#i’ve seen like three and a half seasons years ago

[ivyithink]

i am forever thankful that in tlk religions and beliefs seriously influence actions and views of the characters, but all seemingly mystical and supernatural things have logical explanations, making the world grounded in reality and viewing experience a lot less confusing

that said, i am a complete hoe for some scary supernatural religious horror imagery, so yeah

[ladykailitha]

Never Hold Back Your Step... Part 12

Welcome back to another addition of Dustin being absolutely chaotic as fuck and Robin inserts herself into a dangerous situation because she has to out sass an eighth grader.

This story really is nearing in the end of season 3, and I don't think this story will go for much longer than that. So it will probably be the next story I finish.

What this means is that soon I'll be starting up "The Hellfire Erotic Club" as I am already two chapters into sugar baby!Steve and sugar daddy!Eddie so that one is next on the docket. And as it sounds, it absolutely will be mature. It might even be my first explicit story I've written. So let me know if you want to be kept off the list for that one.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11

~

Things mellowed out with Robin at work. She still had the YOU RULE/YOU SUCK board, but at least wasn’t throwing out snide comments and sneering glances every two seconds so Steve absolutely counted that as a win.

And he continued to flirt badly. The worst was when Eddie and Jeff had stopped by after touring the music store.

“It’s the hat,” Steve said with moue. “It’s ruining my best feature.”

Robin snorted. “Your best feature? You don’t have one.”

Steve rolled his eyes and took off the hat. “My hair is my best feature, of course. I was the Hair in school, after all.” He threw it off the side and did a mocking shimmy with his shoulders before heading to register to greet a group of giggling girls.

“Hello, ladies,” he said smoothly. “My name is Steve and I’ll be your captain on this journey on the ocean of flavor. What can I get you today?” And then to really sell it. He winked.

The girls as he expected were completely turned off and hurried to get away as soon as possible. But hey at least Jeff got the number of one of the girls. So yay, gay wingman for the win! Or whatever.

Eddie came loping up to the counter, Jeff close on his heels. “That has got to be the most depressing thing I have ever had the misfortune to witness.”

“Seriously dude,” Jeff said with a wince. “Your mojo must have got up and went. Holy shit.”

Steve just pursed his lips and waved vaguely in Eddie’s direction. Eddie and Jeff giggled, but Robin frowned in confusion.

“Why does Munson being here affect your flirting?” she asked. “Because from what I’ve seen it doesn’t matter if he’s here or not, your flirting is always bad.”

He just shrugged. “Maybe the PTA is right and Eddie can cast evil spells and cursed me.”

Eddie wiggled his fingers at her, but she just rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. If he could cast spells Mrs. O’Donnell would be dead by now.”

The three boys cackled.

“Or maybe,” Jeff said seriously, “the girls remember Stevie here hanging out with us freaks and geeks last year and think he’s suddenly beneath him. You know, now that he’s not King Steve anymore?”

Robin’s mouth open and closed like a fish before she snapped it shut with an audible click. She blushed a dark red and was grateful that a mother with her two young sons came in just then so she could avoid the awkwardness that followed.

“I’m off in five minutes,” Steve said, “if you two want to wait around?”

Eddie and Jeff shared a glance and then Eddie nodded. “Sure, we could hang out for a bit.”

“Yeah,” Jeff said with a half shrug. “I don’t have anything to do today.”

Steve moved off to the side to start scooping the lady’s order. He gave each of the kids a cone and the sundae to the mom. Then he tossed the scooper into the warm water they kept nearby to keep the scooper clean. He walked to the back and returned within seconds.

Just then the power went out. Steve sighed and went over to the light switch. He flipped it up and down.

“That didn’t work two days ago,” Robin hissed. “And it’s not going to work now.”

Eddie peered at Steve through the dark. “This happened a couple of days ago, too?”

“It’s because of how hot it is outside,” Steve said. “Which makes the AC run overtime and it blows the breaker.” He sounded like he was repeating something someone else said as he continued to flip the switch and then the lights came back on. Just as Steve was about to leave again, Dustin came running up to Steve, skidding to a stop when he saw Robin, Eddie, and Jeff standing there.

“Hey, guys,” he said with a strained smile on his face. “Can I talk to Steve for a moment? I won’t take up much of his time. I promise.”

That got Steve’s hackles up. He turned to Eddie and begged him with his eyes to understand what this meant. Eddie tilted his head to the side for a moment, before his mouth formed an ‘O’.

“Jeff and I will be at Suncoast Video,” he said, “we’ll be there when you’re done.”

Jeff blinked at him for a moment trying to decide if it was the worth the fight. Then he shrugged and followed Eddie away from the strange tableau behind them.

Robin eyed them suspiciously as the two boys went to go sit down.

“What’s up, bud?” Steve asked, a nervous chill sliding down his spine. Please don’t be the Upside Down. Please don’t be the Upside Down. Please don’t be the Upside Down.

“So because my ma doesn’t want me racking up her phone bill calling Suzie,” he said, “I put up, with a little help from Lucas, Will, and Mike, a communications tower so we could talk.”

Because of course they did. They were geniuses when it came to building that kind of shit, but not so much in why they shouldn’t.

“And there was this weird Russian transmission,” Dustin explained hurriedly. “I don’t want to show you the recording yet, not with so many people around. But I can I meet up at your place later tonight?”

Steve was about to turn the kid down. After all, he had tried the hero racket and it blew. All he got for his troubles was ringing in his ears and the biggest break up of his life.

“Just think, if we solve this then we can be celebrated for exposing a Communist plot!” he exclaimed. “We could be American heroes, Steve!”

Oh. That did sound nice. There was no chance of him putting his body on the line for a recording in Russia after all. “Sure thing, bud.”

~

There was no keeping the stupid little transmission from Eddie or Robin. The first one wasn’t a surprise, really. Eddie was attached to Steve’s hip like he’d always been right there. Robin was more of a shock, to be honest. She just inserted herself where she didn’t belong on sheer sass alone.

Because Dustin had all the tact of a bull in a china shop, he had been whining about not being able to translate the message. When suddenly the window to the back slid open with a slam.

“You do know you’re in public, right?” she huffed. “If you’re trying to being sneaky about it, you’re failing miserably.”

Dustin rolled his eyes. “Like you’re so smart.”

Robin raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “And how many languages do you speak, dork?”

Eddie and Steve shared a glance, then tried to stifle a laugh, Steve by biting his lip and Eddie by shoving his hair in front of his face.

“Two!” Dustin huffed, puffing out his chest. “Binary and English.”

“Binary doesn’t count,” Robin said, rolling her eyes. “You can’t ‘speak’ it. I speak French, Spanish, and Italian. That’s four.”

Dustin crossed his arms. “Does to and besides I didn’t hear Russian on that list.”

She tilted her head and smirked. “And how do you even know it’s Russian?”

Dustin’s jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes bulged out of his head.

“Just because it sounds ‘Russian’,” Robin said, using air quotes around the word Russian, “doesn’t mean it’s not some other Slavic language.”

Dustin’s bottom lip quivered. “And how many Slavic languages are there?”

Her grin turned feral and she leaned on the counter, looking him dead in the eye. “Eighteen if you don’t count the different dialects for each region, then you’re looking at something closer to twenty-five.”

“There’s no way there’s that many!” Dustin cried.

Steve bumped his shoulder into his. “Why don’t you let her hear it? What’s the worst thing that could happen? That she doesn’t recognize the language? It’d be no different from where we are now.”

“Come on, Dusty,” Eddie implored. “Or do I have to tell Suzie that you think girls aren’t as smart as boys?”

Dustin turned to glare at the older teen. “That’s a low blow, man.”

He looked over at Robin who was eyeing him expectantly and sighed. “Fine, here.” He handed her the portable tape deck and sat back to watch.

The message came through the small device and Robin listened to the whole thing, before rewinding it and playing it again.

“So what do you think?” Dustin asked after her third listen through. “Is it Russian?”

“Oh yeah,” she said with a smirk. “And probably in code.”

But before Dustin could answer, Eddie leaned on the front counter. He had been watching Steve the whole time Robin had been listening to the recording. When she got to the end, Steve would frown. Even with half of a banana stuffed in his cheeks like a chipmunk.

“What’s on your mind, Stevie?” he asked, tilting his head to the side.

“There’s something about the music,” he muttered, tapping his fingers and humming the tune.

Dustin huffed. “Can you please pay attention to the important part, Steve? The apparently secret coded message in Russian?”

Steve shoved the rest of the banana in his mouth and chewed silently. He swallowed roughly and asked Robin to play the music again.

“Steve!” Dustin snapped. “What did I just say?”

Eddie glared at him. “Shut it, kid.” And Eddie began to listen to the music, too. Then Steve and Eddie made eye contact as they both got it at the same time.

Steve grabbed Dustin’s wrist and dragged him out of the ice cream shop, Eddie fast on their heels. They reached the Merry-Go-Round and Steve tried to pull out a couple of quarters but they fell to the ground. He bent to pick them up, but Eddie shoved a couple of quarters from his pocket into Steve’s hands.

Steve put the quarters into the Merry-Go-Round, while Eddie and Dustin stood by. Eddie smiled, smug and Dustin stood there, glowering at Steve, arms crossed.

The carousel roared to life. And then music started.

Dustin’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what?”

Steve and Eddie shared a grin.

“That’s the music from the recording!” he continued. “How did you recognize it?”

Eddie laughed.

“Because I hear it at least two or three times a shift,” Steve said, putting his hands on his hips. “It’s hard to miss because it’s so loud and so close to Scoops Ahoy.”

Dustin frowned and pouted because he had thought that Steve was just being his usual spacy self. But he actually figured it out.

As the three of them walked back to the ice cream shop, he said, “All that tells us is that Russians like carousels.”

Steve and Eddie shared a glance over his head.

“That’s an Indiana Flyer carousel,” Steve said slowly. “As in they only make them in Indiana.”

Dustin stopped short and his eyes widened in fear. “Does that mean they’re here in the state?”

Eddie shook his head. “Worse than that, Dusty. I’m pretty sure they’re here in the mall.”

Steve’s heart sank. He had been hoping that they would be able to solve this without getting directly involved, but that had just flown away like a startled butterfly.

Now all he had to do was convince himself that the Russians weren’t in Hawkins for the gateways to the Upside Down.

It was going to be a tough sell and he knew deep down it was never going to stick.

There were Russians in Hawkins and they were most likely here for Hell.

~

Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16

Tag List: FIVE SLOTS REMAINING!

1- @mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @kultiras

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @blondie1006

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @angels-of-hades

7- @mugloversonly @y4r3luv @greeniebean911 @birbsauce @acingthecounts

8- @cryptid-system @counting-dollars-counting-stars @ravenfrog @dreamercec @sadisticaltarts

9- @clockworkballerina @bluelightsinthevoid @blcksh33p1987 @i-go-pink-in-the-night @mamafaithful

[livwritesstuff]

‘tis my birthday today (it’s gotta be one of the worst birthdays to have, we don’t need to talk about it) anyways that’s where this is coming from

(also i’m not trying to imply that jan 1 is eddie’s bday. i wouldn’t wish that on anybody. besides, he is def a weirdo february aquarius)

The second half of the calendar year is nothing short of pandemonium for Eddie and Steve and their three daughters.

Moe’s birthday in late July kicks it off, almost immediately followed by Steve’s birthday in early August, then Hazel’s in September. Robbie’s birthday comes mere days after Halloween, and from there they dive headfirst into the bedlam of the holiday season.

Much to Eddie's relief, they all made it to yet another New Year's Day, and while the girls are definitely feeling the end-of-winter-break blues, Eddie welcomes the reprieve in festivities, brief as it may be.

His own birthday is up next – though not for another month.

He’s really not a birthday kind of guy. Never had been.

He loves making birthdays exciting for Steve and their daughters (they have a whole slew of traditions and everything – there’s names spelled out in pancakes involved; it's a very big deal), but his own…not so much.

It managed to fly under the radar for the past few years, but since this year is the big Five-Oh, he knows Steve won’t let him get away with that again.

Eddie has a complicated relationship with his birthday. When he was younger and the weight of Birthday Importance was at its peak, he never really celebrated the way other kids got to, and now, as an adult, he doesn’t know how to feel the things you’re supposed to feel about your birthday. 

Steve does a good job, despite Eddie’s weirdness. 

His favorite, Eddie thinks, was the year Moe was born, when Steve had managed to catch him off guard by renting a tiny cottage up in Maine for a few days.

“Moe or no Moe,” Steve had asked, “I’ve got Rob and Nance on standby.”

(They’d taken Moe. She saw snow for the first time. It was amazing, and people who don't want to involve their kids in stuff are a bunch of fucking weirdos).

Steve gives him a letter every year – handwritten on notebook paper and folded into whatever cheesy card he picks out.

Eddie keeps most of the letters in a fireproof lockbox along with all their passports and social security cards and birth certificates (look – Eddie doesn’t fuck around with priceless shit), but he keeps the most recent one – the one Steve gave him for his forty-ninth birthday nearly a year ago – in the top drawer of his bedside table.

He has it pretty much memorized at this point.

It says:

Ed! (with an exclamation point and everything – god, does Eddie love him)

49.

Holy shit we’re getting old.

Writing this is making me think about all the ones from the beginning, when I’d write about our future together even though we didn’t have a damn clue what we were working towards for a while.

I think we’re in it, man. Crazy, right?

(The ink color suddenly switches from blue to purple)

Sorry for the color change. Hazy decided she needed a blue pen immediately. Hope your vision hasn’t gone totally to shit and you can still read the purple.

Anyways, since I have you hostage reading this, I’m gonna take the opportunity to discuss you, because you don’t let me in real life most of the time.

You are gorgeous. Best looking face I’ve ever seen. I wonder how much time I’ve lost off my day just staring at you (actually, not a loss. I take that back)

You suck at puzzles – I know that sounds bad, but it’s great for me. I need that to rub off on Moe because she’s getting pretty good and that’s gonna be a problem for me.

You make me laugh so fucking hard every day. I’m praying the girls get your sense of “elevated” humor or whatever you like to call it

You’re so fucking smart, Eddie. I count myself lucky for it endlessly

You are completely 100% you all the time. I’m still working on that I think but I’m getting there because of you. I’m glad all that shit we went through didn’t take that away from you.

the BEST dad. Can’t believe I didn’t say that sooner. Not to brag but our kids are turning out pretty awesome (can’t go around saying that too much though it’ll go right to their heads and then any power we have left goes out the window)

You’re probably the best person I’ve ever known. Don’t think I’ll be forgetting what a catch you are any time soon, because I won't.

Thank you for loving me even all these years later. My life is better every day that I’m with you.

We’ll keep things quiet this year. Don’t get used to it though. Next year’s gonna be a rager.

Love you always!

- Steve :) ♡ ☆

[jbaileyfansite]

Interview with Evan Ross Katz (2024)

Whether he’s carrying Kylie Minogue to the Hyde Park Festival stage with his pal Andrew Scott, making the Internet go collectively feral for merely running a half marathon, chasing dinosaurs (in the upcoming Jurassic World reboot), romancing Matt Bomer (in Fellow Travelers) or Simone Ashley (in Bridgerton) or Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (in Wicked) or, with his most recent venture, launching an LGBTQ+-focused charity, it seems Jonathan Bailey is always up to something. And yet, he still makes time, from his hotel room in Thailand (where he’s shooting Jurassic World 4), to hop on a Zoom with me to catch up.

We discuss everything from chafed nipples to queer shame to who he’d like to see in the “Drink Your Milk” T-shirt to if we’ll see him on Broadway any time soon, which is to say it’s a brief but wide-ranging chat.

I haven't seen you since the Met Gala! When we last spoke, you were prepping for your first half marathon. I obviously saw the viral photos that went around of you at the finish line, but how did it go?

You know, I should have put those nipple stickers on. That's my main takeaway. 

[Laughs] Did you bleed?

I did a bit, yeah. Did you? I know you've done a couple of marathons. 

I did bleed, and I didn't know about the bleeding beforehand. It's not something you really hear about but it's painful and uncomfortable.

Totally! And not even just beforehand: It took ‘til 4 hours later when my best friend told me there was evidence [of the bleeding]. But anyways… it was euphoric!

At least there was no photo evidence of that element!

Exactly! So thankfully, it's done. But it's just the most amazing thing, isn't it? And the community as well. Hackney Moves is amazing and they raised loads of money. It was the Bridgerton [Season 3 release] week so I feel like you could sort of harness that.

I do have to ask you a pressing question: Days ago, it was announced that Wicked had moved up its release date and will now be released the same day as Ridley Scott's Gladiator 2. Many online were affectionately calling this Barbenheimer 2.0, which led many to try and speculate about a proper portmanteau. Jon Chu wrote on Instagram that the consensus seems to be “Glicked,” which you reposted on Instagram, signaling a cosign. But I have to ask you, Johnny: Are you not considering“Wickediator”?

I love it. Whatever Jon Chu has ever said to me, I’ve taken as gospel, so I actually hadn't explored all the other options. The one that I've now heard since then which is making me reconsider everything is “Gladicked.” [Laughs] It's quite good, isn’t it? 

Yes! To me, “Glicked” feels too Wicked-skewed and then “Wickediator” is just clunky AF, so I like where you're at. 

We want it to be equal footing for sure. Another thing that I love that went viral is someone going: “Oh, brilliant. A film for the ladies and a film for the ladies.” [Laughs] 

I am both ladies! 

Oh, yes. Me too! 

Let’s talk The Shameless Fund, the charity you founded to raise money for LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations. Can you tell me about the formation of this project?

It's been a labor of love over the last three or four years. It's been quite an organic experience, mainly inspired by Fellow Travelers, hence why I started with a collaboration which references a very specific scene and a performance by Matt Bomer.

I think through Covid and Bridgerton coming out, I found that there’s a real sense in the queer community about awareness of people who came before you and other experiences. And then obviously in Fellow Travelers, which explicitly explores that, the character I played was sort of on the front all the way through a very complicated experience for gay men at that time.

He experienced real moments of blooming liberation and quite insane amounts of oppression as well, and he was always fighting. He ends up becoming an activist, essentially, and I think it was in playing that part — which was kind of spiritual for me and for everyone who's involved in it — that I was like: Right, okay. I know that I've got this idea in my head and having experienced how much love there is for things like Bridgerton and how much money there is in collaboration, I felt that there's so many things I had said “no” to because it didn't feel quite right for me but if there was a world in which I could marry all of it in a creative sort of cocktail, then why not? And to give back to the community that I so love, and also, I'm a massive beneficiary of the work that the people that came before us did, so that's where it came to fruition from. 

You collaborated with our dear friend Jonathan Anderson, the creative director of Loewe, on a T-shirt with a memorable quote from Fellow Travelers to promote the launch of The Shameless Fund. How did this collaboration come to be?

During the strikes during the filming of Wicked, I went on a run one day and this idea of a T-shirt came into my head in full form. Then I sat next to Jonathan [at a Studio Voltaire fundraiser], and he’s lovely and brilliant and naughty and has a foundation, so it was all kind of organic.

Then I went over to DC to present Matt Bomer with an award for the Human Rights Campaign and it was really galvanizing to experience the American fervor. It was a gala, and the energy in the room was absolutely wild and there were amazing stories on stage. I texted Jonathan and I said: “Look, I have an idea and it involves milk and a T-shirt. What do you think?” and he said: “Call me tomorrow,” and then he said yes within the same phone call. I just felt tentative because it’s the sort of thing where you ask and you don't know, but then it went from there. 

I do recall first seeing a photo of you in the shirt several months ago during a night out with the Loewe team in China…

I went to the Loewe exhibition in Shanghai, which was incredible, and that night, we had quite a big night out and I wore the T-shirt because I’d been given the first prototype.

I was having a little boogie and [Anderson] uploaded it whilst I had no access to the Western World — my phone was off the whole time. So by the time I came home, you could see that people were gonna go wild for the T-shirt. Now, it's sold out and we're gonna get some more and it'll be a first step for The Shameless Fund to raise some money. 

Jonathan Anderson did my and my husband's wedding looks and I had to send him that same initial text to be like: “Can one even ask this?”

That's what's so brilliant in life: People who have the ability to collaborate, and that's just what Jonathan does.

One thing that you said just now that struck me is: “Why not?” I interview a lot of people in your profession and they're not asking that question all the time. A lot of people say:

“Oh, there's lots of money I can make. I can have more money. I can have more things for myself.”

Why are you a “why not?” person rather than a “why”? Is that something that was imbued in you by your family and your upbringing or is it how you've always been?

I don't know. I just feel quite strongly emotionally. I sense injustice in certain places, and I think what comes with success — especially being a gay actor — is that you think: “Hang on a minute. Are there limitations? Are there glass ceilings?”

When you experience success that you never thought you would and you grew up thinking that you're limited because of your identity and who you are, I think about the people that have supported me and the people that were really pioneering, but also, the actual heroes who do the real work; the people who work for these nonprofits and these charities where the majority of their energy is spent trying to raise money. When Bridgerton came out, I was inundated with requests to help draw attention to [these organizations] or raise money or donate things that they could sell, so that's where the kernel of this idea came from. All my life, I’ve been thinking about how I can give back.

It's not for nothing that you call this The Shameless Fund. We grew up at a time when, and I don't know if this is the same for you, but I didn't know that gay people existed. I thought I was the only one because I didn't have access to the kind of media kids do today where you can go on Instagram and see that gay is not only acceptable; it's cool. There's this very significant paradigm shift. I feel like a lot of gay men of our generation felt this shame as young people and often spend a lot of our adult lives working to rid ourselves of it. What is it for you about this idea of shame? 

I totally agree in terms of generations. I think the queer experience changes every five years. Even with some of my friends who are 10 years older than me — it's just so specific to cultural moments and representation as well, as you're saying. But I think my understanding of shame, especially having experienced Fellow Travelers, is that it permeates. It's not just a community that experiences the shame; it's the people around them. It's the parents who don't understand it and kick their kids out of their house. It's the sisters, it’s the cousins, it's the nephews, it's the children that are in broken families because of it. It's actually so toxic, that sense of self-hatred. That’s why The Shameless Fund is actually something that I hope is going to benefit everyone, even beyond the community itself.

Also, the older we get and because of the world we live in now, you can read The Velvet Rage and you can read Matthew Todd’s Straight Jacket and you can explore and have conversations with your friends that are really enlightening and you can have therapy, if you're lucky enough that you can afford to do that. As a 36-year-old now, I look back and I just go: “My God, I had such a loving family and yet I was still so isolated and so crippled.”

Shame can stop people from having a proper education and from being able to structure proper emotional relationships, like fundamental relationships with their family, which is the one place you're supposed to feel safe. It's flawed if the family is not aware of what you're going through. 

How did you come up with the name?

I did have other names [in mind for The Shameless Fund], but we won't go into them. One was so aggressive! [Laughs] But “The Shameless Fund” felt punk enough and fundamental enough. To me, I think that to be without shame is to be able to be joyful and to be able to thrive and to be able to learn and have a bloody good time whilst doing all those things, so it just felt right that it should be targeting shame because then hopefully it benefits the whole community in every color on the pride flag and, in turn, will also help so many people around them. 

So what can people expect next?

There's going to be some really fun things coming with The Shameless Fund and there's different ways in which it can grow, but I have people who really know what they're doing who are helping lead it. By the end of the year, we'll hopefully have worked with three different charities, starting small and helping people understand the work they're doing because that's the most important thing. If you think about Instagram, other than chatting with Evan Ross Katz [laughs], that's the platform through which you can really draw attention to things. Literally anyone in our community who's thriving at the moment — in a community that's obviously under threat going forward — knows what it's like to receive support. We know what we missed growing up.

I, too, grew up with an accepting family, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t still feel ostracized. I appreciate you recognizing that nuance, one I think many of us experience in some form but don’t always discuss.

Now, on The Shameless Fund’s website, it does say that more collaborations are coming. As you said, there’s going to be a restock of the Loewe shirts, but are there other brands in the mix?

There are other brands, and it'll be really exciting because the scope is endless, but I definitely had a couple of other ideas. After Fellow Travelers, the next thing will be a Wicked garment, so you might have to keep your eyes out for that. Maybe jumpers and sexy boots?

That’s perfect for my fantasy! So we've seen Kylie Minogue wearing the shirt — who I was lucky enough to be introduced to by you on the dance floor at the Met Gala after-party, thanks again — and we've seen Kit Connor, Scarlett Johansson and your Bridgerton co-star Luke Newton sporting it as well. I'm wondering who else is on your wishlist of celebrities that you'd like to see in the Drink Your Milk T-shirt?

Oh, God. What a question! Great shout. I would love to see Jerrod Carmichael in it right now. Very specifically Jerrod Carmichael. 

I feel that.

I would also love to see Hanson in it. Their three-part harmonies are a knockout at the moment.

At the moment?

[Laughs] We were just talking about this today. I’ve literally just come away from a field where I was running towards or away from dinosaurs, and we were talking about Hanson for about four hours today and listening to their three-part harmonies. 

That is not what I was expecting.

Who else? I can only think of people who are going to be wearing it over the next few weeks, which is quite exciting. Is there anyone you want to see in it? 

I have quite a few people. First of all, Jamie Dornan. I would love to see him in it. Paul Mescal, for obvious reasons. And the fans are waiting for Matt Bomer!

Don’t you worry. They’ll be satiated! They’ll be quenched. And Andrew Scott had a good time at Glastonbury is what I’ll say. [Laughs]

I bet he did! Last but not least: Richard II is bringing you back to the stage. Wicked is giving us the musical theater moment we've been craving. Is there a musical theater moment that’ll be live on stage in Jonathan Bailey's future?

Potentially, actually. Maybe in 2026. 

On Broadway?

I would! I had the best time recently in New York and I watched as many things as I could. I saw Stereophonic, which, to me, was like a religious experience. That, and Oh, Mary! And Cole Escola.

That is what it's about. I would come back to watch that; I was so inspired by it. Obviously, I'd love to [be on Broadway] at some point and you just have to wait and see what pops up. 

Source

[ottawacharge]

Jessie Fleming interview: Adapting to the Thorns, her Chelsea exit and pushing for environmental change

Jessy Parker Humphreys, Wednesday, July 24th

Ask Jessie Fleming what topics interest her about the environment and she will start reeling them off.

“Urban planning, the power of funghi, regenerative agriculture, Dan Barber…”

Barber is an American chef who advocates for farm-to-table cooking, in case you are not as looped into the environmental ethics of food as Fleming.

“I started taking courses on environmental science for fun at university and I got down this rabbit hole,” she explains. Fleming ended up minoring in the subject at university in Los Angeles and has been committed to raising awareness about issues with our environment ever since.

This latest pledge comes off the back of her choice to donate the carbon cost of her long-haul flight to the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as part of a 47-player initiative through Common Goal, a charitable movement launched by Spain international Juan Mata six years ago.

Fleming left Women’s Super League (WSL) champions Chelsea in January, going from a league in England where players travel to games by train or coach to one where they can fly thousands of miles across the country every weekend, such is the geographical spread of the 14 teams.

“It’s something I think about a lot,” she says. “As players, we have a responsibility to draw attention to those problems and suggest ways leagues and governing bodies can adjust the format of tournaments or the schedule of leagues to help reduce those footprints.

“We’re all hypocritical in a way, so we need to at least do something.”

There was a feeling around Fleming’s mid-season departure from Chelsea that she had never quite lived up to her potential. Arriving in summer 2020 fresh out of the U.S. college game at UCLA, her stock was very high, having originally made her senior debut for Canada aged only 15.

Yet she never nailed down a starting spot, despite featuring 111 times across four seasons and being trusted by manager Emma Hayes to start crucial matches such as the 2022-23 Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

“I loved my time at Chelsea, loved the league, loved England. I just wanted to be in a place where I was consistently playing in the same position and playing more consistent minutes.”

Fleming has certainly got that with Portland, where she has started 13 of their 15 matches so far this season, but the return to the U.S. has been an adjustment. Portland had their worst start to an NWSL season, failing to win any of their first four games and consequently sacking manager Mike Norris. A six-game winning run followed, but with only one victory in the past four league fixtures, it is clear they are still finding their feet as a team.

Those ups and downs are a unique experience for Fleming, who lost only one more league match in three-and-a-half years with Chelsea than she has in six months in Portland.

“It’s definitely a different challenge,” she says. “Physically, it’s more intense (in the NWSL). More transitional, lots of athletic players. But you’re starting to see the effect of European coaches in the league. There are more teams trying to play possession-based, thoughtful football. I’ve never seen anything like how competitive the NWSL is, especially when you look at the teams at the top of the table who had poor seasons last year. That’s not something you would ever see in the WSL.

“The start of the season was especially difficult for us, because we had so many new players. We spent so little time together before the first game — that was a challenge I’d never experienced before. I think we’re feeling the effects of the ebb and flow of the season right now. You have to be so tuned-in mentally for every game, every week. If you do go through a low spell, you have to find ways to turn it around quickly, because getting a few wins will push you up the table.”

The NWSL season is about to be paused for the Olympics, which begin in France at the end of this month, where Fleming will be hoping to help Canada’s women retain the title they won at the previous Games in Japan three years ago. Paris 2024 will be her third Olympics and Canada have won medals at her previous two, taking bronze in Brazil in 2016, but a disappointing World Cup campaign, where they exited at the group stage after one win and two goals (one of them an own-goal) in the three games, has put a dampener on expectations.

“I struggled with penalties a bit at university, so it’s definitely not something I’ve always felt able to do,” she says. “I feel like for that coolness, I have to turn to my team-mates and our environment. I feel very supported and backed up with the national team and that helped me massively during that tournament.”

This time out, she’ll be in a new role as captain. Anyone who has watched Fleming play will know she is not the most vocal on the pitch, but she feels she can bring something different to the role.

“I’m definitely on the quieter side, but I’m learning there are so many different ways to lead,” Fleming says. “I don’t love speaking in front of a loud group of people and I feel like I thrive a bit more when I’m one-on-one with players. I would say I’m a bit of a football brain. I love watching the game, I love talking about tactics, and I’m always interested in how to improve, both as an individual and as a team.

“For me, it’s about letting my passion for football shine through and trying to bring others with me in that.”

[honey-crypt]

KEEPER OF THE GLISTENING SEA - a merman!elliott x plus-sized!reader love story

01. LIGHT IN THE NIGHT

word count: 2.6k

warnings: mentions of shady capitalistic schemes (joja, duh!), one-off mention of psychedelics/hallucinogens

summary: it’s time for you to learn the ways of the lighthouse from willy, the expert of all things sea-related. you befriend a few residents of pelican town and find yourself easing into the groove of the valley. but what’s that flash of red you keep seeing at night?

author’s note: i wrote this like an hour after the prologue so enjoy <3

The incessant gawking of seagulls startled you awake before the crack of dawn. You grumbled a curse to yourself at their volume and tried to fall back asleep. Of course, that was a waste, as the seagulls continued to shriek at one another. Defeated, you kicked the covers off your body and pulled yourself out of bed, the woody floor creaking loudly under your bare feet. You soon dragged your exhausted body into the tiny bathroom and began your morning routine.

Halfway through brushing your teeth after your shower, you heard rapid knocking on your door. You exited the bathroom and opened the front door, revealing an older man with a greying beard and a brown cap, “Ahoy,” he greeted you, “Name’s Willy. Benny informed me that you arrived yesterday.”

“Willy!” you mumbled aloud, pulling the toothbrush out your mouth, “It’s, uh,” you realized that you were still in your pajamas and with terrible bedhead, “Wish we could’ve met when I was more… dressed.”

“No need to fret,” he reassured you, “I’ve seen worse, such as the time I caught the mayor in his lucky purple shorts,” the fisherman jested. He then held out a white box to you, “I just wanted to deliver you yer uniform, I got dear Emily making a few spares in the meantime.”

You took the box from his hands, surprised by its weight. Willy tipped his cap to you, “I’ll see you in an hour,” and walked off towards the nearby docks, where you noticed a small shop perched on it. You waved him off and shut the door behind you, eager to see your uniform. Gently, you unboxed the package, pulled out each part of your uniform, and fully assembled it on the dining table. Your face grew hot at the design of the uniform, a cross between traditional lighthouse keeper's attire and the kind of seafarer outfit someone would purchase for a Spirit’s Eve party.

The top half of your uniform was pretty fine, consisting of a white button shirt with a navy blue suit vest and matching suit jacket. Yet, it was the bottom half that made your palms sweaty. The pants, while appropriate for the warmer seasons, were high-waisted black shorts, adorn with three metallic buttons on each side. At least, the pants were the only real issue you had, the provided knee high socks and sturdy docker shoes not being much of an issue. You looked back at the pants and let out a frustrated huff before returning to your morning routine.

You stood before the wall hung mirror on your bathroom door in your new uniform, trying to break it in a bit before work. It caught you off guard how good it fit you, especially the pants. You adjusted your hat, navy blue with the symbol of the valley’s pride and joy- the Stardrop- in the center. Almost like the keeper’s uniform from hundreds years ago, you fiddled with your uniform, Except mine’s… more twink-ish.

You checked the time on your phone, thankfully able to get service from the one cell tower in the valley, Oh! It’s time.

After double-checking that you had everything you needed for your big day, you made your way out of the cabin and towards the lighthouse, only a few feet away. Outside its entrance, Willy was nursing a cigar, he quickly sniffed its flame upon your arrival, “Ahoy, again,” the fisherman pulled out a large ring of keys and selected the shiniest one, “Thank you for being timely, laddie, I do appreciate it,” he unlocked the door to the lighthouse, “Follow me and do be listening to all my blabbering.”

You followed Willy into the lighthouse, the door slowly closing behind you. A soft whistle escaped your lips at the interior, just as sleek as Benny described it in his letter. Yet, you couldn’t admire its shininess for long, as Willy began reviewing the basics of lighthouse keeping while walking up the spiral staircase, “Usually, it be up to a member of the Ferngill Republic Coast Guard or Navy to man a lighthouse such as this beaut, but given the ongoing war, not many are available to take this job.”

“How come I got it?” you asked, “In all honesty, I have very little experience with this kinda thing.”

“Oh, I’m aware,” chuckled the fisherman, “The mayor wanted me to do it since I’m a retired member of the Navy,” his footsteps thumped against the stairs, “But I already have my hands full at my shop. That’s when yer cousin told us that you had the guts to take it on,” the older man stopped upon making it to the main mechanical floor of the lighthouse, “And the fact that you be the strongest swimmer he knows.”

You raised your eyebrows, “What does good swimming have to do with maintaining a lighthouse?”

Willy cracked a small smile, “You be surprised. When out on these waters, yer ability to swim be the divide between making it home for supper or sinking to the bottom.”

You pressed your lips together, still not comprehending his words. Nonetheless, Willy moved onto explaining the basic functions of the lighthouse and your duties. To your joy, your main responsibilities were cleaning the light and troubleshooting its automated systems when necessary, “Thankfully, ‘is not like the old days where a keeper had to maintain the wicks of the lighthouse,” stated Willy, “The system is set up to do most of the work for you.”

He showcased the various dashboards of equipment, detailing each of their purposes. You made sure to take notes while he explained, not wanting to break any of the obviously expensive equipment. By the time you finished your tour with Willy, you were utterly drained, lighthouse terminology bouncing around your head like ping pong balls. Willy flashed you a toothy grin, “You’re doing well, laddie. This won’t be too hard for you and I’ll be here to train you for the next week and so.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear,” you relaxed your posture, relieved to hear that you weren’t being thrown to the wolves- or sharks, in this case- already.

“Report here tomorrow by dawn, laddie. We got a lot of work on our hands! Other than, you be free to enjoy the rest of your day,” Willy laughed, giving you a gingerly pat on the back before making his way to the bottom of the lighthouse. You copied his move and headed outside, grateful that you could change out of your uniform. Back in the cabin, you swapped your uniform for a comfy muscle tee and some shorts, collapsing on your bed. You checked the time again, that took FIVE hours? you gawked at the change in time. A groan fell from your lips, “It’s not even noon and I’ll already tired.”

Not wanting to succumb to your exhaustion, you switched your focus on unpacking your belongings. It only took an hour or so to fully unpack, you didn’t bring that much with you. For the final touch, you placed your photo frames on the dresser; one of you and Benny as kids at the beach and another of your mother holding your toddler self. You weren’t sure why you kept those photos for all those years, but you were now grateful that you did.

A knock on your door suddenly caught your attention, “Willy?” you questioned when you opened the door.

“Nope, it’s me,” your cousin greeted you, “I take it you wrapped up your tour with dear old William, huh?” they were covered in dirt and reeked of something tangy but ultimately nasty.

“Yeah,” you pinched your noise, “Why do you smell so… so putrid?”

Benny sniffled his shirt, “Sorry, I’ve gotten nose blind to the smells of the farm. You might be smelling my homemade fertilizer.”

“Yeah, that’s,” you tried not to gag at the smell, “That’s probably why I’m smelling.”

“You’ll get used to it,” snorted Benny, “The whole town has,” he gestured to the pathway to the community you came to know as Pelican Town, “Speaking of the town, I thought I’d swing by and get you acquainted with the residents!”

You grimaced, “Are you sure that I have to talk to them?” They didn’t seem so welcoming.

Benny crossed their arms, “Yes, yes you do,” before offering you a hand. Hesitantly, you grasped it and allowed your cousin to drag you off to Pelican Town. It appeared to be a busy day, as groups of people wandered about the main area of town. Benny, the extrovert of you two, waved at the group closest to you, an elderly couple, “Hi Evelyn! Hi George!”

The woman, Evelyn, wore her smile like it was made of pearls, absolutely radiating positive joy, “Oh, hello, dear! It’s so nice to see you!”

The man, George, on the other hand? He seemed to be the exact opposite of his counterpart, sporting a bitter frown, “Mmpf! Ben, it’s too early for your hollering!”

“Sorry, George,” your cousin placated the grump with a bowing nod, “I want to introduce you two to my cousin, (Y/N).”

“Oh, goodness!” proclaimed Evelyn, “I remember you! You were just a munchkin the last time I saw you, oh how big you’ve gotten, my dear.”

You winced a bit at the word big, but promptly shook it off, knowing that she wasn’t referring to you by your weight but rather your overall growth. Evelyn resumed her chatter, “I used to bring homemade cookies and lemonade to you both when you would stay with Charlie for the summer. I’m so glad you’re well, sweetie.”

“Thank you, Evelyn,” you gave her a small nod and an awkward smile. Meanwhile, George huffed and commented, “I remember you, too. You were quite the troublemaker, you nearly destroyed my TV set!”

Benny concealed a snort of laughter and you did the same, thinking back to the time you visited the Mullners’ house and nearly ran straight into the TV while being chased by Benny and the Mullners’ grandson, Alex. I wonder if Alex’s alright, you thought to yourself; you’ve seen him in years, surely he was off in a city somewhere doing something.

“It’s nice to meet you, uh,” you held back a playful snicker, “Again, George.”

“Well, we should be off!” your cousin diffused the situation and whisked you off to another group of townies before George could run you down with his wheelchair.

Throughout the afternoon, Benny introduced you to the various residents of Pelican Town, from the carpenter Robin and her family to the general owner Pierre and his family. Everyone in town had such a bizarre energy about them, but you found yourself most comfortable with Robin’s son Sebastian and Pierre’s daughter Abigail. They were the closest to you in age and you could relate to them as a fellow “weird” person, as you were quite a fan of the occult like Abigail and of Solarian Chronicles: The Game like Sebastian. Soon, you were introduced to Sam, another member of the “weird kids” clubs in Pelican Town, who fancied himself a musician. You spent the remainder of the day getting to know the three of them, as you all longued about the rec room of The Stardrop Saloon, owned by a kind moustached man named Gus.

“It’s really cool that you moved here, (Y/N),” mused the purple-haired girl to you, “Don’t get me wrong, your cousin is cool and all but they’re too focused on their farm work to really hang out like this with us.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” you acknowledged, “Kinda glad I didn’t inherit the farm then.”

“Oh yeah, what’s with that?” Sam piped up, “Is it like an age thing that determined it?”

You unknowingly shifted your body away from the trio, “Yeah, something like that.”

“You don’t seem like the farm type, anyway,” stated Sebastian. You tensed up, “You think so?”

“Yeah,” he sunk deeper into the couch, “You seem like you don’t give a rat’s ass about the boring logistics of it all, I know from Benny that being a farmer requires you to wear too many professional hats.”

“You’re totally right about that,” you laughed, letting go out of the tension in your body, At least he didn’t call me too fat for manual labor. Trust me, I’m more than capable of doing it. you kept your thoughts to yourself.

“I’m gonna grab us some drinks!” the blond next to you exclaimed, “What does everyone want?”

“Joja Cola,” was Abigail’s order.

“Beer,” replied Sebastian.

Sam looked at you curiously, “And you?”

“Oh, uh,” you squeezed the loose ends of your tee, “Just water will be fine.”

“Okie dokie, be right back!” the musician skipped off to the bar to grab the drinks. Sam returned shortly after and passed out the drinks, having gotten himself a Joja Cola. With drink in hand, he raised it to the ceiling, “I propose a toast!”

“A toast?” you adjusted you grip on your glass of ice cold water.

“Yeah! To you moving to the valley,” elaborated Sam. Abigail smiled and held her drink up, followed by Sebastian. You did the same, all four drinks pointing at the ceiling.

“To (Y/N), may they find success in the valley!” Sam toasted.

“To (Y/N)!” Abigail followed.

“To (Y/N),” Sebastian add on.

“To me!” you exclaimed.

The four of you clinked glasses and cans together; feelings of joy and peace bubbled in your stomach, as dusk passed and the night went on. You didn’t have many friends back in your hometown and you most definitely didn’t have any in ZuZu City so this was a nice change of pace.

A new beginning, your cousin’s words crossed your mind. You smiled to yourself, A new beginning.

You found yourself back on the shore outside your cabin, nursing another cup of melatonin. Your new friends unfortunately had to depart for home sooner than expected, Sebastian and Sam having work in the morning and Abigail having to study for a class of hers. Nonetheless, you were beyond grateful to have befriended them, happy to have a chance to socialize with like minded peers. Like your first night in the valley, the ocean waves were almost hypnotic in their movement, you felt yourself grow sleepy just from watching them.

Then it happened, you noticed a flash of red, just like the night before. You rose from the ground and walked closer to the shoreline, squinting out into the distance to see if you could locate the possible buoy responsible for the flash of red. Yet, much to your confusion, there was no buoy in sight. You looked down at your cup of tea, “Do I need to switch brands?” you muttered aloud. It was Joja Doz-ja Melatonin Tea and Joja was known for their shady shortcuts, it wouldn’t be that much of a shocker if their tea contained psychedelic or hallucinogenic ingredients.

Another flash of red darted across your eyes, earning an exasperated grunt from you. You downed the rest of your tea and stomped to bed, not wanting to entertain the potential hallucination you were having. Thankfully, with the magic of Joja Doz-ja Melatonin Tea, you were out like a light and sleeping the night away.

In the midst of twilight, your supposed halluncation was perched upon a nearby rock. Long ginger hair clung its form like seaweed, as it flapped its tail against the rock.

“Come back soon,” the creature whispered into the darkness, its deep seafoam eyes twinkling like stars in the sky.

[thislovintime]

1968.

“‘Actually, I wanted to leave the group over two years ago when the first season ended, but the guys convinced me not to. I didn’t care about all the things that were happening, all the acclaim. I hated the work! It was tough, and I didn’t like it. I just wanted to record for all my life. Also, the pressure was awful. We were working in an incredibly new environment. Half of the crew on the show was young and had very little experience at that level of work. Many of them were getting their first big break. Actually, after the TV show was canceled it was easier for me to leave. Doing the TV show was the worst. Then came the movie, and I couldn’t forego the movie, so I did it. You know, there were moments here and there — lots of good, funny stuff happening throughout — but the only time that I was really happy was when we were recording the ‘Headquarters’ album. The concerts were fun, but during the concert tours you are removed from your friends except for the guys. And even when we did take a few friends along it was only a mild relief. This last tour of Australia and Japan wasn’t fun because I felt hideously under-rehearsed. I was constantly pushing for rehearsals, and they were constantly saying well, like later. We couldn’t get together. Also, we didn’t play any new music this last concert tour. It was all old tunes, nothing from our newer albums, and it was a bore. But I think they suspected I was leaving anyway. For me, a lot of the pressure was off. When I felt a part of the group every time someone said something that jarred my sensibilities, I’d raise a huge ruckus and everybody thought I was out of my mind. While we were making the TV Special, knowing I was not going to be there any longer, I just thought to myself — I don’t have to worry about this thing — and I just let everything slide off my back. They must have though something was screwy. Then I finally told them, ‘Gentlemen I’m in negotiations to resign from the group.’ And they said, ‘Okay, well, there’s not much time, we’d better get to work on this Special.’ So we taped the thing and that’s the last I saw of them. The last day of the taping they gave me this little testimonial memorial watch.’ From his pocket Peter drew out a silver, antique-looking timepiece with the back side engraved, ‘To Peter Tork, from the guys down at work.’ ‘I’m free, I don’t know what I’ll be doing. I’m actually a little apprehensive, because there’s no doubt that there are three other incredibly talented fellows out there. They’re very talented guys. Mike is one of the funniest people I’ve ever known. Micky is even funnier and Davy is just cute as a button. Who could ask for anything more? Davy dances so great, did you see him dance in the film? I’ve not seen dancing like that on the screen except from Fred Astaire. The only other thing is that I’m both really relieved and really, really apprehensive. I’m terribly glad and also terribly sad.’” - NME, January 25, 1969

“Peter and I were the bulk of the playing ability because we were musicians. But when Peter left it rather unnerved Davy and Micky — and I changed my mind [about leaving]. After all, the personal appearances were pretty well satisfying, the music was fun, and the whole thing was fairly lucrative. And Davy and Micky left alone would have been in real trouble.” - Michael Nesmith, Disc and Music Echo, September 19, 1970

"In a telephone interview this week, Tork explained why he left the group in 1968, three years after it was formed. ‘Musicians were being auditioned in an effort to create the Monkees, and the purpose was to reap money,’ he said. ‘But for our first two albums, studio musicians were hired to do the instrumentals and we just did the lead singing. I didn’t want that.’ Tork convinced the other three members, Davy Jones, [Micky] Dolenz and Mike Nesmith, to do the third album themselves. ‘But I couldn’t get the guys to go for that again, so the fourth album was half and half,’ he said. Critics had frowned on the Monkees for this. ‘Every single malcontent felt he had the right to tell me what was wrong with the situation. I took the critics to heart,’ Tork said. ‘When I talked to the guys about it, they told me if I want more I should get my own act.’ Tork describes his current relationship with Jones, Dolenz and Nesmith as ‘cordial.’ ‘I learned to put all my bitterness behind me,’ he said. ‘I hear about them through the grapevine, but we have no real call to talk to each other, although, I had a brief lunch with Davy Jones in Japan recently.’ When Tork joined the Monkees in October 1965, he was 23 years old and inexperienced in handling fame and fortune. ‘There’s a lot of things involved with money and recognition, and the price was much higher than I expected,’ he said. ‘There’s an isolating pressure that goes along with success. I couldn’t handle it.’" - article by Lisa Stenza, Connecticut Daily Campus, February 26, 1982 (read more in an older post)

[aphroditeslover11]

If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around

Neil Lewis x Reader

I’m back and this is the cheesiest, fluffiest thing I have ever written!

Neil and you had been friends for as long as either of you could remember, it was tradition that your families would spend a lot of time together around the Christmas season. Your parents had been friends since before you were born, and eventually decided that they wanted to become neighbours. Neil had been born three years before you, but as soon as you were old enough to join in with his games he refused to spend a moment separate from you. It was him that you had always gone to when you were having a problem with homework, granted he wasn’t the smartest but he always tried his best. It had also been him that you had phoned six months ago after going through the break-up from hell. You didn’t really know why you had made that decision, you had moved away from home that year to go to univerisity and he was busy opening a video store in another town with some friends, but for some reason he felt like the only person you could talk to, that would want to listen and understand. 

For you that night had signalled regaining contact with an old friend, becoming close again, for Neil it had been something quite different. He had had feelings for you ever since you were 17, of course he knew it was inappropriate given that he was twenty, so he just stayed away. Now you were twenty yourself, desperate and calling him for help, and all because you had been hurt by some other man. For him, this phonecall had reignited the spark that he had tried so hard to extinguish, burying it under a blanket of indifference and denial to try and move on with his life. His feelings for you had clearly not gone away.

Neil needed a plan, Christmas was on its way and he had a good feeling, perhaps now was the perfect time to really tell you how he felt. He went into Gumshoe Video alone one evening, clearing the entire Christmas shelf into a bag and taking them home to watch any romances he could find - this was the best place to find an idea. He finally stumbled upon love actually, the fourth film he had watched that night, at around 3am. His idea was born.

~

You had gone home for Christmas, your parents were throwing a party for Christmas Eve as they did every year and everybody in the neighbourhood had been invited. For some reason though, Neil was nowhere to be seen. You were disappointed to say the least. It was around nine o’clock  when there was a knock on the back door. Everybody else was half-drunk and doing Christmas karaoke so it was you that went to get it. You opened the door, bracing yourself for the inevitable cold gust, only to find Neil on the other side, wrapped in a big coat with a hat, scarf and gloves. You were about to pull him inside when he moved back, putting a finger to his lips to tell you to keep quiet. He walked off to the side then, seemingly to get something. What the hell was he playing at? He returned moments later with a pile of white sheets of paper, holding them up for you to read. He had such an anxious smile on his face.

Y/N, we have grown up together. Read the first one, he then promptly dropped it, revealing the next one behind.

You were my best friend and I was yours. Next sheet.

We’ve always been partners in crime. I still remember getting bollocked for covering your mum’s car interior in glitter because it was her birthday. He dropped that again.

By this time next year I might be a millionaire.

Maybe I’ll be dating Keira Knightly.

But there is something that I really want for Christmas. He dropped this to reveal the final slide, with a picture he had taken of you laughing at a barbecue last year. Below it was written Will you be mine? He shrugged, opening his arms and inviting your answer.

You ran out into the cold, laughing and smiling in glee. You threw yourself into his embrace as he dropped the slide in the process. You reached up to his face, crashing your lips against his in a warm and comforting kiss. You only broke it to answer his question:

“Yes Neil. Yes, I’ll be yours.”

[kannymaei]

The Perfect Girl - Chapter 14 (Kamisato Ayato x Reader)

MASTERLIST

Author’s Note: All characters are OOC! Please be reminded that this fanfic is Modern! AU and Highschool! AU and none of this are canons to the actual lore of Genshin Impact. I do not own Genshin Impact or the characters in the game!

Synopsis: You were a graduating high school student who somehow got involved in unfortunate events and transferred to Teyvat International School. Due to your “complicated” physical features, you became the main target of the school’s “bully”, Kamisato Ayato! Together with his friends, Diluc Ragnvindr, Tartaglia, and Arataki Itto.

WC: 2.8k

Next Chapter -> Chapter 15

‘What happened to Guuji Yae?’

‘I heard from someone that she got caught by Lord Ayato sleeping with his sister’s boyfriend’

‘She’s so shameless!’

‘I also heard Diluc confessed to Y/N!”

‘No way! He did?!’

‘What did he see with Y/N…’

‘I think Diluc was better off with Jean…’

‘Didn’t Jean break his trust after that scandal three years ago?’ 

‘Oh yeah, I remember it was like Lumine had a crush on Diluc but Diluc’s actions were misinterpreted because it was like he also felt the same with Lumine but in reality he truly loved Jean that time but Jean was seeing someone else in another school which broke Diluc’s heart.’

‘I think he stopped liking someone until Y/N came to this school.’

‘I heard a lot of rumors about her! Her name was so familiar… I just can't pinpoint where…'

'What kind of rumors?' 

'Do you remember that car accident that was all over the news a loooong time ago? Like it's more than 10 years already?'

'What does that have to do with Y/N?' 

'Well…' 

"I do think that you should not spread rumors about anyone." The mysterious man walked up to the two students that were talking. He could tell from their faces that these two students didn't know who he was. 

'Are you from this school? I don't think I've seen someone like you…' 

'He's… handsome…' 

He gave them a death stare that jolted the two students to walk away. He looked at his watch and calculated the time since he last saw you. 

(30 minutes since I've seen my lovely Y/N) 

He knew that his transfer during this time of the season was perfect, he could seize the opportunity to have you as his date for the holiday celebration of the school every December. 

— 

You fidgeted your fingers around the table as your teacher, Mr. Zhongli, was quite late for his class today. Your thoughts shifted to the man that saved you from your ankle injury, he was quite handsome and assumed that he would be popular with the girls. But of course, you knew that no one would be more handsome than Kamisato Ayato. 

(Wait, why am I thinking about him?!) You shook your head and mentally facepalm.

You wondered how the seat next to you was empty for a long time since that incident. You've been asking yourself, is he alright after that incident? 

To be frank, you knew that Miko deserved all of it since she stole your life or ruined yours rather but you also knew that she was also being brainwashed by her parents. 

Brainwashed or not, she was already old to know what's right and wrong and the things that she did to hurt you the moment you transferred to this school was no excuse. 

The door opened and the class went silent, you saw Mr. Zhongli enters the classroom followed by the mysterious man that saved you from your ankle injury. 

"Pardon me class, if I was late since we just finished the papers for the new transferee this year. Would you introduce yourself to everyone?" Zhongli said while he fixed the things he would need for today's class. 

"Sure." The man responded. 

"Al Haitham." He said and nodded to everyone, almost half of the women in your class were giggling and whispering.

"I suppose you should go sit on Mr. Kamisato's seat since he's been homeschooling for quite some time." Zhongli stated and pointed at the empty seat next to you.

'Dang it Y/N, why do you always get the handsome guys?!' 

(Well… sorry?) You said to yourself as he approached the seat. 

He sat and said something to you "Hello, Miss Who-Almost-Got-A-Sprain" and hid his smile. 

"Quite a coincidence that you are my classmate… haha…" You nervously replied, his eyes said it all. He's intimidating and looks like a lion who's about to eat his prey.

"Miss Y/N, would you show our new student around the campus after class?" Zhongli asked but you knew that you cannot reject his offer, you could tell from Al Haitham's aura that he only wanted YOU to be accompanying him . 

"Y-yes sir…" You softly replied and looked at the window while Al Haitham sat on his seat placing his shoulder bag on the floor. 

"Is Miss L/N scared of me? Am I too intimidating?" He placed his hand on his chin and looked at you. 

You didn't look back because you knew that your eyes would meet so you replied nonchalantly. 

"I am scared, so what?" You said in your defense.

"Well… that's a problem." Al Haitham said and thought of how his plans with you aren't going to go well if you were already scared of him.

(Why's this guy hitting up on Y/N?! He doesn't look like the person to be a womanizer or flirt with women every now and then?) Diluc stared at him when Al Haitham met his eyes and smirked. 

— 

"Well… this is the stairs where you saved me from my sprain…" You said. 

"Miss Y/N, I heard from Mr. Zhongli said earlier that there would be an annual holiday event at school coming really soon… I suppose I should ask you if you can come with me since I really don't have any friends." Al Haitham innocently asked you with you not fully being aware that he was taking his chances to take you out on a date. 

"Hmm… I suppose I'm also free on that day. In Fact, I don't have a partner or buddy… Childe goes with Lumine and Itto goes with Sara while Diluc would accompany Ayaka because Ayato has ordered him to protect his sister while he wasn't around." You asked yourself why didn't you get paired up with someone, maybe your classmates were afraid of you after all of the things that happened but it's very unlikely since you're friends with Albedo, Xiao, and Kazuha but it's not on the same level as you have with Diluc and the others. 

—

"I'd like to surprise Lady L/N on the annual celebration of the school, kindly prepare these things for me Thoma. It's a surprise gift for a surprise date." Ayato handed an A4 paper to Thoma, a paper that consisted of the gifts that he wanted to give you because it's the first time he'd be asking you out. 

— 

"Sure! I'll accompany you on the annual celebration of the school!" You smiled and agreed on Al Haitham's proposal. 

"Ah, thank you Miss L/N." He nodded and continued to follow you around the campus. 

…

…

…

"I should probably introduce you to my friends!" You said to Al Haitham but he held your hand.

"That is not necessary Miss L/N, you alone, is already enough for me." Al Haitham held your hand and looked directly into your eyes.

You feel your blood rushing to your cheeks, what else could he mean that you're already enough?

(Stupid Y/N, of course as a friend there's no way someone handsome than him would like you immediately…) 

“You look like a tomato, I could eat you up right now.” Al Haitham blushed as soon as he realized what he meant on the last line he said.

“And you look stupid!” You said in your defense.

The two of you shared a laugh when a certain person you knew took a picture of you and Al Haitham and sent it to Kamisato Ayato.

—

Kamisato Ayato is in the study room reading love stories where the female lead and male lead were separated in the beginning but was given the chance to rewrite their love story for the one last time when the male lead almost died in an unfortunate accident. He remembers the first time you entered his house for the painting project you did and how Shouta kept on shipping the two of you, he truly regrets that he did everything to stop Shouta. That is when his phone rang a notification from Itto in their group chat.

Itto: *Image attached (You and Al Haitham sharing a laugh together with Al Haitham blushing).*

Itto: Uh-oh, someone’s going to get pissed off here.

Childe: ITTO WHAT THE HELL?

Diluc: Where the hell are you, Itto? We have classes in 2 minutes.

Itto: Yeah but shouldn’t you ask Y/N the same thing?

Diluc: The only difference between the two of you is that she’s excused to accompany the new student and you aren’t.

Itto: Okay but what’s Ayato’s take on this?

Ayato: That person is quite familiar.

Ayato cleared his throat and irritatingly closed the book and examined the image Itto sent intensely.

Diluc: I kind of… thought the new student was hitting up on Y/N, apparently, I heard from our classmates-

Ayato: Who?

Diluc: Well… from Layla and Ganyu, This man and Y/N already met prior even before Mr. Morax introduced him to us.

Ayato: What’s the name of this person?

Childe: Al Haitham!

Ayato’s eyes widened, he remembered when he went through in the guest list book during the celebration he had 3 months ago, the name of that man was written there. 

(His family was one of our potential investors in the upcoming project for the city…) Ayato knew why Al Haitham was at the party. He wasn’t worried if he found out about the scandal Guuji Yae and Aether had done, he was worried that he was targeting you.

Ayato: Childe, Diluc, Itto, do me a favor and check the background of this Al Haitham. Meet me here in our residence after class.

Itto, Childe, Diluc: Ok, class is about to start now. We’ll get back to you after a few hours.

—

Guuji Yae’s family has plotted the death of Kamisato Ayato and Y/N L/N in the form of an accident.

When the heir and heiress had amnesia, Ayato was entangled with Guuji Yae and Y/N was entangled with Al Haitham.

Al Haitham was the only son and heir of his family. 

Ilia was a very beautiful woman where she caught the eyes and attention of the two most prestigious and handsome men of their highschool. It was no other than the father of Al Haitham and the father of Kamisato Ayato. Yet, Ilia had married off someone that she met in college, she didn't want to have an even higher profile let alone being acquainted with the two famous and most respected families in the city. 

Al Haitham has stayed in the L/N house for a year to accompany your loneliness. But no matter how hard he tried, there was no light in your eyes at all. The two of you hardly spoke to each other. You felt like an empty shell, to an extent that you don't remember Al Haitham at all.

But he didn't give up, he still tried to create a bond with you even if he always failed at each time. 

And before he left your residency, he made sure that one day, the two of you would cross paths again and when that happens, he would surely make you fall in love with him 

Al Haitham's background isn't suspicious at all but one thing is for sure, and Ayato knew that Y/N holds a very special place in his heart. And he knew damn well that he shouldn't let his guard down around this man.

— 

"So should we just beat up this guy?" It was suggested while slouching on the couch in the living room of the Kamisato residence. 

"Itto!" Ayaka slapped his hand. 

"I know texting isn't enough, we decided to pay you a visit here Ayato, just like you said earlier." Childe said, fidgeting his hands around the table while giving a sigh. 

"We haven't seen you in a while… how are you feeling after that incident?" Diluc said while his eyes wandered around the room, it looks like nothing has changed here compared to the days that everyone gathered here to visit you in the hospital. 

"I'm glad it happened, I'm no longer blind with the lies of that wench." Ayato annoyingly replied thinking how Miko was a nasty fox. 

"What about Y/N, where is she?" Ayato asked. 

"Why do you ask? Do you like her?" Diluc said nonchalantly.

"N-no I don't! I'm only curious about the new student— why is he around Y/N? He could have befriended someone that's b-better than her!" Ayato frantically said, he remembered that no one knew except Ayaka that he has grown a liking towards you for a while.

"Hmp." Diluc said. 

"Oh well, that's about Al Haitham, I can't dig deeper information about his family. We only got surface knowledge. We need to do and prepare something more than this to find out more about him." 

—

"Have we met before?" You asked Al Haitham while swinging your feet on the bench admiring the sunset in the park. 

"No… we haven't." Al Haitham lied, maybe it's best if he doesn't reveal that he knew you.

He looked at you and you looked at him. His eyes were very beautiful. He cupped your cheeks and spared no time to just stare at you, the sky was beautiful but you were more beautiful than any sunset.

"Y/N, I am quite infatuated with you. I know we just met today, I understand if it's too much. But something tells me—" Al Haitham said but you cut him off. 

"Yes, you are infatuated with me. I do think you're taking things way too far than they should." You don't know what you were saying but your heart has been telling you that there's already someone who got your heart. You don't know just yet that you were, in fact, in denial about it. 

"It's getting too late, shall I give you a ride back home?" Al Haitham said averting the topic. 

"Yes, thank you for understanding." You said and stood up. 

…

…

…

"Holy shit is that Y/N?!" Childe placed his face on the window seeing you with Al Haitham, it looked like he was about to give you a drive home.

"Oh it's just Al Haitham giving her a ride home." Ayaka said, analyzing what she was seeing. 

"Let's follow them." Diluc suggested and smirked, he knew fully well that Ayato wouldn't let anyone get near you and he suggested that they should follow him to see where Al Haitham would be taking you. 

"Brother, if you don't want Y/N to go to a stranger's car, why not stop the car in front of her and you give her the ride home?" Ayaka added. 

"With all of you here?— I mean, I don't wanna see her yet." Ayato coughed and continued to drive, Ayaka just shook her head. 

She thought how Ayato was very obvious with his likings towards you but is 101% in denial about it. 

Ayato was completely dazed about your smile, it was frustrating how he wasn't the reason for that smile. He wondered what Al Haitham said to you that made you smile. 

…

…

…

"We're being followed." Al Haitham said and you looked at the side mirror. 

"Isn't that… Childe's car?" You become familiar with everyone's car, it's quite often how everyone always brings there's at school to the point that you think that you don't need to bring yours. 

Al Haitham quickly deduced that Ayato might have ordered Childe to search for you. Well, he doesn't have any ill intent towards you and brought you home. It would be funny if those following you successfully wasted their time.

"Very annoying." Ayato coldly said while watching Al Haitham assist you in your house. Everyone inside the car tried their hardest to hold their laugh. 

When Al Haitham left, you looked back at the driver's seat, even if you can't see clearly who was driving. Ayato knew that you two shared a glance. 

"Dinner is on me?" Childe said. 

"Finally, you said something good, Childe." Diluc jokingly replied.

—

The night went faster and Ayato found himself staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He hates Al Haitham being close to you, in fact he can't sleep thinking about it. 

When his thoughts averted back to you, he decided to stalk your social media accounts and came across a certain picture that you took last summer. 

It was you wearing a swimsuit, this was the first time Ayato was stunned by your body. 

His blood rushed not towards his cheeks but somewhere else near his abdomen, he can't take off his eyes on your chest. 

Ayato knew it was wrong but would it hurt if he decided to give himself some pleasure after all of the pain and stress that he has been through? His manhood was bulging really hard and it felt like it was asking him to release him from the knot. 

After all, he is alone in his bedroom and no one would know about it. He held his manhood and continued what he was supposed to do. 

In the end… Kamisato Ayato realized that he was in love with you and he wouldn't let Al Haitham take you from him. 

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group F Round 1: #F8 vs #F1

#F8: Young boy gets sold to a demon to be his grandson

Iruma Suzuki is sold to a Demon by his abusive parents. Fearing for his life, he is greatly surprised to learn that the demon bought him because he desperately wants a grandson. Iruma agrees, as he is unable to say no when anyone asks him nicely for something. He thus begins a new life in Babylus. However, he needs to hide the fact he is human, or he may be eaten by other demons. Throughout the series, we see him grow as a person and embrace this new life, making many friends along the way, including his closest friends, Asmodeus and Clara.

#F1: High school girls go to Antarctica

16-year-old Tamaki “Kimari” Mari wants to make the most of her adolescence when she encounters Kobuchizawa Shirase, a schoolmate who has saved up one million yen in an effort to travel to Antarctica after her mother went missing on an expedition there three years ago. The two team up with Miyake Hinata, a convenience store employee their age who’s looking for an adventure, and Shiraishi Yuzuki, a teen star who’s never had friends due to her career. Together, they travel to “a place further than the universe” as part of a civilian expedition to Antarctica.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#F8: Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun (Marimashita! Iruma-kun)

Propaganda 1:

The main character, Iruma, is very kind and wholesome, and you really just want to see him succeed throughout the series, especially after knowing everything he’s been through. He was neglected and used by his parents, but now he gets to live out a nice life despite being surrounded by demons, as his new grandfather spoils him. The demon that adopted him, Sullivan, is an extremely powerful figure in the demon realm, but through most of the series, he looks like an egg. The side characters are also well-designed with interesting personalities. The main two, Asmodeus and Clara, become almost inseparable from Iruma after they become friends, and the three of them are very cute together. There is also a canon nonbinary cat person, who is technically Sullivan’s servant, but he is treated as part of the family, and he’s a disaster bisexual.

Propaganda 2:

It’s really good in terms of art, plot, and characters. There’s nonbinary representation in the form of Opera, and there’s friendship galore with very poly undertones. It’s so sweet and good, and it’s just rahhhhh. Everyone is silly but also realistic and well-developed. There are reasonable arcs, and there’s a well mix of plot-driven growth and character-driven plots. I love every person who appears onscreen, even for like two seconds. The world building is lovely and so bright and colorful.

Propaganda 3:

You should vote for it because it is genuinely one of the best animes I’ve ever seen. It has good character development, mysteries, focuses on the cast well, and it is not a harem anime. The plot is also really good and is suitable for all age groups.

Fun fact: the main character crossdresses three times in the first three seasons

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse (mild)

#F1: A Place Further than the Universe (Sora yori mo Tooi Basho)

Propaganda:

Let’s start with the fact that this is Madhouse doing a (relatively) grounded coming of age story about high school girls - the show looks gorgeous, of course. The music’s solid as well. (I still regularly listen to the ending.) But what really shines is the writing and characterization.

The pacing on this is perfect. For a show that spends half its runtime getting to Antarctica, you never feel like the time should be allotted differently or that you’re missing out on hijinks. Episode 12 is a particular standout, with tension building up until it explodes, and then goes still for the true emotional climax of the show. The four main girls all feel like believable teens, and seeing their relationship develop over the course of the series and watching them come into their own is well-done. The way it handles Shirase and her emotions, and how this complicates her relationships with them all is a particular standout. This may not be eligible in that it’s one of those anime people who watch A LOT of anime will recommend highly—it was on Crunchyroll and IGN’s best anime of the 2010s lists and on several “best of” lists for 2018. But it never quite took off the way it truly deserves, so I’m submitting it. It’s getting an English dub soon, though, and I really hope that gives it a resurgence of popularity. The girls are alright.

(Admin: Propaganda has been edited slightly to remove spoilers)

Trigger Warnings: None

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

[socialjusticeinamerica]

After last April’s vacation in DC where there was a major shooting a few streets from us I decided Togo someplace simpler. Well on our second day of this year’s April vacation in small town Lancaster, PA (Amish Country)…

Three wounded and one dead. I’ve seen more people shot in public places than I did during my tenure with Uncle Sam.

I don’t know where to go anymore. I don’t even know anyone any longer who hasn’t been at or near a public shooting.

At my prior urban home a few years ago I once had someone shot in my driveway while I was watching tv with the family. I’m in Massachusetts which is one of the safest states which mercifully has an assault weapons ban.

After a lifetime in depressed old mill cities I moved to a smallish town. It was quiet until Trump entered the scene now all the redneck neighbors are blasting away in their yards with guns everyday, because you know they “have rights.”

Everyday when I take the dog out to play I wonder if I’m going to get hit with a ricochet from an AR-15 that’s banned. Their bullets can travel over a mile. The lots are barely big enough to use pellet guns or arrows let alone AR-15’s. There’s trees between the houses and state forest behind on both sides of the streets but geez.

You can’t call the cops because half of them are cops/state troopers/deputy sheriffs/environmental police/local politicians/animal control officers/game wardens etc. The other half are likely to shoot you if they even suspect you turned them in or if you dare go over and tell them to cut the shit. I had lived in thus town in a past life and it was always quiet outside of normal hunting season. Most towns in MA have no discharge ordinances but since Trump came onto the scene it’s a redneck free for all.

It’s a good thing I don’t have PTSD that’s triggered by gunfire. Funny thing, not a single one of these “Swamp Yankees” (New England rednecks) ever served in the military. Yet like every where else they’re looking for a fight.

[tunemyart]

a/o folks, please enjoy another addition to my continuing vaguely-crackish 10-year follow up to The Wide Orbit, working title "three seasons* of elliot wondering where olivia's terrible husband is"

*it's actually going to be like a season and a half but it's a bit now

---

When the door opens, he almost does a double take. “Alex Cabot,” he says, dumbly. Because it is Alex Cabot, older like the rest of them and looking completely unsurprised to see him.

“Elliot Stabler,” she returns, every bit as cocky as she’d been twenty years ago.

He bumbles his way through an I wasn’t expecting to see you, because what’s it been, Jesus, thirteen years? He can’t even remember the last time he thought about her. He assumed he’d never see her again. All the times he’d thought about Liv back in the States, it had somehow never even crossed his mind that she was back in touch with Alex Cabot, who he’d figured was still in Africa, or some even more remote place, trying to scratch whatever itch under her skin she never could seem to get to. But here she is, waiting a little less patiently for him to get his shit together.

“Sorry, that came out wrong,” he says. “How the hell have you been?”

She ducks her head and smiles, crossing her arms and leaning her hip against the doorjamb as she lets the door close most of the way behind her – that’s right, Liv’s kid is probably sleeping somewhere behind it. It’s an oddly familiar move, and when he places it he knows why – it’s Olivia he’s seen do it a million times.

“I’ve been good,” Alex says softly. “I came home from the DRC a while ago, quit prosecution. I’m doing pro bono work now in private practice.”

It’s great, it is, but all Elliot can think about is this jerkwad husband of Liv’s who apparently can’t even be bothered to be at home at 11pm with his kid while Liv’s on duty somewhere and has stuck Alex Cabot of all people on babysitting duty.

“Wow. That’s a change,” he says. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you. Liv’s stuck on a case,” Alex fills in for him when she starts to read his impatience in his body language. Her eyes on him are steady and unoffended. “She’ll probably be at the precinct until late if you need to see her tonight.”

And Alex knows this because... she doesn’t expect that Olivia’s husband will be home before Olivia? Elliot tries to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’s travelling. Maybe he’s got work, too. Maybe he’s in the hospital. Maybe it’s just bad timing. God knows he’d stuck Kathy with the assumption that she’d have to be the on-call parent often enough.

“You know, I think I’ll just try to catch her tomorrow,” he says with a smile to mask anything else she might get off him; and then, because it’s true, he hesitates for a minute and says, “Hey, it was really great seeing you. If you’re free, do you want to catch up sometime?”

“I’d like that,” Alex says, but her voice is guarding something. Probably her loyalty to Olivia, if they’re really close enough again these days that she’s somebody Liv calls at night to watch her kid.

“No pressure,” Elliot says in case it’s needed. “I bet we’ll be seeing each other around, anyway.”

Alex laughs at that. “Yeah,” she agrees in a tone he can’t completely read. “I’m sure we will.”

“Okay. Take care.” Elliot hesitates, but is completely honest in saying, “I’m glad you and Olivia are back in touch.”

It’s because he’s known her for so long that he’s able to spot the pause before she says smoothly, “Me, too.” Her face is completely impassive when Elliot searches it curiously. She uncrosses her arms to reach behind her and push the door open again, and there they are – double rings on her left hand, too.

Has everybody gotten married while he was gone? Ten years, he guesses; why not? But the gap between him and his past – and more to the point, between him and Olivia – feels wider and more uncrossable than ever with Alex Cabot the sudden, strange face of it here guarding her doorway.

He can’t tell if Alex has noticed him noticing when he looks back up at her. “Good night, Elliot,” is all she says.

And Elliot, who can sometimes take a hint, says, “Good night,” and leaves.

[ladycatofwinterfell]

Started season 2 of iwtv and honestly love this show. I will die on the hill that Jacob Anderson is the best Louis de Pointe du Lac. These showrunners actually care about the material and it shows.

Jacob Anderson as Louis DPDL is perhaps one of the best castings I’ve ever seen and I’m not even exaggerating (you can fight me on that), watching the show is worth it just for him. He works very well together with all his scene partners, too (especially Sam Reid, DEAR FUCK did the casting directors strike gold with those two), which just furthers how good he is as Louis. I didn’t like Brad Pitt as Louis when I watched the movie years ago and now when I’ve read the book and watched the show I’m only more convinced he wasn’t right for the role

I had only read the half of the first book that season 1 covered when I started watching and so a lot was lost on me then, but having now read more of the books it’s really obvious how much care is taken in adapting characters and plots from the books while also spinning in new directions to keep it fresh and exciting. I can’t claim to love most of what I’ve read, the first three books were good and the rest were meh at best, but even so I admire how dedicated they are to them. It’s wonderful seeing a project that has had so much love and care put into it! If only every adaptation of a book series had this dedicated showrunners and writers :))))))))

[hollowwrites]

The Captain and Her Keeper

Imelda x Sebastian

Summary - Is this just me justifying the ship? Yes. Has it made me fall in love with Sebastian? Yes. Do I know anything about Quidditch? No.

(Please replace Imelda with MC or Y/N)

Warnings - None, Just cute fluffy Seb and Hard ass Imelda

Word Count - 1545

~

They’d won!!

First quidditch match back and they’d won.

It had been close, Gryffindor gave as good as they got, but with the deadly combo of Imelda as Captain and Chaser, Sebastian as Keeper and Evelyn as beater, there was no stopping them. A little more training and they’d be ready for the official Hogwarts Championship.

Since Evelyn had become a permanent fixture in Ominis and Sebastians’ life, so had Imelda. Not only were they dorm mates and best friends, they were an unstoppable force to be reckoned with, both on and off the pitch.

Off the pitch, Imelda’s snark and wit was second only to Evelyns’ temper…but if people were being honest, there wasn’t much between the two. They were both intimidating women who stomped around the castle unbothered and unashamed.

On the pitch, they were perfectly in sync. The whole team was, due to Imelda’s rigorous training regime, but Eve and Imelda were something else. Whether it was her tumultuous fifth year or something else but Evelyn had a knack for deflecting things hurtling towards her face.

Though Sebastian was less than pleased Imelda had give his beater position to Evelyn.

“Oh stop being such a baby, so I gave your position away, you can still play.” Imelda huffed folding her arms across her chest.

“You said I was the best beater you’ve seen…that was three years ago. Imagine me now!” He said equally annoyed to be having this conversation. He enjoyed being a Beater. And as much as he loved Evelyn, he owed his life to her if he was being honest, she had no idea what she was doing on the pitch.

“Yes…but I’ve lost our Keeper. William said he’s not doing it anymore because ‘I call him names’. Pfft”

“You called him Whining Willy for four years…” Sebastian snickered, trying his hardest not to laugh and invalidating his own argument.

“HE WOULDN’T STOP WHINING!” Imelda screeched before taking a deep breath through her nose “Beside the point, I need a Keeper and you’re the only one I trust”

Sebastian blinked

“Sorry could you repeat that?” He leaned down to her level, cupping his ear and turning it towards her. She sighed.

“You’re the only one I trust” she droned not happy to be paying the cocky Slytherin a compliment. He chuckled, standing back up straight.

“No no no, you said ‘I need a Keeper’ and ‘I’m the only one you trust’ meaning…you need me” Sebastian grinned widely causing Imelda’s eyes to roll so hard she briefly saw the back of her skull.

“I’ll ask Ominis…” Imelda said turning on her heel and walking away.

“Alright alright, I’ll do it…” he took one stride forward and caught her elbow, gently tugging her back to him. “…on one condition.” Sebastian smirked.

“Name it…”

“You have to say: you need me” he grinned like the Kneazle that got the cream. She ground her teeth together, looking up at him with disdain…but she had no choice.

“I need you”

And in Sebastian’s defence, she did.

He had been golden during training, needing little to no guidance and appearing at every training session. Most of the time, she arrived early to set up and found him sat lazily on one of the benches, either asleep or head buried in a book of some sort. She insisted she didn’t need help setting up time trials or dummy matches but…he did anyway.

And what irritated her more was…it wasn’t annoying.

He did everything right.

Said everything right.

They got to know each other quite well over the Quidditch season, realising they had quite a bit in common.

They were both Scottish. No surprise to Sebastian but Imelda had not realised he grew up not too far away, his accent coming from growing up with English parents. But he still had a love of all things Scottish. They often argued over who should get the larger half of the haggis at Dinner, with Sebastian usually relenting with a sly smile.

Sebastian seemed to be the only person who didn’t mind her harsh and abrasive behaviour. Perhaps it was the constant berating from Ominis and his Uncle that gave him a thick skin. Or maybe it was the tiniest wrinkle in her brow and tug of a smile on her lip that kept him from taking her too seriously.

They were both no nonsense, get the job done people. Sebastian…slightly more so, but the less she knew about his fifth year of Hogwarts, the better.

Maybe I should tell her…Mmmm…bad idea

Instead, he followed her, after one of their matches, jogging to keep up with her long strides.

“Reyes, wait up” he called after her. His rosy cheeks kept Imelda from walking away, her eyes drifting down to the jersey clinging to his chest, before going back up to his hair stuck up in every direction. Quidditch really did suit him.

“You did well today, Sallow” she smirked, blowing her hair from her eyes

“Oh thanks. You really know how to make a man blush” he grinned playfully as she rolled her eyes.

He stared at her for a little while, wondering how he’d never noticed how pretty she was. Maybe it took a lot to see past the hard mask she wore, but her smile was surprisingly warm considering it was coming from Imelda. And her eyes…they were so dark, like little pools of obsidian reflecting everything back at him.

“Go on a date with me” he said confidently…though it had slipped out. He meant it. But he meant it in a more roguish and debonair way than the dreamy far away tone he had accidentally fell into.

“Yeah right” she snorted, turning to walk back to the castle

“Hold on…” he stepped in her way with a impish grin “What does that mean?”

“Absolutely not”

“Yes I’ve got that. But why not?” He leaned down to her, an eyebrow raised and a sharp look in his eye. The smirk on his face was permanent at this point. She was sure of it.

“Because I don’t do dates. I’m far too busy…and I don’t do small talk and pretty little dresses”

“Who said anything about any of those things?”

She was silent for a while. It’s true. She had put all of those words in his mouth…and it left her rather embarrassed. Her cheeks tinged pink and Sebastian eyed the subtly change with a smug grin.

But she was stubborn…

…and had backed herself into a corner now and had to stick to her word.

“Remember you owe me for being Keeper” his voice took on a melodic quality as he looked down at her

“No…” she muttered barging past him, her shoulder knocking against his arm as she desperately tried to cover the heat she could feel in her cheeks.

It’s embarrassment. Nothing. Else.

“So I have a chance!” Sebastian called to her, his amusement evident.

“Never!”

“I like those odds”

~

So when they had won and she landed delicately on the grassy pitch, Sebastian was the first to her side.

Before she’d even pocketed her broom his arms were wrapped around her waist and she was hurled a couple feet in the air. His face nuzzled into her stomach as he squeezed her within an inch of her life.

“Woah!” Imelda yelped, her fingers digging into his shoulders to stabilise herself.

The rest of the team were not far behind Sebastian, cheering and hollering as they huddled and jumped around in celebration.

“You did it, Mel!” Sebastian called, bouncing her around a little in his arms. He set her down, his hands remaining firmly on her waist.

“I mean…you were pretty good out there too” She replied, her signature half compliments in full force.

“Obviously…no one gets past me” he winked, sending a slight shiver down her spine.

Must be the wind, it is quite chilly

“They got past you a few times” she teased

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” he said with mock seriousness.

The crowd was getting a little too rowdy, with the stands now filtering into the pitch and joining in with the festivities.

Despite being a formidable and…scary individual, Imelda was tiny.

She was being bounced around, pushed against other team members and Sebastian could tell from the set of her jaw that she was losing her temper. His arm tightened around her, bringing her closer to his body as he pushed against a particularly aggressive group of lads. When one turned around to see who had pushed him, his face paled.

Sebastian’s face was like thunder, staring back at his teammate.

“Knock it off!” Sebastian growled

“Yeah sorry…sorry” and he shuffled off into the crowd pulling his friends with him.

Imelda looked down at the arm completely circling her waist, his fingers digging into her hip on the opposite side, and then back up to Sebastian’s face. It had immediately softened upon looking down at her, a gently smile gracing his lips.

“…thanks” she murmured becoming enthralled by his eyes. They slowly moved over her features, between her eyes, past her shoulder, monitoring her surroundings, back to her eyes then…lower.

“Go out with me, Mel…” he whispered, huskily, barely even audible across the chanting crowd.

“Yeah…yeah okay”

Masterlist

[ladylooch]

Soft Thoughts Sunday - Kevin & Sam

Third!! Kevin/Sam- Their first time at the beach after the trade! Just cutesy lovey dovey day in the sand ☀️🌊👙⛱️

A/N: I am challenging myself to keep this soft and not turn it smutty…. We will see. Edit- after three lines of writing: I didn’t stand a chance.

My book is good. Amazing really. I have been transported to war torn France almost 78 years ago. Until Kevin Fiala started walking out of the Pacific Ocean in 2022.

The second he turned back to the beach to rejoin me on the towel, no book was going to be able to hold my attention.

Large rivers of water flatten the hair on his legs and arms as he walks towards me. He flips his hair back, shaking out salty droplets with his hand as he squints against the California sun. I’m blatantly staring. He catches me, throwing a wink before he looks up and down the beach for traffic to cross. I let my eyes linger on his left hand, thrilled to see the black definition of his silicone wedding band. When his eyes meet mine again, he grins wide, snickering at his final approach.

“I need to send Andreas a gift.” I murmur. “He thickened you up this off-season.” Kevin is as muscular as he has ever been in preparation for his new team. I haven't been able to take my eyes off of him since mid- July.

“He loves those fruit arrangements.” Kevin says as he comes next to me. His large palm slaps my ass, then grips it tight. My butt gets wet from his hand. “I’m hungry. What do you want for lunch?” 

“What is around here?” I ask. He sits next to me on his towel, looking back towards the boardwalk. He puts his sunglasses back on to see better. 

“Ah… I can see pizza, tacos, and sandwiches from here.” 

“Pizza?”

“Pineapple it is.” He reaches for his phone, rolling to his stomach next to me. I don’t react and he nudges my shoulder for a response.

“You know better.”

Kevin and I settle on pepperoni and chicken alfredo pizzas to share. He submits the order, planning on walking up there in a half hour to grab it. Then he works his way under my arm, snuggling into my side. I move my book to avoid his wet head making an imprint in it. 

“Love me?” He murmurs, giraffing up to kiss my lips. I till my sunglasses down.

“You’re needy today.” 

“Yeah. I’m nervous about tomorrow.”

Tomorrow is the first time he will interact with the media, his teammates, and other Kings staff members. He is feeling anxious about all the unknown. Where to park.. where to grab his gear from… interviews with new media members he doesn’t know. It all feels overwhelming. Somehow, he blacked out on how hard that was when he was first traded to Minnesota.

“They’re so excited you’re here.” I remind him. There has been a buzz around our arrival with flowers and groceries and a whole list of restaurant recommendations to get us acclimated. The Kings have been wonderful to us. We couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome to California.

“What if I don’t live up to the hype?” I snort, then roll my eyes. I let my book fall shut, stroking a wet chunk of hair off his forehead. 

“You’re ready for this. I’ve never seen you so engaged and focused before. There is no way this isn’t going to work out for you... or us." Kevin’s fingers trail along my side, tickling me slightly. I jolt. He chuckles then quietly apologizes.

“I’m gonna take a nap. Wake me in like fifteen?” 

“Okay.” I lean down to kiss his face, then crack my book open again. Kevin tosses his shirt over his face to block out the sunlight. His hand rests on my lower back, slightly below the waistband of my biking while he snoozes. I feel his phone buzz against my arm, seeing the text that our pizza is ready. I take the shirt off his face, then lean forward to kiss his nose. “Food is ready.” He groans. 

“You go.”

“Okay.” I shrug, reaching for my cover up.

“I’m kidding. You’re too pretty to work.” 

“I have skills.” I mutter.

“Mmmm, yeah. You’ll be using them later.” 

“Stop.”

“No!” He jokes then begins his walk towards our pizza. 

Our time at the beach extends a few more hours beyond lunch. I finish my book. Kevin ushers me into the water and we watch the sunset buried deeply into each other’s arms. The last flickers of orange are disappearing over the ocean when we begin to pack up.

We get back to the extended stay hotel we are living in while looking for a permanent place in Manhattan Beach. My mood instantly sours as the hotel door clicks shut behind us. The beachy distraction from our reality wasn’t enough. I can’t help it. I miss our bright, spacious apartment in the Minneapolis skyline. Kevin senses my shift.

“It’s temporary.” He murmurs, kissing my sunburnt shoulder. “Oo, we should get some lotion on you.” I put my bag down on the bed as Kevin strolls to the bathroom. “Gonna let my hands wander too.” Our eyes meet and we share a laugh. 

Yeah this is all really new, but at least we have each other.

[whirligig-girl]

Isabel Guz! In the 22nd-And-A-Half Century!

Image ID: Digital drawing of a Eaurp Guz and Hoshi Sato in the NX-01 starship Enterprise mess hall. Guz is a green slimegirl, Hoshi Sato is a japanese human woman. They are both wearing navy-blue united earth starfleet jumpsuits. Hoshi's uniform has blue lining and Guz's uniform has red lining. They both have ensign's pips. Guz looks a little flustered and melty, while Hoshi just looks happy. Guz is eating soup. Hoshi has a sandwich and some beans. There is a purple and blue nebula visible out the window.  End ID.

pre-ent-season-1 Introduction to Isabel Guz under the cut:

Ensign Guz was in the 602 club, enjoying a fruity beverage and talking to Ensign Reed about Titan V missiles. Guz was in uniform--her navy-blue jumpsuit with red stripes, but Reed was wearing a polo shirt and shorts. Reed spotted his crewmates from across the room and waived them over to the booth.

"Uh, Isabel, this is, ahem, Lieutenant Tucker and Commander Archer, from Project Enterprise."

"Please, call me Trip."

Guz's eyes went wide. "Wow! Howdy, I'm, uh, Ensign Isabel Guz, nice to meetchy'all."

Trip cocked his head to the side. "Ensign, where you from?"

"No clue sir, but I was raised in Greensboro."

"Ah, one of them reclaimation project towns?" Trip said.

Guz nodded. "There weren't much uh the city left after the 2nd civil war, but that meant it wasn't one of the targets during world war three."

Commander Archer chuckled to himself, then cleared his throat. "I think you and Trip have a lot in common. He was raised in Panama City."

"A real life Florida man...," Guz marvelled.

"In the flesh," Trip said.

"Have you ever made it out to Cape Canaveral? I know it's mostly a crater reclaimed by swamp at this point but I've heard the historical society opened the ruins of the VAB to visitors! I've always wanted to go, but I never found the time, and--"

"Calm down Ensign. I've done better than that. I've seen the preserved Saturn Five booster in Huntsville, Alabama."

"No... way..." Guz said.

"Forgive me for prying but, what's with the, uhh..." Archer said, gesturing vaguely at Guz's whole deal.

“The slime? The Vulcan scientists said I came to them as a cylinder of biomimetic compound salvaged from a Zaldan Empire ship. They didn't get any records, so I dunno what planet I'm from. Ain't like it matters; as far as I'm concerned, I'm from North Carolina."

"Zaldans?" Archer said

"They're at a similar level of development to Earth, but with much wider infrastructure. That's all the Vulcans told me about them.”

“So are you like, some kinda shapeshifter?” Trip said.

“If you want to learn all about me, feel free to read the Vulcan paper, Development and Maturation of a Biomimetic Mold Organism. If you can read Vulcan, that is. You’ll learn all about my shapeshifting abilities, or lackthereof; my fluidity, material structure, sentience profile… pain response.”

The table went silent. Guz looked down awkwardly, more upset that she’d made things awkward than about what the Vulcans did to her all those years ago.

“Hey, ma’am, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to--”

Guz feigned cheering up. “It’s ok. We all know how Vulcans can be!”

The waitress came up to the table. “The usuals, gentlemen?”

“Thanks, Ruby,” Archer said.

“How ‘bout Isabel?” Trip said.

“You’ve already guessed that one,” Ruby said.

“Damn,” Trip said, snapping his fingers.

“Wh-what was that about?” Guz said.

“Ruby said she’ll marry the first guy who guesses what she wants to name her kids.”

Guz muttered under her breath, “or maybe the first slimegirl…”

Archer furrowed his brow and pursed his lips, a little surprised.

Ruby came back with some drinks, and Archer continued in his small talk. “So, Ensign, where are you assigned?”

“I’m on Captain Jeffries’ engineering team.”

“Oh, damn, is he overworking you?” Trip said.

“I can handle the workload,” Guz said. “But I’m hoping to actually get… you know, out there some day. I’m hoping to get on one of those Freedoms, or maybe an Intrepid--”