#found this one while researching and it's such a nice interview | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

1for5 · 15 days

Text

yes im changing

paige bueckers x reader

(paige x uconn psychology student!reader)

synopsis: with y/n being in a new environment, still facing rejection, how can she bounce back?

masterlist

chapter 5

the previous week was hell for y/n. she got to finish interviewing all the members part of the men’s and women’s basketball team. she plans on having study sessions with the team members starting next week. aubrey has been noticing dark circle’s under y/n’s eyes, and she’s growing concered.

it was a saturday night, and aubrey was going out to hang with the team, when she went out of here room, she saw y/n locked in with her research. she saw a glimpse of the introduction.

university of connecticut, in short uconn, is known for many achievements in their curriculars, and especially in basketball. according to previous research, many have grown fond of basketball due to university of connecticut, with many championship titles being brought to their home at storrs.

basketball in uconn is more popular than ever. with this, the researcher aims to see the difference of the resilience of these student athletes from the basketball teams of uconn. according to..

“girl thats dope, but you have been reviewing this introduction for the longest time. you need a break, your eyebags are telling you to do so.” aubrey said. “i just want a good grade.. so im eligible to transfer to stanford.” y/n replies nonchalantly.

“that is true, but you need to loosen up for now y/n. you have done a lot. im hanging out with the team today, you should really come so i wouldn’t have to worry about my teammate finishing cans of red bull. thats bad for you!” aubrey proposes. “i dont think i can..” y/n declines.

“im not taking no for an answer, so come into your room and put nice clothes on. i can wait for you” aubrey drags y/n out of her chair and brings her to the girl’s room.

“fine”

after 30 minutes, the roommates finally arrived to the destination: a steakhouse. it’s tradition for the team to eat at their favorite steakhouse at every start of the school year. the team may bring their friends and significant others to this gathering, but they all keep in mind to keep this gathering not too big and still quite intimate.

“hi y/n!!!” the team greets her, aubrey signaling her to sit beside nika and her. nika turned to y/n, and asked more personal questions about her life. they only got to talk during the interviews, and nika was genuinely willing to be friends with y/n.

they got more comfortable with each other, they found out they both liked rock climbing, building legos, and had mystery movies as their comfort movies.

while talking, one member of the team, kk, got curious. “so.. what’s the deal between aubrey and y/n? we didn’t know that y/n would be here, but don’t worry boo we’re all glad you’re here” kk asked.

everyone except for one

“oh nooo. y/n and i arent like that. yeah we’re roommates and we got close to each other but she’s not my type, don’t even know if she’s for the girls! i brought her here since she’s been too deep into her research. she needs to eez down” aubrey declined the allegation, y/n agreeing to her.

“only answer this if your comfortable with it but.. are you for the girls?” kk’s curiousity got stronger. “oh no its fine kk! yeah i am gay, just dont have a label. but i have never had a girlfriend before” y/n answered with a smile.

“OOOOH!” kk and the others exclaimed. “so what are you looking for in a partner? we could hook you up!” ice asked.

“i want my personal athletic or active, i dont know, they just have that aura. i also want my person to be quite smart.. i dont know guys its just attractive to me! and i hope theyre love language is words of affirmation. im a sucker for that” y/n shamefully answers.

“you know y/n, maybe your just talking about me” kk teased. “NOOOO”s and “EEEWWW”s were said after that, laughter all around.

after a wonderful night and dinner, it was time to head to an open basketball court. the uconn team loves to hoop after a good night out. its their only time to really have fun with their sport, no rules or anything. the steakhouse was just walking distance to the court, hence the team leaving their cars first at the parking area.

as they go into the court, y/n was smiling with the rest of the team, until she sees paige. paige gave her an eye roll, which made y/n feel quite annoyed and uncomfortable.

the rest of the team wanted to see y/n play, so she did, she was against paige, qadence, nika, and ice. y/n was having fun, but whenever she makes in contact with the ball and paige was beside her, paige kept on nudging her and slightly hitting her. paige was rough, which was not usual for her especially when they were just playing for fun.

the others felt paige’s competitiveness, and it didn’t feel right. kk calmed paige down. “paige whats your problem? she doesn’t play. that was foul” kk asked. paige just scoffed and ignored kk. kk was for sure that paige was hiding something, and she would have to ask next time when paige is more open to talk about it.

the team decided to call it a day. while they were walking back to the parking area, paige was dribbling a basketball, and started to throw it up— which led to another “accident.”

the ball goes forward and hits y/n again, but this time it was on her shoulder. y/n looked back to see who threw the ball, only to see that it was the blonde once again.

“what the fuck is your problem?”

#paige bueckers #paige bueckers fic #paige bueckers x reader

133 notes · View notes

20dollarlolita · 2 years

Text

Quick reminder that you're allowed to have fun.

Back when I cosplayed, I put a ton of effort into cosplays. I did a ton of research, fabric sourcing, learning new construction techniques, trying to get everything to look good and be the perfect thing that I wanted it to be. I wanted to win awards. I wanted to be the very best, like no one ever was.

I got into cosplay because I was in a Twilight cosplay group. We would get together, to go Ross Dress for Less, buy new outfits, get together, go to the park or to the mall, and pretend to be vampires. One of the people in the group had a camera and took pictures, and that was what we did. We didn't make any really good cosplays or any really good photos, but I had so much fun going into the park in the rain wearing a sleeveless dress and pretending that I wasn't freezing, while our Bella cosplayer got to be the only person in a jacket and had to pretend she was miserable.

We weren't a good cosplay group, objectively speaking. We never won awards. We weren't interviewed by blogs. We weren't ever the group that everyone wanted to take pictures of at the convention. I got into doing more cosplay, but a lot of people in that group didn't cosplay outside of that group. A lot of them never cosplayed again, once we all went to college and stopped going to the mall and taking tons of pictures in the food court.

(For everyone who wants to imagine this, this was 2008 and cell phones didn't have cameras that could be dumped onto your computer, so there was several high schoolers pretending to be vampires and one person with a full DSLR with a 300mm zoom lens following them around like the whole grous wasn't a total ball of chaos).

And, you know what? We had fun. It's okay to do things just because it's fun.

With so many professionals posting information on the internet about how they do their craft, it's an amazing time to get into a lot of hobbies. Instead of hoarding information, a ton of hobbyists and professionals alike share their work and techniques and tools freely online. Anyone who wants to can learn how to use the same tools and do the same techniques. I applaud every professional who is taking the time to make resources so that new people can learn how to do things and join in their profession or hobby. Everyone who makes a roller skate tutorial on instagram, everyone who makes an instructable on using a soldering iron, everyone who posted a tiktok about the best way to melt cheese over rice, all those long and pretentious youtube videos about picking the best whiskey to go with the best cigars, videos explaining the bizarreness of Edwardian table manners, you all are amazing. You're sharing this information and enabling new people to learn about something that's important to you. This is really cool. I love you.

But, to everyone who is consuming this media that has been created, and find it intimidating, you're not alone. Someone with a functioning studio who is doing a makeup tutorial in a 4K camera with a high quality ring light and a $89 foundation brush, even sharing their technique freely, can make you feel like you won't have good makeup skills until you also have a ring light and a nice brush. You wanted to build a model of an airplane and looked up a tutorial, and this guy makes it look really easy but he has a double-action airbrush and a fume hood, so you feel like you're not ready to make this model because you don't have the right gear.

I know that this intimidation factor is not something that content creators making tutorials want to be there. I make tutorials and I don't want to intimidate people with a big list of tools and techniques, but I'm sure there's people who wanted to get into lolita fashion and found that my blog was more intimidating than helpful.

So I'm not here to tell content creators to stop making tutorials. The open sharing of information is one of the coolest things about the internet, and I don't want that to change.

But I do want to say something to the person who has watched 160 cake decorating videos in the past week and wanting to try it themselves. I want to say that to someone who has gone through 18 years of jfashion blog archives and wants to build an EGL coordinate. I want to say something to people who've built up an elaborate fictional world and amazing characters in their heads and who wants to share it with someone.

It's okay to do a thing without getting into the hobby. You're allowed to make one cake and decide that it's not for you. You're allowed to take the face off a Monster High doll and not like the process of putting on a new one. You're allowed to assemble one EGL outfit and not want to make a full closet of pieces. You're allowed to write down your story and give it to a friend without ever submitting it to a publisher. You're allowed to paint your DND minis with Apple Barrel acrylics and toothpicks. You're allowed to put on your eyeshadow with the little sponge stick that comes with the $9 palette you got at CVS.

Getting into wood carving is cool, but carving one spoon and then never picking it back up again isn't a failure at getting into a hobby. You made a spoon! That's so cool! You didn't fail to make a spoon just because you didn't make a second one. Building one coordinate and wearing it over and over for conventions and photoshoots isn't a failure to wear the fashion, even if you don't make a whole wardrobe with multiple looks. You can buy a $12 guitar at a yard sale and just play Wonderwall on it on Omegle and have more fun than someone who is dedicated to learning a full set and play professionally in front of people. You can knit a single scarf, hammer together a single planter box, DM a single session of D&D, and then not do it ever again. That's creation, not failure.

And you don't need to research everything and follow tutorials and get it right. You're allowed to experiment and have fun and do it wrong, and you're allowed to guess about the right way to do something. You're allowed to bring your outside perspective into something and try a technique. You're allowed to take experience you have from something and try to cross-apply it to something else. That's two of the ways that new techniques are made! And you're allowed to do something and not like it! You're allowed to do it wrong! You're allowed to give up halfway through and say you'll finish it later, and then never finish it later! You're allowed to bullshit your way through things.

You're allowed to not be serious about things. Throwing a Bridgerton party is probably really fun, but so it putting on cardboard top hats from the dollar store while holding shot glasses over your eyes like monocles and shouting "GOOOOOOOD HEEAAAAAVENS, LAAAAARYYYY," in an exaggerated tone while everyone drinks Old Crow and vows to never buy Swisher Sweets ever again. You're allowed to do things that objectively aren't good, don't showcase skills, don't create something impressive. You're allowed to do these things because they're fun, or because you think they might be fun.

Maybe you like it. Maybe you don't. But you don't need to commit to doing things like the professionals in order to find legitimacy in a thing you attempt. Your attempt is legitimate. Go try the thing.

And if you don't like it, your attempt was still legitimate. Good job trying the thing.

#for those of you who were too young to remember #there was a period of time where cell phones had cameras but you couldn't get the pictures off the phone and onto your computer #verizon would charge you 25 cents per picture to email a picture to your computer #kids these days don't know how lucky they are #also don't start smoking cigars just because it looks cool on youtube #haven't you all seen pinochio and shit?#alcohol cw #tobacco cw #20dollarlolita pep talks

3K notes · View notes

sgiandubh · 3 months

Note

@outlanderskin :"For those who have doubts: just research a little about Caitríona's dating history. See how she treated Dave and James and how she talked about them in interviews. See how she wrote about the Irish boyfriend she had in Paris in that article. Compare all of this to the impersonal way she treats or talks about Tony. Bingo🙃"

Good point 👌

Dear Good Point Anon,

You know, it's really serendipitous, as I have just finished a weeklong deep dive in very, very old press articles on (or at least mentioning) S and C, who clearly had a life before OL, thinking it would be nice to put some of my archive work skills to good service.

I think @outlanderskin was referring to C's New York Times article I reviewed and analyzed last summer, but I just found way better: a very long report in the Irish Independent's Sunday issue of July 11, 2004, focused on the next generation of Irish supermodels. Of which there could be only one, at that time: C, who dominates Roxanne Parker's 'Through Thick and Thin".

I am sorry, there is no link available to my knowledge, so we'll have to work with these very poor xerox scans:

I took the liberty of generously using my dreaded highlighter and, for the people who need to translate this post with Google, I am now taking my time to type what I find damn interesting in this almost twenty-year old article:

'If Ireland ever has a hope of having its own supermodel, then Caitriona Balfe is it. Sitting in the Pink Pony Café on Ludlow Street in New York, Caitriona swirls a wad of bread into her carrot and coriander soup while informing me that her musician boyfriend just brought her a breakfast-in-bed of cream eclairs and coffee a little over an hour ago. But that doesn't stop Caitriona from finishing her lunch and chasing it with a large cocoa-dusted cappuccino. Ebony-tressed and ivory-skinned, Caitriona clip-clops down the cobbled street after we leave the cafe, heading towards her apartment in Chinatown with Dave Mailone (sic!), the boyfriend, in tow.'

This reads, in 2024, like an interview with a more benevolent C clone from a totally different planet, indeed. A young, carefree, in love and hysterically funny C, who apparently had no problem heavily dishing out happy tidbits of her private life to her home country's press. A C also very much reminiscing anyone with a brain of the 2013-2018 bantering C, as this quote shows:

Again, you'll have to indulge me retyping it, Anon (tedious, I know - but helpful). She is remembering her real breakthrough, in November 2002, at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, in New York:

That was the most I've ever been paid for a show. I've got 18,000 euros for one day's work! They made me get a spray tan before the show, and I was still the whitest and the least well-endowed girl in the entire show! So what did she have to wear on the big day? `Not a whole lot! I think I described my outfit on the day as something Wilma Flintstone would wear on her honeymoon night. There wasn't a whole lot to it and it had bits of fur hanging off it.'

And, for good measure, we even have a (admittedly, awful) picture with the season's fiancé, with whom things did not end well:

I know, it looks like a Pravda pic, circa 1957 and I am honestly sorry. But it's still very clear. And, which is more important, very eloquent.

Anon and reader, you draw your own conclusions on this. I know where I stand. The only guy C has similar pics taken with and released in the press or on social media is the peasant some love to bash every single day in here. Their problem, not mine.

Yes, of course Mordor will yell and hiss. Of course they will throw rotten tomatoes at the blunt knife and scream THIS IS OLD. But hey, do you have any better than this poor (but oh, so endearingly authentic) picture or than any given S&C pic before the fucking EFH and IFH, when she gradually started to turn into today's Reclusive, Restrained and Rarefied Greta Garbo wannabe?

Oh, and please: don't give me the 'he's shy' or the paperwork crap again. Her public persona has drastically changed, and not for the better. It's plain to see and there are reasons for this.

Who's to blame? This question is so wrong, in so many ways.

The question should be 'what's to blame?'

I'll stop here, Anon and I hope it was somewhat useful. Thank you for dropping by.

#anon #fandom #shitshow

140 notes · View notes

girlwithalotoffeelings · 1 year

Text

A/B/O Bakugou trying to court you brain rot...

You both met each other at the hero gala where the sturdy hero red riot had introduced you to the moody alpha. You had met kirishima while on a joint mission.

Both of you and gotten talking and didn't separate the entire night, too engrossed in each other to be bothered.

Katsuki had never been one to get caught up in the scents of omegas but yours... was like heaven to him. You smelt of salted caramel, elder flower and a blazing camp fire. A wonderful match to your quirk "Solar". You were able to harness the energy of the sun and expell it from your hands.

You were also pleasantly surprised at the addictive aroma that flooded from him. Burnt marshmallows, amber and the sting of peppercorn.

Each of you was eager to see each other again, which was sooner than you both expected...

You weren't expecting anything out of the ordinary when you arrived back at your pro hero agency from patrol. You sat behind your desk, ready to get to the paperwork you had put off yesterday when you heard a resounding knock at the door.

"Come in." You called out, sighing as you dropped the files on the other side of your desk, losing your nerve. You were surprised to see the number 2 hero walk into your office with a gift bag in tow, closing the door behind him.

"Oh Dynamite! Did we have a meeting scheduled? I wasn't expecting you." You was vigorously flipping through your calender and planner trying to find this on the books.

"No, we didn't I uhh can leave if you're too busy right now." He made to walk backwards and out but you stopped him with and extended arm.

"No, it's ok," you smiled warmly. "What's up?" You gestured over to the couches in the corner. You both took a seat on the three seater one couch cushion apart.

"I um, just wanted to... say hi?" It sounded like a question that made you quirk your eyebrow up.

"You came all the way here just to say hi?" You laughed lightly under your breath which helped Bakugou relax a little.

Unbeknownst to you, he hasn't stopped thinking about you since the gala. He craved to smell your scent again. He did hours of research on you, found out what all your favourites where and even how to make your favourite meal just the way you like it. He passed it off as just being curious about you, but realised it was way more than that as he caught himself replaying the same 10 seconds of one of your press interviews just to hear you laugh.

He didn't know what the hell was wrong with him at first, but after explaining what he was feeling to Kirishima and Kaminari, he was met with huge laughter. After he threatened their lives, they explained to him that he might have a teeny tiny bit of a crush on you.

As he thought about it more it made sense. He wanted to court you, to make you his and to be yours. That's when he decided he would ask to court you, now he just had to figure out what to do to convince you he'd be a good match for you. He was greatly aware he didn't have the best track record in approachablity, and that if you had deep dived him like he did you... you'd most likely never want a relationship with him.

He'd settled on the idea of giving you a blanket for your nest that he had scented, but not just any old store bought blanket, no. He took up knitting to make it as personalized as possible. He even spent a month on it just to make sure it was perfect for you. Once he deemed his little project worthy, he folded it up all nice and put it into a gift bag he had bought.

His palms were sweaty walking into your agency he almost didn't knock and just turned around. When you told him to come in he decoded there was no turning back now. After he'd spent over 6 months pining for you.

"No, no i didn't." He sighed wiping his palms on his pants. He set the bag on the couch in-between you two and gestured for you to open it. You were surprised to pull out a beautifully and what looks like handmade knitted blanket. You stared at the soft fuzzy material in shock when he started speaking again.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you since the gala," his voice was just above a whisper. "Look I know that I can be... less than polite, and that I'm not all sweet and mushy when it comes down to feelings and stuff. Its not a secret that the media really doesnt like to paint me in a good light either." He wasn't looking at you but looking down to his palms instead. You could tell that every word he was saying was sincere. You stared at him, lips slightly parted listening to his declaration. "But i still want the chance to show you I can be a good alpha to you... that I can make you happy." This side of him was so different to the Bakugou that was in the public eye. His usually self-assured, confident and rude demeanor now replaced with uncertainty, vulnerability and a sincerity that mesmerized you to your core. "I made it for you to y'know... put in your nest." You held the softness of the woven wool tightly to your chest.

"Katsuki, I dont care about your public image." He looked up at you and you could see the tint on his cheeks. You put the blanket down and reached forward to pull him into a hug, being engulfed in his scent. He was stiff at first but soon melted into it, circling his arms around your waist, pulling you closer and tucking his head into the crook of your neck to take a long inhale of you. "Thank you for the blanket, I love it," You said as you pulled back a little from the hug, your bodies still pressed against each other as you brought the plush to your nose and took a deep inhale and sighing in contempt "Smells like you." You put it down and smile up at him as he blushes.

A loud beeping brings you both out of the moment. "Shit, I have a meeting in five minutes." You get up and go over to your desk to turn off the alarm.

"Stupid meeting." He mumbles under his breath.

God my heart is aching for him so bad ily bakubabe<333

Thanks for reading! Reblogs are appreciated.

Requests are open♡

#katsuki bakugou x reader #mha x reader #mha fanfiction #bnha bakugo katsuki #bakugou katsuki #mha fluff #a/b/o #alpha and omega #alpha beta omega

863 notes · View notes

teamhappyme · 4 months

Text

an adjustment period

josh lyman x female!reader

word count: 2.7k

warnings: politically inaccurate portrayal of the white house, aka the west wing, projecting all my feelings onto josh lyman

a/n: me? posting two fics in one month? groundbreaking. I really am in my josh lyman era sue me idc.

“He will call you back at his next availability. I don’t know when that will be, Congressman.” You pulled the phone away from your ear as the Congressman yelled at you through the receiver. “I will let him know. Thank you, have a nice day Congressman.”

You slammed the receiver against the base until the rest of the communications bullpen looked over at you.

“I swear to god,” you mumbled to yourself as you barged into Sam’s office. “This is the first and last time I ever fill in for Ginger. Congressman who-gives-a-shit wants you to call him back at your earliest convenience.”

Sam looked up from his briefing, a small smirk on his face. “You would rather help me with research for the state of the union than answer my phone? I’m shocked.”

“Sam, if you don’t give me back my encyclopedia and the keys to my office,”

“Relax,” he interrupted, throwing your keys back to you which you caught easily. “I have a meeting in the oval, walk me there and I’ll give you your precious encyclopedia.”

“Fine.”

You walked through the communications bullpen, bumping into a frantic Kathy juggling a stack of papers in her hands.

“Sam owes you lunch everyday for the next two weeks until he leaves,” you told her, a small smile spreading over her face. “And if he tries to give you a hard time, call me, and then the President.”

“I’m not made of money, you know.” Sam piped in while leading you back into the route of the Oval Office.

“I have three words for you: Gage Whitney Partner.”

“Touché.”

The two of you rounded the corner past Josh’s office, and you couldn’t help but peer in to see if he was there.

It was a habit that started first out of survival. In the beginning of your tenure in the west wing you couldn’t walk past Josh’s office without him singing the Yale fight song. Then, after a heated argument in the Roosevelt room between the two of you over the relevance of the Oxford comma, you took every opportunity to occupy his free time to support your argument in favor of the beloved punctuation mark.

Four years had gone by, and somewhere along the way, the small squabbles turned into advice sessions on policy or speech writing. Sometimes, if either of you were feeling sentimental, you would share stories of your times at Yale.

Over time, it became part of your everyday routines to check in on one another, and it was one of the best parts of your day.

Behind writing speeches for the President of the United States, of course.

“Remind me to edit the concluding paragraphs of the President's speech to the education forum. Toby told me I’ve been using too much passive voice.”

“You do use too much passive voice.”

He stopped in front of Charlie’s desk, glaring at you for the comment.

“Hey, I like the passive voice as much as you, but Toby hates it, therefore I don’t use it.”

“He’ll be ready for you in a minute.” Charlie told Sam before leaving his desk for the Oval.

“Hey, have you guys found a new you yet? Toby has gone through like ten interviews and half of them left looking like they were going to cry.” You said as Charlie waved him in to the Oval. “I mean, the solution to this would be to not have you leave and become a congressman, because that’s boring and you can’t even write your own speeches. In fact, that’s exactly what you should do.”

You walked him to the doorway of the oval, waiting for him to hand you your encyclopedia that had been held hostage.

“Why don’t you come and join me and the President, he would like to be the one to tell you who we picked.”

“Why can’t you just tell me now? You know I have absolutely no patience for these things.”

He didn’t answer you, instead he looked into the Oval Office, a small smile on his face. You looked in after him, curious as to what he was so amused with.

All you saw was the President leaning against his desk, staring at the two of you, I’m sure not happy to be kept waiting.

“I don’t have all day you know,” President Bartlet joked before waving you both in.

Wait a minute.

“Sam,” You looked over at your boss, his smile now grinning from ear to ear. “No, Sam, it can’t-“

“Come on,” he interrupted, pushing you into the oval with a steady hand on your back.

You’d been in here plenty of times; usually with a group of people, and usually not when you’re getting offered the job of a lifetime. But when it’s just you and the President, it’s the most terrifying place in the world.

“I’ve never seen you scared a day in your life, don’t tell me today is the day you decide to be scared of the White House.” The President commented as you tried to relax.

“Well if you offer me a drink from the fancy decanter I can promise you I’ll be a lot less scared, sir.”

You and Sam sat down across from the president, and waited for the rest of your career change.

It was hard for you to listen to anyone praise your work ethic, character, and dedication to your job, let alone from the commander in chief himself. You worked for Toby, so there weren't a lot of warm and fuzzy feelings being spread around. So when the president mentioned that, yes, Sam recommended you for his position, but it was Toby that practically locked him in the Oval Office saying it had to be you, you were more than shocked.

You knew deep down he was a softie.

After accepting the position with absolutely no hesitation, it was off to the races with another meeting for the president.

“Mr. President, just one more question.” You asked as he walked you out. “Is there any way we can rework this position so that Toby answers to me and not the other way around?”

“Dream big,” the President said through his laughter, which brought a smile to your face.

Once you and Sam cleared through Charlie and Mrs. Landingham, you landed a sharp smack to his chest.

“What the hell was that for?” He asked, resting his hand over his hurt chest.

“You couldn’t have told me that you were going to nominate me for your job? Or that the president was going to offer me the job himself in the Oval Office?!”

“Well, then I wouldn’t be able to see your anxious shaking and clammy hands as the President raves about you.”

You rolled your eyes as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder, and the smile quickly returned to your face.

“You deserve this. I’m just sad I won’t be able to see you and Josh fight in Senior Staff meetings.”

“Oh don’t worry, we’ll be visiting you on the hill.”

Sam walked you back to your office and handed you the responsibility of finishing the President’s remarks for tonight’s Town Hall meeting.

“If it isn’t the new Deputy Communications Director in the flesh.”

Josh was waiting for you in your office, holding a gold box in his hand while swiveling around in your office chair.

“Technically we’re equals now, so I can tell you to get the hell out of my chair without fear of losing my job.”

“Technically, I outrank you, but since you don’t answer to me, I’ll let it slide.” He stood up from your chair, moving to stand across from you. “Did you quake under the stress of wondering what the president wanted from you?”

“Did you come here to congratulate me or make fun of me?” You asked, a smirk appearing on his face. “And is that present in your hand for me or your new accessory?”

“Do you have to ruin all the fun?” He commented and handed you the present.

You opened the box, taking out the tissue paper to reveal a book, The Social Contract to be exact.

“I know we both went to Yale, but I’m not sure I share the same affinity for the literature of Rousseau that you do, I’m more of an Austen or Didion kind of gal.” You joked.

“I thought I’d get you something that you could quote from in your State of the Union address. You know the President loves the cheese.”

You opened the cover of the book to find a note from Josh written on the inside. There were butterflies in your stomach before you read the first word, because that’s just the effect he had on you.

The relationship you shared with Josh is one that you greatly cherished. Your work rarely overlapped, being an underling of Sam in the communications department didn’t leave a lot of room for talking major policy with Josh. But after your own squabbles, and then overhearing a debate between you and Toby only days into your tenure at the White House, he quickly found any reason to work with you.

He would volunteer to work on research with you when he had any spare time, and he always requested you when he needed an extra hand when heading over to the Hill. You finally asked him about it a few months into the arrangement, and he shrugged before admitting he’d never seen someone stand up to Toby like that.

“You’re gonna go further than a speech writer in the communications department. One day I think you may run this whole building.”

You read aloud from his note, the same thing he said to you three years ago on your walk to the Hill.

You didn’t think he meant it then, and you surely can’t believe it now.

“I told you I’m good with words, Sam and Toby just never give me a chance.”

You closed the book, the weight of this new position pushing you back against your desk. You’re senior staff now. You’re in charge. You are going to be in the room where it happens.

“What if I’m not good at it.” You admitted in the open air.

“Hold on-“ Josh tried to interrupt you.

“Sam, Toby, and the President of the United States just told me they want me for this job. I don’t have a law degree, Josh. I have a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Masters in Political Science from Yale, but I don’t make laws. I don’t have an illustrious career in politics, I’m not even a head speechwriter for Christ’s sake. I crumble under the image of the Oval Office, and unless I’m correcting Toby’s grammar, I don’t particularly like to debate with people. I am going to be in charge of a department, responsible for people to get things done the way I want. I barely get things done the way I want. I am not going to be good at this.”

“Hey, I went to Yale, don’t drag her down.”

You threw him a look as he moved from his spot in the doorway.

“For the last three years, I’ve watched you handle more crises and speeches than any other deputy in the communications office. Sure, the President showered you with compliments for your writing skills, but it’s you, the person behind the speeches, who is going to make real change here.”

“Josh,” you protested, your voice becoming a whisper as you grew uncomfortable with the accolades once again.

“I’m serious,” he began, moving to stand in front of you. “No one ends up in the West Wing by chance. You were meant to be here. And I have no doubt in my mind that you are going to run this building one day.”

You shook your head, letting your hair fall in front of your face to shield Josh from seeing the tears forming in your eyes. No one has ever believed in you like Josh does.

“Hey,” he worriedly said, slowly reaching for your hand. “What’s really bothering you?”

You looked down at your hands, fingers laced with his for what felt like the hundredth time. The line was always a bit blurred with Josh. You worked on so many projects together, spending hours on end in one office or another. Three years of small spaces and critical decision making led to post-meeting breakdowns, confiding in people you spent hours on end with.

Josh quickly became your person at work, and after the shooting, you became his. Neither of you spoke of it, you just knew that he would be there for you whenever you needed it. Josh knew it all, from screaming matches with Toby, to family emergencies, and the never ending question of what your purpose in life is, which was looming over everyone’s head that worked in the West Wing.

You had always felt something more for Josh. Maybe you read too much into it when he would walk you home from a late night event at the White House, or how he would call you in the middle of the night to get your thoughts on how to best proceed with policy. It was easy between you two, and with Bartlett’s second term in the White House now halfway through, you thought this friendship would finally shift to something more.

But now that you were equals, senior advisors to the President, holding extreme responsibilities for the republic in your hands, you knew that the dynamic would change. There was no room to slide into a new relationship.

“Things are going to change now, between us. And I know that nothing has really been said but, I’d like to think something was… shifting into more.” Your voice trailed off at the end, embarrassment taking over.

“There was.” Josh reassured you, a small smile breaking over his face.

You nodded, and in an attempt to hide the goofy smile crossing your own face, you continued to look down at your hands. You reached out for his other hand, which he gladly surrendered to you.

“Things don’t have to be different. There are no rules against a devilishly handsome Deputy Chief of Staff dating a gorgeous Deputy Communications Director.” He joked, trying to get a laugh out of you.

He was right, there really wasn’t a rule against it. And if there was, you’re sure it had been broken before.

“I’m sure you’re right. But if I really want to make a difference here, I need to focus on this job, and not be distracted by an annoying Deputy Chief of Staff.”

“I understand,” he said with a smile, giving your hands a squeeze. “And I think a two month adjustment period is plenty of time before I ask you out on a date.”

“Josh,” you said through a laugh, “Are you really that impatient you need to put a timetable on it?”

“Yes. Four months sound better?”

“Six months.” you said, but as you looked at him longer, you knew you couldn’t possibly last that long. “With a check-in at the three month mark to see how I’m adjusting.”

“That sounds like a great plan.”

A great plan indeed.

To an outsider, the two of you looked like school kids interacting with their first crush. And that’s exactly how you felt, butterflies in your stomach and your brain all fuzzy.

“Josh!” You could hear Toby yelling through your closed office door, and you couldn’t help but sigh.

“You’re Director is a real pain in my ass.”

“I tried to get his job while I was in there, but the President said no.”

He laughed and tried to pull away, but you held on to his hand even tighter.

“Josh,” he turned back to you, and you couldn’t help but wrap your arms around him. It took him a minute, but his arms wrapped around your waist, and you finally felt like you could do this. “Thank you for the book.”

“You’re welcome. You’ve got this.” He said and dropped a kiss to your shoulder, then your cheek before pulling away. “I’ve gotta go find the dictator before he breaks every door down.”

“Go ahead, I’m going to spare myself from him for as long as I can.”

“Ok, I’ll see you in Senior Staff tomorrow morning. Newbie brings a full breakfast.” he joked.

“In your dreams,” you said with a roll of your eyes as he went to exit your office.

“You really are going to do great here.” He winked and wrapped his knuckles on the doorframe before yelling into the bullpen himself for Toby.

Yeah, there’s no way you guys are lasting six months.

****

#josh lyman x reader #josh lyman fic #josh lyman #the west wing #the west wing fanfiction

57 notes · View notes

nicoline1998enilocin · 7 months

Note

Have you ever seen the photos of RDJ at the premiere of the first avengers film where he is wearing a sexy purple suit? And he's wearing a very nice glasses, his hair is perfect, he's so f*cking hot and delicious and omg my brain melts just imagining... If it's okay with you, I'd like to request a one shot where the reader is his wife and when she sees him dressed in that suit, she goes crazy and very very very horny and when they get home after the premiere, she takes that suit off his delicious body very sensually and teasing him a lot, so he takes control and f*cks his beloved wife senseless... with aftercare please and reader pulling that perfect hair and scratching his back 🖤❤️‍🔥 maybe even a babymaking

Passion wrapped in purple

Pairing | Husband!Robert Downey Jr. x Wife!Female!Reader

Word count | 4K

Summary | Robert has taken you to a movie premiere, but you two couldn't keep your hands off one another the entire night. You two go home early, and after some more teasing, something inside Robert snaps. He's determined to pull as much pleasure from your body as possible, and you're not one to deny him that.

Warning(s) | This is your official trigger warning. Do not proceed if any of these topics upset you. RPF, established relationship (husband and wife), unspecified age gap, porn with minimal plot, use of pet names (Kitten, Daddy), smut (daddy kink, breeding kink, lots of praise/praise kink, teasing, hair pulling, dry humping, oral (F&M receiving), fingering, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!), aftercare), multiple mentions of pregnancy.

A/n | Thank you for this amazing request, Nonnie! I had not seen it before your request, but after doing some research, I can totally see what you mean 🤤 I feel like this is one of the hottest, smuttiest pieces I've written for Robert so far, so I hope you enjoy the route I took with this one 🔥🖤

Likes, comments and reblogs will be very much appreciated 💚

Divider is made by @firefly-graphics | GIF-credit goes to @duckbuttt

Main Masterlist | Robert Downey Jr. Masterlist

You're at the premiere of Robert's latest movie, and he's wearing a purple suit that takes your breath away while you're dressed in a perfectly fitting long black dress.

You haven't been able to keep your hands off him for the entire evening, though the same goes for him. The whole time you two were posing for photos, his hand rested on your hip or your ass.

''Are you having fun so far, Kitten?'' Robert asks, and your breath hitches as you realize what he's doing right now. He only calls you Kitten during sex, and you can feel the arousal pooling in your panties.

''Of course, Daddy,'' you say to get him back for his comment, though it doesn't seem to faze him. You couldn't be more wrong in this, however, because he can feel his dick twitch in his pants, and he has to try his hardest not to get hard right now.

During the rest of the premiere, you two keep teasing each other like that, but as soon as every interview is done, you two are on your way home and just about ready to rip each other's clothes off.

The drive to your home is way too long for both of your likings, so you have found your way onto Robert's lap in the back of his car. You're glad that your chauffeur is driving you two home because you can't keep your hands off each other, even if you want to.

''Hmm, you like riding me like this, don't you, Kitten? Yeah? Already so desperate for this cock you can't until we're home, huh? Such a gorgeous cockslut for me,'' Robert whispers in your ear as you keep grinding on his lap, his hard cock feeling delicious against your soaked cunt.

''Yes, Daddy, 'm your cockslut,'' you moan out as his hands squeeze your ass, your head thrown back as his lips find your neck and leave a trail of kisses until he effortlessly finds your sweet spot.

''Oh, Daddy!'' you can't control yourself as you moan uncontrollably, entirely under his spell of pleasure while his hands wander over your body, leaving goosebumps everywhere.

You've always had a thing for older, more experienced men, and when you met Robert, you were absolutely over the moon. Over the years, he taught you everything you know about your body, and he can play you like an instrument to make you feel nothing but intense pleasure.

When you two finally arrived home, he wanted to make you wait. Make you work for everything he's planning on giving to you.

He starts by undressing you ever so slowly, making you go crazy because he would not touch you anywhere you needed him so badly, but instead teasing you to no end.

''Patience, Kitten. Otherwise, I won't let you cum at all this evening,'' he said warningly when you let out one of many soft whines, hoping he would just give you what you so desperately wanted.

''Sorry, Daddy,'' you said, and you turned your gaze away from him, not wanting to look at him after he scolded you. You couldn't help but lean into his touch when you felt his hand on your cheek.

''It's okay, Kitten. I know you get a little impatient sometimes,'' he says in a low whisper, and all you can do is nod while you let Robert's touch glide over your body again, and goosebumps form everywhere; his fingers move delicately over your soft skin.

When every last piece of fabric adorning your body has met its faith on the floor, he turns you around and places his index finger under your chin, lifting it so your eyes meet his dark brown ones.

''Good girl,'' he whispers before leaning in for a kiss, and your thighs are clenching together to give yourself a little friction at the words. Robert knows you and your body like the back of his hand and knows exactly what to say at the right moments to get you aroused beyond belief.

His tongue slips past your lips effortlessly, and your hands wander over your husband's abdomen and chest, feeling every ridge and muscle underneath you've known and loved over the years.

Your long, slender fingers slide to the knot on this tie, and you undo it in a single, swift motion before pulling it off his neck and letting it fall to the floor while not leaving his lips for even a second.

Next is the purple suit jacket, and your hands glide underneath the fabric before sliding down his shoulders and arms, letting your nails rake softly over his biceps as they meet their inevitable faith on the floor.

When your fingers move to the buttons of his matching purple vest, you can tell he's getting a little impatient, but if you had to be patient for him, he would have to be patient with you as well.

''Don't tease me, Kitten,'' he growls lowly, and you can't help but let out a little smile.

''But Daddy, you said you wanted me to take control occasionally, right? That's precisely what I'm doing. I had to be patient for you, so now I'm doing the same with you until you can fuck me into the mattress like I know you so desperately want to do,'' you say with an innocent smile, and Robert feels his cock twitch in his pants.

He nods in response, and you move to undo the buttons of his vest before taking it off and letting it land on the floor alongside his suit jacket; you could always pick them up later.

When your fingers unbuttoned every button on his shirt, your lips moved after each one that opened, kissing the skin you had just exposed as you were on your way down.

You softly groan when you see his chest and the dark hair covering it that has you going feral each time. If there's one thing about your husband that you love, it's that he's a hairy man, and you love running your fingers over and through his hair.

As soon as all the buttons are open, you pull the shirt off his shoulders, and your hands glide over his biceps, chuckling softly when he flexes them for you.

Next are his pants, and you undo the belt with ease before pulling it out of the loops, your fingers opening his button and zipper slowly, letting your fingers rub over the fabric that protects his very hard bulge.

''Fuck, feels so good, Kitten,'' Robert groans after you've pulled down his pants, now palming him through his extremely tight boxer briefs.

''Can I have a taste, Daddy?'' you ask as you look up at him, and the smirk plastered on Robert's face is all you need to know before pulling his underwear down and out the way, letting him step out of them before tossing it aside as well.

You're admiring your husband's naked body for a few seconds as your gaze rakes over every dip, curve, and ridge, but not too long.

His thick, veiny cock is standing at attention for you, and he's already leaking pre-cum, which you happily lap up before wrapping your hand around the base of him, your other hand cupping his balls and squeezing ever so gently.

The moan leaving his lips is near pornographic, and you can't help but feel a flood of arousal between your legs, and your cunt is throbbing with need for your husband.

You decide not to tease him any longer, and your mouth envelops his tip as you suckle softly, and his fingers weave into your hair to ground himself a little bit.

''Hmm, you enjoy sucking my cock, don't you? My little cockslut,'' Robert says, and you moan softly around him before taking more of his length into your mouth and sucking your cheeks in, and your tongue lays flat against the underside of his cock.

When you find a steady rhythm, you keep bobbing your head back and forth, doing everything Robert loves until his groans and grunts get louder, and you keep playing with his balls until you feel he's about to cum.

''Cum in my throat, Daddy, wanna swallow it all,'' you say after you pop off, but your hand keeps pumping him slowly to keep him on the edge.

''Like I was planning on doing anything else,'' he says. You take him into your mouth again, taking him as far as you can, repeating this process a few times until Robert takes over the pace and starts fucking your face until he shoots his cum deep in your throat, making you swallow every last drop.

''Oh god, Kitten, just like that. Swallow it all for Daddy!'' he shouts out as he cums, trembling from the force of his orgasm, making you nothing but proud as he praises you like this.

Robert has you sitting on your hands and knees in the middle of the bed as he's eating you out from behind with such passion that you'd think he hasn't eaten anything in weeks.

Your face is smushed into the bed sheets; your arms have given out a while ago, somewhere around when he pulled your second orgasm from you.

''D-Daddy! Gonna cum!'' you mewl out; his mouth attaches to your clit, which is puffy and drenched in your slick, but Robert is still licking every single drop you give him.

Your thighs and legs are trembling beyond belief, but the pleasure you feel is so incredible that you don't want him to stop, and it appears that he isn't planning on stopping any time soon, either.

As soon as your third orgasm washes over you with even more power than the last, Robert has to hold you up by your hips; otherwise, you will collapse, and the moans leaving your chest will be out of control, just like Robert wants you to be.

You and Robert have explored the feeling of giving up control of your pleasure like this many times over the years, and you two have perfected it exactly to both your tastes.

''D-Daddy, please,'' you choke out as his fingers find your entrance again, setting a brutal pace until your cunt is sore from all the stimulation, but it feels too good to make him stop, and you let him drag one last orgasm out of you with his fingers.

''You're doing so well for me, Kitten. Just look at how well this sweet pussy is taking everything I give her,'' Robert says as you're coming down from your high, but there isn't much time to come down.

Before you can even comprehend what's happening, Robert has you lying on your back, your body almost folded in half as he slides his cock into your tight cunt, after growing back to total hardness again.

You gasp as he breaches your entrance, and despite having the amount of sex that the two of you have, it's still a stretch each time, which is precisely why Robert wants to see your face. Something about how your face contorts with pure pleasure makes him feel soaring, especially when he's making love to you.

''Fucking hell, Kitten, such a tight pussy for me to love, huh? She always takes me perfectly,'' Robert whispers as he leans down, your hands sliding over his neck and into his hair.

When he's slid in up to the hilt, he lets you adjust for a bit because hurting you would be the last thing on his mind.

''Ready, Kitten?'' he asks so softly that it feels like you're melting into the mattress, and when you nod, he places his lips on yours as he starts pulling out and thrusting back in, his tip hitting your sweet spot deliciously.

After a few more slow thrusts, he picks up the pace just enough to have your back arching off the bed, and the grip on his hair tightens as you're taken over by nothing but pure pleasure.

''Daddy!'' is all you can say as he chases both your highs, and when you're getting close, you let go of his hair, opting to wrap your arms and legs around him instead of pulling him as close to your body as possible.

Robert grunts and groans as he looks at the way pleasure takes over your face, and a loud fuck escapes his lips as your long nails press into his shoulder blades and rake down, leaving a long trail of red marks that only spur Robert on further.

''Can't wait to fill up this sweet cunt with my cum, Kitten. Going to get you so fucking pregnant for me; going to be a real Daddy soon,'' he tells you between groans and pants, and he's getting impossibly hard as he gets closer to his orgasm.

''D-Daddy, need to cum!'' you say, but he doesn't let you just yet.

''Hold on, Kitten, 'm almost there. Want you to cum with me,'' he says, and you nod, though you're not sure you can with the way he keeps pounding into you, hitting your sweet spot repeatedly.

It doesn't take long for Robert to reach his high, and his thumb has found its place on your clit, making you fall apart as you're clawing along his back, only adding to the ridiculous amount of scratches you've left, but Robert doesn't mind in the slightest.

''My good fuckin' girl 's what you are, Kitten, making me cum so much it's leaking out of you,'' he says as he pulls out, but instead of leaving it, he pushes it back in with his fingers to ensure it'll stay in.

''Can't wait 'til you pregnant for me, Kitten. All round and perfect, letting me drink from your tits as they drip with milk for me,'' Robert says, and all you can do is lay there with a dopey smile on your face.

''I'll clean you up, get you some fruit and water, okay? Don't want you to slip into a bad headspace after all,'' he whispers between soft kisses all over your body, soft grazings of his fingers on the inches of skin his mouth can't reach.

''Y-yes,'' you whisper, and Robert gets up to get a warm washcloth to clean both of you up, making sure to be careful with your sensitive cunt after everything he did to pull the orgasms from your body.

Then he walks to the kitchen to grab some grapes and two bottles of water before heading back to you, and you're still lying in the same position where he left you. You're too tired to move and too sore as well.

''Let me grab you a shirt and some underwear, Gorgeous,'' he says, and you didn't miss the switch of nicknames just now. It notified you that the ''atmosphere'' you two were just in is over, and he will take the best care of you.

He grabs one of his shirts that's always way too big for you and a pair of comfortable cotton panties since that's what you usually prefer after an intense session like you just had.

''Can you sit up for me, Gorgeous?'' he asks, and with Robert's help, you manage to sit up despite your body still feeling like cooked noodles.

The shirt is slid over your head and body with minimal effort, and your panties are also on within no time; when Robert has changed into a pair of sweatpants, he takes his place on the bed.

With his help, you get situated sideways on his lap, your legs stretched in front of you and your head against his shoulder, his left arm protectively wrapped around your waist.

''Here, have a grape or two,'' he says, and you let him feed you the grape, the flavor exploding in your mouth as you pierce the skin with your teeth. They're fresh from the fridge, so the cold feeling contrasts Robert's warmth enveloping you.

''Can I have some water?'' you ask, and Robert screws the top off the water bottle before handing you the bottle, and you take a few sips to hydrate yourself. You're slowly getting some of your strength back, and the cuddles with your husband are always an excellent addition.

''I love you so much,'' you say as you hand the now half-empty bottle back, and he closes it before putting it on the nightstand for later.

''I love you too, Gorgeous,'' he says as he places a few soft, loving kisses on your lips that set your insides on fire. The sweet, gentle side of Robert is the part you fell for years ago, and it still manages to warm you from the inside out.

About five months later, you find out you're pregnant after taking a test. Your cycle is like clockwork, so when you were late, it spiked some confusion, though your mind immediately went to the possibility of being pregnant.

You and Robert haven't been actively trying to conceive, but you two have also decided that if it ever does happen, you would welcome the little one into your lives.

And now here you are, on the toilet of your home, but your husband is away to film for yet another Marvel movie. Your first instinct is to call him, but you decide against it instead of going to a doctor first to ensure it's true.

That's exactly how you found yourself in a gynecologist's office in your usual hospital, waiting for the test results. The outcome wasn't a surprise, and they confirmed that you're about 1.5 months pregnant, so it's still very early.

''Do you have anyone who we can call about this? Your partner or a family member?'' the gynecologist asks, but you shake your head.

''My husband is away to film a movie for a few more months, so I am going to tell him the news in person, it's not something I want to do over the phone,'' you say with a small smile.

A week later, you're getting ready to see your husband and tell him the good news about your pregnancy. You're dressed in a casual outfit to not attract too much attention to yourself.

You may not be an actor yourself, but as the wife of someone with a high-profile life like Robert's, most people still know who you are. The drive to the movie set is pretty decent, but you're getting increasingly nervous when you park your car.

You rest your hand on your belly, although you won't show for another few months. You know there's a little life growing inside you, and you can't wait to tell Robert about it so you don't have to carry this secret alone.

After a few deep breaths, you decide to get out of your car and go onto set after getting a visitor's pass, and before you even get to set, you happen to run into Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays Robert's love interest on screen.

''Gwyneth, hi! How are you?'' you say as she approaches you and greets you with a big hug. You tell her you're visiting Robert after exchanging some pleasantries and small talk because she has to go, but she points you in his direction before walking off with a last goodbye.

When you walk onto the set, you spot Robert as he's in the middle of a scene, and you try to stand back a little not to distract him from his work, but it's hard because you love seeing how he works.

The scene was done soon after, and that's when you walked forward, and the smile spreading on Robert's face was unmistakable. He only smiles like that when you're nearby, and his co-stars couldn't help but chuckle.

''Hi, Gorgeous! What are you doing here? Is everything okay?'' Robert asks as he's enveloping you in a hug, and you let yourself melt into his touch. Typically, it wasn't a problem when he was gone for long periods to film, but now it's different.

''Can we talk somewhere in private?'' is all you say, and he quickly looks around before deciding to take you to his trailer, saying he'll need some time alone with you and be back as soon as possible.

When you're in his trailer, he pulls you close and captures your lips in a sweet kiss that has your mind going crazy, and you can't help but kiss him back just as passionately, though you still need to tell him the good news.

''Robert, we- I'm here to talk, actually,'' you say, and the nerves are now taking over your body as you see the worry etched onto your husband's face.

''Okay, let's sit down,'' he says and guides you to the couch where you take your seat next to him, as close as possible to him as you're about to tell him that he's going to be a father.

''Robert, do you remember our talks about potentially starting a family? Well, I think it's time to have some different ones now because I found out last week that I'm pregnant,'' you say, trying not to cry and failing miserably.

''Are you serious?'' he says with a nervous laugh, and you nod furiously as you're letting the tears fall now, not caring about your make-up or anything else.

''I'm going to be a father...'' he whispers, and you kiss him feverishly, not knowing what to do with yourself, though Robert pulls you into a hug. This has been his dream for as long as he can remember, and now that it's about to come true, he couldn't be happier.

''I'll be coming home as soon as possible to take care of you and our little Pumpkin, okay?'' he says after doing some quick math, concluding that it'll be born around Halloween.

''I'd like that, Robert,'' you say, and after a few more kisses, he pulls you into his lap and holds you close for as long as he can. Not wanting to let you go after the news you've just told him.

''I still can't believe we're officially expanding our family,'' he says, rubbing your back in soothing motions as your head lies on his shoulder. Though you aren't crying anymore, you're still feeling a little overwhelmed.

''Thank you for telling me this in person, Gorgeous,'' he says before slotting his lips together with yours again, until the door of his trailer swings open, and his assistant comes barging in.

''Oh shit! I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here,'' his assistant says, and you can't help but smile.

''It's okay; I wasn't supposed to be here, but I just had something important to tell that couldn't wait until he was home,'' you say to him, and he nods.

You look over to Robert to ask him silently if it's okay to share with his assistant, and he doesn't have to tell you it's okay because you can see it on his face.

''I'm pregnant, been for about a month and a half, in fact,'' you say, and you and Robert can't contain your excitement.

''Don't tell anyone, we want to tell the rest of the world at our own pace, but for now, I just want to live in our own little bubble, with just the three of us,'' you tell Robert's assistant and he understands.

And that's how you find yourself in your husband's arms five months later when he's home, and you're a little over six months pregnant with your baby girl.

''She's growing so fast, it's unbelievable,'' Robert says as you're both laying in bed. You're lying on your back with both hands on your tummy, and Robert is rubbing softly, calming you down immensely.

''I love you, Gorgeous. And I love you too, Pumpkin,'' he says to your belly before placing a soft kiss, followed by one on your mouth. This is the first time since you're pregnant that you're falling asleep in your husband's arms, and it feels like heaven.

#robert downey jr #robert downey jr request #robert downey jr one shot #robert downey jr fanfiction #robert downey jr fanfic #robert downey jr x female reader #robert downey jr x reader #robert downey jr smut #rdj #rdj request #rdj one shot #rdj fanfiction #rdj fanfic #rdj x female reader #rdj x reader #rdj smut

55 notes · View notes

agendabymooner · 8 months

Text

matilda ! max v. x ofc (hearth sister!ofc)

“you showed me a power that is strong enough to bring sun to the darkest days.”

summary: sylvie ford wasn’t fond of the older men who stuck around in her life and those who didn’t even try to be there for her, but she couldn’t speak for him. one thing was clear, though: there’s a silent agreement that they’d take a different route from those who brought nothing but pain into their lives. (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)

content warning: angst angst hurt/comfort, use of explicit language, mentions of emotional traumas, brief description of paternal relationship issues (character’s father and max’s dad), emotional breakdown/crying (max) and support (ofc), “you talk of the pain like it’s no big deal”, christian horner is funny- ofc just hates him but he's cool

note: posting this because i want a lil context for the post after this lmfaoooo. i am sharing my view on max’s relationship with jos based on what i experienced btw— i have problems with paternal figures so 🫡 cheers enjoy xx

masterlist

She never once liked any older men to exist in her life. All but one, but it was mainly because Toto Wolff truly cared for Tilly. Otherwise, older men were the shittiest people to exist and they can choke for all she cares.

The distasteful feeling that she got from knowing Christian Horner had subsided as she continued to work with him and the team. She was outspoken and passionate about what she believed in for that moment. She told him upfront about how she respected him but preferred to keep her personal life separate from her work. She never shared anything about her family. Everyone around them only got the gist of her life, but never did she share to everyone who she was. And with her dislike for her employer, she preferred to keep it that way.

Toto merely earned her respect as he treated their relationship as if there's no man’s land. At least that was what had happened at the beginning, when he and her sister became official.

The end of the term exam ended and coincided with the summer break of the 2015 season. She wondered who he was as a person and had asked her chauffeur to take her to the Mercedes factory. Toto had surprisingly picked her up from the lobby when the receptionist called him about a “college student who would like to get an interview with him” named Sylvie, asking her if she actually needed some help with her research.

To which she replied, “It’s nice to know you’re a considerate man. No, I don’t. I don’t have any paper to write. My term just ended, in fact.”

She then spent her days in the factory with him being stuck on his desk. Oftentimes, she followed him like a duckling and asked him questions left and right about how communications between drivers and the public worked.

It started there and she continued to visit the factory, now gaining a special access ID just in case she wished to barge in to pester the Mercedes staff with questions. Well, not to harass them but rather ask questions or observe here and there should they allow her to sit in.

Now the frown that she etched in her face while she worked became a permanent part of her routine. Christian once joked that she was Toto’s clone, to which her frown deepened in annoyance before she continued to work on whatever task she had in hand.

She wouldn’t admit to Christian that she found it hilarious few hours after because her pride was bigger than her fondness of him.

But she was proud of herself for reaching that phase of mentorship. Toto was the only older man she tolerated. Having to grow up with no father and with only sisters — while both your stepmother and mother coparented — would give you that feeling.

There was just something about father figures that made her feel so little and stupid. Perhaps it was her father’s expectations to make her a prodigal F1 driver — to put the Hearth name back to the motorsports community after being absent from the tracks for thirty years.

Julius wasn’t subtle when he’d put Sylvie in a private schooling program just as she started karting at the age of 5. He’d long given up on Tilly and Stevie, but Sylvie was his star driver. How her mother never got full custody of them, she didn’t know, but she disliked the fact that she had to attend driving classes with her father during his week and somehow still had to take the classes despite not living with him.

She could remember having her piles of books being stored away once after she ended up on the 7th place of their tournament. He said that she didn’t need all of that kind of intelligence and that her education was an easy thing to pursue— it wasn’t a big deal to him. Everything that she wanted, he’d refuse. He wanted her to focus on racing, because the next time she ended up in such a position he’d burn the books. She began to race and fight against other competitors to get a good shot at winning trophies. She became somebody that she didn’t want to be.

Maybe it was his arrogance and greediness that made her think that all fathers were the same. That… or maybe because she’d seen how Max’s father acted towards him after landing on 5th in Monaco. She felt her heart breaking at the sight of a defeated Max. She had seen it all before, but to hear it up close this time— it was even worse. She could feel his heart pounding, his need to clear his head and possibly cry it out— she could feel it. Because she was in that position before, and it takes a traumatized child to know one.

Sure, Sylvie had grown a backbone to tell her father about leaving the academy without his knowledge and had somehow loosened her grip on her own ambitious thoughts, but she didn’t think that she’d witness a version of herself in the form of her best friend. This was what she didn’t see after abandoning her friendship with him. But it wasn’t as if she did it just to spite him.

She merely needed the courage. At some point, Max Verstappen managed to win against his own father — but there was something about the father figures they’ve had in life that were too determined to keep their children on a tight leash.

She pretended as if she didn’t eavesdrop on Jos’ berating and merely gave him a curt nod and a stink eye before she approached Max’s drivers room. She could hear him throwing his bag in rage… then silence.

He was seething in disappointment. He wasn’t disappointed in anyone but himself. And the anger that he had told Sylvie that he needed to sit down for a moment. By himself.

There was just something about their fathers that drove them mad. They’re always too greedy and arrogant, and they both damaged their bloodlines at a young age because of their vile desires and lack of empathy towards others and their own children.

Thankfully, his father had flown back to the Netherlands right after the race. Max, from what Christian had told her (with a sympathetic smile), had retired early to his room instead of partying. Good, she told herself, because he needs someone and some ice cream right now.

Marinara was going to sleep in Stevie’s room tonight. Sylvie was very good at begging until others cave in to her pleading face, and it obviously worked on her older sister too. So after dropping her dog off, her fluffy sandal-cladded feet made their way into another floor and directly to his room.

She patiently waited for him to open the door after knocking, her plaid pajamas hanging on her hips while she wore a blue jumper over her white cropped shirt. She could hear the faint footsteps gradually moving their way to the door. She was met with Max’s reddening eyes just as he swung the door open.

Her hands held a tub of ice cream as she shuddered at the cold water the dripped down her hand, “It’s melting. And there’s less calories on it so you’re not gonna fully ruin your diet.”

He stared at it for a moment, then looked back at her as he stepped aside to let her in.

The night they spent together consisted of watching Miss Congeniality and Easy A (again). While Sylvie laughed along at some jokes, she could hear how he took deep breaths before regaining his composure. It happened every other minute.

She decided to put the ice cream on the table and turned to look at him. He, acting as if he wasn’t grounding himself ten seconds ago, asked her with a croak, “W-what?”

She didn’t answer, observing all of him. His facial features. His surprisingly messy bed hair. His bloodshot eyes. His lips were more plump than usual. His cheeks were tinted pink. She could just tell that he wanted to let it out. But he grew up being told that, “his feelings wouldn’t be a big deal when he’s competing.”

Sylvie pushed her sleeves back and wiped the tear away from his eyes, smiling faintly at him and breathing evenly. She was more grounded than he was, and her simple gestures helped him get back. Somehow.

Then his deep breathing method didn’t work out, now quietly sobbing as Sylvie hugged him on his side, her hand circling his back gently. Sandra Bullock’s voice tampered his sound of defeat, but it wasn’t as if it mattered. He could cry for as long and as loud as he wanted.

She hadn’t even realized how late it was until he fell asleep in her arms, head resting on her chest while she ran her fingers through his hair. She could barely see the digital clock and couldn’t figure out if it said eleven or one, having to squint and adjust a little to look closely.

These days, she has been able to sleep before midnight. After that intimate moment she shared with her best friend, she had been able to close her eyes peacefully. He’ll have to figure out what helps him sleep better. It’ll be easier if he sought help from professionals— that’s what the team was for. He’ll give them success and in exchange, they make things easier for him. Nobody really knew what eased Max off, because he seemed more calmed and relaxed for the past few races. But that was because he knew that she was only a few footsteps away from him.

It was as if they had their little sanctuary that nobody could find. They couldn’t find themselves in the arms of other people, already used to each other’s affection and the solace that came with it. As if it was normal for friends to be this… considerate.

Everyone who knew the two as a pairing would simply laugh when you tell them about the peculiarity of their “friendship.” You would think that they’d have intervened by now, but their relatives and friends merely shrugged it off. They returned to their old routine, except they’ve grown. It was normal for their families to see the two together, much to Max’s father’s dismay, knowing that whatever they may have planned was already thought of and agreed on.

Their closest friends laughed at the thought of their relationship being platonic. What a fucking dream it would be if best friends can just casually buy a house together, or decide to adopt a puppy together (which happens more frequently than not). It would be a wild experience for anyone if their best friends would just platonically steal glances from their other half.

And friends don’t create their own little family like that. Just the two of them, and their dog. They don’t play mum and dad while they’re just “friends.” No friends would silently agree with raising their kids the way their fathers hadn’t treated them before, just to avoid that pain all over again.

So no, if you were to ask anyone who knew them well — they’d say that Mustang and Cadillac being friends would be a load of rubbish. Even the two knew that the thought was ridiculous.

Peering down at the Dutchman, she sighed softly while snores escaped his mouth quietly. His weight on top of her was comforting, immediately lulling her to a dreamless sleep.

They really need to work on not bottling their feelings up.

#formula one fanfiction #formula one fic #formula one imagine #formula one x oc #f1 imagine #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #red bull racing imagine #mv33 imagine #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen fanfic #max verstappen fic #max verstappen #max verstappen au #max verstappen angst #max verstappen fluff #max verstappen x oc #f1 fics

69 notes · View notes

autismserenity · 1 month

Note

How are you holding up? I ask because I'm only, like, addressing antisemitism that leaks to my dash with every term related to Palestine I can think of blacklisted. And i'm like. Barely crlinging to fragile sanity. I hope you are better equipped to handle the stresses of this ongoing disinformation campaign. You're doing good and important work, which you must know, but I want to re-emphasize it.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

i swear to god I thought there was a way to reply privately to asks, but apparently either there isn't or I don't have the patience to find it again.

I think that you're describing how most Jews with any connection to social media feel.

The good thing, in a way, is that researching and fact-checking is my major coping mechanism. Researching and rebutting and arguing with people until I understand everything well enough to be pithy about it. Creating ways for other people to defend themselves and to push back. Doing the research to know when I'm right helps me a lot.

I'm probably as well-equipped for this as I can imagine being (that's not really true, I should be talking to people more about it and using 12-step tools to deal with it and gosh some therapy would be nice), and like... there have still literally been times when I've been triggered for an entire week by this shit.

Most notably: the time when I saw a clip on my TikTok fyp from some podcast where some journalist fully got all dressed up and prepared to go on camera, to say that she could imagine there were a few individual rapes on Oct 7 -- although she wasn't aware of any -- but that certainly there was no evidence of systematic rape, and that saying there had been systematic rape was dehumanizing propaganda.

Like. If you can't even take one minute to google whether there had been individual rapes before you go on camera. And you haven't heard of them two months after the fact. Then you don't know enough to talk about this, period. That makes you the very opposite of an expert on the subject. And yet, that is who gets platformed. Ignorant randos who have no personal connection to any of this.

I literally knew there had been gang rapes by Hamas within the first week of the massacre. Because I cared enough to do a search for eyewitness testimony of the massacre, and I found an interview on PBS immediately.

Or, more accurately: it was because it slowly sank in that the attack had been MASSIVE. 22 kibbutzim leveled in one day, hands-on, without an airplane or mortar shell involved. All those people killed the way you would kill a horde of zombies: burned alive, or shot and then mutilated, or cut up and then shot. Like they needed to double-tap, to make sure no one was coming back around.

Two years of planning. Almost half a billion dollars in funding from Iran. Detailed guides even to the dentist's offices and kindergartens and grocery stores they were invading.

And it was very plain to, I think, nearly every Jew on earth that this was an attack aimed at Jews. Even before any recordings of attackers saying "I'm inside with the Jews" or "I killed 10 Jews with my own hands" even came out. Even though everyone else was denying it from the moment it happened.

And I felt compelled to learn more about what happened.

To KNOW.

To bear witness.

Even before it became apparent started to seem like the rest of the world would rather die themselves than bear witness to us. Even before it became apparent that Hamas had been telling people Israel would commit genocide in response before its fighters even left that country.

A reasonable person, imho, would ask why the fuck Hamas would commit such atrocities if if thought Israel would respond by killing every Palestinian in Gaza.

The Palestinians in Gaza are certainly fucking demanding to know why the hell Hamas thinks it gets to start a war on them, why its leaders get to hide out and evacuate their families while demanding civilians bleed and die for it, and why it doesn't goddamn turn itself in and give back the hostages.

But anyway.

But that's the thing. I looked it up because I was compelled to. I identified with the people attacked. I needed to know what had happened to us.

That's something outsiders would only do if they were allies.

We know, now, that we don't have allies on the left.

I've seen post after post after post, hundreds and hundreds of comments, on Jewish Reddit, asking if other progressives are okay. Asking, "how are you dealing with rejection by the left??" Asking if others are also shocked and confused and betrayed. Talking about how many friends they've lost who went masks-off antisemitic. So many people who've had to end long-term relationships when their partners went masks-off.

There's usually at least one politically conservative Jew in the comments laughing wryly and going, "wow, you really thought you were safe?"

Sometimes they ask why we're on the left if everyone there wants to kill us. Then we defiantly point out that it's not any different on the right. Or that we're not going to abandon our political beliefs for anyone.

Anyway.

I didn't even watch the podcast clip past that moment.

I ragequit. I went to the file of eyewitness testimonies I'd already put together, after weeks and weeks of denial. (And by "file," I mean "draft in gmail, because it saves automatically, and it's easy to find, and i don't know why it's better than google docs or dropbox paper, but it just is.")

I took the clearest, most authoritative ones and put them into their own document -- which i did make in dropbox lol.

I duetted the video, or whatever the fuck the one is in tiktok where you just take 5 seconds from one video and the rest is your own. It's not duetting. Idk.

It was the middle of Hanukkah. I recorded a video where I read each of however many testimonies I had, and lit a candle before each one. It was almost 10 minutes long, even though I made them as short as I could.

I didn't post it.

I was triggered all to hell for a whole week. I was staying up till 3 or 4 in the morning, researching horrifying rape testimonies, arguing with people on the internet, then sleeping too little and too late, then doing it again.

Watching myself lose a whole week to this. Knowing I couldn't do anything about it. Half-angrily, half-numbly thinking about how I couldn't afford to lose this much job search time, this much unfucking-my-life time. How I couldn't afford to have people I didn't even know fuck up my life even more.

And the bitch of it all is that the tone of the discourse makes me strongly suspect that if we said, "hey everyone needs to walk it back, you guys are deeply fucking up the mental health of pretty nearly the entire Jewish community," people would just respond by angrily telling us anti-Zionism is not antisemitism, mockingly saying that's what Zionists deserve.

Thanks for asking <3

#wall of words #depressing discourse #jumblr

13 notes · View notes

elevant39 · 3 days

Text

Ace combat zero and Avalon

So.... I have decided to get into the myth of Arthur (just to get some references in ACZ). And while I am still not that far in I already see some nice connections. So I choose to look more at the AWWNB part, mostly because I feel like it´s sometimes overlooked do to the fact it was kinda rushed (and also because I found them really interesting). But even then there are some things that I think are worth posting here. But (for now) I choose to look at the irony that is the Avalon dam. So the most obvious reason why Avalon was chosen is because it´s the place where Arthur dies/falls into endless sleep (sorry for spoilers bro). But that is not where the connections end.

Nice adaptation detail in the game is the fact that in the original myth you need to set an a long voyage across the sea because Avalon is an island. This was adapted in the form of river that you need to "sail" accros in you jet (+ they could get a canyon run out of it).

Also the fact that in the myth Avalon is an island (one of the few places that have natural borders).... The irony that a AWWNB has it´s base of operation in Avalon is honestly kinda funny. It's almost like their ideas (and AWWNB as a whole) are build on contradictions. Which if you do look into the motives of the members they kinda are, Wizard 1, Gault 1 and Sorcerer 1 but even Pixy and Espada 2 all have different reasons for why they created/joined AWWNB. There is also the fact (on wiki) that ironically Gault 1 was really patriotic (that being said I was not able to find the source of this info so take it with a sight of salt). But I won´t get into this topic here. Speaking of Gault 1. He was a researcher in Avalon for something called Project Pendragon (V2). However there is also some implication in the Perfect guide that he might have worked on Excalibur (it´s mentioned that he worked on “chemical laser cannon”(this could be talking about both Morgan and Excalibur) and a “mass retaliation weapon” (this is about V2) among other things). If this is true this can also tie back into the myth. Since Excalibur (or Caledfwlch) was created in Avalon. (Speaking of perfect guide there are some interesting informations about aces in interviews, they do help with understanding some characters more + some more lore. Here is a translated link if you didn´t know about them: https://www.skywardfm.com/aczpg-ace-pilot-profiles) Now I will get into the more speculative side of my thought here. From what I could find Avalon is seen as a fairyland that is later in myth run by non other that Morgan le Fey (I might get to our fairy king some day, becuase the connections this guy has to fairies are pretty funny...). However and I do think this was a coincidence. But you could say that Avalon was a fairyland of AWWNB. A place where they (for the max of 6 months, before the attack on Lumin) were able to live together with other pilots no matter their place of origin or nationality (kinda fulfilling their goal in this one dam,it was basically an echo chamber for them)... A place without war that can´t exist in Stangereal, hence why it´s just a fairyland. And this is probably everything that I can think of now. So I hope you liked my thoughts (and that I don´t look insane from sharing them).

#ace combat #ace combat zero #this is my 1st post #I post here because somebody gave me tu push #you know who you are...#I will see how this post does and maybe I will post later #Also sorry if there are some gramer mistakes #Also also sorry if this is a common info I just have noone to talk about ACZ in real life #I need a AU where AWWNB never attacked and decided to create a small independed state in Avalon #even if it does go against their main goal

12 notes · View notes

blysse-and-blunder · 6 months

Text

in lieu of a halloween party

~ 10pm, sunday, oct 29, 2023

if i listen really closely i can hear the quiet snoozy breathing of the sweet black cat who now lives in my room! oh, now she is purring.

(contains minor mention of the study of death/dead bodies, but also cat pictures, classical music, and minor spoilers for the end of the most recent season of star trek: strange new worlds)

reading more victoria goddard (blackcurrant fool is somehow *even* *more* for medievalist academics, they visit fantasy university and then the main character saves the day through the power of his dissertation research for crying out loud), some assorted libby holds from jenny odell and amitav ghosh, some kj charles inspired by the medieval mlm romance i finished a few weeks ago (which was great but i was so taken with the idea of posting a whole historical assessment that i scared myself out of talking about it, so maybe next time).

but the book that's been the biggest presence in my life lately has been the audio book version of mary roach's stiff: the curious lives of human cadavers, which i picked up because it had a little Moment back when it came out and i remember thinking that an approachable, sympathetic look at this kind of medical history would be fascinating. and it is! it is just as full of interesting information and humorous, humanizing turns of phrase as you'd like! roach doesn't hesitate to ask, like, intense questions of the people she interviews, nor does she ignore or downplay various gruesome topics, but the audiobook narrator has a hint of a southern accent and gets the mix of tones of voice (from ironic to earnest and back) really nicely. and also, sometimes i'm glad i'm listening to it as an audio book so i don't have to consciously continue turning pages, it'll keep playing even if i stop listening or need to disengage, because there's no shortage of actually quite challenging material. not for the faint of heart, but also, i can't regret reading it.

watching the new season of ghosts from the bbc! the second season of ofmd of course, both because it was fun and because i had to out of self-defense; uhhhh what else this month has been so long and also so fast! the musical episode of strange new worlds which was GREAT. how good were some of those songs!! like on their own, i would listen to nyota and christine and la'an's songs-- reminded me of the mix CD a friend made me for a birthday one year that mixed, like, barenaked ladies with some songs from the buffy musical episode. then the finale of this season which (minor spoilers here) i found actually so compelling, like, i've been mildly ehh about a lot of the gorn stuff (not la'an, but the concept of the gorn always feels very old-school scifi and the more serious they try to play it, the worse that effect usually) but then the monster design and movement when they finally appear on screen? excellent.

though to be entirely honest, the thing i've come back to and watched/listened to most consistently has been the new series of dimension 20, burrow's end. i managed to tune in as a campaign was starting, and actually more or less keep up! huge for me. the bear in ep 2 was all-to-close to some of the body horror i'd just been reading about with stiff, so this month has been 'so you'd like to get better about dealing with body horror?' for me in a way. unintentionally. i think i am appreciating this series more than i would have if i hadn't read and enjoyed watership down a few years back, but the added edge of, like, for-real magic from the d&d elements makes it even more fun. i love the new (to me) players, i love seeing the old ones in their new roles, i love that while the conceit seems to be 'humans are like eldritch horrors to woodland creatures' on the surface, there's also clearly something (or things?) else going on.

listening checking in on my spotify daylist lately to see what moods i've been assigned (soul-crushing once, which was wild to see as a genre, but goblincore also so. whatever i guess!) paper writing lockdown included more autoheart, more yws gwynedd, and like a 24-hour lockdown on @lessthansix's 'deferring panic' playlist, from which i share the following track as a thank-you:

playing tuned into dnd as a virtual player tonight so that i could stay home and supervise the NEW BABY aka this little (large) black dumpling of a cat who i cannot quite believe is my very own. playing such classics as 'ribbon on a string' and 'this is a ball that makes food come out when you play with it, ooooooh' and 'i hope my eyes feel normal again after i stop putting my face directly on you so much and i have not somehow developed an allergy to cat dander in the six weeks since we last had a cat come visit'. playing the classic game, 'so you think you can be responsible for another life form! and are you willing to risk an increase in your experience for loss in order to gain an increase in your experience of love?' (also while we're here: why is naming the hardest part of any endeavor. naming wifi networks, naming pokemon, and now this, a real live creature! who i want to treat with love and also humor, while showing wit and personality at the same time. hell.)

making fixed up a sweater my housemate was going to get rid of. i am not, habitually, a fibercrafter (though not for want of opportunity or, even, interest sometimes), but this made me want to find other easy and quick things to do with yarn.

before: big fuck off hole between the cowl and neck line

after: used some yarn of a similar weight /softness that i already had, so it doesn't match but it's not like you see it. hidden little necklace of pearls.

working on writing a paper for my first ever 30-min conference presentation, which is also going to be the first time i submit a paper ahead of time for someone (a professor i do not usually work with, but whose work and career and writing i admire) to read and give real comments on. this is fine. i am simultaneously trying to use this as an opportunity to squish an entire chapter's worth of notes and observations and ideas into a single presentation, and trying to not do that. but i want her take on all of it! i also...do need to write all of it. but getting a chance to slow down and take a bit of extra time with it was also very welcome. gave a guest lecture this week on a subject only vaguely related to my own work, which required a lot of extra reading (not even to know what to say, but just to be confident that i wasn't missing anything massive), and also did organize my department's halloween party, so. it's been a busy last ten days, and i'm excited to wrap some of this up.

bonus: cat pictures! thank you for reading this far, i think we will be going with luna? her grace, lunette st. cat, first marquise of dumplingdom. something.

#in lieu of a commonplace book #ilcb #weekly roundup #monthly really #Spotify

24 notes · View notes

elisysd · 1 year

Text

Anywhere – Rita Ora

Masterlist - Previously - Next Chapter

Some place where no one knows our name We'll find the start of something new

Charles indeed did look her up online. And he felt like falling in a rabbit hole. He started with her Wikipedia page which made him really uncomfortable now that he was thinking about it. He could have just asked her questions but when he searched her name online, her Wikipedia was the first result. He got curious, could you blame him? He then searched her on social media and discovered that she was not really active, only posting to promote the projects she was involved in. No pictures of her friends or family or her life. Absolutely nothing. Not that it surprised him, she did say that she didn’t want to expose her private life. He found also interviews on Youtube. She was fun and carefree in them, far from the image of the lost and defensive young woman that she gave him. He watched trailers of the projects she was in. Nothing else, he promised her that he was going to watch the movies with her.

Beside Spielberg’s movie, she played in a fantasy show about vampires and werewolves that he learned was incredibly popular. That was how she was discovered by a large audience. She then took part in more independent projects. Her filmography was really diversified and clever. She was never where you could expect her to be. If he had to admit, he was admirative. She was 23 and seemed to have her career under control.

“What makes you so glued at your phone? It’s been almost two hours and you barely put that thing away.” His mother scolded him.

“Maybe it’s more like a who” teased him Arthur, his younger brother.

“Oh! Did you and Marie…”

“No we didn’t. And there is no who, I’m just reading stuff online, that’s it.” Replied Charles bluntly.

The last thing he wanted was his family to imagine things.

“No need to be this defensive, I’m just teasing you.”

“Well go tease someone else.”

“Someone got up from the wrong side of the bed this morning…”

Not wanting to spend more time trying to justify himself to his brother, he went to the kitchen to help his mother. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and all the Leclerc family, as well as Arthur and Lorenzo, Charles older brother, girlfriends were there to enjoy a nice family lunch. His mother was occupied cutting vegetables while following both Charles and Arthur dieticians’ instructions.

“How are you darling?”

“Good. Busy.”

“You would tell me if there was someone, right?”

Charles sighed loudly. He was starting to get fed up with the innuendos.

“What is it with you all? It’s annoying. Again, there is no one. And yes, I would tell you if it was the case. But I won’t say anything because there’s nothing to say. I’m single and it’s probably going to last a while. So please can you all stop?”

“Okay, no need to take things that way… It’s just that you’re never on your phone like that when you’re with us. Excuse us to find that a little weird.”

In the meanwhile, Artur’s girlfriend Carla joined them to help them.

“I’m sorry about Arthur, he doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut at times. You’re allowed to have your private life; you don’t need to share everything with us. Sorry if it made you uncomfortable…”

“Thanks Carla, I appreciate.”

Charles liked her a lot. She was everything his brother needed. She knew how to keep Arthur under control. And they were so in love that sometimes it made Charles jealous. His brother seemed to find the way to keep a healthy and steady relationship while being away most of the time, just like Charles. How could he and Charles could not? It was a mystery to him.

“But still, I’m very curious about why you’re so much on your phone.”

“Research purposes. I started to watch movies recently, more specifically the ones nominated to the Oscars last year. I really loved Spielberg’s one so I was reading stuff online about it…”

He didn’t know how much he could say about Lyanna. She valued her privacy and maybe she didn’t want people to know that she was in Monaco, yet. He was not really lying to Carla and his mother. He was just voluntarily forgetting to mention some details.

“Oh my god! The one with Lyanna Michel? I loved it.”

“Do you know her?”

“Do I know her? She is a pretty big deal in Hollywood right now. I love her, she is one of my favorite actress. I knew her since she started in Fire and Blood, the tv show. She was amazing in it. I always knew she was going to get big.”

Well, this was a clear indication that, right now, was not an ideal moment to announce that the actress was his new neighbor. The last thing Lyanna needed was a fan to show up at her door. Even if the fan was Charles’s sister-in-law and would not cause any type of problems to Lyanna.

“So she is THAT good?”

“Charles, where have you been these last 3 years? She is almost everywhere, on cover magazines, on TV, in movies, even in the tabloids. That part is no fun. They were awful.”

Charles could have asked her what happened. Carla would have told him. But for some reasons it felt like betraying the little bit of trust he managed to build between Lyanna and him. So before being tempted to ask, he left the room.

The rest of the day passed very quickly for Charles. Between Arthur's jokes, discussions about their respective jobs and his mother's hairdressing anecdotes, he had not seen the day go by. And it was exhausted that he entered the entrance hall of his building. His mind fogged, he paid no attention to what was going on in front of him and almost collided with Lyanna who was coming out of the lift, rummaging through her handbag.

“Oh my God, Charles I’m sorry.”

“I should be the one saying that. I was not paying attention to my surroundings! That being said, we definitely should stop to meet like that.”

“Yeah, seems like déjà vu.”

“Are you okay? You seem in a rush.” He asked.

“Kind of. I wanted to visit the Jardin Exotique before they were closing for the night.”

“Right now? It’s getting dark outside, you sure you don’t want to wait for tomorrow.”

“I can’t tomorrow. I really wanted to go there tonight. And I really have to go now if I don’t want to miss the shuttle.”

“Let’s take my car. I’m coming with you. I don’t feel like letting you go on your own when the sun is starting to set. You never know what could happen.”

“You don’t have to. You seem tired, I don’t want you to feel like you have to watch me.”

“It’s no problem. And consider yourself lucky, you get to visit them with a true Monégasque.”

“Wow, I feel so special.” She quipped.

And suddenly, Charles didn’t feel tired anymore. He indicated her to follow him towards the underground garages where his Pista was parked. She didn’t say anything about the car, she just frowned before hopping in and fastened her seatbelt.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked her.

“How rich you must be to own a car like that. It must pay very well to drive car in circles.”

“I didn’t buy the car; it was a gift from the team.” He felt the need to justify himself.

She raised an eyebrow. She definitely was judging him.

“And you think it’s making it any better? How rich are you exactly? Because when I first met you, you didn’t strike me as a type who was loaded.”

“I’m doing well with my life money wise.”

“That’s exactly what someone who was really rich would say.”

“What about you, hum? You must do well too.”

“I’m okay but clearly not as much as you. So what do you do with your money?”

“I bought the apartment I’m living in. Reimburse the loan my mom got for hers, so she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. That’s actually the first thing I did when I got my very first F1 paycheck. And then I bought cars…” he confessed.

“Oh no… you’re so cliché! That’s literally what a basic rich person would do. Don’t tell me that you also have a yacht.”

“I do have one…” he admitted.

She opened her mouth but he added quickly:

“But I didn’t buy it. It was a gift from a sponsor. It doesn’t count as an investment, right?”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. She was laughing at him.

“Whatever you say, rich boy…”

The discussion ended there. They fell into a comfortable silence. She took the time to look at the streets of Monaco. They were busy and she could still hear the noise. She looked at the architecture of the buildings, a mix of ancient and modern, between tradition and modernity. If she turned her head towards Charles, she could see the sea. She could understand how someone could like it here. But she thought that to appreciate the city, you had to be born here. But maybe she could try to not see the negative and focus on the positive side of Monaco. After all, she made a friend here. Well, she wasn’t considering Charles as a friend yet. But with time, he could be. But time was not something she had.

They finally made it to the gardens. She got out of the car quickly and ventured in the alleys, leaving Charles behind. He didn’t mind though. He knew these gardens like the back of his hand. He watched her moving between trees and bushed. Doing weird poses, climbing on benches, jumping from ledges to ledges. She seemed to know what she was doing and why but Charles found that a little weird. He understood why she wanted to go when no one would be here. If someone was seeing this show, he would think she was mad. But Charles found that strangely cute.

“Can I ask you what you are doing or would it disturb whatever you have going on?”

She stopped and approached him. They both sat down on a bench.

“Sally, the character I’m playing in the romcom I told you about, she is so bubbly, she doesn’t care about what people might think of her, she is supposed to wear bright colors and overall, she is just a ray of sunshine. That contrasts with Nicholas, her love interest. So I was trying to see how it would feel to behave without a care in the world. That’s how I work. Some actors will spend hours breaking down their scripts at a table, I do that too, but I also try to do what the character would do. It helps me a lot to feel close to them. Usually I do that on my own.”

“She seemed to be the opposite of you.”

“She is. That’s also why I wanted to play her so badly. That’s also why I didn’t totally refuse you to come. So I could really understand her feelings.”

“And here I thought that was because you appreciate my presence… I’m hurt.”

“Sorry to disappoint”

She yawned.

“Maybe we should go back… it’s getting late and I don’t want us to be arrested for trespassing.” Charles recommended.

The drive home was silent, with Lyanna dozing in the car. Charles walked her to her front door and, before she closed the door, asked:

“I know you said you were busy tomorrow and I am too but what would you say of coming at my place tomorrow evening. We could watch one of your movie and I could start to teach you about F1? We both promised that to each other.”

“Well, I don’t know when I’ll come back from work. Between castmates and director meetings, then table read, the moment when we all read the script for the first time together you know, it tends to be really long. I don’t even know if I’ll have the time to eat, to be honest. But I’ll let you know.”

“This reminds me that I don’t have your phone number. Here’s mine, text me when you’ll know. But for your information, my door will be open if you decide to show up.”

She smiled at him while putting his number in her contacts. She gave him his phone back and told him goodnights while softly closing her door behind her.

#charles leclerc #charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc x reader #fiction #writing #charles leclerc imagines #charles leclerc x female reader #cl16 #cl16 x reader

121 notes · View notes

polis-fandom · 8 months

Text

Patrick Gibson featured in the "Wonderland" Magazine Summer Issue 2023. Pictures by Rhys Frampton.

from @/rhysfampton @/lukebensoncreative @/livi.av on Instagram.

Shadow and Bone's Patrick Gibson on becoming fan-favourite Nikolai Lantsov and the power of the Grisha fandom.

[interview transcript under the cut]

PATRICK GIBSON

Shadow and Bone's Patrick Gibson on becoming fan-favourite Nikolai Lantsov and the power of the Grisha fandom.

Words by Ella Bardsley

Season one of Shadow and Bone saw the world (willingly) catapulted into the Grishaverse, and the entrance of Nikolai Lantsov in season two definitely gave us a reason to return. Taking on one of the most beloved characters in Leigh Bardugo's novels, OA actor Patrick Gibson plays the Ravkan prince who spends a fair amount of time sneakily disguised as the infamous privateer, Sturmhond. No spoilers here, but the prince's future was left more than uncertain. Now that the second season of Shadow and Bone has come to a close, and we're waiting for confirmation on the third, we caught up with the 28-year-old actor on his preffered Grisha power, weirdest audition, and what he's looking for in his next role.

Ella Bardsley: Hey Patrick! What's been your most bizarre audition in your career thus far?

Patrick Gibson: That is tough. There have been some shockers. But nowadays a lot of the time you're doing self-tapes at home. Generally, the weirdest are doing intimate and romantic scenes with close friends or family. Ah yes, there have been a few of them. Nothing quite bests the acting skills like having to convincingly flirt with your own dad.

EB: What was your reaction when you first read the script for Shadow and Bone season two?

PG: I was excited. That's one of my favourite parts of the process. Getting to sit down with this crisp new script and discovering for the first time what exactlyy it is you're going to be doing for the nest few months and getting to dig out your character in more detail. I have been a big fan of our showrunner Eric Heisserer ever since he wrote Arrival , so it was awesome getting to read what him, Daegan Fryklind, and the incredible team of writers had created that first time.

EB: What has been the most surpraising fan reaction or interaction you've had since the release of the show?

PG: I have to say, it's always so lovely meeting or interacting with people who are fans of the show. You're often in a vacuum when you make something, and so to get to meet people who connect with it and are brought joy by it is really nice. A group of fans made a book for me with messages and pictures recently, and it was really touching.[*] They put a lot of work into it. And I'm also aware that it's not really about me. People are passionate about and love the character which is cool because I get to share that enjoyment with them.

EB: As an actor, what was the most challenging aspect of portraying Nikolai's character, and how did you approach it?

PG: Stepping into a character that is so loved by fans of the books is a daunting thing in itself. I found treading the line between honouring who he is on the page while allowing myself to add my own spin on it was one of the more challenging elements. For the most part though, I just had a lot of fun. There was absolutely some wishfulfillment in there for me. Playing a character who carries themselves in a carefree way is always fun and encourages you to make bold choices and let go.

EB: If you could switch roles with any other character in Shadow and Bone , who wolud it be and why?

PG: I honestly tried to think who, but everyone is so perfectly cast I couldn't imagine it any other way.

EB: If you could have any Grisha power from the series in real life, which one would you choose and how would you use it?

PG: I would say a Durast. I'd like to be able to build things, heal people, and manipulate objects on a molecular level.

EB: Do you find yourself delving into rabbit holes while you do research for a role? What's your creative process?

PG: I've found the process varies depending on the job, although it does always have similiarities. It always starts with the script, digging through it for clues. I find the best writing keeps giving you things the more time you spend with it. That process of digging is exciting, you might read the same line a few weeks in and are suddenly struck with a realisation or make a mental connection, I love when action has a physical element or a skill that's required to develop. It just means you get to spend more time with the character floating around the subconscious. I really do think as you're learning skills, if you have the character somewhere in mind, it solidifies it. You get to live with the character in a different way.

EB: What's your on-set pet peeves?

PG: I don't really have any! I have things that get me really excited to be on set. I mean, maybe people complaining? When people forget the privilege they have to be doing this job as an actor. I've felt both sides of it... being so hungry to work I would do anything, and being exhausted and fed up and wishing you had a 9-5. And yeah, it's still a job, but it's important not to lose sight of the joy of it.

EB: Finally, in what kind of role you want to see yourself next?

PG: Genre-wise, I don't have any particular preference, but I'm always looking for that thing I can get lost in. When you find something and know this is what you want to make your world for the next few months. I'm drawn to stuff that's intangible[?]** or seemingly "weird"[?]** stories that are given scale by the detail and care they're told with. There was a film recently called Full Time by Eric Gravel , which I think perfectly encapsulated that.

*[OP pauses the transcription to squeel with joy. Patrick is very likely refering to the fanbook gifted to him during ASOCAS 2 Empire Convention in Paris in May 2023. My artworks are in there, and he saw them, and his jaw dropped, and this is still the highlight of my life]

**[note: I can't decipher those two words from the pics, this is my best guess.]

#patrick gibson #paddy gibson #shadow and bone cast #grishaverse #nikolai lantsov #sturmhond #shadow and bone netflix #shadow and bone

23 notes · View notes

nickmaghighlights · 9 months

Text

Nick Mag Highlights - Nick Mag Presents: Danny Phantom (Fall 2005)

Well, well, well, fancy meeting you here. Welcome back to my blog and the words that inhabit it. Today, Halloween comes early this year when we read through another exciting issue of Nickelodeon Magazine Presents, this time all about Danny Phantom. Boo! Trick-or-Treat! Deck the halls!

And not only is this edition of Nick Mag Highlights spooky, it’s also… pretty chill. Y’know? Just takin’ it easy, reading a handful of comics and probably a crossword puzzle or something. As much as I love researching the kind of stuff Nickelodeon Magazine includes in its articles, sometimes it’s nice to sit back and take things at face value and just see what the state of Nickelodeon was like at any given time, and these short-and-sweet issues of Nick Mag Presents are the perfect venue for just that.

But why exactly am I tackling this purportedly Halloween-themed issue in August? Well, mainly it’s because that new Danny Phantom graphic novel just came out… two weeks ago (oops). And I really enjoyed it! So I’ve since been in a big Danny Phantom mood lately. I even ended up re-watching the whole first season and had a blast doing so. This show was a real obsession of mine as a kid, so maybe this blog post is also a way for me to give it its dues.

This issue can be found online here, read along… if you dare!

Another Nick Mag Presents, another humorously wordy introduction. If you’re unfamiliar, basically all these Presents-styled issues have a panel on the first page with a character essentially advertising the book to you and talking about all the comics and activities included inside. This one here features Danny and an understandably perturbed ghost, for example.

Since these issues were usually sold in stores as opposed to through a mail subscription, I suppose this is the issue’s way of hooking you in and explaining to you why you should buy it. I think a kid would probably be more inclined to just flip through the book and arrive at the same conclusion, but I guess this approach doesn’t hurt anybody.

But anyway, let’s see here… aw, only two wholly new comics? The Fairly Oddparents-themed issue I took a look at previously had five original comics. That’s a bummer, but at least we’ve still got variety… SpongeBob, My Life as a Teenage Robot, and The Wild Thornberrys, oh my! Even Tak makes an appearance here, two years before the premiere of his actual Nickelodeon cartoon, meaning this was an attempt to interest readers in the then-recently released video game: Tak 3: The Great Juju Challenge. Not sure if that worked.

And if you’ll take a look at that yellow, spiky bubble with words on the right there, this September 2005 issue is meant to coincide with the then-upcoming two episode-long Danny Phantom special, “The Ultimate Enemy”, which featured Danny taking on a more powerful version of himself from the future. Seems like the included removable poster is even themed around that very episode! Let’s just hope that poster is still left intact, eh?

So first up, we’ve got a page to get you up to speed on the main cast if you’re new to the show. It’s even got some new factoids for the already familiar superfans! For example: Did you know Sam is into anime? I sure didn’t.

Oh, and if you’re wondering where series villain Vlad Masters is, don’t worry, they go over him later on in the book.

On the right you’ll find an easy if not slightly amusing word puzzle, which tasks you with solving questions where each answer contains the word boo. Simple enough for a kid while still being worth the time, methinks.

Although all the stock ghost art on the page gets me wondering, how come most of the ghosts in the show manifest as typical-looking cartoon ghosts while others manifest in a human form? I guess maybe it comes down to the strength of your spirit. Who’s to say?

You’ve met the characters, now it’s time to meet the voices behind them! I’ll always take a side of interviews with my Nickelodeon Magazine, and this is no exception. The questions are cute, and I had fun reading them. Not much to say.

So we’re finally here at the first comic of the issue, and… not really a fan of this one! Yeah, sorry to start this retrospective off on a sour note but this isn’t really doing it for me. The main villain of this one is Youngblood, who already isn’t exactly one of my favorite villains from the series. But here they’ve got him and all the other characters stuck in a pretty by-the-numbers plot where Danny and co. get stuck babysitting the brat while he tries to maim them, with them of course unable to fight back lest they face the wrath of his parents (who are humongous lizard monsters, for some reason).

If you’re even a little familiar with cartoons you’ve probably already seen quite a few takes on this formula already. And even if you like Youngblood as a character they don’t have him doing his usual pirate shtick he’s remembered for, so I’m not sure what anyone is getting out of this, really. What's especially not helping is that this goes on for ten pages, further dragging out an already tired concept.

So there you have it, I guess. Done-to-death story with accordingly done-to-death jokes, a lame villain, and about two pages of action. I will say though, Danny and Tucker’s babysitting poster on page 2 did get a smile out of me, at least.

You’ve met the characters, and you’ve also met the voices behind them, now it’s time to meet… the rest of the characters! The villain ones! These guys really made the show for me, cause the team behind the show really just seemed to understand the assignment and made all of them really unique and memorable.

So we can see they’ve been ranked in terms of how dangerous they all are, which is a fun idea. ‘Course you’ve got Vlad at the top of, but then there’s Technus just behind him? I can’t say I remember him being notably more dangerous than any of the other baddies, I’m fairly certain he gets swept up at the end of his specific episode just like all the rest. I’m pretty sure Valerie gave Danny a bigger run for his money, and she’s down at #3.

Woah now, I’m starting to scrutinize the power levels of cartoon characters. Cartoon characters from a show I haven’t even fully watched all the way through since I was a kid, no less. Better put a stop to that before it gets ugly.

Cool little cartoons on the left there, that one on the top right is properly devious and I’m all for it. All the art is quite lovely too.

The right is… well, it’s Mad Libs, there’s no other way around it. Y’know the Mad Libs website refers to itself as “the world’s greatest word game” but I seriously think they need to take that up with Scrabble, or hell, even Hangman. Yeah I was never a big fan of this kind of fill-in-the-blanks stuff, but I guess it’s a pretty inoffensive activity to include.

Check out Danny’s dad rocking that emo hair.

And now we’ve made it to the second and last new comic for the issue, and unfortunately it’s only a two-pager. But hey, if my thoughts on the previous ten-page comic said anything, it was that I prefer quality over quantity. And this one is… okay. It’s funny enough, does what all it needs to with the concept, and it definitely doesn’t overstay its welcome. I’m again surprised by the lack of action in both of these comics, considering Danny Phantom is an action show, after all, but it’s not like the show wasn’t a comedy either, so it’s not that weird.

I guess while we’re here I could nitpick it a bit. The lineart here courtesy of series creator Butch Hartman* is a bit wonky at times. There’s the aforementioned emo hair Danny’s dad is wearing, but my main gripe is that dog robot just doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the artstyle. It being the only new original character design for this comic as well doesn’t seem like a coincidence to me. I guess the team was fine with whatever Hartman drew because he made the show after all, so surely he knows what he’s doing, right?*

*Insert obligatory comment about how much of a loser Butch Hartman is here.

Just want to give a shoutout to this pretty creative puzzle here. It actually stumped me a little when I first read it! Those monster designs are pretty entertaining too. Solid activity overall.

Next up it’s an installment of Sam Shade, which was a short-lived recurring series in Nickelodeon Magazine. Apparently the series ran from 2002 to 2005, so this may be one of the last times a Sam Shade comic was ever printed in a Nick Magazine.

These comics mainly consist of the titular Detective Sam Shade trying to solve some mystery, sleuthing around the area in a series of detailed, wordy scenes. Likewise, you as the reader are as well tasked with scouring the pages for clues to help deduce the culprit. Each panel here smoothly moves into the next, making for something like a Where’s Waldo puzzle but with an actual narrative. It’s a really good idea! A shame this series didn’t last longer.

Hey, is that Carl from Jimmy Neutron on the bottom right there?

Pretty nice My Life as a Teenage Robot comic here. Although that’s kind of unfortunate in a way, since that means I haven’t got much to talk about! It’s pretty much a 1-to-1 translation from animation to comic here. The artstyle and writing are both on point, it’s all just in a shorter, more paper-y format.

I wonder why the aliens’ speech bubble has flowers in it. Is that a theater reference, maybe?

The design of these fiery aliens are particularly awesome - simple but effective. I’m surprised they used such a cool design in a comic that was going to be seen by way less people as opposed to using it in the cartoon. Man, this show is so cool, even its supplementary media is stylish!

But anyway, do you want to know how this story ends? Read it yourself!

Ohh man, I distinctly remember this comic. I don’t remember what issue of Nickelodeon Magazine this one is sourced from, but whichever one it was, I had it. The story’s nothing to write home about really, It's another take on the age old tale of “Squidward yells at SpongeBob and Patrick for doing something annoying, so they inadvertently ruin his life”. Squidward must have a really good lawyer for him to be able to bounce back from all the crap SpongeBob and Pat get him into.

This version of the usual story has S. Bob and P. Rick making a cake in Squidward’s image. Mr. Krabs ends up mistaking it for the real Squidward, bringing it to the Krusty Krab, and having it run the cash register, obviously to disastrous results. It’s all pretty par for the course, and there’s some funny lines to be had.

Weirdly though, unless I’m blind, I can’t seem to find any credits for this one. Not in the comic itself or at the back of the book. I’m pretty sure the artist(s) behind this one did more SpongeBob SquarePants comics though, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the same writing team had a hand in them too. I distinctly remember one where all the characters turn into desserts. Or maybe it was an alternate universe where they’re all desserts? Something like that. Maybe I’ll find it and cover it on this blog someday!

And up next, it’s a Wild Thornberrys comic of all things (said with feigned surprise, having read the table of contents moments ago). And I’m just now realizing none of these comics have anything to do with ghosts, or horror, really. Quite the magazine you’ve got just in time for October, Nickelodeon!

But hey, it’s not right to judge a piece of art specifically by the context in which it is presented. Especially when it was originally published in a magazine that likely came out years earlier, probably not even around the month of October. Desperate times call for desperate measures and all that, even when it comes to filling the pages of a magazine.

This comic is especially cool, anyway, as you can no doubt tell from its distinct shakeup in style!

The story has Eliza receiving some gifts from her Japanese friend, Mayumi (who was probably in the show, presumably), one of those gifts being a homemade manga. And while I’m not exactly an expert on the Japanese arts, I certainly find this art convincing and really appreciate the attention to detail. I bet any kids that were fans of manga around this time must have felt pretty seen to have one of their hobbies referenced in a rather unlikely place, and with such attention to detail no less.

One thing I can also appreciate is that this story really isn’t something they could have pulled off in the show itself (unless they studio really wanted to have an anime-themed episode and go through the undertaking of doing an episode in an entirely different, foreign animation style all on their usual budget), so overall this is a really fun idea done quite flawlessly. My only gripe is we don’t get to see a manga-styled Nigel Thornberry, but what can you do?

Oh boy, the Tak comic, cool. Now, I know these games have their fans, but I can’t say I’m one of them. I did watch the show a bit though, but I’ve heard it has nothing to do with the games, so I guess that makes me rather unprepared to tackle this two-page comic on an intellectual, researched level. I will say though that I think the Sam Shade comic from earlier pulled off this style of free-flowing, no-panel storytelling to a much greater effect. The amount of Taks they threw around the page makes it feel really busy and cramped, and they had to essentially remove the second character Tak is traveling with from the story since I guess they were strapped for page space.

But yeah, the colors are nice at least, and Tak media is especially hard to come by nowadays, so I suppose if I were more into the property, I might be more into this.

Last comic of the day, and it’s Jimmy Neutron. At least this one kinda fits the theme, I mean, aliens are almost in the same horror-league as vampires, zombies, ghosts, and all that. This is a pretty quality one to end off the book with, and in regards to Jimmy Neutron, this is one of the better ways these characters have been translated to 2D. Although the incredibly warm colors and harsh shadows throw me for a loop. Pretty good overall!

Before we wrap things up, I would like to mention that advert for The Nicktoons Film Festival on the right. I totally forgot these used to be a thing! From 2004 to 2009 Nickelodeon hosted a film festival and let viewers vote for their favorite animated short, along with letting proper animation people who know what they’re talking about vote on their favorites, too. Lots of great up-and-coming cartoonists took part in these festivals. This one in 2005 actually featured a short by J. G. Quintel that eventually was used as a basis for his own Cartoon Network show, Regular Show! You can check the short out below:

youtube

Neat bit of history there, yeah?

Even though I’m still a bit disappointed this issue didn’t include more original content, I still think this ended up being a fairly entertaining walk down memory lane. And hey, I hope you had a good time too. I’m doubly disappointed, however, that the archive of this issue didn’t come with that tear-out poster! Now we’ll never see it in its full hi-def glory.

As always, thanks for stopping by and checking out another bit of Nick history with me. Have yourself a good one, and I’ll see you all next time!

#nmh post #2000s #2005 #nickelodeon #magazine #danny phantom

28 notes · View notes

lady-stardust-incarnate · 9 months

Text

Just finished watching the red white and royal blue movie, here are my immediate thoughts:

1. Omg this movie actually made me so emotional, I didn't expect to cry, I don't cry at movies much but this one, for many reasons, really made me feel a lot of things. I can already tell it will be a huge comfort movie for me going forward and this is simply because of the incredible story that Casey Mcquinston created, the directing of Matthew Lopez, and the acting of Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicolas Galitzine and many more. (If ANYONE wants to say they have no chemistry I will fight you)

2. The way that the relationship between Henry and Alex is shown is incredibly well conveyed and in a way which could be realistic. We see that sweet sweet enemies to lovers but even after they get together it continues to develop and their connection grows stronger into a special bond which we see at the end of the movie (no not the post credit scene, that was a lil silly, nice touch though). Also going off on a slight tangent here, one of my main complaints about heartstopper season 2 was that Nick and Charlie are always kissing/making out, I was worried that this would also be the case for rwrb, but it definately wasn't. I read so many articles on how the intimacy coordinator directed the two actors and how much they themselves researched into the role to really deliver their best performences. It definately paid off. I felt that there was a really nice balance between the really intimate scenes which we see a lot of in the book and sweet tender moments where they really show that these two characters really love each other and aren't just super horny.

3. The sets and the way they filmed the whole thing. yes. The main one I want to comment on is the iconic cake scene, which as I said, I read a lot of interviews, and from those I know that Matthew Lopez had a vision for this scene which he worked really hard to get perfect, and it had a really good turnout (I know I already mentioned it but I love the post credit scene so much). One of my favourite things was Matthew Lopez revealing that the birds eye shot of cake falling onto Alex and Henry was him and another crew member dumping cake into them, this isn't that relevant to my thoughts but I just found that detail hilarious as Lopez said it was a "good way to let off steam." Other than that scene, which for me was a very important part of the film, I don't really know much about the technical side of a production like this, but as a viewer it all came together nicely and the sets were nice.

4. A reason I really connect with this film is the fact that I am a queer teenager who has learned to accept themself, gone through the coming out process (somewhat, we don't talk about extended family). I absolutely love the positive representation that this movie gives to the queer community. For people who have not read the book, it is an incredible story, and for a lot of people it shows for the first time in media that LGBTQ+ people can have their happy ending, it won't be easy to get there but it is worth it in the end. While in reality we see this with queer couples a lot, the community has had to fight for their rights and are still in that process, in countries where it is legal it is still very common to be judged, attacked and even killed for your self expression. So for me this was a very fresh (even though I read the book) story for the community, to show that the battles are worth fighting for your happiness. As I touched on before, I think a reason that this works so well is that the characters are so relatable to the average viewer, despite their positions. The are made to be comedic and actually have banter like you'd expect, it's not uptight and only about the romance and spicy scenes. This is really comforting to so many people out there and it feels very appropriate with the world we live in now. I would say my favourite scene in the entire film was the v&a scene, it's so cute I don't know how else to put it, literally a romance dream. Sorry if that was my worst tangent yet, you can tell I'm passionate on the subject.

5. I just wanted to mention some of the other characters. Like a lot of people I was really disappointed to find out that characters such as June and Liam would not be in the movie, however I think this is made up for by the great portrayal of other characters, my favourite being Nora who, let's be real, is not only Alex and Henry's number 1 shipper, but also just gives the best advice. Everyone in this movie genuinely gave such a great performence and I can only thank the entire team for giving us the adaptation that the book deserves.

6. I'm giving the spicy scenes their own point to mainly say that they aren't even that spicy, I personally don't even see why this film was given an r rating and I believe, as many others have said, that if this film was a straight romcom then it wouldn't be given that rating. Yes you see them with clothes off, there's no dick, you only actually see them having sex once, the others are mainly foreplay, really nothing that explicit.

7. I thought I would also dedicate a point to the travesty that is certain quotes from the book that were not included, "you obtuse fucking asshole." "fucking eyelashes." and "Remus John Lupin is gay as the day is long." (ok they probably couldn't get copyright permission to add that one) "I'm gonna take your pants off now... yes good carry on." "for fucks sake man you just had my dick in your mouth, you can kiss me goodnight." and "what in the rich white people sex dungeon." I know that they probably didn't want the script to be a direct copy of this book but some of these quotes would've been nice, also I like that they atleast mentioned the PowerPoint, despite not having the actual PowerPoint.

I hope you enjoyed my overly formal review/thoughts on the rwrb movie which slowly got more deranged in the hour that I was writing this, I began writing this around 3:20am just after I finished the movie, and it's safe to say, I won't be coming back to this to correct any spelling or punctuation mistakes. Overall I love the film, as typical as it is for a romcom, I love the characters and I really like what they were able to do in the 2 hours of the film. Obviously it's never going to be a perfect adaptation but I loved every second of it nonetheless. It's cheesy, it's romantic, but that's what gives it it's charm and makes me love it so much. I'll be hoping for a series to futher explore the story but that'll probably stay in my delusions.

It is now 4:20am, goodnight (I'm not going to sleep, I'm just not being formal anymore)

21 notes · View notes