#very fred-esque

[20w14a]

Do Unto Others by MSI gives me Elquackity vibes while Pt. 2 gives me Quackity vibes.

[mikaikaika]

Sitcom/romcom-esque plot where Cucurucho tells Fred to keep an eye on Tubbo but smitten-but not yet-realized Fred keeps feeding Cucurucho the most random ass information such as "Did you know Tubbo loves trains ?" "Did you know Tubbo is very knowledgeable about plane crashes ?" "Did you know Tubbo is really good at Geography ?" Then just with time it just evolves into "Tubbo told me his favourite flower is ___" or that "Tubbo can't even start his day without drinking coffee yk hehe". All the while Cucurucho is just there like jfc 😐😐😐. God forbid you try to achieve something on this yaoi island

[magical-reid]

The Joke's on Us

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Fem!Ravenclaw!Reader

Genre: fluff

Content warnings: none?

Word count: 2.3k

Summary: Fred Weasley agrees to pretend to be Y/N's boyfriend to help her fend off the advances of an unwanted suitor, Adrian Pucey, only to find his own feelings for her growing stronger with each passing day. As their fake relationship deepens, Fred finally admits his love for Y/N, and to his delight, she feels the same, leading to a genuine romance that leaves Pucey behind.

The air in Diagon Alley was brisk, a remnant of autumn’s grip before winter claimed it fully. Fred Weasley stood at the entrance of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, grinning broadly at the stream of witches and wizards entering their shop. Business had been booming since they opened the shop, and he and George couldn’t have been prouder.

But tonight wasn’t about Puking Pastilles or Extendable Ears. Fred had his sights set on something—or rather, someone—else entirely.

Y/N Y/L/N.

She had been their friend since Hogwarts, though Fred had always known his feelings for her extended beyond mere friendship. She’d been a year behind them in school, a Ravenclaw who managed to balance being book-smart with a mischievous streak that rivaled even the Weasley twins. Fred had noticed her laugh first—bright, unrestrained, the kind that echoed in his chest and refused to leave.

Now, as adults, they’d grown closer. Y/N worked for Flourish and Blotts, managing the rare books section, and often popped by the joke shop after her shifts to unwind.

Tonight was no different.

Fred spotted her easily as she navigated the crowded street, her brown hair loose and catching the faint glow of the shop’s enchanted lights. Her eyes darted around, scanning for him, and his heart did an embarrassingly Gryffindor-esque leap in his chest.

“Y/N!” Fred called, waving her over. She smiled in relief and quickened her pace.

“Fred, thank Merlin,” she said breathlessly, stepping into the shop and out of the chill. She glanced around at the shelves of colorful chaos, then back to him. “You’re my last hope. Please tell me you’ll help.”

Fred’s grin faltered. “What’s wrong?”

Y/N let out a frustrated groan and ran a hand through her hair. “Adrian Pucey. That’s what’s wrong.”

Fred stiffened at the name. Pucey had been a Slytherin a few years below him and George—a smug git who had grown into an even smugger man. He’d apparently decided Y/N was his latest conquest and had been making her life miserable for weeks now.

“Has he been bothering you again?” Fred asked, his tone sharper than he intended.

Y/N nodded, her eyes flashing with irritation. “He won’t take no for an answer. He keeps showing up at the bookshop, sending me owls—yesterday, he cornered me in the Leaky Cauldron during my lunch break.” She shuddered. “He’s relentless. I don’t know what else to do.”

Fred’s jaw clenched. He hated the thought of her being harassed, especially by someone like Pucey. “What do you need? Name it, and I’ll make it happen.”

She hesitated, biting her lip. “I was thinking…maybe you could pretend to be my boyfriend. Just for a little while. Pucey might back off if he thinks I’m taken.”

Fred’s heart thudded loudly in his chest. He forced himself to stay calm, though inside, his thoughts were a cacophony of disbelief and hope. Pretend to be her boyfriend? He’d been wanting to be her real boyfriend for years.

“Of course,” he said, keeping his tone casual. “Happy to help. Let’s make Pucey regret ever looking your way.”

Y/N’s shoulders sagged in relief, and she reached out to squeeze his hand. “Thank you, Fred. I owe you one.”

Fred gave her a lopsided grin, ignoring the warmth spreading through his chest at her touch. “No, you don’t. But I will expect you to play along convincingly. No half-arsing it, Y/L/N.”

Y/N laughed, the sound lighting up the dim corners of his heart. “Don’t worry, Weasley. I’ll sell it.”

The plan went into motion the very next day.

Y/N had arranged to meet Pucey for coffee—a ruse to confront him once and for all about his behavior. Fred, naturally, insisted on coming along.

As they approached the café in Hogsmeade, Y/N slipped her hand into Fred’s. It was a small, almost absent-minded gesture, but it sent a jolt of electricity through him. He glanced down at her, but she was focused ahead, her expression determined.

Inside, Pucey was already seated, his polished robes and slicked-back hair a stark contrast to Fred’s more casual style. The Slytherin’s smirk faded when he saw them enter hand in hand.

“Adrian,” Y/N said briskly as they approached the table. “This is Fred. My boyfriend.”

Fred couldn’t help but grin at the way Pucey’s face darkened. “Evening, Pucey,” he said cheerfully, sliding an arm around the girls waist. “Hope we’re not interrupting.”

Pucey’s gaze flicked between them, his smile brittle. “Didn’t realize you were seeing anyone, Y/N.”

“Well, now you do,” she said, her tone firm. “And I’d appreciate it if you stopped…whatever this is you’ve been doing. It’s making me uncomfortable.”

Fred tightened his grip on her waist, silently daring Pucey to argue.

Pucey’s eyes narrowed. “This is a joke, right? Weasley’s your boyfriend?”

Fred’s grin widened. “Don’t sound so surprised, mate. I’m a catch.”

Y/N bit back a laugh, but Pucey didn’t share her amusement. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.

“This isn’t over,” he said, glaring at the girl before storming out of the café.

Fred felt Y/N relax against him, and he looked down to find her smiling. “Well,” she said, “that went better than expected.”

Fred raised an eyebrow. “Better? He looked ready to hex me.”

“He won’t,” she said confidently. “Not with all these witnesses.”

He chuckled, but his amusement faded as he realized their plan might not have worked as well as she thought. Pucey didn’t seem like the type to give up so easily.

Still, he pushed the thought aside and focused on the present. “Come on,” he said, tugging her toward the door. “Let’s get out of here before he changes his mind.”

Over the next few days, Fred and Y/N continued their charade. They held hands in public, exchanged exaggerated smiles and whispers, and even staged a kiss in front of the joke shop when they spotted Pucey lurking nearby.

But the more time Fred spent pretending to be Y/N’s boyfriend, the harder it became to separate pretense from reality.

He loved the way her face lit up when she laughed, the way she wrinkled her nose when she was thinking, the way she trusted him completely. He loved her, plain and simple.

And it was becoming increasingly difficult to hide it.

One evening, after a particularly long day at the shop, Fred invited her up to the flat above the store for a drink. She accepted eagerly, collapsing onto the worn sofa with a sigh of relief.

“Long day?” Fred asked, handing her a glass of wine.

“Understatement,” she said, taking a sip. “Some bloke spilled ink all over a first edition of Fantastic Beasts. I nearly cried.”

Fred winced. “Tragic. Though I imagine you set him straight.”

“Oh, he won’t be making that mistake again,” she said with a wicked grin.

Fred laughed, settling beside her. They lapsed into a comfortable silence, the kind that only came with years of friendship.

After a moment, she turned to him, her expression serious. “Fred…thank you. For everything. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

Fred met her gaze, his heart pounding. “You don’t have to thank me, Y/N. I’d do anything for you.”

Her eyes softened, and for a moment, Fred thought he saw something more than gratitude in her expression. But before he could say anything, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

“Goodnight, Fred,” she said, standing and heading for the door.

Fred watched her go, his cheek still tingling from her kiss. He knew he couldn’t keep pretending much longer.

It was time to tell Y/N how he really felt.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Fred didn’t sleep that night.

He lay on the worn sofa in the flat above the shop, staring at the ceiling as the minutes turned into hours. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Y/N—her eyes, her soft smile, the way she’d kissed his cheek before walking away.

He needed to tell her how he felt.

But what if it ruined everything? What if she didn’t feel the same way? They’d been friends for years—he couldn’t bear to lose her because he’d let his heart get ahead of him.

Still, the thought of watching her fall for someone else—watching her go back to her life once their fake relationship was over—was worse.

By the time the sun rose, Fred had made his decision.

Y/N, meanwhile, was having a morning of her own.

She’d been awake since dawn, pacing her small flat above Flourish and Blotts, replaying the past few days over and over in her head.

At first, the plan to fake-date Fred had seemed like a brilliant solution. Pucey had mostly backed off, and the sense of safety she felt around Fred was priceless.

But somewhere along the way, something had shifted.

Fred wasn’t just her funny, reckless best friend anymore. He was the man who held her hand like it meant something. The man who kissed her on the forehead when they were “pretending” for Pucey’s benefit, only to linger a moment longer than necessary. The man whose laugh made her stomach flutter in ways she couldn’t ignore.

The truth hit her like a Bludger to the chest.

She was falling for him.

Y/N groaned and buried her face in her hands. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Fred was just helping her out. He didn’t really want to be with her.

Did he?

That afternoon, Fred found Y/N at the bookshop.

She was kneeling behind the counter, sorting through a stack of new arrivals, and didn’t notice him at first. He took a moment to admire the way her hair fell in loose waves around her face, the way she bit her lip in concentration.

“Oi, Y/L/N,” he called, leaning casually against the counter.

Y/N looked up, startled, then smiled when she saw him. “Fred! What brings you here?”

Fred grinned. “Can’t a bloke visit his fake girlfriend without an ulterior motive?”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile didn’t falter. “I suppose. Though I doubt you’re here to browse rare books.”

“Caught me,” Fred admitted. He hesitated, suddenly nervous. “Actually, I was hoping we could talk. Privately.”

Her smile wavered. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Fred said quickly. “Just…come with me?”

Y/N nodded, her curiosity piqued, and followed him out of the shop. Fred led her to a quiet corner of Diagon Alley, far from the bustling crowds.

Once they were alone, Fred turned to face her, his expression more serious than she’d ever seen it.

“Fred, you’re starting to worry me,” She said, her green eyes searching his face.

Fred took a deep breath. “Y/N, I’ve been thinking about us. About this whole…fake relationship thing.”

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat. “What about it?”

Fred ran a hand through his hair, clearly struggling to find the right words. “I agreed to this because I wanted to help you. And I don’t regret it—not for a second. But…”

“But what?” She prompted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Fred met her gaze, his brown eyes earnest. “I don’t want to pretend anymore.”

Y/N blinked, her mind racing. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I don’t want to be your fake boyfriend,” Fred said, stepping closer. “I want to be your real one. I’ve wanted that for ages, Y/N. I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

She stared at him, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. “Fred…”

“I know this might come as a shock,” Fred continued, his voice rushing now. “And I’ll understand if you don’t feel the same way. But I had to tell you. I couldn’t keep pretending, not when—”

Y/N cut him off by pressing her lips to his.

Fred froze for a split second before kissing her back, his arms wrapping around her like she might vanish if he let go. The world seemed to fall away, leaving nothing but the two of them in that quiet corner of Diagon Alley.

When they finally pulled apart, Y/N was breathless, her cheeks flushed.

“I’ve been falling for you too, Fred,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I just didn’t think you felt the same way.”

Fred’s grin was so wide it could have rivaled the shop’s flashing neon signs. “Are you kidding? I’ve been in love with you since Hogwarts.”

She laughed, the sound bright and unrestrained. “Well, you took your time telling me.”

“Better late than never,” Fred said, pulling her close again.

Their relationship shifted after that, but in the best possible way.

Fred still made her laugh until her sides ached, still teased her mercilessly about her love of books and her habit of muttering to herself when she was nervous. But now there were stolen kisses in the stockroom, late-night cuddles on the sofa, and whispered promises of forever.

As for Pucey, he didn’t stand a chance.

The next time he approached her at the Leaky Cauldron, Fred was by her side, his arm draped possessively around her shoulders.

“Pucey,” Fred said cheerfully, his grin bordering on dangerous. “Fancy seeing you here.”

Pucey glared at him, then at Y/N. “So it’s true, then? You’re really with him?”

She smiled sweetly, leaning into Fred. “Yes, Adrian. I’m really with him. So if you’ll excuse us…”

Fred smirked as Y/N grabbed his hand and led him away, leaving Pucey fuming in their wake.

“That was brilliant,” Fred said once they were outside.

Y/N grinned up at him. “Well, I did have an excellent fake boyfriend to practice with.”

Fred laughed, spinning her around before kissing her soundly.

“You’re stuck with me now, Y/L/N,” he said when they broke apart.

“Good,” Y/N replied, her eyes shining. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”

[cressidagrey]

Ok so. Please expect three different asks for three different chapters from me in explicit detail of howuvh emotionally unstable and gross I jam.

This one of for the newest chapter. Iust inform you that I have resorted to taking notes because I can't keep track of my own brain.u brain is basically scrambled eggs at this point. I will ad picture of my notes, just promise you won't think I'm an obsessed crazy person and block me forever.

1. Something from the previous chapter that struck strange to me was the use of "even Ferrari didn't remember" implying that's way more scandalous than your moder forgetting your birthday. I don't really get your thought process behind that one. I mean that's her mom. Her MOTHER.

2. Alex and Charlotte textassage making list is of potential suitors for Belle like it's pride and prejudice and they are at pemberly vetting out eligible bachelors with good prospects for her.

2.1. Fernando is a very good option. If Belle wasn't so madly in love with max I would actually be so on board with the Spanish lover trop. But the impending doom of daddy kink is killing the vibes. (Fernando seems like he would be more into fiery women anyways - insert kiss with a fist song.)

2.2. Lewis... Maybe. Yes. I think... I need more convincing. He has prospects yes but I think they are both way to quit. I think the need a little bit of chaos each.

2.3 casually saying no to max? That's just hilarious. I mean she hangs out with his dad. His father. With Jos. That has to count as something. Please girls see the truth.

2.4 Valterri Bottas mullet slander? Unacceptable. The man is a sex god in bikini. He is peak performance. He is Adonis in modern days.

3. 12 days and no birthday celebration from family. Listen if it were me I would set the house on fire. I am a spoiled rotten only child who plans her own gift list from 6months prior. I could never survive this.

4. Max - casually dropping actually 🤓☝ I got married in an interview - Verstappen. He will be the death of me. Put it on my tombstone. Dead by casual bomb dropping of fictional max Verstappen.

5. Christian - To whom? - Horner. (Who says to whom. Who keeps track of proper grammar when your number one driver and multi wolf champion says he got married on a random Saturday.) - what are you George Russle?

6. Helmt - corps - Marko. Speaks. He has motor skills. Great. Racist grandpa is here. I will accept .

7.I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT. I SAW SIGNS. I kept reading bits and thinking huh, quite pregnancy-esque. But I thought maybe not. Maybe I'm reading to much. But no. I was right. I knew it. (Also 12 weeks? Second trimester? Already has a heartbeat? My god. My god. My god. My god.)

7.1. Soon expect poorly made college of baby room.

8. MRS. VERSTAPPEN. KILL ME. THAT'S SO HOT. I NEED THAT. LET HER CHANGE HER INSTAGRAM TO IT.

9. I never kid about matrimony. — Nico H ( because I don't know how to spell his name.) I will tatto this on my forehead.

10. Married drivers news letter. It better also come with merch. I need to be added to thatvnews Letter.

11. Every one finding out slowly but surely. We are closing the hour of our need / death. Angel of death claim my soul peacefully. Also Fernando just coming out of the shado like a master ninja guru with the powers of prophecy and The Sight™. He speaks poetry and I love it.

12. Kimi and Oli are brainrot children. They are two minions. Hitting each other with a banana peel.

12.1. How are they keep guessing and they keep making worse ones? How can they keep getting more wrong? Orange cat energy.

13. George - at this point it's performance art- Russle. He is so scandalized. Clutching pearls. Turning nose. He has turned into a judgmental, angry, righteous southern bell.

14. Kevin has entered the chat. Kevin has made a bet. Kevin has won the bet?? In the same hour? Legend behavior.

15.No word for the process of Zio Fred finally finding out. He is solemnly reevaluating his career.

16. Personally I think it wasn't technically Fred's job to know Belle's birthday. I mean yes it's polite to know. But also he is a team principal. Just the team principal if there was one person allowed to forget it's him. In Ferrari, I think we need to blame the PR people more. Technically speaking it's their job to know these things. And remind people of that. But it's really nice that he feels regret and sadness. Zio Fred is the only one I will forgive. But I am biased towards him. He is my pookie.

17. And finally. It happened. Through an interview. And he panics. Forgets all PR and makes a mess. PATHETIC.

So finally I am done. Thank you for tolerating me. I will be sending things like this more now that video decided I need to take notes to keep track of things.

As always love you. And your work.

This might just be the most elite feedback I’ve ever received. I feel like I just read an annotated dissertation titled “Why White Horse Has Permanently Altered My Brain Chemistry,” and I LIVED for every second of it. I was laughing, clutching my chest, nodding violently, and deeply honored the entire way through. Let’s break this down like the chaos scholars we are:

Ferrari vs. Pascale — you’re right. Her mother matters more that Ferrari. BUT Ferrari isn't one singular person. Ferrari are dozen upon dozen of people. And not one of them remembered. Not a PR person, not one of the engineers, not one person from hospitality. They didn't remember.

Pemberley Core™ — That’s exactly the vibe. The Mrs. Bennets of Pemberley cough The (future) Mrs. Leclercs of Monaco.

2.1. Fernando — fire sign men, am I right? The tension would be UNHINGED. But yeah, daddy issues unlocked.

2.2. Lewis — two softies = emotional whisper fights and shared skincare routines.

2.3. "She hangs out with his dad" — I SNORTED. Thank you for that. Evidence dismissed, girls. You lose.

2.4. Valtteri — I’ll see myself out for that slander. The man is art. Peak mullet energy. Nordic god.

12 Days, No Birthday — listen. If it were me? The family group chat would be on FIRE. 🔥

4–5. Max casually soft-launching matrimony in a post-race debrief — Max Verstappen: PR nightmare, emotional menace. King.

Helmut having a line of dialogue — we were all shocked. Even Helmut. (He’s still buffering.)

YOU CALLED IT — You and your spidey senses were absolutely spot on. The hints were dropped like Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs. The baby is real. And the drama is only just beginning. Prepare for baby gear collages at dawn.

Mrs. Verstappen — tattoo it on my soul. That’s all.

Nico Hülkenberg: King of Matrimonial Gravitas. Never kid about weddings. Never.

Newsletter & Merch — consider yourself subscribed. It comes with a gold-plated pen and passive-aggressive quotes from Nico.

The Reveal Slow Burn — it's like a thriller where every page is a tiny explosion. And Fernando? He never sleeps.He just waits.

12–12.1. Kimi and Oli — literal goblins. Orange cat chaos personified. Darwin Awards contenders.

George: Southern Belle Mode™ — the pearls have been CLUTCHED. The hand fan is fluttering. Someone fetch him a chaise lounge.

Kevin — has entered the chat, placed a bet, and won it before the dust settled. Absolute icon behavior.

15–16. Zio Fred — you know what? He is not guilty. PR definitely dropped the ball. Fred just wanted peace. Justice for Zio Pookie.

The Interview Reveal™ — the PR team watching from a distance with their souls leaving their bodies.

You’re brilliant. I welcome every future annotated ask you ever send with open arms and a strong cup of tea. Please neverstop yapping, theorizing, losing your mind, or threatening fictional men in commentaries. The way you love these stories? It gives me life. Love you right back. 💛

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Ginger Rogers (Swing Time, Top Hat)—Look I’ll level with you, I’ve never seen her in a musical and I know that she’s an amazing dancer and she’ll be even hotter when I finally watch Top Hat but I’m not submitting her as a dancer I’m submitting her as an ACTRESS. Her comic timing is impeccable!!!!! She’s full to bursting with life and in every role she seems to be having FUN, you can practically feel the twinkle in her eye. With her natural warmth it’s like she’s letting you in on the joke, y’all get to have this fun together! Making me laugh is hot!!! [If you'd like to see Ginger dance, videos below the cut]

Dorothy Lamour (The Jungle Princess, Road to… movies)—Ok, to be honest, I get if no one wants to vote for her--she's kind of like my ~problematic fave~ because she started in the Road (Singapore, Bali, Hong Kong, etc) movies with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, which are full of all sorts of exoticism tropes and usually have her playing very side-eye type roles..island princesses and things...yeah. also she banged J. Edgar Hoover. not very hot. but your honor i still think she's pretty despite all that she's pretty please look at her and tell me she's prettyyy

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Dorothy Lamour propaganda:

She started in jungle and South Seas movies and became famous in the Road series. She learned quickly to improvise when facing Bob and Bing. Road to Bali almost has her character marrying both of theirs, since she's island royalty and nobody had a problem with it - a nearly poly relationship, an epiphany for a viewer who didn't even know that that could happen! She was a popular pinup girl during World War 2, and was the first singer for the popular standard "It Could Happen to You". She sang often in her movies and has a lovely voice!

Ginger Rogers propaganda:

She needs no introduction! An undeniable powerhouse on the dancefloor, and no less talented an actress. I once watched a compilation of cinema's greatest dance scenes and one of her and Fred Astaire's dances was featured, and one of the talking heads said he pitied her for 'having to keep up with him' - or something to that effect. Bullshit, I cry. Ginger Rogers was his absolute equal, and underplaying her incredible skill is downright criminal. I want the 'Cheek to Cheek' sequence from Top Hat to be permanently burned into my memory.

"Backwards in high heels", as the saying goes (though the pedant in me must point out that she in fact spent her fair share of time leading or dancing side-by-side). One of the earliest twinkle-toed ladies of the silver screen, and in terms of acting/persona, her balance of wide-eyed cuteness and movie-star glamour has never quite been replicated.

we all know her beloved string of musicals with fred but ginger also has an extensive and varied non-fred filmography that she's great in! a few ginger moments that are important 2 me personally ginger singing “we’re in the money” in gold diggers of 1933, complete with a verse in pig latin bc this whole movie is kinda mocking the concept of anyone actually being in the money in 1933; ginger and una merkel singing a verse of “shuffle off to buffalo” in 42nd street, providing some statler & waldorf-esque commentary on newlyweds from the upper berth of a railway car (interesting that belly was apparently a risque word in 1933 - maybe its bc the lyric is innuendo-ing about out of wedlock pregnancies - and that panties was a term for men’s underthings!); a favorite fred & ginger number

Ginger Rogers could do everything! She could sing, dance and act. She was hilarious in comedies, moving in dramatic roles (she won an Oscar for Kitty Foyle in 1940) and absolutely gorgeous!

Listen, no shade to Fred Astaire at all, but she both kept up with him step for step and then later went on to WIN AN OSCAR FOR ACTING. (which he did not.) truly a double threat!!!

One of the best dancers in Hollywood! Her work with Fred Astaire is just incredible.

ONE LINE: "Everything Fred did, Ginger did backwards and in heels" AND THEYRE RIGHT! Rogers was a total dance badass, and a lot of movie buffs know the story, but the Never Gonna Dance number from Swing Time took almost 50 takes, and allegedly by the end of filming it her white shoes had been stained pink because her feet were bleeding. As a note, she looks crazy gorgeous in this number. Watching these two dance is insane. They match up to each other in a way my mom describes as "divine" and she's right. DANCE NUMBERS!

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off (Shall We Dance, 1937, dancing starts at 3:14, they're in ROLLERSKATES)

(Ginger Rogers is the hottest woman ever to live in this number. seeing this as a teenager altered my brain chemistry)

(also watch her feet and how she moves opposite Astaire in this one. We all know our boy Freddie had that precision demon but jesus christ Miss Rogers, let a girl live!)

Pick Yourself Up, Swing Time 1936 (Everyone's seen this one but by god you are going to see it AGAIN!)

Shall We Dance, 1937 (duet begins at 2:34)

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Roberta 1935 (There's just something about Ginger Rogers in a slick black dress man)

The Continental, The Gay Divorcee 1934 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjv6nmF7wdk God she's MAGIC in this one.

Gay Divorcee's Ending Montage 1934The infamous table and chairs spin happens at about 0:49. Pay CLOSE attention to her in this bc it looks like witchcraft and I feel lightheaded whenever I watch this movie bc shes THAT awesome.

She is a miracle to watch. Sorry for the sheer amount of clips. My entire family is like madly in love with Ginger Rogers.

[bisupergirl]

official bisupergirl supergirl (2025) #1 review:

starting with what i didn't love:

i'm so tired of the "stuck in superman's shadow" narrative that writers keep forcing kara to go through. on one hand, does it make sense for a very young woman to feel overshadowed by superman? of course! but writers have made her go through this same character arc so many times, and it never even gets resolved in a satisfying way. it's a fine storyline to give kara when she's a teenager, but when she's been a hero for as long as she has, it just feels somewhat insulting.

not a fan jeremiah and eliza danvers (shocker) but i do like that they're somewhat more pedestrian in this, if that makes sense? like they're still DEO agents (lame) but they felt fred and edna-esque in a way. i still want fredna back, but i can live with this.

and now what i DID love <3:

i really really loved the art <3 i didn't know if i was going to like it when the comic was first announced just because it looked so. cutesy. but i've really come around on it <3 it's very fluid and dynamic, big fan. also loved the colors, tamra bonvillain's work on world's finest (2022) was SO good and i'm loving her work here.

HUGE fan of all the pre-crisis nods this comic had (again, shocker): the ring of nor-kann, kara's hair color changing comb, SECRET HEARTS MENTION, the hollowed out tree that she hides shit in, etc. etc.

the whole comic is very silver/bronze age-y in a way that i really love. honestly, i feel like people who've only read supergirl comics that have come out within the last 5 to 10 years (<- not a dig, old comics aren't for everyone) probably won't be super into it, but as someone who reads (and re-reads) and loves kara's bronze age comics, i really enjoyed the comic's overall tone. it's very casual and grounded in a way that modern supergirl stories aren't. i have a strong feeling that this is going to get (unfairly imo) compared to woman of tomorrow and criticized for being a much more grounded take on the character, but i don't think it's a bad thing for this comic to not be a huge, character-defining odyssey.

another thing that i feel like a lot of people won't be into but i really liked: the thought bubbles <3 they were standard practice during pre-crisis (the way they're used here reminded me a lot of supergirl (1982) <3) and i love that campbell brought them back :)

aside from the whole "i'm stuck in clark's shadow" bit, i liked kara's characterization in this a lot! some writers make her too stoic or reserved and forget that she's like, a young woman in her 20s lmao.

the overall plot was interesting to me! loved kara being in charge of patrolling kandor and the way she non-violently took down lar-on. i liked that she wasn't thrilled about going back to midvale and that she's just there to visit her parents. i'm looking forward to see more of this version of lesla-lar since she's more of a reinvention of the silver age character. idk, big fan all around! i just like that the stakes here are more personal and specific to kara, rather than her having to deal with a big, world-ending crisis, or someone else's issues.

all and all, i liked it :) everyone look at my beautiful babygirl:

[c0tt0ncandysw1rlz]

Solaire Clan Headcans pt. 1/???

There are feral and stray cats that kinda just. Hang out. In WonderWorld. The clan works with local vets in Dahlia to give the cats homes, TNR, etc. Generally the clan also cares for them too!

It's a sort of a esponsibility to look after the cats when a clan member is on WonderWorld duty. Vincent is probably the sweetest with the cats, loves taking care of them. Very ffectionate, the WonderWorld cats adore him. Sam is second sweetest, he loves the cats tbh. I can see it.

Bright Eyes has chunky streaks of damaged hair. And it's basically because of how often they tried to add in "cool neon highlights" like every week. They weep as a vampire knowing they're stuck with bleach fried hair now /j

Vincent was in some mid-late 90s alt band as a teen. The band never got off the ground, so no one really recognizes him as "that random kid from the band". But he still has mean singing chops and guitar skills, and he can somehow still recall some old songs. Listen idk what to tell you Vincent has rocky grunge alt band vibes

Fred has Tumblr. He was in the trenches of Fandom Tumblr in it's heyday. Somehow knew about both SuperWhoLock and Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons

Fred and Bright tried to make a Buzzfeed Unsolved esque paranormal investigation show online. It gained a small following on Youtube, and there are multiple wild theories about what happened to the channel. And the hosts. Ranging from the more mundane, to the ones that are really out there, to the surprisingly on the nose. Someone unempowered spun a wheel and landed on "vampires", somehow guessing the correct events /j

Fred was the oldest of his siblings, Bright was the youngest. Yes it does reflect very obviously in their behavior /lh

Will has a specific painter he commissions to do portraits of new clan members. There's a place in either one of his personal homes or Skyside where he keeps them. It's a tradition he's insisted on for new vampires as a welcoming gesture

[theincorrigiblemagpie]

Rilla of Ingleside - Chapters 19, 20, 21

Oh, this is going to be LONG—I am so dreadfully behind!

There's nothing I can say about the Verdun offensive and the Ingleside reaction to it that hasn't been said already. Instead, I will tell you all about a scary dream *I* had last week. I dreamt I was in one of my childhood homes (the one we lived in when I was about 8). And a storm was coming and I was rushing to close the windows and balcony doors. Not to keep the storm out (ok a little bit to keep the storm out) but because I knew a scary flying WITCH was coming to get me. A cackling Baba Yaga-esque witch (Indian folklore has similar depictions). And my sister was not taking me seriously at all, nor helping me close the windows. I woke up and immediately texted some of my friends about it and we spent a very enjoyable hour trying to interpret my dream.

No, Gilbert, don't stop laughing at Gertrude's dreams. She needs someone to give her a reality check.

"But work He does, Miss Oliver, and in the end His purpose will be fulfilled." Maybe you should explain this to your anxiety-riddled child instead of lecturing Gertrude, JOHN.

Listen, the whole Robert Grant incident was tragic and I can't imagine how awful it was for Gertrude. But it's doing nothing to dispel my 'oh yeah, my boyfriend goes to another school—that's why you haven't met him' story line. Like, 'you could have met him but unfortunately, he was killed heroically in the war.'

"and then 'joy came in the morning' as the Bible says" Interesting! Wasn't this the verse Anne quoted after hearing that Gilbert was out of danger? Another parallel for @gogandmagog's list.

"because everybody else had gone to the station to meet Di and Nan coming home from Redmond." RIP to two more siblings Rilla doesn't care about lmaoo

"Anyhow, my king and country need me now to cut potato sets for the back garden" I do not enjoy Susan's jingoism but I deeply admire her pragmatism. Even when the world is burning, dinner has to be cooked and the dishes washed, and she is unflinching in doing her everyday duty.

I know the text wants us to loathe Whiskers and grudgingly like Norman Douglas but I severely dislike both. Not sure why, but Norman Douglas has always struck me as a discount Marshall Elliot. Like he wishes he was Marshall.

"I am afraid that there must be something incurably frivolous about me, because, right in the middle of it all, with me crying and Fred looking so wild and tragic, the thought popped into my head that it would be an unendurable thing to see that nose across from me at the breakfast table every morning of my life." Rilla continues to be insanely relatable to me.

"If Fred's nose were as handsome as his eyes and mouth some such thing might have happened. And then what an unthinkable predicament I should have been in!" PLEASE I'm screaming she's so funny asdfghjk

This dude with the two first names is entirely too chill asking for a kiss from a girl who just said she doesn't like you like that. (Yes, yes, I know Arnold can be a last name, but Hey Arnold! made an impression on me as a child.)

Love how Ken (from Toronto) and Fred (from somewhere in the Four Winds general area) know that they're rivals when no one else in the entire Blythe family seems to sense this love triangle. Were they chatting with their respective guy friends about "the interloper"?

Were Leslie, Owen, and Persis as shook as Anne when Ken announced his engagement to Rilla? Did they have some inkling? Did Anne write to Leslie to discuss this development once she found out? Did Anne discuss this with Gilbert so he'd be less confused later?

[cosmerelists]

Attending a Party Thrown by Each Radiant Order

As requested by anon. :)

You've been invited to a party! Actually, ten parties. But the twist is that each party is thrown and attended only by a single Radiant order and also we're in some kind of quasi-modern AU. What would each party be like?

[Previously: Radiant Orders play boardgames, have sleepovers, and go to musicals]

1. The Lightweaver Party

The invitation is a glossy, stylized illustration of a hand holding a wine glass--a true work of art. You later find out that every invitation is unique; no two are the same. The invitation leads you to a large ballroom-esque hall. "What is your name tonight?" asks a masked figure at the door. "Uh...Fred?" you say. You had not planned this. "Welcome...Fred," they say and let you in. It is shadowy inside, perhaps because all of the light comes from fairy lights and electric candles. Everyone is masked--including you, as per the invitation. People glide about, talking and laughing in low voices. It's not unwelcoming exactly, but certainly...surreal.

2. The Windrunner Party

The invitation is a couple of dudes saying, "Hey, there's a thing. Wanna come?" when you run into them at the bar. "The thing" appears to be some kind of picnic at a local park: you were told it was a potluck, so you did bring a macaroni salad, but the focus seems to be the large pot of stew that one of the men is making. There's a lot of eating and laughter and sunshine, and frankly a lot of hot people in uniform. You have a good time. Even if the Captain is just a little bit glowery the whole time.

3. The Edgedancer Party

A roller skating rink! You haven't been to a roller skating rink in sooo long! You're honestly psyched. As you do your best to skate around, others glide smoothly past you, looking like they were born skating. When you take a break to eat a mediocre but nostalgic corndog, a couple of them sit with you and you get to chatting. You're just at a skating rink, eating a mediocre corndog, but somehow...you've never felt so heard. When you go back to skating, you're skating with maybe a tear in your eye.

4. The Stoneward Party

It's just a party at someone's house, where everyone brings a case of beer or a bottle of wine or a snack food, and everyone drinks out of red solo cups. But you know what the vibe is? Convivial. Like, people are waving you over to join their conversations and asking about your hobbies and at one point? Someone suggests a party game? And everyone plays? Like, it WAS a pretty competitive game of charades, but everyone seemed to be having fun the whole time.

5. The Truthwatcher Party

Their party was at a local bar and on trivia night. The party was immediately pretty boisterous--someone brings up politics, like, immediately, and then everyone is happily shouting their thoughts back and forth across the table. But when trivia time hits, the mood turns serious.

6. The Dustbringer Party

It's in the basement of a warehouse that you're pretty sure is due for demolition. Certainly, it does NOT feel particularly structurally sound and there IS a lot of, like, concrete dust and debris everywhere. But once you get downstairs--well, this is not just a party. This is a rager. There is music and alcohol and drugs if you want 'em, and people are shouting and dancing and generally having a good time. "When you're like us, you GOTTA let loose every once in a while or you go INSANE!" someone says to you at one point. "It's about release?" you say and everyone in a five-foot radius groans at the pun.

7. The Willshaper party

It's drugs. Lots of drugs. Some of them are illegal, some of them aren't, but the people here would definitely scoff if you tried to make that distinction.

8. The Elsecaller Party

Well, it certainly is a very correct party. You receive an RSVP, and it's clear that you are meant to respond. In writing. Which you do. The RSVP lets you know that the party is semiformal, and that the dinner course will begin at precisely 7pm, so you do not even try to do the whole "fashionably late" thing. You are there by 6:55. Good thing, too, because everyone else is already there. "Everyone" being Jasnah and one small, inky man. Have you ever had dinner with your dissertation advisor who is also your mom somehow? Well, then you know how this party went. You were SWEATING the whole time.

9. The Skybreaker Party

When they checked your ID at the entrance to the small event hall they had rented, you laughed and asked if they wanted to make sure you were over 21. Their expression in reply told you that this was not a joke. Inside, there is a cash bar, and some hors d'oeuvre being handed around on plates. The people inside are mostly talking about their recent accomplishments in a way that makes you feel that they are all very stressed and trying to prove something. "It's a test," says a bald man who appeared very suddenly next to you. "A test of what?" you ask, suddenly very afraid. But he is gone.

10. The Bondsmith Party

You're at a party, and it's just you and two other people. The two other people? Married. You feel like you're crashing a date. They're being very nice and you are being included in every conversation but you're also literally the third at a party with only two other people who are married. You can't help but think this would be WAY less awkward if there were just ONE more Bondsmith. But who knows if THAT will ever happen!

[soft-pine]

Hey hey, I saw you said you don't get many asks. I have one! Can you do any freeform thoughts about Pastor Jim? (What he represents, his skillset, how long John's known apparently him, how John cried for him, etc? Whatever you feel like, really.)

I'm fascinated by the fact that by your timeline, it seems that the once John starting leaving the kids with others, those folks started getting picked off pretty early, perhaps inflaming John's sense of paranoia and isolation in parallel to how Azazel isolated Mary and picked off her support systems.

And I'm curious how Pastor Jim fits into this. :-)

hi Shal! that's so nice!! sorry it took me so long to reply!

i love the connection you made with the timeline and people getting "picked off" as you say! yeah i think that would have certainly fueled john's paranoia and stretched him and stressed him even more!

also i apologize in advance because i know you're maybe not a self-described john-anti. and, though i find his character complex and fascinating and sometimes even sympathetic, i do have mostly harsh criticism for him. and also sorry cause your posts are so tidy and well formatted and this is gonna be kinda a spill out. i can pull up citations for anything here if needed though!!

but okay jumping in! i'm really fascinated by the people john had connections to while he was raising sam and dean and i'm interested in the two main subcategories of that group - people he had a falling out with versus people he didn't. pastor jim falls into that second category, along with martin, travis, fred jones, deacon, jefferson (?), and caleb. (the first category includes elkins, bobby, tara, ellen, etc).

i think that part of the reason john kept his family separate from the hunting community at large is because hunters tend to tell each other that kids shouldn't be involved. at least that is the kind of hunter dean became. and i think it's possible that some of the fallings out john had with other hunters was over that issue. that certainly is a contributing factor to the strain in his relationship with bobby.

so what does that say about the hunters which john remained in community with? we don't know much about jefferson or caleb. but martin has a black and white view of monsters and isn't worried about harming civilians himself to get results. travis also is impatient and cruel in his methods. fred jones gave both dean and sam alcohol before they were 10. and deacon is a physically abusive prison guard. maybe this is me being too harsh but those actions stick with me as they overlap with john's own black and white views and in contrast to bobby or ellen for example. none of that says anything specific about jim himself i guess but the general pattern of hunters who didn't have a falling out with john is interesting to me!

unfortunately, the other reason i have a somewhat negative view of pastor jim is i was raised evangelical and ... i did not care for all that. as best as i can tell jim is some form of protestant minister... and one whose denomination has some kind of liturgical tradition. one of my early fic chapters is kinda about him actually. or i mean about the kind of person/pastor that he strikes me as and about the comradery and tension between him and john.

i tend to think of john as somewhat of an atheist. a "nothing up there's gonna save you, you gotta do it for yourself" kinda guy. so i think he kinda puts up with jim's beliefs and faith because jim has a very safe base of operations and seems very well equipped. i also imagine that jim is someone who can offer the kind of emotional support johh might need. from his brief conversation with meg at the beginning of 1.21, it seems like he's used to offering kind of talk-therapy-esque conversations. here's a little excerpt from my fic that shows that kinda?

Dad must have wrapped up his hunt cause he's back in the morning when Dean goes into the house to brush his teeth. “I just don't know how to do it,” Dad's voice is saying, low and quiet from the kitchen. He sounds like maybe he's crying. Dean crouches down low in the front hall. If he walks past the kitchen door, they're going to hear him. “I know, John,” Pastor Jim says. “I know.” “You know, I... I try to do right by those boys... not lay it all on them. But I just. I miss her so much.” Dad is crying now. “You're doing the best you can, John.” “Sam's too young to really understand all this stuff and I know Dean tries,” Dad lets out a long sigh. Dean digs the tips of his fingers into the coarse hallway rug. He doesn't want his Dad to feel like this. He hates that his Dad is sad and he hates that he hasn't done a good enough job making sure Dad knows he can talk to him if he needs to. That he'd do anything. “I've got to hold it together for them, Jim. And some days I feel like I can't.”

(rereading that chap and it's possible i put a bit too much of my own knowledge of and baggage about evangelical issues in the late 80's into it... oopsie)

i really am inclined to think john knew jim for the longest of most of his contacts. i mean in the semi-canonical john's journal, he meets him at the end of the month that mary dies! but even by the show's timeline, jim is trusted enough for john to have him as a backup safehouse for the boys as early as 1988 which suggests he's known him at least some time by that point.

from all the conversations sam and dean have with travis, martin, fred, and deacon, it doesn't seem like they or john have seen any of those people for a long time. but in s1, they're still very in touch with pastor jim. is he perhaps john's oldest and most consistent friend?

which tracks with john's deeply emotive response to jim's death. i would argue the most grief he shows in the show besides for mary. i think that tracks with the loss of a support and confidant of decades. certainly both caleb and jim's death show a devotion to john beyond a care for their own lives.

i'm sorry i don't know if i have much to say about jim's skill set! some of the specific mechanics of hunting and the supernatural are not quite in the purview of the way my spn-special-interest shows up im sorry! but i think the church as sacred ground and jim's familiarity with the concept of demons would both protect him somewhat from azazel's lower level minions and also probably endear john to him.

and what he represents!? oh gosh! i think your narrative analysis is on another level from the one im dabbling around in.

thanks for the ask!! and thanks for all your amazing analysis!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jeff Singer at The Downballot:

Former President Jimmy Carter died on Sunday at the age of 100, and in keeping with our focus at The Downballot, in the piece that follows, we take stock of his early electoral career in Georgia that set the stage for his dark-horse White House bid in 1976. Carter was elected twice to the state Senate in the 1960s before winning the governorship on his second try in 1970, a victory that came after he employed tactics to appeal to supporters of segregationist politicians. But the new governor would shock the political world just months later with an inaugural address declaring, "The time for racial discrimination is over."

The Politics of the South

Carter grew up at a time when southwestern Georgia, like most of the South, was a one-party region run by pro-segregation Democrats. A central pillar in upholding white dominance was a rigged voting method called the "county unit" system, an Electoral College-esque scheme that gave small and predominantly white rural counties like Carter's native Sumter County massively disproportionate influence in the all-important Democratic primary. The politics of the South suffused Carter's own upbringing, too: The future president's father and namesake, James Carter Sr., was an ardent supporter of Gov. Eugene Talmadge—who stood out even at the time for his virulent racism—and of Eugene's son and successor, Herman Talmadge.

Jimmy Carter had left Georgia in 1943 to enroll in the U.S. Naval Academy but resettled in his hometown of Plains after his father died in 1953, just a few months after the elder Carter had been elected to the state House as a Talmadge ally. The younger Carter took over not just the family's struggling farming business, but as Jonathan Alter details in his Carter biography, "His Very Best"—which was an indispensable source for this obituary—Carter exceeded even his father's prodigious habit of joining local organizations, connections that would prove fruitful as he began his political rise.

One of these groups was the Sumter County Board of Education, an appointed body his father had served on. Carter was already known locally for personally opposing segregation, but Alter writes that when it came to actual policy, he'd never have been allowed on the board if "he had been considered unreliable on school desegregation." And while Carter made enemies for being the only prominent white man in Plains to refuse to join the White Citizens Council, he remained quiet about the injustices inflicted on Black residents by local officials like Sheriff Fred Chappell, whom Martin Luther King Jr. would call "the meanest man in the world."

[...]

1966: A Surprise Bid for Governor

That House duel, though, never took place. Callaway announced in May 1966 that he would run for governor, and despite the many hours Carter had spent planning out his congressional bid, he quickly followed Callaway into that contest. Alter suggests that Carter would have easily won the 3rd District had he stayed the course (Democrat Jack Brinkley decisively won the general election after a close primary and never faced any serious opposition during his 16-year career), but his change of heart proved to be an important decision. As one ally in the legislature later put it, "You'd never have heard of Jimmy Carter outside of Georgia if Bo hadn't switched." But for months, it appeared that few people inside Georgia would ever hear of Carter, much less vote for him. The unquestioned front-runner in the September Democratic primary to succeed Gov. Carl Sanders, who was barred by state law from running for a second consecutive term, initially was the popular former Gov. Ernest Vandiver, but he dropped out following a heart attack. The new favorite was former Gov. Ellis Arnall, an anti-Talmadge politician elected in 1942 who had infuriated segregationists by refusing to fight court rulings to desegregate primaries.

[...]

After thinking it over, Rabhan made Carter initial a pledge, written on a flight map, to say in his inaugural address, "The time for racial discrimination is over." Carter was reluctant to make that kind of declaration while on the same platform as Maddox, who was about to be elected to the powerful post of lieutenant governor, but he assented. Carter did indeed utter those fateful words in January of 1971, a move that shocked the Georgia political world. Alter summed up the reactions of Carter's friends and foes alike by citing the response of one civil rights activist: "He said whaaat?" A dozen conservative Carter allies in the state Senate protested by walking out. The governor, though, backed up his declaration with deeds, and he soon graced the cover of Time Magazine with the caption, "Dixie whistles a different tune." That was some of the first national exposure Carter, who just four years earlier had been an afterthought in campaign coverage, would receive before beginning another improbable ascent—one that would take him to the White House.

The Downballot’s Jeff Singer gives a detail of the late Jimmy Carter’s pre-Presidency career.

[dozyisdead]

I think your take on the whole Carlos to Williams situation is very interesting in many different ways, but your comment on Alex's role in Williams is just too interesting not to talk about!

I love how you mentioned that we really don't know how "good" of a driver Alex actually is. In F1 it's common to compare teammates rather than drivers for obvious reasons, so we see Alex as inherently a great driver! We see him constantly doing better than his teammate's and "outperforming" the Williams car---- and this brings out a whole butt load of questions.

Is the car that bad, and Alex a good driver? Or is the car okay and Logans just a bad driver?

We have seen Logan on pace with Alex in these past few races, and it really makes you wonder these questions! Like you said, Alex has consistently has these updates way earlier than Logan even starting from last year! Is Alex really that great of a driver? Or is Logan also great, just not able to prove himself in that make shift car?

Carlos to me, has already proven himself to be a great driver. We know what he's capable of in a not so great car, and he's solid. I think once we see Carlos and Alex driving together we'll finally see the extent of Alex's ability, and to me it's very exciting!

In my opinion, Alex is the number 1 driver in Williams, but he's definitely not the golden child! I think this is very important, and to compare it to Charles/Ferrari is different. I think Ferrari is almost ingrained in Charles? That's his dream team, and he was in their junior academy. To me, George seemed more "golden boy" esque before he left to Mercedes. The Carlos to Williams and Lewis to Ferrari are very reminiscent of each other though, with both having experienced number 1 drivers now finally being challenged for that spot! I think it's also interesting how both TP's seem to want that new guy to take over that role (Fred open about his feelings towards Lewis, and whatever the fuck James has with Carlos.)

OK YAY SOMEONE TO TALK WITH THIS ABOUT!!

I completely agree in the fact that Alex is less of a golden boy! I just wasn't quite sure how to word it, but I see the comparison to George more! I also am so happy that someone else notices the way that Alex has been pitted against two extremes almost his entire career, and that really skews his true results! I also totally am excited to see how he compares to Carlos, even in a Williams car! Because, the car, as long as it is generally the same, it really is a test of skill. The Williams is a notoriously difficult car to drive, I believe we've heard older/retired drivers say this (I want to say Nico or Jensen), so if their cars are equal, we're going to see a true test of skill between Carlos and Alex.

That being said, if Carlos can't do much and we see that the car was truly the issue, I wonder how that is going to impact the way people look at Logan's career in F1! I mean, no matter what he will be know as one of the best drivers in the world simply because he made it to F1. There is nothing anyone can do to take that away from him. He was the first American in F1 to score points in 30 years, he made it to the so called "pinnacle of motorsports" despite a rough start and was in for 2 seasons. That is much longer than what can be said about some other drivers.

Also, I am very intrigued to see how the Lewis to Ferrari move goes as well, and I agree with your point about Ferrari and Charles. My main concern with all of this is going to be the impact that moves like this will have on the drivers if the teams continue to handle them incorrectly. I didn't mention this in my original post, but I was horrified to see how Williams handled the announcement! I mean, one would think it's common courtesy to thank your leaving driver for their service and their work BEFORE posting about the new onw. Not to mention, the way that the team posts so much about it? Far from classy, rather ignorant and poor form really.

Anyway, thank you for your comment! I really appreciated it!

[user-needs-new-hyperfixation]

Regarding Sherliam-esque music, I recently realised just how utterly, irrevocably, and heartbreakingly fitting "Achilles Come Down" by Gang fo Youths is for them. I found the song years ago and it's been a firm favourite ever since, but I hadn't listened to it in a while and when I finally revisited it a few days ago it clicked so perfectly, I can't unhear how the lyrics sound as though they were tailor-made for those two, I swear 😩 "So jump and I'm jumping, since there is no me without you..."

Okay it's kinda crazy that you say this now because for some reason I have long avoided this song -- I think I just see it so often used for fanvids and such and I'm rarely in the mood to angst out the way it seemed those vids would make me -- but literally like the day before yesterday I saw a tiktok edit for a totally different ship with this song and thought Sherliam. So anyway after getting this ask I went and listened to the whole song for the first time and I'm just like...damn. If I had infinitely more skill and patience, and if the anime had been a closer adaptation of the manga, I would love to do a giant amv project of this. Because in my head it's not JUST Sherliam (though it is very Sherliam). But it's also Louis and Fred trying to save William. It's the borderline suicide pact between Albert and William. It's Albert's relationship with alcohol and his suicidal ideation even entirely unrelated to William. It's the voices in William's head telling him it's better if he dies, gradually becoming the external voices of the masses that hate the Lord of Crime, and Sherlock trying to drown out those voices. So yes. Very good. 😊

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Katharine Hepburn (Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, The African Queen)—This woman. I have been obsessed with her for years. I know the urban legend is a popular one at this point of her walking around set in her underwear when her pants were stolen and she was left with only a skirt, but the pants thing is honestly enough for her to be the hottest in the room in my book. She refused to wear anything else at a time when the public in general and especially the studios did not like that. She was independent, stubborn, and so so very capable. Competency kink anyone? Also, if you want one final way that Katharine's entire life was saying "fuck you" to the establishment, it started young! Her mother took her to suffrage events, and she never got rid of that attitude of justice. I feel like I have barely scratched the surface of all the ways she was such a badass that I'm turning into a rambling mess instead.

Jessie Matthews (Evergreen, First a Girl, It's Love Again, Gangway)—known as “the dancing divinity”, jessie matthews was a british musical star of stage and screen in the 20s and 30s - if you're an enjoyer of lavish art deco musicals of the likes of fred and ginger, busby berkeley etc, definitely give her movies a try they are delightful! (tantalizingly there were multiple attempts made to pair her and fred together that never came to fruition - gaumont-british tried to get fred for evergreen and mgm wanted jessie for a damsel in distress.) and for the women in tuxedos enjoyers, her 1935 movie first a girl was the first english language remake of viktor und viktoria, famously later remade with julie andrews.

This is round 3 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Katharine Hepburn propaganda:

I'm sure one million people will submit her as an iconic Hollywood star but that iconicness might lead people to forget just how insanely hot she was like she had it ALL she was skilled she was funny she was smart she was beautiful AND she was likely bisexual

The single word I would use to explain Katherine Hepburn's appeal is *range*. In her acting career, that meant covering all the ground between lush period dramas and the comedies she did with Carey Grant and Spencer Tracey. In terms of hotness, it meant an uncanny ability to bring anything from a Dietrich-esque androgyny to some of the best Classic Hollywood Glamour you will ever see.

Katharine hep was so cool. The VIBES, the INDEPENDENCE,,, living life on her own terms.

she just had this.... bearing to her, this power. she could be funny, even silly (like in bringing up baby) but also so regal and elegant. she was nobody's fool and dear GOD that's so hot

Fancam link

She’s not only stunningly gorgeous (those eyes that pierce your soul! a jawline you could cut glass with!) but her delivery and physical presence in roles gives off confidence and authority in such a sexy way (truly the biggest dick energy of Old Hollywood). Her fiery energy in The Philadelphia Story? Unmatched.

God she's. She's so hot y'all. She has the range!!!!! Funny and dramatic and lovely

She IS the transatlantic accent. Classically gorgeous and such a strong personality.

She's literally one of the funniest women to ever live! She goes shot for shot with Cary Grant in Philadelphia Story and we damn well love her for it! She's the most annoying creature to ever live in Bringing Up Baby but she's so insane and funny that we simply cannot help but fall in love with her (and root for her to give Grant an aneurysm!)

i know she's accounted for but i really want to be sure someone has submitted the scene in bringing up baby where she's pretending to be a gangster

She simply stuns onscreen; you cannot do anything but be captivated by her presence. Also a non-gender-conforming icon and mild tumblr celebrity by virtue of that one picture from The Warrior's Husband (stage play).

Katharine Hepburn was out here casually changing the lives of young butch lesbians with her gender swag! She wore pants even when people said she shouldn’t, she refused to marry or have kids, and she wore menswear in at LEAST one movie!

If I start thinking about her face for too long I will cry she is so so hot. Katherine is so charismatic and charming in everything she appears in - watch her adopt a leopard and fall in love with her. Also she has the biggest dick energy ever (she and her pal Lauren Bacall share that accolade). Also had an incredibly long and varied career from screw ball comedies to serious dramas - she’s a queen of the screen and I adore her.

Someone's got to mention it, but she's won the most Oscars out of any performer and is largely considered one of the greatest actresses ever. She's got an incredible voice, an incredible presence, and she absolutely steals every scene she's in. She was private person and deemed standoffish and unapproachable, but she was also profoundly concerned for people's rights and was an outspoken supporter of abortion access. Finally, the Katharine Hepburn slacks look is just iconic. I mean look at her.

(I hope someone else submits real propaganda but just in case they don't:) Cries. Screams. Wails. The woman who singlehandedly made me realize I was bi. A real "do i want to look like her. be her. or be with her.' crisis, where the answer was all three. Holy shit please all three.

Jessie Matthews:

Star of British 1930s stage and screen, she introduced classic songs by Noel Coward and Rogers and Hart to English audiences, and then played perky heroines, but today it’s her genderswapping role in First A Girl that probably gets most attention.

[thenightling]

I think Tim Burton wants to do Dracula

For a long time both Guillermo del Toro and Tim Burton were obsessed with Frankenstein. Guillermo made little references to it in the Hellboy movies and even his Pinocchio. Tim Burton created Frankenweenie (Live action and stop motion). Sally in Nightmare before Christmas is a rag doll / Frankenstein creation. Even Delores in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice resembles something stitched together even though she used staplers. But more recently I've seen Tim Burton drifting toward vampires, one in particular, Dracula. (there will be some minor Wednesday and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice spoilers ahead). Back in Nightmare before Christmas you had the Dracula-esque vampire quartet. In Frankenweenie (the stop motion version) there was a cat version of Dracula. And there was a clip of Christopher Lee's Dracula in Frankenweenie. Christopher Lee played Dracula several times for Hammer horror and even some other companies. Since Sleepy Hollow Christopher Lee had been in several of Tim Burton's movies up until his passing. Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Alice in wonderland and Dark Shadows. Dark Shadows was... a thing... (as a fan of the original show I was disappointed). And more recently there are vampires in Wednesday since essentially the plot is The Addams Family do Monster High (I'm not complaining, it's a fun combo). And they filmed in Romania. Wednesday's fencing coach is named Vlad. (I suspect he'll eventually be revealed as Dracula, by the way). In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice there is a montage at the end where Astrid falls for a boy dressed as Dracula outside Bran Castle (the so-called Dracula's castle used for tourists in Romania. The one where the real, historic Dracula actually lived is the now very ruined and dangerous Poenari Castle). In the end credits that boy is listed as Vlad. Astrid fell for a boy dressed as Dracula outside Castle Dracula (the tourist version) and he happens to be named Vlad. (I hope Lydia's invested in garlic! Note: before I forget, there's also an episode of the Beetlejuice animated series where a vampire has the hots for Delia). So that's two recent things with Jenna Ortega where there's an ambiguous Romanian who MIGHT be a vampire, and happens to be named Vlad. One of which was literally dressed as Dracula outside Castle Dracula. ...Someone just have Tim Burton do a Dracula film already! Here's an idea, someone pitch to him Fred Saberhagen's The Dracula tape (Dracula retold from Dracula's point of view) and have Jenna Ortega play Mina. That would be glorious!

[honey-minded-hivemind]

For the X-Men/Gargoyles AU (where the X-Men are set in a Gargoyles-esque universe, but they take the place of those characters), I think I've figured out the new dynamics. This is different from the Gargoyles series, because trying to fit a few X-Men into one character's place was very difficult. So what did I do? Changed it around a bit.

Let's look at it this way:

Logan/Wolverine and Ororo/Storm take the place of Goliath, being a couple or good friends, while Victor/Sabretooth and Raven/Mystique take the place of Demona. So each pair is a friend to the other or a sibling, but aren't romantic. So, Logan and Victor are brothers, Ororo and Raven are sisters, but Logan and Ororo are really good friends or mates, and Victor and Raven are really good friends or mates. Take your pick.

Xavier becomes David Xanatos, and Magneto becomes a mix of Owen Burnett/Puck and Fox, and surprise, they're reincarnated gargoyles this go (which wasn't in the show, but this is my au, so it goes).They're like a cool, mysterious older couple, who always seem to know something Reader doesn't (they know a lot of things they don't, but they'll reveal everything in due time...) (Victor and Raven know, too, and it's the one reason they haven't tried to kill Reader... with the information they have, why would they?)

Hank/Beast takes the place of Hudson, Gambit takes the place of Brooklyn, Kurt takes the place of Broadway, Evan takes the place of Lexington... Bronx, I'm not sure if any of the X-Men had a pet (I'm using X-Men Evolution for this, by the way), so I guess I can add an extra teen... so let's go with... Kitty (why not?).

Reader takes a new role, which is... different to Elisa's. They do some detective work, possibly, but as a teen, maybe. Or maybe they're an assistant to Xavier. They could just be some random person who happened to stumble into all of this. But they take the main character role, I guess, who isn't a gargoyle (they were one in a past life, though, so do with that what you will)

Scott and Jean take the place of Matt Bluestone as well as Coldstone and Coldfire. They're Reader's older friends, (and are the reincarnated spirits of two of the long dead gargoyles from the Wyvern Clan Massacre). Rogue is also their friend, and is like a mix of Morgan the cop, the chief of police, and Elisa's family... (maybe she is related to Reader? maybe not? and she is Kurt's long dead sister reincarnated... so that makes her Raven's daughter, but a human in this new life).

Lance, Todd/Toad, Fred, Pietro, and Wanda are here, too. They might be a version of the Pack (a kid/teen version), they could be a gang similar to one in the series, maybe they're just also random people dragged into this mess. They are there, and that's that.

Now, I say this would have it's own 🌕Longest Night❄ AU, which would be where the adult gargoyles (the reincarnated ones too) are affected by a magical artifact, during the long nights of Winter, and go about surprise adopting (kidnapping) their reincarnated kids... And their gargoyle kids are affected too, but are in a hatchling/younger state of mind. So they aren't going to be much help to Reader or the others. Let's just hope the long nights ahead don't last... And if they do, how do they stop them?

(Ask any questions you want about this au, I'm working on it right now, the Haunted Mansion AU on a break while I work out the main au branch...)