#the first lady showtime

[deadpresidents]

Have you watched the First Lady series on Showtime?

I tried but could only get through an episode and a half. Viola Davis is one of the most incredible actresses I've ever seen in just about everything she's ever done -- her work in Fences is one of the greatest performances I've ever watched in a film -- but she makes some really weird choices as Michelle Obama and it goes from weird to unintentionally funny to unwatchable very quickly. And just when you think that that was the low point, Gillian Anderson shows up playing Eleanor Roosevelt if Eleanor Roosevelt had a stroke every time she speaks. It's basically the same way she played Margaret Thatcher in The Crown (also a terrible performance, I don't care what awards they gave her for it -- it was not good).

From what I was able to get through, The First Lady was a very bad show. And believe me...I'm not picky when it comes to shows based on historical figures, especially when it features the Presidency. I'll watch just about anything and usually enjoy it because I'm such a history nerd. It's always easy to watch. But this show was a tough watch.

They should just do a standalone Betty Ford movie with Michelle Pfeiffer, though. She was solid and Betty Ford is a remarkable historical figure. So are Michelle Obama and Eleanor Roosevelt, of course, but it just shows that even normally great actresses like Viola Davis and Gillian Anderson can have some rough days at the office.

[thesummerof79]

[whoworewhatjewels]

Celebrity Jewelry Sightings

All the celebrity jewels you’ve missed during the past week are all right here! CARRIE UNDERWOOD: DEREK HOUGH: ASHANTI: BLAKE LIVELY: KALEY CUOCO: Los Angeles Season 2 Premiere Of HBO Max Original Series “The Flight Attendant” JULIA ROBERTS: HELEN MIRREN: SOFIA VERGARA: LEON BRIDGES: MEGAN FOX: ISLA FISHER: CHRISTINA AGUILERA: VIOLA DAVIS:   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by…

[motherofdogs1010]

Little Darling I (Thomas Shelby x Reader)

Summary: Birmingham has received a new club, one that is showcasing a exotic type of dance that is drawing in crowds, but it is one particular dancer that catches Thomas Shelby's eye... one that goes by the stage name: Little Darling

Warnings: 18+, eventual smut, stripper!reader, eventual smut, swearing, drinking, mentions of prostitution/ sex work, canon Peaky Blinders violence

😊 Dividers by @firefly-graphics 😊 Banner by @vase-of-lilies

Part II

A new club in Peaky Blinder territory was something that always raised Tommy's attention; usually, he would pay no mind when they first pop up, but it seemed like this club was different.

The Scarlet Letter was what it was called, Tommy had been sitting in his office at Shelby Company Ltd. when John and Arthur had come in to report about this club. Apparently, the club was showcasing a unique type of dance with its female employees, one that involved the use of a pole?

"A bloody pole?" Tommy had scoffed at the mention. "How the bloody hell are these women dancing with a pole?"

"Have to go check it out to see", Arthur had replied with a cheeky grin. "From what we've heard, this club had been making money. No ties to any gangs either."

It was a sight to see inside The Scarlet Letter, women adorned in expensive lingerie, their hair adorned in pinned curls and lips painted a deep red, but what was interesting was they work masks that concealed half their face. Literal poles were scattered throughout the place, a barmaid and bartender maned two bars on either side of the place, both busy; sofas and booth seats surrounded some of the poles, paritions in certain parts of the building.

He noticed a few heavy built men guarding certain areas, Tommy realizing they were hired help for the women.

"Mr. Thomas Shelby", a voice boomed. "What a surprise to be seeing the Peaky Blinders in my establishment!"

Y/N ran the red lipstick over her lips, smacking her lips together to get the the color saturated onto her lips. The eyelash extensions she had glued on for the evening tying the whole look together as she made sure to careful wipe away any excess around her mouth just as the boss came in.

"Ladies", she boomed, "We got some big customers outside. Make sure to put on your best performances!"

Cherry Johnson was their boss, she was a woman of a tall stature with a loud, booming voice that commanded respect. But she was a good boss, always fair to them and making sure they were safe, she only had them dance or perform lap dances, never forcing them to go any further.

Cherry came over to her as Y/N was about to fix the mask on, "Y/N, do you mind taking on a particular client here?"

"What client?" she asked as she adjusted the mask and tied the ribbon to secure it.

She saw Cherry grin in the mirror, "Thomas Shelby. Told him I'd send him only the best of my girls."

Everyone had heard of Thomas Shelby, of the Peaky Blinders so she looked at Cherry with a little frown, her lips curled a little.

"He's an obvious big tipper, darling", Cherry said, Y/N sighed.

"Fine", Y/N said as she adjusted her corset. "But he better know the rules."

Cherry grinned even bigger if that was even possible.

Y/N waited behind the curtain, pushing her hair behind her shoulders as she waited for her arrival to be announced. They switched dancers every hour or so, changing sets and outfits, working the floor and private dances. She noticed that her two other co-workers, Babydoll and Lovely, were up next with her on the big stage.

"Hey there, Little Darling", Lovely said with a grin. "Heard the boss gave you some big fish to entertain."

"I just hope he isn't stingy with the tips", Y/N said as she heard Cherry begin to announce them.

"Look alive, ladies", Babydoll teased, "it's showtime."

Tommy leaned back in the plush velvet chair that was in front of the large stage, Arthur and John on either side of him as he inspected the area. Cherry, the boss, had told him that she was sending one of her best girls to dance for them, the crowd favorite, but Cherry had told him the rules and the biggest one was 'no touching'.

"Next up we got Lovely, Babydoll and your favorite... Little Darling!" Cherry announced to the eager crowd.

Tommy put his cigarette between his lips as he noticed the anticipation in John and Arthur, the eagerness in their bodies; Tommy wondered where Esme thought John was as she came out, a intricate corset and stockings piece with a garter on one plush thigh adorned her body. Pinned curls framed her masked face with those blood red, plump lips and sultry, bedroom lidded eyes that were just calling to him.

He didn't even notice his brothers be captivated by her or the other two dancers as she approached the pole, a sensual dance performed in front of him as she moved in a way he had never witnessed before. He noticed other patrons throwing... pounds? at them, the women sensually grabbing the bills and stuffing them into the attire.

"C'mon Tommy", John said, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him a little. "Let loose a little already."

His brothers were throwing notes onto the stage, Little Darling making a show of grabbing them and stuffing them into the corset with a wink. She was like a seductress on the stage, moving with the music, performing acrobatic moves on the pole, it amazed him so as he light another cigarette and placed it in his mouth, he reached into his inner coat pocket, grabbing some bills into his hand.

Little Darling gave him a seductive smile, moving from the pole and getting to her knees, begin to crawl towards him till she reached the end of the stage where he was; she tilted her head a little before she leaned forward, making a show of grabbing his hand that held the bills and guiding it to stuffing the bills into the front of her corset where her tits were.

She winked at him before blowing him a kiss.

Y/N made a good amount of money from her dancing on the stage, counting the pounds that were thrown before passing it to Cherry to take her part.

"Good show out there, N/N", Cherry said, handing her back the money she earned. "You got a private dance with a Mr. Shelby."

Y/N nodded, rolling her shoulders back before making sure her makeup was still good before heading to one of the private rooms.

Walking into one of the private rooms, she saw him there; the dimly light room only seemed to work in the man's favor, adding to the feeling of danger that already existed in the room. He had his cap off, it resting on one of the side tables in the room as he blew out a smoke of nicotine from his lips.

"Cherry tells me you're called Little Darling", Tommy said as she closed the door behind her.

"I am", she answered as she slowly walked towards them.

"Quite the performance you put on."

She moved to straddle his lap, draping her arms his shoulders with a lazy grin on her face.

"I could see you enjoyed it, very much."

She stared into his piercing blue eyes, she could see the lust swirling in his eyes as she begun to move her hips.

[thescarletnargacuga]

WELCOME TO MY WRITING CORNER!

My name is Scarlet and I'm a hobby writer who enjoys The Amazing Digital Circus!

BE ADVISED: NSFW CONTENT IS PERMITTED

~~~

ASKS ARE: CLOSED

~~~

PLEASE READ THE RULES BEFORE SUBMITTING IDEAS FOR ONESHOTS!

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT with NSFW explicit content

DO NOT harass me about when fics will be done. They will be posted when they are finished. Creativity mustn't be rushed.

NO SUBMISSION IS GUARANTEED TO TURN INTO A FIC

Please divert all Raceway related requests to @theamazingdigitalraceway

Provide as much detail as possible for other AU requests

All TADC ships are welcome

Fic lengths will vary, I don't keep word counts

I do not do asks in chronological order, I do them in inspirational order

WHAT I WILL NOT WRITE:

Non-consent/SA

Underage shipping/proshipping

ANYTHING racist/transphobic/homophobic/etc

Gross/Extreme Kinks (you are welcome to DM me to ask)

Crossovers (it's a lot of work my brain can't handle)

~~~

TADC FANFIC MASTERLIST BELOW 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

THE AMAZING DIGITAL RACEWAY (TADC AU)

HAS A NEW HOME! ZOOM ON OVER FOR CONTENT

SHOWTIME

Creative Liberty

Date Night

Can't Help Falling in Love

Operation Breakup

Where Do Humans Come From?

Stay With Me

Digital Realizations

Will You Ma-

Wedding Night (NSFW)

Lover's Quarrel

Magic Touch (NSFW)

Green Is Not Our Color (angst)

Goodbye (angst)

Don't Say Goodbye (angst)

As Above, So Below (angst)

Mental Purgatory (angst)

Digital Hallucinations (angst)

BUNNYDOLL

Play Pretend

[%$!#] Me Yourself, Coward (NSFW)

Movie Night

BUTTONBLOSSOM

Toy Box

Haunting

MISC

Don't Be Suspicious (some showtime and Circus shenanigans)

Chrysalis (Kinger angst)

Strength in Tragedy (Ribbun)

Romance (Ribbun)

Expression (zoomni)

Love Language (abstrabbit)

My Turn (funnybunnyshow)

Shadowed Admirer (SweetTooth)

Shadowed Love (SweetTooth)

Bubbling Interest (KingerxBubble)

HUMAN AU

Ladies Night (multi-ship)

Bath Time (Showtime)

The Flu (Showtime)

The Flu....Again (Showtime)

The Gift of the Magpie (showtime)

CARNIVAL AU

Flirtation Frustration (Showtime)

Game Over (Showtime)

Light of the Carnival (Light!Caine)

DREAMLAND AU

I Wish... (Showtime)

Dreaming in Monochrome (Showtime)

ADVENTURE AU

Adventure AU (showtime)

Adventure AU Cont (Showtime) (NSFW)

KINGDOM AU

The Royal Gala (showtime)

BOXER AU

Knock Out (showtime)

TIME CAPSULE AU

Bullseye (Canon)

The Anniversary Ball (Canon)

Bushwhacked (Showtime)

Pendulum (showtime)

Pendulum Epilogue

Worst Kept Secret (showtime)

Last Resort (Caine Songfic)

No Man's Land (showtime)

HARLEQUIN AU

Chandelier (Showtime)

Defying gravity (Showtime) (Songfic)

Just Kiss (Showtime)

Say That Again (Showtime)

Down Boy (Showtime) (NSFW)

Soul Bearer (Showtime)

First Born (Cade Fluff)

Cade Canons

Half Siblings, Full Family (Cade and Anya Fluff)

Runaway (Cade Angst)

The Way Of The Combat Harlequin (Cade hurt/comfort)

Monster (Showtime)

Reach Out (Cade fluff)

The Bull (Caine Angst) (Songfic)

Finality (angst)

THE UNSEEN SERIES (Harlequin AU fan series)

The Unseen (oneshot)

Seeing the Unseen (pt1)

Blade of Shadows (pt2)

Unseen Fragments (pt3)

Shadow Puppet (pt4)

I Am Seen (pt5)

Golden Soul (coming soon)

[inexplicifics]

I love Milena, but she's been getting lots of showtime. Do you have any snippets featuring one of your other ladies - maybe Adelina, Livi, or Julita? And do you have any that are just silly and FUN - I reread your story about a wild griffin adopting Serrit the other day, and it was AMAZING.

Well, here's an Adelina snippet from the Wolfblood 'verse:

The Wolf-Lord is still very imposing, though. He’s not as tall as some of his companions - Lambert is taller, actually, and slightly brawnier, and the big scarred man who Adelina is guessing is Eskel is also both taller and broader than his lord - but there is something about him that makes him seem larger than life somehow, more real than anything else around him. And then he turns and looks at Adelina, and she staggers under the weight of piercing golden eyes. Oh, gods, it’s like he can see right down to her soul, see every flaw and failing she has ever had. She feels like she might burn up under that fiery gaze, burn to ash and blow away at the slightest gust of wind. And then he blinks, and tilts his head in a tiny nod, and somehow the weight of his gaze…lifts, or lightens, until he is only very very uncanny instead of truly otherworldly. “Wolf,” Coën says. “This is Queen Adelina.” The Wolf-Lord nods again, and to Adelina’s vast shock, the first words he says to her are, “Thank you.” Adelina blinks at him, completely at a loss for words. His lips curve in a hair-thin, near-invisible smile.

I'm not sure I have anything else in the works that's as purely cracky as the griffin fic, but here's an exchange I'm fond of from a Laiden modern AU:

Lambert hears the door creak open, and doesn’t think - just rolls out of bed, shoves his feet into his shoes, grabs the bat he keeps between the bed and the nightstand, and heads for the door with the bat held high. The man standing in his front hall with a set of lockpicks in his hand looks very surprised to see him. “What the fuck, dipshit?” Lambert bellows. “What the hell!” the burglar hollers back. “Why are you in my apartment? Why are you naked, oh my gods -” “It’s my fucking apartment!” Lambert snarls. “You just broke in!” “Of course I broke in, my key wasn’t working!” “Your key wasn’t working because it’s not your fucking apartment!” The burglar - possibly not a burglar, or if he is, he’s the most incompetent one Lambert has ever met - blinks at him. “It’s not?” “No, it’s not! It’s mine! Which is why I was asleep here!” “You sleep in your shoes?” “No, who the fuck sleeps in shoes?” “I don’t know, you’re the one who’s not wearing anything else!”

[hobiebrownbrowser]

General Touches

Earth-42 miles x stubborn FEM!reader

Context: The relationship between you and Miles is rocky but suitable. Wanting to be by each other's side but not knowing how to say without sounding desperate.

"Mild fluff" kissing, cuddling etc, nothing too 18+

Summary: 2 prowlers were already enough to take out one person.

Context: purple means Miles, Red means the Red Prowler(AKA Y/N=You)

Bad Spanish = blame google translate 💀

"Eyes on the target mami. Not on me." The girl groaned. Not being able to look at something so delicious was frustrating she wouldn't admit it though. Mechanical claws digging into the apartment building below her before leaping to another.

There "it" stood. A filthy rich man with a bunch of hypocrites by his side. She wanted to just lunge forward. Wanting to cut the white men's head clean off. But she couldn't. Not with a certain Upper stage watching further above her.

"Tell me why you're here again?" The question left bare as the target's movement changes. This was a one time opportunity. The last one she had to prove herself with fucking up this time. Her suit pulling back to reveal a sparkling red dress.

"Te ves espectacular mami." (You look amazing mami.)

"Piss off." She didn't let the prowler speak longer than it should, Fixing up her makeup before effortlessly climbing down the tall building. He'd have to teach her how to appreciate company, but maybe on a different timeline.

It didn't take long for her to go through the back entrance, Acting as if she was invited to the blood stained met gala. It left a demeanor touch but she was definitely the best dressed. The other women wearing cheap dresses that look like they came from the local thrift store nearby.

It was a fresh insight on not having to do the dirty work, Watching the well-dressed woman make her way towards the target with a hidden camera attached to her. She was a professional, seducing the man to let her stay by his side.

The white male agreed, only wanting her for her body and nothing more. It was sickening. He could treat her better, way better if she'd just give him a chance. But she was a stubborn brode woman to say the least, Dismissing his presence like he wasn't there in the first place.

He watches for any signs of discomfort, Face frowning in disgust as he watches the dead beat put his hands on what he wanted. He wanted to cut off his fingers one by one until nun were left, Watching him slowly bleed for touching what he wanted.

Yet he was infatuated, Often staring at her curves or a tight dress that perfectly shaped her. She was perfect and he wanted one night to fulfill her needs, Knowing she has many she hasn't had the chance to explore yet, At least not with him.

The sounds of shuffling were clear, The male leading her somewhere. It was showtime for him. Thinking of what she might do to him for the time being. It was sickening to think about, but he wasn't alarmed. He wanted to watch his 'chica' do the unthinkable.

The screen had gone black. Not before hearing a blood-gurgling scream after. Music to his ears that the bastard was finally dead and Miles could get his money, And his' Chica' back to his side. He watched as she simply walked back out from where she entered. Her suit complying with her body as she climbs up the paint chipped wall towards him.

The two glanced at each other for a brief moment, The red prowler not saying anything and just walking away. She was a stubborn woman indeed, But Miles was just as stern, Following the lady back to her payment.

"Are you gonna keep followin me all day?

"It depends." Miles short answer seemed to aggravate her, finally turning around and facing him. Her eyes narrowing. The top of her lip curving upwards until she rolled her eyes.

"¿Qué diablos quieres de mí, Miles?" (What the hell do you want from me Miles?)

"You to open up." His flat answer made her chuckle a bit, her face back to a dead monotone stare, Arms crossed and chin up peering into the exact same eyes she had. He loved how straightforward she was, But her mind was thinking of something else, as the silence grows louder.

Miles knew she was scared of close relationships. What happened to her family was her business but he got her to tell some of it to him, he was grateful that his partner was finally opening up. The relationship was rocky, but somehow it worked. It just did.

The silence was interrupted by a close line, Her work done for today as they both head home. The silence getting thicker every step they both took. But it was a calming period. Finally being able to wind down for tonight.

Y/N had gotten lost in thought, wanting nothing more but to feel Miles arms around her as they sleep the rest of the night away. If she wasn't so afraid she could say it without hesitation. But her mind always betrayed her thinking. Often getting in the way of what she really wanted.

"Estas bien princesa?" (What's wrong princess?) Why was he so nice to her even know she treated him like crap? Asking her how her day has been just to get no answer. He was patient. She hates how he spoiled her, His compliments melting her heart everytime.

"I'm fine."

"dime qué te pasa mami." (Tell me what's wrong mommy) She sighed before contemplating if she should tell him how she really felt, Deciding to tell him once they got home. Miles expected no less. Telling her not to back out once they get through the door. She swatted him away, knowing damn well it's gonna be a rocky explanation.

//\\

She wasn't ready for this, Feeling her heart beating out of her chest as Miles unlocks their apartment door. His hand placed on her hip to stop her from running off somewhere. She felt as if something was stuck in her throat.

The sound of beeping erupted her thoughts from the door opening, Her throat becoming dry. She felt her chest heaving heavily more than normal. Watching Miles intertwine his fingers with hers. She wanted to shake him off and disappear. Being led inside and straight towards the couch.

She stood in front of Miles who was sitting on the couch. Waiting.

"Dime mi amor." (Tell me my love.) She groaned, practically begging Miles to not make her do this. But he only raised a brow, his face inches away from hers. She loved the way he was gentle with her. Often pulling her in for unexpected small kisses.

"Necesito una bebida." (I need a drink.) Miles stopped her, Pulling her onto his lap as he looks at Y/N dead in her eyes.

Wrapping his arms around her waist just to trap her. She'd fallen into the hands of a gentle cuddly predator. Closing her eyes and finally giving in to some of her desires. Miles listening to every word she has to say.

It felt like a long night, the two getting things off their chests as it hits 2AM. He could tell she was getting sleepy. Her eyelids having a hard time staying open as she lays her head down on his chest.

He kisses her forehead, Feeling her flinch before relaxing in his arms. Finally giving into the night.

"te amo mi hermosa princesa." (I love you my beautiful princess)

[captainlunaxmen]

All for the Cameras

Chapter 1

Finnick Odair x reader

This is a repost since the old blog doesn't work anymore. 🥰

Chapter summary: y/n is the Capitol's Princess. Everybody in the Capitol loves her... unfortunately for her. This first chapter is a little introduction about her role as a "support mentor."

Chapter warnings: mention of rape, prostitution, and... it's the Hunger games... what can you expect

Masterlist

The Victory Tour is probably the one thing I like about the Hunger Games. The attention of the Capitol isn't directly at me, but at the Victor in question, especially the pervs' attention.

Everyone thinks that being President Snow's protégé is like being Capitol's Princess, well... that's just what the cameras catch, but it really isn't. I am no different from someone living in the districts.

I am a slave like anyone else.

Even though I won't have to deal with the creeps at the Capitol during the tour, I still have a job to do, I can't exactly let out a sigh of relief.

This tour is probably the hardest one I've ever had to experience. Turning a hunter into an actress for the Capitol is no easy job.

Katnis has many skills... many, but pretending to be in love with someone isn't her best. Unfortunately, her life, anyone's life, actually depends on it.

Snow made it clear to me.

I arrive in district 12 with Effie and the rest of the crew, ready to help the two victors make everything as believable as possible.

I decided to go to Peeta first, while Effie and Cinna went to Katniss.

"Yes?" Peeta calls from behind the door.

"It's Y/n," I answer.

He immediately opens the door to let me and his stylist in and pulls me in a big hug.

"I'm happy to see you," he says, almost relieved.

"Well, it's my job, pretty boy," I pull away with a smile, "how do you feel today?"

He takes a moment to answer.

"I'm okay, I guess, nervous too,"

"You'll be fine, trust me. You're a natural." I try to lighten the mood. He does chuckle, but I think it's not to make me feel bad. "Did Haymitch tell you what to expect, or did he offer a drink?"

"A bit of both," he actually chuckles this time, "more of the latter, but yeah."

"Good," I let out a small laugh too, "I guess a good thing about your situation is that maybe you two can help each other out."

"If she stopped treating me like a wounded puppy..." he bitterly says, shrugging.

"Yeah, well, try talk to her. Your situation is already hard as it is, dealing with it on your own... it's suicide."

He nods, so I decide to let his stylist work and go see how Katniss is doing.

"Hey there," I say once I enter the room Katniss is getting ready in.

"Hi," she says.

"How are you?" I ask, sitting on a chair.

"I've been better," she forces a smile in my direction.

"I figured," I send her a sympathetic smile in return.

I look around the studio, the atmosphere is quite cold despite the luxury, we are still in 12 after all. My eyes stop suddenly on the desk, that was pushed a little out of the way to make more room.

"That's..." I start, my throat feels tight all of a sudden, "That's a pretty rose."

I notice Katniss tensing at the observation.

Confirming my suspicion.

Snow's been here.

"Yeah," she flatly says. She turns to look at me, with a look that seems suspicious... or cautious, more likely.

I respond with a sympathetic look. Hopefully, she will understand I'm just as tense as her. She seems to, because she half smiles at me.

"It's showtime," Effie cheers, walking in.

"Break a leg," I say, hugging myself as I watch her heading to the door.

I take a deep breath and decide I need a drink, and the only person who can help me is a certain victor.

I sneak out from the back and walk to Haymitch's house.

"Haymitch?" I call as I knock at his door.

"It's open," I hear his grumpy tone from the inside, so I let myself in and look around for Haymitch.

"Oh!" He calls from the kitchen, "it's the Princess herself! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Care to help a lady out? I need a drink,"

"Take whatever you want," he offers, taking a sip of his own drink.

I look around at the variety of bottles on display, finding my drink of choice. I take the whole bottle.

"You don't mind if I don't use a glass, do you?" I say, sitting down with him.

"Make yourself at home," he actually chuckles at that, and I soon follow after taking a big sip from the bottle.

This is what I like more about this tour, Haymitch's company. We can just sit in total silence and still be able to give each other comfort. He's one of the very few people who knows the truth behind the Princess facade, and I know about what happened to his family.

"Ready for the tour, princess?" He suddenly asks me.

"It's the only time I get to feel like my own person again, so... yeah, I'm ready," I answer with a bitter smile, "what about you?"

"It's gonna be hard for them," he simply says.

"I know," I deeply sigh, taking another big sip, "they need us... and we need them."

Haymitch just nods.

"Things are about to change," he says, almost solemnly, "better keep those eyes open."

I send him a questioning look to which he answers with a wink. Then, a knock on the door prevents him from elaborating if he even wanted to.

"Guess it's time to go," he announes, clapping his hands.

"Let the show begin," I take one last gulp before following him out and towards the train station with everyone else.

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

We're heading to the first stop of this journey, distric 11. I already know this particular stop is gonna be hard for my Victors, especially Katniss. I take notice of her quietness and the tension in her body as Effie keeps in rumbling about all the fabulous things this tour will provide.

"Fabulous food, fabulous wine, the massages, spa treatments." She explains, "I told them nothing but the best for my two victors. It all needs to be..."

"Fabulous?" Haymitch finishes for her with a hint of teasing in his voice, mimicking her demeanour. I try to hide my smile into my cup in tea.

"Exactly." Effie answer, not bothered by him, "Now, the schedule is a bit of a bear. 12 days, 12 districts. But it's mostly parties, celebrations, adoring fans to greet you at every stop along the way, and then wrap it up on the Capitol. All you need to do is give a few speeches, wave at the crowds, and enjoy your time in the spotlight. You've earned it."

Oh shit.

"What did you say?" Katniss, basically, demands.

Here we go.

"Katniss." Peeta calls, trying to calm her or make her drop the subject.

"I said, 'Enjoy it, Katniss, you've earned it.'" Effie repeats.

"By killing people." Katniss scoffs and stands up to leave, ignoring Effie's weak try at scolding her.

There's silence.

"Well, isn't this a good start?" I say, holding my hand out to Haymitch, who catches on and passes me a bottle of whiskey chuckling.

I ignore Effie's glare and pour some alcohol into my tea.

My eyes lock with Peeta's, so I take the opportunity to glance at the direction Katniss went to silently telling him to go check on her. He nods and gets up to follow Katniss.

Haymitch follows him with his eyes, then turns to me.

"Are you plotting something?" He asks.

"Not at all." I simply answer, "they need to stop avoiding each other like the plague when they're not on TV. It's better to pretend to be in love with a friend than a stranger."

He simply looks at me nodding, impressed.

Effie lets out an annoyed puff and walks away.

Once she's out of the carriage, I turn towards Haymitch.

"Anything to say about my eyes?" I ask, hinting at the conversation we had back at his house.

He simply smiles and pours some more alcohol into his glass.

"Just keep 'em open, princess," he says, "wide open, guard up."

I roll my eyes, "Alright, alright. I will. Anything else you wanna share?"

"Did you hear from a certain fisherman?" Haymitch asks, instead of answering my questions.

"I don't know what you're talking about. " I say shrugging, and I take a sip from my cup.

"Mh," he hums, "isn't he the first Victor you helped train?"

"Why all these questions?" I slightly snap.

"No reason. This is the first time we get to properly bond, don't wanna waste it,"

"You want to bond?" I let out an incredulous laugh, "why?"

"I just proclaimed myself your... father figure," he opens his arms to present himself.

"Okay..." I trail off, standing up, "Whatever you say,"

I start to walk off, too, shaking my head slightly laughing.

"Oh, c'mon!" I hear him yell and laugh.

I shake my head while I'm heading to my room to rest a bit before we arrive in district 11.

As I lay on the bed, my mind can't help but wander to said fisherman.

Finnick freaking Odair. Winner of the 65th Hunger Games.

That was my 4th time assisting the mentors in preparing the tributes for the games. At the time, Snow wanted the people to see me more involved in the making of the games since they 'love' me so much. The president saw this as an opportunity, I saw it as a punishment, having to help train tributes, some of them being my age only to see them get killed. Then the 65th Hunger Games came, and so did Finnick. We were the same age, bonding was inevitable, even though he was cautious... which was understandable, but we managed before he had to go into the arena.

When he won, I was the happiest I've ever been. Then when he came back he was changed, again, that's understandable, but he started to push me away... with no explanation.

Then we both turned 16. Then we were forced to be close again.

----------

A knock on the door pulled me away from my thoughts, Haymitch's voice warning me we had arrived in district 11, and it was time to go.

We get out of the train, expecting some people celebrating and stuff like that, but nothing of sort. Effie is quick to express her disapproval.

They lead us to a car and let us in, where Effie start to explain the situation to Katniss and Peeta.

"The mayor will make some introductory remarks. And then you just have to say a few words." She says, "it's customary, of course, to give a brief eulogy to the district's fallen tributes. For 11, that's Thresh and Rue. Here are the speeches."

Effie hands some piece of paper for them to take, I see Katniss' expression falling even more at the mention of Rue, predictable, so Peeta offers to be the one doing the talking. Katniss' grateful face almost breaks my heart, I'm... sort of used to see children die in the games, she wasn't... worst of all, she built a friendship with her.

"You got this." I say to them both, Peeta sends me a kind smile, while Katniss nods and takes a deep breath.

We arrive at the Justice Building, where we all wait for the mayor to call the Victors out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Victors of the 74th Hunger Games. Katnis Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!"

Once they are out, we get to see them through a screen.

"Thank you," Peeta says into the microphone, while Katnis is staring at something, I can imagine it's Rue's family. "We're honoured to be here with you today. And to be with the families of your fallen tributes."

There's a long pause, Peeta glances at the cards in his hand and... put them down...

"He put down the cards." Effie gasps.

Haymitch tries to shush her, and she slightly snaps, "Why do I bother?"

I lock eyes with Cinna, who's standing next to me, we share a questioning look before elbowing back at the screen.

"Though they fought and lived with honour and dignity until the end... both Thresh and Rue were so young. But our lives aren't just measured in years. They're measured I the lives of the people we touch around us. For myself, for Katniss, we know that without Rue and without Thresh, we wouldn't be standing here today." He really is a natural. "So in recognition of that, knowing that it in no way can make up for your loss, we'd like to donate one month of our winnings to the families of the Tributes, every year, for the rest of out lives."

Oh, oh...

"Oh shit," Haymitch comments, and I bring a hand up to my open mouth shocked.

"Can he do that?" Cinna asks, though, I think he already knows the answer.

"He can't. But he did."

"Why doesn't he just stick to the cards?" Effie sighs.

Peeta than thanks the audience, looks at Katniss, and starts to walk back inside.

Katniss does just a few steps backwards, but she keeps staring at Rue's family.

Then, she gets closer to the microphone.

"Oh..."

"I just wanted to say I didn't know Thresh. I only spoke to him once. He could've killed me, but instead, he showed me mercy. That's a debt I'll never be able to repay." Then her eyes are back on Rue's family, " I did know Rue. She wasn't just my allay. She was my friend. I see her in the flowers that grow in the meadow by my house. I hear her in a Mockingjay song. I see her in my sister Prim. She was too young. Too gentle. And I couldn't save her. I'm sorry."

I feel my heart breaking at her words. She's right. She's too fucking right.

Before Katniss could add anything, there's a whistle coming from the crowd.

A very familiar one.

A man does the same salut Katnis did on the arena after Rue's death. Everyone in the crowd soon follows, and the Peacemakers are quick to weapon up and head towards the people, who can't do nothing but clamoring.

They're clearly pointing at the man who started it all.

As Katniss tries to get to him, to stop the Peacemakers, she is sized by two of them and forced back inside.

The man was dragged on the stage, the people are screaming, terrified. Before the doors can close we see one of the guards shoot and kill the man.

"Fuck!" I turn around, Cinna a gently rubs my back. I hear Katniss screaming and trashing around, I look back at them and see Haymitch gathering both Peeta and Katniss to follow him, he nods at mw to do the same and I do.

Once we are out of sight and ears Haymitch just snaps.

"You two have a very simple task." He scolds them, angry.

"I never meant for anyone to get killed," Katnis cries, "he has to know that."

"What are you talking about? Who has to know what?" Haymitch asks.

Snow...

"Snow. He came to see me. He's worried about rebellion in the districts. He thinks that they don't believe our love story," she explains, breathless.

I run my hand through my hair, frustrated.

"So he wants you to make them believe it? Does he thinks it will calm this shit down?" I ask and Katnis nods.

"You know, Katniss, you should told me that before I went put there, and tried to give these people the money." It's Peeta's turn to snap.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. He threatened to kill my family." She explains.

"Well, I have family, too" He replies, almost annoyed at her, "Okay? People that I need to protect."

"What about them? Who protect them?" Haymitch pressures.

I shake my head, still shocked and still infuriated.

"Katniss, what were you thinking?" Haymitch keeps going.

"I was thinking about Rue. Haymitch, please... please, just help me get through this trip. Please just help us get through this." Katniss begs, crying even more.

"This trip? Girl, wake up." He snaps his fingers to emphasise his words, "this trip doesn't end when you get back home. You never get off this train. You two are mentors now. That means that every year, they're gonna drag you out, and broadcast the details of your romance. Every year, your private life becomes theirs. From now on, your job is to be a distraction so people forget what the real problems are." He explains perfectly the 'life of a victor', it's so true it's nauseating.

"So what do we do?" Peeta asks, already composed him.

"You're gonna smile," I say, "stick to the cards Effie put effort into. And be the happy, forever in love couple the Capitol thinks you are... you'll get used to it." I say the last part with a heavy heart, knowing they don't deserve it. No one does.

Haymitch brings Katniss is for a hug, trying to reassure her, I squeeze Peeta's arm.

"We'll help you."

Peeta gives me a grateful smile, then they both take a deep breath and we all head back down.

"Eyes open, princess." Haymitch whispers to me, gently patting my back. I, again, look at him confused and just keep on following everyone back to the train.

And sticked to the cards they did.

----------

I feel like I can't breathe, I'm constricted, I can't move.

I look up and see the blue-haired guy on top of me, he's probably enjoying my terrified expression, because he smirks, he shushes me as if he's dealing with a child. He thinks he's being sweet and reassuring, while he's the complete opposite.

I try to push him away, in vain. It's like moving a wall... yet he's not that much bigger...

"Sshh, sweetie... it's okay, I'll take care of you." He says, caging me in even more.

I attempt to move back, but he's faster, he opens my legs with his in one quick motion.

----------

I wake up, shaking and panting. My heart is beating so fast I'm sure it's going to explode. I shake my head.

"Just a nightmare, just a nightmare," I keep repeating to myself like a mantra.

I get up from the bed and head to the bathroom where I wash my face to wake me up more. I look at my reflection and again I repeat that it was just a nightmare.

I get dressed, I figure there's no point in going back to sleep, I don't think I would be able too, so I exit my room and head to the restaurant car where I find Haymitch. Not so surprising.

He looks up as soon as he hears me, his expression almost asleep, but when his eyes meet mine, his expression turns into a worried one.

I sadly smile at him as I sit next to him, the car is still quiet dark except for the dim light coming from a small lamp next to him.

"Who was it this time?" He asks, he's trying to not make it look like it bothers him, but I know he's worried.

"The general's son," I say monotonously.

"Aah," he sighs, "the one with blue hair?"

"Yep."

"The loyal one." He nods to himself.

"The very one, the first too." I sigh, leaning back in the armchair. "The asshole thinks that just because we 'lost it' together means he owns me."

"Was that his first time too?" I know he wants to laugh at him, but he keeps it too himself, this time.

"Yap. His father thought it was 'right about time' so he talked to Snow, who, oh so kindly, accepted. Next thing I know I'm treated like a present. Everytime he achieved something big, his dad paid for my company, every birthday too." I sigh again, more deeply, bouncing my leg anxiously. "When he got a job, I was with him. Every month."

Haymitch takes a deep breath and hands me a bottle, which I gladly accept taking a big swig from it. He then takes my hand and squeezes it reassuringly, then lets go.

"He got daddy's job."

"Oh yeah. He couldn't do anything without daddy's power," I scoff out a laugh, Haymitch does too.

We, then, keep silent until it's time for everybody to come I'm and have breakfast and get ready for the final stop.

The Capitol.

[sm-baby]

Hi, hello! First of all, I love how the Carnival AU is going! I always love me a story about a human being trapped with AIs/Robots... :]

Second of all, could I ask you a question, miss? ...Is Showtime a canon pairing in the Carnival AU? I saw your drawings of the two in their Carnival forms, and I always considered those to be a small, non-canon idea; or, perhaps, it's actually official and I was but a foolish lady...?

It wasn't going to be but then people swayed me uwu I don't think it's going to be a center though, feelings are just implied and very much in the background. and yes, the doodles are mostly non-canon!

[thegamingcatmom]

How do you think the denalis would react to a reader who loves giving head?

Same question for the Resident evil ladies

I mean-

Pretty much that, LMAO.

Ofc they´re all for it. What´s not to love about a beautiful lady expressing that love and devotion by devouring you like she´s got them cravings? 😩🤌

So, I´d say the inward reaction is more or less the same, no matter which lady we´re talking.

On the outside, however-

Listen, some of us got a reputation to uphold, aight?

...With that said:

(Imma switch to "you" here cause it flows a lot better and makes for a more immersive feeling. ;3)

Warning Promise: Things are about to get rather gay.

.

.

.

Tanya Denali:

doesn´t care about the place

outside, inside, up, down, above, under - great, she´ll take it

she does care about the position though

we´ve been through this - she´s no Bottom

so, don´t expect her to lie down like a pillow princess

she´s a leader, ffs

an alpha

she´s either gonna be sitting (preferably on your face) or standing

perhaps she´ll lift a leg for easier access if she´s standing

then it´s showtime

she enjoys herself thoroughly and has no problem letting the world know

why shouldn´t they know?

you belong to her just as she belongs to you, after all

let them hear

when she´s feeling particularly naughty, she´ll make sure to sound as much like a porn star as she can manage

to say she loves it when you turn as red as a lobster would be quite the understatement

it drives her wild

which is one of the reasons she does it in the first place

the other reason is to ensure her sisters won´t come within miles of the two of you

(and they better stay there)

...it´s also a massive boost to her ego though, it has to be said

seeing the effect she has on you, even when she´s the one receiving?

more often than not, that´s the final straw for her

Kate Denali:

like Tanya, she doesn´t really care about the place

but, unlike Tanya, she also doesn´t care about the position

she´s just damn happy to be here, yknow?

will curse

a lot

will also compliment you

a lot

it´s actually a combination, like-

"Fuck! You´re so pretty down on your knees. All f-for me? Fucking...p-perfect! My perfect little princezná. God-"

she loves letting you know what a mess she is

all because of you

her perfect little warrior

she´ll always worship you, even when she´s the one receiving

and not just vocally

she´ll touch anywhere she can reach

will comb her fingers through your hair

will cradle and stroke your cheek/s

stroke your back

massage your shoulders

just anywhere, yknow?

she needs that contact

(she might be a battle-hardened warrior, but she´ll turn into a huge sap softie for the right person)

she´s surprisingly sentimental too, afterwards

one might even call it poetic

"If my heart could still remember how to beat, it would race in your presence...my perfect little warrior."

Irina Denali

(I know that´s not from Twilight, but listen: I need me some gifs where Irina aka Maggie looks happy, pls and ty. 😭)

she´s big Mama

(yes, I´ll keep saying it because it´s important)

she finds your enthusiasm absolutely endearing

will giggle

hand covering her mouth and all

scrunching her nose

(she´s so precious)

unlike her sisters, she prefers a more private location

preferably in your shared bedroom

she might be convinced to do it just about anywhere in the house though, as long as it can be assured it´s free of prying eyes and ears

outside might work, but only if the area is rather secluded

(she´s a private person, aight? even more so when it comes to anything bedroom-related, like, excuse? it´s hard enough sharing you with her sisters, so she´s not gonna go and give some strangers a show that´s meant for her eyes alone-)

(...fine, and her sisters´)

(ugh)

vampires don´t get cramps or anything, but she still prefers lying down for it

it just makes the experience more intense for her because, despite being quite literally indestructible, she craves that vulnerability

it´s all about having someone you can bare your soul to, someone who gets you on a deep emotional level

she needs that connection to be able to fully let herself go

but when she does, oh boy-

she´ll make the sweetest sounds

whimpering, moaning, mewling - all of it rather high-pitched and shifting in volume, depending on how close she is

won´t stop running her fingers through your hair

will whisper sweet nothings

"My good girl...making me feel so good...I love you...so much."

will keep calling you her "good girl" all the way through because she loves seeing the effect it has on you

which affects her in return

which affects you in return

which affects-

.

.

.

Without further ado, onto the Village Ladies!

(Not sure if you were referring solely to the Dimi sisters? Anyhow, my thirsty ass added two more, hope you don´t mind. 🙃✌️)

Bela Dimitrescu

she´s a Momma´s girl

which means she's a mix between condescending and encouraging

(more condescending though)

will keep calling you her "little one"

she talks a lot actually

someone has to make sure you´re reminded of your place, after all

and of hers

(all that talking is more or less for her own ego tbh)

(she´s got a reputation to uphold, aight?)

(she´s more bark than bite, most of the time)

(except when she isn´t)

(that shit hurts like a bitch btw)

"Look at you, little one...d-down on your knees for me...as it s-should be..."

"You should count yourself l-lucky, little one...to be in a position d-desired by...many-" *proceeds to break into incoherent mumbling*

"S-Serve me well, little one, and I will...I will ask Mother to...k-keep you..."

(jokes on you, that was never a question)

you would never dare say it out loud (you rather enjoy living, tyvm), but the fact she´s such a tryhard will never not amuse you

it´s very obvious she´s trying to mimic her mother

trying to be all intimidating and shit

emphasis on trying

because she fails spectacularly at it

every time

she reminds you of a spitting kitten actually

(those claws hurt like a mf though)

Cassandra Dimitrescu

(I fucking love that shot. Look at that lazy ass bish. You just know she cba about pretty much anything.)

she´s a bit like Kate actually

minus the whole worshipping

which means she´ll pretty much curse the whole way through

also loves to dirty talk

"Fuck! Someone´s been practising, hm? F-Fucking the maids in secret, are you? Dirty little whore, of course you are...f-fuck! MORE!"

she´s loud

very

and proud

very

she loves letting the whole castle know just what the two of you are up to

especially because it annoys the heck outta her sisters

(especially Bela)

also has her sickle with her

always

(it´s her partner in crime, what did ya expect?)

she´ll use it as a way to ground herself

literally

sometimes, it misses you by a hair´s breadth when she goes about impaling the ground right next to you or the wall she´s leaning against

dw, she knows what she´s doing

...probably

listen-

there´s no way she´s gonna let such a dedicated little thing like you slip through her fingers

much less on accident

what a waste that would be

so I´d say you´re pretty safe

(for now)

Daniela Dimitrescu

she´s vibrating

literally

getting her to remain somewhat still is a struggle, lemme tell ya

she´s like a hyperactive puppy

and she chitters like a little birdie

sometimes, she´ll hiss like a spitting kitten too

with Dani, you got a whole farm in your bedroom, it has to be said

she´ll keep telling you how much she loves you

then she´ll switch to almost beheading you

accidently, ofc

she´s just so...excited, yknow?

and she has a rather tight grip on your hair indeed

oh wait, she´s back to telling you how much she loves you

...

it also becomes painfully clear to her that you haven´t said it back yet

"D-Don´t you love me?!"

...

"Mine, you´re mineminemineminemine-"

that´s her fav word btw

she´ll chant it like a mantra almost all the way through

sometimes, she´ll scream it too

"SAY THAT YOU´RE MINE!"

...

she´s back to telling you how she´s always dreamed of finding true love

all loving and tenderly

a stark contrast to the maniac who almost beheaded you only seconds ago

accidently, ofc

she loves you

"Y-You´re mine...my...my Princess Charming...aren´t you? J-Just like...in the books...yes? We shall have a...A SPRING WEDDING!"

...

ofc my love, whatever you say my love

(I luv u pls no kill)

Lady Alcina Dimitrescu

she´s Big Mama

literally

but also Scary Mama

literally

she´ll have them claws out just because

(mostly to intimidate you, let´s be real)

it makes her feel like the apex predator that she is as she reclines in that big chair of hers

it´s massive, really

(we still talking about the chair?)

one leg propped up as she´s being served like a true queen

as it should be

she´ll watch you with a mix of endearment and loftiness (much like in the gif)

dancing the tips of her claws along your back

or stroking them up and down

or running them through your hair when she´s having an extra soft moment

(those are rare)

her other hand is occupied holding a glass of wine

(duh)

swirling it occasionally

taking a sip here and there

in the meantime, she´ll be fantasizing about all the ways she could end your life

(shit turns dark rather quickly in this household)

a swipe of her hand would suffice...

it´s about power, aight?

thinking about the power she holds drives her wild

she also loves taunting you

"Sssuch a nimble little mouse..."

"Or perhaps...masochistic would be a more fitting term, hm? So eager to ssserve...a dragon..."

you won´t catch her moaning and whimpering like a mutt in heat

instead, she´ll draw out some of the syllables

or hiss

sometimes, she´ll pause in between words (probs the most apparent sign that what you´re doing is affecting her a lot more than she lets on)

when she´s getting closer, the occasional grunt might escape too

more like a growl, really

however, despite her aloof demeanor, she can´t deny that she finds your devotion most...charming

that´s probs why she keeps you around in the first place

cause we all know Big Mama likes getting her ego stroked

among other things

Mother Miranda

oh boy bird

she´s Birb Mama

feathers and all

she´s also crazy Mama

crazy eyes

crazy smile

yes, she does smile

occasionally

it´s more a smirk, tbh

she does so enjoy it when her devoted little followers show her just how devoted they are

she´ll wear them robes ofc

parted just enough to allow access

feathers poking out here and there

gotta be careful not to swallow one or smt

that´d be hella uncomfortable for sure

anyhow-

you´re in the church

(duh)

but the things going on there are far from holy

she´ll stand before you

more like you´ll kneel before her

as you should be

no hands

you ain´t touching none of that

divinity shall not be sullied by the likes of you

(...we´re not gonna talk about the fact you´re sullying her alright in this very moment)

just like Big Mama, she´ll taunt you

"Is this what you wish for in your prayers at night, hm?"

running her claws (aka her rings) through your hair

"Tell me, child...does this village harbor more corrupted souls such as yourself?"

grip getting tighter

and tighter

claws starting to dig in-

*hiss*

the sound of pain evokes a small chuckle

her grip loosens a smidge in response though

(see? she´s a huge softie :3)

"Perhaps I shall cleanse it, hm? Liberate it from its sinners... What do you think, little bird?"

it´s a rhetorical question ofc

(thank fuck)

Miranda does as Miranda damn well pleases

(the idea of Miranda threatening to erase a whole village while she´s being served is so real though)

she´s very composed, all things considered

("all things" being: you eating her out as if your life depends on it)

(I mean...)

it´s almost like she´s talking about the weather or smt, honestly

then she removes her rings

the only indication you´re nearing the grand finale

now she can actually hold on tight without having to worry about impaling your pretty head

very much so

shit hurts so good like hell

but it´s also a precaution

the thing is...Miranda might not be vocal about her feelings

but she doesn´t have to be

her transforming is all the confirmation you need

it´s her way of letting go, you could say

she won´t go all out though

just parts of herself

her fingers being one of them

(yall are familiar with her mutated form, right? them fingers be going on for days)

hence, the precaution

she has lost quite a few rings that way

she´s grown rather fond of the current set

it´s got black tips and all

🖤💅🏻

.

.

.

Yall noticed how it got more unhinged as we progressed? The slow descent into madness was real with this one, LMAO. 💀

I could feel the obsession starting to creep back in with every word, lel. Dani might have just become my fav among the daughters. :3

Thanks a lot for your ask! I had a lot of fun with this one. 💋

[tpwkwriter]

could you please do a fic about model reader and harry always supporting her please?

Front row for you.

Thank you for the request! This is actually a really sweet idea! I had to do this with FBH 💓

Description: y/n can finally love her dream for real, and harry wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Absolute fluff and cuteness🌷

Ps: my requests are open!!❤️

— — — — —

The dressing rooms of manhattans centre were hustling and bustling, full of laugh and talk.

Y/n sat on her vanity chair twirling her curled hair around her finger, this was her 4th year being a professional model and taking it seriously, it had shocked her how far her career had sky rocketed.

She couldn’t quiet believe she was sitting backstage of one of the biggest fashion events of the year.

As a child she begged her parents to take her to nyc or London just to watch the fashion week before her eyes, and now she was part of it.

The thought of also being able to bring her parents and family to New York City was also not on y/n’s list but the fact she could made her proud of herself.

The only person missing now was Harry, a bit of her heart broke knowing he couldn’t make it back in the US in time.

When y/n received her invitation to the event, she called harry straight away with floods of happy tears and jumpy hands.

Y/n’s mind jolted back to reality, this was happening? A hard knock was at her door.

“Come on in” she called twirling around on her stool to face the door.

“Y/n babe, 5 minutes till showtime!! It’s completely packed out there! 2,200 people out there waiting including the one and only Micheal kors!” Her manager squealed.

“Wow” she sighed

“Y/n? Are you nervous?” She said walking towards her and gently closing her door behind her.

“Mainly excited nerves, y’know this has been my dream since a little girl” she smiled

“Of course! Well not long now and remember your family have somewhat been able to get front row so give them a smile?” She laughed.

‘Front row?, thought that was only for high status people’ she mentally thought.

“Oh wow, oh well thanks” she blushed not believing her luck.

“Oh and also, remember to straighten that dress when you leave!” Her manager reminded before slipping out the door.

A sigh left the girls mouth, she couldn’t wait to do this, she stood up and walked in front of her full length sized mirror and checked out her dress.

An elegant white, floral dress that hung perfectly to showcase her sliver heels, she gently smoothed the silky texture with her hands and got ready to join the rest of the girls next to the stage.

Before she does so her phone dings.

H🫶🏼: good-luck out there tonight baby, I’m sorry I can’t be there tonight, tour isn’t as fun without you, I know you’ll do amazing and I’ll be watching some shitty livestream, I love you so much x

Y/n🌷: thank you H, miss you more than ever! Still can’t get over I’m doing this😭 love and miss you loads❤️x

She typed out and sent, y/n knew it would be nearly impossible for him to fly out so quick knowing he has a show the next day. She put her phone down and went to join the girls.

The audience sat in anticipation watching the opening of the show, and the presenter begin.

Y/n was the second model to walk the runway on her own, she was going to have a total 3 outfit changes through the evening and spend most the time on stage.

“Ok girls, give it everything you have, Petra as soon as that music starts your on, y/n as soon as Petra hits half that halfway line you start your strut” her manager states ensuring everyone of when they appear and do there bit.

“Remember not to slow, not to fast, a smile and sassy side tonight ladies” she claps.

The presenter had left stage, ‘this was it’ she thought

A roar of claps and cheers occurred when the first model strutted onto to stage, y/n discreetly peered beside the curtain to take a look at the audience and try to locate her family and there they were right side of the stage front row almost close enough to touch the stage if they wished.

Y/n peered closer by curtain to travel someone familiar by her dad.

No..Harry?

Her heart was pounding and her head was racing? That was Harry? Harry made it?

“Y/n, you don’t want to reveal yourself just yet!” Her manger said reaching out for her shoulder.

“Harry!! Harry’s here!” She excitedly squealed pointing towards him.

She smiled in reply.

“You knew about this?” Y/n asked.

“Well, we needed someone to be able to get your family front row” she winked.

“Your on in right aboutttt” she dragged.

“Now” she said pushing her gently.

Y/n quickly adjusted her hair and flattened out her dress once more.

Before walking from backstage to reveal herself to the 2,200 people.

She practically wanted to run over to Harry and throw herself at him, but the show was to go on regardless.

With a start of a slow walk she began to quicken her pace, her arms remaining on her gown at all times making sure the pictures captured the Beauty and detail of the fendi gown.

She could see her family rising out of there seat as she strides closer, her heart almost running marathons in her chest at the excitement and adrenaline she is facing.

As mums do she held her phone camera out at her daughter capturing this special moment, her father almost dropping a tear from his eye at the sight.

“Harry!!!” she blushed blowing quick kisses to him.

“Hi baby” he mouthed using his hand to catch the kisses.

For the rest of the walk she held a big toothy grin, this couldn’t get any better.

— — — — —

At just about midnight the night of y/n’s life came to halt.

As soon as the presenter appeared back to stage to thank everyone and close the evening, Harry and her family had already made it to y/n’s dressing room.

“Harry” she sighed leaning into his scent and warmth, something she hasn’t been able to do in over 2 months.

“Only you could get away with wearing jeans and a top to New York fashion week” she muttered into his shoulder.

“Heeyyy, didn’t want to upstage you darling” he smirked which caused the girls parents to laugh.

“Shush it” she smiled reluctantly letting go to hug her parents.

“Oh darling we’re so proud of you” her mum began, cupping her cheeks and giving her a mum hug.

“How did we make such a beautiful girl” her mum continues.

“Not quiet sure, Harry your lucky man” her dad stated and put a heavy hand on his shoulder.

“Most definitely” he smiled.

With some love and affection from both her parents, it was finally Harry and y/n in the dressing room.

“Can’t believe you” she smiled walking into his embrace once again.

“I wouldn’t miss this day, are you crazy?” He smiled.

“I didn’t think it was even possible”

“Mm it is when it comes to you darling” he hummed kissing her head

“You’ve got a show tomorrow though” she pouted looking up at him.

“Come with me” he stated.

“Babyyyy” she whined.

“Only one more week in Paris, and then it’s just us in sweet London hey?” He continues using his ringed fingers to play with her hair.

“Got more work to do here though, y’know I want tooooooo” she dragged in a whiny tone.

“Uh uh” he hummed

“Sarah managed to find you work in Paris, s’can still fly out with me, s’up to you darling”

“Oh my god, you really think of everything” she stated kissing his chest.

“Best get to the hotel room and sleep, m’tired and plus tomorrow must be an early start for us”

“Y’know it, now c’mon get your pretty little self into something comfy and we’ll get going” he added.

“Y’looked gorgeous up there tonight, my model girlfriend, how cool is that” he smirked.

“Well, my rockstar boyfriend and your model girlfriend make quiet the coolest pair” he said in a matter of facalty.

— — — — —

[wondwaeland]

Eden’s Court: Spawn Point

an AU of Eden’s Court even though this AU JUST started

It's rare for children to arrive in Eden's Court, especially those that resemble members so closely.

Much like the other members, they arrived at the front gate with questions and confusion. All they knew is that they were looking for their parents.

Shout out to @spyderlondon (again) for helping develop these digital spawns

Click “Keep Reading” to see more about each addition.

Showtime - Nestor and Zoya

The Heir and The Jester didn't know how to react when they were presented with two children. Caine took an instant liking to them, welcoming them into the family quickly. Pomni was a little more hesitant since she had yet to address her feelings about him.

[design above is the initial sketch version]

Though their parents are the Heir and the Jester, Nestor and Zoya are known commonly as the Prince and Princess. They were the first of the children to arrive at the court.

While both take after their mother in terms of looks, Nestor takes after his father in terms of heart. He wants what is best for his sister and wants her to enjoy the world around them. He is curious but steadfast. When he has a goal, he will pursue it to the end. He developed a knack for magic like his father, using the ability to entertain the younger members of the court while their parents worked away. He is also quite a skilled fighter, becoming fiercely protective at the drop of a hat should someone threaten the ladies of his family.

Zoya is very close to her brother, trusting him more than the man meant to be her father. Though she is wary of the world, she is willing to explore as long as her brother and mom are there to be with her. Once she is comfortable, she will speak her mind and be more active in scenarios. Much like her mother, Zoya took to the trapeze with an almost practiced ease, even though neither of them had ever swung before. Her brother may be a fighter, but Zoya is a runner. At the first sight of danger, she is on her way in the opposite direction.

Caine easily fell into the role of mentor and did his best to be a father to Nestor and Zoya. With his son being gifted in the magical arts as well, the two would spend time outside of Court duties honing on what type Nestor possessed and how he should wield it. He would be the one to read Zoya to bed and the one to take her around the land for entertainment. In the end, he’s trying his best to b a good father in the absence of having an example himself.

Pomni, on the other hand, was bit more wary in accepting that these two were supposed to be her kids. Though she joined in on the mini-family adventures, she still felt like this wasn’t real. It wasn’t until Zoya tried to get to know her that Pomni realized that they were all learning together. Caine, Nestor, Zoya, and herself were all learning how to be a family.

Now if only the kids can get their parents to talk through their emotions…

Bunnydoll - Judy, Lola, and Briar

The triplets were an unexpected addition to the household since their supposed parents had no inkling of even enjoying each other's company.

Ragatha easily fell into her role as their mom, making sure each of them were comfortable and settled in before her and Jax had a talk. Though Jax may not show it, he cares for each of these little buggers. Right now, the two have a great co-parent routine going on.

[design above is the initial sketch version]

While Ragatha may be a Housekeeper and Jax may be a Fighter, the children toe the line of assistance. Judy and Briar seem to lean more towards the household side while Lola wants to take after her father and fight things.

Don’t let these sweet faces fool you. Each of the girls know how to get what they want. Judy has quite the control of her crocodile tears. Ragatha usually gives in immediately while Jax takes about 10 minutes to fully react and give in. Lola likes to play the reversal game on her mom, saying/doing something opposite to get the reaction she wants. Briar just does things and asks for forgiveness later. With how quiet she can be, it can take a little before anyone notices.

When it comes to interacting with the court, results may vary. Judy does her best to help out wherever she can, even if she may be too small to do so. Lola is a natural source of chaos, having been the only one ON RECORD to bite Caine while unprovoked. Briar is known to be quiet but when she does speak, it’s blunt and to the point.

The three girls love their parents equally, but would love them more if they could be a full family. Let’s just say that they are experts at manipulating situations in their favor.

Kinger - Petrov, Lopez, Alek, Alba, Balto, Catalina, Benoni, and Sicilia

Kinger's little gaggle of children showed up outside of his room. Seeing the little ones made his heart grow and accept his pawns with open arms.

Unlike the other kids, these eight don’t have titles or roles just yet since they are quite young and shouldn’t have heavy responsibilities just yet.

It was somewhat of comfort to have the kids in his company, said it reminded him of days before. He was a natural with them, easily balancing the needs of each of them without making another feel left out.

[design above is the initial sketch version]

Since they all arrived together, no one is quite sure who the oldest of the bunch is. With how they interact with each other, Kinger suspects it to be the girls. No specifics, just the girls.

Much like their dad, their personalities are on a wide range. While some are timid and shy, the others tend to get into trouble easily - acting much like the Gloink infestation of 'XX.

The pawns are a little bit harder to keep entertained than the others, especially because they seem to act around the younger end of the age range - around maybe five or six. For now, Gangle and Zooble take turns babysitting the squadron of pawns while Kinger attends to training his soldiers and attending meetings with Caine.

[lokisasylum]

Fun details in some of the songs

#1. In 'Interlude: SHOWTIME' when the second part of the drumline/band begins if you pay very close attention you can hear Jimin humming along to the beat and near the end before the "Ladies and gentlemen.." you can also hear Jimin laughing.

#02. In "Be Mine", during the pre-chorus when Jimin is singing "Lovers come and go, in and out of my heart--" the music changes to a mixture between traditional Korean music and Latin.

#03. In the "Who" MV, there is a total of 3-4 TV monitors depicting what seems to be an npc character in-front of a heart that keeps changing as the song progresses and Jimin's feelings become more chaotic while expressing the longing and despair of wanting to find "the ONE".

♥ On the first monitor the character is just walking normally while the heart changes into different shapes and pulsates slowly.

♥ On the second monitor (the one in the burning grocery cart) when the second chorus begins and the choreo gets faster, the character is running, while the heart pulsates and changes FASTER.

♥ On the 3rd monitor (this one is trickier to notice because its located next to a pile of debris that's also catching fire next to the theater before Jimin dances with the female dancer, first it FALLS from the sky on to a burning car and then it appears NEXT to it) on this one there's NO character/avatar walking or running, there's only a heart pulsating and glitching erratically.

♥ And then there's the final monitor which is the larger one that crashes down, there's no avatar or heart, only a pair of eyes and the words "Keep going>>>" and "WHO". (the smaller monitor also disappears from next to the burning car)

#04. On the same mv, there's an interesting contrast between Like Crazy and Who in the way Jimin does "the mirror" dance with the girls. In 'Like Crazy' they faced and mirrored EACH OTHER to express both partners feeling, struggling, suffering the same heartache and loneliness (like how in the actual 'Like Crazy' movie shows the main couple suffering over a long distance relationship). While in 'Who' Jimin and the female dancers don't face each other while "mirroring" their movements (even with the one female dancer who seems to "hug" him).

And I'm gonna quote RG Reacts here:

"Jimin dancing with all these different partners is like trying to find someone in a place that maybe you're not gonna find it. Like in the Like Crazy music video; going to a bar to find that someone, and then as he goes out into the streets and dances with each of the individual women, but he doesn't find that special someone. And despite the dancing and the acting being so beautiful, it actually shows there's no spark, there's no connection. So I'm still looking and searching for that someone." (which is the part where Jimin and the dancers walk away from each other).

I also liked how he pointed out that the "Closer" sign that we saw from the trailer get wrecked in the destruction that occurs as a result from the tornado and how symbolic it was. How sometimes that which we are looking for isn't a close as we think and therefore the tornado, storm or hurricane represents conflicting feelings and frustration at not finding what we're looking for.

But at the end of the video when Jimin walks off down the street again like nothing happened the sign is GONE

Which also connects to how "Be mine" is right before "Who", where we have the line that we mentioned at the beginning of "Lovers come and go in and out of my heart, the more I fall into it, the deeper it gets--"

[calisources]

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑼𝑫𝑶𝑹𝑺. all sentences have been taken from the showtime drama, the tudors. change names, locations, pronouns as you see fit. this is a redo of another meme.

“Without knowledge, life is not worth having.”

“I have come here to die. I die a Queen, but I would rather die the wife of Culpeper.”

“One day I shall lie beside you again, I promise and we shall sleep together for eternity.”

“Your Majesty's life is far too precious to be put at risk against such a common rabble.” 

“Of course, if you choose to go, you'd be like a lion among wolves.”

“My friend, if all ambassadors were beautiful women I'd be serving my country day and night.”

“You hate him like a scorpion. And why? Because he would not satisfy your ambition.”

“Diplomacy is nearly always settled by such proximity.”

“I call Mary my English mare, because I ride her so often.”

“You are a poet as I am a woman. Poets and women are always free with their hearts, are they not?”

“There's something deep and dangerous in you, Anne, those eyes of yours are like dark hooks for the soul.”

“As a humanist I share your opinion. As a King, I'm forced to disagree.”

“Though I love Your Majesty and I'm loyal to you, in every way, I cannot disguise my distress and unhappiness.”

"I should only ever tell the king what he ought to do, not what he could do. For if the lion knows his own strength, no man could control him."

"Blessed lady, Queen of Hearts, there will be even greater crowds than these to welcome you when you return to London."

"For every scholar that votes for you...I could find a thousand who would vote for me."

"You and I are both young, and with God's grace, boys will follow."

"You have no one to blame but yourself for this.”

“I was a true maid without touch of men. And whether or not it be true, I put it to your conscience.”

"Seduce me. Write letters to me. And poems, I love poems. Ravish me with your words. Seduce me."

"I have never known another man....and nor would I ever want to."

"If I had to choose between extreme sorrow and extreme happiness, I would always choose sorrow, for when you are happy you forget about spiritual things, you forget about God.But in your sorrow, He is always with you."

"Chastity? You talk to me about chastity when you have a mistress and two children, your Eminence."

“This, I vow, that my eyes desire you above all things.”

“As a humanist I have an abhorrence of war. It's an activity fit only for beasts yet practiced by no kind of beasts so constantly as by man.”

“What if the King doesn't know what's in his best interests?”

“If you want to keep the love of a prince, this is what you must do: You must be prepared to give him the thing you most care for, in all the world.”

“Lady Anne is so beautiful, it is the duty of every man to love her. Of course I loved her, but from a distance.”

“You treat me so unkindly and in public neglect me.”

“My only satisfaction is that in frustrating you I hasten your fall from the King's good graces, an outcome I desire above all others.”

“Mistress Boleyn, you should not abuse the Queen's honor with such language!”

“He was a lion in my defense. Now he will die ashamed and alone in a prison cell.”

“Then here's the truth. You must shut your eyes and endure  like your betters have done before you!”

“Don’t you know that I can drag you down as quickly as I raised you?”

“I am more convinced than ever that he is the agent of Satan. If I could, I would strip him from the King's side- and burn him.”

"I know of no Queen of England but my mother. And I will accept no Queen but my mother."

“If the King's mistress would intercede with him on my behalf, then I would be grateful."

"Lady, you must know how beloved you are to the people—as was your mother before you, God rest her soul."

“I'm a lot older than I was when I first knew you. And wiser.”

“have no heir. The Tudor Dynasty, all my father's work, finished, and it's MY fault!”

“He will tire of you, like all the others.”

“You know perfectly well what the King desires and what he shall have.”

“You can't have 3 people in a marriage!”

“I am surprised to receive such a request from such a wise and noble man as you.”

“ I am but a poor woman, lacking in both wit and understanding. How am I supposed to respond to such a request made to me out of the blue?”

“I know what you are trying to do, but do not think to take the King away from me. Let him play with you. Let him give you gifts. But he cannot give you his true heart.”

“I make you this promise. When we are married, I will deliver you a son.”

“I was wondering if you'd like to become my mistress.“

“The brat is now officially a bastard.”

“Everything will change for her. That kiss is her destiny and fortune.”

“People of England, your King is unharmed!”

“An important question, whether it is better for a king to be feared or loved.”

“I do imagine there are some at court who would like to see the Queen replaced.”

“Lady Bryan, if I cannot please the King, will he kill me?”

“For he who possesses the heir to the throne will very soon possess the throne itself.”

[xbadgerbearx]

chapter two: showtime

word count: 2.5k

Redlight: [1] ... [3]

“When you said ‘show,’ this was not what I had in mind.”

Alphonso drove the two of you to the address written on the piece of paper. He was instructed to bet on some “Khan” guy, so he put some money down at the booth. “You want to get in on this?” he asked, but you shook your head. Afterwards, you had both made your way into the dingy underground ring. 

It was noticeably hot and stuffy–not to mention dirty–so you tried to keep to yourself as much as possible. There was already a fight going on, but the two men in the ring were shorter than your Romeo. Alphonso led you to an area with a clear view of the fight, which meant that there was a clear view leading to you. The fight started to wind down as one of the men became significantly tired, and the victor was declared. 

A South African man took to the stage, obviously the pseudo-ringleader, and congratulated the winner before announcing the next fight. 

“Ladies and gentleman!” his voice rang out from the speakers. “Tonight we have the return of the beast! Kong!” The crowd booed loudly before quieting down to let the man talk. The said beast was crouched in the corner–he was wearing a monkey mask. “But fear not, for Sher Khan will put up a worthy fight!” A fighter, a man with long hair, entered the ring and basked in the applause. 

The monkey stood up, and that’s when you realized who it was; it was Romeo. He was oddly…muscular. Not in a jacked sort of way, but he was lean and obviously strong. 

“Is that…?” you trailed off, standing taller to get a better look.

“Bobby? Yeah!” Alphonso finished for you. He seemed to already be enjoying himself, excited to see the fight. 

The announcer was soaking up the energy the crowd was throwing at him, and he was loving it. Glancing at the audience, his gaze rested on you, which made his evil smile grow a bit wider. “And who do we have in the audience tonight, aye? Is that a princess in need of saving!?” His voice rang out again, arm outstretched into your direction. You looked around to see if he was talking to anyone else, but you were the only woman around that area. Alphonso clapped you on the shoulder and laughed loudly in your ear. 

“Fear not maiden! For the brave Sher Khan will vanquish this beast for you, or at least go down trying!” The attention was now on you for a moment. Sher Khan started to showboat and even blew a kiss in your direction, but you ignored him. Kong was a bit harder to read; he just stood there motionless, staring at you.

The monkey was actually having an internal struggle within himself. When he gave Alphonso the address, he didn’t expect him to take you. Not only were you seeing him like this, but he also had to ultimately be the loser in the end. He groaned before readying himself for the fight.

“Fighters! Are you reeaaaddyyyy?” the ringleader drawled. “Fight!”

Sher Khan instantly flew into action, but Kong dodged quickly–though not without getting a swift kick. The first round went quickly, and the second went by just as fast, with the winner being Kong, making you and Alphonso cheer. Money was being passed around and the constant booing was starting to get annoying. When Kong delivered a heavy kick that sent Sher Khan flying against the ropes of the ring, you let out a loud, happy cry of surprise. The monkey seemed to enjoy it and did a little hop to show off before Sher Khan returned to the fight. The announcer seemed irked and was encouraging Khan to beat Kong. Unfortunately, Khan was able to get past Kong’s defense and throw him to the ground. When the monkey got to his feet, he was unbalanced and unable to block an incredible punch to the face, making your eyes go wide.

Kong touched his mask to reveal droplets of blood oozing from the mouth of the monkey. You gasped as the crowd cheered, and Kong made eye contact with you before ordering Khan to hit him again, but harder. Khan obliged–multiple times–and blood poured faster out of his mask’s mouth. You watched with a mix of disgust and horror as he fell to the ground, succumbing to his injuries. 

The announcer cried out, “Fucking yes! Yes!” He rang a bell and congratulated Khan as the crowd went wild. “Get this fucking monkey off here,” he ordered some men. “The winner, the killer of the beast and knight in shining sweat to the fair maiden-” he gestured to you again in the crowd- “Sheeerrrr Khaaann!” He held the man’s arm up in victory as Kong still was on the ground, trying to catch his breath. “Come on, Princess! Come say thanks to your knight!” 

You shook your head but the man’s lackeys were already on their way to bring you to the stage. Alphonso even helped them by shoving you forwards and giving you a thumbs up. That asshole was laughing and having a great time. They brought you into the ring where you stood next to the announcer and Sher Khan.

“What did I say? Get this monkey outta here!” he ordered before clearing his throat. Khan wrapped an arm around your uncomfortable shoulders while his other hand was still in the air in victory. You were only looking at Kong, worry etched all over your face. The crowd became louder than before as they cheered. “Come on, sugar, give this knight a kiss, huh? After all, he defeated the beast for you!” You tried to deny it but eventually kissed him on the cheek as the crowd’s hounding became relentless.

Kong watched the scene from under his mask, a new and different sense of defeat flowing over him. 

You tried to leave the ring but the man pulled you back, this time his arm wrapping around your waist. “Come on, baby! We’re all having fun here.” 

You laughed flirtatiously, but the way your eyes darted betrayed how you actually felt. “I should get going,” you told him.

“Nonsense! Stay! I’ll even let you hang around the pit where I am,” he tried to persuade. When you tried to leave again, he obviously got the hint and let go, but not before giving you an exaggerated kiss on the cheek for the crowd. When you left, the man noticed something on the ring's floor. It was a black business card; it must have fallen out of your pocket when you were forced into the ring. Interesting… 

Alphonso quickly met with you after you left the ring, but not before collecting his impressive winnings. You did not see your Romeo after the fight. Alphonso drove you home in silence, although not on his part. He kept trying to talk to you but you ignored him. You did say goodnight to him, and he to you, when you made it to your stop. 

“This isn’t where the housing complexes are,” he noted. You instructed him to drop you off at a temple. 

“Goodnight, Alphonso.” 

“So what? You just gonna walk home from here? I could drive you-”

“Goodnight, Alphonso.”

“Yeah, yeah, ‘night,” he sighed. Alphonso sped off on his rickshaw, leaving you alone in the dark.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a couple days later. Romeo was promoted to work as a waiter in the lounge while you stayed down in the kitchen. He would often try and make time to see you, even if it was for a brief moment. Sometimes he would try to talk to you–even if you weren’t the best conversationalist–and other times he enjoyed a cup of tea in silence next to you as you washed some dishes. It was…sweet. And he looked mighty handsome in his new uniform. 

He had tried to see you today, but you were nowhere to be found in the kitchen. Unbeknownst to him, Queenie had called you into her office that morning. 

“Sit,” she ordered, cigarette lit and taking a drag. She blew the smoke before talking again. “You have an admirer,” she smirked. You mirrored her smile, but it was noticeably weaker. “Some guy called this morning. Said he’d like to make a reservation with you. He didn’t know your name, but when he started to describe the women he saw, I knew it was you. He’s paying a pretty penny to have dinner with you tonight.”

You frowned. “What did he order?”

“Nothing crazy. Definitely manageable.” She took another drag from her cigarette. “Just the ‘Wine and Dine.’” You let out a breath of relief. “His reservation is for 7pm. Don’t even bother working in the kitchen today.” 

“What is the reservation under?” you asked.

Queenie shrugged. “Said it was for ‘Tiger.” Whatever the fuck that means. Sounded South African…men are so fucking stupid,” she said with exasperation and a disgusted look on her face. Your brows furrowed at the information. That ringleader guy must have found you from that underground ring. Queenie let you go do whatever it is you wanted before you had to get ready. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bobby was working in the lounge again tonight. Spotting an empty glass, he smoothly walked over to the table and poured red wine for the couple. The woman was nestled against the man while his hands were exploring her legs. 

“Mate,” he scoffed. “What are you doing? That’s red wine.”

“Yes, sir,” Bobby confirmed. 

“Well, that’s a white wine glass,” he chuckled. “Who is this guy, huh?” he whispered into the woman’s ear. It was Sita, your coworker. She distracted the complaining man, letting Bobby get away without getting an earful. 

His eyes were lazily scanning the lounge before settling on your figure. You were…beautiful, to simply put. But you were with Tiger, his boss at the fighting ring. It was as if his heart stopped right there. He was going to walk away–run–go anywhere but here–but Tiger flagged him down. He slowly made his way over to your table. When your eyes met, you both froze, locked in a staring contest.

“We need some more wine, mate, and some–” Tiger stopped mid sentence. His surprise quickly turned into smugness. “Well look who we have here, monkey,” he smiled. Bobby’s throat catches and he can’t find himself to speak. He opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. “You know who this is, princess?” Tiger asked you. “It’s that fucking monkey from the fight you saw. That loser that was defeated in your name, remember?”

You finally broke the staring contest with Bobby and turned your attention to Tiger. 

You simply smiled and relaxed into your seat. “I remember,” you said, taking a sip from your wine glass and finishing it. You smoothly pushed it to the tall man to refill, your nails almost the same color as the drink. “He was very impressive.” You winked at Bobby, smile turning more seductive. He was still in shock, and your obvious flirting was not helping the poor boy.

“Impressive my ass, he went down like a limp dick,” Tiger crudely cackled. His arm snaked its way behind your back, allowing him to shift you closer. “I’ll show you what isn’t limp later…” he whispered into your ear, but it could clearly be heard by anyone remotely near you. Bobby frowned as you smiled coyly at Tiger.

You tsked at the man playfully. “That’s not what you ordered, baby,” you hummed before kissing his cheek. “You only ordered the ‘Wine and Dine’ special, remember?” Tiger’s hand started to wander, and Bobby bit the inside of his cheek. His hand twitched when he saw Tiger make you jump; he had just groped you. “You’re gonna need to upgrade your meal if you want to eat out,” you warned. The innuendo was blatant, but it got the point across. Bobby snapped out of his shock and busied himself with pouring both white and red wines into the correct glasses. 

“Or I could eat you out right here, right now,” Tiger playfully suggested. Bobby’s breath hitched and his eyes started to water. As the piano swelled, Bobby’s tears mirrored. He quickly excused himself and left the lounge, almost knocking down a cart. “What the fuck was that about,” Tiger chuckled. You straightened yourself and looked at the clock. 

“Sorry, baby, but it looks like our little dinner reservation is over,” you smiled. He tried to negotiate with you, and even offered to upgrade his meal plan, but you shut him down. “I’m afraid it’s too late.” You got yourself out of the booth and kissed Tiger on the cheek. “Maybe next time,” you winked. Tiger was left stunned in his seat as he watched you leave the lounge. 

You figured there was one place where you could find your Romeo, and that was in the alley behind the kitchen. You indeed found him, but he was crouched over a dog and feeding her with what looked like leftover scraps. 

“Good girl,” he whispered. “There you go. Good girl. You like that? That’s good,” he encouraged the dog to eat. “You like that?”

“You better be careful with how you talk, or it could be taken the wrong way,” you said humorously, but there was no smile on your face. He jumped at your presence and slightly flushed at your words. 

You sat next to him for a few moments in silence. The dog sniffed your fingers and let you stroke her fur before going back to lick the newspaper. He looked at you almost expectantly. You sighed. “I try to work in the lounge as little as possible. I’m not on the menu–well, kind of,” you smiled awkwardly. The man looked at you, interested. “I’m available by request, but only to people who already know me.”

“Why?” he asked, but got no response. You both watched the dog together for a bit before he spoke up. “It’s not true, you know. Me being a loser. Well, I-I guess I am, but I lost on purpose. I’m not supposed to–I’m not allowed to win…I’m never allowed to win.” 

You frowned and cast your eyes onto his frame, admiring his profile while he continued to watch the dog. You sighed again and slowly rose to your feet. “Be careful when feeding her. She’s going to keep coming back for more, and it would be cruel to leave her after all that.” You made your way into the kitchen door before stopping. “And don’t let Queenie find out. She can’t stand dogs.”

When Bobby turned to watch you leave, you were already gone. 

[jbaileyfansite]

Interview with The Telegraph (2023)

We all know what is meant by McCarthyism. It ­popularly refers to the first half of the 1950s, when Senator Joseph R McCarthy led a ruthless ­campaign to hound suspected communists out of the US government. What’s less well-remembered than the Red Menace is the Lavender Scare: by an executive order from President Eisenhower, McCarthyism also targeted gays and lesbians. “If you want to be against McCarthy, boys,” the senator once told the press, “you’ve got to be either a Communist or a c--ksucker.”

Thus gay men and women, living closeted lives as they worked for the state, were targeted by sinister-sounding bodies: the FBI’s Sex ­Deviance Investigations Unit, ­Washington DC police’s Sex ­Perversion Elimination Program and the Department of State’s M Unit. All sought to identify ­government employees deemed to be security risks vulnerable to blackmail.

Popular culture lost sight of the Lavender Scare until it was brought into the light in the US by Thomas Mallon’s 2007 novel Fellow ­Travelers. Set mostly in the early 1950s, it told of a tangled romance between two men; Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller, a handsome war veteran and political fixer who steers clear of emotional attachment until he meets Tim Laughlin, a sweet young Catholic newcomer to DC whom he nicknames Skippy and sets up in the office of a Republican senator.

The novel was not published in the UK. But now it has been adapted for television, and one piece of ­casting in particular feels ­calculated to get the attention of audiences beyond the US: Laughlin is played by British actor Jonathan Bailey, best known as the Regency heartthrob Anthony, 9th Viscount Bridgerton.

His co-star is the American Matt Bomer, who, like Bailey, professes ignorance of what the New York Times, in its review of the novel, referred to as “the Lavender Hill mob”. “It’s a chapter of LGBTQIA history that I was completely ­unaware of,” he says.

This is not the first time the novel has been adapted – it was staged as an opera in Cincinnati in 2016. By then it had already caught the attention of Ron Nyswaner, who laboured over bringing the book to the screen for the best part of a ­decade. Best known for his script for Philadelphia, the 1993 Aids courtroom drama which earned Tom Hanks his first Oscar, it was his stint as a producer of Homeland that persuaded Showtime to fund an expensive eight-part decades-spanning drama. “I’m still in ­disbelief that we were able to tell this story on the scale that we were able to tell it,” says Bomer, who is also an executive producer on the drama.

The scale is considerable. The period detail of 1950s Washington, in both corridors of power and gay demimonde, is lavishly recreated. And as the story progresses it parts company with the novel, which opens with Hawk looking back at the closure of his career as a ­diplomat in Tallinn in 1991. Nyswaner’s script expands to take in other pivots in modern US ­history: the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the spread of Aids in the 1980s, when the now-married Hawk and the dying Laughlin meet for a final reckoning.

I met the drama’s two stars in London earlier in the summer, before the actors’ strike in ­Hollywood put a stop to such encounters. It was the first time they’d seen each other since the end of the shoot. Bomer, though just off the plane and heavily jet-lagged, exudes a chiselled, blue-eyed intensity. Bailey fizzes with puppyish energy. Both are themselves gay and Bailey in particular sees their casting as a sign of ­progress. “We would not be playing these parts five or 10 years ago,” he says. The highlights of his CV are mix and match. He has played mainly straight characters on ­television in the likes of Broadchurch, Crashing and W1A, and gay characters on stage in the Sondheim musical Company and Mike Bartlett’s play C--k in the West End. 

The career of Bomer, 10 years his senior, looks a little more linear. His most high-profile film role is as an object of ladies’ lust in male-strippers drama Magic Mike and its sequel. But in 2014 he won a Golden Globe playing a closeted journalist in HBO’s adaptation of Larry ­Kramer’s play The Normal Heart. In 2018, he made his Broadway debut as part of an exclusively gay cast reviving The Boys in the Band, a ­portrait of gay life in 1960s New York. 

Earlier on the day we met, ­Stanley Tucci had said on Desert Island Discs that he doesn’t see why straight actors shouldn’t play gay characters. “I think it’s incredibly complicated and nuanced,” says Bailey with a sigh. “You just want to make sure that everyone feels there’s enough space at the table. Everyone who is panicking that they’re never going to be able to play outside their own experience is wasting their energy.”

Bomer counters that it ought to cut both ways, that gay actors should be allowed to play straight. He speaks darkly of movie ­producers who “wouldn’t hire me because of who I was”, of gay actors who “weren’t even given a shot. A lot of it boils down to opportunity. Was ­everyone given the opportunity for the role? There is something about seeing the most authentic version of who you are represented on screen. It gives you hope.”

In Fellow Travelers that ­authenticity is portrayed most unswervingly in the bedroom, which the plot requires Hawk and Laughlin to visit often. “I haven’t necessarily really seen gay intimacy in a way that I would want to,” says Bailey. I gently remind him of Linus Roache, who plays a senator in ­Fellow Travelers but, back in 1994, starred in Jimmy McGovern’s Priest as a Catholic priest struggling with his sexuality – graphically so in a central scene with Robert Carlyle. “Oh yeah, that’s true,” he says. “I looked to that a lot.” 

As is on trend for male actors ­nowadays, both leads look ­impeccable with their shirts off in low honeyed lighting. “Hawk is ex-military and he also wants to appeal to people in bathroom stalls,” ­reasons Bomer, who did period-appropriate Royal Canadian Air Force drills and looks no less ­pneumatic than he did in Magic Mike.

Bailey concedes that Laughlin, who orders milk the first time we meet him, boasts the body of a Greek god for the simple reason that the shoot overlapped with Bridgerton (yes, he confirms, the newly married Anthony is back for the third season). “There’s no way Tim would have had a Bridgerton body, but what can you do if you’re commuting? I was like, I really want to lose weight to tell Tim’s story, but I lost fat and just got really ripped.”

How resonant is the history ­portrayed in Fellow Travelers to today? It’s easy to play six degrees of separation between now and then. For instance, McCarthy’s ­closeted sidekick Roy Cohn is a lead character (played here by Will Brill). A ferocious prosecutor of both communists and gays, he would go on to be Donald Trump’s lawyer, before dying of complications from Aids. It was Trump’s three appointees to the Supreme Court who this summer enabled a 6-3 ruling releasing businesses and organisations from the obligation to treat same-sex couples equally. The landmark ruling occurred just days before I met the actors, and has been widely interpreted as a ­profound attack on LGBT rights.

“There is an entire generation of men and women who suffered and struggled and loved under a ­government that felt that its morals were more important than their personal freedoms,” says Bomer. “And that’s exactly what we see happening today. Whether it’s McCarthy or the current Supreme Court justices, are morals more important than freedoms?”

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