#i need to go back to amsterdam and do the same tour they did

[walnutmistjamie]

fave Ted Lasso moments 50/? : Stop with all the fucking sightseeing shit, you twat.

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Caffeine Crash

Fandom: Ted Lasso

Pairing: Jamie Tartt x F!Reader

Summary: You go on a morning walk and you, quite literally, run into Jamie.

A/N: Part of my impromptu Jamie Tartt series, read Meet Cousin McAdoo

Isaac was still asleep when you woke up. You could hear his snores from down the hall where you stayed in his guest bedroom. For some reason, your body woke up early. It wasn't super early though, just nearing 8am. The weather was nice, so you figured you'd explore Richmond a little bit, maybe seek out a cafe for some coffee.

You got dressed in some jeans, a t-shirt, and a light jacket. You made sure you had your wallet, phone, and the spare key that Isaac lent you. Out the door you went to explore your home for the next few weeks.

_________________

Jamie was jogging ahead of Roy, per usual. It was almost eight thirty in the morning, which means his training session with Roy is ending for the day.

As Jamie's rounding a corner he crashes into someone, causing their cup of coffee to spill onto him and the person.

"Shit! I'm so sorry!" the person says and he realizes it's you, Isaac's cousin.

You seem to also realize who you ran into and you groan, "Fuck. I'm really sorry, Jamie. I guess that's what I get for trying to take a picture of my coffee," you snort, "acting like it's 2014 again or something." You give a chuckle and a shrug.

He shakes his head, "No, no. I shouldn't have rounded the corner so fast."

Roy, who finally caught up, stopped at Jamie's side, assessing the situation. He looks at Jamie then you, then Jamie again, saying "The fuck did you do to her?"

"It was an accident," you and Jamie reply in unison.

Roy gives his usual grunt and then Jamie says, "Let me get you a new drink."

"That's alrigh-"

"Please," he insists and you agree, "Okay. I'll buy you a scone then, as a thank you."

"I don't like scones."

"He doesn't like scones."

Both Roy and Jamie say at once.

You giggle, "Okay, a croissant then?"

Jamie looks at Roy, silently asking him for permission and the former footballer replies, "Fine."

The three of you proceed to head to the cafe that you were previously at and walk inside. The barista smiles politely at you, "Back so soon?"

You nod, "There was a collision and my drink was collateral," you explain.

"So same drink?"

"Yes, please," you answer. You step aside for Jamie to pay and then you're in front again, "He'll have a croissant," you nod to Jamie, "I'm paying for it." You look over your shoulder, "Coach Kent, do you-"

"No."

You chuckle, "Maybe a water for the coach here. Thanks." you proceed to pay and move towards the pick-up counter.

You sit at a table that has three open chairs, Roy and Jamie occupying the other seats. You lean back in your chair with a polite smile, "So, what brings you out this morning, boys?"

"Trainin'," Jamie says, gesturing to Roy, "Grandad here wakes me up every day at four for runs and drills."

You look at him wide-eyed, "Four in the morning?!" When they nod, you look at Roy, "Do you not value sleep? Maybe that's why you're so grumpy all the time."

Jamie laughs, "That's what I tell 'im!"

The older man glowers at you two, "Sacrifices need to be made in order to be the best."

Jamie shrugs and puts his attention back to you, "What about you? Why're you out and about alone?"

"Isaac's still asleep. I woke up a little earlier than usual. Figured I'd grab a coffee and explore Richmond a bit."

"I can give you a tour if you'd like," Jamie offers before he can even think about it.

"Oh! You don't have to. Besides, aren't you still training?"

"We've finished. Besides, I'm here and ready. Who knows how much longer Isaac will be sleeping for. I'm a great guide, by the way," he gestures to Roy, "Gave 'im a tour of Amsterdam while we were there for a game. Taught him how to ride a bike too."

You smirk at Roy, "You didn't know-"

"We don't talk about it," he cuts you off with a glare.

You chuckle, "Alright," and you turn back to Jamie, "I'd really like that if it's no trouble."

Jamie beams at you, "None at all."

The barista then calls out your order numbers and you stand, "I'll get them."

Jamie watches you walk the short distance away and Roy leans, "You better be fucking careful."

"I'm not doin' nothin'!"

"Isaac said to behave yourself around her."

"I'm just giving 'er a tour of the city! It's not like I'm proposin' or anything!" Roy leans back giving a skeptical groan.

You come back with two drinks and a pastry bag, "My drink, your croissant, and Roy, your water," you say as you hand out the items.

Jamie bites into the croissant and lets out a moan that's damn near sinful, "I missed carbs so much," he says after he swallows.

"You'll be doing extra laps during practice today," Roy sneers as he downs his water and then stands, "I'm going home."

You give him a wave and a smile, "See you around, Roy!" When he leaves you look to Jamie, "He seems fun."

He shrugs, "He's not always like that. He has some good moments." He stuffs the rest of the croissant into his mouth and you watch in amusement, sipping your coffee.

He wipes his face and hands, then stands, "Alright, nothin' like the present, right? Let's get your tour started."

"Right!" you follow him out the door, ready for this adventure with your new...friend?

[thislovintime]

Karen Harvey on The Monkees' tour plane, summer of 1967 (photo by Henry Diltz); Peter Tork, Karen, and Justin in January 1968 (photo courtesy of Bridgeman Images); Peter and Karen's son Domin, 1989 ("Tork recently visited Harvey and her son in Amsterdam," per The News Journal in 1989; Peter and Karen in the 2000s.

"Harvey was living in the same apartment building as Tork, at 35 Bedford St., and they cemented a friendship that had started earlier. 'We’re still very, very good friends,' she said. Through a girlfriend at one of the art galleries, Harvey also go to know David Crosby. He and Tork were responsible for getting Harvey to move West. 'He [Crosby] fell in love with my girlfriend and took her back to California. Then Peter got this Monkees thing and moved there. Everybody was trying to get me to come to California, and so I eventually went,' Harvey says. 'She came because I asked her to,' Tork confirmed during a phone call from California. 'I can’t actually say she was my girlfriend. She was my roommate. She came back and forth for a while. I’m an old fan of hers from way, way back. Karen is a wonderful singer.' Although she eventually got her own apartment, Harvey spent much of her time at Tork’s house, under the famous 'Hollywood' sign. 'I was handling a lot of affairs of the house because he [Tork] was working like a slave,' Harvey said. 'TV work is no picnic.' With the increasing amount of money and fame through the Monkees’ TV show, Tork moved to a bigger house (once owned by actor Wally Cox) in Studio City. They also needed more room because Tork, Harvey and Robert Hammer, who directed the horror film 'Don’t Answer the Phone,' had formed a film company called Breakthrough-Influence, whose work included videos for Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Steve Miller. (Hammer is also the father of Harvey’s son, Justin, 22; she has another son, Domin, 11, by a member of Sail-Joia.) 'It was in that [Studio City] house that Lowell George from Little Feat used to rehearse, and that was the house that the Beatles came to,' Harvey said. 'Jimi Hendrix came to both [houses] because he was a real good friend right up until he died.' Of the Beatles, only Ringo Starr and George Harrison dropped by the Studio City home, Tork recalled. 'We went swimming for a while in the pool.' 'I slept through it,' said Harvey of the visit. 'I though they would hang around a little and I was just real slow about it and they left. I was hanging out with every superstar in the book, and they were just average people to me. Peter Tork was very, very generous, and his house was an open house.' To make up for her missing the Beatles, Harvey said, Tork suggested they go to England to visit them. It was New Year’s Eve 1968 [sic]. She remembers that her son, Justin, who was a toddler then, played bongos with Harrison at Apple Records. 'We went to visit George,' Tork said. 'George was doing cuts for the "Wonderwall" album [read more about Peter's banjo contribution to the movie here] at the time. I remember George offering to turn the lights up so Karen could have more light to take pictures.'" - The News Journal, July 16, 1989

* * *

“I don’t know that it [fame] affected my ability to have friendships. Basically I don’t think I knew how to be or have a friend beforehand, and I don’t think I learned while I was in that operation [The Monkees]. I mean, I had some good buddies, you know, but that wasn’t the same thing, I didn’t really understand. There was only one person in my life that I could turn to when I was hurting who happened somehow to know what it was, what it took to stop me hurting, and that was a woman named Karen Harvey, who later joined me on the West Coast. And I thought, well, here’s a friend come to join me and this will be a real friend. And we were pretty good friends, I guess, but there wasn’t any that, you know, that — I didn’t know what a friend did in a sense of how, on a day-to-day basis, do you maintain your friendships, do you go out of your way to make sure that things are nice and right and, you know, the kind of work that a friendship takes. You don’t just have a friendship without work. And I didn’t know that. And I’m not so sure I know it now.” - Peter Tork, NPR, June 3, 1983 

“[‘Lady’s Baby’] was about the lady that I was living with at the time, and her son. That’s them [in photo 2], that’s my darling Karen, with whom I am still very good friends all these years later.” - Peter Tork during his My Life In The Monkees & So Much More tour, 2013 (x)

[gracefullou]

I'm going to the louis show in Birmingham which seems to be (at the moment!) The last show on his European leg so I keep swinging from "omg no what if he cuts holding onto Heartache like he did at the end of the NA leg 😭" and "omg what if he sings headline with the academic 👀" -so many months to clown!!!

I'm sorry to bother you with my clowning but I don't have any louis friends (new fan!) And am so so excited (and nervous) for the show!

Do you think he'll mix up the setlist for each leg of the tour?

It's no bother at all! Always feel free to freak out about Louis' music and shows in my inbox. Well let me start by saying congrats you're going to see him live in all his glory and get to hear the perfection that is fitf live AND at the last Europe leg concert at that. I'm sure you'll have the best time ❤️ (i'm also jealous bc i can't see him this year 😭). As far as mixing the setlist, last tour he kept it pretty much the same for all the legs (except for adding change after a certain Europe show and removing too young towards the end of the tour if i remmember correctly) but this time he seems to be playing with the setlist a lot more. I think he'll keep it mainly the same but with a few changes. I think he'll definetely add a new song (don't know what song will be the victim if he does though 😭 maybe common people 🥺) and it will be either headline (especially that you're going to see him in the last show and with the academics as openers) or paradise (afhf seems very paradise coded to me so i feel like he might perform it at the festival and then carry on with it for the Europe leg). I really hope he keeps the 505 cover and back to you (what if he replaces bty with miss you!). I also really really hope he drops wdbhg it's just light years away from his lyricism like he's such a genius songwriter and the lyrics to that song are just.. bad. It's ok if he insists on playing two 1d songs but Louis pls choose another i can't stand this one 😭. So far, he's only skipped hoth when there are curfew issues, so it depends on your luck. If there will be no such issues, i think he'll definetely play it especially that it's such a fan favorite (you can also go see him a few more shows if you can just to make sure you get to hear it live 😁). I'm hoping for always you in Amsterdam 🥺. I'll also clown and say that we'll get guitar Louis (if he doesn't do it in Europe, then i think there's no hope we'll get it this tour we'll have to wait till the next one 😭). All in all that's what i think/ hope will or will not change in the setlist (i personally think it's perfect as it is he just needs to drop wdbhg and put headline instead). And since you're new fan, i just want to say welcome to the fandom Louis and louies are the best 🫶🏽 and there are very nice and amazing solo louies here and on Twitter that you can follow. I hope you get the time of your life at the concert 💙. Until then, you're always welcome to share your thoughts and excitement in my inbox 🫶🏽

[charlesandmartine]

Saturday 11th March 2023

The Brisbane City Hall was built in 1930 and was the largest clock tower in Australia at 92 metres in height, the tallest building in Brisbane until the 1960s. Cannily this beats the clock tower at the GPO building in Sydney which tops out at a mere 73 metres. No competition there then. The tour of the tower needs to be quick to get 4 people at a time up the top in a very old clanking lift, wave a hoof at the view and the bells and back down again before the clock does its Westminster chimes all over again. There's always going to be casualties in a tour program with limited time available. In this case having been able to view the views from the top it was thereafter basically: there's the bells made in the Loughborough foundry and there's a clock down there somewhere now all back in the lift, we're off. Um, is it weight driven and is it still wound by hand? Don't really know much about the clock as such. I expect you could look that up he said. For the horologists, the tower has 4 x 3 ton bells for the chimes and 1 X 4.3 ton bell for the hour strike. Lovely tones I must say. The clock itself is electric driven and operates from a master pendulum on the same basis as the Greenwich Observatory.

We then crossed the river to have a flat white in the Art Gallery Café. It would appear that the streets on the North Bank of the Brisbane River are named after English monarchy and across the river after British Prime Ministers. One person said, and I thought this was quite witty, they don't have a Truss street because there aren't any streets short enough! Anyway we had our coffee, popped into the Queensland Museum and popped back out again rather quickly because it was crawling with kids, then went to check on the theatre situation at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre to see if there were by any chance any tickets that had become available for tonight's play. No luck so we crossed the river again to do a bit of shopping. We really like the South Bank complex of theatre, art galleries and museums. It has a lovely relaxed feel about it and you can just meander around soaking up the atmosphere and today also the rain.

Being Saturday the shopping area has a bit of a carnival touch and with St Patrick's day not too far away now there was an Irish Band, possibly called Silken Thomas, playing sentimental tunes from the Emerald Isle. It's a universal ting that all nationalities seem to unite with a tear in the eye to the playing of an Irish ballad, as though we all have a longing for the old country. We've seen it in New York, Australia, Scotland, Birmingham and most weirdly in Amsterdam! How do these Celts do it? Just hope for Ireland's sake they don't all feel the pull and decide to return home. Martine who is half Irish had a lump in her throat. Even I did and I'm Anglo Saxon. (I think). So to the strains of Danny Boy, Whiskey in the Jar, Leaving of Liverpool and feeling all didley didley we ambled off to take a look at the next celebration, that of the Pakistan Australian Cultural Association that is setting up in George Square. We were hoping they might have food. No genetic ties there. (I don't think).

Our last evening here we began with a one venue pub crawl involving some Aussie beer. It wasn't one of those pub restaurants that Martine was hoping for as they are in the outback where everyone goes quiet when you walk in. Quite the opposite, it was very noisy but very atmospheric. Then we moved on to Betty's Burgers for, well a burger actually. It's our first time with Betty's and we wondered if we would be safe with her but I have to say, a burger with king prawns on board was rather nice. Then back to the hotel to pack again ready for a really early Virgin Australia flight to Sydney tomorrow morning. Yawn.

Brisbane is a very pleasant modern city which I can see would really appeal to a younger generation with the opportunities it offers. She appears to strive to present herself as a contemporary place to live, work and play although there have been times in the past when the town elders have been accused of sacrificing some of the old in order to facilitate the new. Bold new schemes are underway to add three new river crossings including a CrossRiverRail connection. This is indeed a city of investment in its future. We have had a brief but good time here. It's a shame that we view Brisbane at the moment of our trip as we prepare, with great regret, to returning home on Wednesday.

ps on the eve before our little flight to Sydney, we were watching Sully on the telly.

pps look how small and insignificant the Albert Street Congregational Church looks against the skyscrapers

[a-year-abroad-blog]

Amsterdam

For the month of May, I spent some time away from Paris and in a whole new city, in a whole new country: Amsterdam, The Netherlands!

I joined two friends I met at my school in France, Alice and Leonie, and we organized a short term volunteer program with a community coordinator in Amsterdam. After meeting with the main organizer, we got our schedule with lots of different projects in the city. For the majority of each week, we spent time at a rotation of a few different nursing homes. I really really enjoyed my time there-- because we visited the same few nursing homes several times, we got to know many of the residents and developed real relationships. Of course, as a person who does not speak Dutch, that did present some challenges. However, nonverbal communication was still possible with those who did not speak English. All in all, I learned a lot about older people and their wants and needs. As a population who are can sometimes be overlooked in society, they were always so happy to have someone to talk with, sit with, someone to acknowledge them. Some days we would put together flower arrangements together, eat Dutch pancakes, and go on short walks. At one nursing home I often visited, I met a staff member named Carla who was probably the same age as my dad, but we hit it off really well-- one of my favorite memories from my time in Amsterdam is taking a couple of the residents on walks, wheeling them in their wheelchairs, through the pretty pathways behind the residence. We talked together about so many things, but she would also translate what the elders with us were saying so I could talk with them too <3. I remember one day I was wheeling this man named Jaap, and Carla helped me and Jaap discuss his love of collecting classic cars. I told him about my dad's old Mustang. Jaap loved to stop and look at the rabbits wandering in the grassy fields we walked alongside.

Sometimes I also worked in different places. There's really too many to talk about here, but one memorable experience I have is when I ended up getting assigned to work at this old farm in a poorer community on the outskirts of town. The farm existed to serve the community, and there were also a few wooden outposts with a couple "shops', selling things like donated clothing, children's toys, books, etc. All of the workers there worked everyday with no expectation of payment, which is of course so admirable. I was assigned to work there as a team leader for this company that organizes corporate-volunteering/team-bonding activities. So I got there really early and immediately one of the farmers introduced himself and gave me a tour of the property. He let me go in the animal enclosures which I absolutely LOVED. I got to pet the baby goats and the big sheep. They were the most tame and sweet farm animals I have ever met :,). When the team from the company arrived, I showed them where to go/what they're assignment was/etc. Basically the team bonding happened as they cleaned enclosures together, put together equipment, and organized some of the thrift stores on site. Then it started to rain as hard as I have truly ever seen it rain in my life. Thunder and lightning too. So everyone came in, fully soaking, and we sat inside and talked about the day so far. I met this girl a little older than me who worked full time at the farm this summer but would be travelling soon to South Africa to get her masters in zoology?! So cool

I am so grateful to have had these experiences "working" in Amsterdam. If I could go back, I wouldn't change anything.

Of course, I was also there on the weekends. There is so much to do in Amsterdam and I loved it all. There's so many museums, and I especially loved the MOCO, which exhibited modern art (my favorite) with works from artists like Banksy, Andy Warhol, and Keith Haring. Another fun weekend activity was the time Alice and I decided to bike all the way from Haarlem to Leiden to see the tulips at the Keukenhof. We spent the morning discovering Haarlem, which is truly one of the most beautiful and quaint little fairy-tale towns I have ever seen. There were people kayaking in the river, little street markets, homes situated alongside the canals, parks and greenery everywhere you look. It was much quieter than the city, and I loved it. I could definitely see myself living there. From Haarlem we traveled through little towns and countryside all the way to Leiden, where unfortunately all the tulips had already been harvested. Alice and I weren't even mad, though, because the bike ride had been fun enough in itself. Somewhere along the way we found a bunch of alpacas and wild chickens. I definitely was not expecting that but it was a happy surprise, as I'm sure you can tell by now that I am an avid lover of all animals. Alternatively, Leonie and I took up fitness classes. I really got into reformers pilates and we both loved going to yoga classes.

I've always been a pretty active person, but the Dutch lifestyle is no joke. I rented a bike for the whole month and it was my sole form of transportation-- which I loved! I parked it right outside my hostel everyday and rode it to and from work, and anywhere else I wanted to go. I paid less than $20 for it-- affordable and efficient. Also a great way to get to know the city. By the time the month was over, I didn't even need to look at Google Maps anymore.

Now the bike did end up presenting some challenges, such as the time i absolutely face planted after the wheel slipped into the indention of the tramline on the pavement. In front of so many people having a preciously calm lunch outside on the terasse. I just remember a collective "OOOOOOH" as I hit the ground, in what felt like slow motion. It's actually really funny now to think about it. Some good samaritan came and helped me up, and then I simply walked back the rest of the way holding my bike... You can laugh.

Living in Amsterdam was the best time of my life. I can't wait to go back one day.

[mygainyear2024]

Day 13 And, I got on the wrong train 🥴

Today I organised a trip to Loulé by train to visit the Saturday artisan and fresh produce markets and, after googling what to do there, I decided to book myself into wine tasting at Quinta da Tôr.

The trains aren’t that frequent between villages and there was no local bus connection from the train station to the markets / old city.  The only bus was at 8pm!  I decided not to walk the 6.8kms as the guy in the office said it was just industrial!  

Luckily Bolt and Uber are both cheap here as I knew I’d need them to get to the Quinta (pronounced kinta, the Bolt driver told me the ‘u’ is silent).

The markets were much busier and bigger than the ones in Lagos.  Sadly the coffee roaster was closed for holidays! Many businesses do this before heading into peak season.

Google did steer me to the Folhado de Loulé (more pastry with custard in the centre) at Café Calcinha.  I got talking to the couple beside me who were originally from Amsterdam.  They told me a familiar story, much cheaper to live in Portugal and they said Amsterdam is not the same anymore “there’s Chinese names on every street now” (their words!) They did tell me golf is super expensive in the Algarve though, minimum €250 to play for the day plus lunch and drinks etc! 

I wandered around with no plan, saw people swarming at the honey stand so purchased some, perfect for a batch of granola I need to make.  

I stumbled into a fabulous art gallery.  Marilyn was fantastico, but at €50,000 she had to stay on the wall!  The shop assistant recommended sushi for lunch which I jumped at, it was €11.90 for all I could eat!

A bolt ride up to the Quinta for a tour of the vineyard and wine tasting with bread and their own olive oil.  The owners wanted to buy the land earlier than they did.  The owner wasn’t interested at the time, the land had been in his family since 1500! Then in 2011, out of the blue, the owner made contact and said he would sell but funds had to be paid the next day!

I thought the tour was very informative including little facts like the reason for the human made dirt mound around the winehouse (“adega”), to keep the building cooler in the heat. I also liked the little experiments they are doing, eg using American oak and seeing the labelling on their French oak barrels. There was mention of using egg whites to clean out the 600-1000 litre vats and this is why they cannot claim their wine is vegan! Everything is manual, including the labelling and the imprinting of any stamps they receive for medals on each label.  And the bottles I bought were only €8 and €6! The €6 bottle is an after dinner / dessert cab sav which was a mistake.  They are not sure why it ended up so sweet and when they tried to replicate it, they couldn’t! With limited bottles left and the cute label I couldn’t resist.  Amuado means sulky, a metaphor to what they imagine the wine decided to do in the vat!  The tasting and tour were €14 (depending on the wine varieties sampled) and if I wanted to I could have used the pool.  It was a lovely 3 hours.  

With the cheaper option of an Uber back to the station I made it in heaps of time.  I asked what platform, jumped on the train at the departure time, thought oh cool this is a newer train with wifi and settled in to researching my next holiday to Vietnam and then heard “last stop Faro”.  Ummmm, Faro is the wrong way! I got off with everyone else, then asked a passenger "where is this training going?", his response "Lisbon". I'm glad I got off when I did!

🤷‍♀️ I have no idea what happened, other than I got on the wrong train.  With a 90 minute wait for the next train I poked around the train station and then got back in enough time to double check I was on the right platform, on the right train! I managed to avoid having to pay again, I smiled at the ticket guy, did a Boris Johnson, laughed about how I ended up in Faro instead of Portimaõ (silly me!). I ended up back in Loulé 2 hours after I left it the first time! Yep, the trains aren’t very frequent.  Time to be bold and organise a hire car 😂

I ended up eating dinner (and opened a new bottle of wine) at a European hour!

[international-kpopfan]

Missing their S/O while being on tour -Ateez reaction

Summary |  The title says it all...

Genre | fluff.

Warnings | none

Pairing | none.

WC | 1K

Note | Requested by anon

Original request | Hii, can I request an ateez reaction of them missing their s/o while they're on tour, pls? 🤧

Masterlist / Request Rules / Upcoming

REQUESTS ARE CLOSED!

Seonghwa video calls you every free moment he has. Mostly just to talk about his day and ask you if you are managing without him. He kinda gets clingy during the call, not wanting to hang up. Also makes pictures about everything just to make you jealous.

''Once I'm home I will show you all the pictures and videos''. You smile at the screen where Seonghwa just described his day with the biggest smile on his face. ''Babe, you've sent them already, you don't have to rub it in for a second time''.

''You haven't seen them all, I made more pictures in Amsterdam''.

You chuckle as he rambles on about being in Amsterdam while you put his clean clothes back in the closet.

''What are you doing?'', he asks noticing he hears commotion coming from your end. ''Don't tell me you are cleaning the dorm?. I told you not to clean baby''.

''I'm bored, and finally, I can walk here without being attacked by Wooyoung or San for tidying up their stuff''.

Seonghwa chuckles, mentioning that he misses you even more now.

''Why don't you stay over at the dorms?''.

You scratch the back of your neck with your hand as you try to come up with an answer.

''I kinda never left after you went to Europe, I just need to sleep in your bed, is that weird?''.

He sends you voice memos with demo's from songs so he can ask for your opinion. He calls you every day mostly at the same time, also texting you attaching pictures of New York to it. Buys you stuff, mostly clothing or accessories. Likes to experiment with your clothing.

''Do you like it?'', he asks while he sits on his bed after a busy day. You don't mind waking up for him, even it's in the middle of the night or for now, early in the morning. But today he called extra early.

''I do, you should do something with it'', you mumble as you turn around again bed, pulling the covers over your body.

''Really?. You know your opinion is important to me babe''.

You hum as you try not to drift back to sleep. Hongjoong hears your tired voice, feeling guilty he called at 5 in the morning. ''I know you are tired babe, go to sleep and we will talk later today alright?''.

''I'm fine, we can talk''. Hongjoong disapproves and urges you to go to sleep. ''I just couldn't sleep tonight''.

''A few more weeks baby and I will be next to you''.

Yunho texts every time he can, not wanting to ignore you after he made that mistake last year. He forgot the text you for two days. Which ended up in you almost attacking him in front of the boys. He also calls you twice a day. First call in the morning and the other one at night.

''Did you sleep well?'', you ask him while walking towards your work. Yunho answers by jawning. ''Well, that answers my question''.

''Just couldn't sleep, its the first night of not sleeping next to you''.

You can't help but smile, a blush is creeping up your cheeks and you try to calm yourself down before you enter the office.

''But here in Korea...''. Even here at home, you don't sleep next to each other every night, sometimes you don't see each other for over a week.

''But that is different, I know you are close, in the neighborhood, and just one call away. Now I'm on the other side of the world''.

You sit down at your desk as he rambles on about missing you when you hear him responding to San.

''San wants to say something to you''.

''Hi YN, please come and collect your man because he is grumpy today''.

Yeosang forgets to call you sometimes, but once he does he will talk with you for hours if it is possible. He texts you during the day, but forgets to answer your texts and you know it is because they are busy but it hurts sometimes. So the moment he calls, he apologizes multiple times for neglecting his phone including you.

''I promise to call you every day, text you when you answer and also....''.

''Not every day, or at least not every moment. Mingi's girlfriend warned me to ask for it so I won't''. You hear Yeosang chuckle because he knows what you are talking about.

''Yeah, heard that from Hongjoong''.

You talk for a while, both mentioning things you want to do once he is back home.

''So, how is Madrid?''. Yeosang starts rambling about the city and your heart swells at the thought of him having the time of his life.

''The food is amazing, the city is beautiful and we definitively need to visit Madrid together''. You agree with him, already dreaming of being with him on holiday.

''Babe, I'm going to hang up, I have to practice in a few minutes''.

After he hung up you receive a text message from Jongho with a picture from Yeosang as he is calling you sitting on the ground.

''He doesn't show it that much, but this guy is in love''.

This guy would send you selfies every second he gets, just to make sure you won't forget him. He also texts you regularly and calls you every night just to say goodnight, even when he knows the time difference is causing problems. Also buys you stuff, probably needs an extra suitcase for that.

''San, it's 4 am, I'm working''. San's smile falters, the realization hitting him that there is a time difference. ''I'm sorry babe, just wanted to hear your voice before I go to sleep''.

You can't get mad at him, not when he is being so cute. ''It's alright love, get some rest alright?. You deserve it''. San mumbles a, yes, still feeling guilty for forgetting the time.

''Oh and don't forget to buy me one of those small Eiffeltower keychains'', you chuckle as you hear him groan. You've been asking for it for a while. ''I won't babe''.

Wooyoung chuckles as he hears the conversation, turning around in his bed just to see San talking to you with a pout on his lips.

''Yes, he will''. San throws a pillow at him and ends the call.

''Please remind me to buy one of those''.

Mingi sends you videos and pictures of every step he takes, just to let you follow him along his tour. He wishes he could take you with him but that wasn't possible. Sometimes he will send you 10 videos at the same time. Or 909434 pictures in an hour. When he misses you, which is 24/7, he will ask for a selfie or just a call to hear your voice.

''I think you can stop sending videos and pictures, at least not that many, to Y/N'', Hongjoong mutters at dinner, as he watches Mingi take a selfie and directly send it to you.

''She knows how you look, that won't change in a few weeks'', Seonghwa adds to Hongjoongs comment.

Mingi shyly chuckles but still checks his phone every second.

You receive the selfie while you are cooking, seeing the boys at a table full of food makes you envy them. You send him a selfie back with your food on the stove in the background.

Mingi's smile grows as he receives the selfie, notifying the rest of the boys that you have sent something.

''Look at him, smitten for her''.

''Shut up, you act the same with your girlfriend''.

Wooyoung promised to call or text every moment he can. But this boy didn't promise to literally spam you with pictures, just like Mingi. From his new shoes to a butterfly that he saw in a bush, he will send it all. Calls you when he knows you are going to sleep, and if he doesn't he will send you a voice memo. Also wants to buy you things but has no idea what you like.

''Can't wait to be with you again'', he whispers as he listened to you talking about your day. As you call you sometimes take a selfie in the sweater he left at your apartment (on purpose) just to let him know that you miss him as much as he misses you.

''Oh and by the way, I bought something for you''.

''You didn't have to babe'', you say while starting a new episode of your fave series on Netflix.

''Well, San got forced by his girl to buy something in Paris so I kinda felt pressured''.

Wooyoung gets quiet once he looks at your selfie. ''Is that the sweater that I left at your apartment hoping you would wear it every day?''.

You both burst out laughing. ''Yeah, you weren't that subtle babe''.

''He never is'', you hear Yunho shout and you can't help but silently agree with him.

Jongho calls every day, no matter the time. He just wants to hear your voice, even if it is just for a few seconds. He only has the habit of calling you on moments that you are at work, in the shower, or even in the supermarket. He tries to keep himself busy during his free time just to not think about you being home. Luckily the boys are there to keep him busy.

''Babe, is there something wrong? You called six times'', you let yourself fall on the bed, wondering if something happened with him on tour.

''No, you weren't picking up the first time''.

You sigh out of relief, happy that he is fine and nothing happened on the other side of the world.

''I was in the shower'', you chuckle while making yourself comfortable on your bed. You hear him laugh on the other end of the line. ''Sorry darling, the minutes I'm free I want to spend calling you''.

Your heart swells at the thought and you can't help but smile at his reasoning for calling you so many times.

''It's alright babe, you had me worried for a moment. I'm glad to hear that you get some free time''.

In the background, you hear some commotion and it gets closer and closer to Jongho.

''Hi Y/N, he is utterly in love with you that he won't even join us for ice cream''.

Copyright © 2022 International-kpopfan. All rights reserved.

Don’t repost without permission.

[jonsa101]

Episode 3x14: A Reflection of How Max Stepped Into Love After A Season of Suffering

Gif credit @supagirl

Hey guys! I can’t believe the season finale has come and gone! I think my mind is just taking time to comprehend everything that has happened! Sharpwin is officially canon! As I’m typing this out, it feels strange writing a meta on the other side of things. Since season one, I’ve been writing metas about how these two belong together and making predictions about the trajectory of their relationship. Now, to be on the other side of things where I know longer have to do that because these two are finally together is kinda crazy. I feel so elated!

Now y’all, I’m not going to lie to you, I had a totally different meta planned out and that meta is still in my drafts. I will probably release it because it was a general review of the episode but I thought it was more important that I put this meta out first. When I was watching the finale live, I didn’t love it. I just didn’t. I loved that Max and Helen finally got together at the end of the episode but I had a major issue with how it unfolded. The issue my friends was this scene right here: 

Baby!!! When I tell you this scene TRIGGERED me, it did! Now mind you, I wasn’t upset with Max’s storyline of searching and struggling to take off his wedding ring. It is human nature for Max to still have an emotional attachment to his ring. He’s not still grieving but essentially that ring is the only thing he has left of Georgia and represents a life he once had. Him taking it off was always going to be a monumental moment for Sharpwin and for himself. The issue that I had was Max casually telling Helen that he freaked out about losing his ring!!! To me, after the voicemail he left her, after Helen flew standby and was in a six hour flight to see him, it was an incredibly CALLOUS thing for Max to say. I know Max wasn’t thinking in this moment. I know his intentions were clearly not to hurt her but words matter and him being careless with his was a complete disregard of Helen’s feelings. She was deeply hurt and upset when he said this and rightfully so! I mean just look at her expression here:

Helen’s entire being read like

“I can’t believe you”

And girl same, because neither could I!! He knew he fucked up and he obviously made up for it in the end but y’all when I was watching it live, everything that came after that elevator scene was was tainted for me. I had a hard time believing that Helen would let what he said slide so easily and in the moment, I couldn’t appreciate the beauty of them finally coming together! 😩 In my personal opinion, there were so many other ways that scene could have played out without Max having to literally tell Helen to her face that he was worried about his wedding ring! I know they were trying to build up to the “big moment” where he finally takes his ring off and runs back to Helen’s apartment but man, that moment did not sit right with me in my spirit! It still doesn’t and I don’t think my opinion will ever change on this.

With that said, I’ve now done several rewatches of the finale where I specifically watched the scenes after that awful moment by the elevator. As I’ve had time to reflect, my perspective has changed. I no longer view the moments after the elevator scene as tainted but as something deeply profound and beautiful. Hell, even as I reflect on that scene by the elevator, I still don’t like it, but in a way I understand it in how it relates to Max’s overall journey when it comes to Helen. To me, Max Goodwin is a man who fell deeply in love with Helen in the midst of the most complex situations and a season of him suffering. It’s been deep rooted, complicated and messy from the start and over the past three years we’ve seen Max navigate through the complexities of his feelings for Helen and the circumstances he’s found himself in on our screens. I think when you look at season three finale and specifically the journey of Max finally making a choice to be with Helen, you have to put into context Max’s history and how it influenced what that looked like. So y’all that is exactly what I want to do in this meta so let’s dive in.

One thing I think we need to acknowledge is that, even though as an audience we have loved seeing Max and Helen’s journey unfold, the road has been so TOUGH for them. As Helen said in 3x13, it’s been a fight! Especially for Max. The suffering he has endured over the past three years has been unfathomable and much of his relationship with Helen and his feelings for her have been developed under these traumatic and tragic circumstances. 

At the very beginning of the series, when Max and Helen first meet they clash but it doesn’t last for long. It’s his first day at New Amsterdam and as the new Medical Director, he wants her to stay at the hospital and treat patients instead of doing press tours. Helen on the other hand wants to continue doing press and for the most part ignores his demands for her to return to the hospital. When she finally does return, she does so because she learns that Max has cancer. This bonds them at the onset as Helen is the only person in his life that knows about his diagnosis. As an audience, when we first see them interact, we instantly saw the sparks fly between them. Their chemistry and natural witty banter made us immediately take a look at their relationship and what potential they could have in the future. Though we were shocked by his cancer diagnosis, I think the fun and lightheartedness of Sharpwin’s first interactions really masked how traumatic this must have been for Max. On the first day of his dream job, that he sacrificed his marriage for, he learns that he has cancer while having a baby on the way. Those are the awful circumstances that first bring Max and Helen together. 

As Helen becomes Max’s doctor and he swears her to secrecy about his diagnosis, their friendship and bond grows deeper. His passion and drive to help his patients, reignites Sharpe’s love for medicine again and inspires her to put her patients first. They become vulnerable with each other more than anyone else in their lives. He confides in her about his broken marriage and she tells him that she wants a baby. When he almost dies, she becomes his deputy medical director so that he can focus on his care. All of these moments are significant to them because somewhere along the way they develop feelings for each other. They didn’t plan for it and it’s something neither of them are consciously aware of but unknowingly, they both start to fill a place in each other’s lives that was clearly more than a doctor and patient relationship or a friendship. This “place” wasn’t called out until episode 1x16 were the clairvoyant called out their feelings for each other. When episode 1x17 comes around, after a night of revelations and a scramble to get the power back on in the hospital, Helen decides to step back as his doctor. If she wasn’t aware of her feelings before, in this moment, she’s fully aware of them now. This is an effort to safeguard her heart and set boundaries because the lines of who they are to each other were already so blurred. When she “triages” their relationship Max’s reacts badly and honestly they’re both devastated and are on the verge of tears:

As viewers, we loved this moment but when you peel back the layers of what’s actually going on in this scene, it’s gut-wrenching. The subtext is so clear here yet their situation is so complex and layered. We know for a fact that Max wasn’t trying to lose her in ANY CAPACITY. We also know that in the way he TRULY wanted her he couldn’t have her and Helen knew that too. Not when he was married, had a baby on the way, and fighting cancer at the same time. Y’all that’s hard and profoundly painful when you think about it and it makes this scene all the more tragic. 

When Helen steps back as his doctor, at first Max seems to be handling it well but as his cancer starts to get worse, he completely breaks. Like I said earlier, over the course of his cancer treatment, Helen filled a place in Max’s life that was so much more than just his doctor or his friend. So when he’s dying and no longer has the person he feels deeply for play an active role in his treatment, he lashes out. He’s dealing with a range of emotions he can’t handle or properly process. Things only get worse from there and at the end of season one Georgia and Luna’s life are on the line and Bloom and Helen scramble to save them. When it seems like everyone was able to come out of that traumatic event unscathed, they get into a devastating ambulance crash that changes everything. 

Season 2 brings another level of pain and suffering for Max when he loses his wife after the crash and is thrust into single fatherhood. Not only is he grieving but he’s also dealing with guilt of falling in love with Helen while he was married. The complexities of his feelings is something he struggles with throughout this season and it affects his relationship with Helen. At some points he pushes her away and at others he desperately needs her. Once again, Helen and Max’s relationship is caught up in the most complex of circumstances that is riddled with agony and trauma. 

By time we head into season 3, Max doesn’t even have time to breathe or think about his relationship with Helen because they’re both thrust to the frontlines of the pandemic. 

I bring all of this up again to emphasize that there has never been a time where Max and Helen’s relationship hasn’t been wrapped up in trauma or some sort of suffering. It has always been one thing or another with them. It’s been A LOT and Max has tried to navigate being in love with Helen through his suffering and under these crazy ass circumstances. So after rewatching the finale, the questions that run through my mind are:

How do you step into love when all you’ve known for the past three years has been suffering?

How do you love openly and freely when for so long you’ve emotionally suppressed your feelings for someone because it was “wrong?” 

How do you let go, heal, and move on with your life?

To me, answering these questions is what the season finale for Max was all about. When you’ve suffered so much and endured so much it’s not easy to step into a new chapter in your life that’s hopeful and filled with love and possibilities. For Max, I don’t think in his wildest dreams that he ever imagined that he and Helen would be in a place where they could actually be together. Considering everything they’ve gone through, quite frankly it’s a fucking miracle! So when he actually makes it to the other side and not only SURVIVES but has a chance for happiness, I don’t think he knows what he’s doing. Pursuing/having feelings for Helen from a place that isn’t wrapped up in trauma and tragedy, where there are seemingly no obstacles in his way, is totally and completely new territory for Max. I think he’s clueless in how to do that in the right way and as he navigates through that, naturally there are hiccups.

That’s evident with what he said by the elevator and also in this moment here: 

Max doesn’t have a clue but he wants to make sure that he doesn’t fuck it up because he DESPERATELY wants this! I also think there’s something to be said about how we as human beings can self-sabotage ourselves when we finally have an opportunity to get what we want. Fear, guilt, worthiness usually comes into play with that and I think for Max there was definitely a fear with moving on with his life, guilt of surviving it all and having a chance to be with the woman he’s loved for so long, and a question of if he’s worthy of actually having happiness.

Their walk in my mind perfectly embodies him self sabotaging while also trying to navigate his feelings of desperately wanting to be with her. At the beginning of their walk, you see that at one point he clearly wants to hold Helen’s hand but he doesn’t (I would use a gif here y’all but I literally only have room for 10 😩). I’m focusing my attention on Max here because essentially this whole moment between them is a part of Max’s “mini story” in the episode. The ball has always been in his court and truly what we are witnessing is his journey to step into love because Helen is ready and has been waiting on him. 

The most compelling moment in their walk scene for me was this one: 

I find it strange for Max to walk so far ahead when he was the one who asked her if he could walk with her. My first thought while watching it live was “what is he doing” and I think Helen’s expression reads the same way. After analyzing this for a bit, I genuinely think that’s the point of this scene. Like I said earlier, Max doesn’t know what he’s doing. To be with Helen like this is, where its romantic, peaceful and drama free is probably blowing his mind and he doesn't know how to navigate this. He doesn’t know how to receive this second chance at happiness. 

The internal war of Max stepping into love or allowing fear, guilt, and unworthiness to hold him back becomes all the more evident when they get to Helen’s door: 

He knows he wants to come in. Helen know he wants to come in too. This man literally says goodnight twice and when Helen responds with “you said that,” it perfects this scene. She wants him to come in as well but she’s not going to ask him to. In this moment, she sees his internal struggle and she knows that he has to make the choice himself on whether or not he wants to move on with his life with her.

When he walks away, for a moment that was Max choosing to hold onto the pain and trauma of his past. That was him choosing to hold onto the guilt that was keeping him from healing and moving on. With the suffering he’s been through, it makes sense. In many ways he’s been conditioned to fight, to suffer and to endure. It’s what he’s used to. But praise the lord, he thinks of the moments he just shared with Helen. 

The joy he has with just being in her presence. 

The opportunity he has to freely be with her and have a life with her after loving her for so long.

He is not condemned to a life of suffering. It was only for a season. He’s in love with Helen and wants to be with her. Like hell is he going to let this opportunity at a second chance of love and happiness slip away from him. So guys, he slips off that ring, runs back to Helen’s apartment and makes a choice to step into love. Step into this new, uncharted, chapter of his life with Helen Sharpe. 

Anyway guys! I hope y’all enjoyed this! I might be releasing one more meta but we will see how it goes.

As always feel free to reach out to me on Tumblr and on Twitter @oyindaodewale. Love you guys!

[a-froger-epic]

Get out your glitter leotards and pour some champagne in your cat mugs! 🥂 🍾 It’s time to celebrate Freddie! 🎉😸

🎊 Freddie Mercury Weekend 2021 🎊

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

ABOUT THE EVENT

This weekend is a content creation event in honour of the man himself, the legend we all love, Freddie Mercury! Once more, everyone who is inspired by Freddie is invited to share their creativity with the fandom. You can write, draw, edit, record, even cross-stitch 😉 content for absolutely anything related to Freddie, any ship, any genre, any way you like. This is an indiscriminately inclusive, positive event. Everyone is welcome, there is no wrong way to be a fan of Freddie! (Except convincing yourself you're dating his ghost maybe. That's pretty wrong. And weird. Don't do that.)

WHEN? On the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of May.

HOW? On the above dates (or after!), post your contributions to the AO3 collection or alternatively on Tumblr, tagged ‘#fmw2021’ or/and ‘#freddie mercury weekend 2021’. If you post on Tumblr, please also tag @a-froger-epic to make sure you get a reblog from me!

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

THE PROMPTS

You can be as free with the prompts as you like. They are here to inspire, there is no wrong way to write them! Change them around, mix them up, make them fem!Freddie, A/B/O, add your favourite ship. Anything goes! 😊

21st of May - 500-1000 word challenge!

We’re kicking off the event with ficlets and drabbles. First time writer just testing the waters? No need for an epic, just write a scene! No time to write but you want to participate? Surely you’ll find time for 500 words! 😉 Interpret these mini-prompts however you like (every one is a separate prompt, but you can combine them!):

Make-Up 💄   |   Pain/Pleasure 👀

Strip 👕   |   Ring 💍

Forbidden 🤫   |   Delilah 🐈

Piano 🎹   |   Dormitory 🛏 

Outrageous 🎉   |   Contentment 😌

Come Together 🎇   |   Ballet 🩰

Piece of Art 🎨   |   Leather 🧥

Cockring 🐔   |   Kimono 👘

Petals 🌸   |   Leotard 🕺🏻

Mustache 🧔   |   Last Time 😔

22nd of May - Is This The Real Life? 

A list of real event/canon timeline prompts from Freddie’s life. How real you want to keep them, however, is entirely up to you!

Down in flames

Freddie is 16 years old when he leaves boarding school. Does it have something to do with the school gardener, Sanjay? Did he flunk his exams or did he not even sit them? Is one thing connected to the other? Does he really find a boyfriend when he goes to stay with his aunt in Mumbai (then Bombay)? Either way, there’s the small matter of his parents finding out about all of it... (Sources: x x )

When Freddie met Kenny

Freddie is a guest on Kenny Everett's radio show in spring 1974. Freddie is living with Mary, Kenny is married. Two gay men, deep in the closet. To no one's surprise, they hit it off immediately. (Source: x )

But when did he? 

At some point during his relationship with Mary, prior to his relationship with David, Freddie had already begun sleeping with men. But how and when did that first happen? Cottaging in London? On tour somewhere in the world? Your guess is as good as ours… 

Flying High

Sex, Drugs and Rock n' Roll. Like all rock bands of their time, Queen doesn’t escape the copious amounts of cocaine in the entertainment industry for long. Somewhere on tour in America, perhaps, Freddie is first introduced to it. Where? How? 

Hide your tears

Jim said that he tried to be strong for Freddie and only cried in private, so as not to burden Freddie with his feelings. But this time, he is found. 

One-liners:

In 1969, Freddie doesn’t know how to cook an egg and neither does Roger (Source: x )

In 1977, Freddie meets Joe while on tour in Boston and starts dating him behind David's back

In 1990, Brian and Freddie work on 'The Show Must Go On' (Source: x )

In a year of your choice, Jim reminisces about his fondest moment(s) with Freddie

In 1976, Freddie and Mary end their relationship 

In 1984, Winnie gives Freddie a wedding ring (middle of the post: x )

In the late 60s, Freddie agrees to model for an Ealing Art School fashion show, but panics and flees the runway (Source: x )

In 1974, Freddie is strip-searched upon arrival in Australia (Source: x )

In 1982, Freddie and Roger go shopping in Amsterdam (Source: x )

In 1978, Freddie swings from a chandelier - naked (Source: x )

23rd of May - Is It Just Fantasy?

A list of AU prompts to spark your imagination. Take them and run with them or change them up, just have fun!

Make your dreams come true

Freddie hasn't been very fortunate in his life, until he finds a very special oil lamp, and rubs it just the right way. 

Beautiful stranger

Freddie meets an alluring stranger at a masquerade ball, who has more secrets than he can hide behind a mask. But Freddie has some of his own. 

Thicker than water 

Freddie agrees to a dreadful fate in order to save his little sister from the very same. Fortunately, he has friends who are more than willing to help him, but can they? Or are they, too, in danger?

Diamonds are a boy's best friend

Freddie is the prized jewel of the court, a skilled belly-dancer and entertainer, but he may also be plotting murder and getting away with it. 

Almost Real

In a distant future, humans have all but done away with face to face interaction. Humanity largely lives online. Children grow up isolated and live with only their families well into young adulthood. Cybersex is the new normal, although some families take a puritanical approach for fear of addiction. One day, impossibly, a real life young man falls through the containment field in Freddie’s back garden. 

One-liners:

This plane is going to crash (Freddie knew there was a reason he hated flying) 

Shipwrecked on an island (Freddie could never bear to be alone, but luckily/unfortunately for him…) 

Hunger Games AU (Freddie is so dead) 

A terrible road accident (Everyone is so dead, or are they?) 

Blind Date AU (Freddie's best friend is so dead for setting him up with this person… or are they…) 

Bank robbery (but who are the robbers and who are the hostages?) 

Magic AU ("Yer a wizard, Freddie!")

Film Noir AU (Secrets and cigarette holders) 

Interior Design AU (Does the carpet match the drapes?)

The Bodyguard AU (“And I will always love yooouuuu…”)

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

RULES & FAQ

⛔ Strictly No Hate ⛔

This is the NUMBER ONE RULE of the event, to ensure that everybody feels safe. No rudeness, provocations or hate aimed at creators or other commenters will be permitted, not on AO3 nor Tumblr.

Follow these steps if you receive a comment or ask that distresses you:

Do not engage. (You can take a screenshot as proof.)

Delete it. No ifs, no buts. Just delete it. (Don’t hesitate to block anon hate on Tumblr.)

Alert me ( @a-froger-epic ) or @aboutnothingness, who is lending me a hand to make sure all needs are attended, all questions are answered and everything runs smoothly. We are here to actively support you. We’ve got your back, and we will gladly talk to you and help you feel better.

If you choose to ignore this rule, your work may be removed from the event. We would hate to resort to that.

But what if one of the works has upset me?

Can the thing that upset you be tagged, but it wasn’t? Then please inform @a-froger-epic or @aboutnothingness, and we will bring it to the creator’s attention. (Remember to use the appropriate tags, everybody!)

Was the thing that upset you already tagged? Or is it perhaps simply the characterisation you find disagreeable? Then we suggest you click on the ‘back’ button, take a deep breath and remind yourself it's just fanfic.

Who can participate?

Anyone who is inspired by Freddie Mercury in any way shape or form. This event is open to all.

Can I combine prompts from different days?

By all means! We look forward to your futuristic Freddie-gets-kicked-out-of-boarding-school Maycury Film Noir AU. With leotards. Go crazy.

I'm not sure where my creation fits in, what day do I post it? 

The days, like the prompts, are only suggestions. We don't mind when you post it, as long as you post it! Even if it's two weeks late! 

Help, I've never posted fic before! 

Don't worry, we've got you! (And more importantly, we've got AO3 invites!) @aboutnothingness is more than happy to walk you through the process of setting up an account and is also offering her services as a beta.

I’m still too nervous to participate!

You can post anonymously to the collection. You can disable anon comments on your work. You can disable comments entirely and just collect the kudos. You can close anon asks on Tumblr temporarily. But most importantly, we are here for you and we want you here!

❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜

“I love the fact that I make people happy, in any form. Even if it’s just half an hour of their lives, in any way that I can make them feel lucky or make them feel good, or bring a smile to a sour face, that to me is worthwhile.”

- Freddie Mercury

[hoodharlow]

Flipped

AN: I took a break from El Novio and thanks to Michael's Tiwtich stream an idea for Luke and Rory came about and I added that new pic y’alls mans posted 😌😌😌 also our newest 5sos!baby is named after my fave @wastelandcth ​ 

Requested? No

Warnings: general fluff with a breif interaction with rude a parent

Word Count:

Luke gently pushed down Aaliyah onto the couch. He quickly sat up and removed his shirt. He unzipped Aaliyah’s windbreaker and kissed down her body. His hands instinctively tugged down her leggings. He choked on air as he saw that she wasn’t wearing anything under.

“I get butt sweat when I wear panties.” Aaliyah explained to him. 

“All the more reason why you should ditch Alex, Fiona and Marina and stay with me. I can get you hot and stretched out so you don’t go to hot yoga.” Luke said before kissing her thighs.

“Mumma, I need my leo!” Rory yelled from her room, making them jump.

“I got it.” Luke mumbled kissing Aaliyah. 

He slipped on his shirt and adjusted his boxers to cover the tent in his sweatpants. He jogged upstairs to Rory’s room and found all of her clothes discarded on the floor. 

“What’s this?” He asked her. 

“I can’t find my leo.” She said, dramatically laying on her rug. 

Luke rolled his eyes at his three year old. He picked her up and sat her on the bed. He tossed her clothes on the bed and noted that she took out the clothes on the bottom drawers she reached. He pulled the second drawer and closed it back up remembering that it was her tennis and not her gymnastics one. All of her leotards and gymnastics equipment were in her closet. 

“Here you go love.” Luke said, handing Rory her favorite leotard. It was forest green with silver stars around her arms. She liked it in part because it was the same green as the shirt he wore where his ‘boobies’ showed. It also meant that Luke had to wear the shirt so they could be matchy-matchy. A term Rory took from Nico.

“Thank you.” She went to her bathroom and went to change. 

Luke folded her clothes and put them back in the drawers. 

“Tada!” Rory said before she did a somersault.

“A perfect ten.” Luke said. 

“Woohoo!” she cheered as she jumped to give him a high five. She went to her closet and grabbed her koala Converse Luke’s parents gave her when they all went to Australia for the band’s final leg of tour back in December. “Can I wear these?”

“Of course. Do you need help tying your shoelaces?”

“Yes, but I put them on.” Rory said. She slipped them on and pushed her feet towards Luke. He tied them and nearly fell back when she tackled him to a hug. “Thank you daddy!”

“You are welcome.”

Luke placed her on his shoulders and let her steer them downstairs. He ducked her as they went through the door frame and made sure she didn’t hit her head again. He put her down on her feet and watched her greet the dogs. She scratched Goldie’s tummy and kissed both Noon and Petunia’s heads. 

“Wash your hands love.” Luke said when he saw her pull her chair.

“Oh yeah.” She pushed her chair and went to wash her hands. She stood on the stool and washed her hands with Luke. She dried them and went to sit on her activities table to color while she waited for Luke to get started on breaky.

“I’m going to kill Marina.” Aaliyah groaned as she went straight to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of green juice. She looked back to a wide eyed Rory. 

“Not nice, mumma.” Rory said, dumping her crayon box onto the table. 

“I didn’t mean it literally. It’s an expression you say when you get annoyed with someone because they’re making you do something you don’t want to.” She quickly explained. She turned to Luke. “So our yoga class got cancelled, and Marina came up with the genius idea that we go hiking near the house she and Ashton bought near the mountains.” 

“That’s not so bad.” Luke said, flipping Rory’s blueberry pancakes.

“She wants us to bring the kids.” She deadpanned.

“But Rory has gymnastics.” 

“Now you know why I want to kill her.”

Luke placed the pancakes on a plate for Rory and made a smiley face with more blueberries. He placed her pancakes on the breakfast table and motioned to come eat. He nodded along to whatever else Aaliyah was telling him.

“So it’s settled then.” She said, making him look over to her, confused. She gave him a look before she explained, “I’ll go run a few errands and get what we need for the trip while you take Rory to gymnastics. She’s super excited to show you off.” 

Luke smirked and proudly looked at Rory. “I mean, I am Luke Hemmings, the father of the Aurora Marie Hemmings-Douglass after all.” 

***

“Daddy, lights.” Rory pointed at their green vintage Porsche with the headlights still on. 

Luke turned back and adjusted Rory’s bag over his shoulder. “They’ll turn off in a bit. C’mon we’re already late.” He said, tugging her down to the street.

Once inside the gym, Rory pulled off her Converse and chucked them at Luke. She quickly snuck into the middle of the line and followed the warmups. 

The second he sat down at one of the empty tables, he got swarmed by a group of teenage girls, all giddy that he was at their gym. He took a few selfies with them until their trainers called them back from their break. They all giggled and bid him goodbye. 

Once the last gymnast left, Luke focused on Rory. She was the best in her class. She followed every direction and watched the other kids. She would gather their mistakes and make mental notes not to do them. A trait she got from Aaliyah. 

If Ryan Tedder hadn't sat next to Aaliyah, who was taking notes of if her classmates' mistakes and improving her work, at the UC Berkeley showcase, Rory wouldn't exist.  

A few hours had gone by, Luke began reflecting. He leaned back and crossed his arms. It was the first time in a while that he felt like a dad. On top of their own world tour they did the year before, in the past few weeks, the band had been traveling all over the UK and Europe opening for Halsey's tour. So Luke hadn't had much time to spend with Rory. The last he had seen her was when she and Aaliyah visited him in Amsterdam to celebrate Rory's birthday. Now seeing her almost a head taller and with a more broader vocabulary, made him realize all that he's missed. 

His heart warmed watching Rory high five a blonde girl with soft blue eyes before she went up.

"She's great, ain't she?" A woman with a heavy East Coast accent said, approaching him. She had large ginger-red hair and held a large bedazzled Starbucks cup. 

"Best in class if I say so myself." Luke said politely. 

"No offense, but the best in the class is the charity case in the green leotard." Rory was only one in green. "Poor thing was lucky that this place takes students based on talent and not if their single mom can afford it. It's funny that they both say that the dad—"

"Go Rory!" Luke cheered as Rory did a perfect cartwheels across the floor. 

He clapped loudly and whistled. Rory high fived the trainer and went up to him as the trainers announced the end of training. 

"Daddy, did you see me?" Rory asked him, climbing onto his lap. 

Luke nodded and smiled. "I did. Perfect as always, love." he handed her water bottle. 

The woman had walked away and went to a group of moms. Luke had noticed them when they arrived, but didn't pay much attention to them. But now that he eyed them, he saw them for what they were: vultures. He felt angry and annoyed with them. 

"Are you ready?" Luke asked Rory. 

"Yes." She said. 

He grabbed her things and let her lead them out of the gym. She swung their hands together as they made their way to the car. Luke placed her things in the back next to her and helped her buckle up in her car seat. He rounded back to the driver's seat and started the car. Only for it to not to start. The car struggled a bit and gave out. 

Luke cursed, remembering that it was probably the car lights he left on. He called Aaliyah to help him recharge his car. While they waited for her, he handed Rory his phone and played her a movie. A few moms had come up to them and offered to recharge his car, among other things. He declined them, with Rory assuring them that her mumma was coming.

Aaliyah pulled next to them a good fifteen minutes later. Luke pulled her into a hug and thanked her after she teased him once again for forgetting to turn off his lights. Rory got out of the car and hugged her. She went on explaining to her all the new stuff she learned and how happy she was that Luke took her. 

"Daddy, can I go with mumma?" Rory asked once Luke's car was starting again. 

"Sure,” He nodded. “ I'll race you two home." He challenged Aaliyah. 

She shook her head. They both knew Aaliyah is the better driver between the two. "It's on." 

***

By the time they arrived at Ashton and Marina’s house it was around bed time for the kids. Around one in the morning Rory snuck into Luke and Aaliyah’s room because Max and Ethan were having a farting competition. Resulting in Luke and Aaliyah not being able to sleep because she took up half the bed, despite being barely three feet tall. But they were glad she was sleeping. The reason why they showed up at night was because she had a whole moment because they were taking the grey SUV Porsche and not the vintage green one. 

“It’s so early Al.” Luke grumbled as he slipped on his boots. 

“Oh shush, how many times did we have phone sex in the middle of the night because someone was in Europe and couldn’t wait a few hours.” Aaliyah sassed him as they quietly snuck outside.

Luke jogged to the car and removed Rory’s car seat, placing it in the trunk. Aaaliyah climbed inside and pushed him down on the seat. They devoured each other, not sure where to get started. 

Aaliyah got off his lap and sat next to Luke, pulling off her pajamas. She threw them haphazardly around the car.  Luke already settled in the middle seat shirtless and with his pants and boxers around his ankles as his cock stood proudly. While Aaliyah fixed her hair, he searched inside the center console, grabbing a box of condoms. 

“What’s with the condoms?” She asked as he skillfully rolled it on him. “We haven’t used one in years. Why do we need one now? We literally have a child sleeping upstairs”

“Aaliyah,” Luke groaned at her in frustration. 

“I’m not going to get into it right now because it’s early, but after breakfast we’re going to have a serious talk.” 

Aaliyah stood on her knees over Luke’s cock and reached down for it as she ran her arousal on it. Luke grabbed her hips and guided her down his cock. Both let out a satisfied moan. Aaliyah grabbed the headrest and slowly rode him. Once she got used to him, Luke met her thrusts. They were urgent yet passionate. Aaliyah was a moaning mess for him. 

Luke watched her dainty Cartier necklace bounce on her chest. He pulled her lips back to his. They moaned into each other. Aaliyah rode him with more urgency, but he pulled out of her. 

Aaliyah couldn’t process anything because next thing she knew, Luke laid her on the car seat. He planted one of his knees on the seat and wrapped her legs around his torso. Aaliyah’s whimpers filled the room as he thrusted back into her. One of her hands gripped his bicep while the other traveled down to her clit.

While she rubbed herself, she panted. “I’m going to come.”

“Fuck—can you hold it? I’m almost there.” 

Aaliyah nodded. 

Luke slowed his thrusts. They were deeper and more precise, he took her as if he was making love to her. Aaliyah pulled his mouth to hers. This kiss itself was also slow and soft. 

Aaliyah closed her eyes, she was close. “Eyes on me Aaliyah” he said. She opened her eyes and met Luke’s full of love and admiration. 

With one swift movement both came undone, moaning each other’s names.

After another heated makeout session they got dressed. They quietly giggled to each other, surprised that Ashton wasn’t up yet doing yoga by the picnic table. They closed the front door and found the kids running around. 

“My daddy says that there’s supposed to be ten numbers on a phone 9-1-1 has three.” Nico argued with Ethan.

“Nico, I’m six almost seven, trust me.” He said.

“Why are we calling 911?” Luke asked them.

“Rory is missing.” Max and Gemma, Michael and Fiona’s daughter said at the same time. 

Nico and Ethan shushed them. Nico fixed her rainbow pajama leggings and said. “As Gemma and Max said, Rory is missing. When we woke up she was— “

“It’s Gemma like gem not with an H sound.” Ethan interjected. 

“Well I’m Mexican and Mexicans say it with an H.”

“This isn’t Mexico, Nicolasa.”

Aaliyah got in between Nico and Ethan before their argument woke up the other parents. “Okay! Let’s bring it back to Rory. What do you mean she’s missing?” She motioned to her and Luke. “We went for a quick...walk and left her sleeping in our room.”

“Oh.” the four kids said in unison.

“Can we have breaky?” Max asked, making his way to the kitchen.

“Mumma, I want breaky too.” Rory mumbled, rubbing her eye. 

All the kids ran and hugged her. “Rory!”

“Where were you?” Nico asked like a worried mother, who’s kid accidentally napped when they were supposed to be paying attention to the route thus making them miss their stop.

Rory shrugged. “Sleeping.”

TAGLIST:  @calumscalm​​ @karajaynetoday​​  @cherryxwildflower​​ @myloverboyash​​ @calpops​​ @idontneedanyone​​ @findingliam-o​​ @5-secondsofcolor​​ @mulletcal​​ @sexgodashton​​ @sunshinebabycal-deactivated2021​​ @another-lonely-heart​​​ @fckingpernico​ @2fangirl4u

​​​​Special guests: @twilightmomentswithyou​​ @rebelwith0utacause​

[thegeneralguy]

The Champion of Olympus - Zeus´s Zeal

“To your right you can see the ruins of the fabled temple of Zeus, the once deity patron of the city. A statue in his honor was considered a world wonder in the ancient world. Now if you follow me…”

The enthusiastic tour guide waved her little red flag to gather the group of students listening to her. It was a particularly windy summer day when Markie Laur and some of his college classmates were taken on a tour through Greek archeological sites. This excursion was one of the only excuses’ students found in order to participate in this lecture. Markie himself had little to do in a Greek and Roman mythology course, being an engineering major. His two best friends convinced him to join the course so they could do a tour around Europe together. Besides, the free credits were always welcome.

The excursion moved sluggishly through the different ruins in the archeological site. Some students were very interested in the information and keen in on learning more. They engaged in discussion and conversation with the tour guide and their professor. Markie and his friends were none of them. They hung out in the back of the tour. Robert was showing Jordan different bars in Amsterdam on his phone, both plotting enthusiastically how many drugs they would be able to take and how many European girls were they going to take back to their hotel room once they were there. Markie just hung out on the back watching the sites in peace. Although the three 21 year old college students shared the same nerdy nature, Markie was the shyest of the three. He didn´t share the other two´s deliriums of grandeur, nor sexual preference for the matter. His insecure nature made him unsure to come out to the supposedly closest friends he had in college. He was friends with Robert and Jordan out of survival instinct more than true friendship.

Markie and Robert landed in the same dorm room on their freshman year. Jordan was Robert´s hometown neighbor that had the luck of landing in the same college as his best friend. Both were boastful economy majors who tried and failed constantly in on inserting themselves amongst the more popular social circles. Markie was more down to earth than the other two, completely conscious that the combination of his cherub face, short unathletic body and shy personality automatically put him on the bottom layer of the Darwinist ladder that was college life. Robert saw the physical similarities of his roommate as a reason to adopt him into their duo, and so the three of them started hanging out together, playing videogames, making complex plans to get into some fraternity parties and talking about their crushes. Markie just went along with it. Drug use, even though mild was where he drew the line, completely paranoid that he was going to get expelled if caught.

Now the three of them were finishing their sophomore year with cero conquests under their belts, so their trip to Europe was the only hope of Robert and Jordan to get some of the validation they had been craving.

The sun started setting down as the tour started heading towards the information center to compare notes and conclude the visit. The day had gotten increasingly stormy, with dark clouds gathering on the sky and blocking the sunset light. Markie was still on the far back of the group, his gaze scanning the surrounding ruins. He started wondering why the site was so empty, with none other than the little group ahead of him on sight.

“Maybe there´s bad weather coming.”

He thought as a chill crossed his spine. He stopped to take his sweater out of his backpack, completely missing that everyone, including his friends continued advancing down the road until he was left completely alone. Markie put on his oversized college sweatshirt, his body practically drowning in the garment. He looked around searching for his friends, but there was no one on sight. An ominous wind started blowing, moving the grass with an eerie rhythm. The trees rustled next to him, and the faint sound of thunder resonated in the distance.

“Guys? Rob?”

His anxiety started acting out, as he nervously wandered on the dirt road looking for his friends. The path started to disappear slowly, leaving tall luscious grass behind. An unseen force was guiding Markie through the glade. His mind was racing, already making up hundreds of scenarios where he got lost and was never able to return home. He just felt he needed to move forward, and so he did. The breeze around him kept getting stronger, with little droplets of rain being blown straight into his face.

Suddenly Markie found himself right in the middle of the ruins of the temple of Zeus. He recognized them from the tour, being the only part that really caught his attention for some reason. The sound of thunder kept getting stronger, as the air current suddenly started to form a whirlwind around him. The rain had gotten stronger, pouring down furiously and completely drenching him.

Markie started having a panic attack, his breathing getting to the point of hyperventilation. He suddenly felt an incredible pressure on top of him. He looked up to one of the columns and saw a gigantic golden eagle perched on top of it. A bright lightning bolt completely blinded his eyesight for an instant, and when he looked up once again, he was confronted with a vision of the most perfect man he had ever seen.

His gargantuan chest was framed by two sets of enormous shoulders, which were connected to two arms so muscular they must have been around the same girth as Markie´s waist. Powerful legs supported the massive body of the gorgeous man, whose height made him seem double the body size of the little 5´6 college student. The luscious curls of his golden beard fell right in the middle of his chest, as his gorgeous mane of equally beautiful hair framed a face that looked near aesthetic perfection. Features that exuded masculinity, but still kept a supernatural beauty that was only present in the sculptures of antiquity. The man was wearing a white robe tied only on top of one of his shoulders, with big golden bracelets on each of his wrists. The man emitted a light glow from his body, like his whole silhouette was encased in a halo.

“Who—o a—are you? Did I die?”

Asked Markie nervously. His gaze couldn’t find anything else other than the godly fantasy in front of him.

“Silence boy. I´m going to grant you a gift. A gift all mortals would kill for.”

“A gift? Please don´t hurt me. I´m really sorry if I trespassed, I can´t find….”

“I said quiet!”

The man roared with fury. Markie managed to get out a panicked yelp as thunder stroke the ground all around him.

“You really remind me of him. Come and find me when you´re ready. All your questions will be answered. Enjoy it boy, for it will come with a price.”

The man pointed his finger at him. Suddenly Markie felt a jolt of electricity course all across his body. He was afraid he was going to be fried by the stud in front of him. Lighting fell again very close to the man, completely blinding Markie again. When he looked up the storm was gone, and so was the man. He briefly thought he imagined everything, until he felt his soaking wet clothes. He could also still feel the light static effect he felt when the stranger raised his finder towards him. He wondered if his friends had pranked him by sneaking in some hallucinogen into his water bottle when the annoyed voice of his professor grounded him back on reality.

“Mr. Laur, may I remind you that profanation of ancient heritage sites is strictly punished by the law? Come back here this instant. The bus is waiting for us.”

Markie rushed out of the ruins to join his classmates on the bus back into town. He briefly looked back at Zeus´s temple one last time, and thought he saw a big bird fly fast into the sky.

 “Whoa man did you jump into the fountain or something?”

Asked Robert when he saw his roommate entering the bus soaking wet.

“Very funny Rob. It was the rain.”

Answered Markie unenthusiastically as he took the seat behind Robert and Jordan.

“What rain dude, its as dry as Angela´s pussy over there.”

Whispered Jordan giggling whilst nodding in the direction of one of their most conservative classmates. Markie didn´t even reply to his friend´s crude comment, as the bus slowly departed the site towards the hotel. Olympia wasn´t a big city, but his classmates had already made plans in meeting in the small bar next to the hotel to talk about the trip so far and have some drinks. Robert and Jordan kept snorting and laughing from time to time watching some random insta-girl´s page.

“What a pair of losers.”

Thought Markie to himself as he pondered on his friends’ blatant misogyny. He kept staring out the window into the dark void in front of him. His smooth boyish face greeted him back on the black window. He took a moment to really look at himself. Other than the childish rounded cheeks and soft features, he wasn´t so ugly. His dark brown eyes gave him a friendly look, and his teeth were straight and white. He could look much cuter if he put some effort into it. Stop shaving his dark brown hair with an electric razor, paid an actual hairstylist to get him on of those popular haircuts every guy on the internet had and get some actual sunlight in order to improve the corpse looking hue on his skin would get him far. He could finally stop hanging out with those guys.

The sudden confidence rush went away as fast as it came, leaving Markie languishing in self doubt once again.

“Who am I kidding? I´ll never have the confidence to be on my own.”

Crippling social anxiety and low self esteem were the true shackles tying him to a lonely existence, not the way he looked. Confidence could completely change someone´s image of themselves, making him attractive to himself and by inertia to others as well.

The sudden epiphany caused a golden spark to light in on Markie´s eyes, just an instant so he could see it, but not slow enough so he could know if it was real or a product of his imagination. The static feeling was slowly turning into a constant tingling spreading all across his body. A droplet of sweat travelled down his temple as he felt his body heat slowly rising. He took away his sweatshirt only to find his equally wet t-shirt clinging to his thin body, but showing a tiny strip of skin belonging to his lower belly. If it were dry Markie would´ve also noticed a certain tightness on the kid sized garment, his torso gaining an almost imperceptible amount of mass. He still felt as if he was being asphyxiated by his own clothes. His temperature was rising so high that he could almost feel a humidity cloud form all around him coming from his wet clothes.

“Markie! Man you´re really off today.”

Markie was so busy fighting his need to rip his t-shirt off so hard he barely noticed the curious eyes of both of his friends staring at him.

“We need to get you some new clothes. You have to look your best if we´re gonna go hunting man!”

Said Robert enthusiastically as he high fived Jordan. Markie just answered with a nervous laugh as he kept trying not to cause a scene in a moving vehicle.

After what felt like an eternity the bus arrived at the hotel. Markie practically jumped out of his seat and rushed towards the exit. He could also feel his jeans ending a bit above his ankles, and his shoes constricting his feet. The first thing he thought was that the water had shrunken his clothes, but after feeling the sensation spread along the static tingling, he suspected this could be related to that fever dream he had in the ruins.

The professor gathered everyone right outside the bus to plan the rest of the evening. Markie stood there impatiently among his fellow classmates feeling increasing discomfort. The tingling turned to numbness, making him lose sensation on his hands and feet. The only thing he wanted was to get back to his room so he could wash himself and get into fresh clothes. His usual nervous expression started turning into an angry sneer, as his impatience grew along with his discomfort. As soon as the professor dismissed them, Markie rushed straight through the small hotel doors directly to the room he shared with his two friends. He got into the bathroom slamming the door behind him.

He was sweating profusely and his body heat started rising so high an actual steam cloud started forming around him. The numbness in his limbs had turn into an excruciating pain, as cramps travelled all across his body tensing the little muscle mas he had. He felt like he was being electrocuted. He looked into the mirror and was greeted by a bizarre image of himself wearing a little kid´s clothes. The t-shirt looked more like a crop top now, the little sleeves were being strained by two longer arms. His pants were riding halfway up his calves. He managed to kick out the shoes that were also clearly a few sizes too small for his grown feet. Markie did his best not to scream in pain due to the sensations assaulting his body.

The small lightbulb illuminating the bathroom started flickering and a small air current started forming around Markie. A sharp pain in his stomach made him turn to the toilet and throw up the little food he had ingested during the day. Shivers crossed his body as the cramps got stronger. He could see the ligaments in his hands contracting and moving on their own because of the strong muscle spasms. He turned his face back into the bowl and retched loudly clasping his stomach, tears of effort running down his cheeks.

“Markie? Are you alright in there?”

Asked Robert knocking on the bathroom door. He was so distracted by the sensations assaulting his body that he completely missed his friends enter the hotel room. He responded with a quiet “yeah” and made a conscious effort in making it sound as calm as possible. The last thing he wanted was those guys seeing him in his current state.

“I´ll be out in a minute.”

Said Markie as he managed to pull himself back on his feet. The wind in the bathroom had gotten stronger, and Markie could swear he could hear the faint sound of thunder inside the room. He grabbed the edge of the sink and looked into the mirror. His face was completely red, and his hair was dripping sweat as if a cloud was pouring rain on top of him. He looked at himself straight in the eyes, and then it happened. A golden color started to seep out of his pupils, changing the brown hue of his iris. It looked like molten gold was being directly injected into his eyes. Once the new color took completely over, the lightbulb started shining so bright it completely burst after a few seconds. Markie heard the glass shards fall on the ground, and the room was left in complete darkness. The only source of light were his iridescent golden eyes.

He tried to move to the side, but he accidentally stepped on a few glass pieces and slipped on the wet floor. He howled in pain and steadied himself with the bathroom sink. He also didn’t realize his hand moved way too close to the electrical outlets next to the mirror. A faint crackling sound could be heard, and white sparks started jumping out of the outlet.  Suddenly, a lightning bolt shot straight out of the outlet directly into Markie´s hand. He tried to scream, but not a single noise came out of his mouth. The wind started flowing stronger, forming a vortex with the college student straight in the center. Another lightning bolt coming from an electrical outlet on top of the floor flew straight heading for his other hand. Both currents formed two chain lightning shackles that tied the boy in the center of the room.

Markie felt vertigo, as his growth spurt continued on an accelerated pace, putting him over a foot from his original height. His feet grew proportionally to help him stabilize his now towering stature, the skin on his soles hardening and expelling the glass shards he slipped on earlier. The electric shackles started spreading lighting bolts up his arms and into his torso, completely burning the remains of the already ripped small t-shirt. He felt an excruciating pain while his bone structure changed. His clavicle extended, pushing both of his shoulders further to the sides. His ribcage also expanded together with his waist. The remains of his pants started digging painfully into the skin of his hips. Once the bones finished their transformation, the pain started to subside.

Markie stood in the middle of the room completely disoriented. His new height made everything take on different dimensions and the irregular sparks and lightning bolts were illuminating the bathroom in all kinds of bizarre ways. Not to mention the wind throwing all kinds of hygiene supplies all around. His gaze found his reflection in the mirror. He looked like an underfed giant of a man. It was like the little muscle mass he had was distributed evenly across his new size, leaving him practically just bones and skin. He watched the flashy shackles fascinated, as sparks jumped and squirmed in the air before fading into blackness.

Suddenly, he felt the strong static feeling on his wrists, as lightning bolts dug under his skin and spread through his body. He could feel the electrical current inside of him, the pain of the intense cramps returning in major scale. Electricity was contracting every muscle fiber, breaking and healing them very rapidly. New muscle nuclei started forming as well in order to endure the work the chain lightning was putting them through. Markie´s hands were the first to grow. Delicate long fingers filled with strong muscle, as his palms expanded and hardened. Callouses formed to protect them from the heavy labor they were now designed to do. They looked comically large, comparable to big baseball mitts on a small child. The transformation immediately shot right up his forearms, expanding them to incredible size that would put Popeye out of work without question. Strong sinews connected his powerful hands to his elbows, giving them a vice like strength too atop of their intimidating look. His upper arms picked up on the growth too, biceps inflating to the size of a cantaloupe and triceps completely defying gravity jutting so far out the back of his arms it looked like someone had welded big horseshoes on his already enormous arms. The shoulders expanded next, gaining epic proportions comparable to a pumpkin on top of each arm. Markie gritted his teeth in pain as he caught a glimpse of what has happening to him. He looked like a doll that had gotten the arms of a He-Man toy accidentally glued on his lanky torso.

A strong spasm in his chest caused him to fall forwards, the shackles on his arms preventing him from touching the ground. He was scared for a second, he was having a heart attack, as each pectoral muscle twitched and pulsed manipulated by the electric current. His chest started inflating rapidly in all directions, rising high on the top reaching for his chin, and squaring off in the bottom, leaving a big shelf hanging from the distressed student´s upper body. The electric bolts reached for his nipples, hardening them and expanding them until the former tack sized miniatures grew to a more manly dollar coin size.

Markie could feel the electricity running all across his spine, engorging his back so support such a top-heavy body. His traps developed in the upper part, reaching for his ears, and his lats expanded to the sides pushing the gargantuan arms to the sides on a permanent forty-degree angle. His lower back developed strongly to support the heavy muscle on the top. Then he felt as if someone was punching him straight on his stomach, as each individual abdominal muscle popped from his midsection, carving a deep valley in the center of his body, and leaving him with a truly enviable small waist that made the proportions on the upper body look more freakish.

The cramps then travelled down his waist, focusing on his practically non-existent glutes, contracting and twisting them. His ass started to slowly inflate into two pairs of gravity defying boulders, completely ripping the rest of his pants and leaving Markie with his tight white briefs, which looked more like a thong being swallowed by the two monstrous muscles. His manhood was left completely ignored by the electrical current, leaving him practically flat on the front. Each quadricep spasmed and developed deep cut muscle, growing to gigantic proportions in order to move this behemoth of a body around. Calves inflated next leaving him with two powerful football looking muscles ready to propel Markie in whichever direction he wanted. His feet were the last part of his body to change, filling with powerful strength to support the now card-carrying bodybuilder.

As soon as the last part of his body concluded growing, the electrical shackles were absorbed into Markie´s body. He started to emit a faint glow, dimly illuminating the bathroom. His pale skin took on a golden hue. He looked into the mirror once again and he saw his face with two glowing eyes on top of a body that wasn’t his. The miniature storm inside the room also subsided, leaving him quietly staring into the mirror.

“Is that really me?”

Asked Markie to himself whilst touching his powerful chest. He accidentally brushed one of his nipples with his hand, and it caused a small electrical current to travel across his chest. Only this time it wasn´t pain what he felt, but pleasure. Markie had a very prude attitude, barely exploring sex by himself, let alone with somebody else. But this sensation sparked something else in him. An instinct buried so deeply within insecurities, that it had remained imperceptible to him. But something inside his was pushing him to do it again, to finally unleash the real him.

“I can´t believe it. This can´t be real.”

Markie raised an arm and flexed. Powerful muscle twitched and pumped inside of him, his bicep raising higher and higher. He chuckled slightly. A quiet laugh that increased in intensity, as Markie explored and felt every new part of his anatomy. He then took his other nipple between his fingers and pinched it slightly. An even stronger pleasure jolt shot across his body.

The college boy was becoming less and less of a boy the more he touched himself. Confidence was flooding every inch of his being. Someone who looked like a God should behave as a God as well thought Markie, while his slow caresses of his body turned to an intense erotic massage. His hand touched the deep crevices of his abdomen, and slowly found its way to the boy´s less than impressive endowment.

“This simply won´t do.”

Said Markie in a quasi-trance like state. He slowly reached to the electrical outlet again, and focused all of his energy in summoning that spark again. His call was quickly answered, as an intense lightning bolt shot straight towards his hand again.

“Yes. Give me more. More strength. More power.”

Said Markie, his boyish voice taking on a powerful commanding voice. He then took the hand connected with the electricity to his crotch, and grabbed his bulge once again. The electricity then travelled directly into his manhood, shotting bolts of pleasure all over Markie´s body. His mind was filled with images of intimacy, of epic scenes of desire and encyclopedic sexual knowledge.

“Fuck yeah. More.”

He cursed for the first time in his life, while the overwhelming sensation clouded the last of his senses and erased the old Markie from existence, leaving a blank canvas for his new godly persona to take place. His manhood started growing to divine proportions, completely straining the briefs to the point of breaking. White tatters fell to the floor, as his equine endowment raised straight and up, reaching almost a foot in length. Like the rest of his body, the girth proportions adjusted too, leaving him with practically an extra limb on his lower body, as thick as a baby arm. His testicles inflated like water balloons until each was the size of a lemon. The powerful divine seed inside them started seeping it´s essence to the rest of his body, as Markie reached the final step of his transformation.

His neck thickened, and his moans of pleasure started dropping in pitch until his boy-like cadence reached an intimidating deep baritone. He grunted as his mandible contorted and expanded into comic book hero proportions. A cleft formed on his powerful chin, and his teeth grew to fit the new size of his mandible. His lips thinned out giving him a serious look. The baby fat on his cheeks evaporated, leaving sharp angular features behind. His nose remained straight, but grew to accommodate the aesthetic of the new man´s face. His brow expanded and hooded over his eyes, giving him a stern serious look.

His shaved brown hair then started growing on the top, parting sideways and acquiring a thick silky texture, along with a golden tone. The new blonde´s body hair flourished right afterwards. Clear body hair sprouted on his forearms and on top of his hands, but the rest of him remained smooth. The hair in his pits and on his pubic region also changed to a blonde hue, before falling down leaving the new man completely shaved. Changes in the hair follicles were made, as this was a very hairy man that manscaped regularly. Thick stubble then grew on his face, leaving a permanent five o´clock shadow. Finally, a thick mustache and a soul patch formed around his mouth, completing the transformation.

Where once stood a puny college student, now stood a complete god of a man. The former 21 year old looked almost a decade older, not that it would worry him too much because his mind also started changing to accommodate the new bodybuilder. His fears and worries completely evaporated, leaving behind a man that lived in the moment. He ate when he wanted to, he went where he wanted to and he fucked whenever he wanted to. His repulsion for his nickname grew, and he decided to adopt his full name from ow on.  Where there was once a Markie now stood Marcus, the champion of the thunder god Zeus.

He flexed and roared in triumph as one last lightning bolt shot through the outlet reaching him. Veins started popping on his arms and legs, like lightning coursing through a stormy sky. He turned around and opened the bathroom door, stepping into the world for the first time.

“What do you think of this one?”

Said Jordan whilst showing his friend one of the many fedora hats he brought to the trip.

“Who cares? Fedoras aren’t cool anymore man. It´s all over the internet, look it up.”

Answered Robert exasperated of having to go through another wardrobe dilemma. He couldn´t stop thinking about Markie and his weirder than usual attitude these last couple of hours. His roommate had been in the bathroom for a while now, but there was no sound coming from the bathroom ever since Markie answered him, he was fine.

“Do you think Markie is okay in there?”

He asked Jordan, who barely looked up from his suitcase.

“I don´t know. But who cares man? Less dead weight for us when we go for the chicks later.”

“He´s not a dead weight Jordan. I know Markie is shy and kind of weird, but he´s a great guy. Trust me, I know. I live with him.”

“We both know why he´s like that. Not that I have anything against it, but its impressive how he thinks no one realizes the way he looks at those douches from the frat sometimes.”

“He will tell us whenever he´s ready. And even if he´s not it´s okay. He will still be my friend. And I hope yours too Jordan.”

“Come on man. I like gay dudes. Less competition for us. I just don´t want him to ruin our hunt with his angst when we go out to the bar.”

“It´s about time to get going though. I´m gonna ask Markie if we should meet him directly in the bar, if It hasn´t confused him with a child and kidnaped him through the sink.”

Both friends laughed at the reference just as Robert approached the bathroom door once again.

“Markie my man, we´re gonna get going. You can meet us there if you want, but don´t feel rushed take your time. Hope that you´re okay though.”

He said knocking lightly on the door. A faint grumble could be heard on the other side, but Markie didn´t answer. Robert took that as a response, and he turned around to prepare his stuff and go.

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened with such a force it ripped it out of it´s hinges. A blinding light was coming from the bathroom, together with enough steam to turn the small hotel room into a sauna. Robert and Jordan watched completely in shock as the new Marcus stepped out of the bathroom, his whole body enveloped in a golden halo. Both college students looked tiny in comparison to the enormous wall of muscle standing in front of them.

“Who—o a—are you? Whe—ere´s Ma—arkie?”

Managed to squeak Robert nervously while his eyes scanned every mountain and every valley that composed the behemoth´s body.

“It is Marcus now, my friends. Come and bathe in all my glory.”

Said Marcus while raising both of his arms and flexing his latissimus muscles, completely eclipsing the now small in comparison bathroom door. A potent smell started wafting through the air, impregnating the steam with masculine pheromones coming directly from the giant´s underarms. Both Robert and Jordan were put in a trance like state, and approached the shining man.

“Yes. Come to me. I will show you the true meaning of pleasure.”

Deep primal instincts were awoken in both boys. Lust, submission and adoration completely eclipsed the nervous feeling both had. As soon as their hands touched Marcus´s chest, an intense shock of pleasure shot through both of their bodies, travelling directly to their brains completely burning their old personas out of their heads. Both boys had their irises completely drained of color, leaving white mindless eyes behind. Marcus took each one of them by their waists and pulled them close. Their hands started exploring the giant´s body, leaving a trail of sparks jumping off the radiant skin.

He then leaned down to kiss Robert, while Jordan worked his way down licking the sweat off his chest and descending slowly through the cobblestone road on his midsection. His giant manhood was already hard as an iron bar, eager for attention. As soon as Jordan´s mouth made contact with the pulsing member, a strong stream of electricity started inundating his body. The small muscles spasmed and expanded to ridiculous proportions. The small belly he had grown out of eating too many pizza slices and drinking mountain dew evaporated into this air, leaving a hard six pack behind. His chest raised, forming two pillows sticking far out of his chest. His limbs contracted and expanded into heroic proportions, leaving the new man at least a hundred pounds heavier with pure lean mass. He stayed at the same 5´6 height, making the new man a fireplug of a bodybuilder.

He had already kneeled down and was worshipping the godly pole in front of him, savoring the nectar coming from the tip as if he was drinking ambrosia directly from the source. His face cracked and rearranged leaving brutish heavy features, but still holding onto some beauty. Age seeped into his skin and his muscles, seasoning them with the hardness of a more adult male. All his hair fell down, except his eyebrows, leaving the man completely smooth. His skin took on a stronger golden hue than Marcus, without the glow.

Meanwhile Marcus was inserting his large tongue into his former friend´s mouth, completely invading him. Robert´s jaw cracked and rearranged into a sharp square. His cheekbones raised and the fat melted off his face, leaving a shockingly handsome face behind. Unlike his friend, Robert stayed young, his visage devoid of any single imperfection. He slowly grew up a couple of inches, but still remaining far off the height of the god sodomizing his mouth. His body then expanded, muscles piling on top of each other, but also craving themselves deep into his body. His former chubby physique completely shed off any excess fat, leaving him at a single digit body fat percentage. His chest didn´t hang as far as Jordan´s, but it squared off in the bottom as if being carved out of a marble statue by a classical sculptor. His eight pack was accentuated by the sharp Adonis belt pointing downwards. His legs and arms grew muscular, each individual sinew visible thanks to the thin skin on top of them. He had a bit less mass than his kneeling friend, but was way more defined. His body hair also fell down entirely, leaving the new handsome hunk as smooth as his former best friend.

Both new men´s manhood stayed the same size though, which made them seem much smaller on their larger bodies. Marcus then looked at his two new servants. He was completely conscious he was their master and demanded their adoration, but also felt a deep bond to them. He was free to fornicate with whomever he wanted to, but these two were going to be forever bound to him, desperate for his love and addicted to his divine masculinity. As for the two men worshipping their new master, their sole purpose of existing was serving and pleasing this new god among men.

He then ordered the former Jordan to lay on the bed, and pushed the former Robert right next to him. Although it was his sexual debut, Marcus felt as if he had done this for all of eternity. He was ready to claim what was his and become the supreme being he was destined to be.

The students evacuated the hotel in panic, together with their professor and fellow guests. An unusually strong lightning bolt had stricken the small building, completely blowing up an entire corner. Three students were missing. Cries and sirens resonated through the night sky. The professor tried desperately to communicate with the local authorities, completely ignorant that the three students had disappeared forever.

 A car approached the ruins of the temple of Zeus. A giant figure then got out of the vehicle, accompanied by two large silhouettes that stayed behind. Marcus approached the center of the ruins. He was wearing a tight pair of black underpants, unable to find any other fitting clothes. Not that he needed to, his enormous body produced large amounts of heat, and still emitted a low shine highlighting him in the darkness. He had no need to hide. He was a gift to humanity, their savior. Anyone should feel blessed and humbled on his presence.

A lightning bolt fell directly in front of him, but the man stayed completely unfazed. Zeus appeared in front of him, still towering over the new Marcus, but seeming less than a giant next to the behemoth in front of him.

“You turned out very well. I was not mistaken in choosing you Marcus Laur.”

Said Zeus examining his perfect handiwork. He would say he was surprised by how well the job was made, but it was he who had done it, so it was only natural it was perfect. Marcus bowed in front of his creator and said with a respectful, but firm tone.

“Your words are my command my lord. What is it that I should do?”

Zeus´s stern face showed a glimpse of joy.

“I need you to be my envoy on this world, imprinting it with my will, which shall be your own. Humans are sheep, you shall be their shepherd. Come to the base of Mount Olympus. I shall put you through fearsome trials. Fear not though, with my power as your own you shall overcome them without problem.”

He then looked at the two muscular men standing right next to the car.

“I see you already got a taste of your powers. Good. You have two weeks to discover and reach your full potential. Do not fail.”

“Thank you, my lord. I shall not disappoint you.”

Marcus watched as lightning fell again, and Zeus disappeared. The golden eagle was already flying out of sight in the night sky. Zeus was very pleased with himself. He had many things in mind for his new toy. Not ever since meeting Ganymede had he felt an infatuation like this for a mortal, only this time he used his will to turn him into his ideal for true human beauty, and he imbued him with some of his divine power. His desire was going to burn the other competitors out of the way, thought the god of thunder. Marcus would become the Champion of Olympus.

[sevenkittensinatrenchcoat]

Vienna-Based Mistos and Grizabella: Misto Becomes the Misto You Know

Once again, I find myself fascinated with the Vienna production and it’s descendants, especially when it comes to Mistoffelees. There are bits with Misto in these productions that are sometimes very similar to the 1998 VHS, but other productions don’t have them.

In the majority of productions I’ve seen, when Grizabella first appears, the first cats to respond are Coricopat and Tantomile, who hiss at her. Some productions have Mistoffelees sense her first, which all the Vienna-based ones do. But, they all do it slightly differently, with a noticeable difference between the first two (Vienna and Amsterdam) and the later two (Paris and Zurich)

Vienna:

This production started in 1983, but the recording is from 1990, near the end of the show’s run. Mistoffelees was played by the same actor, Valentin Baraian, playing him for most of the run. Occasionally, covers would step in, but he was the official Vienna Misto the whole time. So, despite the film being from 1990, it’s a characterization developed in 1983. I’m sure it evolved over time, but not in the same way as productions where the role changed hands.

I know it’s very hard to see here, but those are Misto’s hands behind Grizabella. When he first approaches her, he briefly tries to block her path, but when she insists on going forward, he walks behind her.

A cat, I’m not sure which one, runs up to Grizabella and hisses at her. Misto signals the cat to stand back. Throughout the scene, several cats approach Grizabella, some attempting to reach out to her, and others just to hiss at her or scratch her. With the former, one of the older cats will rush to stop them. Misto himself only stops the ones approaching threateningly. This means that he’s following her around to make sure that the others don’t hurt her.

After Grizabella starts singing, he tries to fend off the cats who approach her, but only the ones that do something to upset her, since she turns on them for the “you see the border of her coat is torn” line.

Conclusion: Vienna Misto is one of the adult cats, allowed to approach Grizabella and take charge while she’s there, since Munkustrap seems reluctant to do anything one way or another. But, even though he knows who she is and what she did, he personally has nothing against her and shadows her to keep her from getting hurt. Since one of the kittens succeeds in scratching her, he doesn’t seem to be very at it, but he cares enough to feel like he needs to try.

Amsterdam:

NOTE: Due to not having access to a full recording of this production, if one even exists at all, the following screenshots are taken from the clip @junkyard-gifs uploaded. As far as I can tell, the clip is from 1987. 

When Misto notices Grizabella, he runs up to her and holds his arms out, blocking her path. Once again, it seems like Misto is old enough to know who she is and that she’s not welcome.

However, Grizabella will not be stopped. She just shoves him out of the way. He’s not Munkustrap. He’s not the protector. He can’t tell her what to do.

However, this shove is technically an act of violence, so Misto warns the others to stay back. She attacked him! I’m guessing this Misto is not often shoved out of the way. Some Mistos are, but not this one.

The other cats scatter and Munkustrap steps up to handle the situation. Misto is still mad about it.

Conclusion: Amsterdam Misto (Dr. Diavolo, which is an amazing name) is one of the adult cats, since he seemed to know right away that Grizabella wasn’t welcome. But, unlike Vienna Misto, who seemed to have some sort of connection to Grizabella, this Misto doesn’t like her and likes her even less after she pushes him. He seems less mature and more prideful than Vienna Misto, with his dramatic reaction to being shoved, but I get the feeling that most of the other cats would’ve behaved the same way in this situation.

Now, both of these Mistos knew who Grizabella was. In general, full adults know Griz, while the kittens and sorta-adults don’t. This is the most clear generation gap in the show. In both these productions, Misto was put on the side of the adults. This matches up with most earlier portrayals of the character. By the time Jacob Brent played him, he was a younger character, only just starting to become an adult, who comes up age by the end of the show. I’ve always been curious as to when exactly this change took place. How did we get from here:

to here:

I don’t have any pictures of Timothy Scott’s Misto and Grizabella, so this comparsion doesn’t work quite as well, but you get the idea. In the above picture, Misto is just sort of waiting to see what Grizabella does. He doesn’t know her.

Well, I think the next two entries in the Vienna Line show some of the journey from point A to point B

Paris

The recording of the Paris version is from 1990, during the last month of the show’s run. It was uploaded to YouTube by Guy-Paul de St. Germain, who played Misto in the recording, and in London shortly after, as well as in a later UK Tour.

Misto approaches Grizabella, and the film quality makes it hard to see what’s going, but what I think is going on is that Munkustrap and Misto are equally quick to react to Grizabella, but Munkustrap keeps his distance, while Misto approaches her. From what I can tell, he does so neutrally, just trying to figure out who she is.

Munkustrap doesn’t physically intervene, but he warns Misto to get away with a sharp hiss. Misto backs away and stands in the corner, where he remains for the rest of the number.

After one of the kittens (I’m pretty sure it’s Tumblebrutus) scratches Grizabella, Misto sort of leans toward her, almost taking a step in her direction. But, he looks back over his shoulder before doing anything, and whatever he sees keeps him in place. I’m guessing he was looking to Munkustrap for permission to see if she’s alright after being scratched, and was denied permission.

Conclusion: Paris Misto most likely doesn’t know who Grizabella is. He obeys Munkustrap’s instructions regarding her, but he doesn’t seem to know what to think of her. He’s concerned for her when she gets hurt, but he prioritizes Munkustrap’s orders over that concern. The general tone is very similar to the VHS, though 1998 Misto started glaring at Grizabella, copying Munkustrap, instead of just following his instructions.

Zurich

The Zurich footage is from a 1992 bootleg. In 1992, Misto was being played by Lindsay Chambers, who’d go on to play him on Broadway for a few years. He was playing Misto on Broadway when Jacob Brent was cast as Pouncival, so this is where Brent’s Misto starts to connect to Vienna-based Mistos.

When Misto starts dancing to the reprise of Tugger’s song, he gets really into it and Grizabella shows up right behind him, making it seem like he nearly crashes into her. When he sees her, he just stops and stares. He doesn’t react at all. He just waits to see what she’ll do.

Even though he’s not doing anything, Grizabella treats him like Amsterdam Misto, pushing him out of her way. Since Amsterdam Misto was actually blocking her path, it made sense for her to do that, but here it’s just rude! He doesn’t know who she is and made no move against her. If she wants a cat to welcome her back into the tribe, he probably would’ve done it. But it seems like Zurich Grizabella is focused on getting to Munkustrap. She wants to talk to the one who’s in charge.

Like in the Paris version, when Grizabella is scratched, Misto steps towards her. But, Zurich Misto is quick to stop himself. He doesn’t need Munkustrap to tell him to stay away, though Munkustrap is right there. I can’t tell if he’s glaring at Misto or glaring at Grizabella, because of Bootleg Quality. But, if Munkustrap isn’t glaring at Misto, Misto just decided to stop by himself, probably remembering getting pushed out of the way. Grizabella really lost herself an ally here. From other scenes in this version, I’ve noticed that Zurich Misto often doesn’t seem to understand the social rules of the tribe and gets in trouble frequently. In the very next scene, Skimble will stop him from pulling Bustopher’s tail, but he’ll insist on doing it anyway, so even if the rules are explained to him, he still might break them if he really wants to. He’d go against the tribe to support Grizabella if he felt like he had a reason to. But, because she pushed him, his first impression of her is negative, so if the rest of the tribe says she’s bad, he’ll go along with it.

Zurich Grizabella confuses me, basically.

Conclusion: Like in Paris, Zurich Misto is not a full adult. He doesn’t know who Grizabella is and reacts to her neutrally at first. The key difference is that he doesn’t go against Grizabella because that’s what the adults are doing, but in direct response to her actions. Compared to both Paris and the VHS, Zurich Misto isn’t quite as invested in pleasing authority figures. He wants the Important Cats to like him, but he’s more willing to go against them.

So, my theory about How Misto Became 1998 Misto is:

1. In different ways, both the London and Broadway productions originally characterized Misto as a full grown adult, somewhat established as a magician due to a love of showing off.

2. Most early productions had a similar characterization for Misto, including the Vienna production.

3. The Paris production seemed to be where things began to change. One of the actors who played Misto, either Tibor Kovats or Guy-Paul de St. Germain started playing the character differently. This might’ve been because of the decision to have Mistoffelees dance with Victoria. London’s Admetus and Broadway’s Tumblebrutus were established as kittens around Victoria’s age. If Misto was out of her age range, it would be kind of weird. This wouldn’t stop the London production from pairing her with Alonzo in its later years, but whatever. So, Misto was aged down to be only as old as they could get away with if they wanted to pair him with Victoria, even if it was just for one dance, since a lot of productions don’t have Victoria interact with her dance partner much outside of the dance itself. Mistoria shippers can make a thing out of it and everyone else can not make a thing out of it, because it works either way.

4. The Zurich production also paired Mistoffelees with Victoria for the dance, so they might’ve aged him down for similar reasons. Like in Paris, Tibor Kovats played Misto in this version early on. I don’t have any footage of him in the role, but he’s what really connects Paris and Zurich, so this Misto characterization might’ve come from him. If not, Guy-Paul de St Germain and Lindsay Chambers had very similar ideas for what to do with the character, with just enough difference that it could just be a coincidence. 

5. Guy-Paul de St Germain played Misto in London, bringing this new characterization into that production.

6. Lindsay Chambers played Misto on Broadway, bringing this new characterization into that production. Future Mistos of both London and Broadway would be more likely to base their portrayals on these Vienna-based Mistos.

7. When Jacob Brent was cast as Pouncival on Broadway, Lindsay Chambers was playing Misto. Jacob learned the part while Chambers was playing it, and when it was his turn to play Misto, he also played him as a young tom coming of age.

And he was very good at it.

8. Jacob Brent played Mistoffelees in the 1998 VHS. When the show closed in London and on Broadway, the 1998 version became the version that most people saw first, so a generation of future Mistos learned his characterization, so it became the one that remained popular into the present day.

And that’s probably where Baby Misto comes from.

[baekhvuns]

Manifesting Canadian concerts for you! Skz only announced Seoul and US so we'll see how worldwide their tour will be... there's a kpop fest happening in Germany, I wanted to go, see Kai, Oneus, Enhypen, Idle etc. Dream is performing as well, but nah </3 Now they announced another one in London, but it already looks messy from the organisation point of view just like the German one.

As I'm writing this message Hwa posted bucket hat photos... why are they hiding ughhh, I'm tired, I can tell his hair is black anyway but I need to see how short it is. 😭 but his eyes! 🤩 Anyways, let me act normal for a second lol.

So, I'm glad you agree on Hongjoong especially! I may take criticism for the other choices but JOONG IS LONDON! I spent years of my life there and it just screams Hongjoong: eclectic, rebellious but also elegant, London is my fave city and I think Hongjoong fits there perfectly with his unique mind, fashion and creativity.

Seonghwa - Paris - I mean come on, yeah Seonghwa has typical British vibes, but he also IS Paris embodied; beautiful and a bit intimidating, Paris is called City of Light and Seonghwa is our star/torch, so it just makes sense

Yunho - Lisbon - I had to assign him a bright and colourful place, Lisbon is a bit underrated, but such a cool and laid back place!

Yeosang - Vienna - our statue, our prince, he fits the elegance of an Austrian city, but there's more to Vienna than sophisticated buildings it has many pretty green spaces that match Yeosang's fairy vibe, hahaha

San - Amsterdam - ngl we struggled with San, but decided to go with Amsterdam, since it's a very fun place, but also more lowkey and San seems like a loud introvert so I think it makes sense; Amsterdam feels both like big city and small town and Sannie is our small town boy living in a big city, uwu

Mingi - Berlin - Berlin is modern, but also traditional, entertaining and calm at the same time, I think Mingi's fashion sense fits Berlin as well

Wooyoung - Madrid - fun and wild, Woo just suits Spain imo, he's loud, warm and welcoming just like Madrid

Jongho - Rome - Jongho likes Vincenzo so of course I had to, he would definitely enjoy Italian operas as well, I think Rome is great for him since he's a bit of an old soul + loves football and Italy is really into football - DV 💖

HELLO

Manifesting Canadian concerts for you! Skz only announced Seoul and US so we'll see how worldwide their tour will be... there's a kpop fest happening in Germany, I wanted to go, see Kai, Oneus, Enhypen, Idle etc. Dream is performing as well, but nah </3 Now they announced another one in London, but it already looks messy from the organisation point of view just like the German one.

thank u!!! 😭😭😭 BFAMDS IM ALSO KEEPING AN EYE ON THEIR TOURS IN CASE + nct too!! omg omf 😭😭😭 u wOULDVE SEEN KAI 😭😭😭😭😭 AHH I HEARD ITS MESSY BC THEY ANNOUNCED THE TICKETS FOR KAI LATE RIGHT??? jBDNWDB U SHOULD DEF GO DESPITE THE DISORGANIZATION maybe it’ll be fun dbb

As I'm writing this message Hwa posted bucket hat photos... why are they hiding ughhh, I'm tired, I can tell his hair is black anyway but I need to see how short it is. 😭 but his eyes! 🤩 Anyways, let me act normal for a second lol.

i did not think of his hair colour change bestie YOU HAD ME ZOOMING IN ON ALL ANGLES TO SEE SOMETHING 😭😭 san’s bleached his hair???? blond sullet needs a comeback,, also is it just me or do koreans rly suit blond hair??? ive always wondered how natural they look in it its rly fascinating <3

So, I'm glad you agree on Hongjoong especially! I may take criticism for the other choices but JOONG IS LONDON! I spent years of my life there and it just screams Hongjoong: eclectic, rebellious but also elegant, London is my fave city and I think Hongjoong fits there perfectly with his unique mind, fashion and creativity.

HE IS ABSOLUTELY, 100% LONDON!!! omg it’s also my favourite city!!! i love the whole rebellious edge with regality from the royalty + history,, the art and the eccentricness,,, it rly fits him so well that i have a few fics for him that are solely based in london!! something about these two scream made for each other

Seonghwa - Paris - I mean come on, yeah Seonghwa has typical British vibes, but he also IS Paris embodied; beautiful and a bit intimidating, Paris is called City of Light and Seonghwa is our star/torch, so it just makes sense

THIS IS SO VALID HES LITERALLY PARIS W/ R&B SONGS WITH HEAVY BASSES,, HIM at fashion shows, the opulent vibes + penthouses + ofc the lights and the city of love 😭😭 + the sweets and everything it rly fits him so well, ironic bc everyone loves paris and it’s the same for hwa!! i think budapest can also suit him, it’s super elegant

Yunho - Lisbon - I had to assign him a bright and colourful place, Lisbon is a bit underrated, but such a cool and laid back place!

LISBON IS ABSOLUTELY SO SO STUNNING it gives me like travel dreams au’s where u find yourself lost in a city and yunho somehow happens to stumble upon u and u two backpack together >>>> the trams and the general warm vibe rly rly fits yunho !!!!

Yeosang - Vienna - our statue, our prince, he fits the elegance of an Austrian city, but there's more to Vienna than sophisticated buildings it has many pretty green spaces that match Yeosang's fairy vibe, hahaha

bESTIE ur hitting the mark with everything here, veinna’s architecture and yeosang combined PHEWW he’s like the, like u said, sophisticated prince aura,, it’s so stunning, the details on the buildings + yeosang royal au wHEN

San - Amsterdam - ngl we struggled with San, but decided to go with Amsterdam, since it's a very fun place, but also more lowkey and San seems like a loud introvert so I think it makes sense; Amsterdam feels both like big city and small town and Sannie is our small town boy living in a big city, uwu

omg omg that explanation makes me agree !!!! amsterdam does feel small but so huge and the food 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK SAN COULD BE GREECE OR VENICE AS WELL,,, like the beaches, the stunning sunsets and the ancient temples, the hot weather and the water !!! the padada for him 😭😭😭

Mingi - Berlin - Berlin is modern, but also traditional, entertaining and calm at the same time, I think Mingi's fashion sense fits Berlin as well

if we base it off fashion, i think mingi can def also be milan !!! it’s the fashion and design capital and he would really suit well to that!!

i don’t know mich abt berlin but with ur reasoning it does sound suited for him as well, the calmness and the modern yet still traditional roots

Wooyoung - Madrid - fun and wild, Woo just suits Spain imo, he's loud, warm and welcoming just like Madrid

100%%%% I KNEW THIS WAS COMING I COULD FEEL IT IN MY BONES it fits his aloofy side, the hot weather with fun and wild and since woo likes football he would def suit this!! so much colour and warm!! absolutely 10/10

Jongho - Rome - Jongho likes Vincenzo so of course I had to, he would definitely enjoy Italian operas as well, I think Rome is great for him since he's a bit of an old soul + loves football and Italy is really into football - DV 💖

FBMWDBWMDHWK YES PLEASE my mind just thought of a au- italian opera’s omg jongho would absolutely love that,,, u rly put all of them with such good cities that for their personalities so well, this jongho and the old soul wow this one i got chills bc it rly does correlate with rome and italy itself,, it’s the calmness of him and the quietness in a garden somewhere in tuscany mayhaps,, just peacefully FBWMDJSN VINCENZO YES

[dreamescapeswriting]

BTS Reaction || You’re Really Smart

A/N: As someone who has a REALLY low IQ I decided to try and change it to you’re really smart, I hope that’s okay? If no one gets the lyric reference in Namjoon’s I might cry…

Seokjin:

Namjoon had the great idea of taking everyone to an escape room for the day and here you were paired up with Jin, Taehyung and Jimin who were all walking around aimlessly as they tried to figure out the room. Namjoon had told you to go with them while he went with Jungkook and Yoongi you figured it would be a breeze and for you it was. You'd already figured out the clues but kept your mouth shut cause the boys were too busy trying to come up with it.

"Guys?" You asked looking up from the floor to meet Jin who looked like he was ready to swear at his kids, Jimin who looked about ready to cry and Taehyung who was staying calm throughout.

"Why did we do a horror escape room, I hate this," Jin said to you, you smiled at him and then whispered in his ear the answer to getting out, at least into the next room.

"How long have you known this?" You shrugged your shoulders, to you it seemed simple but according to the boys it was almost impossible for them to even see how to put any of the clues together.

(X)

You all made it out of the horror escape room in record time and Jin was throwing his arms around you,

"And this is why she's the best girlfriend." He yelled kissing your cheeks and then laughing as you pushed him away, dramatically wiping your cheeks where he'd kissed you.

"You guys cheated, she has a high IQ," Yoongi mumbled you stared at him with an eyebrow raised,

"Namjoon has a high IQ though..." Namjoon stared at you and then over at the boys who were expecting an explanation.

"Just because someone has a high IQ doesn't mean their massively smart." You told them and then Namjoon agreed with you. Both of you going into a long rant about how IQ tests are measured in different ways and not everyone has a good IQ because their minds are stronger in other ways.

Yoongi:

"Yoongi can we go back to the hotel I'm tired." You yawned to Yoongi as you walked around the streets, he'd brought you along to Amsterdam with him on tour and was trying to get some sightseeing done but you'd been up all night researching for a paper.

"Maybe if you didn't stay up all night there wouldn't be a problem." He chuckled, tapping your cheeks in an attempt to wake you up. You both walked over to a small cafe and ordered a coffee, where you stood at a table and leant your head on your hands. Eyes closed as Yoongi flipped through a tour guide book trying to find his next spot.

"This will wake you up, explain string theory to me since that's what you were researching." You nodded and thought over how you were going to explain it to him,

"It's a theoretical framework in which the point-like particles of particle physics are then replaced by one-dimensional objects, strings. The theory describes how the strings propagate through space and interact with each other...String theory is a theory of quantum gravity." He stared at you from across the table, you hadn't even opened your eyes to explain it.

"That was as if it was just stored in the back of your mind...How did you do that?" You shrugged your shoulders and opened your eyes, Yoongi was starting to look uncomfortable.

"What?" You mumbled standing up straight as he pulled you back in the direction of the car he'd rented.

"Going back to the hotel."

"To sleep?!"

"No." He smirked grabbing your hand and pulling you faster through the crowds of people so he could get to the hotel as quickly as possible with you. He'd always loved how smart you were and hearing you talk about something like String theory as if it was common knowledge made him want you more.

Hoseok:

For as long as you could remember you'd had a fascination for true crime and all things like that, your brain seemed to store all of the facts about that and not much else.

"We should enter a quiz." Jungkook said as you walked into the pub in Malta, you looked up from your phone and nodded in agreement, turning to look at Hoseok who was nodding as well,

"It'll be fun." You giggled pulling Hoseok over to a table and getting the team name ready.

"It's all based on common knowledge by the looks of it," Jungkook said as you and Hoseok giggled from across the table. You'd been dating for three years and you were still just as happy as the day he asked you out.

(X)

It was the last round and so far you were doing well for points but the last round was on true crime, Hoseok looked at you and nodded. He was the only one out of all of the boys that knew about your extensive knowledge of serial killers.

"Who knows this?" Jungkook asked in confusion, you took the paper from his hand.

"Types of a killer? Easy, organised, disorganised, and mixed." Jungkook stared at you,

"How many people did Harold Shipman kill?" Jungkook read out the next question while Hoseok watched as you answered it without blinking.

"200 but that's only ones that have been confirmed, there are a lot around him that are labelled suspicious."

You won the quiz but on the way back to the hotel Hoseok had his arm linked around your waist and Jungkook asked for facts about other serial killers,

"Ted Bundy had a collie called Lassie." You yawned as the door to your hotel was pushed open, Jungkook was wide awake and wanted to know more though. Asking question after question while Hoseok walked you into the bedroom,

"Talk about it in the morning Kookie, I'm sleepy." You whined dropping onto the bed, Hoseok following you and smiling at how brilliant his girlfriend was

Namjoon:

Namjoon had fallen in love the moment you opened your mouth to talk to him. You were both walking around a museum together, your brother had Jimin decided to bring you along and now you were alone with Namjoon, both walking in uncomfortable silence until you both got excited over the same painting. You began listing of facts about the painting and artist and Namjoon just stared as you spoke about it, and then watched as you did the same with the next painting. Now, whenever you went out on dates he found himself learning more from you than he did from the small plaques on the walls beside the paintings.

"Where do you store it all?" Taehyung asked one day while you were out with Namjoon, hands locked together as you strolled through the Natural History Museum. It turned out your facts didn't stop with art, it included History and other subjects.

"I don't know, I think my brain is like a sponge and it just soaks it all up." You giggled, Namjoon smirked and span you around under his arm,

"I don't care where it comes from, your sexy mind is my favourite." He whispered in your ear, kissing your cheek as you giggled trying to push him away. When he first met you he'd never seen the need for public displays of affection but there was just something about you, something that made him want to show everyone that you were his and he was proud of you.

"I love you." He whispered to you as Taehyung wandered off, you'd only been dating for two months but he knew it was real.

"I love you too." You whispered back to him with a smile on your face, rushing off to find Tae.

Jimin:

Much like Namjoon when he first started out in the industry, you and your group were featured on a lot of different quiz shows because you were smart.

"Next we have Jimin and Namjoon from BTS and Y/N and Lucia from H.E.A.R.T." The producer said into the camera and all of you went to introduce yourself to each other and to the cameras.

(X)

The show had gone amazingly and the whole time Jimin couldn't keep his eyes off you, he found himself watching the way you worked. How whenever there was a question partially hard you would push your glasses further onto your nose, or throw your hair into a ponytail. He was teased by the host and Namjoon for staring of course, and it only made you blush whenever you felt his eyes on you and you looked up to see him staring at you.

"Where did you learn to memorise all this stuff?" He asked when you were all standing in a changing room together,

"I don't know, I guess I've just always stored it away." You laughed looking over at Namjoon who was with your band member, talking about songs you should all work on together.

"It's so hot." Your breath hitched in your throat from how outspoken he was and you blushed a bright red colour,

"I think you're hot too." You giggled, looking at the floor as you bit down on your lip trying not to come across as too eager for him but he was now blushing.

"We should hang out sometime...Without all the quizzes, maybe get some food? Or if you're too busy maybe just a drink." You tried to hold back the small laugh and nodded, touching the top of his arm to stop him from ranting.

"I'd love that Jimin, call me sometime." You told him, writing down your number on his hand and then walking out of the changing room with your band member.

Taehyung:

Taehyung knew about your extensive knowledge of Shakespeare and used it whenever he could, right now you were sitting in the dorms with him and the rest of the boys talking about old English, Tae was in a debate with Jungkook over Charles Dickens and Shakespeare.

"Look all I'm saying is Y/n can tell you different Sonnets by heart and then the meaning behind it." You looked up from your noodles and stared at Jungkook who was staring at you, Namjoon looking up from his book to hear the argument between you all.

"Sonnet 130?" Namjoon said, closing his book. Taehyung turned to look at you and you swallowed the noodles that were half hanging out of your mouth.

"My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damasked, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rar. As any she belied with false compare." Namjoon blinked at you and Tae had a giant smile across his face.

"Meaning?" Yoongi questioned finding himself more invested in the conversation now you'd said a Sonnet without blinking or looking it up.

"Okay so for the shortened version it's offering the readers a different look at female beauty and what it's like to love someone with all their shortcomings and for what they don't like." You explained, going back to your food and turning to look at the TV while Tae was sitting there with a smile on his face, arm wrapped around your shoulder.

Jungkook:

You were standing in the kitchen making yourself a cup of tea when you heard Jungkook scream, you thought he'd just died in a game at first but then you heard him rushing around the living room,

"Kookie?" You questioned walking into the room to see him on his phone, you looked at the desk and his computer screen was black,

"I was in the middle of a game!" He yelled, clearly stressed out over the fact that his computer was potentially broken, he began taking it apart to see what was going on with it and then stressed even more because he couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Let me." You said throwing away the apple core and walking over, you put your glasses on and bent down on the floor.

"Wait here," You walked off upstairs and he waited for you as he looked for a new PC online but you knew he didn't need to do that, you searched through the boxes until you found it and then came bounding down the stairs carrying the power supply, taking his out and replacing it, connecting everything up to the correct holes and making sure the motherboard was linked up properly. Booting up the PC and watching as Jungkook's mouth fell open as he watched you doing it.

"What?" You questioned putting the side back onto his PC and putting it back on the desk and brushing off your hands.

"How did you know to do that?" You shrugged your shoulders and walked back into the kitchen with Jungkook asking you question after question.

tagline: 

@babymochichimmy @ficdump101 @yoongisdumplingcheeks @snowy-meowl @lynnthevirgo @yourguessisasgoodasminemate @kpopfanfictionhoes @lyoongx @rjsmochii @mitzwinchester @callingmyangel​

[aggresivelyfriendly]

-Tis the Damn Season- Year Three

Jingle Bell Rock Me

Hi anybody reading! She’s a tiny bit short, but so am I, and I think that’s cute! Lol! Thanks to @dirtystyles for the beta!

"Excuse me, Emma." His voice, the one that's been echoing in the hollows of her body for a year and that she hasn't heard except for on the occasional call in the same amount of time, nearly buckles her knees. It steals her breath and speeds her heart. She imagines her cheeks and chest have gone that red color.

It's not the same over the phone.

Emma thought she had prepared herself, at least a little. No amount of busyness could make her forget that she was going to see him. Emma had done her best to distract herself with trips to the market for her mum and to the pub to see anyone in town. She knew seeing him in those places was less likely. She really wanted to see him, to look at him full on, but Gemma was already looking at her a little funny, with her fluttering lashes and subtle panting. She hopes it's subtle.  She's just about to get a hold of herself, she is sure of it, when his fingers brush over the keyhole in the back of her sweater. She'd worn it for this very purpose. Hoping they'd find themselves in the vicinity of the mistletoe or alone in the kitchen, or her bent over a chair in the snowy garden, wherever, and he could get his hands on her a little, despite the chill of the December weather.

It was everything she had hoped for, but that he went for it so immediately, another victory, is what makes her sure she's miscalculated her strategy.  His opening volley has her ready to fall down dumbly and suck him off, and she hasn't even looked at him.

Emma can feel the goosebumps pop up and she hears his suppressed chuckle at her excitement at his presence, his touch. And that does it. If she was looking at him, could look at him, she would be rolling her eyes, maybe giving him a two finger salute. She suppresses the eye roll. Luckily, Gemma is doing it for her.

"Harry, are you just going to be a pest all evening? Surely some friend you still trust is here, don't lurk when I've found one of mine." Gemma put her arm around Emma's shoulder and turned her. It's lucky, because now they both can look at him, and Emma can do so unobserved. Gem is still talking to him in her dressing down tone, she'd loved to use that one on an assortment of dickheads in sixth form, and Emma almost laughs realizing where she perfected it. On Harry, who is looking at his sister with amusement, her barbed tongue having no impact on him. His backbone is stiffer than Emma's, though other body parts have more in common. His eyes are as wandering as hers. He slid his gaze to her, he stays near the acceptable places, though her lips tingled when he stared at those momentarily. When his gaze dropped lower, she could tell where it was roving though he feinted and parried so fast Gemma may very well not notice.

Emma is not so disciplined, and her gape is not the dance of a fencer, but is the blunt of a broadsword. He looks better than last year, she thinks. He's thicker, she can already feel his wider presence between her thighs. His hair must be longer, but he's got it wrapped up and she can't wait to pull it free and clutch at it later.

She's only seen him twice, in a year. Seen him through a call on her tiny iPhone screen.

The first had been early, just after she got back to Amsterdam and he texted to get her address. Later that day, when the giant bouquet of flowers arrived she had to call him.

"Do you send all the girls you fuck enough flowers to give their roommates sneezing fits?" She'd immediately taken the piss. Defensewas the best offense.

"Only the ones I'm hoping to fuck again." He'd been quick to respond and she was glad she hadn't yet answered the FaceTime call he must have immediately initiated. Emma got her blush under control, maybe just enough color in her cheeks to make the video call slightly more flattering, though the white and yellow blooms gave her a good backdrop to work with.

"Well aren't you a charmer!"

"Right out of your knickers!" He flashed his eyebrows and she realized he appeared to be in a hotel room in his boxers. Oh, OH, that's why he's flirting so hard.

Does she wanna do this, on their first phone call, have video chat sex? Is that a thing? He's laying back on the bed and she's about to throw her penny and pound into the ring when she hears Lula come into the entryway. "Behave! My roommate just got home!"

"Oh, should I say hello?" He asks and his hand slides to his stomach, right over the butterfly tattoo she had kissed until it fluttered a week before.

"No, I don't want to hear the screams!" Emma stage whispered.

"Oh, she's a fan?" He asked like only one answer was possible.

"Yea, of me. And she's been trying to get me laid for months." Emma giggled. "She says I study too much, I object, she doesn't study enough."

"Well, we took care of that." He made a curious face then. "You're not gonna tell her?"

Did he expect her to blab to anybody that would listen that she'd banged a pop star? Maybe phone a tabloid? "No, I don't think I'll tell anyone. I like the idea of you as my secret."

"Our little secret!" His dimpled smirk really did her in.

"Our dirty little secret." She filled in the missing word, it fit snugly in his growing dimples. The possibilities too. She'd hugged her flat mate and excised herself to make good on the promise the phrase made.

And then they didn't do more than text for ages, he was on some massive tour and the time zones had her not seeing his texts for hours because they needed to sleep and she needed to lock herself in libraries and labs. The second time they spoke he'd been on a break, in California, and he'd called to see if she could fly out. She was at the airport, oddly, but she was going to Reykiyavik, not Riverside.

She'd told herself the whole flight that it was silly to feel sad. They knew with their schedules that seeing each other might only happen over the holidays. It was such a given they hadn't even discussed it.

So, as much as she wanted to, and was overwhelmed that he'd even thought to ask her, she'd just told him, "H, I can't. I'm on my way to my summer studies."

And he'd just said, "Ah well, I'll just have to keep dreaming about seeing you then."  Those words had colored her night visions for months.

He'd also left her a detailed message about what he wanted for Christmas three weeks ago.

His morning voice on her phone for three delicious, descriptive minutes was the closest she'd gotten to what he sounded like in person.

Her dreams were really bright then, almost technicolor, better than reality. At least reality with someone who wasn't Harry, as she found out in October.

It still hit differently, his voice, in this moment because she could see what he looked like too. In his jazzy button up and tight jeans. The guy she'd dated for a bit, Marko, had reminded her a little of Harry. But looking at the real thing now, in the flesh, not painted on hues, but living and breathing, she couldn't quite recall why.

Maybe just the hair. Though, Harry's was longer now, curlier, wilder.

It made her wild. When they made eye contact, she felt it in her toes. There was a pause in conversation, everyone waiting, Gemma waiting, for them to greet each other. Emma knew she should say hello, but she was busy trying to regulate her breathing. Panting wouldn't do, but that's what the collision of her daydreams and her wet dreams was inspiring.

Harry saved her, of course. "Hey Emma! It's so good to see you." The way he said good, the tone was almost like when he'd called her a "good girl" when she woken him up with a blow job last year. . Or, she thought it sounded like that.

God, what was he doing to her. She was nodding.

"It's really lovely to see you too, Styles, you've had a big year!" She'd started paying attention, when she had the time.

He blushed. Oh god!

"God, don't get him started, his head will only get bigger!" Gemma said affectionately, jostling Harry a little. "And you," she'd pointed at Emma then, "don't forget that time we had to help him hide coming home off his tits and he pissed himself. He's still my idiot little brother! No matter how famous!"

Or handsome, was Emma's addendum. She said it in her head. But they were all laughing and Gemma had given him more reasons for the attractive flush on his cheeks and deep press of his chagrined dimple. "We wouldn't want him to get a big head!" Emma giggled.

"I'm big enough everywhere else!" Harry tried to boast before Gemma started a story about how they'd had to special order a hat once, because of his massive cranium, and Emma could only sneak glances until he decided to loudly leave.

"I don't have to take this abuse!" He narrowed his green eyes at his sister. "Emma, if you want to have a conversation where my sister doesn't make it her job to insult me, I'll be in the kitchen." Near the mistletoe her mind added.

"She'll pass, I'm sure!" Gemma laughed.

Emma just smiled, as placidly as her galloping heart allowed. "I'm sure I'll need a refill at some point. Maybe then!" Her eyes promised she'd find him.

Which was how she'd wound up on the countertop of the back bathroomn with her palm between her teeth, her tights around her ankles and Harry's head between her thighs.

"Shh, shh!" He laughed up at her and god, he looked so in his element on his knees during his mother's party with a naughty glint in his eyes. Emma wrapped her hand around his chin and pulled him up to her.

"Come here!" She breathed against his mouth. The kiss tasted of her and who knew how much she liked that? Harry apparently, based on the knowing look he gave her when he pulled back to get his dick out of his tight jeans. "Convenient skirt this!"

"Inconvenient jeans those are. Are they some form of birth control?"

"Huh?" That stopped him as he was rolling the condom onto himself.

"There's evidence that wearing things too tight on your bollocks might reduce sperm count. That an extra measure to stop groupie babies?" She shouldn't ask about or imply she didn't want him sleeping with anyone else. They only saw each other once a year. She pretended even to herself that she didn't care who he slept with the rest of the year. If she wanted to know, she supposed she could ask, but she didn't. She also pretended not to compare her other rare dates to him.

There is no comparison.

"I'm gonna have to buy a whole new wardrobe!" He laid his nose against her collarbone and she pressed hers into his hair. She'd pulled off the head scarf as soon as they'd gotten into the bathroom and she was taking full advantage of the access. He was right, it was a little awkward, but Emma could see the potential and it was perfect for pulling.

He was perfect.

Her eyes had closed and she needed to get him back into gear, she should know better than to question a man's manhood when she was trying to use it. "Do you think you could afford it?" Her sarcasm was evident. She got her hand around the funny texture of his skinned cock. "Seems to be working just fine, still, and with possible positive side effects. Should we test it out?"

He lifted his head and his heavy breaths and blown out pupils suggested her stroke had brought him back to their present activity. He caught her mouth and her hips and brought her to the edge of the sill before sinking into her. He'd done his job well, the resistance was minimal and exactly what she remembered. He stopped for just a moment and she wondered if he enjoyed the fullness as much as she did. They exhaled together, made eye contact.

"I've dreamed about this for a year!" He started to move and stole the breath she would have said 'me too' with.

She knew she was making too much noise, she had every time she was with him. He was shushing her again and grinning proudly. "You have to be quiet." He laughed against her mouth.

"Make me?" Was what she said.

"Well, that would involve stopping, and I've no intention of that." So instead he caught her face and licked into her mouth while redoubling his stroke. He covered her mouth with his palm a moment later when her neck went soft and her head hit the mirror.

It was coming, the wave she'd been searching for that had receded too quickly when she'd insisted he kiss her after getting off moments ago. She bit down on his hand to muffle the groan growing in her lower belly.

"Ow!" He looked up from where he was jawing the tits he'd popped out of her bra. Emma squeezed down on him, hard, Iiterally. "Fuck!" He kept eye contact and sped up his thrusts, hitting up just as he had been when she bit him. Her eyes closed as she started to crest, popping open again when the door rattled.

Harry thought quickly and put his hip against it. His strong hold on her doubly useful. They both looked to the lock.

"You nearly done?" An unremarkable voice called.

Harry smirked at her. Covered her mouth and yelled through the door, "Yes, nearly!"

Emma didn't think she could come like that, but she was wrong. Her orgasm was all the stronger for the palm secured over her mouth  and the person through the door who might hear. And for Harry's cocky cheek while he pushed into her, until his face dissolved and he groaned. She should have put her hand over his mouth.

Instead her fingers went there and he sucked dutifully.

That set her mind running. Should she ask about meeting later? Tonight, or their traditional, she hoped, Boar's Headon Boxing Day get-together?

They'd already gotten into each other; last year they'd wound up together any free moment, but she didn't want to presume. A week full of stolen moments, some texts messages, a couple phone calls, and a back bathroom fuck did not entitle her to anything.

This wasn't enough for her, but she was too afraid to ask for more. Even what she'd had last time.

"God!" He breathed as he pulled himself free and her off the sink, fixing her skirt before washing his hands and dick, not in that order, in the basin, "How am I gonna wait until tomorrow night?" He turned a drowsy sated smile on her. "What time can you get away to the Boar's Head?"

"You still want to meet up?" She hoped she didn't sound as astounded to his ears as her own told her she did.

He's folding his beautiful dick into his jeans and he's about to do the little jump he does to position it when he just stops. He looks at her quizzically. "Why wouldn't I want to see you?"

She needs to pee and use the sink for the inelegant water in hand wash out, but she'd rather do that in front of him than reveal her insecurity. "It's just...we just..." She pointed between the two of them.

"Yeah, and we can do more," He motioned between them. Then his face lost the cheek and was replaced by a look of focused earnestness that made her heart beat harder than seeing him in person an hour ago. "And if I only get to see you once a year, because you're terribly ambitious and I'm terribly busy—"

"Yeah, you're just busy, not ambitious." She'd try to diffuse the intensity of whatever she's hoping he's about to say.

"So busy, I only get to see my dear Emma once a year, I want to sleep with you."

"You just did!" She reminds him.

"No, really sleep with you, not just sex." He pulls her in. Inside the hug, he kisses her. "Plus, we need time to talk. I want to hear all about this year's research and whatever power plant you geeked out over all summer."

"Yeah?" She's starry eyed and weak kneed, again, still.

"Yes, you muppet. I don't miss you all year just because you taste so good." He kissed her then. "Though you do taste better than anyone else."

She takes the compliment, and only thinks about it on a loop all of Christmas Day, and night. She completely forgets about it after she and Harry have tasted each other by noon on Boxing Day. Then he reveals their real first kiss, and Emma is too busy feeling their current kisses and trying to recall details of that Christmas delight while they sneak around and carouse anywhere they can.

He had to leave earlier than last year. And it's not until he's pulled off, from their private goodbye, before his pub send off where they flirt just enough to annoy Gemma, that she thinks about it.

She's not innocent, she saw other people 11 months out of the year, well three, but she couldn't help but wonder, who else was he tasting?

He implied that he had something to compare her to. Even if it was favorable, she found it bothered her. A lot.

She could ask him; instead she decides to just remember his taste and his interest, it'll have to carry her through until next yule.

It's not her business, it's too far down a road not taken anyway.