#i was like how could seeing it in theaters change my thoughts? but everyone talking about it convinced me

[pixpirs]

i keep talking about it on xitter but seeing end of eva in theaters was genuinely amazing, like the sound design and the quality...the way that the movie ends and everyone is just There...i used to just like the movie and thought it was a bit overrated, but now i think it's one of my favorite films ever

[neil-gaiman]

Hello Neil, my name is Zalean. If you have a few minutes, I wanted to tell you a little story. Not really a question and I’m not sure how to use tumblr but I wanted to say thanks so much for coming to Florida a few months back and talking with Art Spiegelman. It was my first time ever figuring out how to buy tickets for something. I lived in, middle of nowhere, Vermont for most my life and had no idea what I was doing, I had never been to anything before, nothing had made me excited enough to do the 5 hour drive. And then you just appeared 20 minutes away from where I am living now.

See, I was just starting to get to know your books and work because I fell in love with Good Omens so deeply when I discovered it during season twos release. Funny thing is, I knew of you all along without even realizing it, Stardust has been my favorite book and movie since I was a kid because it was my dad’s favorite story. Finding out my two favorite things were actually connected, I started trying to get hands on as many of your books as I could. I hadn’t read in years before finding your books. It was eye opening.

The talk event at the Dr.Phillips Center was sold out by the time I knew about it, someone had asked me if I knew of the event when they saw my Good Omens keychains my mom had made me. I called the box office because there is no harm in asking. I explained how I’m an art student at UCF and desperately wanted to be inspired and learn from you both. The customer service people were amazing and ended up calling me back to get me a seat in the orchestra pit before they were released to the public. I drove alone, I walked there alone, I sat alone, and it was worth it. I was so thankful to get a seat and grateful to my professor who was a bit jealous he didn’t know about it but let me leave class early to go because of course the art professor would be understanding for any learning opportunities in the arts. And it was truly wonderful, it seemed real and that’s what I wanted. I didn’t want a show. I just wanted to hear, in some sense, that you were like everybody else. I brought a notebook and pen for any information or story’s that I thought made a difference to my little life. The other people around were wonderful, you inspire kind people.

Like I said, I had never been to anything like this and I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know you would have signed books and I only found out because the people next to me came in late. I asked them why they brought the books after it was over and the lights turned on. They did look at me like I had three heads for a moment until they realized I didn’t know there were books to buy, they looked kinda sorry for me but they were so nice. I had never really thought about the importance of someone’s scribble before this but it’s something that proves you were there. It says “Remember when this person made you happy? Remember when they changed your life? Remember when they gave you hope? Look at this and remember.” I hope to see David Tennant and Michael Sheen to get an autograph now that I understand the meaning behind it a bit more but honestly I just love diving into everyone’s projects, the wonder you all create. Oh what fun it is to live a life full of stories!

The people that were sitting next to me let me look at their signed books and hold them. I flipped through some of the big ones, handed them back and expressed my gratitude just to be in the theater. I showed them all my little quotes I wrote down, I never want to forget why I create things and you say so much about never stopping, always creating. Then the women handed me a different book, a smaller book, but when I tried to hand it back, a bit confused, she softly placed it back in my open hands and said “I want you to have it, we have plenty and I want you to love these stories just as much as we do. It’s just starting for you, I want you to remember who started it”. The book she handed me being“The Ocean at the End of the Lane”. The first book I decided to read by you and had just finished a week before. The women had no idea she given me a signed copy of the book that made me want to read again. Your books make the world better. For such a big theater and such a big stage, I just wanted to tell you my little point of view.

The story you told about wishing you enjoyed the past more than you did, I hope you get to enjoy it now, and I hope you want to. And thank you, to you and to Terry Pratchett for creating something special. I convinced my dad to watch Good Omens with me over December break, he loved it.

I forget sometimes that everything is someone's first time, and then I read something like this and feel like I need to remember that better. I'm glad the people beside you were kind.

[avisisisis]

been rewatching rtte

toothless is called T multiple times, but the letter T doesn't exist in the alphabet of this world

i think hiccup was also called H???

hiccup went to the wedding of the man who tried to kill him and his family multiple times. no wonder he thought he could change drago's mind

snotlout is canonically a theater kid

"you're so small and cuddly" "please never say that again"

the twins are really smart, but they're also just stupid

hiccup straight up disappears when he's working on something

heather had a super noticeable crush on astrid

fishlegs got a love interest!! a plus size main character actually has a cool, badass love interest!

it was super hetnormative but it was cute

there was an island full of flying women who were implied to regularly commit cannibalism

hiccup taught all the riders how to fly with toothless, that's so sweet

everyone is a flat earther except for the twins

hiccup almost directly killed a lot of people

and killed a LOT more when destroying their ships

“scalding– cal..ding--" "toothle, plama bla!" was pretty much the funniest part of the entire series

dagur was bullied as a kid by a guy 8 years older than him who literally tattooed an imagine of him beating up little dagur in his arm??? What was that all about

actually we need to talk about how messed up everything about dagur is and about how the things that could've/did happen(ed) to him may be the reasons why he's Like That

just why was he imprisoned by the outcasts??? he didn't do anything to them directly

oof my brain is spiraling. "he loved you" "ig now we'll never know" what do you mean he didn't know if his dad loved him

there's a technically musical episode

tuffnut became hiccup's defense attorney and immediately got him the death sentence

hiccup regularly jumps off cliffs

he also jumped off a boat, with his arms tied and without toothless. just where did he think he was going

snotlout's annoying attitude is actually because spitelout pressures him too much and he feels like he has to be perfect for his dad :((

THE 'HICCUP'S EVIL MIRROR' VILLAIN THEME DONE RIGHT YESS!!!

viggo is the best httyd villain change my mind (you can't, swords at sundown, you may bring backup but i will win on my own)

skrill comeback skrill comeback SKRILL COMEBACK!!!!

"COMEEE TO DADDY"

what is a boar pit???

oh my god i had missed this series so much. it has no right to be this funny

this was my childhood. it has forever shaped the way i am

berserker heather the unhinged >>>

actually good disability rep! yay

hiccup complains about his peg leg pinching him

he straight up cannot walk without it and it is shown many times

"well, there are the benefits of a metal leg" after it got caught in a bear trap

funny moments, like snotlout trying to steal it to use it as a weapon

the jokes!! toothless laughing at the jokes!!! hiccup being so fucking done with the twins, who are always making the jokes!

there's an episode where everyone is so sleep deprived they actually start spiraling

astrid becomes a happy go lucky girl, hugs snotlout and tells him he's handsome

the fucking mood swings snotlout got were insane

the twins were straight up just hallucinating

"i sent them to wash their dragons, how could they mess that up?" cut to heather falling on her face with a bucket full of water in her hands

fishlegs becomes so paranoid, he's yelling at everyone all the time

"don't you know the trapper's trap can trap the trapper?? ...oh gods, i must be losing it, i'm quoting dagur"

YOOOO VALKA!!!! it's so nice to see her

hiccup tried to murder dagur to stop him from getting to toothless, which is scary bc it shows just how far he's willing to go for his bff, but also funny because hiccup. that was not going to work

oh the hiccstrid slowburn, how i have missed you

the twins's made up language

there was a beach episode turned murder mystery and a musical episode held at gun point

hiccup has a whole little speech that he periodically gives astrid to remind her that the twins serve a purpose

[sinnersweets]

DogDay x Reader part 8

<;-----part 7, part 9----->

After my birthday mine and DogDays relationship towards each other changed. He would be a little bit more flirtatious with me while I continued to be a nervous wreck around him. I think it’s safe to say that I liked liked him and I’m sure he also did too but none of us would ever bring up that topic. I would die of embarrassment if I told him about my feelings for him and he didn’t feel the same. I’m fine with what we have now.  

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at my office door. “Come in!” I thought it would be DogDay since he’s really the only one who came in my office, but it was actually Sarah. “Oh, hey Sarah, what brings you by?” She shut the door behind her and took a seat in front of my desk before saying, “I came here to like possibly warn you that Bobby Bearhug is like totally trying to get your spot in the show. CatNap overheard Bobby and Miss Delight talking and like; he told me that she convinced Miss Delight to be your understudy.”  

I was taken back by this. However, I was grateful that Sarah told me about this. “Thanks for the heads up Sarah.” She nodded her head while popping a piece of gum in her mouth. Again, I have no idea how she got hired but she seems nice. As she got up to leave, she said one last thing before closing the door. “Oh right, you might wanna go down to the theater room because your costume, it’s like huge.” I made a puzzled look on my face. It shouldn’t be huge; it should be my size. I gave Bobby my measurements. I sighed and followed behind Sarah. 

--------------- 

When I entered the theatre room I was impressed by all the decorations that everyone has made. The set was turning out great. As I looked around I spotted Bobby over by the stage...wearing my costume. Deep breaths Y/N; deep breaths. I walked over to her and put a strained smile on my face. “Hey Bobby.” I said through my teeth. She looked over to me and smiled while saying, “Oh hi Y/N!” I clasped my hands together and took another deep breath. “So, Bobby, I heard that you are now my understudy and I’m so excited for that; but why are you wearing my costume?” Bobby giggles and spun around showing off the costume that was clearly supposed to be made for me. “Well Y/N as your understudy I should also get a costume, you know in case something were to happen to you.”  

I was so close to saying a snarky comment, but I heard DogDay call out from behind me. “Hey Angel!” I turned around and saw that DogDay was in his costume. It looked exactly like the one in the cartoon. He wasn’t wearing his sun pendent, but he looked quite good in the outfit. “Whaddya think Angel?” He turned around and showed off his costume. I smiled while saying, “You look very good DogDay, though I like you more with no clothes and your pendant.” His ears perked up and his eyes widened. I just heard how he probably heard it and that is not what I meant at all. “Wait wait wait- I didn’t mean to make it sound like that at all I swear!” I hid my face in my hands, already feeling my face warm up. “I’m flattered by your comment Angel.” I felt his paws grab onto my hands and pulled them down from my face. As I looked at him he was now at eye level with me.  

“No need to hide that pretty face of yours Angel, I find it cute when you blush.” I could feel my heart beat a little faster. “Where’s your costume at Angel?” I snapped back into reality and struggled to find my words. “Oh-well um, Bobby is actually wearing it.” I pointed behind me and I saw DogDay look to where I pointed. “Oh hey BB! Didn’t see you there.” I quickly covered my mouth with my hands not wanting to laugh out loud. “Oh that’s fine! I think you look absolutely dashing in your costume DogDay~” She pushed passed me and walked up to DogDay. “BB why are you wearing Angel's costume?” “Hm? Oh no you see this is my costume. Her’s is over there.” Mine and DogDays eyes followed to where she pointed, and I saw the same costume that she was wearing but smaller in size. “As her understudy I think it’s only fair that I make myself a costume. In fact DogDay I think you and I should rehearse together.” A whistle blew over the room catching everyone's attention. Up on stage was Miss Delight. “Attention everyone! It’s time to rehearse!” Oh joy. 

--------------- 

Thankfully my costume fit me. I felt kinda off not wearing my uniform, it’s grown on me. I looked at myself in the mirror and was impressed with how I looked. My costume was identical to what Belle wears throughout the movie. “Alright, let's do this.” 

--------------- 

The first couple of scenes went off swell. It surprised me to see DogDay act not so cheerful while playing Beast. KickenChicken...I think he was taking his role too seriously. Hoppy kept smacking him on the head every time he would go off script. Damian tried to have a French accent, but it didn’t sound French; more Irish. And then Bobby; I was ready to throw hands with her. She would always interrupt me and say that I was doing a scene wrong and come on stage and act out what I just did. On stage there was a trap door and every time she would walk over it it took everything in my power not to pull the handle to make her fall through. 

Miss Delight told everyone to take an hour break and then to come back ready to do the whole show. Some of the cast left the room while others stayed behind. I was one of the ones that left. I got an alert from my phone saying there was a severe rainstorm coming near the factory, I hope it wasn’t too bad. I was starting to get a headache and needed to lie down in my office. DogDay followed me to my office saying I could take a nap with him; which I agreed to instantly. “Don’t worry Angel, after today we’ll just have one more day of practice and then we get to perform in front of everyone and Bobby won’t be bothering us anymore.” DogDay spoke as he laid down on his bed and I leaned up against his shoulder. “I hope so. She’s giving me a headache.” DogDay chuckled. After a while we both fell asleep and laid close to each other. 

--------------- 

We were just at the part where Belle tends to the Beasts wounds when suddenly the power goes out. Great. The storm cut the power. Without the lights the theater room was completely pitch black. “Everyone please remain calm and don’t move! We’ll just have to wait for the power to turn back on.” Miss Delight said somewhere in the seats. A loud thunder shook through the room silencing everyone. I sat in the darkness along with DogDay and Damian and the rest of the cast. As I leaned back against my hands I felt something land on top of my head. 

I raise one of my hands up to my head and grab whatever landed on me. I took out my phone and turned on my flashlight and I saw what it was. A spider. I stood up instantly and moved away from everyone while I started swatting around me while screaming, “GET IT OFF GET IT- AHHhh-” Snap. I felt my ankle break as I fell. I cried out in pain. “Angel??!” I could hear DogDay call out for me, but I just kept crying in pain. 

The lights soon came on and then I saw where I had fallen. The trap door was open. I must’ve fallen maybe ten feet down. Soon I saw Damian and DogDays head peer over. “Angel!! Hold on I’ll be right there!”  DogDay disappeared and Damian had a look of horror on his face. “Damian move b-back...I don’t want you to fall!” I said while still crying and fighting through the pain that I felt. Miley, who played Babette pulled Damian back. As I lay helplessly, I saw red smoke surrounding me. I started coughing as I inhaled this smoke. I saw DogDay approach me before I passed out.  

--------------- 

I slowly opened my eyes and saw that DogDay was asleep at the foot of the bed I was on. Looking around the room I saw that I was in the infirmary, though it looked more private than the one I’ve seen before. As I went to go sit up, I felt a shock rush through my body. “Argh-” DogDay then shot up and looked at me before pulling me into a hug while saying, “Angel! Finally you’re awake, I was getting worried.” “How long was I asleep?” I spoke out while hugging him. “Nine hours.” “Nine hours?! That’s ridiculous!” DogDay released me and grabbed onto both of my hands. “You really scared me there for a moment Angel; Damian too.” I felt horrible that Damian saw the pain I was in. “Where is he?” “He’s in Home Sweet Home asleep; I think it’s three in the morning right now.” "Huh??! That means I’m here after hours!!" “Don’t worry Angel, as your boss this won’t count against you. I just need you to rest up and heal.”  

The show. I won’t be able to do it. That means.... My eyes teared up as I chuckled. “Haha, looks like I’m out of commission for the show.” DogDays face changed to one of hurt and displeased. That meant he would end up doing the show with Bobby. She got her way. “No, I won’t do it. I don’t want to do it unless it’s you out there with me Angel.” “You have to DogDay. No one else got an understudy but me. You must.” I leaned over and grabbed onto Dogdays head and rested my forehead on his. “You’ll do great.” I kissed his nose and closed my eyes while still resting my forehead on his. “Angel?” “Hm?” “Can I stay here with you until it’s time for rehearsal?” I smiled and said, “Of course.” DogDay then got up and climbed behind me on the bed and positioned me up against his chest after he took off his pendant. “Comfy?” I hummed yes and closed my eyes while DogDay took my hand and rubbed the top of it. Before I fell asleep I felt something on top of my head again. A kiss.  

A/N: *hides*

[obessedwithfictionalmen]

Co-Stars pt.4

Summary: Y/n post something interesting...

Warning: Sexism/ use of Y/n/ Swearing/

A/n: > Means Y/n's replies

Word count: 890 words

@Official_Y/n

@Official_Y/n: Guess who?

Liked by 78 345

Comments:

@User5710: Mother posting!!!!

@Y/n_fan214: Soft lauch?!

@TimotheChalamet: Ew, there's children on this app. > Okay🙂

@Austin_Butler: 🫣 > Sush Elvis

@User9261: Did she just shushed Austin Butler? > She did 💅

@Dua_Lipa: That back tho! 🫨 > 🏋‍♀️💪💅

-

After her post, the Internet was like the volcano that flooded Pompei with lava: Smoking hot. Everyone was talking about the guy in the picture and how intimate they looked. Of course, everyone thought about Callum, and they were right, but they didn’t know it. So, when Y/n, Austin, Anthony and Callum went on the Graham Norton show, they were expecting questions about it.

-

‘’So, Y/n obviously you got a lot of attention this week, because of this’’ Her post appears on the screen. Anthony starts to chuckle. ‘’I know, my back looks great’’ she says, avoiding the question. ‘’You look amazing, but the real question is: Who is the gentleman in the two pictures?’’ Two red arrows pointing at the men in the pictures appears on the screen. ‘’I can’t see him, maybe point it to me’’ she says, sarcastically of course. The publics starts to laugh. ‘’I mean there’s a gentleman in my life, I won’t say who, but yeah. Thought I’d tease the internet a little’’ she says, crossing her legs. ‘’Boys do you know who he is?’’ Graham asked the 3 men. ‘’Yeah, I met him, he’s really nice’’ Anthony says. ‘’He’s amazing, he takes care of my best friend, and that’s all that counts’’ Callum says. Y/n has to bite the inside of her cheek to prevent her from laughing. Hearing Callum talk about himself at the 3rd person almost makes her laugh and blow away the surprise. ‘’Like they said, he’s a really nice guy. Really fun too, we had some great conversations with him. Awesome guy’’ Austin adds. ‘’But what about Callum?’’ Graham asks. ‘’What about him?’’ Y/n asks. ‘’W-w-well you guys. T-t-the internet ships you together!’’ he stutters. Y/n direct answer took him by surprise. ‘’We also have a video of Callum and a mystery lady, let’s take a look’’ What video? Shit?! It showed a video of Callum making out with Y/n, but we couldn’t see her face, it was badly filmed because the only action we could see was between the crack of the door. Y/n tried not to react, and she was hoping that Callum would improvise something. ‘’Graham, I’m sorry, but we’re here to promote our show, Master of the Air, not trying to get to the bottom of the rumors of who’s Y/n dating and Callum’s privacy being invaded’’ Austin said, as calmly as possible. ‘’Austin’s right, plus we have great things to talk about other than Y/n’s dating life.’’ Anthony added the woman smiled to the blonde, who just saved their life. ‘’You’re right, I’m sorry, so Anthony…’’ Graham didn’t talk about relationships that night. When the interview was over and they got backstage, Y/n hugged Austin. ‘’Thank you so freaking much’’ she said. ‘’Thank you, Austin, I really appreciate it’’ Callum said. ‘’Don’t worry we got you’’ Anthony said.

-

After Austin and Anthony’s intervention, the people calmed down on the question, but the internet could still see their chemistry. Callum and Y/n still liked to tease the internet, but they calmed down too. Until the premier in the U.S.A, they kissed at the final premiere, in London. The one in the United-States was the before last premiere they all did. Y/n came on the carpet with a very reviling designer piece that the fans started to speculate.

-

She didn’t want to come on the carpet dressed like this, but the designer put a lot of effort into the piece, so she wore it. But she already had a team ready inside the movie theater to change her outfit. When she stepped out the car, she felt very vulnerable, she arrived alone this time, she was already gonna get attention for her outfit, she didn’t more publicity. She walked on the red carpet, until she reached her co-stars. ‘’Y/n here! Show us your tits!’’ a male fan yelled, making her very uncomfortable. Callum, who had seen the scene, felt really bad for his girlfriend. He wanted to help her, but if he gave her his jacket, the rumors would just be unbearable, they like to tease the internet, but not like that. ‘’Austin, can you go give your jacket to Y/n, she’s really uncomfortable’’ he whispered. He nodded than went forward, to give Y/n his jacket. ‘’With your boyfriends’ compliments’’ he said, not wanting to be suspicious. She put the jacket on and continued her way on the carpet. They finally did a group photo, after they could go inside, and Y/n could change. ‘’Come on Y/n, you’re not afraid to be shirtless on Instagram! We want to see the tits!’’ another male fan yelled. The guys were all in shook of what they just heard. But Y/n took all the confidence she had left and stepped forward. ‘’Maybe ask politely’’ she gave the men a fake smile before showing him her middle finger. The flash of the camera doubled; she was certainly going to get attention now. But what she didn’t realise was that the hole cast was flipping the guy off. Callum was the first to follow is girlfriend in giving the middle finger, the rest just followed.

-

Surprisingly, it wasn’t her outfit that made the front page, it was the picture of the cast giving the finger to the sexist fan. They didn’t talk about the fact that it was disrespectful, they talked about the fact that men were supporting woman and how it should always be like this. The cast of Master of the Air were now icons in the feminist movement. All thanks to Callum…

[adriennebarnes]

Hips Don’t Lie

Pairing: Henry Cavill x Hispanic/Latina! Reader

Summary: There is an after party after the premiere of “the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare” and Henry meets his co star, Eiza Gonzalez’s friend, Y/N.

Warning: spelling and grammar errors, non translated Spanish’s because I get lazy.

A/N: this is my first ever real person fanfic so I hope you like it.

Henry was on the red carpet answering a few questions until it was time to head into the theater with everyone to see his new movie. As he was walking in, he saw Eiza Gonzalez, his costar.

“Eiza, how are you?” Henry said, greeting her.

“Henry, que guapo te ves! I’m definitely not used to your clean shaven look. There’s a party after the premiere, are you going?” Eiza asked.

“I’m not sure, I think I’m going to my hotel after this, spend time with the bear.” Henry said and Eiza giggled.

“You should come! I want you to meet my friend, she came back from her European tour la few days ago, I think you guys would hit it off.” Eiza said.

“Are you really trying to play Cupid?” Henry said,

“I just want you guys to meet, I never said anything about wanting you two to date. But if you happen to fall in love with her, don’t forget to mention me in your wedding toast.” Eiza said.

“Are all Mexicans this delusional or just you?” Henry asked, eiza stared at him. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have said that, sorry.”

“Don’t worry my colonizer friend, it’s fine. And it’s probably just me.” Eiza said.

“How come you get to make jokes about my race but I can’t?” Henry asked.

“You are a straight white man, I rest my case, now let’s get inside, I’m pretty sure we have to make a speech before the movie starts, which I find totally stupid.” Eiza said,

The premiere was over and he went to his hotel room. He thought about how it’s been a while since he dated anyone and decided to call eiza.

“Bueno?” Eiza answered the phone.

“Hey eiza, where is the party?” Henry asked.

“Yes, you’re coming, it’s at xxxx” Eiza said.

“I’ll be right there.” Henry replied and hung up the phone. Henry changed out of his suit to something more casual but still presentable and said goodbye to his dog before asking his driver to take him to where the after party was. When he gets there, he was greeted by Eiza in a fitted dress.

“Yes, you’re here! Great decision, Y/N is probably at the bar, mingle while I go find her. Oh my god, Diego! Compa, como has estado, no te ha visto en…” Eiza greeted her friends walking away from Henry. Henry saw Chris drinking at the bar and decided to walk towards him.

“Henry, buddy, how have you been?” Chris asked, hugging him.

“I’ve been great, how’s married life treating you?” Henry asked.

“Really well, I’m very happy to be back in Boston but I can’t lie, I do miss these parties.” Chris admitted. They kept talking and when they played a Daddy Yankee song, Henry heard a voice screaming.

“AAHH!! Es mi canción! Joel, cuida mi bolsa!” the Woman said, downing a shot of tequila before heading to the dance floor. Henry thought it was Eiza but it was someone else. However, when the woman started dancing, Henry couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

“Hey man, who are you looking at?” Chris asked but he just followed Henry’s line of sight and spotted the woman that was basically demanding the attention of everyone else with her dancing, that’s when Eiza approached the two mean at the bar.

“Whoo, go Y/N! That’s my bestie!” Eiza cheered her on.

“What, that’s Y/N?” Henry asked,

“Yeah, that’s her. I mean, i knew she could dance because I’ve seen her concerts when she performs at the forum, but I never knew she could dance like this.” Eiza said.

“I think your friend is making Hnery want to learn Spanish, he hasn’t taken his eyes off her since she started dancing.” Chris said and Henry hit his chest, still not looking away from the woman dancing.

“Perfect! I’ll get her when the song is over so you can meet her.” Eiza said, clearly excited that henry is interested in her friend. When the song finished, Eiza made her way to Y/N. “Y/N! Como has estado? Que me cuentas de la gira?”

“La gira fue espectacular, todos los fans cantando mis canciones, llevándome flores, estoy súper agradecida. How was the premiere? I wish I could have gone but I wasn’t invited.” Y/N said,

“Sorry! I forgot when your tour ended. Anyway, I have someone I want you to meet.” Eiza walked Y/N over to when’re Henry and Chris were. “Y/N, this is Henry Cavill. Henry, this is Y/N L/N. Chris, come dance with me.” Eiza said, pulling Chris with her, leaving Henry and Y/N alone by the bar.

“Hi.” Henry said bashfully.

“Hey.” Y/N said, fiddling with her fingers.

“I saw you dance, you were amazing, by the way, you seemed really into it.” Henry commented.

“Well i grew up listening to Shakira so you could say my hips don’t lie.” Y/N said and both of them ended up laughing. “Oh my god, I can’t believe I made that joke, que tonta soy, eh.”l

“No no, it’s okay, I laughed, right?” Henry said, making Y/N feel more comfortable.

“But seriously, my mom would put me in these dance classes, well, her friend who taught dance classes would give me free lessons.” Y/N said. “Do you dance?”

“No but I took lessons when I was filming Argyle.” Henry said.

“I haven’t seen Argyle but I really want to see this movie. Like yeah, my bestie is in it, but I really like your look in this movie.” Y/N said.

“Really? You like the messy hair and the full beard?” Henry asked.

“Yeah, your curls show off more than in your other movie, Night Hunter.” Y/N commented.

“So you’re a fan of my movies?” Henry asked.

“Am I a fan of the movies or just the attractive British actor starring in them?” Y/N asked, getting closer to Henry.

“I say you’re a fan of me.” Henry said.

“Bingo! Hope Im not being too forward.” Y/N said

“Not at all.” Henry said. They started playing Propuesta Indecente by Romeo Santos.

“Well, time to put your dancing skills to use, do you think you can dance bachata?” Y/N asked, taking Henry’s hand and led him on the dance floor.

“Only if you show me how.” Henry said.

“Of course, just follow my lead.” Y/N said.

They danced every bachata song that was played, and when they weren’t dancing, they were just talking.

Eiza sips her drink, observing them.

“They would be a cute couple.” Eiza commented to Chris.

“Yeah, he seems happy enough.” Chris said.

“Could I get your number?” Henry asked.

“Of course, give me your phone.” Y/N said. Henry handed her his phone and Y/N gave it back. “I’m gonna head out but I’ll be waiting for your call. Hasta luego, guapo.” Y/N kissed Henry’s cheek and left the party with Eiza. Chris then approached Henry who was holding his cheek where she kissed him.

“What are you thinking about?” Chris asked.

“How much a Spanish tutor costs.” Henry commented.

“Alright, buddy, let’s get back to the hotel.” Chris said, leading Henry to the exit.

The End

Taglist: @warriormirkwood @shellyshellshell

[brynnasaurus]

if i can be sincere and ramble for one moment, before the inevitable Barbenheimer backlash begins (it's coming, it might already be here, that's just how the internet works):

Last weekend was so fun. I'm at the movie theater pretty much every weekend because I love seeing movies on the big screen but the atmosphere last weekend was so palpably different and exciting and joyous and even if you were to take a cynical view of the entire experience ("it's just a capitalist toy commercial" etc.) it still doesn't really change the fact that people were just having fun. they were cheering, they were joking - half of my Oppenheimer audience were wearing pink but taking the movie very seriously. people were dressed up as Weird Barbie, Goth Barbie, there was a guy wearing a suit with a pink fedora and a pink tie - people were soberly discussing feminism and nuclear disarmament in the bathroom - it was all so strange and thrilling and lovely. it just felt like it was bringing everyone together in a way that was really wholesome - these days it's rare to see people come together like this in a positive way - people are so at odds with one another in every facet of modern life, and sometimes it feels like the only time we're all together on anything anymore is when we have to team up to tear something down (usually justifiably so) - and i don't really mean for this to sound too self-important or whatever, i know they're just movies - but... it's just nice to know we're still capable of all just having fun together? i know that's a corny sentiment, but, what can i say, i must speak my truth.

i had friends and co-workers who are not normally movie buffs texting me and talking to me at the office like - "brynn! did you see barbie?! did you see oppenheimer?! let's talk about it!" my head was spinning! my heart was happy!

it just sucks that it's coming right at the moment where hollywood seems to be on a very serious self-destructive path - i want them to learn that "event" movies do not necessarily need to mean marvel movies or reboots of fading franchises concepted and written by computer algorithms - you could argue that both of these movies are tied to existing IP: barbie the toy and christopher nolan movies are well known properties in and of themselves - but they're still wholly original movies with a lot on their minds and a lot to say - and regardless of whether you love or hate either film (i personally thought both were great but i've seen criticism of both that are totally valid!), the conversation around them has been really thoughtful and interesting (right-wing trolls excepted, obviously), which is not something you can really say about Fast X or Jurassic World or Quantumania or whatever.

anyway. movies are great! movies can be important! writers and actors deserve to be paid for all the love and effort they pour into these things! and i'm glad we all got to share this together. 💖

[iguana-eyanna]

Took You Long Enough

Pairing: Shayne Topp x fem!reader

Summary: All of your friends are tired of you and Shayne flirting with each other even if you two claim your friends, so they have to take matters into their own hands

Requested by @winifrede , hope you like it!

You walked into work, feeling energized.

This has been your fifth year working at Smosh. You handled the writing in your first two years, then after a few cameo appearances, you became a full cast member.

You go to the kitchen first, wanting to grab a Celsius before the office meeting.

"Celsius? I'm surprised you didn't go to your regular coffee place down the street." a voice asks out loud.

You smile to yourself, turning around with your drink as you saw Shayne.

He was by the shelves, trying to find one of his snacks that he purposely hides in the back.

"Wanted to change things up a bit, but I also chose to stay sane and not jittery every 5 minutes."

Shayne laughs, giving you his signature grin.

"That reminds me, did you like that book I gave you? I know it wasn't your type of genre, but it made me think of you." He says, giving you his full attention as his snack was long forgotten.

Your eyes brighten as you dig in your bag on your side, digging to find it.

"I loved it so much! I think this has to be my top 5 books. Thank you for lending it to me." You said, offering it back to him.

"Anytime. Let me know if you want any other recs." He said. You two talked a bit more before you had to go, but what you didn't know was that a few of your friends were secretly watching you two.

"See how they flirt with each other? No wonder they have fan edits." Jackie points out from her chair. It was true, since you've been in more videos, the fans speculated how you and Shayne had great chemistry on screen and on vlogs. But Shayne always said that hasn't dated in a long time and you've been trying to see people (but haven't found anything long-term).

"I'm really surprised they haven't thought of dating each other by now. They seem really good together." Kimmy said, sighing.

"Too perfect." Damien mutters softly as he was working on his computer.

Jackie and Kimmy perk their heads up and look at their friend who hasn't realized what he said.

"Is there something you would like to share with the class?" Jackie asks, a bit too hostile.

Damien stops typing his keyboard as he realized that he made a mistake.

"I- um, don't know what you're talking about." Damien says, acting dumb.

Jackie and Kimmy get up in unison and corner Damien in his seat.

"Spill it Haas." Kimmy says, pointing her finger at her.

Damien raises his hands in the air for defense, squinting his eyes.

"Okay, okay! You got me." He says. The two girls lean in closer so no one could hear but them.

"Shayne and I were hanging out at his place and I noticed he got new books. I asked where he got them and he said he was borrowing them from her. After that, he just started rambling on and on about what they had in common. Then, he was thinking of asking her out on a date."

Jackie and Kimmy squeal almost jumping up and down.

"Wait, why hasn't Shayne asked her out yet?" Kimmy asks.

Damien sighs. "He's tried, but he's too shy when he tries asking her. I guess since he's still trading books with her, he still likes her, even if it's killing him that they're just friends.

"Well, we have to change that. And I know how..." Jackie says in an evil tone, looking at her desktop for her unfinished script for their upcoming video: Smosh Pit Theater.

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

Most of the cast was on set for shooting the fan fiction video. There was you, Jackie, Damien, Chanse, Angie, Kimmy, Courtney, and Shayne. Everyone was wearing their black turtlenecks.

You were all about to record as you explained the audience of what's to come.

"Hello everyone. Today, we will be showing a special type of Smosh Theater. Not only did some of our cast members wrote fanfiction about us, but we have a bigger budget as well!" Damien said at the camera.

Now it was Kimmy's turn to speak to the camera. "All of the budget was used on props and costumes! Our writers today are Jackie, Courtney, and Damien." they all take their individual bows.

"No one knows what the writers wrote so we are acting this out for the first time." you later explained.

"This is a serious production and we are serious actors." Shayne says with a pretentious voice.

"Without further ado, let us begin." Courtney concluded.

Since she had the floor, it was her turn first. Courtney wrote about the members surviving in a post apocalyptic world.

Then, it was Damien's turn. He wrote a fic that was about the smosh members in a spy noir setting where they tried to find out who killed their boss, Ian Hecox. You thought it was such a great script.

Finally, it was Jackie (who looked a little too giddy). She steps right up and holds a stack of papers in her hands. "This fanfiction was inspired by two of my friends, known to swap their favorite books to each other. I think it's hella cute."

You look a bit off-guard as well as Shayne, not knowing what will come next. "I was too eager to write this that it only took me a day. For our final fanfiction, I give you 'A Hidden Chapter of Our Love,' written by me."

She starts giving everyone their roles:

Shayne is the lead role, a soft-spoken bookworm

Damien was a theater kid who wants to go to Juliard

Chanse is the captain of the cheerleading team & the school bully

Courtney was the narrator *her lines will be italicized*

Kimmy was the ditzy cheerleader

Angie was the misfit, who often got in trouble

Jackie was a prestigious art student

and you, the only nice, popular cheerleader who starts to fall in love with the bookworm, Shayne

Everyone started wearing their costumes, fitting into their roles. You, Kimmy, and Chanse had pom poms, Shayne had books, Damien was wearing a black scarf with that hat from the musical Newsies, Jackie held a sketchpad, and Angie wore a leather jacket.

Everyone had a script in their hands and was ready to act out Jackie's script.

Scene 1: The Meet Up

It was the first day at Smosh High, and students were eager to have a memorable senior year.

Here we have Shayne, a shy scholarly student who wished to get out of his small town and go to his dream university.

"Just a few more months and I can get the hell out of here." Shayne said, shifting his glasses.

"Don't I know it." Damien replied.

Damien was Shayne's best friend since junior high. He was always the star of each show he's done. And like Shayne, wants to leave the bounds of his old life and rise like the phoenix he is.

They walk in the hallway to find their homeroom and accidentally bump into a group of cheerleaders.

"Watch it, nerds."

Chanse said, knocking down Shayne's books to the floor. Chanse was the most ruthless cheerleader at their high school. he often picked on people who weren't in the cheer squad or in a sport.

"Yeah, what he said." Kimmy replied.

Kimmy was your pretty cheerleader that all the students wished to have, but at times was pretty clueless. The two strutted away except for one cheerleader.

"I'm sorry about my friends." You said, kneeling down to help Shayne with his books.

That was the only nice cheerleader on the squad. She wasn't like the other girls, and had a dark secret that only two people know in this school. She can't help but notice how cute this blonde guy with his books.

You and Shayne can't help but snicker after those words.

"Don't bother, you don't want to be seen with a low life like me." Shayne said, brushing you aside.

She got up and shyly looks over her shoulder till she hears Chanse calling her to follow them to the lockers.

"I don't get why you're so mean to her, she was just trying to help." Damien says.

Shayne rolls his eyes.

"It's all just an act. Cheerleaders like her would do anything to be recognized to become prom queen."

Shayne stated as the two make their way to homeroom.

Scene 2: You Again?

Jackie and Angie were talking into their first period of AP Literature and see their friend since kindergarten come late and sit next to them.

"Well well well, the popular girl is gracing us with her presence." Angie said, pretending to bow.

"Ha ha, very funny." You said.

"You sure Chanse won't be upset when he hears you're talking with us?" Jackie asks, pretending to draw on her paper.

"No, I don't get why he told the squad we can't have any other friends outside of the team. I love you guys I want us to have the best senior year ever." You said.

Jackie and Angie aw as they all hug.

"By the way, the teacher told us that we got paired up randomly with the people in our class for the entire year. Me and Angie got paired up." Jackie says.

"And you got paired with Shayne in the back, you two will hit off since you both love-"

The cheerleader shushes Angie, looking around to see if anyone heard.

"You know you can't say my secret to the school. If word got out, I'll be done." You exaggerated.

Angie rolls her eyes as she puts her feet on the table.

"I'll meet up with Shayne but I'll see you guys after school?"

They wave goodbye while you make your way to Shayne who was reading a book.

"Whatcha reading?" You ask.

"It's called 'None of your beeswax.'" Shayne stubbornly says.

"Ouch." your friends said offscreen.

"Look, we're about to work together for the entire year. Can we try to at least tolerate each other?" you ask.

"Fine." Shayne says.

The bell rings and everyone gets out of their seats, collecting their things. The cheerleader and the bookworm decide to meet during the weekend to talk about their project.

When Shayne looks down at her seat, he sees that she left a book that she must have forgotten. He picks it up, reading the cover.

"Pride & Prejudice? Why does she have this?" He asks out loud.

What he doesn't know is that he's about to unlock your biggest secret.

Later on, the plot thickens as your character and Shayne begin flirt with each other.

"-and that's how Damien and I are banned from the local Denny's."

You laugh at his story as you tuck your hair behind your ear.

"You know, you're pretty nice when you're not rude to me."

"and you're not as stuck up as I thought you'd be." Shayne replied.

Shayne gives you a gaze, trying to figure out who is this girl.

"By the way, I've been meaning to give you back something." Shayne said, taking out your copy of Pride & Prejudice.

"Where did you get that?" you ask, dramatically.

"You left this on your desk. I thought this was for school but this wasn't on the reading list."

She takes it away from him, hugging it closely.

"Be careful! It's a hardcover." You whispered, peering down to see if it was damaged.

"You're nervous that I found a book, you're the only cheerleader in our AP Lit, are you..."

Shayne leans closer into her ear.

"A bookworm?"

You try so hard to stifle a laugh. You got back into character and look at Shayne.

"Yes, I've been hiding it since I was 12 years old."

Shayne gasps out loud, surprised. A smart cheerleader in his presence? He thought those never existed.

"Dear god." Chanse said behind the camera.

"Promise not a word goes out. Only my friends, Angie and Jackie, know. I'm just trying to get by till graduation, then I could be whoever I want to be."

"You know, I feel that. Your secret is safe with me." He says.

Scene 3: Everything falls apart

After her secret was revealed to Shayne, they start to hang out more. They trade books behind the football stands and often hid in the library, discussing the plots of each story they read.

"Wait, you like hanging out with that Shayne guy? I thought he hated your guts!" Angie says.

"His best friend is so hot, especially when he sings Santa Fe." Jackie giggles.

Damien hides his face in his hands, feeling slightly flustered.

"I thought so too, but he seems sweet. I'm happy thatI found someone who has something in common with me."

"Or rather someone you like." Jackie hinted.

"We're just friends, nothing more. Let's go, we're going to be late for class." You said, getting your bag and heading your separate ways.

What the girls didn't know was that Kimmy was in the background, hearing every word her cheerleader friend said.

"Chanse will definitely want to hear this." she said, running away to find him.

Switch to Damien and Shayne who were by the lockers, talking mindlessly.

"So prom is coming up, do you think you're going?" Damien says.

"Prom is just a stupid event where teenagers are stuck in a room all night secretly hating on each other's guts in the school's gym." Shayne says, annoyed.

"So... no." Damien asks.

"You out of all people should know that I am not going to set foot at a school dance."

"I thought you could ask that cheerleader out since you've been sneaking off after school to the library. I'm thinking of asking that girl Jackie, she's so talented, and pretty, and smart, and pretty..."

"Whoa. what makes you think I should ask her?" Shayne asks.

"You guys are like Benedick and Beatrice from Shakespeare’s finest works. You both hate each other with a passion. Then, you realize you two are meant to be."

"Yeah, meant to be..." Shayne repeats his friends words.

Towards the end of the day, Chanse and Kimmy confront there fellow cheermate.

"Look girl, we need you to focus our way to the Cheer championships. You can't be associated yourself with some geeks. It'll ruin our image." Chanse snapped.

"Yeah, what Chanse said." Kimmy said

"So drop your loser friends, or you're off the team." Chanse said, strutting away with Kimmy.

"Hey!" A voice cried out. The cheerleader turns around to see Shayne running towards her, hiding something behind his back.

"I know we shouldn't be caught talking together in public, but I wanted to ask you somethi-"

"Shayne." You stopped him.

She takes a deep breath and is about to say something that she will soon regret.

"I don't think we should carry on about us: being friends and all. You're just a bookworm and I'm a cheerleader. We shouldn't mix." You said, walking away.

Shayne takes out a bouquet of flowers and throws them to the ground.

Everyone behind the camera feels bad for his character as they aw in pity.

"Prom is a waste of time... and so does pretty girls that break your heart."

After that scene, everyone changed into their prom outfits. Once you've changed, you were going back to set but you could hear someone saying your name. You were about to ask who it was but you see Damien and Shayne with their backs toward you, oblivious that you were there.

"I think Jackie is trying to get me and her to pair up." Shayne says.

"Really? I haven't noticed." Damien lies, trying to hid Jackie's secret.

"Like the switching books concept? We've just been doing that for a couple of years, it's not that romantic."

Damien looks at his friend who was clearly in denial.

"It's just us, tell me what's wrong man."

Shayne takes a deep breath.

"What I'm scared most is the kissing scene. I just... don't want things to change between us."

You feel your heart go down in your stomach. Of course he doesn't like you like that. You were about to leave until you heard Shayne speak up.

"I'm falling hard for her. And every time I don't tell her how I feel, it's just another day of letting her go."

Damien sighs and pats his friend's back.

"You'll never know how she feels until you ask her."

They sound like they were about to leave, so you made sure you were out of sight. At that moment, you knew what to do now.

Everyone gets ready for the prom scene on set. Courtney resumes her narrative.

Scene 5: One Final Dance

It was prom night. Everyone was dressed and was excited for tonight's festivities. Damien and Shayne walk in to their school gym.

"Thanks for coming man, you know you didn't have to come." Damien says.

"Don't worry, I'm just here to make sure you don't look like a fool in front of Jackie." Shayne said.

Then comes out Jackie and Angie. Jackie was sporting a ball gown while Angie was wearing a slip dress with her signature leather jacket and converse.

"Hi Dami, you look very handsome." Jackie says, hiding her giggles.

"And you look as radiant as the sun, m'lady." Damien bowed, kissing her hand.

"Ugh. Gross guys." Angie said.

The new couple hook their arms and make their way to the dance floor.

"Forced to come here too?" Shayne asks Angie.

"Yeah, Jackie would have lost her mind if she didn't have her moral support system. Thank god I didn't have to handle her alone."

"Who else did you guys come with?" Shayne asks.

"That would be me." a voice said.

Shayne turns around and sees you in a really pretty dress.

"Wow" Shayne said, not following the script anymore.

Angie makes her way out as someone cues some slow dance music that wasn't copyrighted.

Shayne tries to look away, crossing his arms as he looks down at the script.

"Thought you didn't want to be seen with me?" He asks.

"I had a change of heart, especially when I quit the Cheer squad."

Shayne turns around, not believing her words.

"Why did you do that? Don't you want to be popular?" He asks.

"No, I don't think I ever did. I just got lost of where I belong in high school."

"And where do you want to belong?" He asks.

"In your arms."

Everyone oohs off screen as you and Shayne blush like idiots.

Shayne awkwardly places his hands around your waist as you wrap yours around his neck.

"Remember when you gave me back my book? I wanted to give you something else." You said, silently gulping.

"What did you want to give me?" Shayne shyly asks, thinking you'll just give him a kiss on the cheek.

"This." you whispered.

You lean in to Shayne and kissed his lips. Your heart was beating a thousand times per second. You pull away and look at Shayne who looked off guard.

You look scared, not knowing if this was the best idea. It wasn't until Shayne dropped his script and kissed you again, holding you tight against him. You held on too, as your script was long forgotten.

Everyone of your friends cheered on. You two couldn't tell how much time passed till you heard someone speak up.

"Uh, guys? We're still rolling." Garrett said. You and Shayne pull away, looking a bit out of breath.

"Sorry, got lost in the scene." Shayne said as you two picked up your scripts on the floors.

"Mmm hmmm" Chanse hummed as people started to break out of laughter.

After the scene was done, you all wrapped up the episode and congratulated each other on a job well done.

When you dressed back, you bump into Shayne unexpectedly.

"H-Hi." you nervously stutter.

"Hey, I was um, actually looking for you."

"Oh, what's up?" You said, already knowing what he wanted to ask.

"That kiss... it really meant a lot to me. But I, I wished we could had our first kiss after a first date."

"Shayne Topp, are you asking me out?" You asked, smiling.

"Yes, I'd love if we could go on a date together."

"Took you long enough." You said, making him chuckle.

You two went out of the studio to head to your favorite cafe down the street, walking hand in hand.

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

"All that hard work and they didn't thank us." Jackie says as Kimmy and Damien see that you two weren't around.

"I'm sure they'll say something later. For now, let them have fun." Kimmy smiled.

Damien gets a buzz from his phone and sees a text from Shayne.

He opens it and sees it's a pic with you and Shayne smiling with a message:

Thanks for the meddling, wouldn't be here without your guys' help. Will let you know how it goes.

Damien just chuckles and puts away his phone, letting his friend enjoy his first date with you as Jackie and Kimmy are already planning your wedding.

[earthtoharlow]

Flashing Lights

10) I Miss You, Don’t Call Me

Jack Harlow x Singer!OC

TW: slight mention of violence, and mentions of alcohol abuse

Series Masterlist

Jack sighed as Maryse declined his call again. It’s been a month since that incident with Nate happened. The next morning Maryse didn’t want to talk about it, stating she was fine. Jack knew she was lying, but didn’t want to push her.

Things seemed to be okay for a few weeks but recently Maryse has been avoiding him. She would decline his calls and if the off chance she did answer she would rush him off the phone saying she had to get back to rehearsals for her shows she had coming up at the Apollo Theater.

Jack was afraid that if she continued on this path of keeping things herself that she was going to blow up one day. He hated seeing her like this. It doesn’t help that he’s in LA right now while she’s home in NY.

“Jack, why are you rushing back to New York, we literally need you in Boston for New Balance by tomorrow afternoon!” Neelam said as she interrupted his thoughts. Jack needed to see Maryse now, he couldn’t let this go on any longer.

“I’m going to see Maryse, I’ll go straight to Boston as soon as I’m done. I promise.” He responded as he continued to pack his backpack, deciding to only take essentials.

He ignored Neelam's sigh at the mention of his girlfriend. “Jack…” she started but he immediately interrupted her. “Don’t wanna hear it.”

“Jack, just hear me out! I love Maryse but your career is very important. This is a huge year for you, you can’t just drop everything for some girl, you’ve only been dating for 3 months! And don’t think I haven’t noticed her ignoring your calls…”

Jack pulled his hoodie over his head, and took a deep breath before replying. “It’s been five months.” Neelam rolled her eyes.

“I’m not dropping everything for some girl, she’s my girlfriend and a Grammy award winner, might I add.”

He continued as Neelam folded her arms in front of him. “She’s going through something right now and needs me. I’ve been running around nonstop, and haven’t missed an appearance. Boston is hardly an hour flight away from NY. I will be back in time for the NB event.”

Only thing Neelam could do was sigh, knowing she wasn’t going to change his mind. “Ok. Fine. You better be back in time.”

He gave a simple nod as he slung his backpack over his shoulders and headed towards the door. “Gotcha.”

As he walked out the door he turned around to say one last thing. “Oh, and Neelam?”

“Yeah?” She questioned.

“You’re going to respect my girlfriend, she’s here to stay. This weird energy you have towards her is going to stop.” He closed the door behind him, not giving Neelam time to react as she stood there with her mouth open.

***

“That sounded great guys, let's take a 30!” Maryse told her band with a smile. She was currently rehearsing for her shows the following weekend at the iconic Apollo Theater to celebrate her debut album.

Once everyone left the room she sat at the piano and she began playing around with some chords that had been in her head for a couple days.

She silently sighed as her fingers moved across the keys, the more she played the more she started thinking about Jack. He didn’t deserve how she was treating him and made a silent vow to call him when he left rehearsals.

“I haven't slept since Sunday…” she began singing the first thing that came to mind. She wished Jack was with her right now.

“Midnight for me is 3:00 a.m. for you. But my sleepless nights are better with you than nights could ever be alone.” Maryse hadn’t slept properly since the night of her release party, having dreams about Nate, she knew the only thing that would fix this would be opening up about with Jack.

“I was good at feeling nothing, now I'm hopeless. What a drag to love you like I do”

Fuck it. She thought as she pulled her phone out, dialing Jack’s number. He of course answered on the first ring, she spoke before he could even speak. “I love you so much, I’m sorry for ignoring your calls, we can talk about everything when I get home, okay?” She bit her lip as it was silent on the other line.

“I love you too.” Maryse gasped as she heard his voice from behind her. Turning around, Jack was leaning against the doorway, phone pressed against his ear.

She immediately jumped up from her place at the piano and skipped towards him. “What are you doing here?” Maryse questioned as she pulled him closer to her, pressing her face into his chest and smelling his cologne.

Jack just shook his head, and kissed the top of her head. “We can talk about it later. I just needed to see you.”

***

It was 10 pm when she got back home from rehearsals, she stripped as soon as she walked into the house. Walking into her room, Jack was spread across her bed, soft snoring leaving his mouth. She felt bad that he came all this way for her. Changing into one of his many shirts he’s left at her place, she climbed into bed next to him, pressing a kiss to his face.

Jack, being a light sleeper, woke up from the light kiss. “Hey” he said softly.

Maryse smiled at him, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry for ignoring your calls.”

Jack pulled her in closer next to him in bed. Maryse wrapping her legs around his own. “I guess I should explain myself.”

He nodded. “But only if you’re ready, I never wanna pressure you. I’m just worried about you.”

Maryse nodded and was silent as she continued playing with his hair. “I had been dating Nate since he was a senior in college. So I’ve known him for a really long time. You could say he was my first real relationship. Everything was really good for a long time, until we weren’t. But everything changed when he tore his pec during a playoff game.”

Jack stayed quiet, letting Maryse get her thoughts out.

“He was really upset and angry with himself for getting hurt. So he started drinking to cope, I would come home from the studio and he would be passed out drunk in the living room.”

Maryse took a pause before continuing, she hasn’t spoken about this to anyone in almost two years. “I watched alcohol turn the man I loved into a monster. We would argue all the time, every problem we faced steamed from his drinking.”

She didn’t realize it in the moment that she had closed her eyes as she spoke, thinking about the things he would say out of anger. “You’ll never make it in the industry.” “No one will listen to your music.” “No one will ever love you like I do”

“He would say the curliest things to me during arguments but he never once put his hands on me. That night at the release party was the first.” Maryse could feel herself getting overwhelmed and tears started forming in her eyes.

Jack immediately pulled her into his chest, bringing her closer than she already was. “I’m sorry.” Maryse said, pulling back and wiping her eyes. She grimaced seeing the tear stain on his shirt.

He shook his head, “This isn’t my favorite shirt.” Maryse couldn’t help but giggle and pinched his side.

“Not about that you idiot! Sorry, for putting you, and Urban for that matter in that position. You both could’ve gotten extremely hurt that night! Especially with how angry Nate was. That’s why I was ignoring your calls because I was really embarrassed after that night.” Maryse ended with a frown.

It was Jack’s turn to frown. “I’m going to stop you right there. One, you didn’t deserve any of that shit he put you through. I’m sorry that you had to deal with that, loving an addict is a hard and taxing job. Two, you’re worth defending. I’ll throw my last punch defending you. You’re my person, my peace. I’ll do anything to protect you.”

Hearing Jack reassure her made Maryse relax for the first time in weeks. She also couldn’t help the flutters she felt in her stomach at Jack calling her his person.

“I love you, Jack.”

Jack leaned forward and kissed her head, nose and finally a sweet kiss on her lips.

“I love you more. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

Maryse pressed her lips against his lips one more time, happy he was here in her arms.

Jack let out a yawn. “Now, wrap your legs around me so I can go back to sleep. I have a flight to catch in 3 hours.”

She did just that, getting a full nights rest for the first time in weeks.

***

AN: hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Let me know you’re thoughtssss!

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[destinyc1020]

My Movie Review: "Challengers" 🎾

**Caution...May Contain Some Spoilers**

Okay okay..... Here we gooo! Another film review.... 😁🙌🏾

Y'all.... I have so much to say about this movie lol. 😅 I'll just be honest, like...I had some mixed feelings about this one!

Okay, so first of all.... I had a great time going to see this movie. My girlfriends and I all went to one of those theaters where you can order REAL food and alcohol, and they bring it right to your seat. 😁 We decided to treat ourselves to this one, and just have a "girl's night out" watching it.

Our little theater was quite packed too! Saw a lot of date-night couples watching this together lol. 🤭 I think I saw another group who was doing a girl's night out.

So anyway....

The movie ended up being an enjoyable rollercoaster for all of us lol. It definitely kept my attention, it wasn't boring at all, and it gave many of us several things to talk about/discuss long after the movie was over! I LOVE films that make you think, and that have you talking about it afterwards. Even if we disagree, it's just nice to see a movie like this that sparked a good discussion afterwards. 😊 Here were my Pros/Cons and random thoughts that I had during and after this movie lol....

PROS

Everyone's acting was solid in this! I already knew that Mike and Josh are stellar actors (I've seen them in other projects before, and both have done theater if I'm not mistaken), but ZENDAYA!! Zendaya babeeeee....She surprised me in this one! Dare I say it?? I think "Challengers" was her best acting job yet on the big screen. 👏🏾 She really embodied that "Bad B*itch"/Boss vibe very well imo. She was definitely believable! LOL 😅

The CINEMATOGRAPHY! Omg the cinematography in this film was so good and on point. I loved how the camera would change perspectives during a match (especially the end match) and would switch and show you the ball's pov, then the pov of the players, and whatnot. It was dizzifying switch and camera change for sure lol, but it was very creative. I honestly think that this film could be nominated for an Oscar just for the cinematography alone. 😊👍🏾

The music .... The music was a pro AND a con (more on that later) for me. It had a really hype techno beat throughout the movie, and that really helped to keep the movie hyped and show the fast-pace of the sport. I really liked it! It was catchy lol. 😅

Zendaya was GORGEOUS in this movie! I kept looking at how flawless her skin was in this. It's so rare that we get "adult" Z in her films lol, so it was just nice and refreshing to see her finally playing more of an adult in a big screen role, and seeing her be the desirable/sexy/attractive one in a film for a change. She really looked amazing in this. 😊 I'd love to see her do more roles where she's playing the object of desire. We need more woc in roles like this.

I loved the subtle ways in which Luca shows that tennis is basically like a relationship in this film. I loved that metaphor. I think the little subtle hints for the movie were quite creative, and it's one of those films where I think it would be good to watch at least twice in order to catch more of the subtleties and how the sport related to their relationships and inner dynamics throughout the film.

I LOVED that scene where Patrick and Tashi met up with each other, and it's so WINDY and wild. Just like their relationship.... Windy, unpredicatable, destructive, yet exciting... Unlike her boring relationship with her husband lol. LOVED the subtleties in this film.

I loooved seeing Zendaya in her "Bad Gal" element. Yaaass! 👏🏾 I love it! I think it's harder playing a villain or someone who's not redeeming honestly.

Hahaha I have to give a shoutout to Darnell.... Good seeing him on the screen. Glad he was able to add another big major film on the big screen to his roster lol. 😜

Zendaya's body was BODY GOALS in this film.... 🔥 Can I just say?? I was like, "Dang.... let me keep going to the gym". 👀 And then, the other thought I had was, "Shooooot....no wonder Tom came back ROTFL." 😅🤣 Lemme stop lol.

I loved the anticipation for the final match, and it really kept you on the edge of your feet lol. 😁

CONS

Now for the cons.... 👀

Was it just me?? Or, sometimes the music in this movie was a bit TOO loud Lol. For example, there was a scene where Patrick and Tashi were talking in the hotel, and the techno music is SO LOUD that I could barely even make out what they were saying (and it seemed important too). Maybe it's just me.... But at times, the music was drowning out the dialog, and I didn't like that. Anyone know what Patrick and Tashi said to each other at the hotel when the music got to be so loud lol? 😅

I STILL hate that "my little white boys" line ...UGH! It's SO CRINGGGGGE! 😫😩🙈

I definitely saw a LOT more sausage and moons than I expected to see in this movie lol... 👀 😅 I meannnnn.... Idk... Is male frontal nudity EVER really necessary?? Let's be honest lol. I honestly don't think so. I kind of wonder why it's even needed?? (I say the same thing about female frontal nudity as well). Idk, sometimes I wonder why certain directors make that choice to add that in, when it's not even necessary 9 times out of 10. I just don't like things being done gratuitously . Like, gratuitous sex scenes for example.

I'll be honest, I didn't really care too much for some of the plotlines and writing in the film.... 😬 I'll also just come right out and say it... I kind of wish that Z had done a slightly different film than this for her big-screen lead role debut. I kind of wish it weren't such an "adult" film with a ton of sexual themes and elements. I kinda wish too that Tashi was not personified in the way that she was. It's one thing to be a very determined and dedicated athlete, but another thing altogether to be the stereotypical cold, icy, attitude-having diva. I also look at this from a woc/black woman's pov as well. Part of me feels like we as Black women are so hypersexualized (and seen as "grown") , and stereotyped as having "attitudes" from such a young age, and it just makes me feel like women/female actresses shouldn't have to get naked or be overly sexualized in order to win awards or get good critical acclaim for their roles. (I read that the film Emma Stone won an Oscar for this year, "Poor Things", had a lot of sex and nudity in it as well....🥴) Don't get me wrong, I'm not a "prude", but when it comes to WOC, I just want better for us since we're already so stereotyped and stigmatized. Like, why couldn't Z's big-screen lead role debut be the Ronnie Spector Biopic film?? Or, why couldn't it be a film like "Hidden Figures" where she's playing a black female mathematician who aids in the space launch? I don't feel like you have to resort to sex or get undressed in your underwear to be taken "seriously" as a "serious actor", but maybe the meaty roles for adult women in Hollywood that don't add that in are really scarce. Anyway, that was my only gripe. 😊

RANDOM THOUGHTS & QUESTIONS

When people claimed that there wasn't any real redeeming character in this film...boyyyyy...they weren't KIDDING!!! 🤣 I don't mind characters who aren't perfect or aren't the best though, so that didn't bother me. My only question was.... Why on earth did Tashi hate Patrick so much?? Does anyone else know?? 😅 I kept waiting and waiting during the movie to see some big REVELATION of something really HORRIBLE that he did to Tashi in order to deserve the type of hate that she dished out to him, but I couldn't figure out anything?? I mean, I know they dated each other at one time when they were younger, but I don't see why she's still hating on this man in her 30's when they dated in their teens and early 20s lol. 😅 She's out here married and even has like a 6 year old kid and is STILL hating on this man.... WHY?? 😅 Can someone PLEASE explain that to me?? Cuz right now, I can only surmise that the only reason why Tashi is so mean to Patrick is because deep down, she's still attracted to him, so she has to hate on him in order to curb that HAHAHA. 🤣 Maybe I'm just a Patrick-sympathizer lol, but I can't really see how he was a bad boyfriend or how he did anything wrong?? Yes, he shouldn't have slept with Tashi (Art's WIFE), but HE was single.... TASHI was the one married, so really, SHE was the main one at fault here as far as I'm concerned lol. 😅

Why did Art and Patrick like Tashi so much?? I mean, aside from the fact that she was gorgeous (obviously lol)....She seemed like such a ballbuster and treated them like crap lol.

Mike has a cute butt lol 🤭

Josh does a really good American accent. I only heard it go out and switch off like maybe once or twice lol. Only slightly lol. 😅

BTW, in case you were wondering...I'm Team Patrick lol.... 🤭 He was just a washed up bum of an athlete lol. I feel like Art and Tashi were way more manipulative. Jmho. I do kinda feel bad for Art though on some level, cuz it was CLEAR Tashi was in a boring, lifeless marriage and didn't really love him anymore lol.

I saw people in our audience gasping and covering their mouths during some of the sexual scenes lol. I could tell a couple of the girls in the theater were fans of Zendaya and had never seen her in such a role before hahaha. Some were laughing at some of the sexual stuff and it was like uncomfortable laughter/giggling lol. The guys included lol. 🤭

I'm not sure what awards this film will be up for, but seeing as how it's a film by Luca, we might actually see Z getting an Oscar nod for this!! Or, at the very least, maybe engaged in a FYC campaign. I can see it. Luca is very well-known...his film CMBYN garnered Oscar nods (including an Oscar nod for Timothee), and Z is Hollywood's Darling atm, soooo idk y'all! We might be looking at "Oscar-Nominated Actress" Zendaya next year! I guess we'll have to see lol. 😊

I looooved that Z was able to work with such a renowned and well-liked film director. I'm glad she got that experience. She's been working with some great directors lately (ie. Luca, Denis, etc), and I love that for her. It seems like FFC was also eyeing her for one of his roles at one time as well. So, I'm so proud of our girl!!! 👏🏾

OVERALL

Overall.... Definitely a fun, joyride of a film. 😊 VERY creatively done. So far, I haven't really been THAT impressed with Luca's films (CMBYN being the other one I've seen), but his films def make you THINK, long after they're over, that's for sure lol. The movie was fun and enjoyable to watch. There were just a few things that I felt could have been better imo.

OVERALL SCORE: 6.5/10

[thewritetofreespeech]

Could I request Ichigo with a short and petite girlfriend that send a grown man flying with a punch?

*so rukia?? 😂*

Ichigo Kurosaki + superpower punch GF

“Do you think we should get popcorn for everyone?���

“Hmmm….Chad would probably like some.” Ichigo replied after a moment of thought. “Ishida doesn’t it food from ‘a stand’. Something about sanitation requirements? Orihime is gonna need her own because she likes to put furikake and spicy cheese sauce on hers.”

“Where would she get furikake at a movie theater?”

“She brings it in her purse.”

The group was meeting up that afternoon to see a movie and enjoy the AC on this hot summer day. What they were seeing didn’t really matter, just the time spent together.

Coming from different directions, Ichigo and [Y/N] planned to arrive first and claim seats. The theater closer to their neighborhood than anyone else. [Y/N] said that she would just go ahead and buy the tickets and everyone could pay her back, since she got paid this week and it was easiest. But Ichigo knew that she was just doing it to be nice. Not expecting to get paid back if her friends didn’t have it. He loved the generous aspect of her.

“Hey. You kids.” The pair stop, despite their best instincts, and turn around to see some bum wander out of a side street. “Got any change?”

“We don’t. Sorry.” Ichigo replied. Taking [Y/N]’s hand and already starting to walk on.

“Come on maaaan. Help me out. I haven’t eaten in dayssss.”

“Maybe we should help him?” [Y/N] whispered to him, but Ichigo shook his head no. He got a bad vibe and people like this would take off your hand when you offer them a hand out.

“Hey! I’m talking to you!” As bad vibes indicated, the man got angry at being ignored and lunged out to grab [Y/N]’s purse.

“Hey!” Ichigo shouted, prepared to do something. Before he could, however, [Y/N] had his wrist in a death grip and preforming a single handed arm throw back into the alley and into a wall.

“Don’t grab things that don’t belong to you.” [Y/N] scolded the dizzy & disoriented man, who may have had a concussion now. “I need to wash my hands now.”

“I could have taken care of that guy for you.” Ichigo replied as they continued their trip to the theater. As if nothing happened.

“I know. But I may not be able to beat up Hollows, but I can certainly handle some dumb guy. Don’t you remember how we met?”

Ichigo smiled softly back at [Y/N]’s big grin. How could he forget. He fallen head over heels for her when she threw him head over heels at the dojo when they were just kids.

“Come on. Let’s get to the movie before we miss the trailers.”

They arrive and get tickets before [Y/N] went to the bathroom to wash her hands. Ichigo went ahead and paid for everyone’s snacks. Popcorn for Chad and Orihime, one for them to share, and pack of mango jellies for Ishida. He figured if they were prepacked they should be fine, and if he still complained then he wouldn’t get anything and he could have jellies. Win-win.

[a-forger-and-a-point-man]

Oppenheimer / immediate thoughts

ok nolan fans let's talk, i just got back.

i am very well acquainted with 20th century american history but i did not do any additional research on oppenheimer the man or the trinity test because i wanted to be surprised by the movie's narrative and imagery, so keep that in mind as you read. i'm not fact-checking for the time being... i want to go do my own reading at my leisure when it's not past midnight.

DON'T GO SEE IT IN IMAX. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND A HEADACHE. it's not inception or dunkirk or the batman films or interstellar. just go to your local theater or wait until it's available to stream. trust me on this. i'll explain why in the spoilers section below.

YOU'RE BEING WARNED. SPOILERS AHEAD.

-this was the least nolan-y film that nolan has ever made. i see more of following in it (his very first film) than i do any other project. it was definitely a bit of a different direction for him.

-this is basically a biopic of sorts about oppenheimer. it's not about the war nor is it really about the bomb. it's about an awkward, conflicted, and possibly mentally ill physics genius who seems to not know how to do much in life beyond quantum physics theory. like yes, he's got a brilliant mind, but he's far from a well-rounded, impressive human being. the guy was a hot mess long before anyone mentioned the word bomb.

-taking that into consideration, i can see how the suffering of humans (whether the navajo nation in new mexico, or the japanese people) doesn't play a role in the film. japanese victims are mentioned, but briefly in one scene. that doesn't make any of this right. in fact a more entertaining, eye-opening, and timely film should have included more of both - but i see now that nolan wanted to focus on ONE man and cillian is indeed in practically every. single. scene.

-cillian should be nominated for an oscar and win it.

-humans are very complex and you CAN both build the bomb AND feel bad about it, yes it's entirely possible and normal, but the film is still 3 hours of white guilt. i'm openly saying it. the reason you shouldn't see it in imax is because it's 3 hours of middle aged white men sitting around making terrible decisions. it's SO MUCH TALKING, jesus.

-IMAX cameras are stupidly loud, which is why most filmmakers don't use them. you can't hear dialogue. they're for action scenes. so that very much explains why i was just ITCHING for subtitles on this. so many different accents and everyone mumbling and the score was louder than their voices and ARGHHH nolan why.

-female characters are unremarkable and underused. i know nolan and i know how he uses female characters. at this point i'm convinced he just doesn't know how to write them, and he can only work with male-driven stories and you know what... fine. it is what it is. unless he brings female writers on board, nothing will change, because he can't do it himself.

-why are there sudden bare tiddies in a nolan film. fanboys, did u love it? did u get what u wanted? was that it? finally, a sex scene in a nolan film? it added nothing and i could argue it took some things away. sorry folks. entirely unnecessary.

-ok THE BEST PART was the surprise cameos. cillian was in every scene and yet he was the least famous person among big oscar winners sometimes! it was wild! i was internally screaming at gary oldman as harry truman. excellent choice to play him like the clown he was. AND EINSTEIN??? did y'all catch that or no??? i knew it right away from the voice and the kind eyes. it's the GUY FROM THE PIT IN THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. he helps bruce recover, and narrates the ascent of "the child". terrific casting! and i haven't checked IMDB yet, but is borden (not named after the character from the prestige!) played by the arkham patient from the dark knight? the one who gets shot in the leg and interrogated by harvey dent?? tell me i am recognizing the right guy! and then we had matthew modine... casey affleck... rami malek who appeared for like 3 mins maybe?! AND Y'ALL, JOSH HARTNETT????????????????? OMG my biggest crush when i was 15. that was craaaazy. but i do like seeing nolan bring back his friends... it's very much a nolan circle as we all know. and once you're in it, you're in it!

-the use of sound was VERY GOOD. the explosion actually being silent, because light reaches us before sound? but also the way the buildup was so intense and so hyped up and then just.... complete silence to reflect on the monstrosity being produced, and how nothing will be the same.

-there was a lot of train sounds to emphasize the railroad, but also... anyone notice that the stomping noise in oppenheimer's head almost felt like a train was coming through? TELL ME YOU DIDN'T THINK ABOUT COBB'S GUILTY CONSCIENCE IN INCEPTION, and how a train would ram through the dream. nolan doing an homage to himself is absolutely hysterical and i am here for it i guess.

-i'm not sure how audiences abroad will feel about all the scenes in washington with congressional testimony. does that stuff carry over well? do you get the references? it's such inside baseball, i know, and it adds so much time to the film, and yet MORE scenes with middle aged white men talking. i could have done with less of the black and white "present day" scenes and more about the impact of the bomb, or maybe more about kitty's life and how she overcame her (presumed?) alcoholism and depression.

-the casual discussion about the 11 cities shortlisted to drop the atomic bomb "but not kyoto because of its cultural importance" made people laugh in the theater as intended, but honestly like... nothing in the movie is funny. it's really heavy stuff and i still stand by the fact that the bomb should never have been produced, despite what oppenheimer and others tried to say. because even its production is incredibly dangerous. it's not just about where you fucking drop it.

-did i mention there is too much matt damon. like, too much.

-rami malek is the only person of color with a speaking role in this film. that's right.

-ok what else guys??? i wanna hear thoughts. there's a lot more but i'm so tired at this hour

[penelope-potter]

Falling Forever ~

Fandom: Hazbin Hotel

Pairing: Alastor x Fem! Owl Hybrid! Reader

Summary: After the rebuild of the hotel, the group and you decided to build an entertaining room for entertainment of future sinners. Alastor and you got picked out by Charlie to be the main entertainer so when the first show came up, you had to improvise...

Warnings: No one just fluff

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Exited you hopped through the Lobby, running around to pick the right color for the tablecloths and to practice your act once more to perfect it. The rebuild of the hotel brought not only new guests like Lucifer and Cherry, it also brought more ideas to lure new sinners inside. One idea you and Alastor came up with was a room for entertainment. Alastor talked about how often he visited a theater in his lifetime and how much he enjoyed it being there and hearing the performers sing. You had a similar idea, because you also loved theater acts and cinema. So Charlie was fast to combine you two ideas and to mold it into one: an entertainment room with a huge stage. Lucifer helped with the technical stuff- his magic was quite helpful- and Alastor and you were about to decorate the room. Since you two were getting along well, it didn't caused this much trouble to pick something. You knew that he liked his old fashion more than anything modern, and you don't really minded. The vintage atmosphere seemed to connect you to him in some way. You started to pull threads everywhere to combine it with him. The old microphone which was standing on the stage, seemed to connect with the radio demon itself and his little songs he always played on his cane or hummed along with it. The red curtains which framed the demon as he was standing on the stage fixing some of the lights - left him like an old photograph from an old time you never got to experiment. Well not really- he always made sure to teach you his dances and to show you Jazz music- his favorites. He took you right into his time, showed you every detail and now you’re left with a bunch of objects from this time and although you would have never made such a big deal of it- you suddenly started to like everything about it. Because of him. Because even though everyone knew it secretly, you never told anyone about your love for the radio demon. He was mysterious and dark, and everyone warned you about him when you first met, but how could he be the same demon who killed several people and also be the men who talks with you so sweetly? How can he hate touch so much when it's only your space he invades the most? How can he be so heartless when he laughed so full out of heart when you tell him funny stories from your life. How can it be so easy to talk with him till late night and how can you feel so safe around him when he's so so brutal and bad? How can it be hard to love his being when it feels so easy? Husk told you to keep an eye on him, he doesn't wanted you to be manipulated by him. Angel told you that he was just playing with you eventually and you should stop being so close with him. You tried your best to keep the distance but you just couldn't shake the feeling off. Your feelings for him would never change, and this was a fact. No matter what anyone would say. But you were also afraid. Afraid of him really just toying with you. So you tried to ignore the feeling. Every time when you were near with him. Every time he brushes your hand, your elbow, your shoulder. Every feeling passes doesn't it?

"(Y/N)!" Ripped away from your thoughts you turned around only to see Charlie coming over to you. "Oh my gosh , oh my gosh you don't know what is going to happen tonight!" She was so excited that she raised both her fists in front of her chest. "What is it?" You smiled, trying to don’t make it obvious you started thinking about him again. "I managed to invite some actual sinners tonight! You and Alastor will be acting and singing - oh it will be so perfect!" Your smile dropped in an instant. You and Alastor? No. No no no no this was not like it was planned. The original plan was you dancing on stage, while Alastor would be playing the piano, not you two acting and singing! "What- what do you mean with sing? Charlie I can't sing and I don't think Alastor would..." "Oh don't worry he already agreed with it!" She smiled so wide it must hurt her. You dropped your shoulders as her smile changed into a worried expression. "Oh (Y/N), You can do this! I believe in you really. Also, you are not alone, you have Alastor! I just thought that you two could maybe spice the thing up a bit? Just adding something special to it?" Shelooked at you and as you didn't answered she turned away slightly. "But if you don't want to-" "No it's alright." You smiled. "I already have an idea to bring more life into the act." Her mood instantly improved as a few seconds later Alastor came in. "I see that you told (Y/N) our new plan Charlie." He said and you heart began to flutter in your chest. "Yes! We can do this I'm sure." You said smiling. His smile grew even wider.No nothing would be good, absolutely not... "Oh of course sweetheart I have no worry for that." You felt your face heating up by the sound of his nickname for you. He only called you this way since a little while and even though you liked it, it didn't helped you with ‘pushing your feelings away’ plan at all. And it was kind of unusual to hear it since he called everyone dear. "Shit guys, we're so fucked!" All head turned towards the door where Angel were standing. "What has happened?" You asked. "Uhh the sinners are already here because shit knows why. Your Dad tried to change their mind coming back later but they start to lose interest already..." "Oh no!"

Charlie looked back to you. "What are we doing now? You two barely had time to talk about your act and-" "It's alright, we are ready for this." You said all of the sudden. All eyes now on you, you could see how Alastor titled his head curious to the side. "But you are not prepared!" "We were already not prepared for this sudden change, so we might just come up with something out of our minds dear." Alastor quickly said, as she just looked at you for several seconds before nodding and heading out of the door with Angel, only for him to throw a warning glance to you both. Well more to you. He’s not angry with you, just protective. But it made your stomach turning around.

"Now tell me dearest, what do you think the two of us should be acting tonight?" The demon gazed down at you, suddenly more close than before. So close your shoulder touching his. "Well we just improvise. Because flying and dancing is all that I practiced, I guess we will just work with that. It’s one of the dances you taught me.” You smiled. “Are you afraid of heights?" He raised an eyebrow. "No. What are-" Loud voices ringing through the hallway making you turn to him, suddenly so close that even he flinched back slightly. "Do you trust me?" His smile grew wide. "Of course! I'm sure you will-" "No. I mean do you really trust me?" He remained silent before his eyes grew curious and somewhat warm. His smile changed into a warm mouth closed smile. "I trust you." The sinners were already about to enter the room as you nodded and waved for him to follow you. "Just do as it was originally planned." You said, standing on the stage and waited for the sinners to enter the room completely. You inhaled and exhaled as you saw Lucifer's apologizing look as Alastor sat down on the bench before the piano, his fingers floating above the keys. You nodded at him and he started playing. You started to sing along with the song you heard a million times by now- so it was easy to remember the lines. You just hoped that your singing skills don’t fear everyone out of the room while you tried desperately to not look in the crowd who's already about to bragging and muttering. How long, how long? The crowd stopped for a second and a few eyes looked back at you, while you're about to step to the piano to sit on it. You had to come up with something don’t you? Are you good at holding on? I know the mind is quick to throw away the moment...

You looked at Alastor who's gaze was locked with you the whole time. You felt your heart racing. How often did you watched old movies from his time only to understand his mannerism better. The way he was such a respecting gentleman you could never find in the human world and even not in this time period. You saw him in every line the actors spoke or in every oldy you listened. He was everywhere, and sometimes it felt like you were there by yourself. Singing with him, dancing... where this takes us, maybe I don't wanna know yet... 'cause for now you're all I want. his ears twitched for a second, while he continued to play, as you hopped from the piano and walked to him placed yourself awfully close to him on the very small bench. You're shoulders touched and you could feel the heat rising from him. they say you got it, then it's gone I don't believe that every flame has to get colder... You stood up and hesitated for a second before you grabbed his chin with your hand turning it in your way anyways. What a bold decision for a shy girl like you- he must have thought. He suddenly stopped playing but the keys kept playing on their own. I hope the feelings that you give me carry over till tomorrow and beyond? For a moment it could be seen as a question for him, not a line from a song you heard so often and never really thought about the meaning behind it. Now it made everything clear for you. A confession. You grabbed his hand and pulled him with you as you two ran to an invisible spot where you created stairs which were going far up. How long, how long? Can it just keep getting better? Can we keep falling forever? You kept running higher and higher, Alastor behind you followed you quickly, but had to cling on the railing a few times, his other hand in yours, your heart pounding. You hoped he's not going to hate you after that... How long, how long Can we stay like this forever? Can we keep falling forever? Finally stopping on the small platform you created, you turned to him, starting a dance he once showed you. Luckily he adapted your movements quickly and swung you around. You could wake up all alone

So tonight I'll give you something to remember and eternity's impossible to measure But it feels right Where we are He joined you in your sudden change of dance, spun you around and pulled you back even closer than before. Right before his face you came to stop, staring into his crimson eyes which were now filled with something like curiosity and desire. You almost forgot the line and slapped yourself mentally. Your hands were shaking and maybe you only imagined it but you could have sworn he was shaking too- slightly. His look of absolute adrenalin would have been fitting at least. I'm falling deep Deep in your arms baby baby I'm yours to keep Keep me close Till tomorrow and beyond? You took his hands and started to placed your weight towards the edge of the platform for you to fall. Suddenly his eyes grew wide as he tried to pull you back but you're just pulling him harder with you until he tripped and fell. Fell with you. How long, how long You held his hands outstretched before you quickly pulled him closer to you, holding his torso. Your bodies pressed against each other as you could feel him took in every breath and his face incredible close to yours. You could hear the crowd gasping as you suddenly remembered to actually save you both so you spread your wings open and saved you two from hitting the ground. Can it just keep getting better? He's looking at you surprisingly, his eyes wide awake for once and his smile a bit shaky but after some time impossible wider. He titled his head back to take a look on the new view of his before looking back at you. His ears were ruffled up of the wind, just like his hair which looked now so much more messy. You liked it. You liked it to hold him, to be the upper hand for once and he seemed to don’t really mind it. Because it’s you he allowed to be the dominating one, just you. He grabbed your shoulder with his right hand and with the other the spot between your wings but not in a desperate way to hold on- no. Like you two would be lying in bed and he's holding you in a tight embrace. He genuinely looked so happy it made your heart skip a beat. Can we keep falling forever? How long, how long? Can we stay like this forever Can we keep falling forever? You flew back to the stage and placed him on the ground again, still on the high platform as you swung around, he grabbing your hand, taking the lead.

I wanna know Can you ride through any storm? Can you ride from night till dawn? Till tomorrow and beyond? He lead you to the edge while he let go of your hand turning around to you and titled his head, smiling at you sweetly as he slowly fell backwards. His gaze locked with yours and his arms spread wide to his sides. He really trusted you. How long, how long You ran and jumped off the edge, his eyes closed as he heard you coming closer and reached out for you to catch him. Right before he could smash the ground you catched him and flew sharply above the sinners heads, hearing loud 'wow's and gasps. Can it just keep getting better? Can we keep falling forever? How long, how long Can we stay like this forever Can we keep falling forever? How long? You flew a few rounds around the room, walking on the railing which was pulling around the wall with him. It felt like one of this movies where two souls came closer because of a silly dance choreography. You always thought the idea of such things were quite cringe, too unrealistic. And for the human world it might really be. But not in hell. Not with him at your side. He jumped with grace above the little obstacles you could only hope to keep on it. Finally the railing ended, so you took him close again, as you felt him already pressed you impossible close to him. You steadily flew back on the lower stage, lifted you two straight up rotating around like you would slow dance. Can it just keep getting better? Can we keep falling forever? How long How long? Your feeds finally touched the ground again as you looked up at him. His heart was racing as fast as yours and he was panting. How long? “I hope you don’t hate me now.” You whispered smile crooked. He let out a chuckle, leaning his forehead against yours. “Never sweetheart. I must say, this was quite the experience. A wonderful one.” You almost lost it all because of his sudden action towards you.

The crowd cheered loudly and you slightly jumped, already forgotten about the several sinners who just watched this moment between you both from beginning to end. “Well dearest, look at that. They are all cheering for you.” You shook your head. “No for us both. You did great too.” He took your hand and pressed a kiss on your knuckles, his eyes darting to yours again, his lips warm as his breath as he whispered: “Not as wonderful as you. I just happened to have a breathtaking view…” His gaze trailed over your flushed face, chuckling quietly. He straightened up and turned around the crowd, still holding your hand as you copied him and took a bow. “After this…” He started, his head still lowered, as you two came up again. “...don’t mind finding me in the library.” Your whole body heated up as Charlie jumped on the stage pulling you two apart and already started to scream how amazing you were. “Oh my gosh you did it! You were so amazing!” She jumped excitedly. In the library...he wanted to meet you at the library. Oh Angel would not like this. Husk either. But you? Oh how terrified you were. Terrified about your feelings. What could he possible want from you now? You couldn’t bear one more close moment with him, or you would lose every control and lost it all. What does he want from you?

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

IT’S FINALLY UPLOADED!

I got so motivated right now so I just finished it right away. Let me know if you like this to be continued, because I already have the idea in my mind what Alastor wanted from you ~

And let me know your thoughts about this one shot as well of course! Have an amazing day/evening lovely sinner ♥

Here is the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6s8mY0P5xA

Also tagging the most beautiful soul on this platform: @fraugwinska

[lazytitans-world]

Wish re watch thoughts

Having not watched Wish since it came out in theaters in November of 2023 and going down the rabbit hole of abandoned concepts and re-writes in the months leading up to Wish dropping on Disney+ I can now give Wish a re watch and share my thoughts on it. Now keep in mind I am coming at this movie from many angles. On one hand, I want to watch this with a new frame of mind to give it a chance to see if any of my thoughts on the movie have changed. On the other side is my inner "WE COULD HAVE HAD A STARBOY!" fandom side of me looking to see if any of the scrapped concepts could have worked in the movie we got and to see if any traces of those concepts were left behind. But no more waitng, no more writing fanfics, its time to re-watch Wish

• Starting off with the classic story book opening I felt was a great touch as it harkens back to classic Disney animated movies like Snow White, Pinnochio and Sword in the Stone.

• So why was Asha being so secretive to her family about her interview for Magnifico's apprenticeship? That feels like something major to tell your family. Even Asha's friends know about it. It could be Asha wanted to surprise them, I guess.

• Hot take: Welcome to Rosas is not that bad of a song, it's got a catchy beat and introduces us to the kingdom, Magnifico, and the wishes.

• The scene where Asha and her friends discuss her interview does have Asha doing typical "quirky Disney girl" behavior but at the same time she is a teen about to have an interview for what may be one of the most sought-after jobs in the kingdom, I'd be acting weird to if I was her age and in her position.

• We get some hints of Magnifico's jerk personality as he somewhat dismisses Asha's drawings when she shows it to him. The line is "Do we call that a talent?"

• Magnifico mentioning how he knew of Asha's father and how her dad talked about the stars is an interesting given how everything turns out but for one, this is NEVER BROUGHT UP AGAIN and two, this feels like a leftover of one of the deleted scenes from Wish where Magnifico wanted to harness a stars power but was never powerful enough to do so.

• Oh "At All Costs", how you sparked a fandom when you had no intention of doing so.

• In context of the movie, At All Costs does work as it shows that Magnifico's and Asha's feelings on the wishes. Magnifico holding on too his past trauma and feeling that HE and only HE can protect these sacred things while Asha is more drawn to the person AND their wishes, notably her Saba's wish.

• Opinion time: If we were to have Starboy and a romance, the demo version of At All Costs should have been a reprise, just with the word love instead of promise, showing how Star and Asha's relationship has grown and deepened. It would be a lot like "I See the Light" from Tangled, taking place before the climax.

• It makes a little sense why Magnifico rejected Asha's application since after singing "At All Costs" he sees her drawn to the Wishes and some even being drawn to her as the wish orbs now have a purple hew instead of blue hew like the color of Magnifico's cape to them to match Asha's dress. Magnifico has worries that someone will use the power for personal, and in his mind "selfish" reasons, plus his trauma from his village being destroyed makes him warry of who to trust.

• So what happens to a person's wish if they die? Does it just disappear?

• So that whole opinion of "Asha wants Magnifico to grant everyone's wish" WRONG! Asha wants Magnifico to give wishes back to those who have given theirs away long ago and let the people pursue their own wishes.

• Magnifico's tease that he might grant Sabino's wish is petty and I like it as he starts by saying a name starting with Sa before saying another person's name. That is petty stuff right there.

•If you are aware of the original concept art and the many changes Wish went through during production, it is obvious that Amaya, Star and Sabino got their characters changed, and in the case of some, completely neutered.

• I like Ariana Deboise and Chris Pine as Asha and Magnifico respectively.

• "This Wish" is ok and is mostly carried by Araina's strong vocal range.

• Star's arrival has where my inner fandom is screaming "honey get ready, you've got a big storm coming"

• "Can light be loving?" according to the many re-writes I've read, yes Asha, yes it can.

• Opinion time, again: I am in favor of the Starboy design seen in the concept art. Letting you know now since from this point on is about Star.

• I can totally see the human design of Star working in the introduction they have with Asha.

• I get why the creative team wanted Star to look that way, they wanted to do something different and that design screams "marketable plush"

• Once Valentino started talking and we go into "You're a Star", it all came back to me, that bad feeling. THIS IS WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT WISH. This part feels specifically aimed at children or at most feels too "cutesy". This, in my opinion, where people turned on Wish.

• Getting back to the Star Boy design, "You're a Star" could have worked as a way of Star showing off their powers, as well as them crushing on Asha. "You know you're a work of art" - Imagine Star Boy blushing as that is being said while looking at Asha, this writes itself.

• Look, I like Alan Tudyk, he can be funny if given witty and sarcastic dialogue and I know he has been a fixture in Disney movies for a while, but they gave him nothing to work with for this. This is not an obligation, more like a reward gone wrong. I am glad that Alan got a more prominent role, but I just thought it should have been something better.

• Another major criticism I've seen is that Magnifico's down fall is just him being controlled by a book when really it is more complicated than that. I akin it to Anakin Skywalker falling to the dark side as in it's not just the teachings that cause someone to go down the path of darkness, it's the feelings and desires of the one learning. Magnifico, at the point of the movie is paranoid and afraid that someone or something is here to take away his powers, threaten his power status, and destroy his kingdom that he works hard to protect in his own way. So it is not just the book doing it but the powers of the book mixed with his own fear, anger, trauma and other negative emotions that cause him to fall to darkness. Hate leads to anger, anger leads to

fear, fear leads to suffering.

•I totally forgot the Simon actually sees and interacts with Star before his betrayal. Star hands him a heart after he says he has forgotten what we wished for and when I first saw this I thought it meant that he had a crush on someone, maybe Asha but after seeing the movie it was just Star trying to be nice to Simon. Which in turn makes Simon's turn even more strange.

•I understand why people would think Asha was selfish in going for her family's wishes first when freeing them but my head cannon is that freeing all of them at once would be too big of scene and she wants to prove to Sabino that his wish is worth granting. However, Magnifico would notice that some wishes are missing and would put two and two together so this plan was not thought out to much but hey she is only 18 and she just met a magic star that can help her so I think her thinking clearly is not to much of an issue.

• "This is Thanks I Get" starts off odd as no one brought up the mirror thing in the scene where the citizens question Magnifico. But the song itself is to show that though Magnifico shows that he cares about the citizens of Rosas and their safety, he would rather have someone else help them then get involved himself and still wanting praise even though he does not really do much for the kingdom outside of granting wishes. The song also is to show that Magnifico is now going down the path of darkness due to his own insecurities and ego. Chris Pine does a great job with the song as he becomes more unhinged in every chorus.

• THERE IS NO SCENE WHERE SAKINA AND SABINO MEET STAR AND TALKING VALENTINO WTH!!! It jumps right to Asha giving Sabino his wish back, no lead in or setup.

•Then we go right to Magnifico breaking into Asha's house after being told she brought down the star. Again, there was no setup or lead in, it just happened.

•We don't even get to see Asha's mom's wish before Magnifico crushes it. It would have added more to the emotion of the scene to see what her wish was just as Magnifico destroyed it. This also shown to be the first time Magnifico has ever destroyed a wish. I chalk this up to his new powers influencing him to destroy it.

• Sabino mentions as they escape that Asha's father would be disheartened to see what Magnifico has done, implying that the father was a believer of Magnifico.

• Star holding Asha's chin as she blames herself for everything again makes me yearn for the Star Boy design.

• Magnifico having a hidden evil lair beneath his royal study is symbolism 101 but nice to see.

• Fun detail: When Magnifico grants Simon's wish, he uses the spear he made from forbidden magic and that in turns corrupts Simon's wish and thus Simon himself. We see instead of the usual blue, pink or other colors used to represent Magnifico's magic its is now the green evil magic, symbolizing that Simon's wish, though granted, is now corrupted as well.

• Simon turning on his friends is shown more as an effect of the forbidden magic Magnifico used.

• How do you have a wanted poster of Asha and not make a "they got my nose wrong" joke from Tangled.

• "My butt found it" - see this is why a lot of people thought this movie was written by AI.

•"Introverts need sanctuary too" - Hell yeah Bazeema

•"What I Know Now" is another decent song as I am a sucker for drum breaks and enjoy the revolutionary feel behind it.

• Apparently, to avoid corruption by the book of forbidden magic you have to wash your hands with obsidian oil before using the book. So to avoiding evil basically comes down to washing your hands, gee you think this movie was made during a pandemic or something. Overall, pretty lame way to defeat evil.

•The rule is "embrace forbidden magic once and you commit to it for eternity". I find it hard to believe that no one has tried to save someone corrupted by this forbidden magic before this.

• I notice that the more obvious Disney call backs happen at the last third of the movie. Before it was subtle but now it is super obvious.

• If we were not going to get a reprise of "At All Costs" then "This Wish" would make sense as it shows the kingdom getting behind Asha and standing up to Magnifico themselves. It is a decent song for what it needs to be.

•Again, I can't help thinking about Star's human design as they are sucked into Magnifico's staff. Imagine them taking one last glance at Asha before being sucked in to the staff, some good romantic build there.

• Simon's betrayal came down to him wanting to feel whole again after giving up his wish and essentially making a deal with the devil to make that happen. I get that people saw him differently and he would want to change that but how he acted with Asha and the others before Magnifico told the kingdom about the light and its apparent danger still made his turn feel off, we needed to see Simon struggle with how he feels and how others see him for it to make sense.

•So Star did not go back to the sky at the end, which does leave the door open for other adventures with Asha and others. Maybe star could turn human at the end (LOOK LET ME DREAM!)

Overall my thoughts on Wish have not really changed since I first viewed it. The movie is passable, a 6 or seven out of 10, a C+ to B grade. The animation is good, the story is fine and the characters do not bother me too much.

But for a movie that is supposed to represent 100 years of Disney animation, one of the most influential studios of all time, it is not wrong to say that we should have gotten more. This movie is missing one thing, that special sauce to put it over the top. It could've been a romance with a human looking Star, it could have been Amaya and Magnifico being a villainous couple, it could have been anything. Wish just needed that extra something to push past some of the pacing and story beats that drag it down such as the bad jokes and odd pacing. Maybe a better relationship between Asha and Star would be glue that held the movie together as most previous Disney film always had that main duo that kept you interested but Asha and this version of Star just don't click like a Moana and Maui or Anna and Elsa did.

I would give it a recommendation now that it is on streaming for an affordable price plus it does come with the deleted scenes and bonus materials. It's also clear to see that the team behind it was passionate about making this the best it could be and I applaud the team for that idea. I know others are going after them for not going through with certain concepts, but I think they did an okay job with what they had.

So yes I like Wish, it's not my favorite Disney movie but it's one I would not mind watching again and understand if it's someone's favorite. Hopefully the initial negativity towards the movie dies down and people actually give it a chance.

[stevenbasic]

Growing into the Job, Post 336: A Saturday at Melissa's, p11 (9PM, Randi)

We were kinda sorta still watching the movie, another superhero thing that was in the theaters a couple years or so ago. Sushi had all been cleaned up, and we’d let him start to recover, dialing back on our, uh, whatever they called these things - pheromones. Missy was reclined, he was cuddled up into her and had been put back into some loose clothes after he’d complained a bit. Most of us were still in swimsuits, though I’d put a little tube top on over mine after our last spurt nearly burst me out of my bikini. Fuck, my tits were getting huge. We’d all grown. 

“Hey, has anyone heard from Marisela?” I asked, to no one in particular, stretching my jaw, “She was supposed to be here.”

I didn’t really get a response. I’d been here only a few hours but he’d came like a bunch of times today already. We were all just sort of lazily recovering, enjoying the new size and energy. Some of us handled it differently than others, and though nobody really talked about it too much some of us were beginning to change in different ways. I stretched out my jaw again, which tended to feel a little sore afterwards, and considered Marisela once more. “Should someone call her?”

“I already tried. Nothing,” Josie replied, casually rubbing J's bare foot. I thought I saw the ends of her long brown hair twitching. She’d gone back to watching Black Widow shrink Ant Man down for like the third time, Amelia was checking her nails.. 

Hm. Well, fuck it. If no one else cares I don’t either. These were odd chicks, for sure, this little friend group of ours. That I’d become the responsible one was a laugh, and I tried not to get too concerned about the weird shit that was going on. I figured I’d worry about whatever Marisela was doing later tonight. Maybe tomorrow. 

Scarlett was holding the guy in her hand and scowling down at him while he tried to joke his way out of something stupid he’d just done. I gererally thought superhero movies were fucking stupid but had to admit the effects in this one were pretty amazing. It was one of the first ones, along with the first She-Hulk movie, that really caught people’s attention, big girls and all that. 

“Haha I dunno..!” Missy laughed back, hugging his head back into her boobs, “Maybe! Would you like that, sweetie..?”

We all laughed as a few girls turned to watch him blush and stammer something we could barely hear. Missy, for her part, took it upon herself to gather him in a little closer, bundling him in the thin blanket he’d been given. I didn't even have to look. One of her hands was definitely under that blanket.

I’m sure I don’t have to spell it out for you people, but for all her quirks, we all adored Missy. Josie, Katie, Amelia and I have known her a long time, Shanette even longer. She’s a special friend to have. It’s been a trip, watching what’s happening to her in the middle of all the crazy shit that’s going down in the world and seeing how she’s drawn this hive of girls all around her. This job had been haha really good for her, to say the least, and it had given us all the opportunity to not only make bank, but to become more than what we were before. Some of us were worker bees, some were becoming more like warriors or soldiers, but everyone had their part. I like to think the boss girls were something even more special still. But Melissa, again for all her oddities, was definitely our queen bee…and she seemed blithely happy with this new little boyfriend of hers. It’s good, she deserves to be happy, especially with what her life story has been. And I have to admit he was pretty cute, so vulni and getting more so everyday. It made my mouth water, thinking of it, and my jaw flex remembering the couple times I had him in the car and in his apartment a few months back. Yummy... 

The guy was a hard-triggered mess unable to think with anything besides what was between his legs. Most of the time that didn't seem weird anymore. It certainly didn’t bother Melissa. In fact, I think she sorta loved it. She would've had trouble seeing anything odd or strange about it. Her view of men was certainly different than most people’s, with the way she was raised. That she even seemed to consider this guy as human, let alone someone to care about, was a big step for her. She’d had him tamed through his libido, which was sort of her go-to automatic thing and not a surprise seeing as how she’d treated boys before, but she honestly seemed to love him. 

Jesus Christ I sound like such an adult. The important thing was that she had him by the dick and that was that. Her new thing was that she wanted us all in on the deal. Well, okay, we could become his protectors, his guardian angels or whatever. It certainly felt good, this new kind of energy we were all getting since yesterday. I could feel it in my teeth and jaw.

Watching Black Widow zipping up her top, hiding away and trapping Ant Man in her bra and then having to fight off some robots got Melissa thinking. She and the rest of us sort of chatted about it, and it was obviously making him kinda nervous. I sensed it, and she certainly did too. She spoke up, finally, and sat him up a bit on her lap. It was weird, kinda. How her voice seemed to make the movie go quiet as all the lasers and punching noises faded into the background. We were all - all like, I dunno, dozen of us - turned to her. Attentive. 

”Jay, I want you to tell them what we talked about last night,” she said. Melissa was half-reclined on the couch, her long legs stretched out and taking up a good number of seats. Shanette sat alongside her on the other wing of the sectional.

He was turned on her lap a little awkwardly at the waist, so he could look back down at her. He nodded his head, like he knew exactly what she was talking about, what she wanted him to tell the crowd of us. “Melissa, uh…because of what’s going on with my, uh…health, thinks I need some…protecting.” 

As the words left him I watched Shanette whispering in Missy’s ear. As she pulled back, Melissa shook her head in the negative and spoke up again. “No,” she said to him, “That doesn’t sound right. Try again, sweetie.”

I saw his reaction - he was a little taken aback. But he paused, and rather than argue, he thought for a moment and reworded what he’d said. ”She believes it’d be in my best interest if you all helped her-“

Shanette was whispering in her ear again, and again Melissa stopped him. ”Uh uh uh,” She said, herself stopping to think now, “I know what’s wrong. Try saying it like this ‘I’m starting to have a hard time, and I need all your help. I need you all to become more protective of me.’” Melissa looked at him with those big, golden-green eyes of hers and I could see the gears turning between them. “Try that, honey,” she instructed, already expectant.

You could tell he felt awkward, all those female eyes on him, the center of attention. But, he was able to repeat her word for word: “I’m starting to have a hard time, and I need all your help. I need you all to become more protective of me.” 

When we all gave several half-claps and ‘good jobs’, you could see his face growing redder. He felt happy and self-conscious at the same time, surrounded by a bevy of bosomy bikini girls praising him like he was a shy schoolboy.

“Much better,” Melissa lauded, petting his shoulder and gracing him with that big dimpled smile of hers.

”Melissa, th-that was embarrassing,” he said, plainly, making us all purr in delight. The light of the TV screen silhouetted the shapely figures of Aubrey, Katie and the B-girls from behind, covering J with their shadow.

The room erupted with an “Awwwww..!” as I watched his vulni little eyes settle on his reflection in the glass pool doors. The TV gave off just enough light for him to see his shrunken little self - and I swear he was smaller now than he was this afternoon - surrounded by his big beautiful protectors on every side. He was seated in the middle, a little man on his girlfriend's lap, right where he belonged.

”Don´t think of it that way, sweetie,” Shanette giggled, “think of it as a lesson…”

“...and you just needed some help with it,” Josie chimed. 

“But I´m sure that, from now on, you will pay attention to what every woman says, right?” Melissa finished. She was sitting up straighter, now, and had pulled him slowly closer to her. I could see her eyes light up as he had moved closer to her right breast again. This whole exchange was so, like, enlightening. She obviously didn’t want him to feel as if he had no say in the matter. She wanted him to think that he had at least some power in this relationship of theirs, but she also needed him to know what’s what.

“We’re all excited to help you,” Lakshmi spoke, turning ever so slightly towards him on the couch, that big rear end of hers pivoting and causing something - springs in the sofa? - to groan.

“We want to keep you safe,” said Aubrey.

Melissa continued. ”Does that make you happy?” she asked, “Are you happy you have us, you have me to protect you?”

His voice cracked, adorably. ”s-SU-ure?” he answered, “Yes?” That caused the girls to titter and giggle excitedly, though I could tell he couldn’t make out what they were saying even as they were all - me included - drawing in closer to him. The whole place already looked like a big slumber party from some weird-ass porno.

”So tell me… why?” Melissa pressed. Their gazes were locked, intent on one another.

”Uhhh…” he began, searching for the right answer, “if someone tries to h-hurt me, you’d stop them?”

Melissa shook her head while her words came quickly. “Oh no no no,” she said, “If someone were to try to hurt you I wouldn’t just stop them. I’d absolutely murder them.”

When his smile changed we all felt the electricity. Her own excitement surged and we all began to warm slightly. He was picturing it, we could see, he was imagining what someone with the size and strength of Melissa could do to another human being, and it turned him on. Missy shivered, and needed to squirm her legs below him.

“We all would,” someone else said. I think it was Amelia, at first, but then the others joined in in chorus. 

“Yes, cutie…”

“You have us…”

“Your girl army…”

All our voices were echoing off the high ceilings, sounding louder and louder. I don’t know if the others were noticing it but I was watching him flinch.

“Your big pretty bodyguards…”

“We’d fucking kill them.”

Girls were laughing, and onscreen Black Widow was again arguing with Ant Man, who was complaining from deep inside her cleavage. The robots were crumpled and smoldering, beaten, but she still hadn’t unzipped. 

Melissa continued to smile, satisfied with the enthusiasm of her girls. ”What else?” she asked him, “What else are you happy about?” The smell of our perfumes, the chlorine in our wet hair, and the lingering tang of wasabi filled the room as we waited for him to answer.

”Uhhhh….” he began, struggling again under the attention of a dozen jigglebunnies. He knew there was a right answer, somewhere.

Josie spoke up to help. ”How about this, Dr. J…say this:” she began, “‘Now I don’t only have one girlfriend, I’ve got thirty…”

Lots of giggles.

”Th-thirty?” he stammered, looking over at Josie. 

”Haha yes!” Missy laughed, “Thirty girlfriends! You lucky little guy!”

“So lucky!”

“And soon we’re going to hire more,” Missy added.

“More girlfriends??” someone sang, “OOOOoooo YES!”

“Okay, Fifty!” Josie called.

“Sixty!” offered someone else.

“And the more of us there are..?” said Brittni.

“...the stronger we get?” finished Bobbi.

“A hundred!” called the redheaded Julia, who’d arrived an hour or so ago. She and a couple others were actually standing on the second-floor balcony above us, outside the bedrooms, watching from up there.

“A thousand!!” laughed Stephanie after her, also from the balcony. When’d she get here? I think there were three of our witchy friends up there, too.

Anyway, I felt it myself, for sure - this group of women swelling in strength, excited and energized. We were a unit, a hive, a family - and we were growing. So weird; three months ago you’d have never been able to convince me I’d be hanging out with some of these people. But now, look at all of us. Each one of us that joined the group just makes us bigger and better, makes her bigger and better. Is that what’s making Melissa so strong? I thought, The more of us there are, the more powerful she becomes? I’d seen her, in the parking lot just yesterday, casually pushing one of the construction guy’s pickup trucks out of the way. He’d parked it blocking in her beemer, and she moved the thing like it was nothing. 

“A million!”

Does she even realize it?

There was the patter of strong footsteps as several more girls came in from the kitchen, bare feet and high heels, both. Silvia, Nadia and Kori were here now, and had been swimming and looking for wine in the fridge. Bessie had also arrived, still in her BOOMfood uniform and pumps. Among everyone, the growing, giddy crowd, Missy seemed to draw all light and attention to herself. Look at her, I remember thinking, seeing her holding him so small on her lap, I fucking love her.

“A million girlfriends, Jay, how does that sound?” Missy laughed, “Could you handle all those kisses?”

The girls loved that, and we all smushed in closer. The movie still played, and with the doors out to the pool now left open you could hear the sound of the hot tub from outside the room. The floor was damp in places and there were warmly wet towels everywhere, left by the few who had not fully dried their hair. Some of us - oh yeah, me haha - had their towel around their waist.

“We need you, sweetie, to start getting used to having as much physical contact with the girls as possible,” Missy continued, as the pile of girls swarmed in closer still, some crawling onto the couch, across the ground, gathering towards him with the sofa pillows they had brought to sit on the floor, “It’ll help you bond.”

“Yes, bonding. Lots of bonding,” Shanette cooed, pressing her big breasts together in her overmatched blue bikini, causing his eyes to goggle.  

“I’m going to need my good morning hug every morning,” Josie offered, pushing a pillow up alongside him, between him and the back of the couch.

“Me too, and a good morning kiss,” said Katie, also adding a pillow to support him and leaning in to smooch him on the lips. 

“Bonding…” Shanette cooed again. 

“Everyone will need their good morning hug, and their good morning kiss when they come into the office, okay Jay?” Missy charged, watching his eyes follow Katie’s chest up and then rivet to her brilliant smile as she pushed back her thick blond hair.

“Yes lots of physical contact,” I said, moving in myself towards him seeing how hard he obviously was, with a tent pulling the thin blanket up off his hips, “Let’s try it out…” 

At that I scootched in for my own kiss, my mouth opening wide - though not nearly as wide as haha I could open it - to take his own. The girls were building pillows around him, attempting to make him even more comfortable as I could taste Katie’s cherry chapstick on his lips. I added my own lipstick to his face, my mauveness, smearing it on him. How do you like that flavor, boy? I then heard him grunt, feeling the surprise when he realized the size of my mouth. I chuckled thinking about how he’d react if he realized I could probably swallow his whole fucking head if I wanted. I grabbed his cock through the throw blanket, and we all heard him groan, everyone giggling as his body tensed into spasm.

“Who’s the best kisser, Dr. J?” I asked, giving him another quick peck, this time right between the eyes. Then I licked him up his face, chin-to-nose-to-forehead. “Me?”

“No no no you have to try us all!” Josie squealed, suddenly leaning in aside me to plant her own lips on his. His eyes had closed, so he couldn’t see how her hair, in the strange way it had started to do over the past week, began to swirl and curl, with a movement of its own. One strand reached out towards me, one towards him, caressed his face.

I sat back and Missy, for her part, just watched and smiled as the entire crowd of us moved in for kisses. His face, I could see, was quickly coated with smears of lipstick, the sheen of glosses, pink and red and shiny. Aubrey, Lakshmi, Brittni and Bobbi. Amelia and Katarina and Shanette. Even the new girls Silvia and Kori and Bessie and the rest got in there, everyone taking their turns on his lips, settling for his cheeks and neck and shoulders, back and belly when needed. He was a-glob with lipstick, all over his body, the girls sitting back to apply more to themselves, to each other, when others slid in to take their place on him and his skin. The blanket, which had been across his hips, was gone. If he’d had on shorts or anything underneath those were gone too, and now it was cock, all cock. Huge throbbing cock again, nearly ten inches of it rising from his weak-ass skeleton. As we kissed him - I’d gone in for seconds, thirds - hands were on him, now. The other girls were cooing and clucking, groaning and texting and taking selfies and group pics with him swimming in his harem, drowning in their lipstick, trying to stay afloat as our mouths sucked him into our depths. In all his glory he was now only weakly twitching and he would have long ago collapsed and flopped over were it not for us all, for the pillows around him, and for Missy’s strength holding him up from behind. She, in fact, finally eased us all away to allow him breath, while we all writhed alongside him, buzzing and squealing. She turned him, gently, pivoting him at the hips and - his chin in hand - took him in for a kiss of her own.

If you’ve never seen a man’s brain melt, it’s quite the fucking sight.

Missy drew him into the kiss, and I could see how his jaw stretched and his eyes widened as she was pushing her huge tongue into him. She moved it around his mouth, down towards his throat, claiming her territory and then, drawing breath herself, began pulling the air from within him. His eyes began to flutter closed. She wanted to take him deeper into herself to make him closer to her. Just as I’d felt the pull, the instinct to eat him, the want to suck him right into me, I could see Melissa was struggling with the same hunger. She wanted him. She wanted all of him. She wanted to suck out all his brains along with his come and all his manhood, leaving him a dribbling pathetic husk. She didn’t want to kill him, she wanted him alive to hug and cuddle and care for. But she would take his breath away. She would control his breathing, filling him with her own oxygen and keeping him alive at her whim. Haha she wanted to do more - I could see, I could fucking see how she wanted to just be able to open her mouth wider and wider and wider and just YOMP - but she wasn’t quite that big yet. What she could do is fucking suck the life out of him if she wasn’t careful, and so she released the kiss before he began to suffer any real discomfort.

“C’mon, Daddy,” she urged, “Come for us...”

The other girls, too, cooed their encouragements. I was chiming in myself, my lips the closest to his left ear. 

“Let’s go, you little shit,” I sneered into him, as my mouth all but ate up his ear, “come for us again.”

I was in his left ear, Lakshmi had moved into his right, both of us were purring and slurping and tonguing his brain. Others were between his knees, sliding lips up thighs and around his sac. Hands caressed arms, slid over chest and shoulders. Still Josie stroked him, as Melissa gazed into his failing eyes. 

“Go ahead, Jay, it’s okay,” she said, giving him permission. This was her boyfriend, her new man, the love of her life, and she haha was willing to share. We were all his, and he was all ours. “Give yourself to them, Jay, I want you to…”

“Come for us,” we hissed.

“Come for us now,” I said.

My smile grew so huge around his ear when, yes, finally, we all felt him shudder and collapse, like a dying fucking beast underneath us all, this pride of lionesses. When he finally came the girls - and me, and Melissa - all sang his name and Josie pumped and pumped and pumped. We watched him wither, we watched his jaw fall open and his head bob like a marionette on his neck. Though he’d climaxed countless times today, come still rocketed from his dick in gushes and fell onto his chest, into my hair and Lakshmi’s. And then, as she still pumped, Josie sat up straighter and drew his eyes to her tits. She pulled back her shoulders, thrust her big breasts out, straining straining straining at the top of her bikini and waiting waiting waiting for - oh god, there it was, there it fucking was - the warmth, the strength, the power that swelled and there it was she knew it, we all knew it - we were all just about to-

Josie’s top burst, her bikini snapping apart. Her tits ballooned outwards, and Missy began to laugh as he moaned an ‘oh my god’ in the weakest, most pathetically male voice you could imagine. She had  begun to grow, we had begun to grow, all around him, visibly. He was watching us and he was watching us fucking grow. Staring at Josie’s burgeoning tits and the swirls of her hair dancing about her shoulders, he was staring into his future and feeling his world close in all around him. “Get ready little man,” I whispered into his ear, “your girls are going to eat you alive…”

========================================

thanks in huge gobs to ResistanceIsFutile for his inspiration, contributions to atmosphere and editing on this one.  I’m also using brother Beetlebomb’s render of Dr J…again.

[gremlinaristocrat]

Things I got from playing Patho Classic HD that I didn't get from the sequel or from watching videos about it

As the Bachelor:

Thinking I'm being clever buying/trading-for alpha-tablets over the course of Day 1 only to find out at the end that they're effectively useless.

Hearing my boots go squish-squish-squish as I walk through a pile of [???] in a plague district, and continue to make that noise for several steps afterwards.

Wandering around late at night after a long day in Daniil's head, noticing changes to houses' windows: "Are these absolute barbarians setting their houses on fire while they're still inside!? Oh wait, that's just the glow from their hearths keeping them warm at night, and what I thought were embers were leaves falling . . . that's kinda cute actually."

Realizing the logic puzzle with the three Watchers is solvable even if everyone plays their roles perfectly, solving the harder version, and then seeing the Earth Watcher blatantly contradict himself & make all my cleverness redundant.

The weirdness of the empty plagueless Day 12 streets.

Georgiy appearing to straight-up admit in his last conversation that there's no magic soul-preserving trick and he's just LARPing as Simon.

As the Haruspex:

The sheer surreality of Big Vlad being helpful and straightforward with you after seeing how he acts in the Bachelor's route.

You can insult the weirdly-dressed dudes in the Stone Yard in exactly the same way as the Bachelor (as if we needed more evidence that they're soulmates . . .)

Daniil is a lot more reasonable early in this route than tumblr and hbomberguy led me to believe, he really is trying his best.

[Completes Day 4's main quest before noon] [Knows what's in rough terms what's coming next] [Wakes up in a cell after being beaten to death and getting all my weapons stolen] . . . oh hey it's only late afternoon, that's not so bad . . . WAIT IT'S LATE AFTERNOON OF THE NEXT DAY!?

Slowly realizing what the Worms want the organs for after noticing that A) they also trade for fresh food and B) they value the non-organ-ic food a lot more highly.

The weird anticlimax associated with making the panacea (especially contrasted with how it goes in P2).

The feeling of utter horror when I realized what the potions Oyun gave me did.

The insane corkscrew trail I needed to follow to get Grace's opinion so I could relay it to that one Worm.

The fact that EVERYONE seemed to know that Oyun killed Isidor the ENTIRE time and NO-ONE tells Artemy (Vlad alludes to it on day 1! My Haruspex found out from ****ing Dankovsky of all people!)

"Hah! I got to save everyone and meet the Makers in the Theater without killing a single child!"

As the Changeling:

"Welp, guess I'm killing a child now."

Her mad leaps of logic during Day 1 which only make sense when you realize she's laundering OOC knowledge.

The arc of my understanding of P1 Artemy over the three playthroughs: "Seems like a scary weirdo"->"Okay now I'm playing as him his actions make a lot of sense"->"Okay now I'm getting to meet him a lot from another perspective I realize he actually is a scary weirdo without my mediating influence".

Nina's grave having slightly different stuff on it, for no obvious reason.

"I killed those muggers and they dropped . . . jewellery? I know what muggers drop, that's not it." "What are you talking about, Player? You did kill those muggers, this isn't Clara coming up with an excuse for you, she definitely didn't break into people's houses and take their valuables."

Realizing Clara doesn't have to buy maps, and what that implies.