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no1heyyyyyyyy · 11 months ago

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Sevika's tastes

Sevika is an old lady and she just wants to be left alone. She likes to look good but when it comes to clothes, Miss thing just doesn’t care that much. She always has practicality in mind. So, no dresses, nothing flowy, has to have natural fabrics so that her skin can breathe, and she requires that things are comfortable. Her shoes are always made for hardware with a strong sole and often reinforced. In the modern world, I see her working in metal working (specifically welding), so she has to have clothes that are multipurpose. Though, if she was forced to wear anything really nice, it would be a simple well-cut blazer and a button down with jeans or slacks that conform to her legs nicely. She prefers earthy colors, nothing too flashy. I think she’d really appreciate a nice dark green, or perhaps brown. I also feel that she would enjoy a nice flannel regularly.

With food, I’m afraid her palette is as unrefined as her clothing choices. She genuinely does not care what she eats, though she really likes chicken- loves hot wings, spicy food is her love. But, her comfort food will always be the food native to what part of India her family is from. I don’t think she’s the best cook, but she has a few family recipes that she knows so well (aloo gobi, chai, samosa, tikka masala, saag paneer). And, I think that on nights where she’s feeling really sad or lonely she always craves those foods. She’d love to cook with or for her partner, it’d be the best way to get to know her honestly. Because it allows for her to show vulnerability through actions and without words. She loves to take care of people and I think in modern times she’d mother her friends just a bit, always making sure they’re eating well, drinking their water, and sleeping right (if not she’ll give them some chai). She doesn’t eat beef or dark meats in general, and she isn’t the biggest fan of seafood or turkey. So, she sticks with her chicken and her paneer. She’ll eat tofu but it needs to be in curry or something similar.

This woman would love 80s hair metal, music is something that I genuinely believe she’d love so much. She’d play drums as a teenager, dead set on becoming the drummer of the next Metallica. She’d also love the old school heavy metal bands, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath, Pantera. She’d love them all. I think she’d like some old school 90s rap too, but none of the new-age mumble rap that’s going on. She wouldn’t really like Taylor Swift’s music, just because it didn’t vibe with her, but she respected Taylor’s ability to get a bag. She has had a huge crush on Adele ever since she heard the album 25 when it came out. She liked some of her music, but thought Adele was drop dead gorgeous and all mature and soulful and shit, hit her in the feels and made her whipped for this woman she didn’t even know.

For movies she loves shitty 80s slasher horror, nothing that makes her think. She’d sit back in her old recliner in her pajamas and house slippers whilst watching Slumber Party Massacre for the third time, and then put on Golden Girls because she feels that Dorothy Zbornak is her spirit animal. She likes a good sitcom too and a ridiculous drama (she loves Desperate Housewives), she likes the camp, the over the top acting and dumb plots, it makes her laugh and feel care free in a way she hasn’t been in a long time. She just wants to curl up with her pets (she would have many) and watch teen-based tv shows that revolve around crime or secrets (Pretty Little Liars, Riverdale, Vampire Diaries, even Buffy etc.). She likes how bad they are, but she gets so invested it’s ridiculous.

For personal scents she’d like more woody, alluring scents that are also kind of sweet. Think Amber by Rag n’ Bone (it smells so good), she doesn’t spray much, just a spritz, it wafts around her just slightly, just enough for women to fall at her feet. Her individual smell wouldn't be overpowering but it would definitely be clear. It’s grounding and soothing. Her sweat stinks though, every time she comes back from the gym, she goes straight to the showers because her own dogs don’t want to come near her b.o.

In general, Sevika is an old woman who couldn’t give less of a shit. She wants to be left alone with her life and her people and chill. Which is why, I feel like she isn’t that opinionated on much unless it’s boundaries or causes she cares about. She just doesn’t have the energy to be bothered with trivial things like which movie to choose for the night, or which restaurant to go to. She is tired and all she wants to do is eat good food with her partner and her pets in a little cottage in the middle of nowhere. She doesn’t like neighbors and she doesn’t like people in her business. She doesn’t need a perfect life, just one that’s hers.

for whatever reason the letters are being weird, it is killing me. Please ignore it.

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outsidersheadcanons · 4 months ago

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Could you pls do the gangs fav modern AU movies/shows?

Darry: Young Sheldon (and before u say anything hear me out. Young Sheldon is unironically a good show. And when it was on the Curtises would always watch the new episodes together. They were VERY invested in the Young Sheldon lore).

Sodapop: He watches whatever's trending tbh 😭 (bro probably watched Wednesday) but he would looveeee 80's romcoms. Think Pretty in Pink, Can't Buy Me Love, Dirty Dancing, the goofier the better ❤️ (he had an insane fixation on Footloose for like. a week)

Ponyboy: Anything Darry tells him not to watch tbh 😒 once he watched Paranormal Caught on Camera and couldn't sleep for a whole week (he won't admit it but he likes watching animated movies too. Esp the lego movies because those are good asf)

Two-bit: Bro literally anything on Disney+. Idk why but I feel like he'd fw Space Jam heavily (or any of those movies where it's live action AND cartoon). He'd also like the Family Vacation movies.

Dally: Skibidi Toilet He likes crime dramas, esp Sopranos and Breaking bad + Better call Saul. He'd be into those true crime special documentaries they have on Netflix and Amazon sometimes too. Has a soft spot for trash TV on TLC too

Johnny: He doesn't really watch TV except for when the Curtises have it on (but he does like animated shows and cartoons a lot even if they're "childish")

Steve: Top Gun and literally anything on Motor Trend

#the outsiders headcanons #the outsiders #sorry if some of these aren't modern lol

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rene-hl-trashcan · 13 days ago

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OC/MC Alternate Universe Ask Game

So, I was inspired when @starry-slithers asked me what would my gremlin's role/actions if they were stuck in a zombie apocalypse AU and I thought of doing this list.

Reblog/Link this list so your followers can ask about your MC / OC's role or actions in the AUs! (Who knows if it can double as a writing prompt too?🤣)

(Part 1 for now until I get more inspiration and do another one)

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Zombie Apocalypse AU (What kind of zombie apocalypse? RE-style zombie? Train to Busan-style zombie? How do they deal with it? What is their role in the AU? How long would they survive? If they turn, will there be a miracle where they don't hurt their loved ones? How would they be put down and by who if they turned?)

80s/90s slasher AU (Are they the killer? If they are, how do they hunt their prey? Or are they the final survivor? If they are, how do they defeat the killer? Or are they the first to die? If they die, how did they die?)

Idol AU (What position do they have in the group? Or are they a solo artist? Any challenges they had to face as an idol? Do they find love in a fellow idol or a fan? If so, how does that relationship works?)

College AU (What is their major? Or are they the professor? How do they cope with college life? Do they have a scholarship? Will they enjoy crazy college life or will they stick to studying?)

Forgotten God/Deity AU (What kind of forgotten deity would they be? Why were they forgotten? How were they in their prime? Do they still have a believer, or are they vanishing because their last believer passed away?)

Mermaid/Siren AU (What kind of mermaid/siren are they? What do they look like? Do they have human-like disguises to lure their victims? How do they lure their victims? If they're not born mermaids, how were they turned into one?)

A/B/O AU - recommended guide made by my friend if you're interested (What are their A/B/O gender? How did that affect their life? How do they meet their pair/mate? How do they cope with societal challenges/life as whatever their second gender is?)

Monster/Monster Hunter AU (What kind of monsters are they? If they are the hunter, who do they work for? Weapons of choice for hunter, signature feature for monsters? Do they find love in their enemy? If so, how? And how do they deal with the opposition against their love?)

Actor/Hollywood AU (What kind of drama/movies they usually star in? What are the roles they usually get? Were they well-loved or controversial? What are they like during interviews/promotions? What kind of style do they go for while attending award shows/Met Gala?)

Influencer/Content Creator AU (What kind of influencers/content creators are they? What types of content do they make? What is their fanbase like? Does their fanbase have its own name? If so, what it is and why? What platform do they prefer?)

Medical Drama AU (What are their role in the hospital? General physician? Specialist doctor? How are their bedside manner with their patients? Do the hospital staff like them? How do they wind down after a gruelling workday? How do they cope if they lose a patient? How professional are they at work? Are they good doctors or the diabolical ones? If they're diabolical, how and why?)

Medical Supernatural AU (What supernatural shit happens in the hospital? Is the hospital for the supernatural folks, or is it a regular hospital but your MC was affected by an unexpected event like in Ghost Doctor K-drama? How do they cope with the supernatural stuff?)

Pirate AU (What kind of pirates are they? The chaotic but good ones like Jack Sparrow or the heinous ones like the historical pirates? Do they have a love interest? If so, is that love interest a rival pirate/navy officer hunting for them/others? What is their main purpose of being a pirate? How do they climb the hierarchy?)

Crime Drama AU (What are the roles of your MC in the AU? The detective/cops? If so, what kind of crimes are usually assigned to them? Or are they the criminal? If so, what kind of criminal are they? Is the police corrupt? If so, are your MCs corrupted? Why/why not?)

Harem Drama/Concubine AU - (What kind of harem they are in? Is the lord/lady they serve kind to them? Do they fight fair to be the top concubine? Or are they the types to fight dirty to gain power? If so, how do they eliminate their rival? Are rival's children off the table or will they go all out to gain power?)

Superpower/EVOL AU - (What kind of superpower do they have? Were they born with it, or were they experimented on? How do they use the power? Are there any side effects of the power? Do they like their power? Why/Why not? Were they on the side of the law or were they on the opposite side? Why/Why not?)

Soulmate AU - (What are the soulmate rules of the AU? Do they believe in/like the soulmate thing? Will they fight the determined destiny to be with the person they like? Will they resist their soulmate to prove that destiny cannot control their life?)

Coffee Shop AU - (Are they the barista, manager or the customer? If they're the customer, what kind of customer are they? Do they have preferred orders? What time do they usually come to the coffee shop? If they are the staff, what are their customer service style?)

Fairy Tales AU - (What is the fairy tale story they are set in? What is their role/archetype in the story? Do they subvert the traditional expectations of the roles or not? If so, how do they do it?)

Step-parent AU - (Why do they choose to date/marry someone with a child? Does the child like them? How do they treat the step-child? If they have their own child, will the treatment be different? How do they deal with negative reactions from the step-child?)

Spy/Undercover AU - (What is the organisation they work for? Are they good or bad? What is the purpose they go undercover? What kind of spy/undercover agent are they? How do they conduct their mission? What would they do if they were caught? What will they do if they fall in love with the enemy?)

Isekai AU - (What kind of story would they get isekai-ed into? What is the character they transmigrated as? Will they stick to the original plot, or will they change it? If they change it, how would they do so? What would be their main goal after realising they have been isekai-ed?)

Holy War AU - (What kind of religious system are they fighting for/against? Why are they supporting/fighting the religious system? What are their role and position in this AU?)

Exorcist/Ghost Whisperer AU - (How do they get their ability? Are they kind towards or are they scared of the ghosts/supernaturals? How do they exorcise the supernatural? How do they use the whisperer's ability to deal with the supernatural folks? Do they appreciate their ability or do they wish it to be gone? Why/Why not?)

Arranged Marriage AU - (What era does this set place in? Does their spouse love/like them? How do they treat the spouse that they do not love? Why are they in an arranged marriage in the first place? Will they fall in love with their spouse? If so, how will it happen? Will they cheat on their spouse with their actual lover? If so, will they feel guilty about it? Will the spouse accept it?)

Shapeshifter AU - (What kind of creature do they shapeshift into? Why? Is there any specific time they will shapeshift or will they have full control over when to shapeshift? Is it a common thing everyone does or will they have to keep it a secret? Any cute love story that comes from their shapeshifting shenanigan? If there is, how does it happen?)

NSFW/Mature AU under the cut

Serial Killer AU (What kind of serial killers are they? What are their motives behind the killings? Bonus point if it's not childhood trauma. Do they collect trophies from their victims? What are their modus operandi? Any specific murder method they favour? Do they torture their victims? Who are their target victims? Why do they choose these poor souls? How do they discard/dispose of their victims? Do they taunt the authorities? If so, how and why haven't they arrested?)

Camboy/Camgirl AU (What kind of stuff do they usually do while streaming? Are they into roleplay? If so, what kind of roles do they do for their shows? Do they like the job, or do they do it for survival? What would be their stage name for the job? Are they the people-pleaser type who do everything their viewers ask for, or are they the type of are in control and put their viewers in place? What are their target demographic?)

Stripper/Prostitute/Porn Stars AU (What kind of establishment do they work for? Is that establishment kind and fair to them? How happy are they with the job? What kind of people are on their clientele list? Do they enjoy the job? Are there any costumes/kinks they favour? Do they wish for another job? Why are they in the field in the first place?)

Organised Crime AU (What kind of organised crime do they do? What would be their position in the organisation? How do they prefer to eliminate rivals? How do they deal with traitors? Do they like leaving warnings to the authorities/rivals? If so, how do they do that? Do they have a forbidden love interest in law enforcement? If so, how do they approach that love? Would they betray their organisation or would they abduct, manipulate and gaslight their love interest?)

Power Abuse AU (What kind of situation are we talking about? Is it Sovereign/Servant, Scientist/Experiment subject, Boss/Staff, Loan shark/Debtor or other situations? What kind of power/role do they have and how do they abuse their authority? Are there any exceptions to their power abuse? If there are, why the exception? Do their victims retaliate? Was that retaliation successful? Why/why not? What are their response/reaction to the retaliation?)

Stalker AU (What is the reason they stalk the victim? How do they stalk their victim? Is their obsession fatally dangerous, or it's only traumatisingly creepy? Will they be arrested? If so, why? Will they cross the line from mentally traumatising their victims to physically harming their victims? If yes, how will they do it?)

#Hogwarts Legacy MC #Hogwarts Legacy OC #OC Ask Game #Writing Prompts #oc challenge #I got no time but if you wanna ask me about my gremlins feel free #I might take forever to answer tho cuz me is busy AF

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sadquickchristmassnowman · 11 months ago

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Hiiii I have a community question I wanted to ask!!

Abed mentions all sorts of movies and tv shows through out Community, but I just wanted to know if maybe you have like a list of which ones are real and which ones he seemed to like more than others.

I can only think of the dark knight because of the dvd Annie broke, and the Star Wars movies (except he apparently hates the prequels) and cougar town!

great question! sorry for the delay on a response.

so, he mentions/references an insane number of movies and tv shows throughout the series, and I unfortunately do not have a list of every single one. although, I am (VERY slowly) working on an in-depth episode-by-episode analysis of the entire series, and listing every pop culture reference is a subsection in that. but that's not helpful right now. moving on

I don't have the picture, but there's this questionnaire abed filled out (outside of the show, it must have been uploaded to a website as promotional material for the show). he says his favorite movie is a tie between:

ghostbusters (1984, comedy/horror)

an american werewolf in london (1981, horror)

back to the future (1985, sci-fi/comedy)

blade runner (1982, sci-fi/action)

stand by me (1986, adventure/comedy)

stripes (1981, comedy/war)

star wars (1977, sci-fi/fantasy, also called "a new hope")

star wars: the empire strikes back (1980, sci-fi/fantasy)

star wars: the return of the jedi (1983, sci-fi/fantasy)

ferris bueller's day off (1986, comedy/drama)

jaws (1975, thriller/adventure)

raising arizona (1987, comedy/crime)

jurassic park (1993, adventure/sci-fi)

seven (1995, crime/mystery)

the matrix (1999, action/sci-fi)

the goonies (1985, adventure/comedy)

the breakfast club (1985, comedy/romance)

real genius (1985, comedy/sci-fi)

better off dead (1985, comedy/romance)

the fog of war (2003, documentary/war)

pulp fiction (1994, crime/thriller)

(btw if anyone knows what I’m talking about and has the screenshot please rb with it! I cannot for the life of me find it lmao)

I believe this is a list he apparently made in 2009, either in the first few weeks of school or right before the school year started. so it's possible he would answer differently as the series progressed. also, I do take some of these extra-canon things with a grain of salt, as on the same form he said his favorite place on campus was study room D or something, when obviously they definitely meant to write study room F. so, the credibility of my source for this information isn't exactly rock-solid. although, he does mention a lot of these movies on screen, and expresses love for many of them (the most notable ones probably being star wars episodes IV-VI, the breakfast club, and pulp fiction)

as you can see from the list, abed particularly loves american movies from the 80's. just a trend I thought I’d point out.

here's a few others he mentions loving, or just pretty notably references:

the dark night (2008, action/crime, as you mentioned)

rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (1964, musical/animated, is the whole basis of 2x11 abed's uncontrollable christmas)

the shawshank redemption (1994, horror/crime, is the basis for his plot with troy, annie, and shirley in 4x05 cooperative escapism in familial relations)

freaky friday (I believe it's the original one from 1976 specifically, but it's been remade a bunch. comedy/fantasy. it's the basis of abed and troy's story in 4x11 basic human anatomy)

rambo/first blood (series starting in 1982, action/thriller. abed talks about how messy the progressive series titles are in 3x14 pillows and blankets)

ocean's eleven (2001, crime/thriller, the basis for the heist scene from 3x21 the first chang dynasty)

hearts of darkness (1991, documentary/war, abed mentions it while pointedly filming dean pelton's production of his greendale commercial rather than helping with the commercial itself. similarly, hearts of darkness filmed the making of apocalypse now)

apocalypse now (1979, war/action, see the above explanation)

die hard (series starting in 1988, action/thriller, abed mentions wanting to do a die hard homage for christmas multiple times throughout season 4)

good will hunting (1997, thriller/romance, troy and abed's story in 1x24 english as a second language is filled with references to this movie. abed is doing homages on purpose, troy is not)

my dinner with andre (1981, comedy/drama, abed does a very elaborate homage at jeff's accidental expense in 2x19 critical film studies)

indiana jones (raiders of the lost ark, temple of doom, and the last cruscade only. he mentions loving the first three indiana jones movies in 1x04 social psychology)

aliens (1986, action/adventure/sci-fi, he and troy dress up as an alien and ripley in 2x06 epidemiology) (side note, I believe they're specifically referencing aliens, which is a sequel to alien. could be wrong though)

blade (1998, horror/action, they watch it over the course of 3x15 origins of vampire mythology after troy and abed assert multiple times that it is an amazing movie)

I think he generally talks about movies more than he talks about tv shows, but he does mention quite a few of them. some notable mentions are:

friends (1994, sitcom, mentions at least twice)

m*a*s*h (1972, sitcom, mentions in passing in 1x05 advanced criminal law, and references throughout 1x13 investigative journalism)

the cape (2011, action, mentions throughout 4x13 advanced introduction to finality)

who's the boss (1984, sitcom, is the premise of his whole storyline in 2x20 competitive wine tasting)

LOST (2004, sci-fi, mentions at least twice)

obviously there are a LOT more, but I just tried to list some of the most important ones, plot-wise and for understanding of his character. hopefully I’ll be able to get back to everyone with a super long list of every tv show and movie he ever mentions lmao, but that'll take a while. (there are lists online that say they list every movie and tv show abed has ever mentioned, but ngl I don't 100% trust those, so I’ll make my own lmao. but I put the link to one of them if you're curious. here's another one too)

at this point anyone who has seen community knows there are some really really big ones that I haven’t mentioned yet. pieces of media that are INTEGRAL to abed as a character. I was saving them for last lmfao. they are:

kickpuncher

inspector spacetime

cougar town

if I had to pick a holy trinity of media for abed, it would be these three things. these are EASILY the things he talks about the most, which is interesting, as both the kickpuncher movie franchise and the inspector spacetime series are completely fictional, and only exist in the community universe. (this is probably so they can show abed actually watching some of the shows/movies he talks about, without the obvious copyright issues that come with playing clips from an already existing movie/tv show on your screen. they kind of do that with blade in 3x15, but they only play vague fighting sounds, and never show their tv on our screen. anyway. not relevant.) to answer one of your questions from the ask, I believe those two are the ONLY fictional pieces of media abed talks about. as far as I know, everything else he mentions is real, including cougar town.

kickpuncher is obviously reminiscent of sci-fi/action films from the 80's, like robocop. like I said earlier, taking their place so that they could have a more substantial role in abed's on-screen life without any copywrite worries. it's a whole franchise, so there are multiple movies: kickpuncher, kickpuncher 2: codename: punchkicker, kickpuncher 3: the final kickening, kickpuncher: detroit, kickpuncher: miami (?), and kicksplasher (?). kicksplasher is apparently shown as a poster on abed's wall, and I’m assuming it's from the same franchise, although that could be wrong. the point is there's a very elaborate universe for kickpuncher, and it's a big part of abed's, and later troy's, film taste. the first time they mention it is in 1x15 romantic expressionism, when abed, troy, shirley, pierce, and chang all get together in abed's dorm room to make fun of stupid movies together. it's funny that it was introduced as a stupid movie to watch ironically, then troy and abed both end up genuinely loving it lmao. classic

inspector spacetime is obviously reminiscent of doctor who. they're both british sci-fi series that have been running for decades. doctor who uses a police box to travel the multiverse, while doctor who uses a telephone box. doctor who has malicious daleks who chant "exterminate," while inspector spacetime has blorgons who shout "eradicate." the concepts of the shows are obviously the same, with the actor for the doctor changing every season, etc etc. they're essentially the same exact show, but, like I said before, changed slightly so they can world-build without getting copywrited. there is something a little bit silly about this, though. it's definitely a continuity error and it's up to everyone whether they want to accept it as canon or not, I guess, but there's an episode where abed is actually wearing a doctor who t-shirt. (it also references bill and ted, but the doctor who part is what's relevant.) here's some pictures:

awesome shirt tbh, but it is a little bit funny that is essentially makes it true that doctor who and inspector spacetime both exist in the community universe. and, these pictures are from the cold open of 4x11 basic human anatomy, which is way after inspector spacetime is introduced to the show (3x01 biology 101). so, is inspector spacetime just a rip-off of doctor who? is abed a fan of both shows? if he is, clearly he likes inspector spacetime better. anyway. I would guess that this wasn't intentional. but that is definitely a tardis on that shirt. maybe it's just a classic season 4 continuity mistake. oh well. I guess that's just how the cookie crumbles. anyway.

cougar town time! yes, it's a real show. I didn't think it was but it is. what's not real is cougarton abbey, the short-lived british remake that britta gets abed into in 3x01 biology 101. but yeah. it has 6 seasons and is streaming on hulu, if you're interested. I’ve heard it's not good but who knows for sure. something cool about cougar town is that abed is actually in an episode. let me be clear: not danny pudi. ABED. it's similar to the story abed tells about being invited to the cougar town set and shitting his pants while having an existential crisis about the layers of reality. here is a youtube clip of the scene. I found out about it while stalking danny pudi's wikipedia page months ago, you know, a typical sunday afternoon activity, and I saw a cougar town credit on there. I didn't even know it was a real show at that point so you can imagine my surprise lmao. anyway. idk if you knew that already but it's one of my favorite community easter eggs. so funny.

okay! I hope this is enough information to suit your needs, and I am once again opening the floor to anyone who wants to add anything 💯 this was fun, thanks for the ask, and stay fresh everyone ✌️

#classic sadquickchristmassnowman blunder of writing an entire goddamn essay to answer a simple fucking question #also just to be clear george lucas went back and fucked with the original star wars trilogy #so unless you really put some work in to find the original versions of the original trilogy #you won’t be watching the versions that abed loves the most #sorry my indoctrinated me into his elitist star wars opinions #but I’m keeping it in the tags as to not clutter up the information with more of my senseless yapping #anyway #community #nbc community #community nbc #abed nadir #media analysis #community encyclopedia

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videoreligion · 2 months ago

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Fear City (1984)

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thatscarletflycatcher · 2 months ago

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Top 5 movies set in the present and top 5 period films :)

Hi!!! I got this ask and forgot every movie I have ever loved (and will probably remember them all as soon as I hit post). It also reminded me painfully of how inadequate my cinephile culture is; there are so many classics that I'm almost certain I will love if I watch them and that would deserve the spotlight so much!

So let's make these lists about interesting movies that I think are good as movies, and not think much if they are truly The BestTM. I'm also omitting Austen and other adaptations I already talk too much about.

"Contemporary films" (set in the present is a complicated concept. I'm picking them as "the narrative happens sometime contemporary to the movie's original release date"):

5. Music & Lyrics (2007):

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This is technically a romantic comedy, but its strength relies on its love for music, its humor about the music industry, and a take on 80s nostalgia that is neither surrendered idealization nor complete mockery. It's one of the few movies where I actually like Hugh Grant, and the score is so well done! My one gripe really is that I think the movie would have been so much better if the leads have remained platonic? Sometimes I like to pretend they did.

4. Dead Man Walking (1995):

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This is one of those serious, controversial movies professors pick for university discussions, in this case, the one about the death penalty. The movie tries (and I believe succeeds) to address without "solving" or dismissing the relationship between our horror at heinous crimes, justice for the victims and their pain, and the value of all human lives. Susan Sarandon is as always majestic in this one.

3. National Treasure (2004):

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Tumblr loves National Treasure, but I love it specifically because to me it somehow captures the thrill, the exotic mystery (without gross Orientalization!) AND the nonsense of a classic Jules Verne novel -and Verne was one of the staples of my childhood- in a way that no Verne movie adaptation I have ever watched manages to capture.

2. State of Play (2009):

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This one is mostly an excuse to cheat, because while the movie is a very solid political thriller (you know, one of those "you might enjoy even if you are not a fan of the genre), the original British TV series it is adapting is better. And both have great casts (Russell Crowe is probably more solid than Cal Macaffrey on the same role, but David Morrissey does a much better job than Ben Affleck. So, it goes both ways, you see).

Hot Fuzz (2007):

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I have heard this one being called "the most intelligent stupid comedy ever made", and honestly, fitting description. I have joked before about this being my comfort movie and how funny that is because it is the gory story of a police officer being kicked out of his beloved job and sent into a town where everyone mocks and gaslights him and then the back end of the movie is a non-stop action sequence... but, listen, it is funny, it is, somehow, heart warming, you can tell everyone is having a ball, the editing is amazing, the pacing is just right, so many set ups and they all pay off, the story is satisfying, the characters -specially the main lead- are likeable, and their arcs also satisfying.

Period films:

5. Oscar (1991):

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This is a very silly comedy set in the 30s, adapted from a play and you can tell, but it is a riot, and in my opinion one of the best Stallone roles ever. It makes me wish he had done more comedies in this style. It also has the always charming Marisa Tomei and the always welcome Tim Curry.

4. The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995)

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Another instance of a movie where Hugh Grant does not annoy me, it's basically what says in the tin and the right kind of thing if you enjoy the typical British period drama of beautiful landscape, small town shenanigans and restrained romance.

3. The Mask of Zorro (1998):

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Much of what I said about National Treasure applies here, except that it is not at all silly, and it has many moments of great pathos besides being a really good adventure/superhero movie.

2. To Walk Invisible (2016):

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This is a biopic of the Brontë sisters, just covering their peak years of authorial activity, to trace a portrait of their personalities and life situation. While my knowledge of Bronteana is not super extensive, from the little I have read of them in general, plus Elizabeth Gaskell's The Life of Charlotte Brontë, I feel like this was carefully and lovingly done, without heavy editorializing or overdramatization (I'm staring at you, Emily (2022)), or pitting the sisters against each other. There's a scene of Emily reciting her poetry to Anne in the moors that just got me in the feels.

Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World (2003)

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There are few genres I'm as disinterested in as war epics, and few movies I love as much as I love Master and Commander.

It was harmed by coming out the same year as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, but it is, and what I'm going to say will sound blasphemous to some, the better movie of the two. It is a war epic, and a slice of life film. It's the story of a friendship between two very different men and the tensions their personalities and job at sea bring. The cast is top notch, down to child actors. Some of the production details are insane. They made rope specifically for this film because the way modern rope is turned doesn't fit well with old rigging techniques. The cast spent many days together at sea learning the basics of how to manage the ship and work in their ranks and the way sailors and officers would relate to each other. The immersion this all creates is also insane. The sound design was marvelous as well, and the score truly inspired (I want to kiss the person who picked Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis as one of the main features of a 2000s movie adapting a 20th century novel about the Napoleonic Wars, the same way 19th-20th century Ralph Vaughan Williams picked up a tune by a 16th century composer to do his thing, to establish this thematic connection between past and present and the ways we look at and make History).

If you watch only one movie on this list, watch this one. It's worth it.

Ask me my top5/top10 anything!

#ask #whenthegoldrays #movies #ask game #the irony of having one Russell Crowe movie and one Hugh Grant movie on each doesn't escape me #long post

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hood-ex · 1 month ago

Note

This got long so I decided to send it in an ask.

So India has like a dozen film industries organized by language. Bollywood is the biggest and that's Hindi. There are also movies n Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Bengali, Punjabi and more. I won't go into all of them because I mostly watch movies in Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi and the occasional Telegu movie.

(super cool thing is that sometimes, there's actors who work in multiple film industries so it can be like a fun surprise when you see someone you associate with a specific language pop up somewhere else)

I tried to pick based on what you said you liked in one of the other replies. You mentioned you like musicals though so you'll be happy to know that songs are integral to Indian movies. Also these recs are a mix of personal favorites and ones I know to be popular/iconic because if it was just up to me, half of these would be thrillers, horror or crime because I think indian films do those genres really well. They also lean heavily towards romcoms.

Hindi:

Sholay (1975) This is just a classic Hindi action movie starring Amitabh Bachchan, who's possibly the biggest actor from Bollywood in the 70s and 80s Like even i've watched it and I haven't even taken the time to look through 70s Hindi movies yet.

Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) A runaway bride gets taken in by three kids and they have to hide her so their uncle who's taking care of them doesn't kick her out. The kids are so goddamn cute. This stars two very known 90s stars, Amir Khan and Juhi Chawla.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) Iconic Hindi romance starring equally iconic pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Shah Rukh is by far the most popular beloved actor in Bollwood since the 90s and arguably still today. Him and Kajol were a big pair that did tons of movies together in the 90s and early 2000s. I cannot understate how popular these two are.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) Another, arguably even more iconic Shah Rukh Kajol romance but it's a love triangle. Personally, I can't stand this movie but it's super duper popular and also features the love of my life, Rani Mukherjee as the 'it' girl Tina that Shah Rukh's character initially falls in love with.

Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham (2001) I'm sorry, I don't know how this ended up being all Shah Rukh Kajol movies but I needed to mention it because this is my personal favorite from this pair and in general. I also love the way this leans into the 2000s aesthetic in the second half and you're going to be baffled and amused by the character Pooja in the second half.

Devdas (2002) Devdas is an epic tragic love triangle featuring again Shah Rukh Khan but also Aishwarya Rai, one of the most influential celebrities to come out of India in the modern age and Madhuri Dixit, beloved actress and dancer from the late 80s/early 90s. The song 'Dola Re' from this movie is one of the coolest dance sequences to exist.

Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) A modern love triangle- you know, I didn't realize how many love triangles are on here but this one will make you cry. It's a romcom but I promise, the tears will come. And then you'll watch it again.

Om Shanti Om (2007) A love letter to Golden Age Bollywood, this movie is going to pack in approximately 15 references per minute, you won't understand any of them and it will still be an excellent time. At heart, this is a fantasy romance/revenge featuring reincarnation (which is a suuuper popular trope but ended up being sparse on this list). Starring Shah Rukh Khan across Deepika Padukone in her first role (they go on to be a pretty beloved pair though not as much as srk and kajol). I rewatch this 1-2 times a year.

Jodhaa Akbar (2008) Starring Aishwarya Rai again, this is a historical romantic drama set in the 1500s. I always get distracted by how beautiful the costuming in this is. You'll recognize Hrithik Roshan from Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham but with the ugliest mustache known to mankind.

3 Idiots (2009) is a comedy/coming-of-age about 3 college friends. Sounds basic but it's really hmm, heartfelt? Starring Amir Khan.

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) coming of age romance/drama/comedy something about a group of college friends. Stars Deepika Padukone across Ranbir Kapoor (big 2010s actor).

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavadahn (2020) first big blockbuster type movie about queer people. It made me cry, i made a gif from this my header for like over a year, it's a bit cliche but yk

Telegu

Telegu's really hit it off in the last 10 years or so but I've only a passing familiarity and I definitely can't tell you what's been popular in the last couple decades. BUT

Bahubali 1 and 2 (2015/2017) It was a cultural phenomenon when it came out, because of the effects and cinematography but also largely because of how it's one story split intentionally into two movies. That concept was unheard of in Indian film and the overwhelming success of Bahubali is directly responsible for the dozens of 2 and 3 part film series being produced today in south indian films. It's like an epic fantasy action movie(s) about- actually i'm not going to spoil the plot on this one. In simplest terms, it's about a guy learning about his dad.

RRR (2022) Not a personal favorite but it actually has a tumblr fanbase. Bromance but like two indian revolutionaries fighting against the british in pre-independence India. Really, it's very much about their friendship. Stars Jr NTR and Ram Charan, both of whom are pretty popular Telegu actors. This like Bahubali was an insanely popular hit.

Tamil (this was so hard because i like tamil movies but i don't think they're the greatest. They do however have the best love songs, hands down)

Kadhalan (1994) It's an action romance ft politics and terrorists but at heart, it's a inter-class romance about a college kid that falls in love with a politician's daughter. You may have noted by now that inter-class romances are a BIG theme in indian movies. This stars Prabhu who is still an iconic choreographer and dancer and Nagma.

Minsara Kanavu (1997) a romance Prabhu again and Kajol from all of those Hindi films. The plot is that she doesn't believe in love and wants to go become a nun and he's trying to change her mind because he's in love with her. It would've been so easy to get this film wrong but it ends up being really hard to dislike.

Anbe Sivam (2003) a slice of life about a guy who gets stranded at an airport and makes a friend. R. Madhavan, who plays the friend is the poster boy for 90s Tamil romances and is an excellent romance actor, if you're interested.

Ghilli (2004) A sports player accidentally gets involved with a gang. It's like an action romance featuring some of the most iconic actors in Tamil film, including Vijay and Trisha. I had my cousins dance to one of the songs from this at my wedding. This movie actually just reran in theaters for it's 20 year anniversary a couple months ago.

24 (2016) A guy invents a time traveling machine. I really wanted to include a movie with Suriya because he along with Vijay are like the two big stars of the Tamil Film Industry. They both have catalogs of 60+ films. And in this movie, Suriya plays a triple role.

Malayalam. This one's my native industry which somehow made it really hard to pick movies from because I mostly watch masala films or (like low-brow action comedies).

Kireedam (1989) A action/drama about a guy's downfall. Thematically, think Othello. Stars Mohanlal, the biggest actor in Mollywood and watching him in this movie will show you why.

Killukam (1991) a comedy about a girl, an illegitimate daughter of a supreme court judge, pretending to be mentally ill while searching for her father. Very of it's time but it's classic comedy. Stars Mohanlal again.

Yoddha (1992). One of the rare times that Malayalam film delves into fantasy, this is a movie about a young rural guy protecting a Nepalese kid from a murderous, supernatural cult. It's been a minute since i've watched this so I can't speak to how the cultural aspects were treated but I remember that part of this was shot in Nepal. It's also considered a cult classic. And features Mohanlal yet again.

Aaram Thampuran (1997) Another mohanlal film about a man who gets involved in a village's affairs. Stars Manju Warrior who was a known 90s actress before she got married and quit. This one's an iconic action film but I think that Mohanlal's role in this is like the template of classic Malayalam hero and says a lot about the qualities that make up a South Indian typical movie 'good guy'.

Nandanam (2002) The fact that this movie is this old makes me feel old. A slightly dramatic, mostly realistic interclass romance ft (1) god. It'll give you a fair bit of insight into Malayali culture and class prejudices. Anyway story's about a religious house-servant who falls in love with the grandson of her employer. Or really, the grandson falls in love with her. It's a personal favorite of mine and stars Navya Nair (who is soo underrated) and Prithviraj (who is not, which is to say he's hella popular and currently trying his hand at directing)

Meesa Madhavan (2002) A thief gets wrongfully accused of a crime and tries to prove his innocence ft a romance. It's classic 2000s Malayalam comedy. Features Dileep and Kavya Madhavan who were a pretty popular pair of the 2000s/2010s even and irl had an affair and he divorced his wife for her. (his wife incidentally is manju warrior who i mentioned above)

Classmates (2006) A school reunion unearths old hurts and hidden secrets. It's got everything; mystery, angst, romance, comedy, and an iconic soundtrack.

Notebook (2006) No this has nothing to do with the iconic Nicholas Sparks adaptation. It's about three college friends at an all-girls school and how they deal with one of them getting pregnant. The initial romance is SO cute. The song, one in particular is great. The execution is so-so but for a movie about teen pregnancy in 2006 Kerala, it's not bad. And I would consider it iconic.

****** manichitrathazhu (1993) It's about a couple who move into a new house and the wife gets possessed by a ghost. It's ICONIC. I didn't mention it above because it does dip into horror and you said you didn't like scary movies.

i know this might seem super large and overwhelming. I promise I did try to limit the choices a bit and was at times more or less successful. Anyways I hope it helps some.

Wow, thank you for the explanation and for the long list of recs! Love all the different language categories. Lol! I wish I liked horror movies more, especially so you could share your favs 😆. I might try Manichitrathazhu 🫣. Maybe my friend who loves horror movies will watch it with me.

I'm looking at some of these on Google, and omg, Kabhie Kushi Kabhie Gham is 3.5 hours long 😳. I'll have to settle in with a snack for that one 😆.

These all sound really good though! Thank you for taking the time to compile this list, I highly appreciate it!

#thank yooou!!! <333 !!!#movie recs #replies

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suzy-queued · 1 year ago

Text

A Gallavich tale, told 100 words at a time.

**This story is now complete!**

-------------------

A man jumped into the back seat of Ian’s car.

“You a driver?” Dark hair, one small piece of luggage.

“Yeah, only if you’re registered on the app.”

“Screw the app. Take me to Nashville.”

Ian choked on his Gatorade. “That’s eight hours from here.”

“So?”

“You gotta plan these things out. Get matched with the right driver.”

“It’s not like I knew that my fucking boyfriend was gonna run off to fucking Yee-Haw Land to elope with my sworn enemy.”

Ian checked the rearview and saw pain behind those angry blue eyes. He switched his app status to OCCUPIED.

---

Ian took the entrance ramp onto I-90. They should arrive in Nashville around … oh, 3:37 AM.

“I have an emergency kit.” Ian nodded with his chin. “Under the seat. A few comforts in case you need ’em.”

The passenger shuffled through the insulated bag. “Boxed juice. Granola bars. Fucking gummy bears, man? This is childhood stuff. You got any Jack Daniels?”

Ian felt a spark of disobedience. “I’ve got a few joints in the glove box.” This was definitely off-book behavior, but it felt right. “They come with a price.”

“What’s that, Jeeves?”

“You’ve gotta tell me your whole story.”

---

The dark-haired passenger scoffed. “You don’t look like you’ve got the stomach to get caught up on my bullshit.”

“Try me.”

“Whatever. Fuckin’ sadist.” He settled into his seat. “You ain’t wearing a wire, right?”

“Not today.”

“All right, so, you ever heard of Berry Buds?”

“Those stuffed animals in the shape of fruit? Don’t people use those to smuggle coke?”

The guy raised an eyebrow. “You too delicate to hear about crime, pumpkin? There’s murder, too. Betrayal. And a pair of pink flamingos.”

“Wait, back up. You forgot the most important part. What’s your name?”

The passenger only smiled.

---

Man, this passenger could talk. Ian heard an hour’s worth of Milkovich family crimes.

Milkovich.

Ian didn’t know the guy’s first name. Only how passionate he was, the excitement in his voice.

“So Iggy launched the box of M-80s into the river, right, and this long-legged yahoo waltzes up.” Milkovich paused. “Wait, did you just yawn? If it’s such a chore to listen, I can fuckin’ stop.”

Ian made eye contact in the rearview mirror. “I was promised murder. A boyfriend.”

Milkovich slunk in his seat. “Keith.” All his passion faded to pain. “Yeah … guess I can talk about him.”

---

“Keith is …” Milkovich seeped with defeat and anger. “He’s the first person who saw me as more than a thug. We met at the liquor store. Been together seventeen months. I thought we were long-term, you know? Then he starts spending time at clubs. Digging into the scene. I don’t give a fuck if he does coke to let off steam. But he keeps getting it from the same guy. Real tall motherfucker. White-blond hair. Wears sweater vests.”

“Northside prick.”

“Oh, you know this guy?”

Ian had seen plenty of club action. He hardened in solidarity. “I know the type.”

---

“Anyways, that’s how I realized my piece-of-shit boyfriend is marrying fancy-pants Logan Covington, the motherfucker who snipes our business and has led the biggest anti-Milkovich smear campaign this side of Michigan.” The passenger let out a sigh. He slowed for the first time in an hour. “Shoulda known by that haircut. He came home looking like a walking Ken doll.”

“So, wait.” Ian sorted through the complicated story threads. “Are you going to kill your boyfriend?”

“No, man, keep up. I want to get him back.” He leaned forward, laying his hand on Ian’s shoulder. “And you’re gonna help me.”

---

Ian scoffed. “Don’t rope me into your drama.”

“Come on, man. We show up at the chapel, tell Keith I’m dating you now, let the jealousy unfold.”

Unbelievable. Ian shouldn’t even consider the offer. He had a ton to do this weekend. But Milkovich was obviously hurting.

Ian scratched his chin. “And I’d be on the clock the whole time?”

“What, you scared to do it? You a homophobe or something?”

“I’m gay.”

Milkovich stared, hard. He looked Ian up and down. “You never mentioned that.” He gave a coy smirk.

Ian felt a shot of electricity. “You never asked.”

---

The Silver Diner in Lafayette, Indiana bustled with activity.

Milkovich talked over the sizzling grill. “Still don’t know why we stopped here.”

“Can’t think on an empty stomach.” Ian flagged the waitress.

Jolene smiled, leaned into the booth. “Order’s coming right up, sugarpot.” She touched Ian’s arm as she left.

Milkovich frowned. “That shit happen to you a lot?”

“What?”

“Chicks waving their boobs in your face.”

“I don’t really notice.” But Milkovich noticed. Interesting.

“It’s good, actually. We can use it in our plan. People find you attractive.”

“You think I’m pretty?”

He rolled his eyes. “Didn’t say me.”

---

Milkovich rolled a coin across the diner table. “You see that? Table's tilted by a degree-and-a-half. Cheap off-balance pedestal leg. I’d have used a trestle instead.”

Huh. This guy’s shoulders relaxed when he talked about normal stuff.

“The key with builds like this…” The guy was smart. Layered. Funny. And his eyes twinkled when he geeked out about construction, apparently.

Ian was finding new ways to be awed each minute.

“…at least shim the motherfucker because…”

Ian interrupted. “I’m in.”

“Huh?”

“Your plan? I guess can pretend to like you.”

Ian’s stomach swooped. Pretend might not be the right word.

---

“Seriously, you’ll do it?” Milkovich raised an eyebrow. “Okay, lay it on me. Tell me everything about you.”

Ian enjoyed sharing his details. “I’m one of six kids. Two sisters, three brothers. Wait, you’re not writing this down? You’re gonna memorize all this shit?”

The guy leaned forward, intense, piercing. He traced his finger around Ian’s wrist. “We’re chained now. I’ll remember everything about you.”

This was absurd, but the guy seemed dead serious.

Ian felt goosebumps. He took charge and matched the guy’s intensity. “Then tell me your first name.”

A quick tongue flick. The guy nodded. “It’s Mickey.”

---

Turns out, scheming and joking with Mickey was easier than breathing. Ian drummed on the table. “Okay, how’d we meet? I gave you a ride somewhere?”

“And then I rode you.” Mickey laughed. “Simple enough. How about second date?”

Ian’s inner romantic spun into action. “A rooftop picnic. You brought snacks and whiskey.”

“Hm. Doesn’t sound like me.”

“I brought a tire iron and gun because I didn’t trust you.”

Mickey smirked, like these lies were becoming reality in his head. “Wise man.”

Ian swelled. His weekend suddenly had purpose. He’d be the best fake boyfriend in the goddamn world.

---

They hit the john before they got back on the road. Pissed in outdated urinals, washed their hands.

Ian watched Mickey closely. Every turn, every strut, every smirk. That’s how he noticed that Mickey flinched when the hand dryer shot to life.

“Mickey Milkovich.” Ian laughed. “You can dump a mob boss in the Chicago River but you’re afraid of a little hot air?”

“It’s fucking startling.”

Mickey paused in the doorway. Tilted his head. Looked up at Ian. “Keith … he never noticed that about me.”

Ian elbowed him, defusing his sadness. “I’m going to learn all your secrets, boyfriend.”

---

Around midnight, the rhythm of repeating street lights on Interstate 65 lulled Ian toward sleep.

“Can I ask you a question?” Mickey looked damn relaxed, too. Seat leaned back. Legs stretched out. Talking in a low voice. “Let’s say I blew this.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“Say I end up alone. Do I deserve that?”

Ian could certainly judge. He’d heard about Mickey’s crimes, his family, his dating history.

He wanted to hold Mickey’s hand. He wanted to find the right words to remedy this hurt.

“Mickey, you are the most –”

A bang. A crash. Ian’s face smashed into the airbag.

---

Ian took inventory. He was conscious. Neck pain. Bleeding nose.

He scrambled to unfasten his seatbelt. To wave away the airbag dust.

He pawed at Mickey’s leg, arm, chest. “Are you okay?”

“I’m scraped up.” Mickey coughed. “What happened?”

“Someone clipped our bumper. We spun out. Hit the guardrail. I was out of control.”

“Why are you pulling on my eye?”

Ian lowered his hand. “Checking for a concussion.” He tried to steady his breath, calm his panic. “I’m sorry. I let you down.”

Mickey set his injured hand on Ian’s, offering shaky reassurance. “Better than being worm food, man.”

---

The cops had come and gone. Reality settled in. Ian’s car was undriveable. They were stranded.

Mickey’s anxiety spiked. “How the hell am I getting to the wedding now?” He paced along the shoulder, pointing at Ian. “Who drives for a fucking living and doesn’t have roadside assistance?”

Ian spoke via speakerphone to a random tow company they’d Googled. “It’s a silver Camry. Near exit 130.”

Mickey yelled into the phone. “Just look for the goddamn ring of fire lighting up I-65.”

Ian prayed for strength. “Ignore him. There’s no fire.” Unless you counted the flames rising from Mickey’s nostrils.

---

Ian talked to Mickey in the crammed cab of the tow truck. “I told you I’d get you there. I’ll think of something.”

The mechanic pulled into a repair shop. “Car can stay here. Hank opens at 7:00 tomorrow.”

Mickey exploded. “It’s not open 24 hours?”

“This is Indianapolis, not L.A.”

“How are we supposed—"

Ian held up a hand to stop him. He could feel Mickey’s desperation, his impatience and heartbreak. “Is there a hotel nearby?”

The mechanic pointed across the street. To a run-down motel called King Richard’s Royal Inn.

Mickey glared. “Well, long live the fuckin’ king.”

---

Josie at the front desk didn’t even look at her computer. “I’m sorry. It’s race week. We don’t have room for more guests.”

Mickey glared at Ian. “Come on, Gingerbread. You’re taking me to the Motel 6.”

Josie snorted. “You’ll be lucky to find a campground in this town with a vacancy.”

“Guess I’m sleeping in your fucking lobby, then.”

As if Ian didn’t feel bad enough about this situation.

A chime sounded on the computer.

“Hey, now.” Josie smiled. “We’ve just had a cancellation.” She looked between them. “It’s a single. One full-sized bed.”

Mickey didn’t hesitate. “We’ll take it.”

---

“Door’s flimsy enough to kick open.” Ian unlocked the motel room.

Mickey groaned. “No TV. No closet. They better have hot water.”

“Jesus, the bed’s small.” Ian’s neck ached. This was officially hell.

“You gonna be all right, Red? We’ve got to get used to touching each other.”

Ian grabbed him and pulled him close, roughly. “Think we’ll be able to fool Keith?”

And, damn, Mickey’s face was right fucking there, looking tired. Cranky. Kissable. “We should do it bareback in the middle of the chapel just to piss him off.”

Oof.

Ian was not going to survive this night.

---

Mickey cracked the bathroom door as he showered, fogging up the motel room.

Ian sat on the bed, still for the first time tonight. He felt warmth. Pain. Adrenaline let-down.

Mickey’s silhouette moved behind the curtain. A hint. A tease. An invitation.

What if … Ian pulled the curtain back?

He could feel those sturdy shoulders, that smooth skin. Trace his tongue along the water droplets. Grab that thick … hair.

What if Mickey dropped his guy and took Ian on? Then what?

Would Mickey get tired of him?

Desire. Curiosity. Potential. Ian’s thoughts swirled like water.

… then the shower clicked off.

---

“Jesus!” Mickey pulled the curtain back. “Damn water turned to ice.” He jumped from the shower, lunging for a towel.

And of course Ian had been staring and saw everything. Mickey’s dripping body. The toned muscles in his legs. His stomach. A quick flash of his anatomy.

Ian turned away.

“Fucking freezing, man.” Mickey’s wet feet slapped on the floor. “This is on you, Gallagher.”

Ian peeked. The towel did nothing to hide the curve of Mickey’s ass.

God, Ian had to tamp down his infatuation. Maybe cockiness would work instead. “I hear skin-to-skin contact gets you warm the fastest.”

---

Mickey huffed at Ian’s joke. “You tryin’ to see me naked?”

“It’s for science. Research.”

Mickey shrugged and reached for the knot of his towel. The world moved in slow motion now, a tattooed hand tugging white cotton.

The fabric fell away, sliding down his leg. Dark hairs matted against skin. Body with the right balance of definition and softness.

Ian’s heart beat fast. He felt it getting stronger and stronger and stronger.

He glanced up and fell into Mickey’s eyes.

One touch could overcome the silence. One touch could reveal Ian’s crush.

Mickey smiled, all confidence. “Your turn, Loverboy.”

---

In this game of chicken, Mickey was winning.

Ian gulped. It was only fair, right? Mickey needed to see his body for their boyfriend charade to work.

Ian peeled off his jeans. His t-shirt, going slow and begging all his parts to stay chill.

Mickey never broke eye contact.

Ian slid his boxers down, breathless.

“Patriot tattoo. Boobs tattoo.” Mickey nodded. “Carpet matches the drapes. Uh-huh.”

How could Mickey stay so calm when he was tearing Ian’s nerves to pieces?

Mickey stepped within touching distance. “Only one more question, hot shot.”

“What’s that?”

“How good of an actor are you?”

---

Ian held his ground. “I’m a great actor.”

“Could you kiss me right now?” Mickey’s gaze raked down Ian’s body. “Kiss me and not get hard?” Mickey spoke oh-so-slowly. “We’re together, right? So we supposedly kiss all the time. Can you control yourself?”

A song burst through the tension. A silly cartoon voice repeating, You are my cute-cumber. You are my cute-cumber.

Mickey’s eyes widened. “Fuck, my phone.”

He scrambled, but the sound went silent before he got there.

Ian laughed. “Seriously? That’s the cheesiest alert.”

“You don’t understand.” Mickey looked up with pain in his eyes. “That’s Keith’s ringtone.”

---

Keith’s call shifted Mickey's vibe from flirty to flustered.

Ian slid on his boxers and jeans. Being naked suddenly seemed wrong.

“Why the fuck was he calling?” Mickey threw the towel over his lap. “He didn’t leave a voicemail. Is he having second thoughts about the wedding? Should I call back?”

Ian had no clue how to help. “Just take a minute. Breathe.”

“My brain’s turning to mush here, Gallagher. I’m exhausted. I’m confused. We haven’t eaten in hours. And now this? Tell me what the fuck to do.”

Ian didn’t think. He yanked Mickey’s head back and kissed him.

---

The kiss was overwhelming. Tinged with panic. Wonderful. Scary. Exciting. Over too soon.

Mickey touched his own lips. “That’s good. I … needed that.”

“This trip’ll be stressful enough without you freaking out. When the anxiety ratchets up in that head of yours, I’ll take care of you, all right?”

Mickey nodded. Took a second. Smirked. “Knew you couldn’t do it.”

“What?”

“Knew you couldn’t kiss me without getting hard.”

“You’re an asshole.”

But the intensity on Mickey’s face told Ian not to push. The bright blue eyes. The absolute relief at being taken care of.

Ian let the moment simmer.

---

Ian needed to be supportive. A bodyguard. A wingman, offering safety pins and pep talks.

He pulled two joints from his pocket. “You weren’t meant to face this weekend sober.”

“Fuck, man, you always know what I need.”

“Snagged ’em from my glove box after the crash.” Ian lit up and offered one to Mickey. “I know everything seems fuckin’ hopeless, like your life is wrecked. You ain’t wrong.”

“This supposed to make me feel better?”

“The point is, it’s okay to be who you are.”

“What’s that, big guy?”

Ian threaded their fingers together. “A loser, just like me.”

---

The wee hours passed in a purple haze of weed and exhaustion.

They didn’t sleep. They lay beside each other in that tiny bed, clothes on, joking and mumbling.

They bumped elbows, knocked knees, held hands.

Ian ached for more touch. For a kiss that meant more than comfort.

Mickey’s icy blue eyes held him at bay. I can’t face that yet. Please let me hover outside of reality a little longer.

In the orange glow of sunrise, Ian gathered his nerve. He asked the question he’d been pondering all night. “You still want to go to this wedding, Milkovich?”

---

Mickey sat too far away on the motel bed. “Why wouldn’t I go? Keith is my boyfriend. We live together.”

“How’s that gonna work out once the newlyweds get home?”

“I still want to go.”

This wasn’t right, goddammit. In the movies, a kiss leads to a romantic finale, not this stubborn insistence to stay on course.

Ian grasped at one last hope. “To win Keith back?”

Mickey inched closer. He held Ian’s chin. Broke into a smile. “To show him what a big mistake he made.”

This time, the kiss was only about the two of them. Fuckin’ finally.

--- * --- * --- * --- * ---

Hey. Is this thing on?

Gallagher’s been doing an okay job telling this story, but now it’s my turn. And none of that past-tense, passive bullshit. I’ll tell you everything the moment it happens, okay?

You’re gonna witness every mile, every pit stop, every tacky decision my ex makes for this wedding. His abysmal choice in groom. Some godawful silver balloon arch. Those lime-flavored vodka Jell-o squares he loves so much.

Damn, I can’t wait to see the scowl on Keith’s face when Ian and I start playing tonsil hockey on the dance floor.

We’re gonna fuck some shit up.

---

It’s seven AM. I’m camped outside Hank’s Body Shop drinking coffee-colored swill.

Ian’s beside me, giving me bedroom eyes, running his fingers up my arm. He’s tempting as fuck.

Hank unlocks the door and lets us in. “Knew you’d be waitin’.”

I spot Ian’s car, nod toward it. “What’s the damage?”

“Her bones are good, but you’re looking at three grand in parts and labor. I have an opening on October first.”

“October? That’s six weeks from now.”

Hank shrugs. “You can tow her somewhere else. No skin off my teeth.”

Ian eyes darken, and not in a sexy way.

---

Look, I’ve learned a lot about Gallagher in the past day. If he says he’s gonna do something, he will.

We’re definitely getting to Nashville.

He’s got about eighty tabs up on his phone. “Ubering is ridiculously expensive. A rental car’ll surcharge me because I’m not twenty-five.”

“You’re not?”

“Not until next May.” Ian doesn’t even look up. “Greyhound leaves at 11:30. What time’s the wedding?”

“Six.”

“Guess we’re taking the bus.”

I fucking hate this idea. Ian can tell. He grabs me by the waist. “We can cuddle the whole way there.”

Okay, maybe I fucking love this idea.

---

We leave the car behind. Leave the body shop behind. Check out of the motel, leave it behind.

All I’ve been doing lately is letting things go. Releasing the goddamn trapeze wire and falling without a net.

My ex is the hardest fucking thing to let go.

Ian and I sit in the back seat of a cab, on our way to the bus station. He holds my hand, simply. “This is the first time I’ve seen your shoulders relax.”

He's a six-foot-high, freckly-armed godsend. It's easier to let go when a motherfucker like that is waiting to catch you.

---

The bus trip passes in a blur. I’m lost in a tangle of Gallagher limbs. He touches my forehead, cups my cheek, kisses me every minute on the minute.

After all the shit we’ve gone through, the ride feels too easy. Roadblocks are easy to rally against. But when the path is clear, doubt creeps in.

We pull into Nashville Station at four o’clock. It’s sunny. The air smells like Keith.

He’s probably putting on his tux and double-checking the flowers right now.

I’ve been obsessed. I haven’t taken a moment to breathe.

Fuck.

Am I doing the right thing?

---

I shove down my hesitation, because fuck Keith. If I want to crash his party, I’ll do it with a wrecking ball.

Ian and I step out of an Uber, bleary-eyed. The white chapel sits in a commercial strip, bathed in neon.

There’s two pink birds dressed in tuxedos mounted out front. I rip one from the grass. “Goddamn flamingos, man. That was supposed to be our thing.”

A man greets guests at the chapel steps. “Thank you for coming, thank you ah-very much.” Rhinestones. Bell bottoms. Sunglasses.

I can’t handle this shit. “He’s having fucking Elvis officiate his wedding?!”

---

I’m ready to find out what kinda froufrou shindig my ex is throwing. I’m gonna bust in his skull the second he vows himself to that prick Logan Covington.

Only … I haven’t moved yet.

Ian sets his hand on my neck. He touches a muscle that calms my whole goddamn body. “Hey, there’s a pizza place around the block. You up for it?”

I blink. “Bustin’ this up isn’t going to help anything, is it?”

He shakes his head.

Fuck. That voice of reason finally takes hold. “Pizza it is, then.”

The moment we turn, I hear a voice. “Mickey?”

---

Keith’s tux is perfect. His hair is perfect. “What’re you doing here? H-how are you?”

“Me? I don’t have a care in the goddamn world.”

He’s got candles in one hand and hideous flowers in the other. He pauses, like there’s no fucking sense hiding what’s going on. “I’m dying to know what you’re thinking.”

Well, fuck, I am, too. Because I didn’t plan this far. This whole trip’s been fueled by spitfire and rage. Now here we stand, face-to-face, and I’m torn between revenge and the strong freckled hands of my Uber driver.

I open my mouth to speak.

---

I can’t find the right words. My mouth works on autopilot. I turn my head and lay the biggest goddamn kiss on Ian. His body tenses, then he melts into it like we’ve been doing this shit for years.

I forget that Keith’s there. Elvis fades away. The chords of the practicing organist fade away.

I pull back slowly, staring at Ian.

“Um, hello?” Keith waves.

“Ian and I are gonna grab some grub. Maybe check out that haunted Nashville tour. Have fun with whatever bullshit you’re doing today.”

I don’t care how petty I sound.

I’m finally fuckin’ free.

---

I hear Keith stammering behind me. I don’t care what he has to say or what a clusterfuck this’ll be after the dust settles and we return home.

Ian and I shuffle down the sidewalk arm-in-arm.

The pizza ain’t Chicago style, but it tastes amazing. The hotel Ian picks for us ain’t fancy, but the sheets are clean.

We kiss against the wall. He peels off my clothes.

25 hours. 475 miles. One motherfucking Elvis. One round of drowsy sex.

I’m comfortable tangled in Ian’s gangly arms.

We do the thing I’ve been dying to do for an eternity … sleep.

---

Ian hands our key to the hotel clerk. “My friend and I enjoyed our stay.”

I nudge Ian as we walk outside. “Why’d you call me that?”

“Because you’re my friend.”

I pinch my eyes. I need more.

Ian slinks against me. “You’re my… lover.” Now he’s getting it. “Wanna bite you. Wanna nibble on you the whole way home.”

Better, but I still need more. “When we get back, will you be my—”

“Yes.” For Ian, it’s as simple as that.

We got no car. No plan. We only have each other.

And that’s all I fuckin’ need.

---*---*---*---*---

ONE YEAR LATER

Ian threw a receipt onto the kitchen table. “Finally paid the last toll. Got all the Camry repairs done.”

Mickey smirked. “We never got to show off our fake dating skills on that trip.”

“There’s one last souvenir I gotta deal with.” Ian got down on one knee, holding a small black box. “You’re in this house – this home – all the time. Might as well make it official.”

“You sayin’ you wanna get hitched?”

“You up for it? No flamingoes, I promise.”

Mickey pulled him into a kiss. “Pretty wise choice, hopping in your car that day.”

#galladrabbles #galladrabble #100 words #gallavich fan fiction #master post #no sleep til nashville

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