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fuckyeahgoodomens · 2 months

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Oooh! A great Gavin Finney (Good Omens Director of Photography) interview with Helen Parkinson for the British Cinematographer! :)

HEAVEN SENT

Gifted a vast creative landscape from two of fantasy’s foremost authors to play with, Gavin Finney BSC reveals how he crafted the otherworldly visuals for Good Omens 2.

It started with a letter from beyond the grave. Following fantasy maestro Sir Terry Pratchett’s untimely death in 2015, Neil Gaiman decided he wouldn’t adapt their co-authored 1990 novel, Good Omens, without his collaborator. That was, until he was presented with a posthumous missive from Pratchett asking him to do just that.

For Gaiman, it was a request that proved impossible to decline: he brought Good Omens season one to the screen in 2019, a careful homage to its source material. His writing, complemented by some inspired casting – David Tennant plays the irrepressible demon Crowley, alongside Michael Sheen as angel-slash-bookseller Aziraphale – and award-nominated visuals from Gavin Finney BSC, proved a potent combination for Prime Video viewers.

Aziraphale’s bookshop was a set design triumph.

Season two departs from the faithful literary adaptation of its predecessor, instead imagining what comes next for Crowley and Aziraphale. Its storyline is built off a conversation that Pratchett and Gaiman shared during a jetlagged stay in Seattle for the 1989 World Fantasy Convention. Gaiman remembers: “The idea was always that we would tell the story that Terry and I came up with in 1989 in Seattle, but that we would do that in our own time and in our own way. So, once Good Omens (S1) was done, all I knew was that I really, really wanted to tell the rest of the story.”

Telling that story visually may sound daunting, but cinematographer Finney is no stranger to the wonderfully idiosyncratic world of Pratchett and co. As well as lensing Good Omens’ first outing, he’s also shot three other Pratchett stories – TV mini series Hogfather (2006), and TV mini-series The Colour of Magic (2008) and Going Postal (2010).

He relishes how the authors provide a vast creative landscape for him to riff off. “The great thing about Pratchett and Gaiman is that there’s no limit to what you can do creatively – everything is up for grabs,” he muses. “When we did the first Pratchett films and the first Good Omens, you couldn’t start by saying, ‘Okay, what should this look like?’, because nothing looks like Pratchett’s world. So, you’re starting from scratch, with no references, and that starting point can be anything you want it to be.”

Season two saw the introduction of inside-outside sets for key locations including Aziraphale’s bookshop.

From start to finish

The sole DP on the six-episode season, Finney was pleased to team up again with returning director Douglas Mackinnon for the “immensely complicated” shoot, and the pair began eight weeks of prep in summer 2021. A big change was the production shifting the main soho set from Bovington airfield, near London, up to Edinburgh’s Pyramids Studio. Much of the action in Good Omens takes place on the Soho street that’s home to Aziraphale’s bookshop, which was built as an exterior set on the former airfield for season one. Season two, however, saw the introduction of inside-outside sets for key locations including the bookshop, record store and pub, to minimise reliance on green screen.

Finney brought over many elements of his season one lensing, especially Mackinnon’s emphasis on keeping the camera moving, which involved lots of prep and testing. “We had a full-time Scorpio 45’ for the whole shoot (run by key grip Tim Critchell and his team), two Steadicam operators (A camera – Ed Clark and B camera Martin Newstead) all the way through, and in any one day we’d often go from Steadicam, to crane, to dolly and back again,” he says. “The camera is moving all the time, but it’s always driven by the story.”

One key difference for season two, however, was the move to large-format visuals. Finney tested three large-format cameras and the winner was the Alexa LF (assisted by the Mini LF where conditions required), thanks to its look and flexibility.

The minisodes were shot on Cooke anamorphics, giving Finney the ideal balance of anamorphic-style glares and characteristics without too much veiling flare.

A more complex decision was finding the right lenses for the job. “You hear about all these whizzy new lenses that are re-barrelled ancient Russian glass, but I needed at least two full sets for the main unit, then another set for the second unit, then maybe another set again for the VFX unit,” Finney explains. “If you only have one set of this exotic glass, it’s no good for the show.”

He tested a vast array of lenses before settling on Zeiss Supremes, supplied by rental house Media Dog. These ticked all the boxes for the project: “They had a really nice look – they’re a modern design but not over sharp, which can look a bit electronic and a bit much, especially with faces. When you’re dealing with a lot of wigs and prosthetics, we didn’t want to go that sharp. The Supremes had a very nice colour palette and nice roll-off. They’re also much smaller than a lot of large-format glass, so that made it easy for Steadicam and remote cranes. They also provided additional metadata, which was very useful for the VFX department (VFX services were provided by Milk VFX).”

The Supremes were paired with a selection of filters to characterise the show’s varied locations and characters. For example, Tiffen Bronze Glimmerglass were paired with bookshop scenes; Black Pro-Mist was used for Hell; and Black Diffusion FX for Crowley’s present-day storyline.

Finney worked closely with the show’s DIT, Donald MacSween, and colourist, Gareth Spensley, to develop the look for the minisode.

Maximising minisodes

Episodes two, three and four of season two each contain a ‘minisode’ – an extended flashback set in Biblical times, 1820s Edinburgh and wartime London respectively. “Douglas wanted the minisodes to have very strong identities and look as different from the present day as possible, so we’d instantly know we were in a minisode and not the present day,” Finney explains.

One way to shape their distinctive look was through using Cooke anamorphic lenses. As Finney notes: “The Cookes had the right balance of controllable, anamorphic-style flares and characteristics without having so much veiling flare that they would be hard to use on green screens. They just struck the right balance of aesthetics, VFX requirements and availability.” The show adopted the anamorphic aspect ratio (2:39.1), an unusual move for a comedy, but one which offered them more interesting framing opportunities.

Good Omens 2 was shot on the Alexa LF, paired with Zeiss Supremes for the present-day scenes.

The minisodes were also given various levels of film grain to set them apart from the present-day scenes. Finney first experimented with this with the show’s DIT Donald MacSween using the DaVinci Resolve plugin FilmConvert. Taking that as a starting point, the show’s colourist, Company 3’s Gareth Spensley, then crafted his own film emulation inspired by two-strip Technicolor. “There was a lot of testing in the grade to find the look for these minisodes, with different amounts of grain and different types of either Technicolor three-strip or two-strip,” Finney recalls. “Then we’d add grain and film weave on that, then on top we added film flares. In the Biblical scenes we added more dust and motes in the air.”

Establishing the show’s lighting was a key part of Finney’s testing process, working closely with gaffer Scott Napier and drawing upon PKE Lighting’s inventory. Good Omens’ new Scottish location posed an initial challenge: as the studio was in an old warehouse rather than being purpose-built for filming, its ceilings weren’t as high as one would normally expect. This meant Finney and Napier had to work out a low-profile way of putting in a lot of fixtures.

Inside Crowley’s treasured Bentley.

Their first task was to test various textiles, LED wash lights and different weight loadings, to establish what they were working with for the street exteriors. “We worked out that what was needed were 12 SkyPanels per 20’x20’ silk, so each one was a block of 20’x20’, then we scaled that up,” Finney recalls. “I wanted a very seamless sky, so I used full grid cloth which made it very, very smooth. That was important because we’ve got lots of cars constantly driving around the set and the sloped windscreens reflect the ceiling. So we had to have seamless textiles – PKE had to source around 12,000 feet of textiles so that we could put them together, so the reflections in the windscreens of the cars just showed white gridcloth rather than lots of stage lights. We then drove the car around the set to test it from different angles.”

On the floor, they mostly worked with LEDs, providing huge energy and cost savings for the production. Astera’s Titan Tubes came in handy for a fun flashback scene with John Hamm’s character Gabriel. The DP remembers: “[Gabriel] was travelling down a 30-foot feather tunnel. We built a feather tunnel on the stage and wrapped it in a ring of Astera tubes, which were then programmed by dimmer op Jon Towler to animate, pulse and change different colours. Each part of Gabriel’s journey through his consciousness has a different colour to it.”

Among the rigs built was a 20-strong Creamsource Vortex setup for the graveyard scene in the “Body Snatchers” minisode, shot in Stirling. “We took all the yokes off each light then put them on a custom-made aluminium rig so we could have them very close. We put them up on a big telehandler on a hill that gave me a soft mood light, which was very adjustable, windproof and rainproof.”

Shooting on the VP stage for the birth of the universe scenes in episode one.

Sky’s the limit

A lot of weather effects were done in camera – including lightning effects pulsed in that allowed both direct fork lightning and sheet lightning to spread down the streets. In the grade, colourist Spensley was also able to work his creative magic on the show’s skies. “Gareth is a very artistic colourist – he’s a genius at changing skies,” Finney says. “Often in the UK you get these very boring, flat skies, but he’s got a library of dramatic skies that you can drop in. That would usually be done by VFX, but he’s got the ability to do it in Baselight, so a flat sky suddenly becomes a glorious sunset.”

Finney emphasises that the grade is a very involved process for a series like Good Omens, especially with its VFX-heavy nature. “This means VFX sequences often need extra work when it comes back into the timeline,” says the DP. “So, we often add camera movement or camera shake to crank the image up a bit. Having a colourist like Gareth is central to a big show like Good Omens, to bring all the different visual elements together and to make it seamless. It’s quite a long grade process but it’s worth its weight in gold.”

Shooting in the VR cube for the blitz scenes .

Finney took advantage of virtual production (VP) technology for the driving scenes in Crowley’s classic Bentley. The volume was built on their Scottish set: a 4x7m cube with a roof that could go up and down on motorised winches as needed. “We pulled the cars in and out on skates – they went up on little jacks, which you could then rotate and move the car around within the volume,” he explains. “We had two floating screens that we could move around to fill in and use as additional source lighting. Then we had generated plates – either CGI or real location plates –projected 360º around the car. Sometimes we used the volume in-camera but if we needed to do more work downstream; we’d use a green screen frustum.” Universal Pixels collaborated with Finney to supply in-camera VFX expertise, crew and technical equipment for the in-vehicle driving sequences and rear projection for the crucial car shots.

John Hamm was suspended in the middle of this lighting rig and superimposed into the feather tunnel.

Interestingly, while shooting at a VP stage in Leith, the team also used the volume as a huge, animated light source in its own right – a new technique for Finney. “We had the camera pointing away from [the volume] so the screen provided this massive, IMAX-sized light effect for the actors. We had a simple animation of the expanding universe projected onto the screen so the actors could actually see it, and it gave me the animated light back on the actors.”

Bringing such esteemed authors’ imaginations to the screen is no small task, but Finney was proud to helped bring Crowley and Aziraphale’s adventures to life once again. He adds: “What’s nice about Good Omens, especially when there’s so much bad news in the world, is that it’s a good news show. It’s a very funny show. It’s also about good and evil, love and doing the right thing, people getting together irrespective of backgrounds. It’s a hopeful message, and I think that that’s what we all need.”

Finney is no stranger to the idiosyncratic world of Sir Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

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hotvintagepoll · 20 days

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Propaganda

Norma Shearer (Marie Antoinette, The Women)— First Jewish woman to win an Oscar for her acting!! She pioneered stronger, more independent and complicated roles for women onscreen. One film historian described her as "the exemplar of sophisticated modern womanhood and ... the first American film actress to make it chic and acceptable to be single and not a virgin on screen."

Hazel Scott (Broadway Rhythm, Rhapsody in Blue)—ok ok let me tell you about Hazel Scott. She was a Trinidadian piano genius. By the age of 3 she could play the piano by ear. She would play jazzed-up versions of classics in nightclubs and could sing too! She appeared in five movies, and used her influence as a piano prodigy to improve Black representation in film—she turned down offensive parts, demanded equal pay, and always wore her own costumes to ensure she was portrayed as glamorous and beautiful. She was the first African-American woman to host her own television show, The Hazel Scott Show. She stood up for civil rights and was an overall icon! If you want to watch her being a genius, here she is playing two pianos at once. And here's this one that shows off her consummate glamor! [videos beneath the cut]

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

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Norma Shearer:

She got into showbiz on a technicality, there was a line of 60 girls to pick from, the studio needed 8 and she was second from last. She coughed loudly and then stood up and grinned when the casting director looked over at her, and he let her in because it made him laugh. After that there was several years of hard work before she landed her first movie. Where she had been repeatedly put down for her face in silent film, he was praised for her voice when the talkies first came about. She was most in her element in the pre-code era, when she played the strong, graceful, self-sufficient type of woman and she won the academy award for best actress in The Divorcee in 1930. She directly competed with greats like Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford for the rest of the 30s.

She just epitomizes Old Hollywood to me and seems criminally underrated these days

Short-haired, modern woman, pre-code queen

someone call the fire department because this woman is H-O-T HOT!! Three chilis and a warning label hot!! Ever-burning passion HOT!!! But also glam and elegant and gorgeous (the side profile portrait is the most beautiful picture of any person ever)... she has the range

Hazel Scott:

youtube

#hazel scott #norma shearer #hotvintagepoll #fuck that old woman #ladies 3 #Youtube

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xenizaation · 2 years

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project: star x

Warning! Sexual content ahead! Minors pleas dni!

pairing: jeon jungkook x fem! reader

genre: rockstar! jungkook, smut, friends to lovers kinda?? idk man

word count: 6k

warnings: jealousy, pet names, exhibitionism, mutual masturbation, oral sex(f receiving), protected (rough) sex.

a/n: this was a request! hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii <3 ! haven't written a jk fic in such a long time, hope you guys would like this as much as you liked my previous one, and hopefully, the lovely person who requested this would like it too. hope i used your idea well! enjoy and as always, stay safe! xoxo

you'd be lying if you said you aren't a fan of your own friend.

you'd be lying if you said you don't know his every song word by word, if you said you don't try to go to his every concert and admire his legendary art that's expressed in flashy lights and embellished in high notes and guitar solos. you'd be lying, also, if you said that you don't have a crush on him.

and you're a good liar.

jungkook was born to be a rockstar, and most of the time, you dare think he was born to be your friend as well. only your friend, sadly. the theory that he was made for the stage was proven to you once again tonight, after he made a whole stadium scream all the words to his songs in a show that was nothing short of magical.

as you walk backstage, it's like the fiery buzz inside your body still lingers from earlier. your ears stuffed from the loud music, your throat raspy from singing, legs soft from jumping around a little too much. the adrenaline doesn't want to leave, holding on to every cell of your body like it would never depart.

it's stupid, you think. how after the years have passed, you never managed to confess to him, that you thought your little dumb crush would pass- even though it never did. you grew accustomed to every time that the butterflies in your stomach replaced the tired feeling after a concert when you went to see him backstage. tonight was no different. especially as his voice was starting to be heard from a room.

"tonight was fucking amazing, guys!" he exclaims happily just as you gaze inside the room.

"it sure was," you say excitedly, awaiting for his reaction. he turns around, his face lighting up even more when he sees you, legs already carrying him quickly towards your figure as he hugs you tightly with a wide smile on his face. "it's good to see you too!" you add out of breath as you wrap your own hands around him.

six years. that's how long you've been friends. you started out as nothing more than coworkers, back when he was at the beginning of his musical career and you were only an assistant to his old producer. things evolved fast, you had a passion for writing and producing, he was the only one interested in it, and that was one of the many things that brought the two of you together. the passion you both had for music.

you left the label just a year after you met, hand in hand, ready to take on the challenges that the industry was ready to throw at the both of you.

you wrote and wrote and wrote. jungkook sang even more. and in your little home improvised studio, you managed to write, record and produce what is remembered, even to this day, as his best album.

his career boomed after that. tv appearances, fully-booked concerts in big-ass stadiums, a lot of awards (he even took you as a date to the grammys that one time), and even movie castings. no one could get enough of him. not even you.

you both became a lot more busy after that, success was taking over your lives and so, you didn't have much time to see each other. but you still did once every couple of months at his concerts, or at your birthdays, or random dinners you would plan.

he writes his own songs now, what a pity. but he still asks your opinion for each and every one of them.

"you're here!" he says, leaning out of the hug. "you made it!"

"of course i made it!" you answer with equal excitement that you find in his tone while looking into his eyes.

"oh, don't you dare say that," the man scolds as he breaks physical contact with you. "i know how busy you always are."

you smile. it's true, but never too busy to make time for him.

sometimes you asked yourself if jungkook actually knew how you felt about him. if deep in his heart he knew one of his best friends had feelings for him, but didn't want to accept it. once in a while you caught yourself staring at him for too long, or answering him in a sweeter tone than you usually do, even trying to look your best every time you saw him. maybe he knew and didn't feel the same, so he chose to ignore it.

you liked to fantasize about how it would turn out if you ever confessed to him- if it would play out like in those romance movies and he will say that all this time, he felt the same about you. you'd go ahead and move in together, you would be with him during the tours, seeing his every concert, and he would be in your studio every time you finished a song so he can hear it first.

but jungkook was a precious friend. you could never ruin that with your stupid crush.

you greet the members of his band, which you already know too well. jungkook took great pride in being your friend, so he made sure you got to meet them even before he played his first show. you congratulate them for the amazing show, and then go back to catch up with jungkook.

"so there's this after party," he says, looking at you with a demanding look on his face. it makes your heart skip a few beats. "you coming, right?"

his hair is a lot different than the last time you saw him. he used to have this beautiful medium-long black hair that went just below his pretty eyes but now he shaved his sides, bleaching it on top and dyeing it in a beautiful minty color. he sent you a picture right after he got the new haircut a few days ago, saying that he needed "a pop of color in his life now that he got to see you so rarely.". you thought about that message for days. he had a new piercing in his brow, and a few more tattoos on his hand.

"so you can ditch me again for some girl?" you huff, rolling your eyes at him jokingly.

although fame took over his life, jungkook never abused his power, but still, he was a man with needs who knew how to take advantage of his looks to take any girl into his bed. it was of no surprise when he looked way above hot even before he was a star. it never really bothered you, seeing him with all those pretty girls. it's not like you ever confessed to him.

"i never did that!" he says, hand over his heart, taking fake offense to your words. you raise a brow and he laughs. "okay, fine, I'm all yours tonight."

it makes you laugh too, knowing that at the end of the night, this will be proved as a lie and it will be just another thing you can shove in his face the next time.

"c'mon it's a good opportunity for us to catch up with each other," he pleads as he places a hand on top of yours, making your skin burn right underneath his touch.

"all right then, playboy," you say while slapping his firm shoulder. "you're lucky I'm in the mood to get wasted."

in no more than half an hour, you already arrive at the club where jungkook's party takes place. the place is crowded, filled with pretty models, different artists that you recognize from tv, and even artists you collaborated with. you see a few fellow producers that you greet with the wave of a hand and a bright smile. as you look around, you realize that the place is filled with celebrities and you might just be the most mundane of all.

you follow your friend who aims straight for the bar, greeting the bartender with a cozy handshake. he says something close to his ear, making sure he is heard even with the loud music playing in the background. the other man nods and places two shot glasses on the bar, filling them right after with clear liquid.

"cheers!" he shouts as he hands you a shot, while he takes the other one. you click the small glass to his and throw your head backward as you let the vodka pour down your throat, burning its way to your stomach.

"i'm just gonna go and say hi to some people around, that ok?" he asks as he gets closer to your ear. you remain petrified for a second, getting a whiff of his perfume as all your attention goes to how his shoulder leans into yours, the simple gesture making your heart beat faster.

you manage to nod, and with a smile on his face, jungkook makes his way through the crowd, greeting people left and right, as he makes it known that the real star of the night has arrived.

time passes by and you're left with no other choice than to drink some more, or to hold conversations with a few familiar faces that recognize you as well. you're about six shots and two cocktails down and everything starts to feel more familiar. the dance floor filled with people having fun, the bright colorful lights that shine on you every now and then as you sway your body left and right to the rhythm of the song playing...what feels the most familiar though, is how jungkook has ditched you yet again. when you see him in the corner talking to a beautiful red-haired girl, flirting his ass off as she can't stop smiling at his words, you just scoff, realizing you need another drink.

you make your way to the bar, pushing past the sweaty bodies until you reach your destination and ask for a drink.

"haven't seen you around," you hear a husky unfamiliar voice from next to you.

you turn your head to find the source and you're met with a pleasing sight. a tall man sitting straight on the stool next to you as he drinks from a glass of whiskey. his hair is dark brown, swiped away from his beautiful face, making his sharp jawline more prominent than it might be in reality. in your drunken-daze you realize that you've never seen him before- he would be a recognizable sight for you have rarely seen men as handsome as he is.

"i could say the same," you say as you raise your glass in front of him. it takes a few seconds before he touches it with his glass and drinks some more of the brown liquid.

"i'm kai." he says, beautiful smile adorning his features as he offers you his hand.

"y/n." you reply, shaking his big hand shyly. he has a soft hold on you, not making it last longer than a few seconds so you don't become uncomfortable.

"what brings you around here, y/n?" he asks curiously, and fuck, your name sounds so delicious rolling out his pretty mouth.

"ah," you begin while pulling a stool closer to him before plopping down onto it. "he is what brings me here." you complete, pointing to jungkook who seems to have a business yet to be finished with the redhead.

the more you look at him the more your heart sinks down your chest. how could he abandon you again? he could be such an asshole sometimes.

"didn't know the man of the hour had such a beautiful girlfriend," kai purrs the compliment as he leans closer.

"oh, no, no, no," you quickly blurt out with a chuckle. "i'm not his girlfriend."

he raises his brows, intrigued by your answer. you take the time to scan his features more, wide eyes framed by long eyelashes, rounded chin, and plump lips- very kissable at that.

"what?" he asks, amused by your own involuntary giggle that came out of you at the sound of your thoughts. the room spins around a little as you look into his eyes, he is definitely a charmer.

"i was just thinking," you blurt with a stupid grin on your face. alcohol in combination with a very hot man that seems to be interested in you might not make such a good combination.

"do tell," he urges as he suddenly moves one strand of hair from your face, tucking it safely behind your ear. your heart skips a bit, forcing your eyes to widen as you look at him.

"your lips," you say shyly, drifting your attention back to the meaty element plastered on his face.

"what about them?" he asks as his face comes closer to yours. he intimidates you, not in a bad way but in a "you're really drunk and you don't think you can resist him" kind of way. but then again, his attractiveness might be something you could not resist even if you were the most sober woman on earth.

you dare say nothing more as you place a hand on his muscly bicep, not knowing if you should push him away or pull him closer. time seems to be frozen in place as he awaits for your answer, and you have none other to give.

things are quite different on the other side of the room. jungkook's attention has been fully on you since the moment you sat on the bar stool, ending any conversation he had right then. his eyes were fully fixed on you, and of course, the stranger at the bar who was so obviously flirting with you. you seemed to be flirting back as well, fluttering your eyelashes at him any chance you got, and a certain unidentified feeling started to burn in the pit of his chest, making him rush to you when he saw you getting closer and closer to him. there was no way in hell you would hook up with that man in the state you're in.

jungkook often mistook jealousy for worry, but now was not the time to debate on that, not while you were almost kissing the man in front of you.

he came out of nowhere, grabbing you by your arm as he excused himself in front of kai and dragged you to a quieter hallway. a darker one that most probably led to the bathrooms, which no one was even interested in.

"what are you doing?" he growls into your ear, and if you didn't know him better you would say he sounds jealous.

"what?" you ask confused as you piece things together. "the guy at the bar?"

"yes. what was that?" he demands to know, his chest pressed against yours as he traps you between the cold wall and his sturdy body.

you start laughing, trying to push him away, but he doesn't move an inch. you look up to him in the dim lighting of the club, his cold features traced by the shadows, his wet lips that you'd wish to kiss instead of that one guy who now sits alone at the bar, you notice as you turn away from jungkook.

"can you answer me?" he asks again, this time in a softer tone as his hands cup each side of your face.

there's nowhere else to look than into his eyes. you feel mad knowing that he suddenly feels betrayed by the one thing he always does to you.

"what? i was just blowing some steam off for fuck's sake! am i not allowed? are you the only one who gets to ditch me?" you spit, feeling frustration take over your body. the audacity he has, to account you for his action when he is reckless with his own.

"just go hook up with some girl around here and leave me alone," you add as you slap his hands off your face, pushing him away as you try to maintain your balance enough to walk away from him.

"you're drunk." he remarks.

"so?" you ask.

"so you're gonna fuck some guy you just met in this state?"

maybe. maybe not. what's his deal anyway? you're a fully grown adult who can make decisions for yourself.

"i don't see how that's your problem." you reply, turning your back on him.

you take two, maybe three steps before you feel his hand pulling you back, pinning you in the same spot against the wall, trapping you again with his muscular body.

for a second you think you are dreaming. that he is not there, and neither are you. that his lips on top of yours are just a figment of your imagination, and the smell- no, his smell, is just a ghost of all the times you were close enough to him to smell it.

your nails dig into your palm just to make sure you're not imagining, and this is really happening.

his hand brushes your cheek, soft lips searching your own for some kind of resistance- which they are not met with. you melt into it, it's something you craved for such a long time, isn't it? jungkook's body presses further on yours, leaving you breathless when his other hand hugs your waist, and his tongue pushes past your lips to play with your own wet muscle.

he tastes sweet, you realize, not like alcohol the way you do, but sweet nectar that gathers on his tongue every time he slides it on your own. your body feels hot, jungkook's might be even hotter as your hands place themselves on his torso only to feel his hard abs.

no. this can't be right.

"no, no, no," you say quickly, snapping back to reality, causing jungkook to quickly stop his actions. "what are you doing?" you ask, searching his eyes filled with confusion to find an answer.

"didn't you say you wanted to blow some steam off?" he asks innocently, waiting until you roll your eyes to show you one of his smug smiles.

true. but is this the answer? you keep thinking that this must come at a price. that you will give in to temptation and end up regretting every decision you've ever made.

his face gets close to yours again. you close your eyes, preparing for another kiss, but it doesn't come. jungkook's nose brushes your own softly, then your cheek, then it grazes against your eyelashes sweetly. it tickles in a pleasant way so you giggle quietly, but he is so close that you bet he can hear your heartbeats, even over the loud music.

"come home with me," he says after a low chuckle. "please." the man adds, whispering close to your ear just so that his hot breath fans over your sensitive skin.

his voice is trembling as he pleads for you to grant his wish, and you barely manage to keep your knees from shaking as you think about his proposal. it would not be the first time you go to his home, of course, but it was the first time when it actually implied something more than just staying over.

"what for?" you tease, placing your hands on his wide chest.

you get to feel more of him as he chuckles in response to your words. you feel his muscular chest, his irregular breaths, his warmth, and even the way his heart beats.

"to blow that steam off," he answers smugly as his hands take a hold of you again, finding comfort on your hips.

"you mean you want to fuck me?" you ask bluntly. maybe the alcohol was starting to affect you a bit now.

"you don't?" he pushes, pulling you closer by your hips until there's not even an inch in between your bodies.

you do. it's like a wish come true, in reality, and in the magic of the moment, you don't even bother yourself with overcomplicated existential questions like "does he even like me, or does he just want to fuck me?" or "what is going to happen if you do it? will you still be friends? will you even talk tomorrow?". you decide to handle these questions another time, right now you aren't going to say no to something you want to do anymore.

"let's go then," you say as you lace your fingers with his, leading him out of the club. he follows closely in your footsteps, holding your hand tightly as his body comes in contact with yours once every few people decide to not make space for both of you.

you find a cab as soon as you're out of the noisy club. the driver- a middle-aged man that was polite enough to turn on the radio loudly as soon as you and jungkook started kissing, seemed to have no idea who the man accompanying you is. the exact same man who was now touchier than ever, sliding his smooth palm all over your body.

"we're in a cab." you remind him quietly when his ear comes in the proximity of your mouth.

he only chuckles darkly, scooting closer to you as he makes sure the driver doesn't see any part of your body in the mirror. his hands slide slowly up your thighs as he makes eye contact with you, lips adorning a wide smile.

"i'm sure he's seen worse, baby," he assures you as his palm climbs up your leg, until it reaches the zipper of your jeans. he pulls it down slowly while kissing your neck, his hand sneakily toying around with the elastic band on your panties.

you bite your lower lip in disbelief, trying to contain shaky breaths as jungkook's mouth becomes more insistent on your neck, leaving wet kisses and red marks blooming on your skin as he sinks his teeth into it. his smell is driving you insane, expensive cologne scented like musk and bergamont that invades all your senses, leaving no room for anything other than him.

fuck, you think as soon as his hand slides past your panties and finds a hold of your aching clit quickly, way too quickly. he smiles when your hips rise to meet his touch, craving for more as his fingers start rubbing smooth circles on your bud, igniting a certain heat in the whole entirety of your body. he kisses you again, drowning your silent moans with his mouth, his lips, his tongue, his teeth. you can't get enough.

your hand trembles as it reaches out for him, going straight to the erection in his slacks, rubbing it in the same rhythm he rubs you. you're surprised by the length and the girth of it, making your mouth water instantly as you think how it would be to have him inside you. your pussy craves it, and aches for it as jungkook's hand shows no mercy in rubbing your clit with immense hunger to see his purpose fulfilled.

you start zoning out, already feeling your body sensing everything at once when your orgasm is just near the corner, only a few more strokes and- the car stops. you jump alerted as you look out the window.

jungkook removes his hand rapidly, letting you zip your pants as he does the same with his and inches away from you. mere seconds away from him let you feel empty, unfulfilled.

"we've arrived." the driver dares to say shyly as he lowers the volume of the music.

jungkook mutters an awkward thanks as he hands him the money for the ride- way more than it could've ever cost to bring you home, but that should make up for what the driver witnessed on the way home.

you both get out quickly, and your friend is quick to come by your side and hold your waist, pulling you closer to his body, as you both start laughing.

he opens the door to his home and you enter, immediately feeling his touch as you step inside. jungkook pulls you up by the back of your thighs, and you hug his waist with your legs in your time. his palms hold you in place by your ass, stroking it sinfully as he latches his lips onto yours once again, carrying you through his empty rooms until you reach his bedroom. where he places you gently on the mattress.

he sits at the corner of the bed, removing his shirt with a single move as he looks down at you. his body is slightly illuminated by the moon shining outside his big windows and you do nothing but glare at his toned abs as you struggle to remove your shirt as well. he giggles at your clumsy attempt to do so and quickly comes to your aid, pulling it from your body. he unbuckles his belt, stepping out of his pants as his body is left only adorning his boxers. you admire him once more, taking more than a few seconds to look at his thick thighs and the half erection he has while he stands looking at you in his full naked glory. fuck, he's so hot.

the next article of clothing tossed away is your own pants, which he so masterfully gets you out of as he kneels on the ground, between your legs which he now spreads. you support your weight on your elbows as you look into his eyes, not able to mutter even a single word as he pulls your panties down with a swift movement. he pulls you closer to him, starting to place wet kisses on your thighs as he gets closer and closer to your core.

"you're so wet," he says as he slides a finger down your folds, parting them while he gathers all your wetness on his digit. "seems like you've been wanting to do this just as long as i have." he growls lowly just before latching his lips to your clit, stroking it with his tongue.

you're too busy being overwhelmed with pleasure to analyze his words for more than a second, your mind goes entirely blank as all you can focus on are the movements of his muscle. he sucks it gently, licking his way down your hole, and then back to your sensitive bud again sucking it more forcefully every time.

two fingers slide in easily, massaging your velvety walls as they make your core throb, tightening around his slender digits as you feel the pressure to let go in your whole body. he curls them inside you, brushing them against a sensitive spot you believe no one has reached ever before. his mouth shows you no mercy, he uses it to lick, and kiss, and even nibble on your clit, making your whole body spasm under his touch.

"cum for me, baby," jungkook murmurs, fastening the pace that his fingers drive into you effortlessly. "i wanna lick it all up." he adds, and his wicked words aid you in coming closer to your release. like a desperate slut, you grab his hair in a fist, while moaning awfully loud as you feel your whole body tremble. just like that, stars explode in your whole body, the electrical feeling making you feel like you're ascending to heaven as your walls pulsate around his masterful fingers. you've never had such a godly orgasm.

a man of his word, he indeed licks all of your sweet release, not letting even a drop go to waste. he rises slowly, bed shifting under his weight as he picks you up by your waist and plops you on the center of the bed. his chin is glistening, thanks to the mix of his saliva and the juices he squeezed out of you. taking your bra off, jungkook stops for a few seconds, admiring your naked body as his hands travel from your neck, to circling your nipples and then back to your thighs as he pulls you closer to his form.

"you're so fucking beautiful," he says as he smashes his lips into yours, kissing you with the same hunger that he used just a few moments earlier to devour you. his compliment make your insides twirl, heart beating faster than ever before as you swirl your tongue around his, tasting yourself on it.

your hands scratch his wide back slowly as they travel south, moving downwards just until they meet his fully erected cock. you slide them inside his boxer, finally stroking his veiny shaft. jungkook groans into your mouth, and you take pride in the fact that he acknowledges your touch and deems it pleasurable. his hips start moving as they create friction between your soft hands and his twitching member. fuck, he wants this just as bad as you do.

not being able to resist your touch any longer, jungkook gets rid of his boxers immediately, throwing them somewhere on the floor before he reaches for the drawer of his nightstand. he opens the red foiled package and slides the condom on his cock skillfully. he positions himself between your legs as he gives himself a few starting pumps.

"is this ok?" he asks all of a sudden as he stops abruptly.

"you think i'm going to stop this when you're about to fuck me?" you ask back, amused of the situation and the abrupt change in his attitude.

he chuckles, as he teases your entrance with his tip, leaning over you and taking one of your nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before biting softly into it. it makes you shiver, moaning his name filled with pleasure and a burning desire to feel him take over you completely.

"do you want me to fuck you?" he asks, voice laced with sin as he looks up to you, focusing his attention to the other nipple.

"fuck- yes!" you moan as a reply just when he lets out your nipple with a loud pop.

"how?" he interrogates further, using kisses to climb up your chest.

no one has ever asked you this before, all the men you encountered in bed until now were always selfishly chasing after their own pleasure, so they never asked what were yours.

"rough," you manage to blurt out as you feel him up again, touching his biceps and feeling muscles contract due to him supporting his weight above you. "hard...i want you to ruin me," you say before his head shoots out in surprise and he looks at you, his expression morphing quickly into a satisfied one before he kisses your jaw softly.

"never took you for someone who would enjoy that," he whispers close to you as he pushes up, aligning himself once more with your entrance.

he thought about it before?

"just tell me to stop if it becomes too much," he says just before his hands hug your waist and turn you around, your face buried instantly into the pillows as he positions your ass up.

he pushes in slowly at first, letting you grow familiar with his cock as your breath hitches from the amazing stretch. he goes in and out lazily, brushing his palms over your ass cheeks as he does so. you're already out of breath when he starts bucking his hips faster into you, setting an incredible pace that makes you hold his sheets tighter in your fists. his cock slides against your walls smoothly, hitting the newly discovered sensitive spot over and over again.

there's not much room for talking, the room is filled with moans from both of you and pleads of each other's names- they sound just like desperate prayers. he grows impatient, violently smashing his hips against your ass just like you asked, making you feel close to cumming again with each and every drive inside of you. your body burns, jungkook's body does too, making beads of sweat fall down on his white and clean sheets like a reminder to both of you of what has happened when all of this will end. you don't want it to end.

but contrary to your wishes, the man's hand finds your sensitive clit for the third time tonight, urging you to release a high-pitched moan as he starts rubbing again, faster, rougher than before. it takes a few moments before you come again under his touch, and when you do, it downs you both, his own hot seed filling up the condom as he tries to regain his breath, collapsing over your drained body. you both crumble like sand, melting into each other like you are one single being.

you feel him soften inside of you just before he pulls out, leaving your hole feeling lonely and empty as you finally drop your ass into the mattress, sinking your body into it as you roll around, managing to see him.

he's removing his condom, tying it before he throws it on the ground. "gross!" you'd think in other circumstances, but not now. he lays back into the bed, next to you, as he looks at your body like a hunter looking at a beast he managed to finally tame. sparkles are dancing in his eyes when he finally looks into yours, cupping your cheek lovingly before kissing you. he pulls you closer, but doesn't say anything, so you don't either. you nestle comfortably into his side as he hugs you warmly, the surfaces of your bodies sticking together because of the sweat.

he strokes your hair gently and you let yourself be taken to sleep in his hold as you inhale his perfume again, this time filled with the pure smell of his sweat filled with pheromones.

morning comes like a punch in the face. your head hurts because of the alcohol, and your body feels sore because of the sex. jungkook still sleeps, a few inches away from you as his chest rises slowly with each breath he takes. he looks so different, so peaceful from his usual self that is on the stage, singing his heart out onto the mic while all the lights shine on him. now, the only light shining on him is the one of the morning sun, stroking his features gently.

you get up slowly, searching for your panties quietly and putting them on.

"are trying to sneak out?" you hear his raspy voice. your attention goes to him again, laid out on the bed as he stretches, legs fully spread out and his body only masked by a piece of the blanket that covers his manhood.

"not really," you smile, as you put your shirt on lazily. "i was cold."

you get back on the bed, wrapping your own body, as well as jungkook's with the blanket. you scoot closer to him, and he instinctively hugs you like it's all he's done his entire life. minutes of silence pass before he says something again.

"would it be weird to ask you on a date now?" he chuckles.

you do too, placing your head on his chest in order to hear his heartbeats. louder than you could ever imagine jeon jungkook's heart could beat for you.

"you ask all the girls to dates after you fuck them?" you ask amused, thinking about just how many women have been in the exact same place you are right now. how many of them got to experience the magical touch of your friend?

"not really," jungkook says as he hooks his finger under your chin, forcing you to look at him in hopes that you would be able to read the honesty in his eyes. "just you." he whispers as he kisses your forehead gently.

"careful, kook, if somebody hears you they might think you like me," you say with a grin on your face as you push your weight into your elbow.

"and they might be right." he replies, same cute smile on his face as he brushes your hair out of you eyes and tucks it behind your ear.

the same gesture offered by kai last night, only it does not make you feel the same way. last night it made you intimidated, maybe even fearful of what may come next, but now it feels loving, and calming, putting your heart at ease as it does with the rest of your body.

"i do like you." he states clearly, staring into your eyes and waiting for your reaction. he doesn't know where it's coming from, but he's sure he can't ignore the way his heart] gallops faster around you anymore, nor can he forget the jealousy he felt last night. you belong with him, not some random guy at the bar. not anyone else, for that matter.

it's such a cliche, you think as you remain petrified upon hearing his confession. you lived in fear of confessing only to realize that you lost years and years wondering what could be instead of what can be.

better late than never, right?

"i like you too." you say back, kissing him after what feels like an eternity.

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boobo13cambridge · 11 months

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I’ll Take Care of You | Kylian Mbappé

Pairing: Kylian Mbappé x f.Reader

Warnings: none just angsty and some passionate kissing

Summary: Kylian is feeling stressed as the news that he will not be extending with PSG comes out. He seeks comfort in you.

A/N: Hello, everyone! When I got this request I absolutely adored the idea and wanted to get right to it. As always, please leave me feedback and don’t forget to reblog. I would greatly appreciate it. Enjoy, lovelies ❣️

The sun had long set over the city of Paris, casting an ethereal glow upon the Eiffel Tower as its lights illuminated the darkened sky. In the midst of the bustling city, a heavy atmosphere hung over Kylian Mbappé's lavish apartment. The young football prodigy, renowned for his incredible talent on the field, now found himself at a crossroads that weighed heavily on his heart.

Kylian had spent years with Paris Saint-Germain, captivating fans and leaving a lasting mark on the club. Since his arrival in 2017, he had steered his team to five Ligue 1 titles, secured three French Cup titles, and clinched the coveted Player of the Season award on four occasions. Yet, beneath the surface of success, a storm of discontent brewed within him. He felt betrayed by the club. He wasn't happy with the Mercato, he wasn't happy with the coach, and he was even less happy about practically being threatened by the president of the club that he would never be able to leave. The project that they tried to sell him was all a lie, leaving him consumed by frustration.

Paris was his home, his people, and his beloved city, and he never desired to depart its embrace. But his relentless ambition gnawed at his conscience, whispering that remaining stagnant would be a betrayal to the dreams of the little boy from Bondy who yearned to conquer all. The time had come to draw a line in the sand; he had reached his breaking point. Enough was enough.

As he lay sprawled on the couch, his gaze fixed upon the sprawling Paris skyline, an overwhelming headache descended upon him. It felt as though the weight of the entire world rested squarely upon his shoulders. The relentless media scrutiny only exacerbated his turmoil, incessantly hurling names at him and peddling baseless stories about his character (as if they even knew him), and practically harassing him on social media.

He was just so tired.

The young French captain longed for your presence by his side, but fate had conspired against him as you were working until 6 pm that day. Gazing at his iPhone, he saw that it was merely 5:30 pm, and a sense of dejection washed over him. With a heavy heart, he decided to text you, hoping that he could somehow persuade you to leave early.

Kylian: bébé can u leave early?

Kylian: tu me manques 🙁 (I miss you)

You: aww mon bébé 🙁 (aww my baby)

You: ouvre la porte je suis là 😘 (open the door, I'm here)

Surprised and filled with a glimmer of hope, he swiftly rose from the couch, his anticipation mirrored by the chime of the doorbell. A small smile spread on his fatigued face, as he felt a fraction of the weight burdening his shoulders dissipate.

Opening the door, he felt a sense of relief surge through his body as he saw your smiling face.

"Surprise, Kyky," you said, winking at him. Kylian didn't know what had come over him, but he felt his eyes welling up with tears as he pulled you inside, enveloping himself around you as he kicked the door closed. His heart weighed heavy, and he struggled to control his sobs, burying his face in your hair.

Surprised, you wrapped your arms around him, gently stroking the back of his head. "Mon bébé, what happened? Are you okay? Talk to me, mon cœur."

Hearing your voice only intensified his tears. He yearned to share his innermost thoughts, to unburden his soul, but he found himself unable to articulate the complexities of his emotions. The past few days had been gruelling for him. People knew him as a confident, self-assured individual, seemingly impervious to the world's judgments. He felt they took advantage of that side of him and perhaps his confidence enraged them. He felt that it was unfair that they used that to vilify him at every given opportunity. This time the footballer just couldn’t take it anymore, he had reached his breaking point.

You were filled with worry. Never before had you witnessed Kylian break down in such a way. Even after the heart-wrenching moments of missing a penalty at the Euro or losing the World Cup in Qatar, his composure had remained intact. However, the recent news of his decision not to renew with PSG had evidently struck a nerve far deeper than anticipated. You knew people wouldn’t take it kindly but you didn’t think it was going to be this bad.

"Shh, allez mon amour. Ça va bien aller. I'm here for you," you attempted to console him. Gently pulling back, you held his face between your hands.

The sight that greeted you shattered your heart into a million pieces. Kylian's face was flushed, his cheeks stained with tears. Seeing him in such anguish brought tears to your own eyes. "Ky...," you started, softly wiping away his tears with your thumbs. Shaking his head, Kylian pressed his forehead against yours.

"I can't do this anymore, bébé. Je suis tanné, putain," he cried, gripping your hips tightly, seeking solace and grounding himself in your presence.

"Je sais, mon cœur, je sais," you consoled him, gently guiding him to the couch as he lay down, his head buried in your lap. You caressed his head, your other hand soothingly rubbing his back, placing tender kisses upon his head as you whispered words of comfort.

Gradually, Kylian's sobs subsided, and he lifted his head from your stomach, wiping away his tears as you used a tissue to dab at his runny nose. "Let me get you some water, Ky," you attempted to rise, but Kylian shook his head. "Non, stay please... I just want you to hold me."

"Okay, bébé. Anything you want," you said, placing a gentle kiss upon his forehead. "But please, talk to me, Ky."

Kylian was lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, uncertain of where to begin. His emotions and feelings tangled within him, threatening to overwhelm him. It took him a few moments to gather his thoughts.

"I don't know what to do anymore," he whispered, his voice laced with vulnerability. "It feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. Everyone has a fuckin’ opinion about everything I do. If I stay at PSG, I'm a fuckin’ loser who's ruining his career by staying in a farmer's league. If I leave, I'm a traitor who doesn't care about the club, only about money. I can't catch a break, bébé. No matter what I do, I'm always the bad guy, always painted as the fuckin’ villain in whatever fairytale they cook up every week. I feel suffocated, and on top of it all, I feel like a complete piece of shit for dumping all my feelings on you. I've been a shitty fiancé."

“Mon amour, don't say that. You are not a shitty fiancée and I want you to know that I love you so much. Secondly, I want you to talk about your feelings with me because that's what I'm here for. We're in this together bébé. We're a team, and I’ll always be here for you whenever you need me. As for the media, those assholes are just jealous because you’re this confident young man who’s so incredibly talented. They could never hold a candle to you, mon amour. Besides, most of them are just a bunch of racist fucks.”

“I feel like no matter what I chose, people will still make me out to be a bad guy.”

"Bébé, you can't control that. At the end of the day, you have to make the best decision for yourself, and I'll be right by your side through it all."

You gently caressed his cheek, trying to smooth the lines of worry etched upon his forehead.

"Are you sure, bébé? I just..."

"Kylian, mon amour, mon cœur, ma vie. You mean the world to me. Your dreams are my dreams, and your happiness is my happiness. Wherever you decide to go, I'll be right there beside you, every step of the way."

Gazing into your eyes, Kylian's heart swelled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. These past few years, sharing his life with someone as extraordinary as you had transformed him into the luckiest man to walk the earth. With every beat of his heart, he recognized that you were not just a partner, but the missing piece that completed his very being—the woman he had always yearned for in his wildest dreams.

In an instant, he surrendered to the intensity of his emotions, his hand instinctively finding the curve of your neck. With a gentle yet possessive grip, he drew you closer, erasing the space between your bodies. Their warmth melded, and the world around them faded into insignificance as their lips collided in a moment of fiery passion.

Time seemed to stand still as their mouths moved in a fervent dance, their souls entwining amidst the raw fervor of their connection. It was a kiss that transcended words, conveying depths of love that mere language could never capture. In that single act, Kylian poured his heart and soul into the embrace, a testament to the profound love and desire he held for you.

The taste of his lips, the electric touch of his hands, and the fusion of their breaths ignited a blazing fire within both of them. Each kiss carried an unspoken promise—a vow of unwavering devotion, a pledge to traverse any obstacle that lay in their path. In that fleeting moment, the world existed solely for the two of them, bound by an unbreakable bond that defied all logic and reason.

As you broke apart, your noses nuzzled together. "But, you know, now that you've decided to leave once your contract ends, maybe choose a city with better weather, oui? I absolutely refuse to have our future babies be born in a cold, rainy place."

A soft chuckle escaped Kylian's lips, blending relief with joy. "I was only joking, bébé. I'm not actually going to Manchester United or Liverpool. Don't worry your pretty little head, princesse."

"You better have been joking because there's no way you're dragging me to a whole new country and knocking me up in the frigid cold.”

“Oh, please. You love it when I do you raw, princesse.”

“ Oh yeah? I'll fly right back and give birth to your child in Marseille,” you retorted, cheeks turning red.

"Take that back, bébé. You're not allowed to say that. No child of mine is going to be a Marseillais."

Laughter filled the air, a melody of hope and love. In that moment, you both knew that no matter the challenges ahead, your bond with Kylian was unbreakable. Together, you would face the uncertainties of life, drawing strength from the unwavering support and affection you shared.

As the night progressed, you held each other close, finding solace in the arms of the one who mattered most. And in that embrace, you both understood that regardless of where fate led the brilliant Kylian Mbappé, love would be your guiding light through the storm, ensuring that the journey ahead brimmed with hope, adventure, and an unyielding bond that would endure forever.

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rubycruzin4abruzin · 5 days

Text

never been (stage) kissed

Summary: After years of being a struggling actress in Los Angeles, you finally land your big break! The only problem is, you’ve been cast opposite your longtime celebrity crush… Ruby Cruz. What will you do when the director demands a kiss between the two of you?

Pairing: ruby cruz x actress!reader

Contains: mature language, small amount of adult humor, kissing, fluff, thigh touching, in depth details of Hollywood movie shooting, anxious!reader, publicity tweets and comments, ruby being the sweetest girl EVER

Word Count: 3.1k

A/N: This is a Real Person Fiction. I’ve included a mass disclaimer of RPF guidelines here. Make SURE to click the link before reading, it’s extremely important for the safety of all Real People involved in this fiction.

You stared at the movie script in your hand, biting your lip to stop from squealing. After being in Los Angeles for the past five years, you had finally landed your big break.

You had known that you wanted to act ever since your mother signed you up to be a munchkin in a community theatre production of “The Wizard of Oz.” Of course, being a stubborn elementary schooler, you fought her on it, saying the songs were “stupid” and the costumes were “itchy.” But as soon as opening night came, and the lights hit your face, you put on a smile and celebrated the death of the Wicked Witch like it was something you’d been waiting for your entire life.

After the song's last note, deafening applause echoed around the theater, causing adrenaline to course through your veins. In that moment, you decided to spend the rest of your life chasing that feeling.

When you reached middle school, you joined their drama department, taking theatre as an elective class while occasionally participating in the school plays. Once high school rolled around, you began to take some of the more advanced classes, and even competed in a couple One-Act Play competitions. A lot of the people you started taking classes with eventually got bored and left to pursue other hobbies, but over the years you just fell more and more in love with acting, and became completely dedicated to your craft.

Instead of attending college, after you graduated high school you packed up whatever you needed and moved across the country to a small town about half an hour away from Los Angeles. The area was slightly sketchy, your apartment was small, and you had to work two jobs while sharing with four other roommates just to make rent.

Los Angeles kinda… sucked. But you had stars in your eyes and couldn’t be happier.

Unfortunately, you were kind of in for a rude awakening once audition season rolled around. Back in high school, you would book leads left and right. Now, it seemed like the only gigs you could book were background work, maybe a role in a rinky-dink student film if you were lucky. You always took what you could get, but you longed for something that could get your foot in the door.

One day, one of the short films you starred in entitled “Attack of the Killer Zombie Prom Queens” got entered into some film festival, and not only did it win an award you couldn’t remember the name of, it ended up going viral on YouTube, and not in a bad way either. Your performance in that film was astounding.

Plus, not that this was the sole reason the film blew up, but as an actress in your early 20’s who tended to take care of herself, you were kind of… well… hot.

Suddenly, you were getting recognized in public, signed with an agency, and landing more notable roles. You were featured in a music video for an up-and-coming country artist, booked a commercial for a costume makeup company (in which you brought back your look from “Attack of the Killer Zombie Prom Queens”), and even starred in three episodes of a new series on HBO Max.

Just when you thought life couldn’t get any better, one day you were coming back from what was either your third or fourth audition of the day, when you got a call from your agent on the drive home. You groaned, almost certain she was calling to schedule another “last-minute” audition. Sure you appreciated how hard she worked to get you booked, but you were also so tired after a long day.

To your surprise, when you picked up the phone, she ecstatically announced that you had booked a huge role.

In a feature film.

Starring alongside your celebrity crush… Ruby Cruz.

You had to pull over on the side of a highway to keep from swerving out of excitement.

Ruby had been your celebrity crush since you saw her in the Disney+ series “Willow.” Her masculine ambience, her devil-may-care attitude, and the way she swung her sword had you absolutely drooling. Somehow, you finished the entire series in two days, and immediately ran to IMDB to add Every Single Thing she’s been in to your watch list.

Now, you stood in front of the building where your first read-through was supposed to take place, the script for “Aliens of Atlantis” resting in your shaking hands. You gulped as you pushed open the door, wondering how you were going to keep your cool around Ruby when the very thought of her practically sent you into cardiac arrest.

Walking into the reading room, you were met with several chairs arranged into a circle and sounds of chatter from the other actors. You recognized a few of them from some smaller projects, even recognizing one from a movie that had come out the previous year. Your eyes scanned the room for Ruby, heart beating out of your chest when they landed on the back of a choppy brunette bob.

When Ruby turned around, you swore her blue eyes sparkled under the fluorescent lights. She caught you staring at her from across the room, and shot you a wide toothy smile before walking over to you.

“Hey,” she started. “You must be Zephyra.”

You blinked at her. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Zephyra.” She repeated. “You’re playing the alien queen of Atlantis, right?”

She furrowed her eyebrows at you slightly and tilted her head, worried she may have gotten you mixed up with someone else.

Her words clicked in your head, finally. “Oh! Yes! I’m playing the role of Zephyra.”

Ruby’s smile returned as she let out a lighthearted chuckle. You swallowed, trying to keep your cool. You still had trouble wrapping your mind around the fact that you were standing in front of the Ruby Cruz, and having a semi-successful conversation.

She stuck out her hand, offering a handshake. “Hi, I’m Ruby. I’m playing Calantha.”

You took her hand, electric shocks vibrating through your body at her touch. “Nice to meet you.”

After removing her hand (much to your displeasure), she turned to walk back over to her seat, but not before flashing you a smile over her shoulder. “Can’t wait to work with you!”

God, why did she have to be so cool?

The table read went fairly well, in your opinion. The movie was about Calantha, an underwater adventurer, finding the lost city of Atlantis during an expedition. Once there, she finds the city being ruled by aliens who’s spaceship crashed near the area about 100 years ago. Calantha finds Zephyra, the alien queen, who makes her promise to keep their secret, and in return, Calantha will help her run the city.

You were playing Zephyra, of course, since being in “Attack of the Killer Zombie Prom Queens” proved you looked hot even in otherworldly makeup. You kind of thought there might be some romantic or even sexual tension between Calantha and Zephyra, but you brushed it off as you thought that might not be the artistic intention.

Once filming started, your days were basically exclusively spent on set. Not that you were complaining, you loved every second. Even after coming home at 1am when you left for work at 6am, a blissful smile would be painted across your tired face.

The only thing that bothered you was that you barely ever got to talk to Ruby on set. It was more your fault than hers. Every time you two were working together, your brain short circuited and you couldn’t get out anything more than a few dim-witted babbles. Ruby was always so sweet about it though, always lightheartedly chuckling at your barely-comprehensible speech, sometimes even giving your upper arm a squeeze if you felt especially nervous.

You knew she meant well, but any touch from your celebrity crush was sure to do the opposite of calming you down.

One day, during a filming session, you and Ruby were meant to be sitting especially close to each other. You were sure you felt some romantic tension between the two characters, but you chalked it up to your crush on the actress and tried to downplay it. The director, however, seemed very frustrated today, this was the nineteenth take of this particular scene and he still wasn’t happy.

“Cut!” He yelled, letting out a frustrated sigh as you and Ruby turned your attention towards him.

“Everything alright, sir?” Ruby asked, making you glad you weren’t the only one who noticed his irritation.

“This scene… it’s missing something.” He brought his hand to his chin and squinted at the both of you. “Do we think we could add a kiss? Right here?”

Your heart stopped, and all the moisture disappeared from your mouth.

It wasn’t like you hadn’t kissed people before. You had your fair share of dates back in high school, that wasn’t the problem.

You’ve kissed, but you’ve never stage kissed.

Sure you had plenty of acting experiences, but the roles you played never required kissing. Instead of playing Aurora, you made a fabulous Maleficent. While Elle Woods locked lips with Emmett, you were busy portraying a hilarious Paulette. And of course, nobody wants to make out with a zombie prom queen.

You had no idea if there was any difference between actual kisses and stage-kisses. Obviously, sex scenes in movies weren’t real. But kisses? What if there is a difference and you go to kiss Ruby on camera and make her uncomfortable? What if she pushes you away? What if she gets mad? You don’t know how you’d recover from something like that, and your mind swarmed with plans to flee the country if that did happen.

Ruby opened her mouth to answer the director, before looking at you for confirmation and noticing your overly-panicked state. She sent you a reassuring smile, and placed a gentle hand on your back.

She turned to the director. “Could we pick this up after lunch? I think my scene partner and I have some things to discuss.”

The director agreed, and since it was still about thirty minutes to lunch, decided to use that time to record some “room noise.” You and Ruby were meant to sit still and quietly, the only thing you heard being the echo of your heartbeat in your ears.

Suddenly, you received a text notification, causing sound to go off and the director to groan and shoot you an annoyed look. You mumbled a quick “sorry” before switching your phone to vibrate and looking to see who texted you.

After wolfing down a sandwich from the craft services table, you stood in front of the trailer with Ruby’s name on the door, wringing your clammy hands while deciding whether or not to knock. You took a deep breath, raised your knuckles, and knocked three times, taking a step back after.

She answered almost immediately, staring down at you with a comforting grin. “Hey, come on in.”

Walking up the stairs and into Ruby’s trailer, you couldn’t help but notice how much cleaner it was than yours. You weren’t necessarily sloppy, but your vanity was covered in various bottles of blue face paint, while your floor held multiple alien-like prosthetics. Ruby’s was tidier, with a small couch pushed up against the wall, and her vanity holding nothing but some makeup basics and a half-full can of Dr. Pepper she had been drinking right before you walked in.

Ruby took a seat in her vanity chair and took a sip from her Dr. Pepper, motioning for you to sit on the small couch. “What’s going on? You didn’t seem too comfortable with the kissing scene.”

You gulped, staring down at your lap. “It’s not that…”

Ruby sat up, leaning forward to gawk at you. “Oh my god… have you never been kissed?”

“What? No! Of course I have…” you trailed off. “I just… I’ve never stage kissed before, and I know you have, so is it any different from regular kissing? I feel so stupid for asking and I’m so sorry but I didn’t wanna do it wrong while filming and I’m kinda embarrassed that I don’t know the answer so that’s why I wanted to ask you privately because I didn’t wanna fuck up…”

Ruby stared at you, silent and wide eyed. You felt your heartbeat in your ears as you tried to decipher what she was thinking. Suddenly, she threw her head back and let out a hearty laugh. Your heart sank. Here you were being awkward and vulnerable in front of your crush, and she was laughing at you.

Just before you decided to get up and walk out, Ruby calmed down, wiping away a tear and smiling apologetically. “I’m sorry, I promise I’m not making fun of you. I didn’t mean to laugh, really. You’re just so cute.”

You felt your cheeks burn at her words. She thinks you’re cute?

Ruby threw her soda away in a nearby trash can and moved to sit next to you on the small couch. She criss-crossed her legs, turning to face you while pondering how to answer your question.

“So… stage kisses are different from regular kisses, but they’re also not, you know? Like, we’re kissing but we’re not like… kissing.”

She peered over at you, studying your facial expressions. You looked more confused than ever, so she continued her explanation.

“So, if you’re asking if my lips will physically be on your lips… then the answer is yes, they will. But they’re not exactly like the real thing, because it’s more of a demonstration to the audience rather than an act of passion between two people.”

“A demonstration?” You cocked your head. Ruby nodded.

“Yeah, so say the camera was over there…” she pointed out in front of you. “…then you might cup my jaw, or cradle the back of my head. But if you were to grab my face or something like that, it’d look pretty awkward in a fifty-fifty profile shot.”

You nodded in understanding. “Ok… I think I get what you’re saying.”

“There are also different types of kissing.” Ruby continued. “Like, it should portray how your character feels about the other character. When Zephyra has scenes with Calantha, how does she feel?”

You gulped, focusing on your lap again. “Well, to be honest, it kinda feels like there’s a lot of romantic or sexual tension between our characters, but I’ve sort of been suppressing it because I’m not sure that was the intention.”

“But you feel like Zephyra is attracted to Calantha sexually?” Ruby asked. You nodded. “Great! You don’t necessarily have to make it explicit, but something like that can help you dive deeper into your character.”

Ruby scooted closer to you, taking your hands in hers. She gazed at you with half lidded eyes, causing your breathing to accelerate.

“I want you to kiss me.”

Ruby’s words barely resonated in your head, there was no way you heard her correctly. “You… huh?”

“For practice.” Ruby clarified, letting go of your hands. “Like you would during filming. Is that ok?”

An involuntary swallow forced itself down your throat as you nodded. You couldn’t believe you were about to kiss your celebrity crush, even if it was only for practice.

You pressed your hand into her warm cheek, pulling her close and quickly pecking her lips before retreating away. Your face burned from embarrassment while Ruby cocked her head, clearly confused.

“That’s it?” She asked. “My bad, I didn’t realize Calantha was your grandmother.”

Ruby moved closer and cradled the back of your head, entangling her fingers into your soft locks. You felt your hands sweat as her big blue eyes gazed into yours. “I was thinking maybe something more like this…”

She crashed her lips into yours, causing warmth to explode in your chest. Her fingers played with your hair as you began to kiss back, and your arms wrapped around her waist. Holy shit could she kiss! You could barely fathom how soft her lips were, tasting faintly of Dr. Pepper and vanilla lip balm. As hard as you tried to act professional and pretend there was a camera in front of you, every inch of your body screamed at you to succumb to your most primal instincts.

You lifted one hand from her waist and moved to rest it on her mid-thigh, causing a gentle moan to escape from her lips and a shiver to run down her body. Startled, you moved back, throughly convinced that you majorly fucked up.

“Shit, I’m sorry!” You exclaimed, pulling back your hand like it had touched fire. “I wasn’t thinking, fuck. I got too swept up in the moment. I shouldn’t have touched you, that was completely unprofessional.”

“Hm…?” Ruby blinked, still in a daze. “Oh. Oh! You’re good! Don’t be sorry. I liked it. Really.”

Ruby grinned at you shyly. You stared back at her, a question you weren’t quite sure how to ask lingering at the tip of your tongue. “Ruby, are still… practicing?”

Her smile faded as her eyes went wide and her gaze dropped to her lap. It was her turn to be coy, a sight you’d never seen before.

She dropped her voice to a low whisper as she choked out her question. “Do you want to be?”

Before you could even open your mouth to answer, your phone alarm screeched from your jacket pocket. You took it out, groaning as you turned it off.

Ruby furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “What was that?”

“My alarm,” you answered. “I have to go.”

“But lunch isn’t over for another twenty minutes.” Ruby pointed out, trying to hide her disappointment.

“Yeah, but I have to head back early so they can touch up my makeup and fix my prosthetics.”

Ruby sighed in understanding. She supposed your costume might have a bit more upkeep than hers. Your prosthetics did look a little wonky after the lunch break, never mind your smudged blue lipstain that made her apprehensive to look in a mirror.

You collected yourself and turned to walk out, but looked over your shoulder before opening the door. “Uhm… Ruby?”

“Hm?” She answered.

You wrung your hands anxiously. “Do you think we could maybe… do this again? Sometime?”

Ruby’s head shot up to look at you, and a playful smile spread across her face. “Do what? More kissing lessons?”

You rolled your eyes as she chuckled, then gave you a lopsided grin. “I’d like that. Lunch again, tomorrow?”

A blush pink color sprinkled across the apples of your cheeks as you smiled back at her, trying your best to stay cool and suppress the giddy feeling that was bubbling inside of you.

“See you then.”

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wedgiestoriescollective · 3 months

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The Senior: A Night in a Hotel Room

(The last Re-Upload)

Chase and I continued our interesting relationship after the events that took place after the choir concert. But the holidays are always a busy time, even during school. I had projects to complete and so did Chase, our daily routine of me giving Chase’s underwear a pull died down for a bit. I did get him a couple times. One time during a break at our choir practice, I yanked his American Eagle trunks up his butt when we were alone in the church's library. Oh man, that was so hot. His jeans were so tight that day, and he was wearing a maroon sweater.

He looked like the preppy guys I'd always jack off to that I wish I could wedgie, and here I was. wedgieing him. What made it even better was that he liked it, and I knew it.

Before the holiday break I got to wedgie him one more time. Chase had recently joined the speech team, and I was also on the team. I’d like to believe that he joined the team so that he would have more reasons to spend more time with me, but it probably was one of many reasons. He did a great job in the musical and participating in speech is like participating in judged theatre. So, the cast members and teammates encouraged him to join, so he did. As a member of the team, we were required to work the tournament that our school would host. But Chase was also very good at playing the trumpet so during the day of the tournament he wasn’t available because he earned a spot in the All-Region Band. So, he stopped by near the end of the day and his job for the day was to deliver flowers that we were going to put on the table with the trophies for the awards ceremony. He texted me to help him bring them in. I met him at the loading dock as he was pulling in. Now, the wedgie that I gave him as he was getting out of his front seat was a unique one. He got out and I somehow managed to just grab the waistband without digging for it. His Blue and Red stripped American Eagle boxer briefs went right up his ass. I tugged his leg holes past his dress pants waistband, and as the tug reached its height I said “sup”, and immediately snapped his white waistband to his back.

“Come on” he said, surprisingly annoyed with his wedgie.

“What did you expect? You asked me to help” I said.

“With the flowers?” he asked as he was walking to the trunk of his car while simultaneously picking at his underwear. At this point I'd wedgied him so often that he no longer would go out of sight to adjust himself anymore. He would just pick outright in front of me. I found that hot. It was unexpecting how hot I found that to be.

“Well, sorry I'll hold off on the wedgies, I got those”. I lifted a box of flowers and walked with him into the auditorium. We were alone as we were arranging the flowers, but since the stage was so big and the curtains were down, we had no way of knowing if anyone else was there. So, it wasn't the best time to try to give Chase another wedgie. We continued working quietly getting everything all set up.

I didn’t see Chase until after the holiday break. We texted each other though, he was very good at keeping the text conversation going. It wasn’t all about wedgies. We discussed books and movies that we were both currently reading or watching. Our families. He was very present to listen to my problems. At the time my high school theatre department were prepping auditions for that years play competition. This was the closet that theatre departments in high school got to competing with one another like sports teams do. The point of the competition was to take a play, any play and cut it down to no longer than 50 minutes. My theatre teacher took this play very seriously, taking a lot of time for us to read the play in class, analyze it and audition for roles. There were 16 people in the class and only 7 roles. There was a specific role in the play that I thought I'd be right for. The role required for the actor to be able to play a young prince who may or may not have had an affair with a prince from another country. The point of the role was that you never knew for sure if the characters were gay or not. I was obsessed with the idea of possibly getting the chance to play this role, I memorized scenes, I actively participated in discussions about the play in class. I made it obvious to my theater teacher that I really wanted the role. Being in the cast for this specific play in the theatre department basically marked you as someone who is a top actor in the school. I knew I was good, but there were a lot of other guys in the department that were older and talented too. But the other kid that was my age in the theatre class Micah, was in the competition play last year and he had the experience and could very well be cast in this role. It shouldn't have bothered me as much as it did, but Micah was the top of our class, and he participated in theatre because it was something that he could put on his college apps. His family were very devoted Christians which isn’t a problem except for the fact that he would argue that the role I wanted wasn't a homosexual. He would argue this because he knew that if he was cast in the show that it would be in that role and he clearly felt that it was against his religion, so he was trying to find a reason to be able to play it. I’d say I was straight, but I knew that I wasn’t. But this role spoke to me, especially at that time and if I got it, maybe it was the reason that I needed to give myself permission to accept myself. I really wanted that part.

The weekend that the cast list was supposed to be posted, my speech team was away at a speech tournament six hours away from home. The prelim rounds went okay on that first day and Chase and I were placed in the same hotel room for the night with twin brothers that were specifically on the debate team. So, that night after the speech kids were done with their rounds, the debate kids were going to remain there till late. The hotel room had two beds and since the twin brother debaters would obviously sleep together in one of them, I was going to sleep with Chase in the other. And not only that, I was going to get to spend a lot of time alone with Chase in a room with a bed

When Chase and I got back to the hotel room, I went ahead and took a shower. We had a long day of traveling and both Chase and I had been in suits all day. I brought my sweats and tank that I would sleep in the bathroom with me and showered. When I got out of the bathroom with my sleep clothes on there was Chase, standing at the closet in only his boxers. He was hanging up his suit, after taking everything off. Though I've wedgied Chase a lot, I had never seen him without his shirt, and staring at him from behind I immediately noticed the smoothness of his shoulders. Chase wasn't muscular in the sense that he looked like a Calvin Klein model, but he was close. His butt in those boxers were very nice as well. The boxers were navy blue, obviously American Eagle because there were multiple Eagle logos al over them. He turned around,

“Hey, my turn’ he said.

I must have not been hiding my looks of intense lustful admiration because his lips slowly curved to a smirk, and he flexed his chest and hell. He didn’t have a six pack, but his chest was hot, nonetheless. He didn’t have a lot of hair, but there was some that formed a line from the bottom of his belly button to the top the waistband of his boxers. This was the first time that my thoughts went to the possible size of his dick under those boxers. I can't remember for sure, but I was probably hard. Chase started to walk across the room.

“I know what you're thinking, don't do it” he said as he walked by me to go into the bathroom. I quickly turned around after he walked by me. He stopped walking and turned his head slightly.

"You can’t help it can you?” he said.

“I guess not” I replied as my hands slowly gripped his boxers.

I tug slowly. This was my first time giving a wedgie with the other guy not wearing pants. The more I tug the more I see Chase's ass. It was firm and the more his boxers went up his butt, the harder my dick got. I drop his boxers and gently tap both of his checks with my hands.

“Enjoy your shower" I said.

“Thanks” he said walking into the bathroom.

He stayed in there for about ten minutes. When he came out of the bathroom, he had pajama bottoms with multiple XBOX logos on it. He was still wearing the same boxers that I had just wedgied, but the only way I could tell was that he was sagging his pajama bottoms slightly. But I only had a moment to observe that because he ran at me and jumped on me on the bed.

It happened very fast. I can’t remember the specifics. But we were basically wrestling, He was the senior and he was obviously a lot stronger than me, but I gave it my all wrestling wise. He pinned me in headlocks and to the ground. He was a lot stronger. But Chase and I had different end goals. His was to pin me to the ground, mine was to pull his boxers up his butt again. I got his boxers a couple of times in the struggle, but not enough to really count the wedgies I gave him legit. But there was one moment when I ended up on the top of his back. My ass was sitting on his head, and I had to have been tea-bagging Chase as I gripped his boxers in both of my hands. I was also fully hard by that point, and there was no way that Chase didn’t know because my bulge was bulging into his shoulders. But his boxers were in my hand, and I started pulling. Pulling with all the strength possible. Chase was moaning but from pleasure or pain I couldn't tell. I successfully pull one mare strong pull and I heard a slight ripping sound. I snap his boxer’s waistband onto Chase’s back, and I roll off him.

“Fuck, man that was the best wedgie yet” Chase said standing up with his hands in his,

butt fixing his boxers. I stayed laying on the bed breathing heavily.

“Damn man, you sound like we just fucked” he laughed.

I laughed that off, at at that moment a feeling of intense shame came over me. I hadn’t cum but I was close. What did those feelings mean? Why do wedgies turn me on? How can I keep this up? It was clear after today that I had extreme lust towards Chase. After seeing his body, smacking his ass, and wedgieing him like I just had.

“Everything alright man?” Chase asked as he sat down at the front of the bed. But before I could say anything there was a knock on the door.

I went and answered the door, and it was Lexi. She was one of the strongest actresses in the theatre department. A shoo in for the lead role in the competition play. She was texted the cast list for the competition play and wanted me to see it. I didn’t get the part… or any part in the play. Micah got the part. Lexi said that she wanted me to know because she didn’t want me to have to wait until Monday to see the cast list myself, but I think she wanted to tell me because she was (and still is) a world class bitch. I walked back into the room and crushed, I just started crying, I had never been more disappointed. I didn’t get the role that spoke to me and my true sexuality, and here I was crying in front of the only guy that I had ever had strong feelings for. Chase was very nice. He asked me what was wrong, and when I told him he didn't try to console me. He was just quiet as I laid down on the bed,

I must have cried myself to sleep because one moment the lights were on, and the next they were off and there was an arm around my shoulder. It was Chase's. I looked over at the other bed and saw that it was still empty. The twins weren’t back yet. I twisted my body around and there was Chase, with his eyes wide open staring at me. He said nothing and we continued just looking at one another. I wanted to kiss him, and I was positive that he wanted to kiss me. But we didn’t kiss. But what I did feel was a hand gently placing itself around my groin. Chase's hand was over my sweatpants, and he slowly put his hand into my sweats and then, into my boxer briefs. Upon impulse I reached in a removed his hand from my pants. But still staring at him. I let go of his hand. I then proceeded to stick my own, hand in my pants. I gently surrounded my dick with my fingers, and then slowly started lifting. and lowering my dick. I did this while continuing to stare at Chase. Chase decided after a couple moments that he would follow suit. He lifted the covers and stuck his hand in his boxers. We continued touching ourselves while still looking at one another. This was a new experience for me, jerking off with someone else in the room. I found it to be a very exhilarating experience. Someone else looking at me and jerking off too. I couldn't see his dick, and he couldn't see mine. That seemed to make it even hotter. We tried to keep rhythm with each other. I don’t know how long we did this, but I do remember that we didn’t climax at the same time. Chase came first, and I followed about ten seconds after. There were no words spoken during or after except for our moans. After we were done, we put the covers back on and just laid back down in bed together. I started crying again, but it was weird. There was so much sadness in my tears, but also a little comfort in the fact that in that singular moment that I was not alone. I cried gently but was surprised to feel Chase's arms wrap around my body, holding me tightly. We laid there spooned into each other. He was there holding me tightly not letting me go as slowly drifted off to sleep.

I think back to this night often. We were both in the closet at the time, and we were both not ready to admit to ourselves that we had these strong feelings. We just had this strong night together. if we were able to let ourselves be open to each other that night, maybe we would have gone farther in our sexual explorations. I did wish I kissed him that night. I wished that I let him touch me, blow me. I wish I could have seen his whole naked body, and that he could see mine. That night was more than just a wedgie fetish. But regardless, I am still grateful to what we did that night because it was a part of my story, and it was truly one of those moments when I realized that I could be attractive, that I could be desired, and that I won't always have to be alone.

#gay wedgie #wedgie nerd #gay #gay men

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absolutebl · 1 year

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Welcome to Tumblr BL Fandom - Here’s Your Primer

memes, insider trading & obsession meta post

The Death Stairs

They haunt us. These same stairs constantly pop up in Thai BLs and we worry that someone is going to die on them (or fuck on them, or both).

BL origin = unknown, we only recently started tracking them (but the actual origin of the death stairs is 99 Home Studio117, RPC6+JM3 ซอย รามอินทรา 117 Min Buri, Bangkok 10510, Thailand. It appears to be a house rented out for filming. Honestly? They should AirBnB that level of fame. I’d rent it, buy a cactus and a chili plant, just for the photo op.)

Rain Makes BL Boys Sick

For which the only solution is a sponge bath administered by another boy with a bowl of water and a damp white towel.

We don’t make the rules, the BL gods do.

origin of the rain=fever = cultural

BL origin for the sponge bath = 2014′s Love Sick

The gayest bridge in Thailand

The Rama VII Bridge has appeared in so many Thai BLs - boys kiss on it and in front of it... A LOT.

BL origin = SOTUS 2016

Honor the Crumbs

Side dishes given very little screen time always end up being everyone’s favorites (especially in the pulps). Also falls under side dish syndrome. This is mostly a Thai BL thing, since they’re usually the BLs featuring more than one couple. (Taiwan is getting there, tho.)

BL origin = @heretherebedork

The Engineering Department is Gay (also Pink Milk)

The hot Thai boy in the engineering smock (red or blue) is either gay or a chaos bisexual. There are no exceptions.

BL origin = SOTUS 2016

Korea’s BL bubble

A world where queer is simply accepted and a hostile society doesn’t exist.

Origin, probably Strongberry’s 2017-2018 shorts, but best known starters are 2020′s Mr Heart & Wish You

Namgoong award for best wingman

Supportive straight(ish) besties! Appear throughout BL history, but really reached peak awesome with Namgoong, so a collection of us just started saying “thank you, Namgoong” whenever this archetype shows up.

BL origin, Light on Me

Korea’s BL formula

(1 short Kpop idol + 1 tall actor / random separation in the last half of the final episode) x a small cast = KBL (usually 6-8 episodes totaling under 2 hrs)

BL origin, 2015′s The Lover

Korean male beauty ideals here.

Korea figured out boys can kiss

To be fair Strongberry always knew this and Just Friends? gave it to us in 2005, it’s just they forgot for a while. A long while.

origin = Korean 2022 BL

speaking of...

Dead fish kisses

This tradition carried for years by Japan’s light BL, early Thai BL like Love Sick, & then Korea. It took Thailand’s 2016 BL (specifically elder gods KarnNut & MaxTul) to start breaking this curse. Could be argued that Ohm in 2016′s Make it Right also paved the way (while BoomPeak exemplify dead fish kissing).

origin = early 2000s JBL when it was still known as Live Action Yaoi

Taiwan = the kings of high heat

Taiwan always serves up the most consistent and authentic chemistry, kisses, and higher heat. Thailand has it as well, but isn’t as consistent about it.

BL origin = 2017 HIStory franchise and every Taiwanese BL since (although Eternal Summer probably started it in 2006)

Taiwan’s marriage equality

Taiwan was the first to feature sanctioned gay marriage in a BL, the first to depict queer engagements - and they regularly like to remind us that it’s legal there. As they should.

BL origin = HIStory 2: Right or Wrong 2017

Thailand’s food = love

Lovers cook, serve, feed, and/or eat together. Always. At least something along these lines in every Thai BL.

origin, well just Thailand in general (and Asia to be fair), but probably SOTUS & Love Sick

Vietnam’s domesticity

Vietnam always depicts at least some of their characters in a home environment, with family life, adopted kids, and more.

BL origin = Tein Bromance Extra

Cactus baby (and chili plant younger sibling)

Hilariously a cactus plant was deployed as a courting gift, spy device, and blooming representation of sexual awakening in MaxTul vehicle Manner of Death. Tumblr adopted that cactus baby.

BL origin = Manner of Death 2021

What China Did

Massive wholesale censorship curtailed/abruptly cut short multiple shows in progress in 2016-2017. Also resulted in rewriting and reshooting of those in production, and more weird and invidious things. This also showed up as a purge (and likely persecution) of Chinese queer vloggers on YouTube, the imprisonment of several danmai authors, and eventually the censored bromances we now get today.

BL origin victim = Addicted, Advance Bravely, etc...

Japan’s lanes

Japan’s propensity to lean in favor of either

sweet, campy, and very low heat live action yaoi shot in a manga style with HEA, or

dark, gritty high heat queer cinema and pinks shot in an atmospheric style with tragic endings

BL origin, Boys Love 2006 & Takumi-kun 2007

History of Japanese BL here and the weeds of Japanese BL here.

#In Strongberry We Trust

Small, queer, Korean production house Strongberry had been producing short form pro-queer KBL successfully for years, long before larger studios picked BL up. But when they transitioned to long form in 2022, we were a little scared they wouldn’t stick the landing. #InStrongberryWeTrust became our mantra.

BL origin = Choco Milk Shake 2022

Faen Fatal(e)

A side character, usually an ex-girlfriend but occasionally an ex-boyfriend, whose sole purpose is as a plot device to drive a wedge between the leads, or cause jealousy.

BL origin = Love Sick

The Thai BL Pulps

Very low budget BL with terrible sound, crazy soapy plots, and earnest acting.

BL origin = Make It Right 2016 (term coined by @heretherebedork & self)

The Mame effect

AKA #oh mame must you?

The mameverse features great characters, killer actor chemistry, and higher heat combined with terrible damaging tropes and non-sensical plot devices.

BL origin = TharnType (although technically started in Love By Chance)

The 2 Moons Curse

When a popular BL franchise struggles to survive over one season and keeps having to recast the leads.

BL origin = 2Moons original 2017

Dread Episode 11

AKA Doom of Ep 11

Explained here.

Golden Rules of BL

Never trust:

a Thai trailer,

a Viki Category,

a Vietnamese sub,

an MDL description,

a Taiwanese title,

Japan,

or a BL made before 2014.

Origin = me over the years

BLoundary Test: has the seme ever respected a single boundary?

BLechdel Test. 2 ukes discuss something that is not their seme(s). Also uke indicates actual interest in sex in a relationship.

(source)

okay what did I forget?

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blackmoonlightexpress · 5 months

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Shui Long Yin 《水龙吟》 - What we know so far about this massive project

By now many of you have heard about Shui Long Yin 《水龙吟》, Luo Yunxi's upcoming and third project with the studio behind Till the End of the Moon. Here's my read on the announcement earlier.

1. Good news - It's going to be largely the same creative team behind TTEOTM.

You have Wang Yirong as Lead Producer & Artistic Director, Huang Wei as Costume Designer, Wang Haiqi as Action Director, Tsang Mingfai as Makeup Director, Huatian for World Concept (also known for Ashes of Love and the Untamed). Basically, we'll see the return of the brilliant minds behind the Dunhuang-inspired costumes and hour-long epic fight sequences.

It's a good sign they're holding most of the team together. A lot of great directors, like Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, David Cronenberg, work with the same creative talent over and over again. There's certainly an argument that you produce better work when you collaborate with people you trust and know well.

2. Up and coming Director Chen Zhoufei will make up some of the deficiencies of TTEOTM in the cinematography and lighting departments.

Chen Zhoufei started out as a cinematographer in films with the likes of Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou. More recently he directed The Forbidden Flower (2023) and Double Tap (2021), which, if nothing else, is beautifully and stylistically shot.

It's interesting they've moved away from the old school Hong Kong directors they used in Immortality and TTEOTM. Directors from the TVB system are known to be more experienced, scrappy, and reliable when it comes to working within budget (which is why they're favored for big xianxia productions), but they've also been criticized for falling behind on technical execution and artistry.

It is as the industry article I shared predicted - Otters Studio is a relatively inexperienced player, but they can quickly close their gaps by bringing new blood to the team.

3. They're bringing a new Art Director, Zheng Chen from Lost You Forever.

This isn't all that surprising given that Luan Hexin, TTEOTM's Art Director, is with Huanyu, Bai Lu's management company. (In fact there was a bit of real life drama when Yu Zheng, Bai Lu's boss, publicly called out TTEOTM's producer for not refuting false rumors that Bai Lu was only cast because the production wanted Luan Hexin, arguably Huanyu's biggest asset, as part of her "dowry".) Now it's sad to see award-winning Luan go, but he is best for authentic period sets and IMO not the most suited for xianxias.

Instead, they've tapped Zheng Chen, who most recently worked on Lost You Forever, which I have yet to watch. With that said, some of the sets look great to me, with bold use of colors, and I can already see this pairing well with Chen Zhoufei's aesthetics.

4. This time they're not working with screenwriter He Fang, instead going with Lin Conghe (unofficial)

He Fang is the lead screenwriter behind TTEOTM and Immortality (everyone who's read Immortality's screenplay will know it's all but a guaranteed hit) and in my opinion one of Otter's greatest assets. She's brilliant at staying loyal to the spiritual core of source novels, while weaving convoluted plot points through a more robust background story and logic.

It's a slight disappointment that she won't be back, but it's also not entirely surprising. TTEOTM and Immortality are both big, female-oriented fantasy romance IPs. Meanwhile Shui Long Yin's IP is quite dated, lesser known, and incomplete, so I'd expect that the drama will only be loosely based on the original. While we don't know much about Lin Conghe, he did recently work on the Blood of Youth sequel, where he was the lead screenwriter alongside author Zhou Munan, so he might actually be a better choice for this genre (xuanhuan wuxia).

5. The way HunanTV & Mango announced the drama is unusually high profile, indicating that this is one of the platform's biggest projects.

It's rare to have one of China's biggest hosts announce a new drama that hasn't even started shooting or released any details yet live on prime time TV. (Usually a drama's official announcement comes out on the day of its booting ceremony, if not during its production or at its wrap ceremony.) It's even rarer for a costume drama to announce a TV platform at this stage. These days it's quite difficult for costume fantasies to get a coveted TV airing slot given genre restrictions and additional censorship requirements. Typically you do not find out officially whether it will air on TV until literally right before it airs.

Before the official announcement, rumors have already been circulating that there's a bidding war behind the scenes for this project, with Mango and its parent HunanTV outbidding Youku in the end. Mango/HunanTV is already the market leader in variety shows, but is behind the other three platforms in scripted content. Apparently, they've recently received an injection of funding to shore up their drama department and now investing in tentpole projects that can help them gain share. Clearly they saw what TTEOTM did for Youku.

6. There's another interesting player in the mix: China Mobile and its subsidiary Migu.

It appears that China Mobile (one of the most valuable companies in China and a state-owned enterprise) has invested in the drama, which will be made available on its online video platforms. Apparently, the last time China Mobile invested in a drama, they sent text messages to every user to publicize it when it aired. Now not sure if this will happen (it's not patriotic drama after all), but they've already been promoting the drama through their gazillion affiliate social media accounts. Either way, it should be a good thing for the drama's distribution to have such an influential backer given Mango's lower daily active user.

7. They're making it super clear that Luo Yunxi is going to be the dominant male lead in this drama

In the first Weibo post, they only announced the title, Luo Yunxi, and the airing platforms. In the second Weibo post, where they announced the rest of the creative team, they still did not announce the other actors! Of course, this is likely because Luo Yunxi's company (which is really just him) bought the source novel's IP and is credited as a co-producer. (They don’t have any production capabilities at all, so Otter will likely be quarterbacking this.)

This suggests, like many who have read the novel already know, that Luo Yunxi will have by far the biggest part. The other roles, including the female lead role, will likely be smaller and revolve around the main character.

8. Shui Long Yin is already generating a lot of hype.

To date its Weibo announcement racked up >1M likes (more than double that of TTEOTM). There's already a very active Douban group debating all the rumors, most importantly whether Luo Yunxi will use a wig or his real hair (a highly divisive topic). The new drama has even been reported by China Daily, China's state media facing the international community, which is again exceedingly rare. China Daily doesn't usually report on entertainment news, and most hit shows don't get mentioned even after airing.

There's always a big risk with productions with this much anticipation so early in the process, from fan wars and disruptive stalking on set to accusations propagated by competitors that can invite more state scrutiny. Fingers crossed that the team knows what they're doing and can weather all the storms that will undoubtedly come its way.

9. Finally, I remain cautiously excited.

Production quality will likely be great, with such a strong creative team and financial backers with deep wallets. My main worry is that it'll be beautiful, but boring. For this genre (xuanhuan wuxia or basically wuxia with high fantasy elements), it's really important that the story moves fast and the underdog hero keeps outsmarting or outfighting everyone else in a way that gives viewers a sense of exhilaration. It'd be all too easy for the story to get bogged down by a large cast of unmemorable characters and a meandering plot. Otters Studio is usually great at delivering fast-paced high drama (just based on TTEOTM and the screenplay of Immortality), but they're working with a different screenwriter this time and it's not easy to be a consistent hit maker. Let's hope they stick to their intuition and continue to present stories and characters that excite viewers.

#luo yunxi #till the end of the moon #cdrama #black moonlight holds the be script #tteotm #chinese drama #shui long yin #otters studio

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jbaileyfansite · 5 months

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Jonathan Bailey's interview with The Standard (2023)

(TW: this interview contains a story of Jonny being threatened by an homophobe in DC the day after the Human Campain Rights Gala)

Queer as Folk, Will & Grace, It’s a Sin: it’s not as if TV hasn’t tackled the gay male experience – and well – before. But I can’t think of a gay, straight (as it were) drama that matches the sweep and sheer mainstream gloss of Ron Nyswaner’s new eight-part Paramount+ series Fellow Travelers.

Nor can I think of one that does sex quite as brilliantly – frequent, searingly hot, sometimes tender, sometimes perfunctory, sometimes borderline brutal (one of the writers’ rules, Nyswaner has said, was “that we would never repeat the same act. When we got to episode eight, we were really kind of flummoxed”) and always articulate in a way that the necessarily secretive characters can’t be.

It’s certainly the first series I’ve seen that explores gay relationships in such an unapologetic yet nuanced and, frankly, expensive way, I tell Bailey, when I meet him at the Corinthia hotel in London.

“Totally,” he says. “And you can see it on the screen; the respect. In the early 90s, you needed a straight superstar like Tom Hanks [in Philadelphia, also written by Nyswaner] to bring a queer story and commission it. Cut to thirty years later, and it's the story itself that is the commissionable thing.”

I think the heartthrob star of Bridgerton is underselling his own clout a bit. The series follows the love affair between Tim Laughlin, an idealistic young congressional staffer (Bailey), and the vastly more experienced, cynical and outrageously handsome State Department official Hawkins ‘Hawk’ Fuller (Matt Bomer, whose all-American jawline could open a can of luncheon meat) that begins at the height of McCarthyism.

It jumps around a thirty-year timeline, expanded beyond the mid-century scope of Thomas Mallon’s original novel, to explore the relationship’s far-reaching repercussions, and the way that legislated oppression shapes people.

The other thing that stands out about the series, which begins in 1953 at the start of the Lavender Scare – the government crackdown on homosexual federal employees that resulted in upwards of 5,000 losing their jobs, and an alarming number taking their own lives – is that all the gay leads are played by out gay actors.

Bailey has said before that the important thing is gay stories being told, rather than slavishly ‘appropriate’ casting, and “I still 100 per cent stand by the fact that I think all actors should be able to do everything,” he says. “But to have gay actors chronicling the oppression and the trauma of it, I think it only adds to the experience. It's exciting that people welcome it.”

It’s encouraging too, that an out gay man was trusted to anchor a heteromantic behemoth like Bridgerton, to the point that having been snapped at Wimbledon with Ariana Grande (with whom he stars next year in the movie of Wicked), a newspaper was calling his agent threatening to out him as straight (“I'm in two minds about whether that's a really good sign of progression”). But all this progress is set against a sobering backdrop.

Rights for women and LGBTQ+ people are being rolled back across the world. Hate crimes based on sexuality have risen by 112 per cent in the last five years in England and Wales alone. How does he feel, right now, I ask him. After a moment’s consideration, he tells me a story that shocks me to my core.

He’d been to Washington DC, he tells me, at an annual event for the LGBTQ+ organisation The Human Rights Campaign.

“It was an incredible experience,” he says, sitting one leg tucked under on a tasteful beige chaise longue. “I met President Biden. I was there with Shonda Rhimes, she was being given an award, Matt Bomer was given another one; I was introducing him. My first political gala. I had the most amazing night; had a drink; couldn't sleep; buzzing.

“I woke up the next morning, it was like a montage. Sunshine, I was like, this is brilliant. I went into a coffee shop, and I was wearing a Human Rights Campaign cap from the night before. And the young lady who I was ordering from recognised me from Bridgerton, we were just chatting.

“And a man arrived behind me and he said, ‘Are you famous?’ And I said something like, 'I'm really famous for ordering coffee,' which is actually quite an annoying thing to say,” he laughs. “And then he got my cap, and he pulled it off my head and he threw it across the room and he said, ‘get out of this f***ing coffee shop, you queer.”

The room went still, Bailey remembers. But he walked over, picked up his hat, and put it back on his head. “If you don't take that cap off, I'm gonna f***ing shoot you,” it came again. “Where I'm from, people like me kill people like you.”

It was, of course, terrifying. But “in the moment, everything slows down,” he says. “No one knew what to do, apart from one girl, she was amazing. Angela, she came up, and she got her phone out and she said, ‘I'm recording this message, I think you are welcome in this country. And what you're saying, I think, is appalling.’ That happened sort of five minutes in, and he left.”

The man was from Pennsylvania (yes, Bailey did ask), and what Bailey took from the experience, he says, is that “potentially, there is a kid who – that's his father. That's his uncle. That's his teacher.”

He pauses. “My life was threatened. My body believed it; my brain didn't and it took me a while to really catch up with it. But I've got friends and security. There are so many people that don't. They are surrounded by that every day, and the torment of what that must be like, the amount of fear that was generated... If that's what children are surrounded by, they're not going to be able to grow in any way.

“And of course, that's not just an American story,” he continues. “It's international. And it's terrifying, that [here in the UK] we're not looking after queer people, in terms of allowing them into the country. Because that is the reality; people’s lives are literally at risk.”

He says the messages he’s been getting in response to the show bear this out. “People are still living in the closet. Or they’ve had a moment where they're watching and they realise, that was their father's story, or their mother's story; or it’s people who have been affected by this, but for the first time are understanding the trauma.

“People are so shocked that this is such recent history, but the majority of people in the world are living under that sort of belief system. And people on Instagram message from areas in the world where just getting through the day without being outed is survival.”

Bailey, 35, grew up in rural Oxfordshire as the youngest of four and the only boy to an audiologist mother and a father who worked for Rowse Honey. He had nothing but support and love within his family, but even he internalised shame from the way gay people were represented in the media when he was growing up.

“The majority of gay people were either the butt of jokes, or being caught in sexual acts and considered deviants, or they were committing suicide, or they're dying of AIDS,” he says.

He’s spoken before about an episode of Casualty he saw, aged 11, with exactly the latter storyline, “and I do remember that episode, viscerally, and crying and being like, that's what I'm [going to be]. And that isn't Casualty’s fault. It's brilliant to have that story out there. But it was the lack of variety, of access to being allowed to feel that you're going to be okay.”

Having said that, he says, “every five years is a different gay generation. It was nowhere near as tough as if I'd have been born 15 years earlier. Me and my friends, two in four, if not three in four, would not be here.”

His relationship status is off-limits. There’s “a lovely man”, but that’s all he’ll say. “It's not secret, but it's private,” he says. “Having a private life is, for me, completely critical. I don't know if I would be able to be as confident to speak out on other things if I felt that my whole life was up for grabs.”

Bailey’s next big screen project is Wicked, playing Fiyero alongside Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. At one point though, he was doing that, Fellow Travelers and Bridgerton at the same time, which sounds insane.

“On World AIDS Day last year, I was in Canada playing Tim on the AIDS ward,” he says (you know this from the start, no spoilers here). “And then I wrapped, went straight to the airport, slept on the plane, got up and went straight to a Regency ball, slept in a hotel in London overnight and then went and danced with Ariana Grande for a day, my first day of rehearsal. Then I came back and burnt some conscription papers for the Vietnam War on the Monday.”

He’s got big plans of his own too – galvanised by the gala in Washington, he’s been working with the charity Just Like Us, which brings queer speakers into schools. "You're twice as likely to be bullied if you're gay, or queer," he says. "And yet if there's positive LGBTQ+ messaging within the school system, 100 per cent of people's mental health and happiness increases. It's a no brainer." He is planning to establish a foundation next year, to consolidate his charitable work.

But for now he’s glad to be home for a bit. Bailey moved out of London to be closer to his Nana during lockdown, and stayed (“I was watching Strictly with her the other day”). She’s 93, born in 1930, so “we worked out she's the same age as Tim. So we charted everything that Tim experiences with where she was, and it was amazing,” he says.

“I knew that she had known one gay man at work in her life, because that obviously came up when I was having conversations about who I am, and I knew he had taken his own life. She's watching Fellow Travelers, and it's really emotional for her because she's, I think for the first time, really being allowed to understand what might have been going on.”

She's “blown away” by the show, he says. They haven’t talked about “specific scenes”, but “she said to my sister – ‘I didn't know he had it in him.’ I actually want that on a T-shirt.”

Source

#fellow travelers #jonathan bailey #jonny bailey #lgbtq+#lgbtqia #interviews #interviews:2023 #the standard 2023 #NEW!

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theaudientvoid · 2 months

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So, like, in general, the cast of Game of Thrones did not read the books. When asked, they usually said something about the show being its own thing, and wanting the keep things separate and all that. The main exception to this was Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who was vocal about having read the books, and how knowing where the character was headed allowed him to enhance his performance.

It probably should come as any surprise that Coster-Waldau is also the most vocally critical of the way the later seasons were written. At this point, if nothing else, everyone in the cast has to at least be aware that Season 8 was not well received, but mostly they don't talk about. Coster-Waldau, as far as I know, is the only member of the main cast to openly criticize the show writers. And not just for departing from the books, but for poor writing in general.

There's an anecdote that he tells about going to David Benioff and saying that the way Jaime was being written made no sense, and that he didn't know how he should play the character, and being told "just read the lines", and this, I think is telling. Coster-Waldau was still trying to play a character, while at this point Benioff and co. were more interested in having puppets that the could pander for award bait to boost their own egos.

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pinkiepiebones · 5 months

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Okay okay... favorite Renfield face/expression in the whole movie?

Aaaaaa I'm not in a place where I can screencap right now so I'll do my best to describe scenes! Yes, scenes. You expect me to only pick one?

-the face he makes in the flashback when his narration says "I actually remember thinking, 'he really, really means it this time.'" Like, the slightest little flicker of a smile, those wide anime eyes, babygirl is in Too Deep!

-And then after the pope (? I don't know non-satanic church costumes) explodes, that face where his wyes kinda roll back and he blinks. That always read to me as coming back up from some Dracula hypnosis. Not that Dracula needed to exert a lot of control, but still. And his eyelids are dark and the redness around his eyes, gah, give the makeup department all the fucking awards right now

-After he crunches into the cockroach at the end of the meeting, with his eyes lit up and that goofy smirk

-"Looks like you're out of knives." *SNIKT* "I was wrong." Just the change from smug to OH FUCK NOT AGAIN

-"Oh, shit!" The bewilderment looking at his fist after he punched Apache Joe's head clean off.

-"Maybe if we were just a little bit more careful..." Something about how exaggerated his expressions are here. Like he's really trying to nail this pitch.

-When he's writhing in agony on the floor as Dracula lectures at him. :3c (I kinda feel bad for liking those faces but also, like. Who's gonna stop me.)

-The weird slack jaw disbelief look when the busload of cheerleaders rolls up

-Sadly cut from the movie but when the nuns thank him after the Mulates fight and he crosses himself and goes "Oh, well thank you, nuns" and immediately makes a cringey face XD

-The goddamned anime eyes sparkling as Rebecca's tenacity in the face of certain death inspires him. Literally 🥹

-Oh man I'm only like 1/3 of the way through the movie so uhhh I'll fast forward to one more: When he arrives in the room where Rebecca has seemingly given over to Dracula. He pulls the fucking anime-est sad face big teary eyes- like fucking, did Hoult mainline Ghibli films just to get his eyes to do that???? (Side note- Hoult can should will must and will be cast in the inevitable next Ghibli movie dub). Also he looks genuinely crushed as he gives a little nod like "yeah part of me knew no happiness would last for me..."

#renfield

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modern-day-bard · 3 months

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Worth The Feeling

A/n: Hi! This is my first time writing fanfiction and I will admit that the first few chapters are a little rocky, but hang in there and I promise it’s a fun little read. I tried to structure this story as a cutesy, lighthearted romance novel, and I think I found that pace later on. With some of the chapters containing adult content, I would ask that minors do not read or interact with my posts. There is explicit smut and fluff, and some intimidation in a couple of chapters. Other than that and the age gap (MC is 26, Javi is in his 40s), there are no other major trigger warnings. I also purposefully did not give the main character any physical descriptors, other than her being shorter than Javi, because I wanted whoever is reading it to be able to picture themselves. I found it too difficult to write the story from the perspective of “y/n.” I tried to choose a name that was hopefully racially ambiguous enough so anyone could connect with the character. Finally, if you do choose to read my story, thank you and happy reading! Summary: Ava Cohen is a 26-year-old production assistant working tirelessly to achieve her dream of one day becoming a film director. As hiatus from her last project comes to a close, she returns to set with Norwick Productions, whom she has worked with for the past four years. After a major fo paux on the first day of work, Ava is worried she has offended the star of this next production: Javi Gutierrez. She will soon come to realize, this couldn’t be further from the truth. When the cast and crew travel to Italy to film on location, the seriousness of what Ava is feeling becomes all too real, just as a new career opportunity lands in her lap. As tensions run high, watchful eyes set in, and her career is put at stake, can all of this be worth it in the end?

Content Warning: 18+

Chapter 1

I wonder if it's possible to drive with your eyes partially sealed shut. It should be illegal to be awake this early. 4:30am call time on the first day? I've been on more productions than I can count, though I fear this one will finally be the one to take me down. At least this morning we're on the sound stage as opposed to on sight in Italy. Maybe most 26-year-olds would be jumping at the opportunity to fly abroad with all expenses paid. But to me, the thought of being stuck on a steel tin in the sky for any amount of time is enough to make me consider throwing in the towel on this job all together. But I'm not going to think about that right now. I take a deep breath as I pull onto the lot. The first day on set is always the most chaotic. The amount of people who seem to forget how to do their jobs during hiatus grows every time we return. I can't judge of course, because I may soon be one of them. I've been with Norwick Productions since I was 22, and I'm already feeling burnt out after only four years. Granted, the burn out could be due to completing grad school homework until one in the morning, and arriving here before the sun came up. Regardless, my first stop is craft services for coffee. After I'm caffeinated and signed in, my duties pile high. As a Production Assistant, I'm given any and all tasks other employees didn't have time to complete. Sometimes the lack of time to complete the task was due to a lack of desire to complete it, which could lead to some pretty unfortunate chores for me. Picking up dry cleaning, faking tears over the phone to convince the fire department to give us a permit, walking talent's dogs, cleaning up said dog's poop, you name it. I even had to shave our leading lady's armpits. Twice. They take the "other duties as assigned" line on the job application to the extremes.

Talent is arriving in two hours and we still don't have everyone's trailer set up, so that is my first stop. The one thing I pride myself on is that despite being a major movie buff, I had an uncanny ability not to get starstruck. No matter how often their name was trending or how many awards these people have won, I always saw them as part of the crew. Was I a little rattled on my first set? Sure. But when you realize how helpless a lot of these rich actors are, the sparkle sort of wears off.

I typically never got a chance to read the script beforehand. It isn't a requirement of PAs, and in fact, we're not even allowed to see them every time. So until I have the call sheet in hand, I'm not sure who I am setting up these trailers for. And in my dazed need for coffee, I forgot to grab a call sheet (a huge no-no for PAs, but I'll blame it on last night's homework bender). From what I saw inside a few minutes ago, it looks like the first scene has something to do with the CIA. There were giant print-outs of the lettering all over the wall. For now, all I have to go off of is the CIA and the impending doom of travel to Italy in a few weeks. I finish prepping the two lead's trailers with a welcome letter, various snacks, and a copy of today's filming schedule. I check my watch: 6:00am. Still a half hour until they arrive. I tip my head back, taking in as much of my coffee as I can as I head toward the door of the trailer.

I swing the door open, and crash right into something hard. The movement sends my coffee splashing down the front of my shirt and dripping onto my shoes. "Shit." I hiss, looking down at my soaked t-shirt. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry." A sincere male voice causes my head to snap back up. In my sleep-deprivarty, I didn't connect the fact that I had crashed into a person and not a wall. The man in front of me is taking off a pair of sunglasses, a mortified expression on his face. A face that I don't recognize. He's certainly attractive, and possibly in his forties? His dark brows are pulling together in concern, his brown eyes deep with sympathy. A rush of embarrassment creeps up my cheeks as I realize that I had walked directly into his chest when I was trying to leave the trailer. I take a step back so I don't have to crane my head to look up at him. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking." I say quietly, warmth still coating my cheeks. "You're sorry? Don't be. I wasn't looking either." He steps inside, ducking his tall frame under the door to enter. "And your poor shirt..." He gestures to my now semi-sheer t-shirt. I put my coffee down on the small table and cross my arms over my chest. "You don't have to worry about this trailer," I say, changing the subject. "I already prepped it." "Oh, uh, thank you." He looks confused now, and he starts shrugging off a backpack I didn't realize he was carrying. He tosses the bag on one of the chairs at the table. I notice he doesn't have a walkie either. He must be new, and sure to get a talking to by Lloyd if he's dumping his stuff in a talent trailer and strolling around without a walkie. "When were you hired?" I keep my tone casual, conversational. I find that I can deal with embarrassment better if I keep the other person talking. "About five months ago, I think." He starts to run his hand across the table between us, watching his own movements carefully. I get the sense that he's trying not to look at me. "Well, welcome aboard. I should warn you that the director is pretty strict about PAs walking around without walkies. Trust me, I got my ass handed to me during my first week. Super embarrassing." I roll my eyes for emphasis. He looks up at me then, his smile warm, and his tone carries a humor that I don't quite understand when he says, "Thank you. I'll keep it in mind." "No problem. Oh, and I'm Ava." I extend my hand and he takes it. His hand envelopes mine, and I realize in that moment that he is quite a bit larger than me. This realization, combined with the warmth on his palm makes me feel funny. "I'm Javi." He smiles again. "Good to meet you," I say, taking my hand back to check my watch once more. "Talent should be arriving soon so wherever you need to be, I would head over there now." I walk toward the door as I say it, taking extra care when opening the door this time. "I'm sorry again, Ava." He calls after me, his voice still just as sincere as the first time he apologized. "Don't worry about it!" I call back, closing the door behind me. I take the few steps down from the trailer, breathing a sigh of relief to be out of that moment. However, that sigh gets sucked back down my throat when I see the two words in bold on the front of the trailer I just left. Javi Gutierrez

And if my cheeks were red before, now they are maroon.

Next Chapter

Series Masterlist

#pedro pascal characters #javier peña #the mandalorian #joel miller #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal fandom #javi gutierrez #javi gutierrez x reader #javi gutierrez fanfiction #javi gutierrez smut #javi gutierrez x you #javi gutierrez fluff

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