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fayes-fics · 1 year

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Rescue and Ruin

Pairing: Anthony Bridgerton x fem!reader

Summary: Anthony rescues something for you... and it will likely lead to your ruin.

Warnings: None really. Flirting, sexual tension, banter, and the promise of more. A lot of teasing, soaking wet Viscount.

Word Count: 2.7k

Author's Note: Unbetaed. Very belated request fill for @daisfordaysstuff (request: I’m rewatching season 2 again, and I think I need one on this scene [lake Anthony]). I just had to post an Anthony story today to commemorate the birthday of Jonathan Bailey, the man who plays this titan of a fictional character. This is actually my oldest request fill, lingering in my inbox since Sept 2022. Sorry, my lovely; I hope late is better than never. I just got an idea of how I wanted this to play out. I hope you enjoy <3

“I’ll get it!”

A chivalrous call comes as you watch in dismay as your favourite bonnet take off in a gust of wind and flies over the lake, landing almost gracefully about twenty feet out into the gently rippling water.

You had just stolen down to the water's edge to get away from the crowds for a few moments of solitude, drawn to the beauty of the water as the sun danced on the little peaks caused by the gusty breeze. It had looked like a shimmering mirage from the terrace.

You are shocked when the one and only Viscount Anthony Bridgerton gives you a brief, polite nod as he passes you, then dives off a little jetty, still fully clothed, making you gasp loudly.

What on earth?!?

This is his garden party. Well, strictly his mother's, but he is Viscount, and this is the Bridgerton family country estate, Aubrey Hall. You are still awestruck to be here, a guest of your maternal aunt you are staying with here in Kent. Why on earth he would dive into his lake to rescue something as trivial as a hat seems mystifying. You are certain he has staff that could assist rather than take it upon himself and quite clearly ruin his outfit.

He re-emerges to the surface from his dive and swims with awe-inspiring speed towards your hat as it skates across the surface, propelling along not unlike some toy boat. When he finally reaches it, he holds it aloft triumphant and twists to swim back one-handed as he keeps it above the water.

You find yourself drawn down to the jetty he jumped off of. To give your thanks, express your surprise, and take back your hat and hope it is salvageable. You twist around to check, but all the other party guests seem oblivious to the incident or his actions, the string quartet playing so loudly closer to the house and the buffet table so laden everyone's eyes and ears are preoccupied.

“Thank you, my lord,” you demure as he pulls up to the jetty and places your bonnet on the wooden slats by your feet. “That was completely unnecessary, but I am, of course, so very grateful,” you curtsy and pick up the bonnet.

Luckily, thanks to his swift actions, it will be fine. Just the brim and lower edge touched the water. You wring out the soaked ribbons as best you can, then wrap them around your neck and tie them in a secure bow. It may be too wet to wear on your head for now, but at least it should dry while tied securely and draped down over your back. You curtsy again as you feel him watching you, unsure what else to do to convey your gratitude.

He laughs, and you see him fighting with the buttons on his jacket, still standing in the lake, the water around waist height. “There is no need to curtsy or to be so formal Miss…?” he squints up at you expectantly.

“Oh, it's Miss y/l/n,” you rush out and, for some reason, curtsy again.

“I mean it; please stop curtsying, especially to a man in such a state as me,” he says drolly, fighting off his jacket and tossing it, sodden and heavy, onto the jetty.

You are blatantly staring as he peels away his waistcoat and fights with his cravat. His thin cotton white shirt has turned entirely transparent in the water; it is barely there. Under it, you can see so much skin, toned and rippling muscle as his jerking movements strip off his clothing. Over his chest is a patch of dark hair clinging to the material you cannot look away from. You have never even so much as seen how a man looks without a shirt on before, and this sight makes your heart pound and your body tingle.

Glancing up from his actions, the corner of his mouth quirks up, and you know he has caught you—openly ogling him. Your cheeks are aflame, and you cut your eyes away.

“You may look, Miss y/l/n,” his pitch has dropped to something low and velvety, and it buzzes right into your core. Hesitantly your eyes dart back to his handsome face; the lip quirk spreads into a devastating, stunning smile. “It is alright; no one has marked us,” he assures, his gaze cutting to your right towards the house, then back to your face. “You shall not have broken any rules of propriety by talking with me. Or staring at me as you are,” he teases, an eyebrow arching appealingly.

“My lord, that is not what….” You begin to protest, knowing it's a lie even as you voice it; your reflex to appear chaste is so crucial to your need to find a match that your aunt and parents are so desperate for you to make.

But your words die out as he places both hands firmly on the dock and propels himself up and out of the water in one swift, athletic move. Your tongue feels too heavy in your mouth as he unfurls upwards from the kneeling position, drawing up to his full height. Water sluices down his body and makes his clothing cling to every single contour of his toned, defined torso. He looms closer; you tilt backwards, entranced by the tracks of droplets over the lines of his handsome face, his burned umber eyes catching the sunlight and boring into you as he crowds closer.

“Do not lie to yourself or to me, Miss y/l/n,” he rumbles, “we both know you were and, indeed, continue to stare”.

His words make your body riot; your stays feel too tight for your lungs to breathe, your skin pricking hot. He’s so close now you can smell the vaguely mossy lake smell on his skin, on what little clothing he has left on; it’s dancing there on the breeze alongside something spicier and amber that you can only assume is his cologne. You want to stutter an apology, to offer your thanks again, to ask him to leave, to ask him to stay, to ask him to touch you—so many jumbled, contradictory thoughts.

“The more pertinent question is, do you like what you see?” he murmurs and leans in, his words ghosting warm on the shell of your ear.

This is the sort of thing your aunt has warned you about. Rakes. Handsome, wealthy, titled men who will tease and take what they can from young, innocent ladies such as yourself. You want to be affronted, tell him to desist, and give him a scathing remark about appropriate behaviour. But once again, you don't. Your body drawn to him, you want to trace your fingers over the swell of his chest muscles, to feel those strong arms grab your waist and haul you against his sodden form.

“No answer is, in some ways, an answer,” he chuckles with a lilt that is both arrogant and devastatingly attractive.

“My lord, we may be seen at any moment…” Your protest is weak and breathy, not moving away as he continues to stand far too close to you, as lake water drips onto your shoes.

Suddenly a clammy hand wraps around your elbow, and you are being pulled towards the nearby cluster of thick trees and bushes that abut the lake. You almost stumble and smack into him face-first as he pulls up short and releases your arm. The air feels cooler here, with dappled shade, verdant and alive with the scent of flowering bushes and leaves. The view of the house and, indeed, the party guests is wholly obscured. No one would ever know you are here.

“Do you have an answer now that we cannot be seen?” he breathes inches from you, towering over you.

“My lord… I,” you cannot find words, hanging your head. You know this is wrong. Very wrong. Your aunt would kill you for being this wanton, for allowing him to do this to you. And yet…. Every fibre of your being wants this. To see what he will do. To see what you will let him do. You suspect it's more than you even understand.

“Say it after me….” he intones, a finger tilting your chin up to look into his fiery gaze.

“I…” he begins.

“I…” you parrot.

“Like…”

“Like,” you repeat, and the grin on his face grows wider.

“What….”

“What,” your breath quickening with each word.

“I…”

“I,” that finger still lingers under your chin, caressing gently.

“See.”

“See,” you exhale shakily.

“There. Now was that so hard…hmmm?” he teases, that finger now joined by his thumb stroking over the point of your chin, the lake water running down his forearm to the point of material bunched under his elbow that now drips down the front of your dress. The dampness seeps through the material and into your heated skin.

The cord of tension in the air is palpable. You don't know what to say or what to do.

“I have another question for you,” he buzzes, and the fingers on your chin slip lower, over your throat, lighting a line of fire as they trail over your delicate skin. Your pulse pounding in your veins. You swallow hard and feel the calloused fingertips trace into your suprasternal notch. “Maybe this one you can answer,” he huffs a sarcastic laugh as your body spirals and you fight to keep your breath even.

“What is it, my lord?” your voice barely a whisper.

“Would you be willing to help me, your gracious host today, get dry?” he practically purrs.

“How…. how on earth could I do that?” you stumble.

He smiles predatory and so handsome you give up and let your chest heave, ragged breathing.

“Under your dress, you wear a chemise, do you not?” he continues, those fingers tracing over the wet bow of your bonnet strings tied over your clavicle.

“Yes, my lord,” you answer shakily.

“Well did you know such items can be an excellent towel in a pinch,” he shrugs one shoulder and lifts an eyebrow as his fingers slip lower over your breastbone until they reach the neckline of your dress, at the swell of your breast.

There is no point in pretending he is not utterly destroying you now. You can’t school anything—the blush darkening over your skin, creeping up from your chest, the tingle in your lips, the hot flush you feel all over. A viscous pulse in your underwear that feels entirely alien and where your decision-making seems to be centred at right this very moment.

“So I suppose my last question, for now, is, are you willing to give it to me?” you gasp at his turn of phrase as those fingers swirl patterns over the neckline of your dress. “Your chemise, of course,” he amends with a wink.

Utter, utter rake.

“H-how can I give you my chemise without removing my dress too?” you wonder aloud.

“Well, that is the challenge, isn't it?” he smirks. “Now I can see two options here. I can do the gentlemanly thing, turn my back and allow you to undress and then you may hand me your chemise once decent again. I will dry myself the best I can and return to the house to change.”

“And the second option?” you cannot resist querying.

“Ahh, that,” he seems to pull even closer, and the fingers slip over the neckline and onto the silk ruching that covers your breasts; even through the material layers, you can feel his fingers lingering over your nipple and the throbbing between your legs turns almost painful. “The second option is that I am not a gentleman. Not in the slightest,” his answer cryptic but dripping with a dark, forbidden promise.

“What does that involve…?” you pant.

You watch, enthralled, as his tongue pokes out of his mouth and licks his bottom lip, and in seeming slow-motion, his mouth begins to form a shape to speak words…

“ANTHONY!!”

The yell is from a few feet away, on the other side of the bushes. Both of you jump apart as if burned.

“ANTHONY?!” the male voice calls again, “ARE YOU AROUND?”

It's obvious the person has no idea you are merely a few feet away, only that they are looking for him.

Stay here, Anthony mouths silently, and you nod, your heart beating wildly at the whiplash of experiences.

With one rueful glance at you, at the interrupted moment, he turns around and fights through the mass of foliage back out to the lawn.

“Oh, there you are!” the voice exclaims. “We wondered what the devil had happened to you!!”

“Colin…” you hear him respond.

“Hell and the devil. Why are you soaked through?? Did you decide to go for a swim fully clothed? Did you find my special tea??” his voice ramping up in incredulity as he likely clocks Anthony's bedraggled appearance.

“I have no idea what you are referring to,” Anthony’s reply seems clipped. “I rescued a small beautiful creature, if you must know,” he obfuscates.

“Ahh, hero antics,” Colin laughs. “Well, you had better go change right away. Mother expects you to make a toast for our esteemed guests in a few minutes.”

You hear Anthony’s frustrated noise of derision and have to stifle your giggle behind the back of your hand between deep breaths, trying to bring yourself back to a state of normality after the rollercoaster of experiences you just had.

“Urghhh, alright,” Anthony sighs, embattled, “I think I dropped my pocket watch back in the bushes. Give me one moment to find it, and I will accompany you back to the house.”

“Side entrance,” Colin responds dryly.

“Indeed,” you hear Anthony call.

You tense as the bushes before you start to rustle as he fights through them to reach you. He stalks up to you, and you gasp audibly.

“Shhh,” he warns quietly, his lips right at your ear, gusting hot, “it looks as if I must sadly depart. Your chemise is safe for today, Miss y/l/n.”

With a boldness you didn’t know yourself capable of, you grab the shirt's sleeves rolled up around his elbows.

“I would never want not to be helpful to you, my lord,” you whisper tremulant, fingers twisting in the soaked fabric. “If removing my chemise can ever be of assistance to you in future, please be sure to let me know.”

You cannot believe you allow yourself to say something so scandalous.

He pulls back slightly, and it's his turn to exhale unsteadily, his pupils dilated; his expression wild. You can see a vein hammering in his throat.

“Oh goddd,” he moans, closing his eyes as if pained.

“What?” concern suddenly flooding your tone.

His eyes reopen, and they pin you with their intensity.

“Mark my words,” his tone is low, gravelly, “if you continue to talk so brazenly, it will only encourage me.”

It is the sexiest warning bell you have ever heard.

“And if you continue to tease and defy me, I will pursue you. Relentlessly,” he growls, and once again, your body is rioting.

“Good god. How long does it take to find a pocket watch, man?” Colin calls impatiently, once again breaking the moment between you as it threatens to bubble over.

“I've found it!” Anthony twists to call over his shoulder. “I’ll be there presently!”

“Hurry up!” Colin grouses.

Anthony turns back, and his breath is hot over your cheek. He seems to stare at your lips for an inordinate amount of time as you stare back. Transfixed.

“Today, I shall be a gentleman,” he states reluctantly and draws away slightly. “However…” and your heart spikes in victory, “once that clock strikes midnight. I make no promises. And I shall be standing right here,” his tone decisive, his finger pointing to the spot right by his feet. “Just so you and your chemise will know where to find me,” he rumbles, then gives you a polite bow and is gone.

You have to grab onto a tree to stop yourself from swooning. Already knowing you will be stealing away from your room as the clock strikes midnight. Uncaring of consequences.

You want him to ruin you.

Anthony taglist: @makaylan @foreverlonginguniverse @iboopedyournose @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @margofiore @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @crowleysqueenofhell @bridgertontess @queenofmean14 @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @benedictspaintbrush @sorryallonsy @lilithseve @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @elizah99 @fictionalmenloversblog @debheart @malpalgalz

#anthony bridgerton fanfiction #anthony bridgerton x reader #anthony bridgerton x female reader #anthony bridgerton x you #anthony bridgerton x y/n #anthony bridgerton imagine #anthony bridgerton #bridgerton fanfiction #bridgerton imagine #bridgerton x reader #bridgerton x female reader #bridgerton #1k notes #2k notes

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tadpolesonalgae · 10 months

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Rhysand x reader: Star-crossed lovers - Drabble

A/N: I’m an asleep-by-eight-wake-up-at-six kinda person, but am currently writing this at 2:26am because my dog needed to go outside (this is the second time)

Summary: modern reader gets woken up by her dog who has a poorly stomach. Trying to avoid waking her boyfriend of four years, she sneaks out the back door onto the terrace, clad in one of Rhys’ shirts and some slippers. She notes the time on her phone, takes some dog treats to call him if he takes too long, and heads out into their back garden.

“Did I wake you?” You whisper, soaking in his warmth as his arms wrap around your waist, pulling your back gently against his front. “Not at all,” he replies, pressing a sleepy kiss to your night-mussed hair. He pauses for a moment, then, “maybe a little.”

You laugh softly—how he can be in such a pleasant mood when you’ve just woken him up in the liminal hours of night you can’t understand. You turn in his arms, hand sliding over the hot nape of his neck as you push onto your tiptoes and press a kiss to his cheek.

Ithan had probably eaten something a little off in one of the fields today, hence the needing-the-bathroom situation in the middle of the night. Still, better he goes outside than on your bedroom floor—which you’ve managed to avoid happening so far. Touch wood.

“I’m not complaining, but what was that for?” He murmurs, squeezing you slightly, allowing you to greedily take in his heat. “I love you,” you murmur back, fingers threading through his soft, thick locks of hair, going against their grain. Rhys makes a rough but affectionate sound in the back of his throat, resting his forehead against your own. “I love you, too,” he whispers onto your mouth.

You smile onto his lips, both your arms sliding over his powerful shoulders. Without really thinking, you press your lips against his—softened and heated with sleep. Another one of those pleasing sounds drags from his throat, and he kisses back lightly. Then deeper.

When you pull away, he dips forward, nipping at your lower lip gently. “What was that for?” You laugh quietly, keeping within his heat. “I love you,” he whispers back, smiling cheekily, the buttery light spilling from the open door warming his handsome features. “You might have a slight case of morning breath, though,” he teases. You gasp at him, then huff out a puff of air in his direction.

He makes a faked choking sound and you both descend in to quiet laughter. “How charming you are,” he mutters over your mouth, smiling onto your lips. “So long suffering,” you shoot back, but try to at least turn your head a little, in case he was serious about your breath smelling bad. He grunts softly in agreement, before grasping your jaw lightly and pressing another kiss onto you.

This one’s deeper: slower, but more intense. Your arms tighten around him, fingers wandering through his hair as his hand grazes the pathway of your spine. You arch into him.

A slight breeze blows, and you shiver, tucking yourself further into his warmth. “The sky is beautiful tonight,” Rhys says quietly. You pull away a little, peering up into the darkened heavens.

Beautiful isn’t the right word. Not for something so integral in nature—it doesn’t even begin to cover it. It’s simply what it is. Then again, if you had to assign a word to the clear night sky, how the sparkling pin-pricks of light gather in spots to map out constellations, how there isn’t a cloud to be seen and instead it’s just endlessly stretching whorls of starlight blending into distant galaxies—beautiful would have to do.

“It’s…” you fumble for words, but thought trails off as you take in the starry night. Rhys nods, understanding as he gazes with you, “it is.” Such a rare sight. One that you’ll treasure in the silvery pools of your memory.

“Maybe we should go camping,” you whisper, half joking. “Then we could wake up in the night, and have some snacks under the stars.”

“We could do other things under the stars, too.”

You smack him lightly on the shoulder.

The bastard laughs.

“Okay, I promise not to taint your chaste ideas with my filthy thoughts,” he chuckles, both arms wrapping around your waist. You hum softly in response, hoping to sound displeased. He can definitely feel you smiling into his chest, though.

You both fall silent again, and your eyes droop, weighed with fatigue. In the back of your mind, you consider telling him to go back to bed—Ithan will probably take a while. He likes sniffing things. But the thought falls away as he pulls you a little tighter, and starts swaying.

It’s not obvious, nor pronounced, but a calming left-to-right. Lulling you deeper into that dreary state, beckoning you with soft, warm hands. A quiet sigh slips from your lips, and you nose at the shirt he’s wearing—smelling so delicious.

You nearly jump out of your skin when a wet snout brushes the dip of your knee, startling in his arms. Rhys lets out an obnoxious laugh that spills into a genuine one when you shoot him a scathing glare. “That’s what you get for almost nodding off on me,” he chuckles, bumping his nose against your own. “Prick,” you mutter, but press a kiss to his chest.

“Alright,” you sigh, stepping out of his warmth, “inside, hound.” Rhysand moves to guide you into the house, but you turn to your dog, “you too, Ithan. Inside.” From beside you, Rhys lets out a snort, shoving you lightly as you pass the threshold of your home, closing and locking the door once you’re both in, eager to return to the warm comforts of your bed.

All three of you settle quietly, and you bask in the soft warmth of your bedsheets, the coolness of your pillow, and the male body that lies beside you as he tucks you into his chest. Presses a kiss to your forehead. And flicks off the light.

Taglist: @myheartfollower @tcris2020 @mali22

#Rhysand #Rhysand Drabble #acotar Drabble #Star-Crossed Lovers #acotar #Rhys #Rhys x reader #Rhysand x reader #modern!acotar #modern!rhys x reader

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justcallmesakira · 5 months

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hii this is like my first time here requesting,,

aaaaa your writing is so cool i love it smm,,

prompt 13 angst, for fyodor?

i think it fits him really well,, and i haven't read angst for so long...

"Maybe...maybe in another life, another time"

Prompt 13

Sypnosis: Your like an angel incarnate to him but even so, you`re a pawn to the outside and will be.

Fyodor x reader

Genre: angst

Warnings: lots of sad stuff :(, no comfort

A/N: Aaaah finally first time writing for Fyodor! I hope you enjoy this anonie!! because its full of angst. YUMMY ANGST.

Etheral- Txmy ♥︎ ⇄ ◁◁ 𝚰𝚰 ▷▷ ↻ ⁰⁰'²⁵ ━━●━━───── ⁰²'⁰⁸

No matter how strong a pawn is,,, a pawn is a pawn for bigger plans then why does he feel like this? He wonders.

You had joined the decay of angels out of desperation. Nothing in your life was not really interesting anyways.

After Fyodor found out about your mere existence he was intrigued.

A human being this beautiful having such a dead and poor soul? What a wonderful day to be a saviour! He convinced himself that its just mere interest. At that time.

You were also pique by this mans goals and likings if anything you realized that he and you had alot in common.

He did not let his other subcordinates listen to his cello playing but he did to you, and only you. He did not lay his head on his other subcordinates but he layed on yours, He did not share his past experiences with his other subcordinates but he shared them to you, Only to you and no one else....Perhaps it was just an illusion to weaken his strength.

Fyodor saw all of the population as mere foolish human beings nothing else but you were an exception to his complex qualifiction

You liked his hair which reminded you of the feathers of a raven, sleek and violaceus, his bright eyes like comparable to a pair of plums, fresh from heaven.

Sure, he wasnt the best in person but you admired him, quite alot but somehow you felt sympathy for him. Everyone else would look at his direction and cover away, scared and terrified but somehow because of your naivety you felt something for him. You cant tell whether its from your heart or mind but something similar to pity. But now things are different...why do you still have that aching feeling in your chest?

"Fyodor, Fyodor dont cry" drip drip...

You are a mere pawn, nothing else but was that true?

The terrace you stood on had white lilies here and there looking as pretty as a ocean of pearls.

There was barely a trace of emotion in your face as you kept staring at the sun almost setting so the night scenery can introduce itself. Too bad you wont be able to see tonight.

Quiet footsteps could be heard, quiet like a mouse towards your figure. You realised it was fyodor, ah yes the same smell of lilac and evil.

"Are you ready, dusha moya?" the voice asks, tone as careful and delicate as glass. Like the glass covering the greenhouse from above.

"This garden is quiet the exiquitive one with its prickly rose vines sheltering the top." Fyodor states to calm down the atmosphere in this plot of flowers. "I wonder if they ever get tired of protecting the glass garden" you spit out, with no expression in your voice and your back turned against fyodor who only walked loser to you.

Your head turned around with a blank expression on your face.

"Strange girl....."

"Well, zayka its time to bid farewell even the sun is setting a goodbye" Fyodor finally revealed the words out with a smile in his face, the smile you will never be able to see again.

You picked up a white lily in your warm hands and gracefully slid it behind your hair tucking a strand of hair and finally turned around to face him, this time with a smile on your face which makes the mans eyes widen for a second.

"You're right, Lets go." you calmly voice out with a somewhat soft expression on your face as you walk towards him on the clean grass.

At that time you couldnt make out fyodors expression, whether he was sad or happy or just emotionless.

He reaches out to you with his hand asking you to put yours over his.

"It was nice knowing you, Fyodor. It really was but i guess this is our goodbye. But you know... Even though i shouldnt say this since i am but a sinner i really love you, I really do."

Your pretty lips mouth out these shattering words to him though i doubt he would feel anything anyways either way he wont be able to feel the warmth of your hands ever again nor the care of your words asking him if slept or eaten anything.

As Fyodors ability activates the life in your eyes slowly wilt away like a lily symbolizing peace.

"Maybe,,,maybe in another life, another time"

It was almost time that you died and met your punishment so with every emotion and strength you have you said out your last words as your head gently falls to his side with your lashes flattered close.

Fyodor did not smile at that.

He simple carried your corpse in bridal style with your white sleeved arms dangling down and gently placed your body on a huge pile of white lilies.

The view was beautiful indeed with the lilies hiding aspects of your now run cold body making you look etheral finally at peace.

"Fear not myshka, i will soon join you in hell too." with that the terrace was locked. Locked from dangers, threats and any bad omen.

"Farewell, Fyodor I hope you enjoyed the part you played these past 3 years"

A/N Fun Fact Fiction time!: The rose vines sheltering the glass of the green house in a symbolization to fyodors heart. The white lilies symbolize grief so he locks away any trace of emotion. By this reader puts one of the lily in their hair and asks metaphorically if fyodor ever get tired of protecting his emotions in order to achieve his goal! Also reader worked with fyodor for 3 years and an average white lily lives up to 3-5 years :)

#sakira!#valentines sweetheart event #valentines angst #fyodor dostoevsky #fyodor angst #fyodor x reader #fedya #fyodor bsd #fyodor x you angst #bsd x reader #sakiras writing notebook!!!

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bcacstuff · 1 month

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This article from &C is translated from Dutch to English via Google translate (with a few improving edits by me)

Hollywood actress Lotte Verbeek attended star parties in LA, dined with Al Pacino, worked with Russell Crowe and lived under the Hollywood sign. She now lives in an apartment in the Jordaan with her two guinea pigs, and that wasn't easy: 'I'm not going to lie, I found the first year really tough. In the middle of corona time, the shock of cold and 'gosh, now I'm here again'."

In &C's latest issue 'Luxepoezen', Lotte tells Chantal how she grew up in Venlo, how she landed her first big roles, moved to LA and became a real movie star there. But dreams change, so does hers: 'I had an amazing life there, I've lived the dream. But when you are at a party for the umpteenth time, in a beautiful dress, with a glass of champagne, in the garden of a huge villa, looking out over all those Hollywood lights… then at some point you have seen it all. You get used to everything, including the vibrant life in LA.'

From Venlo to Hollywood Lotte was born in Venlo, and knew since she was eight that she wanted to become an actress. Her parents were her biggest supporters. 'When I was able to switch to drama school after my pre-university education and the dance academy, I was the one who had doubts: shouldn't I go for more certainty? My parents said: 'We have always thought you do this, just follow your heart.' I am eternally grateful to them for that support.' After drama school, she moved to Paris, where she was cast in the film Nothing Personal and the series The Borgias. She moved to LA, where she found herself in a beautiful but harsh world: 'In Hollywood you can be lucky or unlucky. It's fucking tough. No matter how hard you try, you are just as likely to be rejected because of things you cannot do anything about and over which you have no influence, such as how tall you are compared to your opponent, for example. Crazy, small details but – especially in America – crucial for big decisions.'

Big names Did Lotte live a real luxury live in LA? Of course. 'Especially because I am always incredibly well taken care of in Hollywood productions. Like now during the shooting of the film Nuremberg: after four hours of trying on costumes, the designer still shuts down everything full of enthusiasm to look for a better belt for a jacket.' Chantal was curious about what bizarre Hollywood situation she has ever ended up in. 'I once ended up at Al Pacino's private birthday dinner because my girlfriend was friends with his producer. When we entered the restaurant with him, all the guests tried to remain casual, but as soon as he walked past, everyone was frantically grabbing their phones.'

Back in the Netherlands Still, Lotte decided it was time to leave the glitz and glamor of Hollywood behind. The fact that everything in LA revolves around making a career became too much for her. 'I missed that life could also be about other things. Building a nice, good relationship, for example.' When an apartment in the Jordaan came her way, she left for the Netherlands. 'I still haven't been back, afraid I miss it too much. Still, I have now found my way, although that is largely due to my husband.' She met that dream man by chance during a night out. 'It was very strange, but the moment I got ready and put on my heels, I had a very clear image of a man with long, dark hair, in a long coat. A little later, on the terrace of Toscanini in the Jordaan, I saw that same man, in real life. It was like a movie.'

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hometoursandotherstuff · 1 year

Photo

This 1992 home in Montecito, California is known as the Charlie Munger House and is staggering beautiful. It has 4bd 6ba and is priced at $11.82M.

The living room has a nice fireplace wall and I like that they make a special place for the flatscreen, rather than over the fireplace. Beautiful paned glass windows give a view of the garden and I like the big handles they put on the middle of the doors.

Look at it with the doors completely open. That’s bringing the outside in.

Open concept leads from the living room area to the kitchen, yet it’s still separate. Love the island and how it’s a real table that the bench seats can actually fit under. Beautiful cabinetry and overhead lighting.

Look at the nice pantry. It’s bigger than my kitchen.

Love the dining room ceiling, except that it has that fixture that is so popular, yet I don’t care for. Lovely fireplace and wallpaper.

This is fabulous- the ceiling, paned skylight, lighting and mezzanine view from downstairs.

The more casual family room is just as lovely as the formal living room.

Love the main bd. Look at that ceiling. There’s a great built-in and doors to the terrace.

Beautiful modern farmhouse style en-suite.

Look at the nice, spacious guest room. Interesting tray ceiling and doors to a terrace.

Looks like every bd. is spacious, has a different ceiling - look at this one with neon- plus doors to a private terrace.

Georgeous en-suite. I guess this could also me a main bd.

One of the bd. private terraces.

Smallest bd. could be a guest room or a child’s room

Beautiful patio with a stone BBQ.

The home is a modern Tudor style.

Check out the tennis court.

https://www.urbansplatter.com/2023/01/charlie-munger-house-the-montecito-mansion/

#modern tudor #modern farmhouse #houses #house tours #home tour

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fallevs · 2 months

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Hi! Wow, even a change of scene! Of course the time I lose to make this crap I could spend on continuing my wip lmao but– it looked cute and I was bored with the old banner

I'm back after two weeks (or three?) with no less than two wips! Yes because there is the "lighter and funnier" story for normal days and the more melancholy one for days with strange vibes. I'm not quite on track with either of them, but every now and then I manage to add a few little words and try to be satisfied with that.

escort!au (the title should be a new found grace but I'm not sure yet)

A door. Battered, bare, and rickety, divides the terrace from the inside. Outside, on either side, a washing machine that has surely seen better days, garbage buckets, a small ruined wooden garden table with two chairs, one of which has a broken leg. In the center of the table is, almost ironically, a blue vase with beautiful white flowers. Cute and delicate detail that, however, annoyingly clashes with the indefinable and unmentionable outdoor furniture.

"This is a joke, right?" he asks petrified, looking around. He hears Sue clicks her tongue and chuckle. "What did you expect, little prince? A mansion like the one you crawled out of? Close one eye and pretend you like it. This is what you can afford. For payment, we'll settle up later," Sue sentences, turning on her heel and walking back toward the terrace exit. "Whatever problems you have, don't call me."

Kurt is stunned, shocked, and quite upset. Normally he would stage a fairly heated argument with someone like Sue and her mannerisms. But this time, he doesn't. This time, he remains silent.

#2 (I thought the title might be celeste nostalgia, but, again, I'm not sure yet)

That city was not like any other he was used to. That city was his point of arrival. His conquest. Years spent studying it, admiring it from afar, longing for it; finally, there it was. Under his eyes. And before long, under his feet. From there, he could see the river running through it, the monuments that filled it and made it different from any other place he had ever seen; any other place he would ever see. He was sure of it. Rome. The Eternal City. The city of the Seven Hills. For a long time, he had even dreamed of it. And to feed his thirst for curiosity even more, he had read in a book about the meaning of dreams, that dreaming of visiting Rome indicated that the best thing to do is to devote oneself to oneself. He had read about how it symbolized a big step forward; made to feel better. "You and only you know what goes on inside you and what you want to do in life," he found himself reciting in a low voice, smiling wistfully and thoughtfully as he continued to admire the spectacle below.

Thank you Gen, @kurtsascot, for the tag ✨️

Even though it's Thursday, let's see if anyone wants to participate, like @shame-is-a-wasted-emotion @annepi-blog @bitbybitwrites @nicoise (<- I'd love to know more about this klaine brainrot!!! If you want, of course <3) and EVERYONE who wants to!!!

#wip wednesday #or thursday #new banner #wip wip wip #don't know what to do #should i continue?#klaine fanfiction

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nowherefastmp3 · 3 months

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how do you feel about the people in purgatory who are there for 'loving the world too much'

hi and thank you again for the question @mudweed. your blog title is very appropriate haha

I just finished that part of Purgatorio, and left Dante in the garden. as preface, I have to say, I am loving Puratorio, more than I thought I would. I had read Paradiso before, and knew I would be interested in Inferno, but I think I didn't really know what to expect from Purgatorio, at all. As poetry it's really gorgeous! <3

Now, my reservation was, and remains, that you cannot make people better by punishing them. Bad or misguided deeds + a little suffering (in the knowledge "punishment, or I should say, solace) ≠ a soul worthy of God, etc. but I get that I have to leave this at do along with the atheism in how I respond to Dante because "this is not right!" stops the conversation in a very useless way. Passons -

So, as I understand it, the poem describes seven terraces of Purgatory, corresponding to the seven deadly sins, of which the first four are more serious (actual errors in will), and the remaining three are less serious - Avarice, Gluttony and Lust. To your point -> the other way of describing the 4/3 division is that the lower levels are sins of contempt for God's Law, doing harm to others, and the higher levels are sins of disordered / over-zealous love for Creation (or worldly success), to the extent that you do not focus enough on the divine.

First and foremost I am very much sure I personally (would) fall into this category, if I believed in this system (I mean, laying aside the fact that I'm actually in Hell for the atheism thing). I'm there, specifically in the last circle. I agree with Ivan Karamazov, i.e. the world could be very beautiful, and happiness on earth is worth giving up Salvation for.

You get punished on Level V for slightly unusual and miscellaneous things, such as founding dynasties, building up the wealth and power of the Church, hiding your faith in order to protect your career (e.g. Statius), it's interesting. If we imagine that being a pagan wasn't a total obstacle to getting to Heaven, then, ethically, most of the "great men" of history are here. To be fair, the punishment is temporary and not that harsh - essentially some physical discomfort and doing lines - but, I did wonder: this is "disordered" love only in the sense that it is not directed towards Heaven. These people lived well and ethically, but that love of the world is treated, after death (when you can no longer act on it anyway), as something that needs to be purged from your body or atoned for ... it doesn't sit right with me.

Level VI, okay, I see the continued logic from the previous terrace, but I would still question the principle. If it doesn't go so far "greed that deprives someone else of their necessity" (which would be Level II, Envy), does it need to be punished? Or does the impulse to worry that one will be punished for enjoying human sensual life reflect a very skewed vision of what God would be About? What exactly is so bad about wanting the "forbidden fruit", whatever it represents? I wouldn't really draw a clear line between sensual enjoyment of food and drink vs sensual enjoyment of secular music, dance, art, etc., those things are not directly of God either, and (if I'm not going astray here) are only seen as licit because they involve the intellect (seen as inherently alright, being in the gift of God).

Sometimes I feel my arguments against belief in God are unbelievably simplistic, but I have to repeat it, because I think it's true: I don't see why God would create something pleasant (according to human perspective, which he was in change of designing) and then chasten people for finding it pleasant. Again the most basic protest: I don't think that seems very fair! (And philosophically it reduces life - the only thing we know we have - to something very sterile: an exam. It's not my idea of a higher ideal).

Level VII - I do think it is sort of beautiful that love, even supposedly "excessive" love, is seen as putting you *almost* on the threshold to Heaven. And I do like the thread running through Canto XXI to the end, of poetry as means to God, so it makes sense that to exemplify love/lust, Dante choses to 'interview' his favourite love poets. Ovid and Sappho should be here also of course :( but I've already complained too much about the Christian-exclusive Heaven thing.

I found the distinction between the heterosexual and homosexual sinners to be very interesting, in that Dante now establishes that homosexual desire per se does not merit Hell, which means that the sodomites in Inferno Canto XV are being punished eternally for ... the violence against the nature i.e. excessive physicality of their actions? Or did they assault others? I had the impression while reading it that sodomy and non-consensual sex were being very closely linked (and that is exactly how Genesis presents it, as far as I can see - Sodom as community totally without conception of consent). So in any case, gay people in Heaven? Yes, it seems so, eventually.

Again, although the chastisement is very light (a sort of enforced restlessness and self-critique), I cannot quite agree that it needs to be punished at all. And the implication of needing to be purged of your love of your fellow man/woman is a little upsetting, because imo it creates a very individualistic set-up for Heaven. No interdependence, no love for others outside of the most abstract 'communual appreciation of the monocultural love of God', no particular favourites, and poets who have mostly renounced poetry ... surely the best thing about life are the differences between people? It just seems a bit sad ...

I hope that was a not-too meandering response to your question, but let me know what you think :)

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notoriousbeb · 2 months

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TTPD Notes - The Manuscript (Pt. 3)

TTPD Notes Glossary

"Florida!!!"

Recorded June 29, 2023; however, I'd wager to guess the first pre-Florence draft of this was first penned earlier, as it probably took a bit of logistics to meet up with Florence in the studio

While probably a bit about all three recent exes ("So, I did my best to lay to rest all of the bodies that have ever been on my body") I'd say it's mostly about one. "And the hurricane with my name [Taylor Russell, is that you entering the chat?], when it came, I got drunk, and I dared it to wash me away. Barricaded in the bathroom with a bottle of wine. Well, me and my ghosts we had a hell of a time."

If you peruse my timeline, I think you’ll find that the “shitstorm back in Texas” and her need for the release/high of the Tampa shows suddenly snaps into clear focus.

Why does she want to be told that she’s despicable and unforgivable? The Matty thing is my guess.

"Guilty as Sin"

I think this was written pre-Eras Tour, but maybe not recorded until during?

Interesting note, a few years ago, Harry shared “The Downtown Lights” by The Blue Nile with music journalist Zane Lowe as part of a playlist he put together

A hedge maze is an outdoor garden maze or labyrinth. In "Labyrinth," she says, "I thought the plane was going down, how'd you turn it right around...I'm falling in love again." To me, this is saying, "I thought we were through, but I am falling in love with you again." And it's a clear reference to the Harry and Taylor of yore — paper airplanes. I am so confused about other people's confusion as to the muse of this song.

She says she keeps “these longings locked in lowercase inside a vault.” Hmm. Maybe keep an eye out for the “reputation” vault tracks? I know I am.

“I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”

See this post

"loml"

I’m guessing recorded Spring 2023

Lion references make me think of this image from April 13, 2023 at Electric Lady. Were they shooting a music video for TTPD? If so, gimme now. She’s wearing a Gucci lion ring. From Harry? (If you are unaware, he also has two Gucci lion rings).

It was legendary, you say? Like, they were “born to be suburban legends” and when he holds you it holds you together and it’s “the only thing that’s holy” (“Guilty as Sin?”)

I don’t think “you shit-talked me under the table” means he talked shit about her. Harry would never do that. I think it refers to the alternate definition of the term. Like he was talking out of his ass or bullshitting.

“Love of my Life” is Harry’s only track 13.

This song makes me cry every time I hear it. Every time. It’s so beautiful, though, so I can’t stop won’t stop. “Dancing phantoms on the terrace/are they second hand embarrassed?” Fuck me all the way up.

Can you imagine being Joe Alwyn and knowing you put in six years and also knowing this song is not about you? I would simply turn to dust and blow away.

“I Can Do It with a Broken Heart”

God, this is such a great goddamn, perfect pop song. It has to be a single, right?

In my heart and gut, I believe this is about Harry. I really think she’d already processed the Joe breakup before Era’s even started. She didn't love Matty—she said so herself and I believe her. She started the tour strong. But then late April hits and boom she was crying on stage and falling apart. Why? See my crazy Haylor Magnum opus and timeline for my thoughts.

"The Black Dog"

I didn’t want it to be, but unfortunately, I’m convinced this is about Harry for a few reasons: 1) It was recorded on June 22, 2023. So, based on lyrics of “six weeks of breathing clean air but I still miss the smoke” that puts a separation in about mid May. That rules out Joe and Matty (who was in America at the time) 2) Regarding the line, “I just don’t understand how you don’t miss me in the shower and remember how my rain-soaked body was shaking,” if you’ll refer to my scary stalker timetable, you’ll see it rained at the first night of the Arlington, Texas, show where I think Harry was.

For good measure, Joe didn’t leave with his tail between his legs. She left him. Some might even say she bolted. And the timeline just straight up doesn’t fit Matty. But you know who was spotted and pictured in London just days before his Horsens show on May 13? Harry Styles.

She was so, so big mad about Harry being at this bar. Why? Was he not answering her texts or calls/actually or appearing to “avoid her like the plague” as per “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart?” Why is there a girl there with him who is too young to know the Starting Line? Why does Taylor know this girl is there? Is she imaginary? She had better be imaginary! Goddamnit, Harry. I don’t want to be mad at you.

#haylor

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love-takes-work · 1 year

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Infloresce & Friends: Charity Festival benefiting the Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective

I attended the wonderful charity stream for aivi & surasshu’s first anniversary of their label Infloresce, benefiting Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective. It was a lovely time and included many special guest appearances, including (of special interest to some of my blog readers) Rebecca Sugar and Jeff Ball of Steven Universe fame and aivi & surasshu themselves. Here is an overall outline of the content of the TWELVE HOURS of streaming, including details about all of the performances! And if you’re interested in further supporting the Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective, you can choose your donate option here.

This is a twelve-hour streamed charity event to benefit Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective, put on in honor of Infloresce's one-year anniversary. Infloresce is aivi & sursshu's record label for "gentle music that goes hard." With nine releases in the last year among their handful of musicians, largely populated by gender expansive and trans folks, are supporting the trans community with this event.

1. Breakfast Friends - Waffle Talk

This opening panel included discussion of trans community, the beauty of realizing how many people are queer in your community, music, and morning routines. aivi shares what's different about their morning routine because they have a child. Includes an interview with Evelina Kertay, a founding member and leader of Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective, who shared information about fighting anti-queer laws on the ground without depending on the structures of the oppressor.

She says it's very important for allies to be willing to put skin in the game and accept risk. Her message to trans people is that past liberation movements and queer elders can show us the way--it's a fight that's been fought before. (Also, ACAB and fuck ICE.) CTLC helps people access trans-friendly medical care, name changes, and escaping hostile situations.

2. Oops! All Bangers. Trans and Non-Binary Radio

With a quirky introduction about the Dunmucky Method of music-making involving a dollhouse as an illustration, we then get some bangers from various trans and nonbinary artists, played over rad videos of trans and nonbinary people from the south skating:

Featuring the following:

telebasher - "Savior"

Zantilla - "Lemon Pepper"

JER - "You Can Get It If You Really Want"

Maddie Lim - "Mango Habanero"

Saria Lemes - "That's Not Candy"

mandrasigma - "Trinket"

FLOOR BABA - "PREHISTORY"

miles morkri - "yarrow"

Ponpoko in the Distance - "Ukijima"

3. Battle Buds: Team Composition Challenge

This was so cool! Six battlers "duking it out friendship style" make music inspired by locations in Chattanooga, each writing a piece in one hour. miles and surasshu discuss the history and process of compos. Compo communities started on IRC back in the day--sometimes 30-minute or 1-hour competitions where people would make compositions and vote on them. Surasshu has competed in hundreds of them. The composers use many different utilities to make their contributions. Throughout the stream, the hosts checked in with each composer and let them talk about their process and philosophy.

Composers and their compositions:

Hunter Van Brocklin - Cerulean Caverns

Frums - Rosebloom Ravine

Ash - Luminous Lagoon

M Gewehr - Groove Gardens

Maddie Lim - Bubble Bay

mandrasigma - Tangled Terrace

4. Button Masher Performance

After another fun Dunmucky intro and music lesson, we get a performance from chiptune composer and performer Button Masher.

5. Digifu Classic

We are treated to some lovely digifu pieces with cool visualizers.

6. Cass Cuttlefish Performance

With another music lesson in the Dunmucky Method ("Structure, Purpose, Vision!") leading off...

We have Aubrey Halo, aka Cass Cuttlefish, sharing some great music, including one that's "too fast to be a waltz." A couple of the songs have lyrics!

And we even get some cool pixel art from Aubrey.

Aubrey is now transitioning the previous “Cass Cuttlefish” social media to the Aubrey Halo name.

7. The Sandwich Club: Let's Talk About Games!

Next we have some folks talking about games and their contributions! Panel contributors were ChevyRay, Jessi, Ko, Hbomb, Isla, and SonicFox. They discuss experience as gamers, as developers, and as composers. They discuss what their first video games they remember playing, what video game characters are the hottest, whether Shadow the Hedgehog is cool, how much evil can a character do before they're irredeemable, and how to avoid burnout and burnout experiences.

8. Floor Baba Performance

A Muckyverse lesson teaches us about melody! Then Floor Baba takes the stage with a performance: We have MIDIs to jam to and accompanying cool art!

9. Maj7 Community Showcase

Very cool pieces by this collaboration between artists, accompanied by various inventive animations!

10. aivi & surasshu Performance

After another lovely and unhinged Dunmucky Institute music lesson, we get aivi & surasshu's set, opening with "Amalgam" from Steven Universe (Opal's fusion dance song). They then perform a cover of "Yuri on Ice." The next song, "Periphery," is from their upcoming album.

The promised “Love Like You” stream included the crowdsourced choir collected from Steven Universe fan contributions across the internet. 92 contributors sent in their voices! (Small brag: I was in there!)

11. Being a Trans Lawyer in the South

This section has an interview with a lawyer (who also skates!) named Alex Moody (they/them) discussing how laws affect trans and gender expansive people in Southern states, how Southern social movements work, and some of the necessities of playing nice with norms and expectations so we can get shit done. Learn legislators, bother them, make calls, access Mutual Aid where needed.

12. Battle of the Bits Listening Party

After a week-long battle with 69 entries, we get to listen to the top 11!

#11 blower5 - hi

#10 doctorn0gloff - the trials of blossoming

#9 telebasher - NEVER GIVE UP !!

#8 rewitkin - travel log

#7 robotmeadows - we used to run around and not get tired

#6 october - you and me 'til the world ends

#5 damifortune + slash - a chipped stylus

#4 paperaviator - just existing (in a good way)

#3 zenkusa - A Picnic at Twilight

#2 petet - willow

#1 pedipanol - Together

There were also individual awards in the categories of Friendship, Community, Trans Rights, Inflorescence, Charity in Pants, Overall. Very cool.

13. miles morkri Performance

We get another set of instructions to teach us about the Dunmucky method, and then we're on to see miles morkri! This performance has some great vibes with miles singing and playing. I loved this one!

14. STAFFcirc Community Showcase

STAFFcirc composers have their pieces featured with more stunning visuals.

15. Rebecca Sugar & Jeff Ball Performance

Another music lesson teaches us about texture in the Dunmucky Method. And then, we get Rebecca Sugar and Jeff Ball sharing a special performance!

They begin with a guitar and violin duet of "Everything Stays."

Next we are treated to the full version of "Change Your Mind," and then "Love Like You," and finally "Escapism."

It was so special to get to hear Rebecca performing again. I missed seeing performances like this.

16. The Ice Cream Social: Let's Talk About Toys!

miles, aivi, Loni, mandrasigma, and Marcie have a chat about toys, with a big focus on Hot Wheels. They discuss what everyone's favorite toys were as children. Character cars look like taxidermy to aivi. They have started collecting Hot Wheels cars after having a child who is obsessed with cars.

As an incentive to get to $10,000 on the donations, mandra offered to show a "cursed" Toad-inspired Hot Wheels car. And it happened. (And it was cursed.)

17. telebasher & amimifafa Performance

Another visit from the Dunmucky Institute later, we get some wonderful melancholy, chill music from telebasher & amimifafa collaborating.

18. Infloresce Records Community Showcase

Infloresce artists have their pieces compiled and showcased with more wonderful music videos and visualizers!

19. Zantilla Performance

Lesson 9 from the Dunmucky Institute provides an interlude, and then we get a performance from artist Zantilla. Metal guitar-led music with visuals of the artist going hard jamming out on guitar.

20. Moonlit Vibes: Trans & Non-Binary Radio

Yet more wonderful night-themed songs from trans and nonbinary artists, featuring more great skating videos, this time with a night palette tint. We got some cool stories about the meanings of the songs, the importance of leaving space in music, the despair some trans people feel and make art about, and how aivi ended up working with Zantilla.

Featuring the following:

Slide20XX - "thick as thieves"

amimifafa - "phytogenesis"

aivi (ft. Zantilla, Michaela Nachtigall) - "Tiger"

TV-MA - "I Want to See the Angels"

Isaac Shutz - "Summer Rain"

Lena Raine - "Full Moon Memories"

Siphosomes - "Canopy >> Stars"

paper aviator - "On Foot"

21. quarkimo Performance

Some beautiful night music closes us out with quarkimo playing candlelit piano.

22. Curtain Call: End of Stream Hangout

The Dunmucky Institute takes us to the exit of the stream, with a return of the dollhouse, and some very nice messages about the importance of making art.

With a final plug for the Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective, the organizers have a celebration that everything worked and nothing broke for the whole twelve-hour stream. There were lots of thank-yous and information about who contributed what. Much outpouring of gratefulness and love was had.

I did not initially intend to attend a TWELVE-HOUR STREAM but by gosh that’s what ended up happening. I care very much about trans rights, as a fellow Southern-state-liver who is watching the freedoms and safety getting scrubbed out of my communities at a frightening rate. Evelina Kertay of the Chattanooga Trans Liberation Collective was a WONDERFUL speaker and badass and I would have loved to hear way more from her, and I believe her trans-led organization is going to DO THE BUSINESS as we fight these laws and prejudices.

I’m really glad I attended.

#transgender #chattanooga trans liberation collective #aivi & surasshu #steven universe #rebecca sugar #infloresce #myblog

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italian-wall-lizard · 1 year

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WATCHING AND DREAMING SPOILERS!!!!!!!

ok but can we PLEASE talk about the future seen in watching & dreaming????

first of all: dana terrace is doing gods work out there. queer, latina, black, and trans kids will be able to see themselves in her characters and i think that is really beautiful. fuck disney for cancelling the show x100000

secondly: STOP IT BECAUSE ITS LITERALLY THE CUTEST THING EVER. i will admit at first i was VERY against huntlow but now i straight up love them, they're so perfect for each otherrrr!! also my boy hunter finally got some sleep, his eyebags are gone (hunter x sleep best ship)

also THE MATCHING FLAPJACK TATTOOS??? too cute i might (read: definitely will) cry

i LOVE how everyone was so supportive of luz!!! they all gathered together and threw a quinceañera (or should i say KING-ceañera) for her bc she missed it helping them rebuild the boiling isles... they r so cute!!

also everyone's futures are SO PERFECT. the designs are GOLD and they all got to do what the wanted to do (willow with flyer derby, gus with human studies, hunter studying wild magic and carving palismen, luz doing literally everything)

here is a comprehensive list of what the hexsquad + parental figures are doing in the future:

- hunter is carving palismen with edas parents and the bat queen. he also has a new blue-jay palisman and her name is waffles and i love her very very much

- willow is a pro flyer derby player

- flapjack..... i think we all know what happened to flapjack

- lillith is an architect and is helping to rebuild hexside (she also still has a personal vendetta against flora desplora) + she can go harpy mode!!!

- hooty is still and forever will always be just hooty and i love that.

- amity is making abomination tech with her dad and has an AMAZING new look

- mattholomule finally grew a moustache

- principal bump is now a gardener. good for him he deserves a break

- alador is a good person now and has figured out a way to get rid of coven sigils. he's also gay for darius i think (FUCK odalia bro!!!)

- darius is... idk what darius is. basically he's now hunters full ass father and is also gay for alador

- raine is helping to conduct research on the new sigil removing process but more importantly is OFFICIALLY BACK TOGETHER WITH EDA

- gus is now directing a human exchange program at a school for wild magic (!!!) and has a SICK new look

- quite possibly the best of all, eda is the headmaster of the school!!! she also has a captain hook-style hook for an arm and i think that is wonderful. she also FINALLY learned how to do the staff spin from season 1

- vee is still amazing and has a new look, also i'm seriously hoping she's with the human who worked at the gravesfield museum and did tarot because they would be SO CUTE

- luz reigns supreme as the queen of doing literally everything and has about 10 different majors at her college. she also has eyeliner skills that i am seriously jealous of

and HOW COULD I FORGET. king now has glyph magic???? he's getting powerful as fuck apparently so now luz gets to learn a whole new glyph system while she's at college

anyways final thoughts are: this episode was a masterpiece esp considering what dana was working with only having three episodes to fill. and of course, say it with me now:

FUCK WALT DISNEY!!!!

#the owl house #toh #toh watching and dreaming #watching and dreaming #luz noceda #toh season 3

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xoxo-mei · 1 day

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Missing Them - A Druig x Reader Oneshot

The Eternals have been my family for centuries. And I couldn't wish for a better one. Ajak was like a mom to me, Ikaris kept me strong, Sersi held my hand whenever I needed just someone by my side. But the one I loved most of all was Druig.

He was my beating heart. He was the life coursing through my veins. Without him, I was nothing.

So, when he decided to leave and live somewhere with a group he mind-controlled, I didn't tell him that it was a bad idea like the rest. No. I went along and joined him at his side.

What can I say, love makes you blind.

But as time flew by, the sensations of grief only grew stronger. I missed the rest of my family. I missed Ikaris's jokes to cheer me up, or Sersi's attempts at lame distraction, or Sprite teaching me new things every single day.

I didn't have that anymore.

I was sitting at the side of the lake, my bare feet flying back and forth in the water calmly.

My thoughts were consuming me whole. So much that I didn't even hear the footsteps approaching me.

The person sat down next to me and just by scent alone, I didn't even have to turn around to know it was Druig.

''What is going on in that head of yours?'' He questioned softly, making sure that the sound wasn't too big a contrast to the silence I was in, ''You have been stuck in your mind for months now. You know you can tell me anything, right?''

''I don't think you would understand this matter.'' I admitted gently.

I knew Druig was my listening ear, but I also knew that he would think it strange how bothered I was by such a trivial matter (in his eyes).

I turned to him and finally admitted the truth.

It was something I wanted to say for a long time now, and I think, it's time to let it fly between us freely.

''I miss them.''

''Who? You have your family here.'' Druig retorted matter-of-factly.

Sighing, I shook my head and turned back to the water, ''We both know it isn't my family.''

Druig stayed silent before speaking up once again, ''But I am your family.''

I thought for a second.

I never saw him as family. I never saw him as a sibling like Ikaris and Sersi, I saw him as someone I wanted to create a family with. But not the way he thinks.

I want kids with him. A home with a tiny garden for our own fruits. A cute dog to keep the little ones busy. Oh, and a terrace. One with fairylights strung all around it, making it light up in the dark.

I bit back the reply that I was longing to say. He wasn't ready to hear my feelings, not whilst Makkari is still on his mind.

''Yeah,'' I could taste the lie, ''you are.''

''What aren't you telling me?''

''Druig,'' I turned to him, but didn't dare to look him in the eyes at first, ''what would you say if I told you that I didn't look at you the same way as I do at Sersi, or Sprite, or Kingo?''

I could see the sadness in his eyes.

Shit, he wasn't understanding the clues I was trying to give.

''Do you-'' he took a deep breath, trying to hide the hurt behind a façade, ''Do you not care for me?''

''I do care for you. But not the way you think I do.''

It was silent for a minute. I watched him intently and saw the oblivion turn into realization. His mouth parted and he stared back at me with slightly widened eyes.

I waved it off, ''Don't worry about it, I know my place.''

The water was starting to reflect the sunset at the other end. Streaks of orange and yellow moved gently and collided to form this beautiful picturesque display before us.

All the thoughts once in my head found there way outside.

''I didn't hesitate to come with you, considering I have stronger feelings for you as I do for any of them. But, lately, the memories are surfacing. And,'' I took in the fresh air and let the previous words linger for a second longer, ''I just started to miss them.''

''So, what? Do you think it a mistake to come with me?''

His words stung. They left a blow to my heart and I flung my head to him instantly. I frowned, hurt in my eyes. ''I said I miss them. Not that I regret my decisions. But, Druig, they are family. I was going to miss them eventually.''

His eyes held mine in an intense gaze and he looked at his feet in the water, ''I guess it was bound to happen.''

The silence returned. We stayed there staring at the water. But then I felt this strange sensation in my head.

As if someone was trying to rip the memories out of my head.

I groaned when I realized what was happening.

''Druig.''

''What?''

He spoke so innocently, as if he wasn't doing anything. But there's no one else around us who could do this.

I took a deep breath and turned to him, just in time to see the yellow glow return to his normal eye color.

''Can you not?''

''I don't know what you're talking about.''

A chuckle escaped my lips, ''You can't just enter my head without warning, or permission, for that fact.''

Druig's head turned to me and there was this sheepish glint in his eyes, ''Honestly-''

''Druig, I saw your eyes.''

He sighed.

Guess he finally knew that he wasn't going to lie his way out of this one. His eyes met mine and I saw what he was really feeling. Frustration. Worry. Sadness.

It was all right there, swarming in his eyes before me.

All the time spent together really made him an open book before me.

''Why?''

''I don't like seeing you hurt, Y/N,'' his words were like a soft and gentle touch to my heart, ''somehow I was hoping that I could get your mind off of it for a minute. I would even settle for a second.''

My hand reached out for his and he wrapped his fingers around me immediately.

A smile came onto my face.

I squeezed his hand in reassurance, ''It's sweet, Druig, but this isn't the way it's meant to be. Sometimes, how painful or difficult it might be, we have to stick to the emotions were feeling. It's a part of life.''

''You're getting way too used to Earth,'' Druig joked, managing a laugh out of me, which made him smile, ''really. You're turning human.''

''And surprisingly,'' I met his gaze, ''I don't mind it one bit. It's difficult sometimes, but they have their appeal, I suppose.''

''Arishem won't be happy with this.''

The mention of the man whose rules we were following soured the whole mood.

And I wasn't the only one feeling that way. One look at Druig and I knew he shared the same sentiment as mine. I would always have someone at my side.

''I don't care about Arishem.''

''Me neither,'' he spoke back, a grin on his face, ''now, why don't we do something fun. Tomorrow, we can return to this spot and we can figure out how to make the suffering less.''

I nodded, a soft smile playing on my lips.

He wrapped an arm around me and kissed my forehead, pulling me into his side, ''And we have to talk about that confession of yours sooner or later.''

I suppose we did.

We stayed there for a few minutes. When we were satisfied with the sunset, we got back up and played some games with the kids at our camp.

It distracted me. But I knew the next day we would have to talk about everything.

For the ones who really needed to know what happened, here it goes:

Druig and I had a long talk. He said he needed time with the whole thing, but afterwards, he finally returned his feelings.

We saved the world from distruction with help from our family, and Druig and I went our merry way together.

We had the dream life. A house surrounded in nature. A few loving kids, a terrace with fairylights, a mini garden that we tended to as a family, and a handful of adorable pets.

It was the dream I was wishing for since I realized I loved Druig.

We stayed together for eternity, even got married, and I couldn't be happier.

Words: 1,4K

#marvel #mcu #marvelcinematicuniverse #druigxreader #druig #eternals #oneshot

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shallyne · 1 year

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Two Fates, One Day - Chapter Two

I lied (I didn't I just got random motivation) there is another part!

Words: 1,814

TW: implication of hunger and poverty

Feyre and Rhys have a playdate, Elain meets Rhys's mother.

It felt like an eternity and no time passed at all when Saturday finally arrived. Since Elain had agreed to this playdate and she had told her little sister, Feyre was restless and asked Elain a thousand times if it was finally Saturday. Of course Elain was happy that her sister finally had a friend and it was adorable how excited she was to see Rhys but it distracted Elain from studying and doing household tasks. Not even painting could distract her for more than a few minutes. She was hopping around, giggling and singing. As Elain watched her running through the small apartment, she hoped that Feyre never stopped being this sunshine and that she would keep this spirit for a very long time.

Now they both walked towards the front door of Azriels home. It was big and it was beautiful and Elain didn't have enough time to look around because as soon as she loosened her grip on Feyre's hand, her little sister let go and raced to the door. She turned around and grinned at Elain "First!"

Elain giggled. "Indeed, you outran me."

Feyre giggled and pointed to the doorbell "Can I ring the bell?"

Elain nodded when she finally reached Feyre and her sister pressed the button. It didn't take long until the door opened and Azriel greeted them.

"Hey." he said when she walked past him into the big front hall.

"Hey." she smiled, getting interrupted by little, hurried and then Rhysand threw himself in Feyres arms.

"Hello Feyre!" he said and Elain had to focus not to laugh out loud because it sounded like Feywa out of his mouth. "Do you want to go outside with me? I can push you on the swing."

Feyre turned to Elain, who nodded "It's okay, you can go."

"Yes!" she said to Rhys. He took her hand and they ran out of the big glass double doors that most likely led to the backyard. Elain smiled at Azriel and nodded her head to the door, and they followed the kids outside.

They entered a big terrace. Elain looked at Feyre who had just arrived at the swingset. Rhys and Feyre said something and then she sat down on a swing, Rhys pushing her.

Azriel put a hand on Elain's back and led her to the left, to a small table where a woman sat who already smiled at her. She stood and extended her hand "You must be Elain. I'm Naya, Rhysand's mother."

Elain shook her hand "It's nice to meet you, Naya."

They all sat down on the round table. Naya brushed a strand of her long, black hair behind her ear that the wind had blown in her face.

"So you're taking care of your little sister?" Naya asked Elain as she poured her a cup of tea. Elain nodded and took a sip. "Where are your parents?"

"My mother died when Feyre was still an infant. My father died a year ago." at Nayas curious gaze, Elain realized her mistake so she added "My older sister, Nesta, is still looking after us but she also has a lot so with college, so I'm mostly taking care of Feyre." Azriel stared at her as if he could look through the lie that it was.

Naya nodded, seeming to be lost in thought after what Elain just told her. They looked out to the garden when Feyre squealed loudly, followed by both of the kids giggles.

"Rhys rarely makes friends as fast as he did with Feyre." Azriel changed the subject. Elain was so relieved she could have kissed him.

Naya smiled brightly "That's true. He could barely sit still this morning, he was so excited."

Elain laughed softly. "Same for Feyre." she said. "I'm glad she made a friend. Rhys seems like a sweetheart."

Azriel chuckled faintly and Naya grinned. "He is although he can be a whirlwind at times." she sighed and looked over the table. "Oh, I forgot the scones, I'll be back in a second. Excuse me." Naya was gone before Elain could offer her help.

Silence spread between Azriel and Elain. Their gazes met for a heartbeat and they both looked away. Elain took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves down.

"It's nice to see you." She broke the silence and tucked her hair behind her ear, untucking it instantly because she felt stupid. Azriel followed that movement. "Again."

A smile tugged at Azriel's lips. "It is. That week felt like an eternity."

"You saw me at school." Elain chuckled. "You could have talked to me there, you know."

"I didn't know if you'd want me to." he admitted.

"Why not?" she asked and he shrugged.

"You know how people are, making the weirdest rumors." he snorted but there was no amusement on his face.

"Please." Elain said, laying her hand in his. Azriels gaze stayed glued to their hands as she said. "People are judging me for being a single mother. I know how quick people are to judge and I am not judging you, Azriel. Approach me whenever you like, I'd love that."

Azriel dipped his head once. "Alright."

"Perfect! I'll look forward to it." she said and leaned forward, kissing his cheek. She was sure that she only imagined the faint blush on his face, he only turned his face away because Naya was striding through the balcony doors.

Feyre and Rhys played the whole day only stopping at their table to quickly drink something and then they raced away again. In the meantime Naya asked Elain about Feyre and school and some questions about Nesta. She answered them all, careful not to let anything show about how exhausted and overwhelmed she was. Elain was already judged by people she barely knew, she didn't need to add more people on that list.

Hours later, Naya asked Elain if Feyre and her wanted to stay for dinner. Any other day Elain would have taken a free meal but Feyre looked so tired, Elain knew Feyre was one inconvenience away from having a tantrum. So Elain declined. "Before we leave, can I use the bathroom?"

"Of course!" Naya said. "Just follow the hallway, the third door on the left."

Elain thanked her and rushed there. When she was done and on her way back to her sister, the smell of dinner hit her and she sneaked to the half closed door. Careful she opened it and peeked inside the kitchen. Her stomach grumbled at all the food she saw.

Elain gripped her bag tighter and slipped farther into the room. She quickly made sure that the room really was empty before grabbing anything that she could, things that they probably wouldn't even notice were missing.

She hurried back and made the goodbye really quick. It was hard, Rhys looked like he might cry as Elain took Feyre and told Naya and Azriel goodbye. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She stole a few times in her life, she had to, but never from families. Sending a silent prayer to whoever heard them, she hoped that Naya and Azriel wouldn't notice. She really liked them but Elain couldn't muster up any regret about what she did. She had to feed her sister and if it meant stealing, she would do that. If it meant losing the few people that weren't quick to judge her, so be it. Feyre was her priority and that wouldn't change.

At home, Elain fixed Feyre a quick dinner and then got her ready for bed.

"Where's Nox?" Feyre asked. Elain looked around the room, digging through Feyre's toys. That damned bunny wasn't there.

"I'm sure he's in the living room." Elain helped Feyre in her bed. "I'm getting him in a minute." She lied.

Feyre nodded as Elain tugged her in. "I love you, Lainey."

"I love you, too, Fey.'' She pressed a kiss on her sister's forehead and to Elains relief, Feyre was asleep almost the second her head met the pillow.

She sneaked out of the room and pulled out her phone.

>> Hey Azriel, I think my sister might have forgotten her bunny at your house. Would you maybe look for him? He's gray and has paint splatters on his right ear.

Elain looked out of the window, sighing. A new message came in faster than she expected him.

>> Yes, she left the bunny here. Do you want me to bring him over?

Elain smiled.

>> That's nice but you don't have to go out just for the bunny. I'll pick him up tomorrow

>> It's no trouble, I have to leave either way

Elain answered

>> Thank you so much!

and send him her address. He texted back that he will be there in half an hour.

Right on time, a knock sounded on her door. Elain opened the front door and let Azriel in. After she closed the door and turned back, she spotted Nox and the relief almost made her knees buckle. "You're a lifesaver. I could kiss you!" she said as she took the stuffed animal. "Nox never leaves her side. Fortunately she was so exhausted from today that she fell asleep but if Nox was still gone when she woke up…" Elain winced. "Anyways, thank you so much. "I–thank you!"

Elain went on her tiptoes to kiss Azriel on the cheek but at the same time he twisted so her lips met his. Shocked and wide eyed, Elain pulled back. "I'm so sorry, I–" she went silent when she felt Azriels arm around her waist. She didn't know when he had placed it there but she felt every coherent thought leaving her head. "That wasn't how I had planned it."

"Kissing me?" Azriel asked, his face dangerously close.

"What? No." Elain said. "...yes."

He pulled Elain closer and waited for her to pull back, but Elain didn't. Her breath hitched as she took his face in her hands and closed the distance between them. Elain felt like someone let out a dozen butterflies in her belly and fireworks going wild in her chest, her heart beating fast as Azriel envelopes her. All her problems were forgotten at this moment, it was only Azriel and her.

Until a tiny gasp broke them apart.

Elain stepped back out of breath and looked at Feyre, who looked wide eyed between Elain and Azriel.

"Feyre," Elain said. She raised Nox "Look, Azriel brought Nox over. You forgot him at Rhys's house."

Slowly Feyre took the bunny and took a step back, eyeing Azriel suspiciously. "Thank you." she whispered. Then she turned around and hurried back to her room.

"I guess that is my cue to leave." Azriel said, pressing a kiss on Elains forehead.

"Thank you." she told Azriel, leaving the thanks open to Azriels interpretation. Either for Nox or for the kiss. She meant both.

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valentinesparda · 6 months

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euphemia and larsa taking their studies out to the courtyard terrace, and they get distracted with talking about the bugs that keep flying around - that one is a carpenter bee, and look! a jewel beetle! - and eventually larsa, who IS just a little kid, starts to get sleepy and dozes off. and no one wakes effie up when they doze off, so they smile and let him take a little nap and while they are waiting around they're just checking up on all the flowers and in walks gabranth, just as they've plucked a flower for themself (it's selfish to want to keep one, but they do look beautiful when they dry out as well) and they go oh! judge magister, i wasn't expecting you!

gabranth asks why the young lord is snoozing in the sun like a cat and effie goes "well, he is still a child, i took plenty of naps in the gardens in my days". but gabranth doesn't get it. so he follows effie around while they talk about the flowers that the gardeners take care of, but he's really just there to awkwardly hover around until they stop talking because while he was sent to check up on larsa by the emperor, he also can't help but love the company of the young lord's tutor. and he's already spent far too much time here with them so he might as well spend more. he likes the sound of their voice as they ramble

but effie is nervous, oh so nervous, because he is following them around like he is expecting something and they cannot get the dreams they've had out of their head where he takes them gently in his arms and kisses them, and now they're sure he can see the embarrassment plain on their face. so they adjust their glasses and find a seat on one of the many marble benches and set their cane to the side, patting the stone next to them. and gabranth pulls off his helmet and sets down on the edge of the bench - so he can sit comfortably in his armor - next to them, with his helm in his lap

and effie gives him the flower they've picked, heart hammering in their chest like they've never done this before (they have, years ago, but it was someone else giving them a flower, it was the same garden). they watch the bud shake in their hand, gabranth tilts his head curiously, but he takes it from them with a gentle touch, careful not to squash the stem in his armored fingers. he isn't sure why they've done this, but the gesture is sweet, and he will take any scrap of kindness he can get, ESPECIALLY from this beautiful person that he has been dancing around for a few years now, not that he deserves the attention

but it has been a while where they have both let it known to the other that they are interested, and there's a tension between the two that you could probably see from the other side of the archades empire. the sun is getting lower in the sky and it's cooling down quite a bit, the garden is awash with orange light, larsa is still asleep with his arms propping his head up and he looks so serene, and a part of euphemia feels that it isn't fair that he should be burdened with the task of taking care of an entire empire, but they know that is just how the world works

so they sit together in silence for a few minutes, effie letting a butterfly land on their outstretched hand before it flutters over to see the flower that gabranth still holds in his fingers, and he is careful not to move so he doesn't disturb it. which is poetic, in nature, because he usually holds a harsh hand that rarely hesitates in hurting things, and instead he lets it glide away when it realizes there isn't anything left to collect in way of nectar

effie watches him as his head tilts in following the butterfly retreat away from him, his eyes so green and his lashes that make him look so pretty that it hurts them flutter when he feels the sun shine too brightly onto him

and perhaps it wasn't the best idea to lean in and place a kiss to his lips when he turned back to them, their hand on the armor of his thigh propping them up - one far-too-eager press of the lips that surprises gabranth out of his mind overthinking being there in the first place, and far-too-stunned on his end to reciprocate immediately. perhaps it wasn't the best idea for him, as effie pulled away from him with their eyes still closed, that he drops the flower from his hand as he decides to grab them by the shoulder and pull them close again

elsewhere in the palace, vayne turns away from a window

#val.txt #si: euphemia #otp: to be alone #long post #drabble tag #my writing

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unproduciblesmackdown · 8 months

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behind the scenes shots ft. akd as the adjudicator, from this article about the cinematography

“In Hollywood, action filmmaking was kind of looked down upon until The Matrix, and then people realized that action could also be part of the story,” [director] Stahelski notes. “I come from a place of loving dance and theater and fine art — action can be all of those things — and one of my favorite painters is Caravaggio.” When he was looking for a cinematographer for John Wick: Chapter 2, Stahelski recalls, “I asked myself, ‘Who paints with light?’ The answer is Dan Laustsen.” In strictly cinematographic terms, Parabellum functions less like an action movie and more like a Hollywood studio musical. The film’s first battle is a close-quarters knife fight in an antique weapons shop, where the camera cuts from wide shot to wide shot, sustaining the action in long takes so that the audience can better appreciate the physical prowess of Reeves’ performance — an elaborate fighting style that combines Japanese judo and jujitsu, Brazilian jujitsu, Russian sambo, Filipino kali, and Muay Thai, more for the benefit of show than for self-defense. “Ninety-nine percent of high-level stunt work is dance — not pirouettes, but how you move your body,” asserts Stahelski, who continues to train stuntpeople with Leitch through their company 87eleven. “I love the aesthetic of motion. A lot of our shots [in Parabellum] are lifted straight from Singin’ in the Rain and West Side Story. We’re mixing Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin with Hong Kong cinema from John Woo, Jackie Chan and the Shaw Brothers.” “We wanted to go wider than Hollywood action films normally do and really show off the choreography,” Laustsen agrees. “When the camera, lighting and actors are all moving together, it really is a dance.”

“After we made Chapter 2,” Laustsen notes, “we discussed how we could make 3 even more visually powerful. The main setting was still New York, but we wanted to bring out the city even more forcefully. We decided to shoot all at night, with rain as much as possible. Rain is fantastic because it gives a third dimension to the picture, but it is a challenge to do it, especially in a city like New York.”

The Master Anamorphics’ low-distortion design also prevents dramatic, streaking lens flares, and so the technicians at Arri Rental in Secaucus, N.J., fashioned a flare filter — comprising three strands of nylon fishing line stretched across an empty filter frame — for the XT’s and Mini’s Internal Filter Modules. When a front-of-lens filter produces a flare, Laustsen observes, it “just looks like the light is catching on a piece of flat glass in front of the lens. It’s more beautiful when the flare comes from the lens itself” — and that’s the effect that was replicated with the behind-the-lens nylon lines. “With the filters inside the camera,” the cinematographer adds, “it was also easier for first assistant Craig Pressgrove to do the lens changes.”

The exterior of the Continental was shot in lower Manhattan, but the hotel’s interiors were filmed in downtown Brooklyn, in the former Williamsburgh Savings Bank tower — which now serves as an event space —whose glass-and-wrought-iron front doors open to a 128'-long vaulted banking hall with limestone facing, marble floors, carved teller stations, and a 63'-high ceiling supported by Romanesque columns. For its role as the Continental’s lobby, the hall was furnished by Kavanaugh with two round settees crowned with statues of the Roman war gods Bellona and Mars, a fully-stocked bar, and a lounge on the mezzanine.

Parabellum’s stages were located at Gold Coast Studios in Long Island, N.Y. The first of the production’s two notable stage-bound sets is the Continental’s terrace, for which the Rockefeller Center rooftop garden was used in Chapter 2. The schedule didn’t allow for much time to shoot Parabellum’s scene, which takes place at sunrise. “You cannot make the sun rise [for] a movie,” Laustsen notes wryly. “It’s one or two shots, and then you have daylight, and then you’re fighting to control the light.” So, for more control, the scene was moved onstage, where the set was surrounded with a sectional 45'x350' bluescreen lit with SkyPanel S120s; a 120' black velour curtain was used to control blue spill coming from off-camera. Early-morning ambience was provided by 176 overhead SkyPanel S60s, and the light of the rising sun was simulated by a 20K tungsten Fresnel and a 24K Dino light with medium bulbs, both gelled with 1⁄2 CTS. The other key set built at Gold Coast was the “manager’s office,” a labyrinthine two-story glass-and-steel structure meant to represent the top floors of the Continental, with a 270-degree view of the adjacent skyscrapers. It’s in this space that Wick and Zero ultimately face off mano a mano. “The concept was to create a space where everything is exposed, a place where there are no secrets,” Kavanaugh explains. To help him integrate the lighting into the design of the set itself, Laustsen worked with a virtual-reality computer model based on Kavanaugh’s design. “Chad, Kevin and I had discussions about color — cool lights inside, warm light outside,” says the cinematographer, who wanted what he describes as an “organic” light element for both spaces. The art department therefore added a 35'x14' LED wall to the set’s second floor and a 28'x12' LED billboard to the rooftop; the latter was positioned between the glass structure and a 40'x440' Rosco SoftDrop that was backlit by 150 SkyPanel S60s through Magic Cloth sourced from The Rag Place. Almeida and his rigging crew installed more than a mile of LiteGear Chroma-Correct RGB-Daylite LED LiteRibbon into the glass and steel set, using aluminum profile and plastic diffusers provided by Kavanaugh’s art department. Cues were orchestrated from an ETC Ion Xe console operated by Kent Arneson; Laustsen took advantage of that control to increase the intensity of the light over time — until the very end of the fight, when the two combatants are photographed primarily in silhouette against the LED walls.

Wick literally fights his way through the set — alternately smashing his opponents and being smashed through glass pedestals, walls and floors — until he comes face to face with his nemesis. “We filmed this sequence with a [Chapman/Leonard Hustler IV] dolly and a Libra head, a Steadicam, and a couple of crane shots [with a MovieBird 45 and Aerocrane jib],” Laustsen details. “We didn’t want to go handheld because of all the straight lines. It would be a much more powerful look for the film if the frame was always parallel to the set.” “When we did bring in lights for the close-ups, we used Arri SkyPanel S60s and Astera AX1 LED tubes that we could attach virtually anywhere using magnets and clips,” Almeida adds. “The Astera tubes worked out great because they’re easy to hide, and if you saw a reflection, it just looked like the lighting that was built-in already.”

#all the pictures and quotes are neat & interesting....check out that article #further talk about color choices & tools & techniques....idk too much about film production stuff but i always think it's interesting #and like cinematography being pointed out & discussed in general lol as the end result & the process behind it #only one quote in there specifically mentions the adjudicator (not ft. here b/c it's just a quick plot point mention)#but others are included here b/c it's relevant. homemade lens flare? happens when their ride first swings up like Their iconique flair #didn't include quotes about the theater set used for when they show up walking down the aisle like augh!! anyways check out the article fr #asia kate dillon #the adjudicator

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asterjennifer · 2 years

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Hello! I'm not sure if you take requests or brainrots but feel free to ignore this if not! It just pop into my mind when I was playing Saeran's route for the sixth time LOL. It makes me wonder what if Saeyoung meet Ray and Suit!Saeran respectively. Like, (spoilers) Seven was still missing at the end of his route but what if after all that and he was found and years later, he just found out that his bro has other persona(?) since Ray was the one who always tended the garden and Suit was more...aggressive than the usual Saeran he knew lol.

I kinda think he'll be heartbroken because Saeran didn't tell him about the two 😭 but it makes me wonder about the possibility that Ray was the one who told Saeran not to say anything about them because he was kinda?? Insecure?? Scared?? Because Saeyoung promised to be together WITH Saeran not WITH Ray and Suit.

Just thought its a good angst/comfort reveal lololol. Have a great day!

🎀 That is a really nice concept if I'm honest. I think Seven and the whole Ray/Suit dynamic could've played out really well from a storytelling standpoint! 🎀

There's more than me

Fandom: Mystic Messenger

Pairing: Seven & Saeran (& MC)

Category: Fluff

Warnings: Spoilers

Word count: 2634

Summary: After so long, there are things that come to light. Some more significant than others.

It gives Seven and Saeran some honest conversations about the past.

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Saeran kneeled down carefully between the endless sea of flowers planted all around the garden he now owned for himself and his loved ones. How long it took everyone until there's only peace remaining was absurd. He pulled the rubber gloves over his hands, making sure not to get scolded by his Angel again after they whined last time to not just dig his fingers into the dirt raw. Saeran saw no issue, it's not bad coming back messy when taking care of his passion, if anything, he secretly preferred the direct contact with the earth.

Not to mention; it's fun touching what's underneath your fingertips as he forbade himself that joy back at Magenta most of the time due to the gloves he wore. Although there's more benefit in his eyes, they begged to him in a pleading voice. And who's he withholding a wish coming from the love of his life. It's been a while Saeran got used to the new lifestyle, and yet he still dealt with moments of internal doubt about his happiness. They promised him it's fine, that he deserved it more than any other person in the world. Both his Angel and brother reassured him whenever it's necessary.

Saeran took the shovel while lifting the surface of the dirt underneath the blooming hydrangeas, just checking if there's no parasite settling in and playing potential enemy to the beauty he caressed. Saeyoung liked the bush of flower the most, especially afterwards, when Saeran explained the hidden meanings to them. »The hydrangea represents gratitude, grace and beauty.« He'd told the older one, watching the amber eyes he once carried widen with this particular sparkle of adoration. »Woah! Yeah, I like that. I mean.. I'm sure as hell grateful for everything you've done and overcame, little bro~«

Saeran hit his shoulder that day because it sounded way too cheesy. However, there's no reason to lie since he felt his heart gliding into a peaceful state. A gift in some sense, he thought that moment. Saeran looked up a short second, thicker clouds were gathering all around the precious sky over his head. It would probably start raining later. What a convenience, considering it meant Saeran didn't even have to fetch the watering can from the garden shed. The sound of the door opening caught his attention, revealing the older twin with a box inside his arms. Saeyoung smiled at him, which Saeran tried to return wholeheartedly.

He's still working on some habits, after all. »Hey hey, busy?« The older one asked curious, jumping down the terrace floor and onto the grass. Saeran shrugged, letting the leaves of the flower fall back down into their position. »I'm good. What's that box?« He pointed to the carton, which made Saeyoung wiggle it a bit from left to right. »This, my dear brother, is a small package that arrived for ya~« The older chimed, unable to swallow the laughter by the almost bewildered gaze Saeran showed openly. »What? But I didn't order anything. Are you sure it's not yours instead?« But Saeyoung shook his head, pushing his glasses back up. »Nope. It's for you! I just bought it.«

He held it out, waiting in anticipation for the younger twin to take it. Saeran's eyes widened a bit, pretty surprised even though it's no news Saeyoung had a small addiction to buy things online. As good as every day, there's at least one package arriving at their door. Neither you nor Saeran managed to make him stop though, that's a hopeless task you're attending since moving in together. Saeran rubbed his hands, getting most of the dirt off the gloves before accepting the gift. »Really? Thanks. It wasn't necessary though..« A slim whisper of shame crawled over his cheeks, yet Saeyoung only kneeled down near him with a big smile.

»Nah, I know that. But it had your name labeled on it. I just couldn't resist, ahh..« Saeran smirked by the helpless sigh. Taking the scissors he brought along to cut some striving shrubs. The one with bleached hair cut the tape open thoughtfully. Not that he accidentally left scratches on the contents, that happened one time and that surely was more than enough. »Com'on, Not clamping down on torture! I wanna know if you like it!« Saeyoung waved his hand like they're in a hurry, but Saeran put the box down slowly on purpose for the sake of teasing.

It made the older twin sit down at the grass as another, dramatic sigh fell over his lips. »You're mean, Sae!« But he just smiled to himself when opening the carton. »Hm, am I? Couldn't tell.« He then peaked, a little noise coming out his mouth after realizing what's waiting inside. »It's...« Saeran pulled the brand-new book out, inspecting the cover first. It's a flower history book, that conclusion made him stare up in question. The redhead rubbed nervousness away from his cheek, avoiding eye contact for some reason. »I know you uh.. You have plenty of books talking about language and whatnot. I thought it's cool to have one about the emergence of the flower language.«

He suddenly lifted both hands, seemingly excited. »It starts waaay back at the ancient Egypt! It's insane! I thought you might like to have it.« His voice ended up mumbling, quite hard to understand. The usual rollercoaster of motions the redhead struggled containing. Saeran turned the book like it's an excavation of a valuable piece of contemporary history, eyeing the words, fond, pictures sensually. Another wave of warmth crashed into his chest, followed by a timid 'thank you' for the consideration. A gift's always coming with the secure emotion of gratitude, whereas other people seem clueless to such reaction, his brother understood without a word exchanged.

To know there's someone who cared, people willing learning about the depths inside his heart and staying nevertheless. He's truly a lucky man. Saeran laid it down in his lap, none of the darker clouds above reflecting in his eyes. Only the clear blue created by happiness. »I mean it. Thank you, Saeyoung. I really like it.« His brother huffed relieved. »Glad you like it as much as I do!« They stayed silent, no need to pressure words if the air's already conveying meanings by itself. There's a calm that's often impossible to maintain given the older twin's energized behavior, Saeran appreciated the times of peace a tad more, which he couldn't bring over his heart to point out.

»Ray!« Another voice calling out to him's like a melody, forcing a smile to his lips once his Angel stuck their body through the door. He titled his head, Saeyoung immediately threw his head back to make out their shape. Finding them peeking through with a tiny hand placed onto the door frame. Saeran couldn't help it, it's so adorable. »Yes, love?« Your cute expression melted his heart like nobody's business. »Oh, Saeyoung you too! Perfect. I just wanted to know what you'd like to eat today? Since, you know.. My turn to cook.« A giggle filled his ears, lingering sweetly.

»Whatever you chose, my love. Everything you make is amazing.« Despite you thanking him for the compliment, they both could tell that's not the answer you're seeking. The redhead took the burden off your shoulders instead by gasping. »Oh, I know! What about pasta? Hadn't that in a second.« Your eyes wandered back to Saeran, obviously waiting if that's fine with him as well. It caused his heart beat to increase. As he nodded in agreement, your smile reached your eyes. »Sweet! I feel like pasta, too. I start cooking then!« You waved at the brothers, leaving again to get the work done.

After your steps silenced, Saeyoung turned his head back. There's a slight uncertain touch to the way he saw through Saeran's mind. »What?« But the older one just bit his lower lip. letting the focus drift over the plants instead. »It reminded me.. There's something I wanted to ask for a while now.« The serious tone told Saeran everything he needed to know, therefore he hummed. It costed Saeyoung a long intake of air, having the one across wonder what exactly's plaguing his head. And that for a while, apparently. »Well.. I never came to understand why- Well..« He collected his words, rushing through the red chaos on his head in order to smooth his nerves better.

»Why do they call you Ray sometimes..? Is that, like, a nickname I'm unaware of?« Saeran's back straightened in alarming rate, making Saeyoung stutter out an apology right away. It reached Saeran's ears muffled though. It's true, once Mint Eye was out of his priorities, he smoothed your desperation when allowing you to use both names as you liked. Which led to you calling him by both. Albeit Saeran being your personal favorite, Ray's still popping up here and there. Depending on your mood, or rather his, you switched without thinking. How come the one with ocean-colored eyes didn't cross the thought of his twin feeling confused?

When it's conspicuous and justified. Saeyoung let his head fall forward in defeat. »I'm just lost, sorry.. If it's a touchy subject then we can leave it be.« The apology's bitter on Saeran's tongue, because there's really no reason for one. »It's fine. It's..« His words caught in the back of his throat since he's less than prepared for this conversation. Back at Magenta, Saeran told Ray over and over to never reveal his name to others, specifically when it came to the RFA. They're not supposed to learn about him in any way, that's a secret rule his Savior- no.. Rika tasked in between the sea of hacking.

Saeran's hidden in the shadows whenever Ray's awake, telling people beforehand he's not the only one occupying this body, it'd take power away. That's what she preached on end, saying that Ray didn't have much to begin with which should make him cherish the bit he did own treat with caution. Once Ray vanished, however, things became messy to the point it's out of his control. »You're both! Saeran and Ray, it doesn't matter.. You're one person.« That what you tried to engrave into his consciousness for what felt like an eternity. »You've always been one.. That's why I love every side of you.« The words never failed to have the younger Choi tear up.

You had experienced the change first hand, but Saeyoung hadn't been there to witness. Saeran never spoke of Ray before, either. On one hand because you didn't like it when he split those names. Maybe you're subliminal with your opinions, but Saeran could read you like an open book, knowing regardless how it made you feel. On the other there never seemed to be a reason for it. That's past which felt insignificant these days, he just never considered it might be important to his brother. Maybe that'd been wrong, despite his habits screaming otherwise. »Saeran..? Are you okay? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to trigger..« Saeyoung whined, that tip-toe tone he disliked the most.

As many bad habits as Saeran held onto, Saeyoung's often no better. This particular treatment of guilt made the older one with glasses come across as if he's dealing with some porcelain doll instead of a human being. »Stop pitying me, I'm okay. Let me think.« He rubbed his eyes, hearing Saeyoung give a little sound of acknowledgement. How to start? More important; where to start? He could tell this was going to become messy. »Ray's.. Let's just say Ray is the child you knew back home.« Unsure how to phrase it, Saeran picked his words wisely. It's surely hard to comprehend if you're not familiar with such process. »Ray was another one in here for the longest time.«

He pointed to his chest, right above his heart. Somehow the sentences came out fluently and honestly? Saeran's surprised about that himself. To talk about the flower boy this way, it 's been what felt like ages. As if bringing awareness to it influenced how he felt deep inside. Who knew, maybe it did. He had no way of knowing. »(N) met Ray first, too. But.. Ray sometimes left the control to m- Saeran.« He corrected quickly. It's awkward to talk this over, especially to Saeyoung hearing the story. His therapist once calmed him, promising he didn't have to tell his twin everything that happened. Yet it's Saeran's decision, here. It felt okay.

It was okay, he replayed the comfort using your voice while gathering his memories. »Saeran is.. angry. And more pessimistic. Um-« He stopped himself, taking a look at the invested expression on Saeyoung's face. A bit of shock to discover, some confusion still left as his brows frowned slightly. Saeran licked his dry lips, stroking his hand over the book cover. »But (N) showed me that I'm not actually.. I'm me now.« That came out rather dull, Saeran could've facepalmed himself for it. Habits, he figured. »I'm going by both names, I told (N) that when we left Mint Eye. But I'm not just Saeran or just Ray anymore. I'm both.. kinda. It's hard to explain.«

He wheezed the tension out, this vulnerable fear nagged on his soul. What if this was a mistake? Would his brother be able to understand? »I never knew about that..« The older one whispered, leaving Saeran on the edge considering he could neither categorize the tone of voice very well, nor predict which meaning his thoughts had. »Thanks. For telling me. haha ..« The emotional giggle gifted the younger one the courage to look back up. It scared him to death as Saeyoung teared up. »Man, you amaze me so much these days! There's so much to you.. I can't catch up, it seems.« He smiled through the tears.

Saeran lifted his hand, hanging uselessly in the air as he's uncertain what to do. It hurt seeing Saeyoung wipe his eyes dry after taking off his glasses, did he do the wrong thing by confessing? »I feel like I missed out on.. everything. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you.. you know.« Now his hand moved by itself, landing on the older twins' shoulder. »Hey, it's alright. I had (N) to help me.. I'm good now— stop crying.« He ended up pushing further when squeezing Saeyoung's shoulder. The redhead sniffed away the overwhelm, nodding to himself rather than the other.

»Yeah, yeah.. I know that. Still. I'm glad you told me. Thanks for sharing that with me, it means the world to me.« Saeran didn't need to pay attention to the sincere smile to know he meant it from the bottom of his heart. That's good, better than he expected. »Sure, I guess it's worth telling you about- Huh?« Cool hit his forehead, followed by more until he realized there're raindrops falling from the sky. Saeran stood up to shield the book better, stretching out his hand to the older one. »Come, it's raining. I don't want the book to get wet.« Saeyoung chuckled amused, accepting the offer and stood up as well.

»Right! (N)'s probably done with dinner soon. I'm damn hungry, anyway.« Saeran raised an eyebrow since the timing's perfect for Saeyoung's stomach to rumble. It made him roll his bright eyes. »No wonder after living on chips and cola for years on end, idiot.« The redhead gasped, pressing his hand to his chest. Freed of the shock, both appreciated the moment regardless. »How can you be so cold!! I'm hurt, Saeran!« The younger referred from chuckling, holding the door open instead. » Hmh, whatever you feel due to my words isn't real. Now get in.« Again, another loud sniff after stepping inside. »Pain, Saeran... My pain is real and you're mean!«

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