seem to thoughtlessly regard his beef as legitimate in some ways), but it's inaccurate to insist that the protagonist is presented as a normal guy who goes berserk. he's referred to as D-FENS instead of by an actual name because he is a symbolic representation of mid century american values. he is an ex-defense contractor employee who comes from a patriarchal military family and inflicts abuse upon his wife and daughter (potentially his mother as well) in the tradition of american chauvinism. his sense of identity is rooted in the power that these things afford him, and the film is about him lashing out because he feels that sense of domination waning with the changing times. many people use the scene where he kills the neo nazi as evidence that he isn't actually racist, but the next scene literally uses the nazi flag to frame him as he calls his wife to threaten her! him taking weapons and supplies from the nazi is meant to be indicative of the fact that their ideologies draw from the same well.

what's odd is that the good guys of the film aren't particularly emblematic of any kind of just ideology, they actually kind of exist outside of the paradigm of racial politics that occupy D-FENS' life. I feel as if this creative decision was made as to not make them look unsympathetic by exploring any implications of their profession as cops within a heavily racialized landscape LOL. D-FENS' foil is a white cop whose name I forgot, so i'm just going to call him White Cop. White Cop's grief comes entirely from his white higher ups, who undermine his work ethic, experience and his care for his wife. he communicates normally with the people of colour that D-FENS torments, but is also nonplussed by the swaths of people of colour being treated unfairly by his colleagues (who are also Cops of Colour(CoC if you will)). it's also worth pointing out that D-FENS' wife attempts to reach out to her local police many times for them to do something about her husband, and they respond by repeatedly disregarding her very valid concerns. White Cop punctuates one of the film's main themes by chastising D-FENS for ever believing that the american dream was a real thing, and tells him the most important thing is being good to your family. D-FENS chooses death by cop due to being unable to adapt to this.

the film conveys that modern life is chaotic and unpredictable, it recognizes the relationship between nationalism, fascism and domestic violence, but it completely sidesteps making a statement on race. LA Gangs and The Homeless are simplistically framed as something that just exists that you have to contend with, and while they aren't framed as being equal to racist vigilantism, they also aren't given any kind of depth or roundedness. they arent approached with the same degree of thoughtful curiosity as the film's other components. if D-FENS is at all a victim of circumstance, then so are the people who wrong him throughout the film. gangs just exist like atoms slowly bouncing around without cause or purpose, which leads one to cannot help but wonder about the director truly thinks about them. I wish there were more scenes like the fast food scene.

[mangoshorthand]

Don't worry, your argument seems very logical! I would most likely tend to your b) option as well.

It does not quite fit the topic, but it was also interesting how Five let Lila touch him in S3 despite of their conflicts, like the dancing/drinking scenes, or the visit at the commission. Five seems just so touch starved from all the years in the apocalypse, not only in a sexual way of course, but also in spending time with other human beings again and bonding with them. That's why I also like reading fics where he finally gets some love and affection. (Y/N the person you are, lol.)

The bathroom scene made me sick to my stomach 💀 I don't know why the writers pushed that creepy behavior of her that much, as a viewer it makes one so uncomfortable. I kind of feel bad for the actress, but she did a good job as a villain, though.

Oh, I didn't thought it might took Dolores years that she eventually talks back to him, but it makes sense.

Thank you!

I like that Lila is the first person Five lets in that way. They're very evenly matched and understand each other on a level the others don't really. They have great chemistry and if anyone was going to break down his conceit, it would be her. Don't get me wrong, I think him being drunk for most of it certainly helped, but Lila was the first person to just say: "hold my hand", and I think that's what he needs.

Honestly, from what I've read (though take this with a pinch of salt as I don't have complete sources), I think The Handler was originally intended to be a man, but once they ended up casting Kate Walsh and saw the creepy vibe she brought to the role, they leaned into it and adapted scripts for season 2 accordingly, so if this is true, the direction of the bathroom scene was probably guided somewhat by Kate Walsh herself in consultation with the director and probably Aidan Gallagher. I think the bathroom scene is definitely creepy, but you've got to remember that the Handler knew he wasn't actually using the bathroom, he was trying to read the fake file. I'm less creeped out by that than I am by the little touches and body language. She does such a stellar job and looks fucking amazing throughout. I kinda can't help but stan, as much as she terrifies me.

I actually forgot one piece of evidence for the Handler and Five having had a relationship: she tells Diego that she and Five have a 'colourful history' which could definitely imply more than the history we know about.

[crowingoverthis]

pkmn scarlet/violet rant!

Now that i finished the main story, got almost all the pkmn (took me 60 hours, cause i just walk around to complete the dex ahsgfdasd) and i just have some postgame left. Here is my huge imhotake on it xD

7/10 Gameplay 4/10 Graphic/Performance 10/10 Pokemon 9/10 Music 11/10 Characters/story

41/50 Thats a pretty high score!

7/10 Gameplay Well its open world pokemon everyone wanted! You can go anywhere and do what you want. And now some ppl complain about not having directions haha When you literary can open the map and see exclamation marks on where to go so ??? Anyway, my problem was the repetitiveness off, everything? As much as liked just roaming and catching pkmn its still the same thing. To be fair most games are like that, based around 1-2 gameplay loops. I just wish these gameplay loops were a bit more interesting. But this is pkmn at its core. But my complaint is - why is the level no scaling? its not that hard to do gamefreak, I dont want to fight an early game trainer/gym i missed that still is lvl 10 after i beat 4 gyms. And some locations are pretty but too empty, just a lot of slapped on flat textures.

5/10 Graphic/Performance Everyone already saw the glitchs and some had multiple crashes. (i didnt experience any of that, just huge fps drops when it rained. Some ppl say the digital version is better and has less issues) Aside from that, you can finish and play the game from start to finish np! So i wont dwell on that any more. All in all, its the same situation as with Cyberpunk! Well almost cause CD Projektred over promised and under delivered massively at release date. Gamefreak pretty much did everything they promised! Just failed with the polish, bugs and graphics (when the grass is just a photoshop brush... its yeah, a bit very rushed (look at BOTW grass). The pkmn themself look great! Not like having some texture on pkmn is that important, but oh well. The character animations and animations OUTSIDE of battle or close to you are not bad. Inside of battle its the same as SWSH but you can rotate the camera, that sometimes cant even show stuff properly if you are on a hill or cave. Almost forgot! the huge down side of this game as well are the loading screens and the slowness of some things (that's especially noticeable in school).

10/10 Pokemon Like i always say - the one (well and music) things Gamefreak never fails is with designs and creating more pkmn! Of course there are mons i don't like (grasswaterstarterevos) but they are true to what they represent and i can respect that. Every pkmn is loved by someone and that's what makes the diversity of creatures so amazing.

9/10 Music Not much to say than that's its great! (Just a minus point from me personalty cause i don't like techno music and some tracks were like that >:C ) The transition between tracks is nice too.

11/10 Characters/Story I can say in general (NO spoilers)... this game has one of the best pkmn stories. Yes at the same level as gen 5 > 7 (which were the best imho so far.) It just like moulds together so well? Just the repetitiveness i talk about brings it down a bit. The characters have great designs and are (mostly, Nemonaplz) well written and its fun to learn about them! I'm glad GF took more time on story (wish they had even more time).

(mild spoilers) - Best character is the director hands down out of discussion. Not even joking xD. The school idea is very cute and i think its pretty good for newer players and kids who want to play and actually learn about pkmn! cause you do learn stuff in this school that is more then grass beats water, well its the first lesson so you do learn that too but after that i promise it gets better! History class is the coolest! (although i do wish we could learn about the region and cool stuff by y know talking to ppl a bit more...) As a person who was bullied in school, i like TEAM STAR’s story, but i wish they would tell the stories differently than the exact same 5 battles. Bonus! 6/10 locations. Decided to put locations here too cause why not. The main town is great! just some wonky spots that are empty, The other towns on the other hand, have a great look on the outside but when you go in, there's not much there. You can’t go inside of ANY buildings (just the sandwich +gyms). The "wilderness" is pretty much flat textures with pkmn randomly spawning on them. Just things GF needed to have more time to work on.

Conclusion-  Imma change the score too 39/50 cause the location bonus and that is a kinda important point too! SO If you can ignore some minor glitches and dont care about fps drops: Its a good game! Plus if you liked Arceus and just want to play a pkmn game its actually probably the best there is now on the switch! But the bad performance and now that even Nintendo is offering refunds, just shows that rushing unfinished games is not worth! and I hope they FINALLY gonna learn something from that.

[whityoungfan]

Give me your eye, give me your skin, give me your voice

(Nevermore, nevermore)

Give me your lung, give me your name, give me your faith

(Nevermore, nevermore)

'These lines could represent of how Cross, the actual person has contributed to Cross in the kg. As I'm pretty sure Cross was given green hair because C-Cross had green hair during the time he was in development (?) And is literally his VA'

Welcome to our wonderland, you're chosen to be the only "one"

'Could be how Cross believes he will be the one to get them out of here.'

Follow the crow

'Crows could be represented as butterflies in this case'

Now listen carefully, he'll make you anything you wish to be

'C-Cross in the process of making Cross, what he desires, what his goals, and what he is as a person.'

Count to three

'...'

Tell me, if I'm the only one

Can you make me "special" in this hollow world?

Admiration, recognition, confirmation

All I ever wished for!

'This could be in relations of how Cross believes he shall be the one to save everyone; the protagonist. How Cross is practically begging for C-Cross to make him something much higher than the rest; Admiration, recognition, confirmation, could also be in cahoots of why he looked towards his mother like a goal. She simply wasn't there and so he's making it personal, being better would give him the confirmation he's been looking for towards his mother. And everything he strived for.'

Tell me, if I'm the only one

Can I be the winder of this broken world?

'He wants to be the savior of them all, and he's asking if he can be more than he was ever intended.'

One black crow said, mockingly

"Perhaps you won't be yourself in the end, but oh well..."

'This would not be Rule. Instead, this is the person directing everything that happens. And it's not even Rule.. it's the directors obviously. So C-Cross'

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door

'Ok I genuinely don't even know what these lines mean but UHM lore?'

Give me your wing, give me your claw, give me your tail

(Nevermore, nevermore)

Give me your song, give me your fame, give me your life

(Nevermore, nevermore)

Give me your eye, give me your skin, give me your voice

(Nevermore, nevermore)

Give me your lung, give me your name, give me your faith

(Nevermore, nevermore)

'Yada yada more of 1.'

Yesterday, I saw someone burying a crow deep into the ground

Someone I know

What am I becoming? He looked at me, asking me silently

"Are you me?"

'Cross finding out he isn't the only Cross in the world of Drfsh:'

Tell me, if I'm the only "one"

Why am I becoming doubtful of this world?

Opposition, accusation, complication

Wake me from this nightmare!

'This could be after Episode 7, where he realizes how he cracked, his thoughts, shattered in a sense of peril, he doesn't know how it came to this, but he's doubting his livelihood escaping. Especially since he has a big ahh target on his back'

Tell me, if I'm the only "one"

Why is there another winder of this world?

'Definitely about Enigma being protag'

One white crow said, pitifully

"Perhaps he forgot to tell you something, but oh well..."

'Rule somewhat pitying him, knowing his downfall was about to arrive, his prayers unanswered.'

Tell me, if I'm the only one

Can you make me "special" in this hollow world?

Admiration, recognition, confirmation

All I ever wished for!

'Cross is being desperate for any sense of security, proof, or sense he can find, let's be honest he would be desperate at this rate right after episode 7'

Tell me, if I'm the only one

Can I be the winder of this broken world?

One black crow said, mockingly

"Perhaps you won't be yourself in the end, but oh well..."

'Im too lazy to repeat'

Tell me, if I'm not anyone

I can make you "special" in this hollow world

Admiration, recognition, confirmation

All you ever wished for!

'This can really be interrupted two ways, Cross accepting Enigma as the real savior, the real protagonist, and himself as nobody but the antagonist.'

Tell me, if I'm not anyone

I can choose you as the winder of this world

I'm gonna say, nevermore

"Perhaps I can make you anything you wish to be..."

'Maybe Cross realizes Enigma as a natural leader, if he does, I bet he's two steps ahead of anyone, he might not be the savior, but he can indirectly help the savior.'

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted nevermore!

'Uhh dies? Yeah Idk'

TAHT SONG FITS SO WELLLL