#2009 first date recreation

[lifewithaview]

Amy Poehler in Parks and Recreation (2009–2015) The Stakeout

S2E2

Leslie sets up a stakeout with Tom to find out who's growing marijuana in the community garden she set up in the pit, but it also gives her an opportunity to scout out Ann and Mark's first date.

[alphynix]

Crystal Palace Field Trip Part 3: Walking With Victorian Beasts

[Previously: the Jurassic and Cretaceous]

The final section of the Crystal Palace Dinosaur trail brings us to the Cenozoic, and a selection of ancient mammals.

Image from 2009 by Loz Pycock (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Originally represented by three statues, there are two surviving originals of the Eocene-aged palaeotheres depicting Plagiolophus minor (the smaller sitting one) and Palaeotherium medium (the larger standing one).

The sitting palaeothere unfortunately lost its head sometime in the late 20th century, and the image above shows it with a modern fiberglass replacement. Then around 2014/2015 the new head was knocked off again, and has not yet been reattached – partly due to a recent discovery that it wasn't actually accurate to the sculpture's original design. Instead there are plans to eventually restore it with a much more faithful head.

These early odd-toed ungulates were already known from near-complete skeletons in the 1850s, and are depicted here as tapir-like animals with short trunks based on the scientific opinion of the time. We now think their heads would have looked more horse-like, without trunks, but otherwise they're not too far off modern reconstructions.

There was also something exciting nearby:

The recently-recreated Palaeotherium magnum!

This sculpture went missing sometime after the 1950s, and its existence was almost completely forgotten until archive images of it were discovered a few years ago. Funds were raised to create a replica as accurate to the original as possible, and in summer 2023 (just a month before the date of my visit) this larger palaeothere species finally rejoined its companions in the park.

Compared to the other palaeotheres this one is weird, though. Much chonkier, wrinkly, and with big eyes and an almost cartoonish tubular trunk. It seems to have taken a lot of anatomical inspiration from animals like rhinos and elephants, since in the mid-1800s odd-toed ungulates were grouped together with "pachyderms".

———

Next is Anoplotherium, an Eocene even-toed ungulate distantly related to modern camels.

(Apparently the sculpture closest to the water is a replica of a now-lost original, recreated from photo references in the same manner as the new Palaeotherium magnum. I can't find a definite reference for when this one was done, though – I'd guess probably during the last round of major renovations in the early 2000s, at the same time as the now-destroyed Jurassic pterosaur replicas?)

Anoplotherium commune is a rather obscure species today, but it was one of the first early Cenozoic fossil mammals to be recognized by science in the early 1800s. Depicted here as small camel-like animals, the three statues are positioned near the water's edge to reflect the Victorian idea that they were semi-aquatic based on their muscular tails.

Today we instead think these animals were fully terrestrial, using their tails to balance themselves while rearing up to reach higher vegetation. Their heads would also have looked a bit less camel-like, but otherwise the Crystal Palace trio are still really good representations.

———

Next is a sculpture that's very easy to miss in the current overgrown state.

Who's that peeking over the bushes?

Going all the way around to the far side of the lake reveals a distant glimpse of the Pliocene-to-Holocene giant ground sloth Megatherium.

A better view of the Megatherium | "Tree Hugger" by Colin Smith (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Fossils of Megatherium americanum had been known since the late 1700s, but the 1854 Crystal Palace statue was still one of the first life reconstructions of this animal. Its anatomy is actually very close to our modern understanding, depicted with correctly inward-turned feet and sitting upright to feed on a tree with its tail acting as a "tripod".

However, we now know it didn't have a trunk-like nose, but instead probably had prehensile lips more like those of a modern black rhino.

Something weird also appears to have happened to the Crystal Palace Megatherium's hands. Early illustrations of the sculpture all consistently show it with the typical long claws of a sloth, but today it's missing its right hand and its left has only a strangely stumpy paw – suggesting that at some point in the intervening 170 years there was an unrecorded crude repair.

———

And finally we end the trail with three Megaloceros, the Pleistocene-to-Holocene "Irish Elk" that's actually neither exclusively Irish nor an elk.

A closer look at the second stag and the doe.

There was originally a fourth giant deer sculpture in this herd, a second resting doe, but it was destroyed sometime during the mid-20th century. The stags also initially had real fossil antlers attached to their heads, but these were removed and replaced with less accurate versions at some point by the mid-20th century.

One of the stags' antlers suffered some damage in 2020, ending up drooping, and since then one antler has either fallen off or been removed.

In the 1850s Megaloceros giganteus was thought to be closely related to deer in the genus Cervus, and so the Crystal Palace reconstructions seem to be based on modern wapiti – specifically in their winter coats, fitting for ice age animals – since both the stags and the doe sport distinctive thick neck manes.

The stags from the other side.

We now know Megaloceros was actually much more closely related to modern fallow deer, and so probably resembled them more than wapiti. Cave art also shows that it had a hump on its shoulders, and even gives us an idea of what its coloration was.

———

…But wait!

There's actually one more thing.

A small statue sitting on the far side of the deer herd, missing its ears, and seemingly representing a Megaloceros fawn.

Except it's actually something very different and very special.

Ceci n'est pas un cerf.

Some recent investigation work revealed some surprising information about the Crystal Palace mammal statues – much like the nearly-forgotten large Palaeotherium, there was originally an entire group of four small Eocene-aged llama-like Xiphodon gracilis that had disappeared from living memory.

There was also no historic record of a fawn with the giant deer, but instead a suspiciously similar-looking sitting sculpture is illustrated among what we now known are the four missing Xiphodon in early records.

An 1853 illustration of the sculpture workshop. The four Xiphodon are shown in the center, directly in front of a Megaloceros stag and doe. (public domain)

Somewhere in the late 19th or early 20th century three of the Xiphodon must have been completely lost, and the remaining individual was misidentified as a fawn and placed with the giant deer herd.

———

Rediscovering a whole extra species among the Crystal Palace statues is exciting, but it also demonstrates just how much of these sculptures' history has gone completely undocumented. 

The mammal statues especially seem to have suffered the most out of the "Dinosaur Court", being often overlooked, neglected, disrespected (at one point the Megatherium was inside a goat pen in a petting zoo!), and subjected to cruder repairs. A total of five original statues are now known to be missing from this Cenozoic section – the original large Palaeotherium, the three other Xiphodon, and the second Megaloceros doe – compared to the two pterosaurs lost from the Mesozoic island.

Hopefully the excellent recreation of the lost Palaeotherium magnum is the start of a long overdue new lease of life and conservation attention for all of the Crystal Palace sculptures. It was disappointing seeing them all in such an overgrown state, and with signs of ongoing disrepair in places such as the plant growing out of the big ichthyosaur's back.

But there has been some resurgence of interest and public attention in the Crystal Palace sculptures over the last few years, so with any luck these historic pieces of early paleoart will survive on to their 200th anniversary and beyond, to keep on reminding us of where things began and how far our understanding of prehistoric life has since come.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

"Boys In Love" Masterlist

19 october (my heartbeat matches yours) (ao3) - natigail

Summary: First touches and moments. It’s the same ten years later. Well, almost.

another day (ao3) - wearealldoomed

Summary: “It’s another day in the forever house. It’s been a day since uploading ‘We’re All Doomed’ to the channel that started it all. Dan Howell gets to live another day.”

Feel My Heart’s Intention (ao3) - Anonymous

Summary: Dan and Phil being annoyingly in love, cuddling, talking, and eating snacks (but mostly cuddling). Just fluff, really.

fond memories (ao3) - overmyhead

Summary: Dan remembers meeting Phil for the first time.

Geography class (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan and Phil are two loved up boyfriends in highschool. A new girl comes to the school and struggles to take a hint.

hold me close and i won't leave (ao3) - letswaitforme

Summary: dan has some feelings

Home (ao3) - Japhan2024

Summary: Dan visits Phil for the first time. This is how I envision it would have gone.

I can't help falling in love with you (again) (ao3) - Findus26

Summary: "Do you ever miss that feeling of being newly in love? Like, those first date jitters? Butterflies, if you will?"

It's 2020, the world is falling apart and Dan can't help thinking back to October 2009 when everything was new and exciting. Phil finds a way to recreate the feeling

I Love It (ao3) - cosmic_angel_writes

Summary: Phil dyes his hair blonde without telling Dan. Phil is nervous to show Dan but Dan wants to show him just how much he loves it.

I missed you so much I dyed the towels green (ao3) - chuuyaswife

Summary: A few of Dan’s shows get cancelled while he’s on the WAD tour so he decides to surprise his boyfriend back home for a few days. Fluffy reunion ensues.

look how (the stars) shine for you (ao3) - howell_slide

Summary: Two boys looking at the night sky together, 14 years apart.

marriage is just a piece of paper (ao3) - howell_slide

Summary: In the middle of the night in Manchester sometime in 2011, two young men get engaged.

Midnight Study (ao3) - thegraceofebonee

Summary: Phil wants to ask Dan a sensitive question as they share a moment together in the university courtyard.

one kiss is all it takes (ao3) - Anonymous

Summary: A sweet moment between two lovers.

phlondes do it better (ao3) - wearealldoomed

Summary: The day has come around quicker than Phil had anticipated.

The day where Phil dips his toes back into the waters of dyeing his hair after months of letting his natural hair colour grow back through.

The day where Phil goes platinum blonde without confronting Dan about it first.

The Bongo Incident (ao3) - cosmic_angel_writes

Summary: Dan sees the ginger man flirting with Phil while playing the bongos. Dan can’t seem to get his jealousy under control. He snaps and then is faced with how much he wants the world to know he loves Philip Lester.

The Real Reason Why (ao3) - maytheday

Summary: The Howell family goes to Mrs. Lester's birthday party, where Dan meets a boy named Phil.

We’re All Gay (ao3) - howell_slide

Summary: On some fuckass Tuesday in April 2024, Dan Howell dropped “gay” on the phandom.

what a great day to be gay (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Dan just published Basically, I’m Gay last night and he wakes up with a lighter feeling in his heart and a pair familiar of warm arms ready to wrap around him. It’s a great day to be gay. *** Phil just published Coming Out To You last night and he wakes with a sense of accomplishment in his heart and so much love for the boy sleeping next to him. It's an appropriate time to share a photo of him bathed in rainbows.

you and me (that's all we need it to be) (ao3) - bunnyslipper

Summary: 🧡

[weaselandfriends]

Detective Pony

I recently received an ask from @querimoniousqueer about whether I had ever read Detective Pony by sonnetstuck. I hadn’t, but decided I should, so I read it over the past week.

Going in I knew almost nothing about it beyond the joke in Homestuck proper, in which Dirk sends Jane a vandalized copy of a Pony Pals book with substitutions made to the text for comic effect. The Detective Pony fanfic extrapolates off that premise and provides a Dirk-ified version of the entire novella.

At first I wasn’t particularly sold on the premise. Revisiting the story’s first page (which Hussie himself created in Homestuck), it’s actually not that funny. At the beginning of Act 6 Hussie took the opportunity of the new universe to update the in-universe date from April 13, 2009 to November 11, 2011. This is not a particularly long stretch of time but to emphasize this shift Hussie decided to throw in several references to what is, I assume, the singular piece of new media he had consumed during that period: the sitcom Parks and Recreation.

I’m not sure how hilarious Hussie thought it was to change a supporting character’s name to Pawnee Township, Indiana, the fictional setting of Parks and Recreation, but in 2023 the reference feels phenomenally dated, without the self-awareness of the intentionally dated references to Con Air elsewhere in the comic. Though the reference is a bit more interesting metafictionally (does Dirk, living in post-apocalyptic future Earth, intend to make a reference to a work popular in 2011, making it contemporaneous and thus relevant to Jane?), now that the audience of Homestuck is no longer themselves contemporaneous to Jane it’s hard to even crack a smile beyond the simple audaciousness of the premise.

As Detective Pony (the fanfic) continues, it quickly grows dull. In Homestuck, the joke is fairly short and works because of its aforementioned audaciousness, so seeing a subsequent 20-30 pages of what is basically the same idea repeated over and over (everyone swears, everyone is violent, the cat is Satanic, plus a few non sequitur references) wore me down pretty quickly.

Fortunately, the fanfic has some major cards to play.

The first longform philosophical digression on the corruption of lolcat memes grabbed my interest, and as the story goes on, an entirely new metafictional narrative emerges in which Dirk, the cynical and too-smart-for-his-own-good authorial figure, comes into conflict with the more earnest and sincere characters (and original author) of Pony Pals. A dichotomy is established between the intellectually probing but ironically detached nature of one authorial voice and the childish but emotionally honest nature of the other. The authorial voices begin to wage war against each other, with Dirk’s orange-texted narrative attempting to cover up the black-texted narrative of the other voices, leading to a complex series of machinations and an eventual exposing of Dirk’s bitter loneliness and self-doubt.

This all sounds rather familiar.

Indeed, halfway through this fic, I had to scroll to the top and check the date it was posted. October 14, 2014. Predating Homestuck’s Epilogues by roughly five years.

I find it difficult to believe that Hussie or his Epilogue co-authors had not read Detective Pony prior to writing the Epilogues. The thematic overlap is immense, let alone the explicit plot and metatextual elements, let alone the fact that all of those elements revolve specifically around Dirk. That’s not to say the two works are identical. Detective Pony leans far more heavily onto its author’s extensive knowledge of Western literature and philosophy (including significant references to Derrida, Dante, Plato, Socrates, and others), while the Epilogues aggrandize the scope of stakes of the plot and weave in a far wider amount of character threads.

I’d recommend Detective Pony to anyone still confused or potentially even hurt by the Epilogues; the “character assassination” done in Detective Pony is done to characters from a story about ponies for little girls as opposed to your beloved Homestuck characters, so it might be much easier to approach, grapple with, and understand the themes of the Epilogues without the large amount of emotional baggage characters like Jane, Jake, Jade, Dave, and so on carry with them. It might shed more insight on what Hussie and his co-authors were attempting with the Epilogues, though you might also find it a bit dull if you’re not familiar with Derrida or the other frequently-quoted philosophers within the text. I’m not a philosophy person myself (way more of a classical fiction junkie), but still I was able to follow along and enjoy it.

[dw-flagler]

okay, so:

back in the 70s, Spider-Man's Clone Saga was a thing. A lot happened, but the long and short of it was this: Gwen Stacy was killed by the green goblin in Amazing Spider-Man 121. A while later, she seemingly comes back to life. This is revealed to be a plot of the supervillain The Jackal, who created clones of peter and gwen because he could just do that. Peter fights the clone, one of them dies, and they assume that the surviving peter is the original. There's another clone saga, which was widely panned, but the important thing for my post here is Ultimate Spider-Man (2000-2009).

We have to establish a couple things first, though. So in USM issue 31, Gwen Stacy's dad, John Stacy, is killed by a spider-man impersonator (for honestly some really stupid reasons but whatever), and Gwen is formally adopted by May, moving in with her and Peter in issue 32.

Now, shortly after this, the venom saga happens. It differs from most versions in that the symbiotes, in the ultimate universe, are not aliens, but instead human-made living organisms. They were made by Edward Brock Sr. and Richard Parker, and peter's parents are killed because Richard refuses to make the suits weapons. Eddie Brock Jr. (Peter's childhood friend, current college student, and pedophile) recreates one of the symbiotes, and eventually it bonds with Eddie to become Venom in issue 37.

Anyway, some other stuff happens, and then in Issue 57, Gwen finds out that Peter is Spider-Man. She confronts him in Issue 59, and eventually decides she's cool with him being spider-man. She calls him her "super hero little brother" in a conversation with Mary Jane.

Later, in issue 60, Curt Conners, the guy whose lab Eddie was working in, takes a sample of Peter's blood, and, working with a guy named Ben Reilly, creates another symbiote, Carnage.

Carnage, a symbiote cloned from peter, breaks out of the lab, killing a bunch of people, including Gwen, in issue 62. Peter, furious at this, tracks down the Carnage symbiote (which never actually has a host in this universe) and throws it in a fire, killing it. Later, in Issue 64, that other guy, Ben Reilly, steals a sample of the Carnage symbiote from Connors' lab, for unknown purposes.

Cut to issue 97, the start of Ultimate's Clone Saga. So Peter encounters this supervillain called the scorpion, who turns out to be a clone of him. He also encounters Jessica Drew(!), who is also a clone of him. Then, after jessica whooped his ass, he sees Gwen, who has miraculously come back to life!

So, the particular details of the ultimate clone saga aren't important for this post, but I'll describe them in brief anyway. The clones, including Scorpion, Jessica, and the others who i'm not mentioning, were made by Otto Octavius and Ben Reilly together, working to recreate Spider-Man for the CIA. Ben, as he already had a failed attempt to clone spider-man just sitting in his pocket or something, decided to do some fucky stuff to the carnage sample he had on him. He tries to recreate the full Carnage, but it doesn't work quite right, and it ends up kind of becoming Gwen Stacy. It's still carnage, but it's also her.

Anyway, Peter and Jessica beat the hell out of Doc Ock, who was responsible for this, all the clones other than Jessica and Gwen die, Peter gets back together with Mary Jane and breaks up with Kitty Pryde (who he was dating at the time), everything goes back to normal. More or less. Eventually, carnage Gwen gets attacked by Eddie "Pedophile" Brock and he steals her symbiote (despite the fact that she is a symbiote) and becomes Venom again, and she is completely normal now.

Anyway, by Vol. 2 Issue 1 (about 30 issues later), we're in a new status-quo. The important part is this: Peter has broken up with Mary Jane (again) off screen, and is now dating Gwen Stacy for some reason.

So, as I have exhaustively laid out, peter is, in fact, dating his own clone.

What's even weirder about this is that a few issues later, in Vol. 2 Issue 9, Johnny Storm (who was there during the whole clone saga but I guess he wasn't paying attention) goes and kisses Jessica Drew, who is also a clone of peter, and peter finds this extremely gross.

I don't really have a moral or anything to this. I just sort of recognized that gwen is technically a clone of peter and felt like i had to explain this to someone.

[irunevenus]

Behind the Scenes of Miley Cyrus.

Since she exploded onto the pop scene as the star of the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus has been a complex, multifaceted figure in pop culture. With a career spanning decades and a personal life marked by ups and downs, Cyrus offers a fascinating insight into the challenges and triumphs of growing up in the spotlight.

From Child Prodigy to Pop Icon

Miley Ray Cyrus was born on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee, to country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. From an early age, she showed a talent for entertainment, and in 2006, she won the hearts of viewers as the protagonist of the series Hannah Montana. The series was a phenomenon, transforming young Miley into a pop icon for the millennial generation.

However, Cyrus' transition from child star to adult artist was not simple. In 2013, Miley released Bangerz, an album that marked a radical shift in her public image. With a provocative aesthetic and audacious themes, Cyrus distanced herself from the "Disney girl" image and began to explore new musical and visual territories.

The Drug Controversy and Public Impact

Miley Cyrus' journey has not been without controversy. In 2013, the young artist was caught using marijuana in public, which triggered a series of debates about her behavior and personal choices. This incident, combined with her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, where she performed with a provocative look and bold behavior, ignited a storm of criticism and questioning.

In addition to marijuana, Cyrus has also been linked to the use of other substances. In 2014, reports emerged about his use of MDMA and other recreational drugs during parties and social events. The artist was often seen in festive settings, which fueled speculation about her lifestyle and the impact of her substance use.

The Romance of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth: Love, Scandals and Transformations

The relationship between Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth was one of the most followed and talked about romances of the last decade, marking the personal lives of both stars and generating a series of headlines and controversies. From the beginning of their romance until their final separation, their story was full of ups and downs, which reflected not only in their personal lives, but also in their careers and in the media.

The Beginning of the Romance

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth met in 2009 while filming the romantic drama The Last Song. The chemistry between the two was immediate, and they soon started dating. Their relationship was initially kept private, but it soon became one of the celebrity media's favorite topics.

Engagement and First Breakup

In June 2012, after three years of dating, Cyrus and Hemsworth announced their engagement. Cyrus' engagement ring, a stunning piece with a large diamond, was widely publicized and applauded. However, their relationship began to face difficulties shortly after their engagement.

In September 2013, Cyrus and Hemsworth announced their separation. The breakup sparked a wave of speculation about the reasons behind the breakup, with media and fans speculating about the influence of Cyrus' lifestyle, which included a more provocative image and edgier behavior. Cyrus, known for her controversial performances and open substance use, was a major focus of public attention.

Reconciliation and Marriage

Despite the breakup, the two reconciled in 2016 and resumed their relationship with a new understanding. In December 2018, Cyrus and Hemsworth tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at their home in Tennessee. The wedding came as a surprise to many as the couple had kept their plans a secret until the big day. The ceremony was described as an intimate and private celebration, reflecting a new phase in their lives.

Separation and Controversies

Cyrus and Hemsworth's marriage didn't last long. In August 2019, the couple announced their official separation. The news took many by surprise, especially considering their recent marriage and the time they had spent together. The separation was accompanied by a series of events and scandals:

Public Relationships: After the breakup, Miley was quickly linked to new relationships. In particular, her romance with singer Kaitlynn Carter caught media attention. Their relationship was much talked about and added more fuel to the fire of speculation about Cyrus' personal life.

Media Statements: In interviews and public statements, Cyrus addressed the end of her marriage and the difficulties she faced. She spoke about the importance of personal growth and authenticity, reflecting on how her experiences have shaped her.

Liam Hemsworth Reactions: Liam Hemsworth, on the other hand, maintained a more private profile after the split. While he also continued to work on his career, his reactions to the news and Cyrus' statements were minimally public.

The relationship between Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth was one of the most notorious romances in recent pop culture, reflecting the challenges of maintaining a relationship in the spotlight. Their romance was marked by ups and downs, with a sequence of events that captured the attention of the public and the media. As both artists move forward, their individual stories continue to be shaped by their experiences and how they dealt with the complexities of their relationship.

The impact of their romance and separation is a reminder of the often ruthless nature of fame and the way in which the personal lives of public figures are often scrutinized and discussed. As Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth continue their personal and professional journeys, their romance continues to be a significant chapter in their stories.

Reflection and Redefinition

In recent years, Miley Cyrus has been working to redefine her image and focus on her health and well-being. She has been vocal about the importance of recovery and self-care, using her platform to address topics like mental health and personal growth. His music and recent projects reflect a new phase of introspection and maturity, demonstrating a more conscious approach to life and career.

Conclusion

Miley Cyrus's career is a rich and varied tapestry, marked by impressive achievements and personal challenges. Her story offers perspective on the complexity of growing up in the spotlight and the ability to turn difficulties into opportunities for growth. When reflecting on her journey, it's clear that Miley Cyrus is not just a pop star, but an ever-evolving figure, seeking balance and authenticity in an often unforgiving world.

As Miley Cyrus continues to navigate her career and personal life, her impact on pop culture and her lessons about resilience and reinvention remain relevant and inspiring for many.

[king-of-kaoss]

12, 24, 49

thank you! :D

Favourite Muse/members Tweet/Instagram post

look i could put so many things here omg

wOw tumblr won't let me put more than ONE video what a shame i have several okay but here:

i have 2 other hoverboard videos, plus one of bing beating matt up with a bokutou, and matt crashing someone's recording session and matt playing something human acoustic, if you want more i guess ya better ask for more ~

and some random cute pics:

and i can't find matt's how now brown cow copypasta but that should suffice lol

What's something you wish Muse did that they don't normally do?

yknow i can't think of anything rly i mean they could come by and hug me personally, the dont normally do that ~

Have you ever taken part in old Muse easter eggs? (e.g. anagram puzzles, the 2005 bicycle treasure hunt, etc.)

I didn't get to do a ton of that since i got into muse and the community 2008, 2009 ish. They've wound down a little on the real world ones but I remember a couple little easter eggy things but they were all internet based! like the T2L era Bank of Muse website which teased the stadium tour with all the Muso currency confetti

and the Thought Contagion single came out alongside a meme generator recreating the single art font:

and most recently when they were first teasing the arena tour this era and they put up a weird website with a code 4 letter code and i figured out in like 10 mins or so to type in WAFF and then there was a little video with matrixy patterns of 6 digit numbers that decoded into tour dates. so that was neat lol

[the-odd-ducks]

Titanic (1997): A Timeless Classic

Director: James Cameron Release Date: December 19, 1997 Genre: Epic Romance / Disaster Running Time: 195 minutes

Star Cast:

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson

Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater

Billy Zane as Cal Hockley

Kathy Bates as Molly Brown

Frances Fisher as Ruth DeWitt Bukater

Bill Paxton as Brock Lovett

Gloria Stuart as Older Rose

Storyline Overview

Titanic is a blend of romance and historical disaster that takes place aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. The story is set in 1912 and follows a young, aristocratic woman, Rose DeWitt Bukater, and a poor artist, Jack Dawson, who fall in love despite the class differences that separate them. Their blossoming romance is challenged not only by societal expectations but also by the looming tragedy as the Titanic hits an iceberg and begins to sink.

The film is framed as a recollection of an elderly Rose (played by Gloria Stuart) narrating her experience on the ship to treasure hunter Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) in 1996. The love story between Jack and Rose drives the emotional core of the movie, contrasting their intimate, personal struggle with the grand-scale disaster.

Why Titanic Became One of the Top-Rated Films

Epic Love Story: At the heart of Titanic is the love between Jack and Rose, which resonates with audiences worldwide. Their romance, crossing class barriers, captures both the excitement and tragedy of young love.

Technical Innovation: James Cameron’s use of cutting-edge CGI and practical effects brought the Titanic’s sinking to life in breathtaking detail. The recreation of the ship and its fateful voyage set a new standard for visual effects at the time.

Historical Resonance: The story of the Titanic’s sinking is already one of the most tragic events in modern history. The film captures the grandeur of the ship’s construction, the excitement of the voyage, and the horrifying reality of its destruction, connecting emotionally with audiences.

Memorable Soundtrack: Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” became an iconic piece of music, symbolizing the eternal love between Jack and Rose. The score by James Horner enhanced the emotional weight of the story and became one of the most recognizable soundtracks in film history.

Emotional Impact: The combination of romance and disaster created an emotional rollercoaster for viewers. Cameron’s ability to humanize such a large-scale tragedy through Jack and Rose’s intimate story made the sinking of the ship hit even harder.

Box Office Collections

Titanic was not just a critical success, but also a monumental box office hit. It grossed over $2.2 billion worldwide, making it the first film to cross the billion-dollar mark. At its peak, Titanic held the title of the highest-grossing film of all time until James Cameron’s Avatar surpassed it in 2009. The movie remained in theaters for months due to sustained public demand and continues to be one of the highest-grossing films in history.

Awards and Recognitions

Titanic swept the 70th Academy Awards with 14 nominations, tying the record set by All About Eve (1950). The film won 11 Oscars, including:

Best Picture

Best Director (James Cameron)

Best Original Song (“My Heart Will Go On”)

Best Visual Effects

Best Sound Editing

Best Sound Mixing

Best Original Score (James Horner)

Best Art Direction

Best Cinematography

Best Costume Design

Best Film Editing

This achievement made Titanic one of only three films in history to win 11 Academy Awards, along with Ben-Hur (1959) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).

Beyond the Oscars, Titanic also earned four Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture — Drama, Best Director, and Best Original Song.

Cultural Impact

Titanic transcended the typical box office blockbuster to become a cultural phenomenon. The love story of Jack and Rose captivated audiences across the world, making Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet household names. Titanic dominated popular culture in the late ’90s and early 2000s, inspiring countless parodies, discussions, and fan tributes.

The film’s re-release in 3D in 2012, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the real Titanic’s sinking, only added to its legacy. The re-release was highly successful, bringing in an additional $350 million at the box office, proving its timeless appeal.

The Team Behind Titanic

James Cameron (Director, Writer, Producer): Cameron’s vision for the film was integral to its success. Known for his perfectionism and ambition, he created a film that balanced romance with spectacle and grounded historical accuracy.

Jon Landau (Producer): Worked closely with Cameron to manage the monumental production, keeping the film on track despite going over budget.

James Horner (Composer): His score for Titanic is one of the most beloved in cinematic history. The main theme, “My Heart Will Go On,” performed by Celine Dion, won the Oscar for Best Original Song and remains an iconic piece of music.

Conclusion

Titanic remains a timeless classic, a perfect mix of romance, drama, and spectacle. Its combination of historical tragedy with a heart-wrenching love story, coupled with state-of-the-art visual effects, captured the imaginations of audiences worldwide. Even over two decades after its release, Titanic continues to be a cultural touchstone and an essential part of film history.

[rachelkruglyak]

Manifest (Critical Television Analysis)

The TV series Manifest uses symbols through both cinematography and imagery to convey meaning. Camera angles and music convey to the viewer when important events are occurring and the significance of specific scenes. As Christian Metz wrote, “The properly aesthetic orderings and constraints— versification, composition, and tropes in the first case; framing, camera movements, and light ‘effects’ in the second—serve as the connoted instance, which is superimposed over the denoted meaning (Metz, 2009, 67)” These techniques heighten the viewer’s anxiety and raise the stakes as the images and audio becomes palpably intense. The story itself contains a large number of signs and codes that provide meaning to the characters and guide the viewers in understanding the religious messages. Throughout the series, characters grapple with symbols such as a peacock, sapphire, gemini, wooden dragon, volcano, and Noah’s ark, all of which help to determine the characters’ fate. The filming and the use of these objects and puzzles heightens the emotional connection to the characters and intensifies the viewers’ reactions to them. 

After the passengers share the trauma of the flight together, their lives are completely altered and their fates are forever intertwined. The situation shares similarities with the show The Leftovers as Sonia Front observed, “The catastrophe inaugurates a new mode of temporality, the time of an aftermath that is qualitatively different from the time of before (Front, 2021, 252).” When the passengers of 828 discover that their collective fate is linked, and that their behavior will determine whether they all live or die on Death Date, there are many opportunities for the characters to “other” each other. Throughout, characters are “othered” if they behave in ways that threaten the safety of the remaining passengers. This leads to highly emotionally charged interactions throughout the series.

One of the passengers who is “othered” is Adrian, an African-American passenger who starts “The Church of the Returned”. Adrian initially views himself and the other passengers as miracles, but after a fire burns down his Church, Adrian’s comes to believe that the passengers are agents of the apocalypse. When several people die in the fire, Ben Stone, the main protagonist of the show, tells his wife Grace, “the only thing the police need to focus on is finding Adrian.” Even when Grace points out that Isaiah started the fire, Ben insists that Adrian is responsible, “At the very least, Adrian created a murderer.” When Ben confronts Adrian, he says, “Well, your religion led one of your followers to murder people in a fire.” Adrian says angrily that it wasn’t his fault, he had a calling and told Isaiah his vision of a burned out airplane with dead passengers everywhere. Isaiah recreated it. In this scene, Adrian is wearing a cap covering his face. He has a bit of an accent that makes him seem more foreign. Ben replies, “No, this is on you. You created a monster by making Isaiah think we’re all immortal.” Adrian gets defensive and responds asks Ben if he’s considered that the Callings create more bad than good. As Ben and Adrian fight intensely about the meaning of the Callings, the rapid, short shots with closeups of their faces heighten the intensity of the scene. Later in the episode, Adrian says “Matthew 24:24. My dad used to quote it. ‘False prophets will arise from the dead to perform signs and wonders.” As Ben and Adrian discuss a possible dark side to the Callings, there are rapid shots of close-ups of their faces. In contrast to most of the lines that they deliver looking directly at each other, Adrian looks to the ground when he says “signs and wonders,” heightening the importance of the term and giving the audience a reason to believe that he has discovered a hidden truth. This technique is consistent with Christian Metz writing that, “In short, the connotative meaning extends over the denotative meaning, but without contradicting or ignoring it”(Metz, 2009, 73). In the scene, the camera techniques reinforce the intense emotion and the sense that Adrian may have recognized an underlying pattern the others missed.

Another character who is “othered” is Angelina, who comes to abuse her powers and threatens the Lifeboat meant to save them all. In one powerful scene, Angelina uses the powers of the omega sapphire to give Ben a fake Calling in which he sees his dead wife Grace telling him to bring Eden to her in the cemetery. Once he gets there, Grace appears to soft melodic music illuminated in a soft white light. She tells Ben to give Eden to Angelina. Grace fades away and Angelina appears. The music gets dark and ominous. Angelina points a gun at Ben and tries to convince Eden to leave with her. Ben insists that they let Eden decide who she wants to be with. As tense music plays, both Angelina and Ben try to convince Eden to choose them. The camera focuses on Eden, who chooses Ben. Drumbeats are heard, and they run away while Angelina shoots at them. Angelina grabs the omega sapphire and lets out a massive scream depicted with visible ripple in the image. The other passengers, even though they are not physically nearby, put their hands over their ears in pain from the scream, showing the passengers are all connected and with the sapphire, Angelina is extremely powerful. Passenger Vance, horrified to learn that Angelina created a fake Calling, points out that they will not know if a Calling is real or fake, and wonders what the consequences will be of misusing the Omega Sapphire.

In addition to Angelina and Adrian being “othered” for their individual actions, in some scenes, Angelina and Adrian are “othered” together. Two years after Angelina leaves the Stone’s home, Adrian gets a Calling that leads him to Angelina, and he allows her to stay at his compound. When another passenger, Donovan, who also lives with Adrian asks why he won’t let anyone upstairs, Adrian tries to hide the fact that it’s Angelina. When Donovan confronts him, the other passengers are shocked to learn that she is there because they know that she killed Grace Stone. Donovan says, “You want to be careful what you say, Adrian. To deceive God’s people is to perform signs and wonders.” Angelina then appears and when confronted by Donovan, who calls her a murderer, she threatens them with a bomb. As ominous music plays, the passengers get on the ground. Angelina declares, “Today is your day of judgment. This will be your trial by fire. My guardian angel will save those who are worthy and shepherd us towards salvation!” Adrian tries to convince her not to go through with it, “Eden is just a child, not an angel.…You don’t need more blood on your hands.” But she rejects his pleas and tries to detonate the bomb, which doesn’t go off.

One could argue that Adrian and Angelina aren’t actually being “othered,” that they are only being treated in accordance with their behavior, which reflects their actions, not their attributes. Another counter-argument would be that some of the main characters who are sympathetic like Grace and Vance are played by people of color. But the writers chose to give Adrian and Angelina more sinister, less sympathetic trajectories, while Ben Stone and Michaela, the two leading characters who are both white, are consistently depicted as heroes. 

An important symbol in the TV show is the concept of the Death Date which is similar to the notion of a new apocalyptic event described by Sonia Front, “The new time becomes the time of awaiting a subsequent build-up toward a predetermined goal: another catastrophic event, which will, this time, bring total annihilation (Front, 2021, 252).” Ben tells his family that Griffin, who also returned but wasn’t on the plane, was underwater for 82 hours and 8 minutes and his death was exactly 82 hours and 8 minutes later. Ben says the 828ers were gone for 2,037 days, and Olive says the return date, “June 2, 2024.” Olive says it’s been in front of them all along. The peacock represents the goddess Juno, June. The petrograph of the constellation showing Gemini twins represents the number 2, June 2nd. Cal’s wooden dragon represents the year of the wood dragon in the Chinese Zodiac, which is 2024. This gives an example of the type of codes and symbols that imbue the show with puzzles and many layers of meaning.

In the series finale, massive volcanoes appear all over the world. Passengers arrive at Storm King Mountain and talking amongst each other. The floor rumbles, and the plane emerges from the fissure. Michaela says everyone needs to get on the plane because it is the passengers’ version of the scales and it’s time for judgment. At the Stone house, Olive is looking through old photos and finds an inscription, which reads “forgiveness lightens the heart.” Olive finds a picture of Ben carrying a girl through a fire, who was previously thought to be Olive. Olive calls Ben and tells him the only way for him to survive his Death Date is to forgive Angelina. Ben picks Angelina up and carries her onto the plane. They are told that it is a good time to pray. The plane takes off and flies above volcanoes. Some people are having trouble breathing. Michaela thinks it’s judgment. One of Angelina’s followers bursts into flames and others do as well. Saanvi says it’ll only happen to those who deserve it, as her arm starts heating up. Saanvi heals, but fissures form in Angelina’s skin and hot red lava can be seen covering her body. In a flash, she incinerates and turns to ash. Her death resembles the volcanoes that are so prominent throughout the series. Angelina’s ashes turn into spirits that fly around the plane. A large, dark grim reaper appears. Ben and Michaela tell the grim reaper they followed every Calling and ask “isn’t that enough?” and the spirits disappear. Everything becomes silent. The volcanoes outside are gone. The apocalypse is over. Dark lightning and a bright light appear in the sky in the distance. Michaela and the captain decide to fly directly into the glow which gets brighter and brighter until the plane comes to a stop. 

Awash in bright light, the stewardess Bethany opens the door and Ben and Michaela lead the passengers out to a blinding light. They enter an airport, where Ben’s mother and Grace are waving at them. They’re back when they were supposed to have landed in 2013. People they had lost along the way are there. Cal and Olive, who can’t remember what happened, get their childhoods back. While emotional music plays, through a voiceover, Michaela says Flight 828 bound them together, changed them, and taught them how to live and what’s worth living for. The camera shows close-ups of each passenger reuniting with loved ones. Saanvi’s girlfriend is there waiting for her. Ben tells Grace that Saanvi will cure Cal’s life. Michaela runs outside and finds Zeke, who is a taxi driver. The scene zooms out to show them driving away.

(1) Metz, Christian. Film Language. In Film Theory and Criticism. 7th edition. Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

(2) Front, Sonia. Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder In The Leftovers. Studia Anglica Posnaniensia 56 (2021): 251–274. doi: 10.2478/stap-2021-0028. 

(3) Metz, Christian. Film Language. In Film Theory and Criticism. 7th edition. Eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

 (4) Front, Sonia. Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder In The Leftovers. Studia Anglica Posnaniensia 56 (2021): 251–274. doi: 10.2478/stap-2021-0028.

[cricketid04]

Women's Cricket: Breaking Boundaries and Making History

In the world of sports, cricket has always been a game deeply rooted in tradition and history. Yet, one of the most significant and heartening developments in recent years has been the meteoric rise of women's cricket, which has shattered boundaries and made history on numerous occasions. In this article, we will explore the journey of women's cricket, from its humble beginnings to the present day, highlighting key milestones and the remarkable players who have played pivotal roles in its growth.

The Early Days: A Humble Start

Women's cricket has a long history dating back to the late 18th century in England, where it was initially played in a recreational and amateur capacity. The first recorded women's cricket match took place in 1745, demonstrating that women's involvement in the sport predates the formation of men's cricket teams. However, it wasn't until the late 19th century that women's cricket began to gain more organized recognition.

1934: The First Women's Test Match

A significant milestone in the history of women's cricket was the inaugural Women's Test match, which took place between England and Australia in 1934. The match was played at Brisbane, and it marked the beginning of international women's cricket. England emerged victorious, setting the stage for many more exciting contests in the years to come.

1973: The First Women's Cricket World Cup

The year 1973 witnessed the birth of the Women's Cricket World Cup, an event that played a pivotal role in the development and popularization of women's cricket. The first Women's World Cup was hosted in England and saw participation from England, Australia, and New Zealand. England clinched the inaugural title, and this tournament laid the foundation for the future growth of women's cricket on the global stage.

1997: A Watershed Moment

The year 1997 marked a significant turning point in women's cricket with the formation of the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC), which later merged with the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2005. This merger brought women's cricket under the umbrella of the sport's global governing body, signaling a commitment to its growth and development.

The Rise of Women's T20 Cricket

The 21st century witnessed a paradigm shift in the format of the game with the introduction of Twenty20 (T20) cricket. This shorter format injected a new lease of life into women's cricket and attracted a larger global audience. The Women's T20 World Cup, which began in 2009, quickly gained popularity and showcased the athleticism and skill of female cricketers on a grand stage.

The Superstars of Women's Cricket

Throughout its history, women's cricket has produced a plethora of iconic players who have left an indelible mark on the sport. Players like Belinda Clark, Ellyse Perry, Mithali Raj, and Meg Lanning have become household names, inspiring a new generation of young girls to take up the game and dream big.

Empowering Moments

Women's cricket has not only broken boundaries on the field but has also made a significant impact off it. The sport has played a pivotal role in empowering women and challenging stereotypes. It has shown that women can excel in traditionally male-dominated fields and that they deserve equal opportunities and recognition.

The Road Ahead: A Promising Future

As we look to the future, the trajectory of women's cricket appears incredibly promising. The sport continues to grow in popularity, with more countries investing in their women's cricket programs. Increased media coverage and sponsorships have further bolstered its visibility and appeal. The Women's T20 World Cup, Women's ODI World Cup, and various domestic leagues are thriving, providing female cricketers with ample opportunities to showcase their talents.

Also Read : Cricket id

[spongiewonderland]

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Plush Edition, 2017.

Playlist by NikoProductions

(subject to change)

A fan-made recreation of the first Spongebob movie, which entirely involves the use of SpongeBob plushies.

The production as a whole took 8 years, counting on and off pre-production lasted from 2009 to 2015.

TIMELINE

2009: I wanted to recreate the first SpongeBob movie entirely with LEGOs but I didn't due to creative issues with some characters.

2013: Began re-watching the film on DVD after the disc was recovered by my father and mailed it back to me from North Carolina.

2014-2015: Used Pokemon plushies to act out the film as it played, a majority of the performances was during Nickelodeon broadcasting the film.

2015: Collected several SpongeBob plushies throughout the year.

2016: The project was announced January. Filming began from my basement as a result of boredom of being stuck inside following a snowstorm. Trailers appeared throughout the year. Release dates were originally summer 2016 and late 2016, but was delayed a few times because of these reasons:

Seasonal changes that were required for some scenes

Editing softwares I've used over production crashed a few times until I was able to complete with Roxio Video Lab

I was completing my junior year of high school and starred in some school plays

2016-2017: Filming and editing spans 17 months.

2017: The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: Plush Edition finally premieres on YouTube & Google Drive Mon. June 26

[phantasticworks]

Never Stop (You Still Get My Heart Racing)

hiiii!! (Two updates in one day??? who is she???) I hope you all are having a great week and enjoy this little birthday fic that I am posting late because i forgot to start it until yesterday (whoops) enjoy!! <3

read on ao3

Words: 10k

Summary: Dan and Phil celebrate Dan's 29th birthday at home. A cute, fluffy engagement fic that somehow took me two days and turned out to be 10k words.title from Never Stop by SafetySuit

Warnings: Swearing, smut

"Dan," a whisper says, right next to his ear. "Dan, come on, get up." The voice is insistent, and quite honestly, grating on Dan's last sleep-deprived nerve.

"Fuck off," he mutters into the pillow, muffled voice losing some of its heat.

There's a low laugh, and then a hand settling in his unacceptably long hair. "Dan," he sing-songs. "I've got a surprise for you."

Dan cracks an eye open. "Hm?"

Phil grins at him. "You're so easy," he teases. He tugs on a curl, light enough that it doesn't hurt.

"Ow," Dan says anyway, just to be a brat.

"That didn't hurt," Phil replies, doing it again.

"How would you know?" Dan huffs.

Phil rolls his eyes. "You like it when it hurts, so bitching about it wouldn't make any sense."

Dan narrows his eyes. "Did you wake me up at the ass-crack of dawn just to kink-shame me?" He demands.

Phil's lip twitches like he wants to smile. "It's nearly one in the afternoon."

"And?" Dan grumbles.

"It's your birthday," Phil says, almost conversationally.

"Cheers," Dan says dryly. "One year closer to death, eh?"

Phil frowns. "I told you I don't like that joke," he says, his voice soft and quiet.

Dan sits up at that. "I know. Sorry." He leans in, kissing him softly in apology. "Good morning," he says when he pulls away.

There's still something unsettled in Phil's eyes, and Dan feels a sinking guilt in his stomach for causing it. He really wasn't feeling all that existential today, at least not yet, but the comment was just a knee-jerk reaction of his, as it always was. Still, he hated seeing Phil upset, especially when he knows he's the cause. Rather than follow that rabbit down the hole that would likely ruin his whole day, he smiles at Phil tentatively. "I heard something about a surprise?"

Finally, some of the light comes back to Phil's face, and he grins, nodding excitedly. "Yep, Norman and I have been hard at work all morning," he declares.

Dan snorts. "Our fish son is a free loader, I seriously doubt he contributed much.

Phil splutters, looking horrified. "Talk about our fish son like that again and you won't even have joint custody after the divorce!"

He's joking, and Dan knows he is, but that word still unsettles him in the worst way. He smiles, a little shakily. "I don't like that joke, either," he reminds him gently.

Phil's face falls in concern. "I- right, I'm sorry. I wasn't even- I was joking, Dan."

Dan nods, leaning in and kissing Phil's lips once more. "I know that. It's okay."

Phil tries to deepen the kiss, and Dan lets him. Even after ten years together, some mornings he was still awkward about sharing kisses when one of them hadn't brushed their teeth yet, but today was his birthday, and he fully planned on accepting every kiss that was offered to him. Phil's fingernails scratch gently at the back of Dan's neck, a shiver creeping down his spine at the feeling.

"Surprise?" Dan whispers against Phil's mouth, pulling away just enough to let the word out.

He expects Phil to let it go in favor of more sleep-warm kisses, so he's surprised when instead Phil puts more space between them, his eyes lit up with joy for whatever he's got planned. "Out of bed, sleepyhead, we've got places to be!"

Dan grumbles as he's pulled from the bed. "We can't even leave our flat, Phil, I seriously doubt we've got anywhere to be."

Phil tuts at him. "You have no idea what we're doing for today, so zip it." He suddenly spins to face Dan at the door, tilting his head consideringly. He studies Dan long enough that Dan starts wiping at his face and brushing off his t-shirt.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" He demands, feeling embarrassed.

Phil smiles at him, shaking his head. "No, of course not. Do you want to brush your hair or change?"

Dan snorts. "For who? Our fish?" He shakes his head, incredulous at the very suggestion he wear anything other than pajamas and bed head around their empty flat. "I'm fine, the surprise can see me in my fresh out of bed look, I don't care."

Phil has a very suspicious grin on his face at that, but shrugs. "Okay, suit yourself," he says with an amused voice.

He leads the way out of their bedroom and heads for the lounge, a certain skip in his step that leads Dan to drag his feet behind him, suddenly cautious about what this surprise could possibly be. It can't be a dog, they'd agreed that can't happen until they move into the new house. Other than a fluffy animal or food, Dan's not sure what else Phil would be so excited for him to see, so he feels a little unsettled, like he's going in blind.

The first thing he sees in the lounge is decorations. Black and silver streamers hang precariously from the tops of the open windows, fluttering gently in the breeze floating inside. Black, white, and grey balloons dot the ceiling, and Dan notices a bag on the coffee table. He smirks, thinking about how Phil probably just got lazy and stopped airing them up after he got so many done. His gaze flits around, stopping on the table where they keep Norman's tank. He notices two things at once, and his breath catches in his throat.

Norman's tank is decorated on the outside, two balloons anchored to the top with candles, and a little black party hat balanced (or probably taped) to the corner, as if Norman's tank is wearing it. As cute and thoughtful as that gesture is, that's not what stops Dan in his tracks. Because next to that, on Phil's laptop, is a Zoom call, several very familiar and smiling faces beaming at him from the screen.

"Happy birthday!" They cheer, waving at him. Martyn, who's in a little square with Cornelia, pops a birthday popper, laughing when it startles both Kathryn and Karen, who are in their own squares at the top of the screen.

"I..." Dan starts, voice a little choked. He blinks the blur out of his eyes, his gaze searching the room for Phil's.

Phil's got such a pleased fucking look on his face, looking fond and smug and happy- and Dan can't really help himself. He stumbles forward, clutching Phil's arms and pressing a sloppy kiss right on his mouth, right in front of their family. Even with as long as they've been together, in private and in public now, it still sends a little nervous thrill through him to display his affection so publicly.

"Happy birthday, Dan," Phil whispers in his ear, wrapping his arms around Dan's shoulders in a tight hug.

"Thank you," Dan chokes out, his head going to rest on Phil's shoulder. He smiles at the screen, laughing a little before wiping his eyes and waving at their families. Pulling away, he goes to sit down in front of the laptop, pulling Phil along by his wrist. "He didn't tell me that he called you guys," he says instead of a greeting.

Karen laughs. "I told him he should make it a surprise," she says brightly.

Dan rolls his eyes. "You're awful, all of you, for being accomplices in this."

His nan is there, too, and he feels a brief flash of panic thinking about what she just saw, but her kind, loving smile is enough to reassure him. Phil squeezes his knee then, and Dan blinks at him, smiling brightly. "I figured if I told you it would take you at least half an hour to make yourself presentable, and I just didn't have that kind of time," Phil teases.

Dan goes to argue before suddenly realizing his hair is an absolute mess. His eyes bulge out, and he swings his head around to look at himself on the screen, groaning when he sees it. Predictably, everyone laughs at him. "I look like I have a whole dog on my head!" He whines.

"You could've let me cut it," Phil says cheerfully, miming scissors and putting his hand close to Dan's head. Dan swats it away.

"Absolutely not!" Dan disagrees. "I like being not-disfigured," he says, rolling his eyes as he looks back at the screen, shaking his head.

Kathryn and Nigel are grinning at their banter, as is Martyn. His mum just rolls her eyes. "You're so dramatic, child," she scolds playfully. "But, speaking of dogs, someone here wants to say hi!"

Dan laughs, but coos when his mum tilts the screen down, Colin popping into frame.

"Colin! Hello," Dan says in his puppy-talking voice. "Hello, Colin. You good boy! Did Mum make you some cake for me?"

Karen snorts. "Not hardly. I'd rather it didn't become tradition that he eats every single thing I try to bake."

Kathryn laughs at that. "It's a compliment to the chef, dear! He doesn't want to miss out on the lovely food!"

Now it's Dan's turn to snort. "Not quite, Mum, he sicks it back up immediately after. It's not even edible for a dog, apparently," he cackles.

Karen looks betrayed. "Don't go telling on your mother, young man!"

Dan can't help but laugh. "Yes ma'am," he agrees sarcastically.

"Did Phil give you your birthday present yet?" Martyn asks.

Dan turns his head to look at Phil, quirking a brow in surprise. "Is this not it?"

Phil looks pleased with himself as he shakes his head with a little smile. "No, I got you something else, but you can't have it until later."

Momentarily forgetting they're literally sat in front of their whole family, Dan quirks his eyebrow suggestively. Phil blushes, shoving him. Dan grins, turning back to shake his head at the faces on his screen. "Is it another candle? Or is it like a box set for an anime? Ooh! Or is it-"

Nearly all of them are laughing at him. "Dear, why on earth would we spoil it?" His nan asks.

Dan narrows his eyes. "Does this mean that all of you know what it is?"

No one answers.

"Oh, you f-"

Before he can swear, Phil interrupts. "It's one o'clock, should we try him again?" He asks.

Dan's eyebrows furrow in confusion. "Who?" He asks.

Phil doesn't even look at him. Karen nods on her screen, reaching for her phone. "I'll text and ask if he's gotten his computer sorted.

Dan pinches Phil's side, and he squeals, squirming away. "Ow!" He whines.

"Who are you talking about?" Dan demands.

Phil only smiles, not responding. Dan fully intends on bullying it out of him, audience or not, but then Kathryn is speaking and he loses the opportunity.

"I really do hate that we can't come visit, love," she says, sounding ashamed. Nigel nods along.

"It's alright," Dan's quick to reassure her. "Not everyone can have Philip's birthweek of endless celebrations," he jokes, nudging Phil gently.

Everyone laughs, except Phil, Dan notices. He only looks slightly embarrassed. Dan risks another affectionate gesture, leaning in and kissing his cheek. "It's okay bub, we know you can't help it, you're the baby, you're spoiled."

Phil laughs at this, smiling at Dan sheepishly. "A little bit," he admits.

Dan smiles, shaking his head. They're interrupted by the sound of someone else joining the call. Dan blinks at the screen in confusion, waiting for their shitty wifi to load the pixels.

"Speaking of the spoiled baby of the family," his mum says, her voice amused.

Adrian smiles and waves. "Happy birthday, Dan!" He greets.

Dan stares at him, more than a little surprised. It wasn't like they didn't talk at all anymore, if anything they talked more now than they used to. But Adrian had texted him an early happy birthday yesterday, so Dan wasn't expecting to hear from him again anytime soon. "Hi," he greets, a little late. "What're you doing here?"

Adrian laughs. "I can't pop into your zoom call to say happy birthday?"

"I mean, you already did," Dan says, rolling his eyes. He smiles to soften the sarcasm. "Thanks, though." His brother nods, grinning back at him. Dan's eyes flick across the screen, taking in all the faces of these people he loves so much. It fills his heart with something warm and gooey to think about how Phil arranged all of this for him, because he knew how bummed Dan was that he couldn't see anyone on his birthday. Despite the fact that he typically didn't mind not seeing his family, the fact that the option was taken from him hurt more than just choosing not to see them would. He knows he's got to think of a good way to thank Phil for this, but he knows that whatever he decides on will be something his family will not be present for.

They're talking amongst themselves now, his mum and Phil's talking about recipes or something, with Dan's nan nodding along and giving advice like grandmothers do. Nigel has disappeared, predictably, as the other introvert in Phil's family is definitely not a fan of big family zoom meetings like this. Dan doesn't blame him, honestly, and appreciates that he was there at all.

Phil puts his arm around Dan's back, rubbing his hip gently. Dan can't help but smile at the small gesture, dropping his hand to Phil's thigh and squeezing. They get dragged back into conversation eventually, and spend the next half hour or so chatting to everyone and getting caught up on all the family gossip that everyone has to share. Eventually, Adrian has to sign off to get some work related thing done, followed shortly by Dan's Nan, who has tea to prepare. They both tell him happy birthday again, and Dan's face hurts a little from grinning when they say they love him.

"I think Corn and I better hop off too, actually," Martyn says a few minutes later. "Happy birthday, mate. Eat lots of cake for me, yeah?"

Dan grins and nods. "You know Phil will eat enough for a small village, Mar."

Phil's brother laughs in the face of Phil's following protests. "He's right, don't argue."

Phil rolls his eyes anyway. Cornelia steps in, ever the pacifist. "It's rude to fight on Dan's birthday," she chastises. Martyn mimes zipping his lips and Phil huffs. "Happy birthday, Daniel. I hope you like your birthday present." She winks then, but logs off the second Dan opens his mouth to ask.

"Damn it," he sighs.

Phil giggles. "They wouldn't have told you anyway. I had them all swear to secrecy."

Kathryn makes a noise of disagreement. "I did no such thing," She argues, smiling broadly.

Dan smiles slyly. "Kath," he begins. "My favorite mum-in-law, you could just give me a tiny hint and-"

"And nothing!" Phil interrupts, shaking his head adamantly. "No hints, just secrets here."

Dan rolls his eyes and Kathryn laughs. "Well, Philip, if you really didn't want me to tell-"

Phil narrows his eyes at her. "I'll hang the call up, Mum, I swear."

She chuckles at this. "Fine, fine. Daniel, happy birthday, dear. We love you very much. Nigel and I sent you a gift and I believe Phil is hiding it somewhere, like the scoundrel he is." She winks when she says it.

"You told me to make sure he didn't open it till his birthday!" Phil argues.

Kathryn shrugs. "I didn't think you'd actually have the self-restraint for that, dear."

Phil huffs, and Dan hides a giggle behind his hand. "Bye, Mum," Phil says, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.

"Bye, dear. I love you both. Ta, Karen! Send me that recipe when you get a chance!"

Karen waves at her with a smile and a nod of agreement, and then it's just the two of them and Dan's mum. She smiles gently at Dan. Phil leans over, kissing Dan's head softly. "I'll let you guys talk for a bit."

He stands, but Dan reaches out for him, confused. "Where are you going?" He says, his voice full of complaint.

Phil rolls his eyes. "I'm going to set up your next surprise," he says with a wink, and then he's gone.

Karen waits for Dan to get his bearings, watching him with an amused look on her face. "He's very thoughtful, Dan," she says, catching him even more off-guard.

"What do you know?" he asks immediately.

She laughs, but shakes her head. "You know I won't tell you. But just seeing him with you, he's very sweet."

Dan's heart speeds up a little. They'd talked a little about Phil and their relationship when he visited for Christmas, but it was still a little thrilling to hear his mum talk about him knowing what she knows now. "Yeah?" He asks, clearing his throat.

"Yes," she nods. "You picked a very good one. I'm quite a proud mum, actually."

Dan blushes, looking down as he tries to bite back his ridiculous smile. He hates that he's so easily pleased by this news, but as deprived as he was throughout his childhood, he craves that affection and pride. "Thank you," he says eventually. "He... He's really wonderful, yeah."

"I can tell," she says, smiling. "You know I've always just wanted you to be happy, love. I know it's been a year since you came out to us, but... even before, we've always just wanted you to be happy."

He's not going to cry on his birthday. He's just not. Rubbing at his eye and pretending like he has an eyelash trapped there, he takes a moment to collect himself and force his tear ducts to behave. "I am," he whispers. "I'm the happiest I've ever been, I think."

His mum nods, and smiles. "That's good, love. That's so good. I'm happy for you, for both of you."

Dan nods too. It gets quiet then, but it's not awkward like it would have been only a few years before. "Thank you, for doing this, by the way. I know he probably didn't think of this all on his own," Dan laughs, rolling his eyes a little.

Karen nods, but looks a little surprised. "I mean, you're welcome, but he actually called me and asked me to."

Dan blinks. "What?"

Her eyes twinkle with amusement. "Yes, he called me a few days ago and asked if I'd do this. I didn't help him come up with it, I'm afraid."

Surprised, but definitely impressed, Dan nods. "Well... Thank you, anyway. For calling and everything. This was a really nice surprise."

She has a knowing grin on her face. "You're welcome, love. I hope the rest of your day is just as nice, but I know it will be."

Dan shakes his head, exasperated. "You people and your secrets," he says in mock disappointment.

"I promised not to tell," she informs him, raising her hands in surrender. "But I think he's probably waiting for you, so I'll let you go find him." Dan nods. "I love you, Daniel. Happy birthday, little Bear."

He smiles at the nickname. "Thank you, Mum. I love you too. Talk later," he says with a wave.

There's that look again, and she grins. "Oh, I fully expect it."

He rolls his eyes but bids her a farewell before signing off and closing the laptop. He stands and stretches, realizing with a start that they'd started the call nearly an hour ago. Passing Norman's tank, he gives it a little pat, greeting their pet. "Hello, Norman."

Dan wanders into the kitchen, sighing at the smell of coffee. He spots Phil doing something at the counter, so he hops up onto the opposite one, sighing loudly to alert him to his presence. "That was a really nice surprise," he says after a minute.

Phil turns to look at him, offering a soft smile. "Yeah?" Dan nods, holding his arms out for a hug. Phil willingly steps forward, wrapping his arms around Dan's waist and stroking his back. "I thought you might enjoy it. The next best thing to seeing them in person, for now."

"Yeah," Dan agrees. He kisses Phil's forehead. "It was really nice." He sniffs the air, pulling away. "Is that caramel?"

There's a laugh as Phil retreats back to where he was, doing something else before returning to Dan with two mugs, full of something that looks vaguely like- "Here you go. A caramel macchiato."

Dan blinks at the cup, a little afraid to accept it after Phil's terrible Easter Dalgona coffee disaster. "Babe... Is it edible? I know you like to try new things, but-"

Before he can complain too much, Phil takes a sip of his own mug, and smiles. "I've been practicing it for about a week now. It's good, I promise." Suddenly all of Phil's late night jitters recently make loads more sense.

"Okay," Dan says, still a little cautious. He takes a sip of the drink, his expectations very, very low. He's pleasantly surprised when instead of whatever he'd expected, he gets a lovely burst of flavor on his tongue. "That's... That's actually really good, Phil," he says, going for another sip.

"Told you so," Phil says triumphantly. He takes a drink of his own and sighs, smacking his lips loudly to annoy Dan.

Dan gives him a look, but drinks some more of his coffee, something nagging at his memory. Before he can piece it together, Phil pats his thigh. "C'mon, lets go sit on the balcony and drink our coffee and name some more of our pigeons."

Dan is so, so fond of this man.

~~~

They sit out on the balcony for what feels like hours, lounging around and taking selfies, at Phil's insistence. He even brings out Dan's polaroid and gets a few cute coupley photos that Dan knows will be pinned to their fridge by tomorrow. Eventually, Dan decides he wants a snack.

"I was actually going to make you dinner, did you want to help?" Phil asks.

Dan makes a happy noise. "What are we having?"

Phil bites his lip, pretending to consider it. Dan doesn't buy it for a minute. If Phil's planning this day out like Dan thinks he is, he already knows. "I was thinking I'd do some chicken katsu, maybe. Does that sound alright?"

Dan leans in and kisses the corner of his mouth. "That sounds great."

There's a smile on Phil's face when Dan pulls away, and he wants to kiss it off. Before he can, Phil takes his hand and guides him back inside and to the kitchen. He starts pulling ingredients out, instructing Dan to grab any pans that they might need. Dan rolls his eyes at this but does as he's asked before going for the cupboard where they keep wine glasses. He goes about filling them up while Phil starts getting the food started.

"Here," Dan says, handing him a glass of wine. "What do you want me to do?"

Phil smiles at him, kissing his nose gently. "You can just sit and watch, baby. It's your birthday, so let me take care of this."

Dan gives him a look, crossing his arms. "This isn't how we usually do birthdays," he finally says. It's been nagging him all morning. "You're starting to make me feel like a shit boyfriend because I don't do all this for you on yours," Dan says, feeling genuinely a bit put out.

Phil turns to look at him, a his lips turned down in a frown. "No, love, you're not a shit boyfriend," Phil argues with him immediately. "I just wanted this one to be special for you. This is your tenth birthday that you and I have spent together, you know."

"Yeah, but-" Dan starts to argue.

"Just let me do this, yeah? Try to relax, okay? I'm allowed to spoil you on your birthday, you know," he says, voice teasing.

Dan steps closer before Phil turns away, putting his hand on the back of Phil's neck and guiding their lips together. He deepens the kiss almost immediately, sliding his tongue into Phil's mouth. "I love you," he says when he pulls away.

Phil looks a little dazed. Dan swells with pride knowing he can still do that, ten years later. "I love you too," he says, offering a smile. "Now, go sit. I need some thinking space to cook, and you're a distraction."

Dan smirks at this. "Am I?"

Pursing his lips, Phil nods once. "Absolutely. Shoo, go sit at the table and look pretty."

"Alright, fine, fine," Dan agrees, going to sit down.

"Actually," Phil says, spinning around to face him. He gestures in the direction of their bedroom. "I think you should go shower and get dressed."

Dan gives him a weird look. "Oh...kay?"

Phil smirks. "Wear something nice, okay?"

There's a prickle of something then, in Dan's heart. This is starting to feel strangely staged. "Alright. Something nice." He waits a beat before asking, "Are we going on a date?"

Phil grins proudly. "Maybe," he says conspiratorially. "But you can't go unless you're all dressed up.

Dan snorts. "I hope that extends to you as well, Mr. Cookie Monster Pajamas."

Phil rolls his eyes. "Go, shower, dressed, now."

Giving him another kiss, Dan mumbles an agreement before disappearing down the hall.

He's thrilled at the effort Phil is putting into this, and a thrum of nervous excitement is under his skin, making him nearly vibrate with anxiety. He puts his energy, nervous as it is, into choosing a nice outfit. He knows they aren't leaving the flat, but somehow that doesn't deter him any. He finds one of his many black t-shirts, and after a moment of deliberation he also grabs his monochrome flowery shirt he likes to wear over it. It’s been a while since he’s had to pick out a date outfit, so he takes a while to consider it before finally deciding it’s fine and Phil will probably compliment anything he wears.

After a thorough shower, he gets dressed and spritzes some of Phil’s cologne on, taking one look at his hair and deciding to let it air dry. He’s as ready as he’s going to get by then, so he waltzes back into the kitchen, pleased when he notices the way Phil looks at him when he comes in. “Hi,” Phil greets with a grin.

“Hi,” Dan parrots, smirking at him when he realizes Phil’s changed clothes as well. He’s wearing the only pair of ripped jeans he owns, matching Dan’s, and his maroon button-down, dotted all over with little white flowers. Dan laughs when he notices the theme. “I see we both went with flowers today,” he says in a teasing voice.

Phil smiles at him. “I guess we did.” He reaches for Dan, and he goes willingly, stepping into his face and wrapping his arms around Phil’s neck before bringing their lips together. They kiss languidly for a bit but eventually Phil pulls away, nipping at Dan’s lower lip. “I love this shirt on you,” he mumbles. “It makes your arms look so nice.”

Dan snorts at the compliment. “Thank you. I’m glad you like them.”

Something about the clumsy phrasing has them locking eyes, and in an instant they’re nearly doubled over with laughter. Dan can’t remember a time he felt so awkward accepting a compliment from Phil. It feels like they’re on their very first...

Phil gestures outside, where Dan is just now noticing two places set at their little balcony table. “It’s not exactly a skybar, but... it’s close enough,” he says softly.

Dan blinks at the scene before his eyes flicker back to Phil’s. “You... you’ve been recreating our first date?” His voice pitches up a little on the end.

Phil looks sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding Dan’s eyes. “I mean... yeah, kind of. I knows it’s not nearly the same, because it’s not Starbucks and the Apple store and the skybar but really-“

Dan interrupts him with a firm kiss. He cradles Phil’s face in his hands like he’s precious cargo, because he is. This is the most precious gesture anyone has ever done for him, and he feels love and warmth and affection singing in his veins as he sucks Phil’s lower lip into his mouth. "That's so fucking sweet," he mumbles into Phil's mouth.

"I love you," Phil says in response, pushing his hands up the back of Dan's shirt.

He pulls away too soon for Dan's liking, and Dan can't stop the sad noise from leaving his throat. Phil laughs at him, predictably. "C'mon, none of that now. We need to eat dinner."

Dan pouts. "Maybe I'm hungry for something else now," he argues.

Phil gives him a cheeky smile. "Later, I promise. The night's still young, bub."

Glancing at the clock, Dan's genuinely surprised to see that it is already almost seven in the evening. Well, time certainly flies when you're having fun, he guessed. He follows Phil onto the balcony, smiling when he sees several candles flickering on the table, as well as two places said on either side. There's a bottle of wine there, as well as their wine glasses from earlier, which are now empty. Dan chooses not to ask Phil if he drank them both for the aesthetic.

"Alright, have a seat and I'll bring the food out, okay?" Phil says firmly. He waits until Dan follows the instructions, then drops a kiss to the curls atop Dan's head.

"M'kay," Dan hums, his eyes fluttering shut, absolutely content right now.

Phil smiles before disappearing back into the flat. He's gone for several minutes, and when he's back he has a plate in each hand, stepping very carefully so as not to drop then. Dan grins fondly as Phil very, very carefully sets Dan's plate in front of him, his brows furrowed in concentration. "Thank you, waiter," he says, voice teasing.

Rollins his eyes with a grin, Phil shakes his head and returns to his own seat. "Wine?" He asks, holding the bottle up and filling his own glass first.

Dan nods. "Please," he says, holding onto the base of his own glass in case Phil gets a little too overzealous with his pouring. "Thank you," he says when Phil takes a seat. "This is really lovely."

Phil has a proud little smile on his face. "Good, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," he says with a clumsy wink. Dan has to laugh at him. Ten years in, nearly eleven, and Phil is still absolutely uncoordinated in nearly every way.

They tuck into their food, making appreciative noises and small talk as they eat. In a lot of ways, it does feel like a first date. Not only is the setup similar to their own first date, but something about the nerves Dan feels reminds him of that very first day in Manchester all those years ago. And if Phil's plan was to make Dan feel wooed, it's absolutely working, just as it did then.

Something occurs to him then and he can't help but glance up at Phil and tilt his head in question. "You know the one thing you can't recreate from our first date?" he asks, a smile in his voice already just remembering it.

"What's that?" Phil replies, smirking. Surely he's already thought of this, if he's thought of everything else.

"The Manchester Eye," Dan reminds him. "Unless you've built a Ferris Wheel somewhere, I think you get no stars for that part of the date," Dan announces, mostly joking.

Phil doesn't even look bothered. "Ah, but we haven't finished the day yet, have we? Don't doubt what tricks I have up my sleeve, Danny boy," he says with a suspicious grin.

Dan's nose crinkles delicately at the nickname. "Alright, fine," he concedes easily. He's not that bothered about it, honestly. It's not like he doesn't love and appreciate everything Phil's done already in and effort to recreate that first day, and the fake Starbucks, the balcony date, it's all so well-thought out and lovely that Dan could never be bothered by the lack of some recreation of the finale of their first date.

“How was the food?” Phil asks, nodding to Dan’s mostly empty plate.

Dan grins. “What do you think?” He says in a jokey kind of voice. “I finished it, didn’t I?”

Phil rolls his eyes, kicking him gently underneath the table. “Thank you for the compliment, rat,” he says drily.

Hitting his foot against Phil’s again to prompt a footsie match, Dan smirks. “Oh I’ll give you a compliment alright.” He punctuates his terrible line with a wink and Phil rolls his eyes once again.

“Not in front of the food, please,” Phil replies in a deadpan voice.

Dan snickers and Phil cracks a smile. “Why don’t you go inside and get ready for bed while I clean up?” He suggests.

As sweet as that is, and as much as Dan really does want to be lazy, he shakes his head. “No, I think I’ll stay and help.”

Phil starts to protest so Dan quickly stands and starts collecting dishes. When Phil pouts, Dan smiles, pressing a kiss to the corner of Phil’s mouth. “It’ll get done faster if we both do it. And if the itinerary for today is following our first date...” he smirks. “Then we’ve got a busy night ahead of us.”

There’s a pink flush across Phil’s cheeks, but he doesn’t argue, going to collect the things Dan couldn’t grab and blowing out the candles while Dan walks inside. They make quick work of filling the dishwasher and putting leftovers away and Dan makes the executive decision to take the wine bottle and their glasses into their bedroom. They didn’t normally drink very much but Dan was feeling very happy and very thirsty and maybe a little in love. Getting wine drunk with his favorite person in the world sounds like the exact best way to end the day.

“Do you want to watch a movie before bed?” Phil asks, surprising Dan into turning around.

“Uh... aren’t we gonna...” he trails off. Sex doesn’t embarrass him, not at all, but he doesn’t want to be wrong about the assumption that they’d be fucking tonight.

Phil smiles at him. “We will, later. But we just ate and I wanna watch a movie.”

Dan rolls his eyes, but shrugs, going to put the wine up. He didn’t want to risk spilling it on the sofa they don’t own. “Okay. Let’s watch a movie, then.”

“Pajamas first, then Netflix and Phil,” Phil announces with a grin.

“That joke’s past it’s expiration date, bub.”

“Of course it is. And you laugh anyway,” Phil retorts.

And Dan can’t exactly argue that, so he follows Phil to their room to pick out the coziest pair of pajamas he can find.

~~~

Dan’s not surprised when Phil asks to pick the movie and he’s even less surprised to see the Wall-E loading screen pop up on their TV. That’s not to say he doesn’t immediately snuggle with Phil on the sofa as the movie starts, because he does. He also kisses his cheek, nuzzling it like a cat before dropping his head to Phil’s shoulder.

“Blanket?” Phil asks, gesturing to the other end of the sofa where they left their sad pimp blanket the other night.

Dan tugs it over and allows Phil to tuck them in, feeling kind of like a little kid but enjoying the attention anyway. He curls up as close to Phil as he can, swinging his legs over Phil’s lap and snuggling close under the comfort of the furry blanket. The movie has already started and Dan knows the story by heart by now but he’s still just as captured by the beautiful animation and touching themes as he was the first time.

“We didn’t do this on our first date,” Dan whispers against Phil’s neck.

Phil pinches his hip. “So? Maybe I just wanted to watch it.”

Dan huffs, swatting Phil’s hand away from his side. They swat at each other for a few seconds before eventually Phil settles it by lacing their fingers together. Dan kisses his neck, but nibbles some skin as reprimand. Phil makes a noise and squeezes Dan’s leg but otherwise doesn’t move, and Dan smiles, knowing he’s winding him up.

They watch the rest of the movie in relative silence, occasionally quoting lines from it and making jokes but when the credits start rolling Dan finds himself a little sad that it’s already over. Phil pats his leg beneath the cover, letting his hand go. “Alright, babe, let me up. I’ve got some things I need to take care of before bedtime.”

Dan quirks a brow at him as he moves his legs off Phil’s lap, allowing him to stand. “Is it birthday related?”

Phil ruffles his hair with a smirk. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s just emails.”

A frown tugs at Dan’s lips but he nods. “I might scroll through Twitter for a bit,” he says.

Phil nods before leaning down and pushing Dan’s curls off his forehead to kiss the skin there. “Alright. Come find me in a bit, yeah?”

Dan nods, his eyelids fluttering at the feeling of Phil scratching gently at his scalp. “M’kay. Half an hour?” He asks.

“Sure,” Phil agrees with a smile.

He leaves Dan with another kiss before he heads to their room, so Dan occupies himself with social media for a bit. He answers some happy birthday messages from friends and distant family, and eventually he makes his way to twitter. He smiles when he sees the pictures Phil’s tagged him in. After tweeting a cheeky reply, he scrolls through all the fan art and edits, seeing lots of familiar usernames on his screen as he scrolls. He tweets a thank you to the people who donated to Mermaids in his name, his eyes misting a little at the thoughtfulness of the gesture. Every year it made him so proud to see how much his fans cared about the things that were important to him.

Eventually his half hour is up and he’s on his way to the bedroom, eager to see what his birthday present is. He’s not even particularly concerned about what it is at this point; the gesture of the day itself has been plenty for him.

His expectations aren’t set on one end of the spectrum or the other, so he’s not really expecting or hoping for any particular thing when he opens the door. And even if he was, it probably wouldn’t have crossed his mind to expect the lights off, aside from some newly hung fairy lights over the bed, casting the room in a soft glow. He steps around the moving boxes that line the wall next to the closet, looking around at all the glittering lights. He’s smiling already, his gaze taking in the candle on their dresser, the nice expensive one Phil got him for his birthday a couple years ago.

His gaze catches on something shiny on the bed. The low light of the room makes it hard to tell right away, but when he looks closer Dan sees that it’s a circle made of metal. He’s confused until he reaches out to pick it up, then he gasps. Holding it closer to his face, he sees the little stand it’s sat on, and each little cart dotted along the line of the circle. It’s obvious what it is now.

Before he can get too emotional over the gift of a little metal statue of the Manchester Eye, Dan hears a throat clear behind him. He whirls around, heart in his throat, confused when no one is there. He’s about to panic when his eyes flick down and- oh.

“Hi,” Phil says in a soft, quiet voice. “You told me on my birthday that I could do this when I was ready, and be as romantic as I wanted. I planned a trip to Manchester for real, but obviously that didn’t happen.”

Dan lets out a choked sound, his eyes wet. “Phil,” he starts. “I didn’t know-“

“Shh,” Phil shushes him gently. “It’s okay.” He reaches for Dan’s hand, smiling when he allows him to take it. He strokes his thumb across Dan’s hand, looking at him with affection in his eyes. “Are you okay with this? Are we ready for it?”

Dan nods, feeling a little light headed all of a sudden. “I need- can I-“ he stumbles back, sitting on the edge of their bed.

Phil smiles, dropping to both knees and settling between Dan’s, still holding his hand. “So. I wanted to take you to Manchester for this. I’ve had it planned for... several years, honestly. Probably since the other flat.”

That’s news to Dan, and apparently the look on his face proves it. Phil giggles. “Oh,” Dan says dumbly.

“I knew we weren’t ready then and wouldn’t be for a while, if ever, but now that we’re on the same page... it just seems like a good time. And since we can’t go anywhere, this at-home date was the next best thing I could think of.”

Dan smiles, leaning in and kissing his forehead. “I loved it,” he assures him.

Phil looks pleased. “I wanted this to be something you remember forever, and I know you’re a slut for a good story telling experience, so I figured you’d enjoy telling people how I proposed,” he teases with a grin.

Dan blushes. “Phil,” he whines.

“Shh, let me talk,” Phil chastises. He smiles at Dan, pausing for a moment just to look at him. Dan squirms, nervous under the attention. “Our first date was everything to me and we didn’t even know we were on a date at the time. It wasn’t until later, after you kissed me on the wheel and then when we slept together at my parents’ house that we talked about it and decided that was where our story began. And, this is where the next chapter of that story begins.” He stops again, taking a deep breath. “So. Daniel, my best friend, my companion through life-“

“Phil!”

He’s shushed once more.

“My actual soulmate,” Phil finishes with a grin. He kisses Dan’s knuckle softly. “The love of my life,” he adds, nuzzling the spot on his left hand where a ring would go. “Will you marry me?”

Dan’s breath catches in his throat. He knew this was coming, obviously, after the speech Phil just made and honestly the day as a whole. Still, hearing it now, out in the open like that, fills him with warmth. He wraps his arms around Phil’s neck, pressing their foreheads together gently. “Yes,” he whispers. “Of course I will.”

Phil makes a pleased noise before leaning in to kiss him firmly on the mouth. “I love you,” he mumbles.

“I love you too,” Dan giggles back, petting Phil’s hair. “This was very romantic,” he says. “I’m very impressed.”

Phil kisses his dimple. “I thought you’d like it,” he says with a grin. “Oh!” He says suddenly, jumping back and shoving his hand in his pocket. “I did it wrong.” He sounds sad, or disappointed.

“Did what wrong?” Dan asks, confused.

“The proposal!” Phil whines, holding up a small black velvet box. “I had the ring and I forgot to get it out and do the whole thing.”

Dan kisses him. “It was perfect. It wasn’t wrong at all.”

Phil kisses back, allowing Dan’s tongue to sneak in a little bit before pulling away enough to speak. “You wanna see your ring?”

Dan nods, suddenly very excited. Phil hands him the box and sits back while Dan opens it. “Oh,” Dan gasps, brushing his finger across it. “It’s... it’s gorgeous, Phil, fuck. How much-“

“I’m never telling you how much it was so you can forget that question,” Phil says immediately, not meeting Dan’s eyes.

“Phil,” Dan says, fondly exasperated. “We’re buying a house! We’re supposed to be saving money! What if-“

Phil, who’s normally the kind of man who lets his boyfriend speak, interrupts him with a kiss. “I’ve been saving up for it for a while now. I promise none of it came from our forever home fund.”

Dan eyes him suspiciously. “How long?” He asks, just out of curiosity.

There’s a twitch of Phil’s lips before he lets himself properly smile. “Since 2011.”

He doesn’t mean to start crying again, but hearing that date, which doesn’t even seem like a real year anymore, causes Dan to duck his head and suck in a few calming breaths. “Fuck,” he breathes wetly. “You really... you’ve really wanted to marry me that long.”

Phil offers a sheepish smile. “Longer, actually,” he admits. “I knew I wanted to marry you sometime after that first day in Manchester, probably the week in November.” He smirks then, clearly up to something. “But it took me until 2011 to realize your expensive taste and how I might want to save up for it.”

Dan gives him a look but Phil only laughs easily. “Can I... is it okay if I go ahead and try it on?”

“Of course,” Phil says immediately with a soft smile. He holds a hand out for the box and Dan hands it to him, letting him take the band out and slide it onto the ring finger of Dan’s left hand. “Perfect,” he whispers, leaning in and kissing the ring.

Dan can’t help but hold his hand up closer to look at it more carefully. “What’s it made out of?” He asks, turning his hand this way and that to see the light reflect off the tiny diamonds embedded in it.

“Black titanium and black sapphires,” Phil says. “I figured we’d consider the one you gave me and this one our engagement bands and when it’s time for an actual wedding we can get a matching set.”

“I like that idea a lot,” Dan replies, his gaze flickering from the ring to his fiancé. He grins at the sound of the word in his head. “How do you feel knowing that you’re going to be married to me?” He asks teasingly.

Phil leans in and kisses the side of his mouth gently. “Like the luckiest man alive,” he whispers.

Dan can’t help but blush at that statement, but rather than argue, he puts his arms around Phil’s neck and kisses him again. “I love you,” he says for maybe the twentieth time today. “I think this has been my favorite birthday yet.”

Phil sighs, resting his head against Dan’s chest. “I love you too, Bear. I wanted you to have such a good day today. I’m glad you liked it.”

Dan smiles against his hair. “It was lovely, really.”

“Good,” Phil says, kissing his clothed chest. “There’s cake in the fridge, by the way. For later.” His voice is muffled by the fabric as he kisses his way down.

“For later?” Dan taunts.

“Yep,” Phil replies, winking up at him. “We’re busy right now.”

“Oh are we?” Dan says, voice hopelessly sarcastic.

“Shh,” Phil whispers, kissing the front of his pajama pants. “Less talking. More taking clothes off.”

Dan snorts at the lack of finesse. Ten years in and Dan guessed there was only so much they could do to keep the romance alive. He pets Phil’s hair as he kisses the band of Dan’s pajamas, hooking his fingers under the elastic and tugging gently. “Can I?” Phil asks, always the sweetheart.

"Yeah," Dan murmurs, lifting his hips and allowing Phil to pull them down his legs. He's gone for no pants, something not lost on Phil, who rolls his eyes.

"You're so lazy," he mutters, leaning down to kiss Dan's thigh before throwing the pjs across the room carelessly.

"You pretty heavily implied I'd be getting laid tonight, bub, so my pants-free decision was your influence too, you know," Dan says, quirking a brow in challenge.

Phil hums agains his skin, kissing up his thighs. "Alright, fine," he says finally. He kisses the soft dip of space where Dan's thigh meets his hip. He's so, so close to where Dan really wants him, and Dan makes a low whine in his throat. "Ten years later and you still have no concept of waiting," Phil taunts.

Dan bucks his hips pointedly. "I can wait. I just don't want to," he argues. "Unless... Did you want to..." He gestures vaguely to the chest by the closet where they keep their toys.

Phil smiles but shakes his head. "Not tonight. I think we'll stick to the basics, yeah?"

Dan nods, a little relieved. As much as he loved when they tried new things in the bedroom, he really was quite tired and that kind of exploratory sex took a lot out of him, physically and emotionally. And tonight he's honestly had enough on the emotional front, so he's happy to hear they'll be sticking to what they're best at.

"Do you want to fuck me?" Dan asks, brushing Phil's hair back.

"Yeah," Phil answers simply, mouthing at the skin at the base of Dan's cock. "Do you want me to?"

"Mhm," Dan hums. "Are you gonna suck me off first?"

Phil blinks up at him. "I can, yeah. Do you wanna go twice?"

Dan considers it, then shakes his head. "I'm actually pretty sure I'm gonna pass out the first time I orgasm, so no. But you can blow me while you prep?" Dan suggests cheekily.

Phil narrows his eyes. "You're just trying to get me to do all the work," he complains.

"But Phil," Dan says sweetly, stroking his cheek. "It's my birthday."

"I knew you would use that excuse," Phil sighs. "Go fetch the lube, you brat."

Dan grins, crawling up the bed and rummaging through Phil's drawer. He hears the sound of soft clothes falling in a heap somewhere, probably thrown in a random direction of the floor for them to trip over later. "Here you go, bub," Dan says, handing him the bottle. His gaze rakes over Phil's naked body, smirking appreciatively. "Someone looks happy to see me," he teases, gripping Phil's cock and giving it a few tugs.

Phil groans, swatting his hand away. "Cut it out," he whines. "Your hand's all dry."

Staring Phil dead in the eyes, Dan brings his hand to his mouth, spitting in it and bringing it back to his cock again. "Better?" He asks when Phil's eyelashes flutter.

"Mm," Phil hums, pushing his hips into Dan's hand over and over. "It's good, babe, yeah." His eyes flicker open again, and he smiles softly at Dan, a total contradiction to what they're doing. It makes Dan's skin burn with excitement. There's no preamble to it as Phil leans in and kisses him, wrapping a steadying hand around the back of Phil's neck. Dan sneaks his tongue into Phil's mouth, licking excitedly. "Lie back, love," Phil whispers when he pulls away eventually.

Dan does as he's told, making himself comfy on the bed before spreading his legs, holding onto his thighs tightly to keep them there. He watches the way Phil stares at him appreciatively, running the dry tip of his index finger over Dan's perineum and tracing over his hole. "Lovely," he murmurs.

"Fuck off," Dan says, voice full of affection.

Phil smiles down at him. He bends, kissing the bend of Dan's knee. "Ready?" He asks, popping the cap on the bottle and spreading the lube over his fingers.

"Mhm," Dan hums, wiggling his bum. "C'mon."

"Bossy," Phil mutters, circling Dan's rim for a moment before gently pressing. Dan sighs as that lovely finger slips inside, nearly without any pause. He's so used to being full these days, when their days are filled with little to do other than have sex and wonder when life will go back to how it was before. But he's not thinking about that right now. Now, right now he's thinking about the way Phil's finger stretches him open just right, how his added finger slides in just the way he needs it too in order for it to feel really good.

"Good?" Phil asks after a few minutes, glancing up at Dan's eyes.

"God, yes," Dan gasps. "So good. Go ahead and add a third."

Phil complies without second-guessing him, and Dan nearly goes cross-eyed at the burn of the stretch. It's so fucking good. Phil's still cautious and slow, his movements gentle even as Dan begs for more, faster. It's at moments like this, when Phil puts Dan's wellbeing and safety over his own desires, that Dan really appreciates how he really is the perfect partner.

For some reason, he feels like now is a good time. to share that thought. "Phil," he moans.

"Mm?" Phil replies, sounding distracted.

He taps at Dan's prostate then, and Dan loses his train of thought for a second. "You're perfect," he mumbles when he remembers.

"What?" Phil laughs, his eyes glittering with amusement.

Dan feels too good to feel embarrassed for how seemingly random his outburst is. "I love you so much," Dan murmurs. "You're so good to me."

Phil kisses his knee again. slowing the movements of his hand. "I love you too, baby. Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?"

"No," Dan says vehemently. "No, keep going. You can fuck me now, I'm good."

He feels the loss keenly when Phil pulls his fingers out completely. "Are you sure?" He asks, stroking Dan's thighs.

Dan nods. "Yeah, I want it to hurt a little."

Phil rolls his eyes. He himself didn't usually like it when he could feel the burn, but Dan was an odd one like that. "How do you want it?" He asks. Dan waggles his eyebrows suggestively and Phil huffs. "Don't make it weird," he says.

Dan only laughs before rolling over onto his side. "Could you, like... Stand on the side of the bed and do it from there? Or lay down behind me?"

There's something fond in Phil's gaze as he leans down and kisses Dan's chest. "Sure, bub." He climbs off the bed and tugs Dan back towards him by his hips. There's a moment of pause where he lubes himself up, Dan assumes, and then there's that familiar pressure at his hole. "Relax," Phil reminds him, pointlessly.

"Yeah," Dan mumbles, arching his back and taking a deep breath to allow his body to go lax and pliant. The slide goes easier, then, and Phil sinks in slowly, stretching him just enough for Dan to feel the stretch. He moans quietly, covering his face with his arm to quiet the noises. They've had many complaints from neighbors over the years, and he's learned the measures to take in order to quiet himself a little more.

He's surprised to feel Phil shove his hand away from his mouth. "Don't do that," Phil quips. "Be as loud as you want, tonight."

Dan feels his chest flush at the words. That was new, for them. "Is this what all engaged sex is like?" He says breathlessly as Phil slowly begins moving his hips, trying to give Dan plenty of time to adjust before fucking him properly.

Phil laughs behind him. and then he feels hot breath against his neck. "Soon," he whispers. "When we have a home of our own, with no nosy neighbors. Then you can make all the noises you want."

The idea sends a shiver down Dan's spine and he clenches around Phil's cock. "Fuck," he whines when Phil grinds against him helplessly. "You can move, baby, go ahead."

Phil kisses his shoulder. He keeps his lips there, pressing open kisses against the skin stretched across his shoulder blade as he starts properly fucking him, hips knocking against Dan's ass with a noise that leaves very little to the imagination. The position, paired with the way Phil's cock naturally curves, has him hitting Dan's prostate on every thrust, something they generally have to work a little harder for.

"So good, fuck," Dan gasps, clutching at the sheets as he pushes his ass back against Phil, matching him for every thrust. "Fuck, I'm not gonna last long, Phil."

"Me either," Phil replies. The confirmation that they're both right there together has Dan's eyes rolling back in pleasure. Sex with Phil is always earth-shattering for him, but there's just something about sex with Phil when they're both this happy, this in love- it makes things about a hundred times more intense.

Dan is working his ass back as much. as he can lying on his side, but eventually he feels a cramp in his side and has to give it a rest. He's already close, but he needs something else to get him there. Reaching back blindly, he grabs Phil's hand, guiding it down to his cock. "Touch me," he begs.

"You needy little thing," Phil teases playfully.

Those words don't spark joy the way they sometimes do and Dan whines. Phil, who knows every nuance of sound Dan's ever made, understands immediately.

"I love you," He whispers in Dan's ear, slowing his thrusts. Instead of hard and fast, he starts going slow and deep, pumping Dan's dick at the same pace, thumbing at the head on every upstroke, just how Dan likes it. "You're so good for me, every time. So good. Love you so much."

Dan keens under the affection, baring his neck for attention, which Phil immediately gives, licking and sucking at the skin there with a heat and focus that Dan didn't expect from him, considering the other tasks literally in his hands. "I'm-" Dan cuts himself off with a moan. "Gonna come, gonna come," he pants, bucking his hips into Phil's fist.

"Let it go, bub," Phil whispers to him, kissing his neck. "I've got you."

And that's what gets him. Just that affection, that reassurance, is the sexiest thing Phil could ever say. Dan's a goner, releasing into Phil's hand with a punched out sigh. "Fuck," he whines as he works himself through the aftershocks. When he's finally finished, he slumps against the bed, exhausted. He can still feel Phil inside him, moving faster now that he's chasing his own release. Dan clenches around him to help, and Phil slows down.

"Want me to stop?" He asks against Dan's throat.

"No," Dan whispers, spreading his legs a little to give Phil a better angle. "I want you to come, too, baby. Go ahead."

Phil kisses his jaw. "Thanks," he mumbles. "Can I-" he pats Dan's thigh like he wants him to move.

Dan falls limp, allowing Phil to maneuver him however he wants. "How do you want me?"

Phil licks his lips. "On your back," he replies. Dan complies immediately, and Phil stays standing, dragging Dan's hips to meet his own. He slides back in smoothly, thrusting at a sloppy pace. Dan can tell he's close. "Can I-" Phil starts, taking Dan's spent cock in his hand.

Dan rolls his eyes, but nods. "I'll never understand it, but go for it, bub."

A giggle falls from Phil's mouth. The paradox of that sweet noise compared to the loud sound of smacking skin echoing in their room has Dan's dick twitching in Phil's hand. He grins. "It's neat. I don't know why I like it either," Phil says with a shrug.

With another roll of his eyes, Dan gestures for him to get on with it. He winces, just a little, at the overstimulation when Phil starts stroking him again, but Dan knows he's close, and he's not about to deny him of that sweet release now. It's almost better like this, he thinks, when Dan's already finished but Phil's still searching for that relief and Dan gets to watch the pleasure, pure and unhidden, as it washes over Phil's face when it finally, finally hits him. His eyes clench shut and he's nearly breathless for a pause before it seems to hit him all at once, and then he's coming inside Dan, squeezing his hand around his cock.

"Fuck, Dan," Phil says with a laugh. Dan's confused at first, until he looks down and realizes what just happened. "You were barely hard that time," Phil says, voice soft and incredulous as he looks down at where Dan has just come a second time, all over his chest.

"Yeah, well," Dan mumbles petulantly. "Shut up," he whines.

Phil laughs, sliding out of him and searching for the baby wipes they keep in the nightstand for this. "I didn't say anything," he argues.

Dan huffs. "Well you don't have to look so fucking pleased with yourself," he replies, crossing his arms as Phil cleans him up gently.

"Sorry," Phil says, not an ounce of actual sorrow in his voice. He tosses the used baby wipes into the bin before patting Dan's thigh. "Shove over, bub."

They get situated in bed together, Dan whining about being cold until Phil pulls the sheet over them. Dan knows, realistically, that he'll be burning up in less than an hour, but for now he just wants a cuddle under the sheets. They lie in blissful silence for a bit until Phil laughs.

"What?" Dan asks, blinking up at him.

Phil gazes at him, smirking. "Can you believe that our whole family knew I was going to propose to you today and they didn't tell you? I'll be honest, I didn't think they had it in them."

Dan sits up. "They... they all knew?" He asks slowly.

Phil nods, looking rather pleased with himself, like a little boy who knows he's gotten away with eating too much candy before dinner. "All of them."

"Even... Even my mum? Nan?" Dan tries to keep the panic out of his voice. He's not mad, he's just... surprised. Overwhelmed. In a good way, mostly, he thinks.

Phil looks a little hesitant now. "Yeah... Was that not okay?"

Dan shakes his head, leaning in to give Phil a reassuring kiss. "No, that's fine. I'm just surprised, is all."

"Yeah?" Phil asked.

Dan nods. "How did they take it?"

Phil grins. "They seemed very happy for us. I, er... I actually talked to your mum about it a while ago."

"How long ago?" Dan asks, warily. After finding out just how long Phil has planned on proposing to him, Dan isn't sure he's ready to hear the answer to this.

"After my birthday," Phil replies, surprising Dan. So, not years ago, which is a relief, especially considering he hadn't been out to his family until last year. "I called her a few days after we talked about it, and asked if she would be okay with me asking you to marry me."

Dan's eyes water at that. "Phil," he says in a very fond, chastising voice. "You asked my mum for permission?"

"No! I mean... Not really," Phil amends. When Dan gives him a disbelieving look, Phil shrugs. "I basically just said I love you and wanted her to know that I intended on marrying you. She was very chill about it."

Dan raises an eyebrow. "What did she say, exactly?" He asks, suspicious.

Phil grins sheepishly. "She said I better intend on it or else I'd just wasted ten years of my life."

There's a pause and then Dan groans, rolling his eyes. "God. She's the worst." He doesn't mean it, not really. Not anymore.

"No, she... It was nice," Phil says, shrugging simply. "We had a nice chat about marriage and you and everything and... I dunno, it was nice. I finally understood what you're always saying about how much you love my mum."

Dan smiles, tucking a strand of Phil's hair back into place. "Yeah?" He asks quietly.

Phil kisses the palm of his hand. "Yeah. It was really nice, talking to the person who birthed my favorite human on earth," Phil says with a wide smile.

Even ten years in, and Dan still flushes with embarrassment, ducking his head and nuzzling against Phil's neck. "Shut up," he whines.

There's a soft kiss pressed to his head. "Happy birthday, Dan," Phil whispers.

And what a happy birthday it was.

[unalivejournal]

u mentioned only reading kripke era fic do you have a reclist 👀👀👀and if not could you link some of ur faves cuz the stuff that gets circulated the most right now is all like late late seasons fic and kripke era is my favorite too but im having trouble finding that many fics for it or even seasons 6-10 era which im fine with also. its just that like. the last five seasons were so bad that it makes fic generally worse too because people have to jump off of just Thee stupidest plot choices no matter how good their prose skills might be. but anyway yea if u have recs that would be awesome :)

hi anon i was thinking abt making a reclist and u just gave me the perfect excuse thank u

jess adamilligan’s kripke era fic recs

from making this ive learned that i never bookmark ANYTHING. sorry all of these r like….. 10k and under. i DO read longer fic but i don’t have any kripke era longfics bookmarked & tbh i prefer short oneshots

season one gen

disclaimer because it’s unfortunately needed: NONE of these are w*ncest! they’re all completely tagged as gen and i did not read them with the intent of consuming ship content.

Coaster Park by fogsrollingin, 10.4k, G, gen

Coaster Park had been experiencing an unusually high frequency of technical difficulties. Dean wouldn't have pulled a shift treating nauseated, heat-stroked, or dehydrated park-goers for that if he could've helped it, but when 'technical difficulties' were accompanied by rumors of things moving and stopping on their own in front of the operators' eyes, Dean had to throw down.

No historical tragedies or disasters in the area, ectoplasm, or EMF. Dean's only lead was a battered-looking kid that'd been coming to the park every day since it'd all started.

really interesting au fic! slightly ‘it’s a terrible life’. dean winchester is a hunter/EMT and sam wesson is a college kid destined to die on a roller coaster ride.

two basic motivating forces by sahwen, 7.8k, T, gen

He can’t cry, it’s not allowed; even as a child he was hushed into silence, whether his tears were from a long car ride or a late night or a raging fever. It’s never been an option, it’s never been an available outlet, and it’s not about to start being one just because he’s having an emotional breakdown on the bathroom floor.

Sam isn't only afraid of clowns.

BIG emetophobia tw (both for graphic depictions of nausea/vomiting and for the fact that this fic is about sam suffering from emetophobia) for this one but it’s my favorite sickfic. portrays anxiety over getting sick really well and is a fascinating examination of the different ways that sam’s fear of loss of control can manifest itself. also has lovely brothers content <3

Let’s Start at the Very Beginning (Remix of Just as Easy as 123) by nwspaprtaxis, 4k, T, gen

Dean’s functionally illiterate and Sam’s determined to remedy it...

PLEASE READ THIS ONE god it’s so sweet. dean never learned how to read properly due to his nomadic childhood and sam teaches him how.

dean/cas

Broadway Musical by Griftings, 9k, M, m/m

This is the day that marked the Holy and Blessed Union of Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle.

The merging of prominent bloodlines is always a grand occurrence, but breeding pedigree hunter families like Winchester and Harvelle is something to be rejoiced. It is also something to be meticulously planned, which thankfully the Host is very good at.

Or, the romantic comedy where Dean Winchester and Jo Harvelle are destined to get married, Castiel is given the task of playing matchmaker and fails terribly, the entire Heavenly Host becomes a sitcom audience, God warns against male pregnancy, and Jimmy Novak is incredibly unimpressed with angels in general.

somewhat of a fandom classic and the humor holds up wonderfully. a very silly fic completed with commentary from angel radio throughout the entire thing.

Sappiest Season by dollsome, 2.7k, G, m/m

In which Dean and Cas have to stop an evil Christmas tree (like you do), and it requires a little fake couple action.

hilarious little s5ish fic. one of the first i read when getting back into spn. i don’t want to spoil anything but this is my favorite pick me up and i still giggle randomly whenever i think about it

The (Mostly Accidental) Courtship of Dean Winchester by tuesday

Angelic marriage rites were never intended to go quite like this.

another fandom classic. ik this one is recced a lot but how could i NOT include it. dean and cas get married (mostly by accident) and they’re huge cunts about it

the one thing in the galaxy god didn't have his eyes on by prufrock, 2.4k, T, gen + m/m

“Wait,” Dean says. “Let me get this right. You can fly, right—you can teleport—but you can’t drive a car?”

or, after the events of S5E03 "Free to Be You and Me," Dean teaches Cas to drive. Cas finds it stressful

im always a sucker for a good ftbyam fic. also i can’t drive so. resonation

So Says The Sword by komodobits, 85k, E, m/m

The briefing was simple: ‘Stand guard over the Michael Sword until the battle is ready to commence. Await further instructions.’

Castiel doesn’t mind working security duty; he was briefed shortly after the initial salvation of the Sword from the pit, and again before taking up his position. He knows what to do. However, it’s easy to forget that the green room isn’t real. Time moves differently there, the space ever-changing to make a prison of mountains, cathedrals, salt flats, orchards, and whatever Castiel was led to believe about Heaven’s greatest weapon—Dean Winchester is something entirely unexpected.

NO introduction neede. i think everyone on spntumblr has read this already but still. if you haven’t then i am demanding that you read it NOW. tbh i’m just adding this one so that i have at least one long fic here 😭

the weight by @myaimistrue, 3.5k, T, gen + m/m

“Do you…” Bobby sighs. “Listen, Dean, do you have something you wanna tell me?”

It’s the conversational equivalent of being punched in the stomach.

Or, Dean works through some things with Bobby's help.

WHEN I SAW THE USERNAME I GASPED I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS U. anyway i Love coming out fics idk why i just do. the world is ending and dean comes out to bobby

canticles by 2street2car, 10.3k, T, m/m

“But you know something? If I couldn’t get you laid, at least I gave you a good first date.”

feat: footsies at a Ruby Tuesday, stargazing, the recreation of an iconic "Dirty Dancing" scene (no, not that one—the other one), and practicing for When You're With A Girl.

another ftbyam fic that skepticalfrog (i believe?) recommended a while back. made me feel at least 28 new emotions

Epilogue by JayneL, 28k, E, m/m

Bobby is here, swearing somewhere above and behind him; and Dean is here, talking about 2014 like it's a foreign country; and Sam is here, and is not Lucifer. Which means-- Bobby is here, swearing somewhere above and behind him; and Dean is here, talking about 2014 like it's a foreign country; and Sam is here, and is not Lucifer. Which means--

Cas is no longer when he was. Lucifer sent him back.

Coda to 'The End'.

2014 cas gets sent back to 2009, feelings ensue etc. i don’t remember all the details of this one bc it’s been a while but it’s really good

bonus

currently reading

Fragile As We Lie by perilously, 11k, E, f/f

Dragging Bela Talbot out of perdition isn't so much a decision as it is a frantic choice based on gut instinct. Her soul is bright, if fractured, and Anna yearns to do good again after the perversion of free will that immediately preceded her death.

Bela's no ordinary human, though; she's prickly and damaged and beautiful, and Anna doesn't want to leave her side. So maybe they can figure out how to navigate post-resurrection, post-Apocalypse-that-wasn't Earth together.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Kissing (Fluff Only/No Smut) Masterlist

24:00 (ao3) - Cyane

Summary: Phil makes a split-second decision to kiss Dan at midnight. He doesn't realize that Dan is livestreaming on his phone with half a million fans.

after the rain (ao3) - jestbee

Summary: they meet at pride

because you and i shine - philcreateddan

Summary: Dan is fond and in love and it’s embarrassing to look at.

Can I Borrow A Kiss? (I Promise I'll Give it Back) (ao3) - tjmcharg

Summary: Lots and lots of different kisses.

finding you (ao3) - spaceandvinyls

Summary: dan is tired of being pushed around and called a whore. he meets phil at a party, expected to get used again, but instead finds himself falling in love with him.

Frottica (ao3) - Spring_Haze

Summary: Dan finally acts on his feelings toward the sexy barista at Lester's Coffee Shop. Phil is relieved by the man's boldness, and an exciting new relationship begins.

Homoerotic Vampire Make-Out Session (ao3) - husbants

Summary: It’s October 2015 and Phil wants to indulge Dan in a little festive vampire roleplay. Dan seemed to like writing “The Urge,” after all.

I can't help falling in love with you (again) (ao3) - Findus26

Summary: "Do you ever miss that feeling of being newly in love? Like, those first date jitters? Butterflies, if you will?"

It's 2020, the world is falling apart and Dan can't help thinking back to October 2009 when everything was new and exciting. Phil finds a way to recreate the feeling

i'm bad at cooking (but not at loving you) (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: 3 times Phil tries to make Dan breakfast, + 1 time it actually works

Interrupted By Fireworks, Literally (ao3) - ticklishpickle

Summary: Dan has a wake up call when he realises 2018 is fast approaching, meaning he’s spent nearly a decade pining over the one and only Phil Lester. Not wanting to waste any more time, he devises a plan. This year, he’s going to kiss Phil at midnight. If he doesn’t kiss back, he’ll write it off as a drunk, meaningless mistake and try his best to move on. But if he does… oh, how Dan wants to know.

It's home (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: A day in the life of Dan and his smitten ice-cream vendor boyfriend Phil, living on the coast of Connemara, Ireland

Kisses Through The Years (ao3) - undertalednp

Summary: Phil wanted this forever.

And so, forever is what he got.

kiss me here, there (ao3) - watergator

Summary: with dan dressed in his new sequin jacket and his gold hoop earrings, phil wishes he could reach over and kiss him in the middle of the party; but he cant.

sometimes this has a hot, sweet taste (ao3) - georgiabread

Summary: Then, the inevitable declaration, murmured into the skin just below his ear: “I really, really love you, Phil. Like, so much.” Phil shuffles back and takes two dimpled cheeks in his palms and kisses him, drunk and sloppy and smitten. “Love you too, you nong.”

the first i love you (ao3) - waveydnp

Summary: "on the snowiest day ever, when we were walking through the abandoned hospital, and you had your hat on, and you lay down in the snow, and looked at the stars, and i lay next to you, and kissed you, and wrote “i love dan” in the snow"

the taste of your cherry chapstick - huphilpuffs

Summary: Punk!Phil has a crush, so when Pastel!Dan is manning a kissing booth for a school event, he finds himself showing up with a pound in his pocket.

Too Hot - jilliancares

Summary: Dan gets dragged to a party he doesn’t want to go to and then dragged into playing a game he doesn’t want to play. He can only hope that he won’t end up having to kiss Phil Lester, who he hates more than slow internet.

Uh, No Homo Bro? (ao3) - enthuzimuzzy

Summary: Phil helps a drunk Dan up the twenty seven steps to their apartment on his birthday, forgetting what's behind the door. And that Dan really can't hold his alcohol.

Welcome home! (never leave that long again) (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Dan comes home from tour and stumbles right into Phil’s arms. He is more touch starved than he’d realised.

who you are and who you've been (ao3) - kay_okay

Summary: The last day of summer seems like the perfect time to break into a public pool and make life-altering decisions in the middle of the night.

[green-blue-heller]

i was going to say that people are going to be SO MAD when/if misha starts dating some young hot actress/model half his age. (outrage if she's hot. outrage if she's younger than him. outrage if she's a she. outrage because she's not jensen. outrage because she's not vicki.) Just you wait! The only way Misha could "win" in post-divorce fan-land is if he comes out and confesses he's in a relationship w/ an older man. Fans MIGHT be ok with that. nothing else. WATCH the internalised misogyny rise up

Oh people are already bemoaning him apparently holding hands with a woman over the weekend.

As if he hadn’t told the story, again, of how Jensen flirted with him during the My Bloody Valentine episode.

Dude. We know.

But do you know why Misha tells that story over and over? 😏

Because that episode was shot the week of Dec 14, 2009.

Yuuuup.

THEE Dec 14. The FIRST of twelve (so far, including the first) Dec 14ths that they have celebrated…

If cockles was over, Misha wouldn’t still be gushing over Jensen’s flirting, winking, and getting him flustered at the point when their relationship had changed into more.

I mean, that scene could have been one of the first ones shot after that night at the bar, where they had a nice romantic candlelit dinner with drinks. And decided to take a selfie together so that they’d remember it.

To which, ten years later, they went back and recreated that night, at the same exact table…

sigh…

😍

[bananaofswifts]

ince about 2018, Taylor Swift has been at the centre of arguably the most riveting contract dispute in music business history since Prince wrote “slave” on his cheek. It has been a conflict fought in public, in detail. No precis does the nuances justice, but the crux of Swift’s unhappiness is that the rights to her first six albums were sold out from under her nose when her former label, Big Machine, was acquired by a man she regards as an enemy: Scooter Braun.

Braun is Justin Bieber’s manager; more pertinently, he also managed the rapper Kanye West at a time when West was tormenting Swift – another vexed tale wrapped around this one in a double helix. The antagonism between Swift and West began when he interrupted her acceptance speech for best female video at the VMAs in 2009. The video in question was You Belong With Me – a hit from Swift’s hugely successful 2008 album Fearless. That album has now been totally re-recorded by Swift and was released on Friday.

Why? In November 2020, after months of hostilities exchanged via social media and the legal profession, Braun sold Swift’s catalogue on to a private equity firm, Shamrock Holdings. As part of the deal, Braun would continue to profit from the use of Swift’s early work on streaming platforms, radio, TV and adverts.

If you were trying to sell this as an art forgery, someone would eventually twig

Swift particularly objects to the fruits of her youthful labours going to a man she has accused of “incessant, manipulative bullying”, on whose watch West made a video creepily sexually objectifying her (other celebrities were also depicted).

Swift’s radical solution is to make her first six albums worth significantly less by re-recording them, so that future uses favour her, not Shamrock or Braun. Hence Fearless (Taylor’s Version) – less an album and more a breathtaking chess move, the aural equivalent of pulling the rug out from under her antagonists.

First released in 2008 – 13 years ago, a favourite number of Swift’s – Fearless was Swift’s second studio outing and first massive hit. By the time the album’s cycle had concluded, she had the bestselling album in the US and a slew of awards, including the Grammy for album of the year– she was the award’s youngest-ever recipient until Billie Eilish.

It was a different world: when the album was released, Swift, just 18, had recently broken up with a Jonas Brother. Her songs were rooted in country, but the foundations of her pop auteurism were plain. The album’s overemphasis on romance was mitigated by Swift’s insightfulness, which only grew more acute with time.

“When you’re 15, and somebody tells you they love you, you’re gonna believe them,” she sang ruefully on the autobiographical Fifteen, from the lofty vantage point of someone not yet of legal drinking age in the US. Swift’s signature ad libs were there too – the laugh on Hey Stephen – as were the killer bridges that hallmark so many of her best songs, riding on the thermal of a key change.

All this is still present, and there’s more: six unreleased songs that date from the Fearless album sessions plus a re-recording of Today Was A Fairytale, a song she contributed to the soundtrack to the 2010 film Valentine’s Day. On Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Swift has radically recreated the 2008 cover shot. Its sepia tint, and the loose peasant blouse she is wearing, very much suggest the contemporary Swift of her soft-focus albums of 2020, Folklore and Evermore.

But she has been at pains to reproduce her original country-pop as precisely as possible, the better to gazunder Shamrock Holdings. It’s a labour of revenge, but also of love: Swift has re-employed key contributors from the period and mixed them with members of her live band who played many of these songs live for years. Guests such as Keith Urban, who she toured with at the time, crop up on bonus tracks like That’s When.

These unreleased vault tracks are something of a mixed bag. They’re intended as a sweetener – choice pickings from Swift’s rich vault of unreleased material – but she has carte blanche to present them as she pleases. They’ve ended up as sedate iterations, pairing the brighter, more direct songcraft of the younger Swift with the watercolour production of the Folklore era. There are exceptions: Mr Perfectly Fine can handle the pastels, it’s such a stone cold classic Swift song; You All Over Me is similarly rewarding, not least because it is an obvious precursor to 1989’s Clean.

The core reproductions, however – of the 19 re-recorded tracks that formed the platinum version of Fearless – are a roaring success. The verisimilitude of the music is as near-as-dammit, although if you were trying to sell this as an art forgery, someone would eventually twig. The production can’t help but sound smoother, the quality of the playing more nuanced – witness the interplay between the guitar and banjo that opens the new version of the title track, or on one of the album’s biggest hits, You Belong With Me.

What really stands out, though, are Swift’s vocals. She can’t reproduce her reedier, less skilful teenage self. She parcels out her tones more cannily now, an anachronism that is no criticism. But spending time with all this juvenilia only points up the quality of Swift’s songwriting. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is both an art project executed serendipitously and a strategic move the industry will be poring over for some time.