#sebastian and barry are twins

[daisyishedwig]

A Little more than six sentences today, but not as many as normal. Here's a little more from the Mrs. Winterbourne AU with some of the little bit of Barry we get at the start of the fic. Note: he is named after Barry Allen, but he is not Barry Allen. Sebastian simply needed a twin with a name as snooty as his, and Bartholomew fit the bill.

“I found us another child,” Barry said, leaning over to give the other man a kiss.  “Already?” he asked against his mouth. “We only just got the first one.” “What can I say, he came with a cute school boy in tow.” Blaine tugged anxiously at the bottom of his sweatervest. The man rolled his eyes and turned to Blaine. “I’m Devon,” he said, holding out a hand. Blaine quickly shifted the car seat to his other arm to take it.  “Blaine,” he said, “and I can assure you I’m not a school boy. I can legally drink and everything.” “Oh good, then my husband’s not making a cradle robber of himself by hitting on you,” he hip checked Barry before leaning over the car seat to coo at Cookie. Barry shook his head fondly. “I think we got gipped, Dev,” Barry complained, “his came with hair.”

I'll tag @bitbybitwrites, @annepi-blog, @kurtsascot, @calsvoid, @lusthurts

@cryscendo, @wowbright, @fallevs, @sperrywink

and then @esilher, and @porcelainvino if you want to share some art?

[supercap2319]

“You want me to do what?” Y/N asked as he looked at Barry. The Speedster was blushing as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I want you to pretend to be my fake boyfriend for the weekend. My parents invited me to dinner and my twin brother, Sebastian is bring home his fiancé, Blaine Anderson and I don’t want to be a single guy when I go.”

“So, you want to prove to your family you’re not single and lonely?”

“Well, when you say it like that, you make me sound desperate or something.”

“I’ll do it.” Y/N stated.

Barry looks shocked. “You will? Why?”

“Because I want too.” Y/N smirked.

[weclassybouquetfun]

Awards season is coming? No awards season is now. And a bit earlier than it has been in the past.

Netflix led the pack having their first screening October 8th for Ana de Armas' BLONDE. While I missed out on that I have a availed myself to two Netflix screenings so far: the servicable THE GOOD NURSE starring ruddy faced twins Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne

and Henry Selick's long awaited return film WENDELL & WILD cowritten with Jordan Peele.

In the next few weeks I have Netflix's other offerings: Alejandro G. Iñárritu's BARDO: FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS, Sebastián Lelio's THE WONDER starring Florence Pugh, Guillermo del Toro's GUILLERMO DEL TORO's PINOCCHIO which promises to be a darker take than the recent Disney's PINOCCHIO. Del Toro's PINOCCHIO features the voicework of Gregory Mann as our little wooden boy liar, David Bradley - that evil Walder Frey from GAME OF THRONES as Geppetto and Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket , and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre's take on LADY CHATTERLY'S LOVER starring Emma Corrin and Jack O'Connell.

While Amazon has had their slate available as long as Netflix has,

they only just begun holding screenings. While the Ron Howard film THIRTEEN LIVES was open first, its screenings aren't until December. They had a screening of Lena Dunham's CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY with Dunham on hand for a Q&A but I had already watched the film. Now the screenings are rolling out in earnest but for November and December. The first L.A screening for the Harry Styles, Emma Corrin starrer MY POLICEMAN won't be until November 8th, with the subsequent ones in December.

Disney has begun screenings but in a myriad of ways. For their Searchlight (formerly Fox Searchlight) offerings

they have in-person screenings for THE MENU (starring Anya Taylor Joy, Nicholas Hoult and Ralph Fiennes), GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE starring Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack (which aired on the Disney majority owned HULU), Martin McDonagh's gloriously funny and beautifully bleak THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and new father Barry Keoghan and Sam Mendes' triumphant EMPIRE OF LIGHT starring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Toby Jones and Colin Firth.. Such a lovely ode to cinema and connectedness against the backdrop of the early 80s with Thatcherism and racism in Britian.

The only 20th Century (formerly 20th Century Fox) film they are pushing is David O'Russell's uneven AMSTERDAM starring a wasted cast led by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington. They don't have screening options for it yet, but they are pushing the original song "Time" co-written by Drake and performed by Giveon. It's a very lovely song and fits the film.

For their Marvel, Pixar, LucasFilm and Disney offerings voters have the option to screen their selected slate on Disney+ or view it in their exclusive screening room. They have WAKANDA FOREVER advertised, but as of yet no viewing method assigned to it.

Sony has just posted their slate

and so far the only L.A screening is THE WOMAN KING to be held this week with a Q&A with director Gina Prince-Bythwood, star and executive-producer Viola Davis, her producer Julius Tennon, editor Terilyn Shropshire, Cinematographer Polly Morgan and Composer Terence Blanchard.

United Artists (UA) has also just posted their slate

and curiously - at least for now - they have limited the organizations to just the AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences), the DGA (Directors Guild), the PGA (the Producers Guild) and the BAFTAS - no WGA, yet.

*Luca's work will be celebrated by American Cinemateheque. Among his works being shown is BONES AND ALL with a sold out screening on November 6th.

no SAG-AFTRA, no Film Independent (who holds the Spirit Awards). Maybe as the months roll on they will open it up, but this isn't too unusual. Last year their major arm MGM was very selective with who they opened LICORICE PIZZA to. That one was generally geared towards the technical fields like cinematographers, directors and editors.

And to show just how alive awards season is The Gotham Awards nominations have been announced.

Best Feature Aftersun: (director)Charlotte Wells The Cathedral (director) Ricky D’Ambrose Dos Estaciones (director) Juan Pablo González Everything Everywhere All At Once (directors) The Daniels (Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert) Tár (director) Todd Field

Best Screenplay After Yang Armageddon Time Catherine Called Birdy Tár Women Talking

Outstanding Lead Performance Cate Blanchett-Tár Danielle Deadwyler - Till Dale Dickey - A Love Song Colin Farrell -After Yang Brendan Fraser - The Whale Paul Mescal - Aftersun Thandiwe Newton - God’s Country Aubrey Plaza - Emily the Criminal Taylor Russell -Bones and All Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All At Once

*Cate Blanchett and Danielle Deadwyler are my frontrunners. Two very different performances but they were both outstanding. I would have nominated Colin Farrell for THE BANSHESS OF INISHERIN because he takes such big swings in that film. AFTER YANG is a more quieter performance.

Outstanding Supporting Performance Jessie Buckley - Women Talking Raúl Castillo - The Inspection Hong Chau -The Whale Brian Tyree Henry - Causeway Nina Hoss - Tár Noémie Merlant - Tár Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All At Once Mark Rylance - Bones and All Gabrielle Union- The Inspection Ben Whishaw - Women Talking

Other Categories

Breakthrough Performer Anna Cobb - We’re All Going to the World’s Fair Frankie Corio - Aftersun Anna Diop - Nanny Gracija Filipovic - Murina Kalie Reis - Catch the Fair One

Breakthrough Series – Short Format (under 40 minutes) Abbott Elementary As We See It Mo Rap Sh!t Somebody Somewhere

Breakthrough Series – Long Format (over 40 minutes) Pachinko Severance Station Eleven This is Going to Hurt (So fantastic. Extraordinary but the question is it better than SEVERANCE or PACHINKO and I honestly can't judge it. They are all so great). Yellowjackets

Outstanding Performance in a New Series Bilal Baig - Sort Of Ayo Edebiri - The Bear Janelle James - Abbott Elementary Minha Kim -Pachinko Matilda Lawler - Station Eleven Britt Lower - Severance Melanie Lynskey - Yellowjackets Zahn McClarnon - Dark Winds Sue Ann Pien - As We See It Ben Whishaw - This is Going to Hurt

Breakthrough Nonfiction Series The Andy Warhol Diaries The Last Movie Stars Mind over Murder The Rehearsal We Need To Talk About Cosby

Best Documentary Feature All That Breathes (director): Shaunak Sen All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (director) Laura Poitras I Didn’t See You There (director) Reid Davenport The Territory: (director) Alex Pritz What We Leave Behind (director) Iliana Sosa

Best International Feature Athena: (director) Romain Gavras The Banshees of Inisherin (director) Martin McDonagh Corsage (director)Decision to Leave: (director)Park Chan-wook, Happening (director) Audrey Diwan Saint Omer (director) Alice Diop

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Charlotte Wells for Aftersun Owen Kline for Funny Pages Elegance Bratton for The Inspection Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic for Murina Beth de Araújo for Soft & Quiet Jane Schoenbrun for We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

[calyxthenerd]

there goes my heart beating, cause you are the reason I’m losing my sleep

Diana’s pov

Diana was so happy her parents had let her stay at Aunt Josephine’s for the holidays instead of going with them to England, Minnie May was particularly unsufferable about it, but ultimately realized there was nothing she could do, so there she was, at her aunt’s front door, when she came in, she saw Anne, her dear friend, accompanied by Matthew and Marilla, of course, next to them were Cole and Aunt Josephine’s butler and confidant, Rollings, with Aunt Josephine on Rollings’ other side, her face fell when she saw him, Gilbert Blythe, the guy who took her best friend’s heart, accompanied by his brother, Bash and little Delfine, who was already two years old, my oh my, how time does fly

She was a little disappointed that Gilbert was there, she couldn’t lie, she wanted to spend some time with Anne, since the girl had graduated from university and moved to Toronto to be with Gilbert and start her teaching career, they hadn’t talked much, just some short letters, given how busy they both had become, she was looking forward to catching up, but given that she was here with her betrothed? Husband? she really didn’t know their status at the moment, another reason why she needed to talk to Anne, but it wouldn’t happen with the man here.

Diana was snapped out of her musings by Aunt Josephine clearing her throat and starting to speak “very well, since my dear Diana has arrived, I will start giving you your room placements” she looked around “Sebastian, I already set aside a room for you and your daughter, with the smallest bed I could find at the market so she can sleep in a space fitting for her age”

“I thank you for your kidness, ma’am” the man says, his thick accent shining through, as he bows his head and follows Rollings, who escorts him to his room, his daughter toddling behind him, his fingers firm in her grasp

“Matthew and Marilla” the siblings perk up, cutting short the whispered conversation they were having with Anne, which was just the redhead recounting her adventures in Toronto, surely with lots of romantic outings with Gilbert, she thought bitterly “You two will have rooms on opposites of the hall from each other, so you can easily reach the other’s room, should you wish to do so” Aunt Josephine continued, getting twin nods and expressions of gratitude from the siblings, who let themselves be guided off by the butler

“Gilbert, unfortunately, given that most of the rooms here have been reporpused into storage rooms or studios by our resident artist” she teases her protege “you will have to share a bed with Cole, I hope it will not be an issue with you?” She asks

“Not at all Ms Barry, a warm bed with a trusted friend sounds way better than the chairs I usually fall sleep in while studying” he joked, his face turning slightly red to Diana’s confusion

“Well, then I hope this vacation will provide you with some rest” she smiles at him “Cole, be a darling and guide our guest to where he will be staying” she grins at the blonde, winking as he walks away with the other boy, before turning to the two left in the parlor with her

“And you girls, my darlings Anne and Diana” she rests a hand on each of their shoulders “Will be sharing a room, because I have been told you haven’t had much of a chance to converse lately, I hope to rectify that, I’m sure you know what room you will be staying in?” They nod, simultaneously, before racing off to find their usual sleeping quarters, this trip was already turning out better than Diana had hoped

///////

Anne’s pov

Anne was floating like a feather, with how happy she was, she got to celebrate Christmas at Aunt Jo’s with all her favorite people! Jerry wasn’t there, obviously, having taken the opportunity to spend his break with his family, and he was still a tad intimidated by the luxury of Aunt Jo’s mansion, but everyone else was there! Matthew and Marilla, her darling guardians, Cole, her dearest kindred spirit, Aunt Jo and Rollings, who always welcomed her with open arms, Sebastian, who always had the most marvelous tales to tell, little Delphine, who was learning to talk, and was showing herself to be as feisty as her late mother, Gilbert, who, despite their recent breakup, was still great to talk to, and the only one who could rival her intellect, and of course, Diana, her bosom friend, oh how she had missed Diana, and they got to share a room! That had Anne over the moon, she could already imagine, their late night conversations, getting to swap stories about anything and everything, this was going to be incredible

///////

Cole’s pov

Cole was extremely nervous, he had been developing a fondness for his best friend’s former beau since the time he broke his arm and the other boy insisted on continuously checking up on him, stopping Billy Andrews whenever the blonde decided to bother him, sitting next to him in class, compliment his drawings, and when he moved in with Jo they started corresponding, keeping it up when the shorter boy moved to Toronto, anyways, his heart was very found of the dark haired boy, it pounded every time he was near, and so he talked to Jo about it, and the woman was set on playing matchmaker, seeing how Anne talked about Diana when she wrote them. After the redhead broke up with Gilbert, she decided to pair the girls and the boys in rooms together when they came for the holidays, to really push them together

///////

Gilbert pov

Gilbert was very excited, he’s been working himself to the bone, trying to finish medical school so he can start practicing, and after him and Anne made the transition from lovers to roommates, it was like a weight fell from his shoulders, it was so much easier to focus on his studies, now that the tension was gone and they could return to their good-natured banter and intellectual discussions, this was definitely how he preferred their relationship be

And now he got to share a bed with Cole, the blonde was an interesting character, after that incident during the Christmas pantomime a few years ago, they have kept in contact, exchanging letters when they moved away, and oh, if those interactions hadn’t sent the boy, who thought he knew everything there was to know about his preferences in romantic partners, into a crisis, so he confided in Anne, the only person who he knew would understand, with her particular way of seeing the world, he just knew she would understand, and he was right, because that same evening, she confessed of her growing feelings for Diana, now he guessed she was in cahoots with Ms Barry in terms of the room placements, he cursed the redhead, the week they would be staying there was going to be a very long one

[the-invisible-queer]

I like the name Chelsea, but I feel like it would be slightly confusing bc my brain would be trying to picture Chelsea Kane and she's already Stella lol. That may just be a me problem though. For kid name ideas, maybe since Joe is a musician he'd give his daughter a name from a song? There are literally infinite songs with female names in the title out there so that's a wide category - Caroline, Eleanor, Annie, Kelsey, Rhiannon, Ruby, Cecilia, Lucy, Ramona...you could even be a bit meta and go with Mandy (after the Barry Manilow song, of course). I also think Daphne and Chloe are cute though. Other names that give me a similar vibe are Roxy and Lainey.

Davenport is the kind of last name that makes me feel like they should have ever so slightly pretentious white boy names (no hate to anyone with these names whatsoever lol it's just the vibe they give me) like Easton, Harrison, Elliot, Boyd, Brent, Miles, Wyatt, Vincent, Sebastian, Dashiell...my corny ass would definitely name twin characters those last two and call them Bash and Dash lmao.

Sorry for lowkey writing a novel. I just like names 🙈

I'll do a poll of the names I have! Chelsea isn't set in stone. It did happen after Chelsea Kane showed up in 911 so I was like WHAT IF?!?

I do love the idea that he'd name his daughter after a song but I need you to know the psychic damage caused by seeing Eleanor of "Eleanor Rigby" as a name choice because I fully forget that that is an option despite my whole Beatle thang 🤣

Despite me posting the Beatles almost daily I often forget about them.

Bestie you must have missed naming Drew Davenport and making him a cousin to my beloved OC Philip "Lip" Davenport. They do indeed come from money and a pretentious family.

So it only seems right to give them pretentious white boy names.

You must have also missed the novels someone sent me of Joe and Nick's IRL romantic timelines. 🤣

Never apologize for long asks.

[brookston]

Holidays 12.18

Holidays

Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day

Arabic Language Day (UN)

Australian Christmas (Team Fortress)

Baranth Do (Elder Scrolls)

Final Fantasy Anniversary Day

Flake Appreciation Day

Founder’s Day (Qatar)

Hug a Soccer Player Day

International Migrants Day (UN)

Minifig Day

National Crime Junkie Day

National Deborah Day

National Harry Day

National Jeremy Day

National Scrooge Week begins (according to Mr. Ed)

National Twin Day

Nutcracker Day

Nyempa Guzom (Sikkim, India)

Pink Panther Day

Play Bingo Day

Republic Day (Niger)

Sunday Newspaper Day

Truffle Day (French Republic)

Tulya’s E’en (Beginning of Yule Season; Orkney Island)

Voice From Space Day

Wear a Plunger On Your Head Day

World Minorities Rights Day (India)

Yuletide Lad #7 arrives (Hurdaskellir or Door-Slammer; Iceland)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bake Cookies Day

Let's See What We Find in the Fridge Day

National Ham Salad Day

National “I Love Honey” Day

National Muffin Day (Brazil)

National Roast Suckling Pig Day

National Stilton Day (UK)

3rd Monday in December

Christmas Lunch Gift Exchange Day [3rd Monday]

Design Wall Monday [3rd Monday]

Free Shipping Day [3rd Monday] (Also 12.14)

National Emo Day [3rd Monday]

Independence Days

New Jersey Statehood Day (#3; 1787)

Qatar (1878)

Feast Days

Eponalia (Feast of Epona; Roman goddess of fertility)

Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian)

Fantastic Finkleman (Muppetism)

Feast of Our Lady of Expectation

Feast of Our Lady of Solitude (Mexico)

Flannán (Christian; Saint)

Gatianus (a.k.a. Gatian) of Tours (Christian; Saint)

O Adonai (2nd O Antiphon or Great Advent Antiphon; Christian) [2 of 7]

Paul Klee (Artology)

Priestley (Positivist; Saint)

Rufus and Zozimus (Christian; Martyrs)

Running of the Roboderos (Church of the SubGenius)

Saturnalia Day 2: Saturn’s Release (Pagan)

Sebastian (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Unusual Music Instruments Day (Pastafarian)

Urdhyauli Parwa (Festival of the Animals; Nepal)

Willem van de Velde II (Artology)

Winibald (a.k.a. Winebald; Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [37 of 37]

Premieres

Anchorrman 2: The Legend Continues (Film; 2013)

Another Round (Film; 2020)

Avatar (Film; 2009)

Baby Buggy Bunny (WB MM Cartoon; 1954)

The Ballad of the Green Berets, recorded by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler (Song; 1965)

*batteries not included (Film; 1987)

The Big Blast or A Many Splintered Thing (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 81; 1960)

Boris Lends a Hand or Count Your Fingers (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 188; 1962)

Boris on a Broomstick or The Flying Sorceror (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 187; 1962)

Born to Boogie (Music Documentary Film; 1972)

Brazil (Film; 1985)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (Film; 1957)

Broadcast News (Film; 1987)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Film; 1968)

Cinderella Liberty (Film; 1973)

The Color Purple (Film; 1985)

Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe (Play; 1592)

Dragons of Ashida (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #14; 1964)

From All of Us to All of You (Animated Disney TV Christmas Special; 1958)

Her (Film; 2013)

The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (Film; 2015)

Last Train to Christmas (UK Film; 2021)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, by The Tokens (Song; 1961)

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (TV Series; 2020)

Mary Poppins Returns (Film; 2018)

McCartney III, by Paul McCartney (Album; 2020)

Moonstruck (Film; 1987)

More Kittens (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

The Nutcracker, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Ballet; 1892)

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (US Film; 1969) [James Bond #6]

Out of Africa (Film; 1985)

Overboard (Film; 1987)

The Prince of Egypt (Animated Film; 1998)

Twistin’ the Night Away, by Sam Cooke (Song; 1961)

The Two Towers (Film; 2002) [The Lord of the Rings #2]

September in the Rain (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Sisters (Film; 2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Film; 2015) [Star Wars #7]

The Steal Hour or A Snitch in Time (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 82; 1960)

A Symposium on Popular Songs (Disney Cartoon; 1962)

The Yearling (Film; 1946)

You’ve Got Mail (Film; 1998)

Today’s Name Days

Philipp, Wunibald (Austria)

Bosiljko, Dražen, Gracijan, Malahija (Croatia)

Miloslav (Czech Republic)

Lovise (Denmark)

Neeme, Neemo (Estonia)

Aapo, Aappo, Rami (Finland)

Briac, Gatien (France)

Esperanza, Gratian, Luise (Germany)

Floros, Sebastianos (Greece)

Auguszta (Hungary)

Graziano (Italy)

Jordisa, Klinta, Kristaps, Sarmis (Latvia)

Eivilė, Girdvilas, Gracijus (Lithuania)

Kate, Kristoffer (Norway)

Bogusław, Gracjan, Gracjana, Laurencja, Wilibald, Wszemir (Poland)

Daniil (Romania)

Sláva (Slovakia)

Esperanza (Spain)

Abraham (Sweden)

Griffin, Griffith, Ruff, Rufina, Rufus, Russ, Russell, Rusti, Rusty, Ty, Tyrus (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 352 of 2024; 13 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 51 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ruis (Elder) [Day 21 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Jia-Zi), Day 6 (Geng-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 6 Teveth 5784

Islamic: 5 Jumada II 1445

J Cal: 22 Zima; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 5 December 2023

Moon: 38%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 16 Bichat (13th Month) [Priestley]

Runic Half Month: Jara (Year) [Day 8 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 86 of 89)

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 27 of 30)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 12.18

Holidays

Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day

Arabic Language Day (UN)

Australian Christmas (Team Fortress)

Baranth Do (Elder Scrolls)

Final Fantasy Anniversary Day

Flake Appreciation Day

Founder’s Day (Qatar)

Hug a Soccer Player Day

International Migrants Day (UN)

Minifig Day

National Crime Junkie Day

National Deborah Day

National Harry Day

National Jeremy Day

National Scrooge Week begins (according to Mr. Ed)

National Twin Day

Nutcracker Day

Nyempa Guzom (Sikkim, India)

Pink Panther Day

Play Bingo Day

Republic Day (Niger)

Sunday Newspaper Day

Truffle Day (French Republic)

Tulya’s E’en (Beginning of Yule Season; Orkney Island)

Voice From Space Day

Wear a Plunger On Your Head Day

World Minorities Rights Day (India)

Yuletide Lad #7 arrives (Hurdaskellir or Door-Slammer; Iceland)

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bake Cookies Day

Let's See What We Find in the Fridge Day

National Ham Salad Day

National “I Love Honey” Day

National Muffin Day (Brazil)

National Roast Suckling Pig Day

National Stilton Day (UK)

3rd Monday in December

Christmas Lunch Gift Exchange Day [3rd Monday]

Design Wall Monday [3rd Monday]

Free Shipping Day [3rd Monday] (Also 12.14)

National Emo Day [3rd Monday]

Independence Days

New Jersey Statehood Day (#3; 1787)

Qatar (1878)

Feast Days

Eponalia (Feast of Epona; Roman goddess of fertility)

Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian)

Fantastic Finkleman (Muppetism)

Feast of Our Lady of Expectation

Feast of Our Lady of Solitude (Mexico)

Flannán (Christian; Saint)

Gatianus (a.k.a. Gatian) of Tours (Christian; Saint)

O Adonai (2nd O Antiphon or Great Advent Antiphon; Christian) [2 of 7]

Paul Klee (Artology)

Priestley (Positivist; Saint)

Rufus and Zozimus (Christian; Martyrs)

Running of the Roboderos (Church of the SubGenius)

Saturnalia Day 2: Saturn’s Release (Pagan)

Sebastian (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Unusual Music Instruments Day (Pastafarian)

Urdhyauli Parwa (Festival of the Animals; Nepal)

Willem van de Velde II (Artology)

Winibald (a.k.a. Winebald; Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [37 of 37]

Premieres

Anchorrman 2: The Legend Continues (Film; 2013)

Another Round (Film; 2020)

Avatar (Film; 2009)

Baby Buggy Bunny (WB MM Cartoon; 1954)

The Ballad of the Green Berets, recorded by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler (Song; 1965)

*batteries not included (Film; 1987)

The Big Blast or A Many Splintered Thing (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 81; 1960)

Boris Lends a Hand or Count Your Fingers (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 188; 1962)

Boris on a Broomstick or The Flying Sorceror (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 187; 1962)

Born to Boogie (Music Documentary Film; 1972)

Brazil (Film; 1985)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (Film; 1957)

Broadcast News (Film; 1987)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Film; 1968)

Cinderella Liberty (Film; 1973)

The Color Purple (Film; 1985)

Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe (Play; 1592)

Dragons of Ashida (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #14; 1964)

From All of Us to All of You (Animated Disney TV Christmas Special; 1958)

Her (Film; 2013)

The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun (Film; 2015)

Last Train to Christmas (UK Film; 2021)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, by The Tokens (Song; 1961)

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (TV Series; 2020)

Mary Poppins Returns (Film; 2018)

McCartney III, by Paul McCartney (Album; 2020)

Moonstruck (Film; 1987)

More Kittens (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

The Nutcracker, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Ballet; 1892)

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (US Film; 1969) [James Bond #6]

Out of Africa (Film; 1985)

Overboard (Film; 1987)

The Prince of Egypt (Animated Film; 1998)

Twistin’ the Night Away, by Sam Cooke (Song; 1961)

The Two Towers (Film; 2002) [The Lord of the Rings #2]

September in the Rain (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Sisters (Film; 2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Film; 2015) [Star Wars #7]

The Steal Hour or A Snitch in Time (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 82; 1960)

A Symposium on Popular Songs (Disney Cartoon; 1962)

The Yearling (Film; 1946)

You’ve Got Mail (Film; 1998)

Today’s Name Days

Philipp, Wunibald (Austria)

Bosiljko, Dražen, Gracijan, Malahija (Croatia)

Miloslav (Czech Republic)

Lovise (Denmark)

Neeme, Neemo (Estonia)

Aapo, Aappo, Rami (Finland)

Briac, Gatien (France)

Esperanza, Gratian, Luise (Germany)

Floros, Sebastianos (Greece)

Auguszta (Hungary)

Graziano (Italy)

Jordisa, Klinta, Kristaps, Sarmis (Latvia)

Eivilė, Girdvilas, Gracijus (Lithuania)

Kate, Kristoffer (Norway)

Bogusław, Gracjan, Gracjana, Laurencja, Wilibald, Wszemir (Poland)

Daniil (Romania)

Sláva (Slovakia)

Esperanza (Spain)

Abraham (Sweden)

Griffin, Griffith, Ruff, Rufina, Rufus, Russ, Russell, Rusti, Rusty, Ty, Tyrus (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 352 of 2024; 13 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 51 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Ruis (Elder) [Day 21 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Jia-Zi), Day 6 (Geng-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 6 Teveth 5784

Islamic: 5 Jumada II 1445

J Cal: 22 Zima; Oneday [22 of 30]

Julian: 5 December 2023

Moon: 38%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 16 Bichat (13th Month) [Priestley]

Runic Half Month: Jara (Year) [Day 8 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 86 of 89)

Zodiac: Sagittarius (Day 27 of 30)

[mlek13]

Fall, Year 8: Peasants, pt. 1

Ward and Marjorie keep busy with twin toddlers

and it only gets busier with the birth of new baby, Wallace.

Luckily, the twins, Martha and Jordan, are soon out of diapers.

Monica returns home from a trying day at work. (I don't remember why I took this photo. I'm not sure if she got fired or demoted or something. I need to take notes.) In their last season post I said I was going to move her to the singles' lot, but I did not. Maybe it was because I was thinking of her as an heir and it's only her, her teenage brother, and her elderly father living on this lot.

Or maybe it just wasn't necessary, since while playing the singles' lot, she found love with Henry Shahan. (Apparently I moved him in with her at some point during the round and forgot.)

Unfortunately, the Grim Reaper was waiting for Raymond when he returned home from work. His appearance was not unexpected.

Raymond was the third child of original Peasant couple, Kathlynn and Russ. He was a popular ladies man. He had eight children with three different women. Brandon, his oldest son and neighbor, was the son of the late Rebekah. He had Aldous, Sebastian (who was taken by social services), and Ava with Madeline. Janice, the last great love of his life and fiancee, was the mother of his youngest four children, James, Barry, Monica, and Norman.

Raymond was preceded in death by his parents, his older sister Emmaline, and his fiancee Janice. He is survived by his older brother, Justice, younger siblings Vivian, Warren, and Ross, eight children, twelve grandchildren, and his special lady friend Solveig Couderc. Raymond was 68.

The sadness continues when Raymond's younger brother Warren dies on the same day in his own household.

Warren was Kathlynn and Russ's fifth and youngest child together. He was married to his wife June for 27 simdays. Together they had five children (Hazel, Ward, Jack, Quentin, and Wade) and five grandchildren (Dominic, Harold, Martha, Jordan, and Wallace.) Warren was 62.

Quentin makes sure Solveig isn't lonely after his uncle's death.

At least his adult birthday is soon, so their relationship (if it continues) is a little more age appropriate.

[ao3feed-westallen]

Arrowverse x Glee One Shots

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/4zDm9Cg

by shimmerpuppylover

The Warblers and New Directions are having a reunion in Central City. Seb finds out that his twin brother also got out of his coma when the New Directions and Warblers were having their reunion in Jitters.

Words: 557, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: The Flash (TV 2014), Glee, Arrow (TV 2012), Supergirl (TV 2015)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Multi

Characters: Original Characters, Barry, Iris, Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel, Finn Hudson, Rachel Berry, The Warblers (Glee), Marley Rose, Kara Danvers, Caitlin Snow, Oliver Queen, Thea Queen, Joe West, Joe Hart (Glee), Nick the Warbler (Glee), Thad (Glee), Wes (Glee), New Directions (Glee)

Relationships: Barry Allen/Iris West, Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry/Finn Hudson, Sebastian Smythe/Thad, Jeff/Nick the Warbler (Glee)

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/4zDm9Cg

[thescribblerqueen]

I’m just gonna drop thoughts on another glee/flash fic prompt idea that I’ve been building.

Okay, so in the flash comics there’s been a storyline where Barry has a twin who was separated from him after the doctor botched another delivery and used his twin to cover it up. That said I have two ideas:

First idea; Joe gets laid off from his job at CCPD due to budget cuts, in the meantime he finds a job offer in Lima where his cousin/other relative lives. (Potentially one of the glee cast)

Anyway, Barry and Iris transfer to William McKinley High school, and the New Directions are convinced that it’s a trap. Someone texts the warblers to ask about it and they’re like “What are you talking about? Sebastian is sitting right next to me.” They convince both Barry and Sebastian to meet in the choir room only to realize that there is in fact two of them.

Barry mentions that statistically you can find seven people in the world who look identical but not related. Of course they start to compare details, birthdate, birthplace. But they’re the same. Someone suggests that maybe Sebastian doesn’t know he’s adopted because of Barry being a foster kid but Barry disputes that because he knows who his bio parents are.

Iris and Barry then brings it up with Joe, who surprisingly knows something they don’t. In the process of dealing with Barry’s foster paperwork he found out that Barry had a twin that was ‘stillborn’. Now, they’re a little suspicious and it leads to DNA tests and a whole bunch of drama when they learned what happened.

Second idea; Barry and Sebastian are twins that were separated after their mother’s murder. Joe and Sebastian’s parents do their best to keep them in contact but not a lot of people know they have twins.

So, Barry goes to visit Sebastian in Ohio and he’s a little banged up from a bully. They go to the Lima Bean and Kurt & Blaine see him and are concerned about why he’s all beat up. Barry of course has no idea who they are and then Sebastian appears.

Sebastian has always been protective of his younger twin and that’s why he’s so abrasive. He also wasn’t home the night of the murder of their mother but believes him regardless. 

Anyway, Sebastian is trying to convince him to come to Dalton, and that’s where my thoughts end.

In both of these prompts I want to have Kurt refer to Sebastian as the evil twin.

[wontletyouundermyskin]

So, I’d like to see a glee/flash crossover where Barry and Sebastian are twins and when Savitar comes in all evil and stuff, Sebastian is just like “bish, I am the evil twin, not you”. Could someone please write this?

[daisyishedwig]

Mr. Smythe - A Seblaine Mrs. Winterbourne AU

A/N: I was hoping to have more of this written in time for today, but it's going to be a lot larger of a project, and I want to do it well. So instead, here's a little prologue for today, and hopefully I'll be able to actually start posting the full story sometime next year.

For Day 5 of 10 Days of Seblaine: Parents AU @seblaineworld

Summary: Blaine Anderson boards a train to Boston not entirely sure what he’s going to do once he gets there. All he knows is that he has less than a thousand dollars in his bank account, his two-month-old nephew in a carrier, and the sound of his father’s voice telling him not to come home. On the train, he meets Barry and Devon Smythe, a newlywed couple returning to the States with their recently adopted child to meet Barry’s family for the first time. But when the train crashes and Blaine awakes in the hospital to find out that he and his nephew have been mistaken for Devon Smythe and his child, he gets sucked into a whirlwind of lies trying to do what’s best by the child he doesn’t have the money to raise and Barry’s grieving family. But Barry’s twin brother, Sebastian, doesn’t trust that Blaine is really who he says he is, he just doesn’t know how to prove it.

Blaine’s brother was dead.

And Blaine didn’t cry.

Blaine didn’t cry when he got the phone call. He didn’t cry when he boarded the plane or when he got off. He didn’t cry at the funeral or at the moment a squirming infant he’d never met was placed in his arms for the first time. 

He didn’t know why.

If he felt numb, he’d understand it. But he didn’t. His heart was crushed by grief so much he didn’t know how it was still pumping. He wanted to scream at the world and curse at the sky and beg the god he didn’t believe in to just bring his brother back. He wanted to hold the baby so tight they merged into one person. 

The baby didn’t know what he’d lost. He was far too young to understand the pain Blaine was feeling. And all Blaine wanted to do was give him some of his pain so he could just fucking breathe. 

But he didn’t cry.

And he didn’t hold the baby tight enough to break it. 

He just sat resolutely, held his nephew with the most ridiculous name only Cooper could have come up with, and filled out the custody paperwork.

And then Blaine Anderson was a father. A single one at that.

Technically he was just an uncle with legal guardianship over his nephew. But that just sounded like a fancy way of saying 21 and a broke dad. 

He checked his bank account again. The amount hadn’t changed in the last ten minutes. 

$1,257.36.

Not the worst number to see. But not the best when you were trapped in New York City with a baby and no home to return to. 

“I’m not taking care of another one of your brother’s mistakes. Leave the kid in New York or don’t come home.”

Blaine had been tempted to do that. He didn’t have the money to raise a kid. Nor was he sure he had the temperament for it. And without his father’s assistance? There was no way he could feasibly keep Cooper’s child. 

But then he’d held him. And he’d opened his eyes. And they were Cooper’s. 

He couldn’t let go of the only thing he had left of his brother. This baby needed him and he needed this baby. So fuck his father, he was going to keep it. 

His nephew cooed in the baby carrier beside him. He lifted his hand to rest it on the baby’s stomach and he quieted. “Well, Cookie,” he said, “your father has left us with a real mess. And this time… I’m not sure I can fix it for him. 

“For you. 

“For us.”

[neon-mooni]

So I just imagined a conversation with Sebastian Smythe, Barry and Wally. Wally: Man Squat toilets are so weird. Sebastian: I'd rather have a Squat toilet than be surprised by a stick going up my ass and spraying my anus with water. Barry: EXCUSE ME, WHAT?!

[alliwannadoiscomerunning]

It’s Just a Thing (Child!Klaine Bereavement Sequel)

Hey! It’s @alliwannadoiscomerunning here. I decided to continue my @blangstpromptoftheday #1047 fill, which is “Blaine meets Kurt for the first time when he’s seven and Kurt is eight and they’re both at a support group for children suffering a bereavement”. Read Part 1 here. 

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

     Blaine sits, slightly red-eyed, but calm, in the backseat on the way back from Lima. Pam doesn't ask him anything as she pulls into a different parking lot, different, but all the same when referring to the casual strip mall in Ohio. His dark hair carefully curls in the summer wind as Pam takes his hand and leads him out of the GMC Denali, which involved gripping both of his shoulders to lift him out of the giant SUV.  

     Pam can't tell herself why she and Josh had bought the car in the first place. They had two children, and a medium sized dog named Leo, which her eldest had named at age ten. After seven years, the dog still came everywhere with them, but was conspicuously absent today. Pam seldom wondered if Leo was depressed, too. Perhaps the extra large SUV came when Josh and her decided to raise their first child in the suburbs, where the mid-eighties were at its height and the thought of a big brick house in the Midwestern suburbs was actually appealing. Pam was sick of it. She longed for travel.

     She stared at her youngest son out of the corner of her eyes. Her remaining son. He's small and handsome, his retrossè profile framing something much more boring than his appearance. Josh and Pam had been overjoyed when their mistake turned into such a pretty baby.  

     But at the same time, Pam looked at him with pangs of pain that crippled her aging heart. Maybe, if this son hadn't been born, they'd still have the other one. Part of her, the darker side, sings at the idea. When Cooper had been a child, he would dance in front of his mother for hours and hours, pulling the most wonderful facial expressions, and making Pam believe that her son was going to go somewhere. Make it big in Hollywood, or Broadway. He was always bouncing around, much less patient than Blaine, who as a kid would sit in silence with his toys on the floor (Cooper’s?), and read books. The idea that ghosted the forefront of Pam’s mind was almost too good to be true.

     What was she saying?

     Pam settled down as a slightly cheered up Blaine licked his ice cream cone slowly, yet he paid much attention, as if it would disappear if he didn't savor the moment while it lasted. Maybe, Pam thought, that she should start savoring the memories, too.

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

      Burt gripped the steering wheel carefully, listening to his son gush on and on in the backseat of the old Saab. The muffler would probably need to be replaced, soon, he realized, because he could barely hear Kurt’s lilted voice.

     Kurt asks in the tense Mellencamp-driven atmosphere, “Why’s bologna called bologna, Daddy? Shouldn’t it be bologna- that’s how it’s spelt.”

     This is good. A normal conversation.

     “I don’t know, son,” said Burt- why out of all normal conversations, his son had to pick the most obscure one there is..- “I guess it’s the Americanized-version of how the Italians say it.”

     “And how do the Italians say it?”

     The questions never end, and sometimes, Burt wonders if he has to answer them all.

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

     The next Tuesday, at 4:00, both families arrived in the strip mall parking lot at relatively similar times. That day, however, it was just Pam bringing her son around to Ms. Pillsbury’s Boys’ Bereavement Group. After ice cream the previous week, Blaine was more interested in what would happen after the meeting than during or before.

     And as for Kurt, he was just trying not to think all that hard about it. His father wanted him to come, and so there he was.

    The boys found each others’ eyes from across the lobby. Kurt and Blaine never saw each other at school, and Kurt wondered why that was.

     “You said you go to my school,” accused Kurt as he came closer to the other boy, whose mother bade him no attention, “I didn’t see you anywhere.”

     This time, Blaine wasn’t in uniform, which last week, consisted of a dark, smart blue blazer with red piping, a red and blue tie, and a white button undershirt. There was a stitched ‘D’ on the front pocket in elaborate, neat font, and gray trousers with brown loafers. Kurt wore this that day, but Blaine himself was dressed neatly in a sweater vest and dark pants, with no socks, but shoes similar to the Dalton Primary uniform.

     “I haven’t started yet,” said Blaine, “Mommy says I’m not starting until next week.” He looked around aimlessly for Pam, who was off chatting with the weird blonde secretary, Sue.

     “Oh,” Kurt relented, “You just wanted to wear the clothes.”

     Blaine smiled, “Guilty as charged.”

     The two boys’ conversation slacked off into silence until Kurt blurted, “You know a lot of big words.”

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

     In group about fifteen minutes later, Blaine started off by saying, “One of my favourite memories of Cooper was when he bought a dictionary once to just throw it at the wall. He just threw it. At the wall.” There were some giggles from the boys, particularly Kurt, who willingly sat next to him as soon as they walked in.

     “Did he dislike reading, Blaine?” Miss Pillsbury’s dynamic today was easy and nonjudgmental. Blaine knew her tone was gentle.

     “Uh huh. He never read to me, because he wanted me to learn by myself. I like that he did, because…because, now I know how to read.”

     “My daddy taught me how to read,” Nick piped up, “Can we read a book instead of drawing today, Miss Pillsbury?”

     “Yeah, I don’t like drawing!” complained seven year old Jeff. “It makes me feel like a girl.”

     Kurt gave a huff of annoyance, “Well, maybe if you were better at it, you’d like it more!”

     Once again, the group began to feel like it was falling apart. Miss Pillsbury found this incredibly frustrating, and gripped her clipboard with a tighter hold than she felt like she had on this group of little boys. Little boys!

     “OK,” said Miss Pillsbury, avoiding what very well could have been World War III, “OK. Let’s talk about reading some more. I don’t think we’ll have time for an activity today, so Jeff doesn’t have to worry.”

     What was meant to be a joke turned into anxiety when Jeff high-fived Nick. Did they really not like her activities?

     “Um,” Emma fumbled, “Do you have anything to add, Sebastian?”

     When perhaps the most distraught boy in the room lifted his head, Emma knew that she was in hot water. Sebastian was notoriously mentioned in Emma’s notes for his temper and his story, which was a tragic one. Not that every other boy had a right to be there, but Emma just knew that she may have gone one step too far. Asking Sebastian to speak up in group was probably a mistake.

     Nick, Jeff, and Blaine exchanged a few glances with each other. Kurt was confused, because it was only his third meeting, and well, who was this Sebastian kid, anyway? He couldn’t have been more than eight, but no younger than Blaine or Nick or Jeff. His green eyes were dull, and because they were so (well, not attentive) they weren’t anything special. His hair was well-taken care of, so there was that. Kurt found nice dark brown pigments between Sebastian’s chocolate and sandy blonde roots. Not too blonde, though.

     “I’m Barry,” Sebastian finally spoke, “Not Sebastian. Sebastian. Is. Dead. Dead. It was Sebastian that died. I’m Barry.” -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Christopher Smythe was a worn out man.

     What stared at him now, but the face of defeat? What gazed down on him, except God, who was probably too drunk, like him, to care at all that he made another mistake. That mistake, Christopher decided, was too horrid to be the truth, and started theorizing that God took away one of his twins because only one of them was supposed to be born. And then, he supposed God screwed up once more, because he left the more insolent, tantrum-throwing, and behavioral child on Earth, and took away the kinder one.

     Barry had been perfect. Little Bartholomew and Sebastian (marrying one of the richest women in Paris had its drawbacks, including naming his children ridiculous names that belonged in a Charlie Chaplin film) had been born identical, and came in a package deal. You take what you give, including the fact that Barry was the sweetest, kindest child Christopher ever had the pleasure of meeting. And the fact that his more reserved brother, Sebastian, quickly acted out in response to his co-twin’s death only made things more complicated for him.

     Christopher Smythe was tired. He was tired of the judgmental looks, tired of the glares he received from liberals who knew his story. Like there weren’t hundreds of them every day- hundreds who shouldn’t be dead because of the very thing that protected him from whatever’s out there. Barry shouldn’t be dead, and Christopher blamed God. Sure, he felt the scorn of a hundred children, a hundred parents, but you take what you give.

     Christopher stood inside Dalton Primary School, the principal standing in front of him. He didn’t know if Mr. Schuester knew who he was, yet, or if he cared. If he would judge his son for what happened to their family.

     Mr. Schuester waited for Christopher to talk again, like he had been for awhile. But Christopher found his mouth dry. He cannot, because Sebastian, his son, is speaking.

     “I’m not Sebastian.”

     Mr. Schuester smiled; he must think this is a joke. A game. A child hiding behind the sofa, holding up a puppet.

    “You’re Sebastian Smythe! We’ve seen your photos! You are going to love this school, we teach—”

    “I’m NOT Sebastian, I’m Barry.”

     “Uh—”

     “Bastian’ is dead. I’m Barry.”

     “Bastian?…?” The man trails off, and looks to Christopher, understandably confused. Christopher’s son then repeated himself. Loudly. “Barry. I am Barry. Barry!”

     The hallway of the school is silent apart from Sebastian, shouting these lunatic words. William Schuester’s smile has faded very quickly. He glanced at Christopher, who was the picture of a haggard father, with a panicked frown. There were lots of happy children’s drawings drawn over poetry printed on paper tacked to the wall. The school principal tried just one more time.

     “Ah...um...Sebas—”

     Christopher’s son snapped at Will Schuester as if she were stupid. “Barry! You have to call me Barry! Barry! Barry! Barry! Barry! Barry! Barry! Barry! BARRY!”

     The man stood his ground, but Sebastian grew quite out of control. He was giving them a full-on toddler’s supermarket tantrum- except that they were in a school, and he is seven, and he is claiming that he is his dead brother.

     “Dead, ‘Bastian’s dead. I’M BARRY! I am Barry! He is here! Barry!”

     What do I do? Christopher thought, and he tried to make normal conversation, absurdly, “Um, it’s just a thing, a thing – I’ll be back to pick him up at-”

     But Christopher’s efforts are lost as Sebastian screamed again, “BARRY, BARRY, BARRY, BARRY, BARRY, BARRY, Sebastian is DEAD and I HATE him I’m Barry!”

     “Please,” Christopher said. To Sebastian. Abandoning his pretence. “Please, son, please?”

     “SEBASTIAN IS DEAD. Sebastian is dead, they killed him, they killed him. I am BAR-THOOOOO-LOOOOO-MEEEWWWW!”

     And then as quickly as it started, it blew itself out. Sebastian shook his head, stomped over to the far wall, and sat down in a little chair, under a photo of school kids working in a garden, with a cheery message written in felt-tip pen. He who plants a tree plants hope.

     Sebastian sniffed, then said, very quietly, “Please call me Barry. Why can’t you call me Barry, daddy, that’s who I am? Please?” His teary green eyes lifted. “I’m not going to school, ‘less you call me Barry, please. Daddy?’

     Christopher felt paralyzed. His pleading sounded painfully sincere. He truly felt like he had no choice. The silence prolonged into agony. Because now, I’ve got to explain everything to this Schuester guy at the worst possible moment; and to do that I need Sebastian out of here. I need him in this school, he thought.

     “OK, OK. Mmm-” Christopher said, unable to think properly. “Mr. Schuester. This is Barry. Barry Smythe.” Christopher became frightened, and started to mumble. “I’m actually enrolling Bartholomew Christopher Smythe.”

     There was a long pause. William Schuester looked at Christopher, with intense confusion.

     “Pardon me? Barry? But …” The teacher became a bright red, flustered. Then, he reached to a desk, behind a open, sliding window, and took out a sheet of paper. His next words were more of a whisper. “But it says here, quite clearly, that you are enrolling Sebastian Smythe? That was on the application. Sebastian. Definitely. Sebastian Smythe?”

     Christopher breathed in deeply. He started to speak, but Sebastian got there first, as if he overheard.

     “I’m Barry,” said Sebastian. “Sebastian is dead, then he was alive, but then he is dead again. I am Barry.”

     William Schuester, once more, says nothing. Christopher started to feel too dizzy to respond, teetering on the edge of dark absurdity. But with an effort, he spoke, “Can we let Bartholomew join his new class and I can explain?”

     There was another desperate silence, Christopher’s face pleading for the other man to understand. Then, he heard children singing a song down a corridor, raucous and happy.

     “Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to FLY-”

     The incongruity made Sebastian’s father nauseous.

     William Schuester shook his head, then edging closer to Christopher as he said, “Yes ... That seems sensible.”

     The school principal turned to a good-looking young woman, in a pencil skirt, pressing through the glass doors from the cold outside. “Ms. Corcoran, Shelby, please–do you mind– can you take, ahh, Barry Smythe to his new class, Year Two, end of the corridor. Madelyn Stewart.”

     “FLY, blackbird, FLY- ”

     Shelby nodded an amiable Yes and squatted down, next to Sebastian, like an overkeen waitress taking an order, “Hey, Barry. D’you want to come with me?”

     “Into the light of the dark black night…blackbird singing in the dead of night…”

     “I’m Barry.’ Sebastian was fiercely folding his arms. Scowling. Bottom lip jutting. As stubborn a face as he can manage, “You must call me Barry.”

     “Sure. Of course. Barry! You’ll like it, they’re doing music this morning.”

     “FLY, blackbird, FLY…”

     At last, it worked. Slowly, he unfolded his arms and he takes her hand- and he followed Shelby toward another glass door. He looks so small, and the door looks so huge and daunting, devouring…Christopher couldn’t help but wish his wife wasn’t in Paris right now, coping by herself. The twins had been in his custody when Barry had died.

     For one moment Sebastian paused, and turned to give Christopher a sad, frightened smile- and then Shelby escorted him into the corridor- he became swallowed up by the school. Christopher must leave him to his lonely fate; so he turned to William Schuester.

     “I have to explain.”

     Schuester nodded, sombrely. “Yes please. In my office. We can be alone there.”

     Fifty minutes later, and Christopher has given William Schuester the basic, yet appalling details of their story. The accident, the death, the confusion of identity, all over fourteen months. He looked suitably and honestly horrified, and also sympathetic, but Christopher could also detect a hint of sly delight in his eyes, as he listened to the narrative. Christopher was certainly livening up another dull school day. This is something he can tell his wife and his work friends today- you won’t believe who came in today, a father whose son doesn’t know his own identity…

     “That’s a remarkable story,” said Schuester. “I’m so so sorry.”

     He took his glasses off and puts them on again. “It is amazing that there is, ah, no way...of really…”

     “Knowing? Proving?”

     “Well, yes.”

     “All I know is that – I mean, I think – If he wants to be Barry for now maybe we have to go with it. For now. Do you mind?”

     “Well no, of course. If that’s what you prefer. And that’s fine in terms of enrollment. They are…”

     Schuester searched for the words. “Well, they were the same age, so – yes – I’ll just have Shelby update the records, but don’t worry about that.”

     Christopher got up to leave, eventually, quite desperate to escape.

     “So sorry, Mr. Smythe. But I’m sure everything will be all right now, Sebastian – I mean – your son. Barry. He will love it here. Really.”

     Christopher simply fled.

[creative--crisis]

Ya’ll here me out on this:

TAZ Balance Twelfth Night AU