#I basically went with films I've watched more than once and still love

[wholahoop]

10 fave films

i was tagged by @magpiefngrl and @squintclover ❤️

Rules: Without naming them, post a gif from ten of your favorite films, then tag ten people to do the same.

Tagging @eleadore @sweet-s0rr0w @appleslightning @bewarethesmirk @faiell @a-bichol @dewitty1 @garagepaperback @hoko-onchi-writes @nv-md

[420days]

GQ COUPLES QUIZ | JEY USO

summary: jey & janey test how much they know one another

warnings : none

"Sweet face, which pair should I wear?" I smiled up at Jey, my boyfriend of three years, as I held up two pairs of earrings.

"I like the silver hoops baby. They match what you have on." He looked up from his phone and over at me.

Nodding my head I quickly placed the gold hoops into my ear and then pulled the silver Vintage Alhambra bracelet out my jewelry bag.

We just finished our photoshoot for GQ magazine and now we're getting read to film our GQ Couples Quiz to help our fans learn a little more about us.

"Help me pleaseee." I stood in front of him and held my wrist out so he could put the bracelet on for me. "Thank you." I smiled and looked down at my wrist once he was finished.

"Janey, Jey, they're ready for you." One of the producers poked her head into the room.

"Thanks Kara." Jey said before grabbing my hand and leading me to where we would be having our couples quiz. Valentine's Day was right around the corner so they had the set decorated in hearts along with little candy bowls.

"You want some candy babe?" I asked him as I looked through the bowl and tried to find some chocolate.

"I'll get some after we finish." He shook his head and then went to take his seat. I sat across from him and crossed my left leg over my right, getting comfortable in my seat.

"Fix your shirt babe." I said to him once I noticed the collar was slightly tucked on one side.

"Preciate you mamas." He said before fixing his collar and getting comfortable in his seat as well.

The producer counted down and we both introduced ourselves. Being the gentleman he is, he let me ask him questions about me first.

"So our beautiful fans wanna know how we met. Go ahead and tell them." I smiled before putting the card behind the others.

"I feel like it was just yesterday but I've actually saw her at this party my brother was giving and I was eyeing her all night. Of course I saw her on Instagram because she's a well known model but in person, mmm." He said making me laugh.

"Mmm what?"

"You had on this satin, tight fitted dress and I was to nervous to say anything to you for real until I saw someone trying to talk to you." He went on explaining.

"Yeah, you knew you had to snatch me up before somebody else did. You still didn't tell me why you were so nervous?" I rested my face in my hand.

"Cause you're this big ass supermodel with a whole lot of confidence and I didn't know if you were gonna take me serious."He shrugged his shoulders and smiled spread across my face.

"Well, you were a gentleman and approached me with a lot of respect. That immediately got you sum browniepoints in my book." I smiled before moving on the the next series of questions.

"Where's my dream travel destination?" I asked him and watched as he actually had to sit and think about it.

"Baby, you don't know this?" My jaw dropped slightly as I looked at him. He ran his hand through his beard and laughed lightly.

"You gotta cut me some slack. I feel like your answer changes like every two months." He shook his head.

"You're so dramatic, it does not change every two months. There is more than one answer if that's what you're getting at."

"Yeah, cause you be on TikTok getting ideas but ima say you really wanna got to Barbados cause your family is from there." He said, still unsure.

"Mmh, and where do I want to travel with you. We literally talked about it on our flight." I twirled my foot around and waited for his answer.

"Oh! St Lucia, right?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Mmh, you know I'm an island gal."I nodded my head with a small laugh.

Of course he knew the answer to all the basic questions like my hometown, birthday, and the details of our first date. I loved how the questions went from being simple to more complex.

"What's one tradition I would like to past down to our kids?" I smacked the cards against my hand and watched as he thought about it. There was so many different answers to the question so he honestly couldn't get it wrong.

"Jey, you know this." I added while waiting for his response. "There's so many answers."

"Y'all see how she calls me Jey when she gets serious? She's applying some heavy pressure." He pointed towards me making the production staff laugh while I playfully rolled my eyes.

"Oh please, just answer the question."

"One thing I love about you is how family oriented you are. I know you would love for us to actually eat dinner together at the dinner table. Holidays are also a huge deal to you so we will be decorating for them.” He gave me a wide smile as I blushed.

"I can give him extra points for that answer, right? Y'all heard how sweet my baby was?" I asked the camera crew as I looked at the camera.

"I'm always sweet for you." He flirted with me.

Once he finished answering my questions it was his turn to ask me some questions and he was not letting up on me. Not to mention his questions matched his personality, goofy and exciting.

"Babe, I know the answer but I can't say it out loud. The people are gonna be in our business." I giggled

"I mean you can forfeit your point." He held his hands up and shrugged his shoulders.

"No, come here." I motioned my finger towards him and watched as he leaned in closer to me. I placed my hand on his arm for leverage, allowing me to whispered his guilty yet dirty pleasure into his ear.

He instantly began to laugh and leaned his head against mine as he did.  I knew his body better than him and he couldn't even deny it. I placed my hand on his leg before sitting up and fixing myself in my seat.

"Yeah, that's a point." He nodded his head, trying to control his laugh as he damn near wiped tears from his face while I did a dance in my seat.

"A point!" I smiled.

"Okay, okay, what accomplishment am I the most proud of outside of my wrestling accomplishments?" He asked me and I thought to myself a little bit.

"Mmh, I'm gonna saying being able to provide for your family but most importantly being able to give your mom the life she deserves. So buying her a house and stuff like that?"

"You know me so well." He leaned back in his seat and nodded his head. He then gave me bonus points for answering the question with multiple correct answers.

Ultimately at the end I got more questions right than Jey but he did get all the personal questions correct. He was the kind of person who knew the details that were most important and that's all I cared about.

"So this is how many points you got." I held my hands up where the numbers would appear on the screen showcasing a 23/25 in blue bubble letters.

"And this is how many you got." Jey smiled and watched as 25/25 appeared on the screen in pink bubble letters.

"Damn you know me, huh?" He looked over at me.

"Of course I know my man, silly." I leaned over and kissed his lips, sweetly.

tags: @bebesobrielo @trentybenty @amandairene88 @kiki1704 @paigereeder @uceyliyahh @skyesthebomb @cyberdejos2 @chloeijuana @tian-monique

[nexility-sims]

𝐍𝐎. 𝟏𝟎   ❛ 𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 ❜   |   NAKAWE, OCTOBER 1991

❧  𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲  /  𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠  /  𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬  /  𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭.

The costume party’s aftermath—and it had, finally, been confirmed to have been a costume party, a basic clarification that quieted some of the clamor around the princess’s attire—reinvigorated interest in the last several months of Leonor’s life. A disastrous spectacle had that kind of effect. It made observers ravenous, and they scavenged the bones of past controversy even after the latest scandal was picked clean. Old news received new scrutiny. Yesterday’s gossip, gossip from six months ago, took on a whiff of freshness by association. And, it was impossible to talk about Leonor’s unprecedented behavior without calling the obvious trigger for it all by name.  No one actually talked about Safya, however, because they wanted to talk about Renzo instead.

❧ i've had this scene in my head for a long time, and i am just ... i love the domesticity of it ! i love the juxtaposition of beatriz doing serious policy homework while she watches garbage television, mocking matias in one breath and calling him a genuine term of endearment in the next,

𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 & 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭 ↓

The costume party’s aftermath—and it had, finally, been confirmed to have been a costume party, a basic clarification that quieted some of the clamor around the princess’s attire—reinvigorated interest in the last several months of Leonor’s life. A disastrous spectacle had that kind of effect. It made observers ravenous, and they scavenged the bones of past controversy even after the latest scandal was picked clean. Old news received new scrutiny. Yesterday’s gossip, gossip from six months ago, took on a whiff of freshness by association. And, it was impossible to talk about Leonor’s unprecedented behavior without calling the obvious trigger for it all by name. 

No one actually talked about Safya, however, because they wanted to talk about Renzo instead. 

He was a man in triplicate: the evocative film actor to whom Uspana’s culture critics were warming thanks to an unexpected performance with international acclaim; the subdued, even sedated, interviewee whose quiet remarks revealed his humble upbringing; the tempestuous, aggrieved celebrity whom cameramen provoked in the streets. Popular attention focused on the latter without fail, and this predilection went into overdrive once he acquired an unlikely sidekick. They might have imagined their princess attached to other versions of him, smiling at film premieres and taking a sudden interest in arts patronages. It was astonishing to see her consumed instead by the one they knew best. 

How had she so quickly and thoroughly become part of this sensational scene—become comfortable clinging to the worn sleeve of his jacket while he shouted at photographers, offering them vacant and conciliatory smiles as she wobbled on foal’s legs. It was astonishing, and it was thrilling. Very few saw the sight firsthand, but published pictures and televised clips made, for the masses, an introduction. Abbreviated in the tabloid headlines where she now lived, Princess Leonor, their heir’s heir, their queen’s “little shadow,�� had become “Princess L.” Respectable outlets still reported on her work alongside her uncle. Yet, Uspanians didn't much care. They were far more likely to see Princess L., illuminated by flashbulbs and inseparable from the man her aides refused to call anything other than “a friend.” 

Daytime programming uncorked these discussions and asked the questions neither straight newscasters nor late night hosts could truly entertain. Foresa led that pack for a reason. Her show was entertaining, but she invited Uspana’s midday viewers to join her conversation as if she were an aunt pontificating in their living room instead of a stranger on a screen. Laughing and ribbing her studio audience, she kept the tone light and playful. Her words themselves were flippant and careless and cutting—“a mishandled knife,” one of those culture critics had once said of her. A callous aunt attacking a neighbor might rub her relatives the wrong way, but Foresa’s targets were fair game. Shaming only went so far with the nation’s richest and most powerful, but it did make her humble viewers feel good. 

Queen Beatriz was no humble viewer, but she was a faithful one. Her schedule made it impossible to watch Foresa during her recurring daytime slot, but the queen had been one of the first people in the country to acquire home taping devices in the 1970s; she watched VHS recordings of daytime talk shows in the evening, preferring it to dignified evening news and late night comedy hours. Although her family knew well of her interest, the world of daytime television only had vague, unsettling hunches. Beatriz had met Foresa at a party once but pretended to have no idea who she was or what she did. It was plausible. She was still clawing her way out of obscurity at the time, trying to convince her channel executives that 1988 would be her year. At the end of the conversation, Beatriz commented innocuously on a segment in last airing. Foresa stood red-faced and silent as the queen abruptly walked away. 

She didn’t share her relatives’ discomfort with the shows, but Beatriz understood it. They all had thick skin. They were not, however, the kind of masochists who enjoyed hearing dozens of voices laugh while a nobody bullied them by name. Or, they had more discipline than that. Whatever curiosity they had, they stamped it out to protect themselves. If it was worth knowing, it would come summarized in a report the next morning. Beatriz didn’t fall into those traps either. What she had was a perverse ability to laugh along with the cruelty. She was shameless. No one said anything she wouldn’t say herself, but their room of writers and impeccable comedic timing ensured it was much funnier. That was what their queen wanted at the end of a long work day. She put her tired, abused feet into comfortable slippers, curled up with briefings for the next day of work, and pushed in a tape. She wanted to be entertained—to have light made of problems that aggravated and vexed, to be given permission to exist outside of her role as matriarch.

TRANSCRIPT:

[Television intro music]

FORESA (O.S.) | The royal experts are saying it’s a “suffocation” method. What an exciting term! And for something so boring. They’re just shutting up and hoping we all forget. The fire metaphor does suit the drama, I must say. I’d like to do my PR with that kind of flair.

FORESA (O.S.) | Anyway, look, I want to talk about them. That’s right. Because there is a “them,” isn’t there? You know it. We love it. Why be so coy—[Audience reacting] That’s what I’m saying! Come on, lovebirds.

FORESA (O.S.) | He’s had a good publicist for the last six months or so—her doing?—and this Sharon Greenwater—she’s Simerican, too, I guess—refuses to say a word. What’s he paying her for? To say “We’re waiting for the right project” or “He wasn’t charged for that, actually,” over and over again? [Audience laughs] Meanwhile, Princess L.’s been mute, too! So, we don’t know. Really, we don’t, but we can spec—

BEATRIZ | Do we know? MATIAS | Know what? About—? Ah. Well, she doesn’t talk about it—not to me. When she answers my calls, oh, it’s exactly what you’d expect. BEATRIZ | No, we don’t speak on the telephone. What does that mean?

MATIAS | Reticent, I suppose. I gather she doesn’t want me to worry, and she doesn’t want to be honest about things that she imagines I would find objectionable. Which, I do find that unfortunate, because I like to think that I’ve always tried to be— BEATRIZ | Uh huh.

FORESA (O.S.) | We always get these fun photos of them out and about. Doesn’t it just make you jealous? If I got hit with a flashbulb at one o’clock in the morning, on the way out of a party, no less, I wouldn’t look that cute! [Audience laughs] Eightieth birthday party, actually! Renzo Ledford is friends with the Josèp Amador. Small world, huh?

BEATRIZ | I like him. MATIAS | [scoffs] Of course you do. BEATRIZ | It makes sense to me. He’s real. Arturo? I did not get that.

FORESA (O.S.) | —thinking that we might get our royal wedding after all! Of course, I’m sure she’ll be wearing some kind of trashy sheer mini dress instead of a princess ball gown—and mini dresses, on a girl with legs like that? Someone break the bad news to her—and he wouldn’t wear nice patent leather shoes if his life depended on it, but still—

BEATRIZ | A man like that is not joining this family. MATIAS | What, now you wouldn’t have him? BEATRIZ | Ah, ah. He wouldn’t have us.

BEATRIZ | There are always contingency plans. A page from the Blanca playbook, I would think: stint at the Bancroft Center, cry for Inti Rivera at six o’clock, out to pasture, a foal or two— MATIAS | Birdie …

BEATRIZ | If you think your “help” is working, fine. Foresa is right. Still, oh, maybe she’s the exact same little girl—not a damaged orphan of a woman, like she seems—and is just waiting for old, gentle, credulous grandfather to make it all better. One more awkward phone call ought to do it. Doubtful but, well, it’s not my time to waste, is it?

[oldwritingm]

HII POOKIEE!! I wanted to request something for ninjago if that was okay with you😋

Basically hc's about all of the main ninja having a rocky relationship with the reader who is their little sister. They have a rocky relationship bc of things that happen in the past (like family issues that they blame each other for ya feel me?) and it leads to them having arguments in the present. Sometimes it gets so bad they have full on arguments where they yell at each other and blame each other for that specific event in the past(and for some scenarios the fighting gets so intense the other ninja have to break them up😋.) In the end however they reflect on the past and apologize to one other and that's the starting step of fixing their relationship as siblings. (also you can choose if you want kai and nya to be in the same scenario or different ones whatever is easier for you🤍🤍)

Hopefully that made sense I'm so sorry if it didn't!! Anyways have a nice day/night pookie and remember to drink water.🤍🤍

Of course lovebug!! You sweet thing,,,,

This turned out pretty long, so settle in campers

Ninjago - Elemental Masters' Rocky Relationship with Their Little Sister

Zane

(you're the adoptive daughter of Dr. Julien)

You were human. He was a robot. Issues were bound to arise

Ever since you were young, you always competed for Dr. Julien's attention

Though it was never spoken, you both felt that you were his real kid, and your sibling was not

You saw it as a huge win when Zane's memory switch was flipped and he was cast out of your lives

You stayed with Dr. Julien, finally feeling like his real child

But as the years passed, you found yourself missing Zane more and more

When you reunited, it was the happiest day of all of your lives

The three of you cried and hugged more than you'd ever done before or since

For a while it was perfect... too perfect

You didn't compete for Dr. Julien's attention anymore, but you didn't exactly talk it out either

When Dr. Julien died, the problems sprang back

In your grief, both of you took it out on each other

"You were always his favorite! All those years, you know what he talked about? 'Zane, Zane, Zane!' It made me sick! And where were you?! Not there! Not with us!"

"You think I wanted to go away? Do you even know the pain I went through? You wouldn't understand; you're a human. And all the while you were living happily ever after with him!"

It was off-putting for the others, seeing Zane so angry so often

They hated seeing him like this, so they devised a plan

One night, you were told to head to the TV room to watch a movie

It was dark when you entered, and someone locked the door behind you

The lights turned on, and Zane was on the couch

You were both shocked to see each other

He had been told the same thing as you

But you both had been duped! :O

Before you could bark anything at him, and before he could spit anything at you, the TV turned on

One of Dr. Julien's videos he filmed when you were both young started playing

He was laughing, trying to hold the camera still as you tugged on his arm

"I wanna tell Zane I love him too!"

"Hold on, Y/n, I've only just pressed the record button... Hahaha, okay, okay, you win! Here."

"Zane, I looooveee youuu!! Even though you're made of metal, you're still my brother and, and, and I don't want another one, even if he's human."

When the tape cut, you both glanced over at each other

Your eyes were filled with sorrow, your former hostility forgotten

You got to talking about your childhood, especially your memories with Dr. Julien

The talk ended with you two hugging tightly, not saying anything more

There was so much more to discuss, but you both knew that this was a good start to fixing what you once had

Cole

Growing up, you were both begrudging dancers

You bonded over sore feet and hating dance competitions, and you were thick as thieves

But as the years went by, you saw Cole's contempt shine through more and more

When he said he was going away to an art school to continue to study dance, you knew he was lying

It made you angry that he wasn't as devoted to dancing as you were

Sure, you didn't really like it either, but it's what you were raised on

Besides, it made your father so happy to see his kids dancing on a stage

Didn't he see it? Why would he just walk away from dancing? He didn't hate it any more than you did, and he was far from talentless

Letters from Cole were few and far between, and you felt a pang of rage whenever your father would read them aloud at dinner

Here you were, working your bones to dust to become the skilled dancer your father wanted you to be, while he was out there doing lord knows what

AND he was lying about it; that was what really got you

You started sending letters back in secret, berating him harshly for lying and interrogating him about what he was really up to

He ignored your letters, but started slipping snide comments into the ones he sent to your father

He must have known that they would be read aloud to you

You returned the snarkyness tenfold in your letters, and things only escalated as years passed

When he finally took the time to visit home, your blood was absolutely BOILING

He was so obviously lying about everything! Why didn't your father see it sooner?

You both put on friendly faces in front of him, but when you were alone the tension culminated

You exploded at him about abandoning you and your family's legacy

He exploded at you about being so cold to him for doing what you didn't have the courage to do

"You think I want to dance? No! But do you see me running off with some weirdos, punching and kicking other weirdos? No!"

"You're just mad because I'm happy now! Or is being dad's perfect little ballerina really just so satisfying for you?"

The argument ended abruptly when you burst into tears

He was right, and you hated it

He softened when he saw you crying; he knew that, all these years, you were really just taking out your fears and frustrations on him

But that didn't excuse your behavior, nor did it excuse the way he reflected your aggression right back

Gritting his teeth and huffing, he put out a hand for you to take

"I'm... sorry."

You looked at him, surprised

Seeing him made you remember how close you used to be

You wanted that again. You wanted him to show you how to be happy like he was

"Me too. It wasn't right, what I did to you. Can we start over?"

"I can't forget what you did. But I can forgive you. I think."

It would take time, but it would happen. That's all you really wanted.

Kai and Nya

You felt left behind

At first, when Kai started training to be a ninja, you still had Nya to share your woes

But then she started getting secretive

You noticed the muscles in her arms becoming toned; more toned than they should've been from basic mechanic work

You knew something was up, and your suspicions were proven right when you discovered that Nya was a samurai

You still bonded over not being taken seriously as fighters, but you could feel the gap between you widening

When she became the water ninja, you never felt more alone

Years of having to hang back on every mission, being used as leverage by villains, never being seen as more than a damsel in distress... and now you had no one to confide in

It made you so bitter

Your sweet, youthful innocence that made you the adored little sister figure of the group dissolved

You were touchy and guarded, especially when it came to Nya and Kai

Mainly you channeled your anger into passive-aggressive comments, but you also provoked your siblings quite often, which earned you the same treatment you were giving them

"Oh my--- Kai, can you actually shut up? I'm trying to read!"

"I'm literally training! What do you want me to do? Just put your stupid book down and go do something useful. Oh, wait, you can't!"

The others would often have to step in to defend Kai and Nya from your constant verbal attacks, and vice-versa

One night, the three of you were alone on the Bounty

A particularly volatile argument ensued

You let it slip that you felt weak powerless compared to them, and that it pained you to see them running off kicking butt together while you had to hang back

They were both floored by this

Nya ran over to hug you right away

"Y/n... I remember how that felt. I can't believe I didn't think of you when I went off to become the water ninja."

Though Kai couldn't relate, he recognized that you had been alienated

He joined the hug

"I know I haven't always been as close with you as Nya... I want to fix that. I want to fix this."

"Really..? Then... can you train me? So I can come along on missions with you guys?"

"Are you kidding? Let's head to the dojo right now!"

You all knew you'd still have to deal with being less powerful than your elemental master siblings, but at least you wouldn't feel as powerless as you've been all these years

Lloyd

You were the children of the dark lord, of course you hated each other

It was just part of what you both thought was your "evil" nature

But when Lloyd went off to Darkley's, you were alone

You decided to run away with aspirations of starting your own evil gang

But, being so young, you obviously failed

You actually ended up in the care of your estranged mother, who showed you the light

You turned away from your evil past and instead joined Misako on her archaeological adventures

Imagine your surprise when you reunited with Lloyd all those years later when Wu needed Misako's assistance

You'd think that, with both of you no longer being evil, that you'd get along now

Nope

For some reason, you still couldn't find it in your hearts to be nice to one another

It was second nature to treat each other like garbage

You argued, pulled pranks, provoked each other, sabotaged each other, destroyed each other's things... the list went on

The other ninjas were wary of your relationship

They were wondering if this was within the realm of "normal" sibling rivalry

Their final cue that it was not normal was when it continued after Lloyd drank the tomorrow's tea

He acted mature and level-headed towards everyone and everything except you

They knew that this was a real problem; how could Lloyd be expected to defeat Garmadon when he couldn't even try to be nice to his little sister?

They staged an intervention, which Lloyd was surprisingly receptive to

He didn't like it, but he knew he had to try to cultivate a better relationship with you

So, he stopped antagonizing you (as much as he could manage)

You noticed, and somehow you felt compelled to do the same

You could never completely abandon your old ways, but deep down you both knew it was for the better

Neither of you wanted to keep this up forever, so you might as well stop now

By the time the final battle was on the horizon, you managed your first ever remotely pleasant interaction:

"Hey Lloyd... don't die. Please."

"Same to you. Stay safe."

Jay

You always hated Jay, and he always hated you

Your earliest memory was literally him trying to steal your toy, and you throwing it in his eye

You had no explanation for this, only a burning rage that never seemed far from your mind, especially when Jay was around

It certainly didn't help that you two were practically joined at the hip your whole lives

This, too, you had no explanation for

You just always followed each other

When he went off to be a ninja, you went off too

You didn't regret it one bit, especially when you befriended Nya

She taught you so many things, and you became a skilled mechanic with her guidance

But one thing you didn't like about Nya was how she always pointed out the similarities between you and your brother

"Huh. Jay taps his fingers in the same pattern when he's bored, too."

"What? Tch, he must be copying me."

You were livid when Jay started showing an interest in Nya

You were convinced that he was trying to steal her from you just to spite you

Unfortunately, this resulted in Nya frequently being caught in the middle of your arguments (literally)

"Nya wants to finish her project with me!"

"No, she wants to watch a movie with me!"

It was Nya's hardheaded nature that diffused these arguments

"I don't want to hang out with either of you if you're going to be so immature."

She kept to this promise; from that moment, she completely ignored the both of you

This drove you closer to one another

You both knew that you'd have to stop your constant arguing if either of you ever wanted to talk to Nya again

"Look, I don't want to be ignored forever any more than you do. So, I guess we can start with... I don't know, why do you hate me, Y/n?"

"Because... I... I... I don't know. Why do you hate me, Jay?"

"... I don't know."

"So all these years we've antagonized each other-"

"For no reason??"

"That's so stupid!"

"You're stupid! ...Sorry, that was a reflex."

"No, you're right. It looks like we're both idiots."

It would take a long time to forget habits literally tracing back to your births, but you would both try your hardest

Sorry this turned out pretty long ^^" hope you enjoyed anyway! Thanks for reading this far,, and thank you anon for your request!

(divider by saradika)

[we-keep-odd-hours]

Tagged by @babieswrld during the impromptu ask-fest amongst our teeny-tiny fandom:

Which supernatural power do you think you'd benefit from the most?

Tbh if I could go without sleep I'd be thrilled. Or just. Not have ADHD. Teleportation with a promise that I'd never teleport into something/somewhere dangerous/get seen would be great fun.

Favorite film from any era that you wish more people have seen?

I mean. I have forced most of my friends to watch Near Dark. Among film bros my "HOW HAVEN'T YOU SEEN THIS?" movie is Paths of Glory, my favorite Kubrick.

If you could pick one place in the ENTIRE WORLD to vacation in for two weeks where are you picking?

I MISS MY TINY FLAT IN LONDON. I want to visit, but for fear it might be too painful to leave again, I'm going with back up to Salem, but this time getting to go into Boston, and some of the maritime museums and historical shipyards on the way there or back. Would have also loved to stop at Fall River just to say I did.

Favorite song/artist at the moment?

Starbenders, I've been listening a couple years and they've finally cracked mainstream rock radio this year.

What is your dream 'job'?(aka what would you feel most passionate and happy doing in life)

Someone pay me one billion dollars to either write full time or direct for the stage full time. Please.

Which season is your favorite?

I'm a basic goth bitch and I love autumn.

Do you have a favorite comfort film/tv show?

Genuine comfort films: Silence of the Lambs, Labyrinth, Star Wars: A New Hope, Peter Pan (2003), the animated Little Mermaid, Interview with the Vampire, The Muppet Movie (the 70s one). I don't really have a comfort show? I guess Doctor Who? oh yeah, AMC's The Terror (season one) is like therapy to me.

What is your favorite era of fashion?

Late Stuart period.

(How can I not ask some Near Dark ones cmon IM ME) If you could crossover ANY other film with Near Dark, what would it be and why?

Lost Boys is really obvious, but I think it would be fun. Caleb and Mae having fun hanging out with other teenagers, Severen finding people who can (almost) match his crazy, and Diamondback torn between having a great time with them or else telling them to KNOCK IT OFF, I DON'T CARE THAT YOU CAN'T DIE, IT'S STILL GONNA HURT WHEN YOU FALL OFF THAT BRIDGE??? Homer and Jesse miserable and hating their entire lives.

I think a non-supernatural show/film would be interesting too, maybe a crime drama, some forensics team finding out that the burned bodies from a few different crime scenes were drained of blood before the fire.

Its another extremely cheap shot, but do you have any idea how hard it is to not write a fic of them going into that theatre and watching Aliens? Do you have any idea how hard that is for me? I just can't imagine they'd enjoy any part of it other than the fight sequences.

You can only pick ONE of the Hooker clan to defend you and the rest are hunting you down. Who do you pick, and do you survive the night?

My first thought was Jesse, he's the leader and could just call them off, and also implied the most experienced at actually being a vampire ("...but not everything that I know,"), but I feel like...if ALL the others were asking him to let him kill me, he'd cave. Mae pouts and Di rolls her eyes at him and I'm dead.

Meanwhile if I say Diamondback, I'm at least getting Jesse on her side within 45 seconds, and she'd just have to yell at Homer. Once the three of them have called it, I'd imagine Severen would give up, which would just leave Mae as a wildcard.

I didn't pick Mae because, yes, she succeeded in protecting Caleb from them all last time, but I feel like that was her one (1) shot and it went so badly that they wouldn't let her get away with it again.

[iiep-wop]

intrigued about this Wall-E AU

AH AN ASK! THANK YOU!

Basically, I got the idea for it after watching Wall E and going 'omg that would work so well theres so many similarities'

The starship they end up going to is called Red Dwarf instead of the Axiom because what the hell its my AU I can do what I want

Lister is the last human left on the trash covered earth (as per the Better than Life book), he had a job as a Wall-E while the other humans went to live on the starships in space.

We have Rimmer who is an EVE and arrives in a mysterious new ship with an un explained role who Lister ends up becoming friends with (possibly more because Rimster is love Rimster is life)

Im making Kryten that one little robot M-O who follows Wall-E and EVE around trying to clean up after them

Im gonna make Cat be a rogue android who ends up tagging along when they're on the ship (idea still pending)

Im planning on making it follow the main storyline of the film because, yknow, but I'm adding some various changes

I've written the first chapter (which I might actually upload today) and I've begun work on the second one at the moment

I don't wanna spoil too much about some of the new things i've added but I think ive got quite a few good ideas for potential character angst later on

Either way i'm quite pleased with what I've got so far and I hope that people enjoy it once I begin to upload it!

[flowersandfashion]

Eloise,

I just wanted to say thank you for your blog. This is going to sound insane but the pipeline to finding your account went like this:

I've been struggling with lots of stuff ranging from my girlfriend of a few years breaking up with me to me heavily struggling with being sexualized by people close to me. All in all, I was looking for posts about womanhood and the like but as a femme sapphic woman, I felt so connected to your account. The aesthetics of it just really made me feel at ease and happy.

I was just curious, do you have any favorite pieces of media like books or movies you really love? I'm just trying to surround myself with stuff like that to help me feel better.

Sorry for all of that, just wanted to spread some love and appreciation. :))

- 🪻

Hello you gorgeous soul, thank you so much for taking the time to write this, you've made my day 💖 This blog is truly just me compiling pretty things that bring me joy, so it's lovely to think that it can have a similar effect on others.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time, in addition to sending you virtual hugs and kisses (xoxoxo), I have no shortage of media recommendations (especially with themes of sapphic womanhood) to offer you:

Anne with an E (2017-2019)

This is my go-to whenever I'm feeling anxious. Not only are the aesthetics absolutely gorgeous, but I adore the way it focuses on female friendships and finding your own identity. It's not afraid to address dark topics but always has an overall message of love and acceptance. I especially love how this adaptation represents queer identity too (Anne and Diana are girlfriends to me. and god bless Cole and Josephine).

I highly recommend the original novel Anne of Green Gables too! The show definitely captures the vibes perfectly so if you like one, you'll like the other.

A League of Their Own (2022)

I couldn't care less about baseball but I do love queer found family and women solidarity, and this has it in spades. All the characters are so loveable and it's just a nice heartwarming story (and very sad at points, but definitely uplifting as a whole).

Heartstopper (2022–)

Truly the ultimate queer comfort show. I don't have any particular thoughts about it that haven't been expressed by other people more eloquently. But my opinions can be summarised simply as: it's good, it's really good, it's so wholesome, the characters are so loveable, I love it.

Emma (2020)

This film is so goddamn pretty. I could watch it on mute and still have a great time just from all the beautiful costumes and cinematography. But the plot is delightful too. Dare I say that this film captures Jane Austen's wit and satire better than any other adaptation. I love how all of her novels portray women finding their way in the world and navigating relationships with friends and family, but I think Emma is especially great in this regard. (Also, Emma and Harriet are girlfriends to me).

Again, I would also recommend the novel Emma. It's quite a challenging read if you're not used to the writing style, but delightful once you get into it. And if we're talking Jane Austen novels, Persuasion is also a favourite of mine (definitely don't watch that film though).

Dating Amber (2020)

This is a tragically underappreciated Irish, queer, coming of age indie film. It's basically about a gay guy and lesbian who pretend to date each other in high school in 1990s Ireland. It's very funny (also sad at times) but ultimately very heartwarming.

Because I'm a sucker for a gay/lesbian beards found family trope, I also recommend these book: The Inverts (1920s lavender marriage, very funny, Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes) and Gwen & Art Are Not in Love (Arthurian legend beard relationship, also very funny and camp, BBC Merlin vibes [if you get me]).

And if you like Dating Amber, you'll probably also like Handsome Devil. Another Irish, queer, coming of age indie film (but mlm-centric). It stars the same actor as Dating Amber (Fionn O'Shea), alongside a baby-faced Nicholas Galitzine and Andrew Scott. Imagine Dead Poets Society vibes, except instead of being about Romantic poetry, it's about New Romantic music. And explicitly gay and with a happier ending. (Sorry, this is like four recommendations in one).

The House in the Cerulean Sea

This book is described on the cover as 'like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket', and that is a very accurate description. Imagine Good Omens except it's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (I'm half convinced it's ineffable husbands fanfic tbh). This book made me cry happy tears, it's so incredibly heartwarming and uplifting. Top-notch found family and agonisingly slow-burn pining.

Other honourable mentions:

Please Like Me (2013-2016)

One Day at a Time (2017-2020)

Gentleman Jack (2019-2022)

Little Women (2019)

Pride (2014)

Ladybird (2018)

[dallonwrites]

cactus, sage & aloe vera for the asks pls! <3

cactus ⇢ something you’re currently learning (about)?

ever since i started testosterone and my hunger and appetite went UPPPP i've gotten way more into cooking and baking and food science and it is all so interesting to me! and it's not even from a health/diet pov at all it's just thinking about how food works and how i respond to it and as someone with stomach problems and also autism food sensitivities who basically ate Nothing for the first 20 years of my life it is all very healing!

and bc this is a writeblr a writing thing i'm learning and thinking about a lot is taking inspo form other writers and what that actually means. i've talked about it before but i used to read prose i love and not know what to do with that. i'd get frustrated because i did not understand how the writer was just able to conjure a line like that. and then i was so focused on wanting to reflect that writer that i did not consider where in the reflection my writing would go. i've noticed as i grow more confident in my style i've also grown more confident in how to emulate. sometimes i like to do exercises where i intentionally try to write a Passage That Sounds Like This Writer but it's more of a learning process as to the how of that style, which i then mix with my own writing. now whenever i take inspo from other styles it feels more like a love letter to those writers rather than a sensed need that to be Good at writing i need to Write Like This Person, when not only could i not truly write like that person but that person also could not write like me! that's the beauty of it! i actually reread a short story i loved last year recently and found some of the prose, not bad but i was like hmm not for me anymore! overall i still loved the prose but it showed me how i was able to love a style but still pick out what elements of it i liked and would want to incorporate it on my own vs what i wouldn't do myself (which again, does not make that particular element bad), rather than trying to make a perfect replication

sage ⇢ what ‘medium’ of art (poetry, music, fiction, paintings, statues etc.) is the most touching to you? why do you think that is?

ohhh my god okay sorry i have to be that guy who just says All of them. my brain simply refuses to see one type of art as more touching than the other!! it is just not true they all serve different purposes and the same purposes in different ways!! even the ones that are most touching to me personally is so dependent on the time and era. lately i find something that touches me in everything. like fiction will always have a special space in my heart because my creativity is driven by the fact that i can create fully fleshed people in my head where for me everything about them feels real - their emotions, their fears, their joy - and that is something that never fails to amaze me. on the other hand, poetry was the only medium after my mom died where i felt i could process my emotions about that at a time when they didn't make sense yet, because of poetry's space for abstractness. it became like a necessity. and then on another hand i'm amazed by painting and how brushstrokes and style can convey so much it's magic to me. recently when i listen to music i notice different instruments and sounds and how they work together at once and i'm obsessed with it, the ecosystem of it all. every day i become more and more of a cinephile because i'm just obsessed with all the elements of creation in movies - from performance to writing to visuals to soundtracking to sfx to editing - especially in all the 60s-80s films i've been watching for lover boy and how the effects don't always look "realistic" but they are earnest. and statues and embroidery and crotchet and pottery and makeup and nail art and gender expression and graphic design and cooking and i can go on every art medium is storytelling to me. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT CAVE PAINTINGS??? ROCK PAINTINGS?? EVEN AT OUR MOST PRIMAL WE WERE CREATING! all of it is touching to me!!

aloe vera ⇢ what’s something (mundane) you really want to experience in life?

i want to see the sunrise more often especially coming out of summer where it rises at like 4am i now feel a yearning to get up at like 6am and see it. unfortunately i have Far Too Many sleep problems to be getting out of bed at a time like that

get to know me asks

[ophiedokes]

ok i typed a whole thing out and it won't let me paste it lol sorry basically my best friend and I watch youtube videos every night and have been doing that for years and I went from thinking it was a really cool thing I wouldn't be able to do to realizing that it's just actual people who thought they could have a youtube channel who do it- in particular I got to find both Li Speaks and Emma In The Moment on their first videos, follow them and watch them grow enough for sponsorships and brand deals and stuff and was like, oh man wait I could do something like that and people might pay me and I might not have to be poor all the time lol I'm disabled and awake weird/not many hours so I've really wanted to learn something I could do on my own hours to work but don't have any schooling or training so, like, programming and stuff didnt seem likely. Ive still got a long ways to go but I figured I might as well just get started if I wanted to get there lol my first project I started working on in September and bit off way more than I could chew, I did a bunch of interviews and stuff but one of my sources got really toxic and wanted like full control over my future output on my channel so I trunked the project for now and started working on other things instead. The first one I did was the video about the Bechdel Test because I already knew what I wanted to say about it and had laid out a similar argument a long time ago in a facebook post so I knew that there were other people who agreed with my take on it and might like to hear someone say it out loud. After that I started working on the 13 Reasons Why video because it was just another thing I had a lot of feelings about and then I saw that the author was a sex pest and was like ohhh that's why lol and then because I hated 13 reasons why so much I wanted to talk about an adaptation I DID like. I didn't realize the lizzie bennet video was going to end up being like 3 hours long but once it was done I felt like I needed to talk about the scandal in a different video so that 3 hour one could stay a love letter to the cast and writers, and then enough people in the comments had said they'd watch me talk about Emma Approved that I made videos about that and the reboot as well.

The first video i've made so far that's really taken off was my lesbian masterdoc one and thats a lot like the bechdel one in that it was just already an argument I had structured in my head a long time ago. For some reason the impressions on that one went wild on youtube and it's at like 5.5k views in a week compared to the lizzie bennet one still not passing 600 so I decided if people are following me from that I'll talk about lesbian stuff for my next few videos too and have been following that thread, so that's why I made the taylor swift one and the useless lesbian one. Those two ideas weren't ones that had actually made it to my To Make list, just ones I had started thinking about then scripted and filmed, so I have like a dozen ideas I want to do at some point in some form but I'm so not married to them that they might not all show up in my next 20 videos because as of right now people seem to really be connecting to the ones I don't spend like 3-4 weeks on lol

thanks for asking!! i love talking about this stuff i love making videos

don't know if you answered that before, but how did you start making videos? what ideas came first etc

hi!!! no, nobodys asked me this yet I'm happy to answer but I'm gonna put it under a cut bc it's very rambly lol

[matan4il]

Hello!

I saw your post where you spoke about the 911's cast and writers being aware of Buddie, and the explicit support from some of the cast for Canon!Buddie.

I am quite new to the fandom and so I was wondering if there were any links you could source for this? I am genuinely curious :)

Funnily enough, I started 911 after loving LS, and saw a lot of buddie content on 911 blogs. I figured it was typical queerbaiting (tumblr 2012 era was ✨️ traumatising ✨️ and so resolved not to ship them.

But then I watched the show and yeah…there were definitely interesting choices made that make Buddie such an intricately beautiful ship. It's a slow burn to rival all slow burns :fire:

Needless to say, I'm now 100% on board!

Hi lovely Nonnie and welcome to the fandom! :D I hope you enjoy everything about it and I am so glad to hear you're on board! *hugs*

Okay, for links... TBH I mostly remember things as they happen, I'm less into saving links, but for you I made the effort, I traced my own steps (who knew I actually remembered where I yelled about certain things two and a half years ago? The power of Buddie), and found the source to the stuff I had in mind when I said Ryan, Oliver, JLH and Gavin have all shown support for Buddie. Her we go...

Let's start with Gavin! Obviously it was explained to him in age-appropriate terms, so take that into account, but still, look at how pure his response is (interview from Oct 2021):

And then they went and they filmed the lasagna scene in 601. You can't tell me that doesn't mean anything!

Now Oliver and Ryan have both expressed support for Buddie more than once, for example you can find my post showing how they were the ones who named our ship! In terms of official interviews, they've mostly given answers that are noncommittal but supportive, stuff along the lines of making sure they don't raise fans' expectations (in case it doesn't happen), but also letting us know they do like the enthusiasm for Buddie, and would be cool if 911 went that way. So most are kind of... let's say diplomatic. I will, however, throw in this live that Ryan did where at first, he had a few answers of that vanilla sort (encouraging the shippers, not promising anything, leaving room for Buddie to happen, but also leaving room for fans who don't want Buddie, and sort off summarizing with, "We'll see what Tim writes"). But then he got a question about Abby and I don't think he could help it, the Buddie shipper just jumped out of him, which I love. I edited and uploaded it to YouTube for you, since stupid Tumblr only allows me to directly upload one vid a post here:

Lastly, but maybe my personal fave, in May 2020, a gay fan of JLH uploaded to his personal IG account a video that he asked her to film with a message for his husband's bday. Here's the relevant part of the vid which I've edited and uploaded for you, where JLH is basically being all of us:

BTW, this is also a reply to the Nonnie who sent this ask:

I know about Ryan, Oliver and JLH but when did Gavin say anything about that?

I hope I managed to answer both of you! Have a great day, and as always, here's my ask tag.

[elvisabutler]

so i originally was thinking to myself "conceal don't feel" about my feelings about this year and basically gushing about all of y'all but everyone has been doing it and look, look, i'm trying to be better about not coming off as an aloof person when i'm really the sort of person who thrives on at least little tiny hellos from people who i know like me. despite being as old as i am i'm secretly always that shy 12 year old who has her people and wants more people but sucks at talking, alright?

anyway! none of that is the point. the point is that i haven't been in fandom for about 5ish at least years? like don't get me wrong, read fic, watched shows but me writing fics and interacting? good heavens no. and i think the last time i wrote fic was 2011 ( ironically also an rpf-ish fandom, there's something to be said about that maybe ) and so when i went into elvis i wasn't expecting much. but then i watched it and like- i had been a causal fan of elvis before- my parents were both born in the 50s so they're just about that interesting age to where my mom wished she could have been elvis's girl ( her older sisters too so clearly it's genetically a thing on my mom's side haha ) and my dad thought he was cool. point being i always knew of him and he was some at least tiny part of my life and that's part of the reason i wanted to go see the film. plus i honestly wanted to se ehow plastic looking they made austin look because baby those posters did him no justice.

and then i fell head over heels. watched it 5? times in theaters maybe 6, once with my mom who fell head over heels for austin butler which was not something i had on my 2022 bingo card and yet! and realized that oh heavens the fandom was mostly on tumblr let's boot up the old account and make a side blog and write a fix it fic ( that i am trash and still haven't finished ) and then @floralcyanide made their discord and eventually let me join and the rest was history?

not going into a lot of detail but i really cannot overstate how much this fandom and how genuinely sweet it is came to me at the right time. i've been missing having a solid and consistent creative outlet since i got married but especially since i had my daughter. and then in comes the elvis movie and austin butler and elvis in general and lord help me it's been a whirlwind. filled with stuff i'd never write and just a lot of fun times.

i wanna say thank you to all my favorite people who i either read your stuff or you read mine or i drool over your gif work or something else seeing y'all in my notifs always brightens my day just a little.

@superbatson @powerofelvis @headfullofpresley @venus-haze @cryingabtab @infatuatedharleys @areacodefan @star-shard @purejasmine @burninlovebutlerr @pearlparty @troubleinapinksuit @imperialmarchingthroughthegalaxy @karamelcoveredolicity @foreverdolly @powerofelvis @fantuhsise @flwrs4aust @she-is-juniper @elvisstyles @butlerstyles @missmaywemeetagain @bisexualwvtson @carnevol @mamaspresley @sassy-ahsoka-tano @butler-on-beale-street @dreamersparacosm @lindszeppelin @pennyroyalcreep, @slowsweetlove @blainesebastian and @ anyone else who regularly likes my stuff or engages with me i see y'all and i adore y'all. if i missed y'all don't take it personally i'm so tired today it's a wonder i remembered my own name.

and to my queens of graceland @aconflagrationofmyown @ab4eva and @butlersxbirdy y'all already know my love and to my other daily my life would not complete if i didn't say hello to y'all @blurredcolour, @eliseinmemphis and @bcofl0ve i love you guys. and @succsessions don't think i'll ever forget that one time you messaged me out of the blue when i was so stressed and wrote Some Tags ( tm ).

i'm gonna make it my mission to get to know some of y'all more in 2023 because truly i love this fandom so much and if it wasn't for this creative outlet appearing out of thin air, i think i'd been in a bit of a rougher spot than i am today and really i wanna just talk and interact more. and i promise y'all i don't bite if you're scared to talk to me, i'm an actual puppy, ask anyone who talks to me for longer than two minutes.

but basically happy new year y'all hoping all of our 2023s are fantastic and i love everyone in this bar so much. does that meme date me, i feel like it does.

[damiano-mylove]

Movie Night

Pairing: Damiano David x fem!reader

Wc: 2.6k (sorry)

Cw(s): SMUT, bit of angst, swearing ofc, long for some reason, begging, not proof read

*Masterlist*

Work is a healthy habit to get into - to a certain extent. If you work to avoid your problems, that's not particularly one of the most healthy things to do. The only problem working can fix is if you're poor, but really minimum wage doesn't fix that either.

But your Damiano wasn't poor, he wasn't being paid minimum wage. You knew how much he loved working on music with his friends, but he was barely home and you missed him. Being without Damiano almost felt like being without your left arm - especially since it had been so abrupt, going from him spending a few hours writing, to spending almost a full day in the studio.

Tonight was supposed to be movie night. That Damiano had suggested. To make up for lost time.

So, you found yourself, alone, on your velvet red couch, watching Alice in Wonderland, with your cat on your lap. His purrs filled whatever wavelengths were left empty by the film, but you didn't mind that at all. Your fingers found their way into his incredibly soft fur, which felt like silk between those fingers of yours.

The clock soon struck midnight, and the film hit the end credits soon after. Damiano was still not home from the studio, which almost worried you. Almost. In the earlier days of him spending all of his time at Vic's for writing or in the studio, you had thought he'd run off with someone else. You woke up the next morning with him next to you, but that never really put that specific worry to rest.

"Romeo, Baby," you whispered to the silver tabby cat on your lap. He flicked his tail to let you know he heard you. "Dad's not home yet and I'm tired, we gotta go to bed. C'mon." Romeo only lifted his head to lay his grass green eyes on you once you stopped scratching his neck. You smiled to him, though his eyes didn't return it. "You've got half a minute before I move your furry tush."

To no one's surprise, Romeo took more than half a minute so you picked him up like a baby over your shoulder. Your palm cradled his soft feet. Like the lazy cat he was, Romeo fell back asleep on your shoulder on your short walk to your bedroom that you shared with the one and only, Damiano. He used to be a god to you, but now he was basically a roommate who you shared a kiss with every once in a while.

With Romeo asleep on the bed before you finished putting on pyjamas, you slunk off to brush your teeth. The door unlocked. Your heavy eyes cast unto the clock on the wall which read nearly half midnight.

Damiano came in like a whisper in the wind, save for the closet opening so he could deposit his coat. Shaking you head, you just finished brushing your teeth. Your mouth felt dry even though you'd just rinsed it with water.

"Cara mia," Damiano purred once his eyes caught your figure in the lamp light from the bedroom. You smiled at him and went into the bedroom to curl up with your cat and go to sleep. You had work in the morning and customers didn't appreciate workers who look like sleep-deprived zombies.

This was the first time in a long time that you didn't immediately greet him once he came through the door. So Damiano could sense a shift in the mood of the flat; really, he felt it as soon as he walked in and smelt chocolate and strong tea.

His footsteps never gave away where he was, but you could feel his presence enter the room. The bed dipped on the end just as Romeo curled further into you. When Damiano's hand held your ankle, Romeo let out a soft meow.

"What's wrong, Amore?"

"Did you forget or did you do it on purpose?" You immediately sat up as you asked the question. You were tired and to act like it was fine just wasn't in the cards tonight. Damiano's eyebrows drew together. You began to nod. "Movie night? You said you'd come home early to watch a film with us."

Damiano's face darkened in realization. You pursed your lip balm coated lips. Even Romeo could sense the tension and decided to stand up and sit square on your thighs, facing your boyfriend as if to protect you. Damiano looked to his hands which rested in his lap.

After a second, he said, "I-I thought that was tomorrow."

"Tonight was Tuesday night, now it's Wednesday morning," you muttered. Your fingers found the reassuring warmth of Romeo's fur once again and Romeo let out a rather sad sounding meow. "Oh, Romeo, don't worry. Dad just has to tell us he's sorry then we can sleep."

Both you and your cat looked to your boyfriend with tired but expectant eyes. Damiano's eyes never tore from his hands. Then it was like he was speaking to himself. "I was going to buy you flowers. And let you pick the film. And you were supposed to fall asleep on my shoulder, on the couch."

"It's okay, Dami, it's just a movie night," you told him. But your conscience caught you before you continued. Why the fuck were you reassuring him when he was the one who fucked up? Tell you that he'll be home in time for a sort of date night, then skip out. "We'll do it another night, it's all good."

"It's not all good, Y/n." One thing you could agree on tonight, though you'd never say that out loud. Finally, Damiano lifted his eyes from his soft hands. You noticed his eyes shimmer in the lamplight. "I really fucked up your night and for no good reason. I'm really sorry."

Leaning forward, you patted his arm. "Forgiven. We're adults and life gets in the way of romance."

"Not always, and not for us. I'm supposed to be the best boyfriend in the world but I've barely been a boyfriend to you at all lately, and I apologize." His words were stringing together faster in faster as he kept trying to keep his tears at bay. "It's just with the new album and everything, I'm finding out how shitty I am at balancing my life." Damiano came closer to you, holding your hand that once held his arm. "How can I make it up to you, Y/n? You're the love of my life and I don't want us to fizzle out."

For some reason, a little chuckle escaped your lips. His passion for you warmed your heart as you caught a glimpse of how you first had your heart captured by the man sitting before you. The light glittered in your eyes, for Damiano and Damiano alone. "We're not going to fizzle out over one missed movie night."

"Yes, but I've missed many of our nights, whether we made plans for them or not," Damiano rebutted. Your lips pressed together in a flat line. There was a certain ounce of truth to that statement. Damiano pressed a kiss to the back of your hand without maintaining eye contact. "Cara mia, nights are for the lovers, and I seem to have forgotten that."

His warm breath tickled the back of your hand just before his pressed more kisses to the back of your hand, then wrist, then fingers.

Sensing the warming room, Romeo left your lap. He threw you a final glance, seeming like he was making sure you didn't need him in the room to which you slightly nodded at the tabby. Romeo turned on his paws and left the room - leaving two starry-eyed partners who were still most ardently in love.

Without another word, you joined your lips with Damiano's. It had been a long while since a kiss such as this one had occurred. In the place of the usual passing kisses, this one made the love shared prominent. This kiss felt as if your Damiano was once again yours and totally yours; not as if he ever wasn't, but this was a much needed reminder of that.

Holding your face in his large hands, Damiano deepened the kiss by turning his head ever-so slightly. His tongue slid into your mouth with a passionate fervour. There was no battle for dominance, but a mutual exploration of each other's mouths.

Damiano tenderly laid you down against the pillows on your side of the bed, though his lips parted from yours which was an unhappy fate. "Do you want to go further, Cara mia? I know this doesn't equal forgiveness."

"I've never wanted anything more, Dami, my sweetest love," you promised him. Damiano smiled at your admission. He began to place gentle, loving kisses to your neck. "Only if you want to."

"Oh, trust me." Damiano nipped your collarbone, resulting in a yelp from you. You could feel his smirk against your warming skin. "I want to."

Damiano's bites roamed the skin of your chest that your tank top allowed, before you sat up to take it off. Your fingers found Damiano's soft hair as he left sloppy, wet kissed all over your now exposed chest. A bitten back moan escaped your mouth just as his tongue began to circle the tender skin of your nipple, making your back arch into the man above you.

This was an admission of your pleasure, so Damiano's mouth fully encircled your nipple as his hand that once caressed your hip, now cupped your other breast. His warm palm massaged you firmly, having Damiano's name fall from your lips. It had been a while since he'd touched you like this, with such care and attention. Every fiber of Damiano's being was now focused on making his love for you known.

When his warm mouth left your breast to be exposed to the chill of the room, his teeth grazed your sensitive nipple, having goosebumps multiply on your skin at a sky high rate. His mouth then was turned to your other breast as his other hand twisted and pinched the exposed nipple.

Your hands began trying to get his deep red shirt off, to bring his warmth to you. But before Damiano would let you have what you wanted most, he bit the sweet spot beneath your boob, no doubt leaving a mark that would be apparent the next day.

As Damiano leaned up to pull his shirt over his head, you nearly melted underneath him. His hair was already beginning to become delightfully fucked up and the look in his eye was absolutely dark. The look he gave you before joining your lips once again was full of love, accompanied by lust and desire. Damiano slid off his tight leather trousers while he was at it, allowing you to palm him through his briefs.

The kiss shared was now hungry and feverish. The nails of the unoccupied hand scratched down his back, resulting Damiano bucking his hips into your hand. You removed it, which finally gave you the glorious friction that you so completely craved. Damiano no doubt sensed this as he grabbed the back of your thigh as he continued to grind right into the thin layer that separated you both.

"Damiano, please," you nearly cried. The chuckle that came from Damiano was low and only made your panties become even more wet.

"Please what?"

"You know what I mean." He was killing you. Once the words left your lips, Damiano ground his hips into you again. "Fuck me. Fuck me, please. Please."

"See, was that so hard, Amore?" Damiano purred as he lowered the waistband of your pyjama bottoms. He threw them somewhere in the room before pressing his index finger against your clit. You tried to pull him in for a kiss, but Damiano resisted. "Ah, ah, I want to see just how much I effect you."

"You're the fucking-wow-devil himself."

Damiano's laugh bordered upon an evil one. "You love me."

"I love you, I love you so fucking much," you moaned. Damiano smiled as he lowered your grey panties. Those were discarded somewhere along with your pyjama bottoms, but you couldn't give half a fuck because Damiano's perfectly manicured finger found it's way inside of you. You bucked against his hand, making Damiano laugh.

His finger drew circles inside of you while his thumb still played with your clit. God, Damiano was so much better than your own fingers. Without a warning, another finger was added, making a sort of porn-esque moan leave you. Damiano groaned at the sound as well as the sight in front of him. Even his dreams of you weren't as good as this.

It wasn't as if he could help himself from leaning down once again and attaching his mouth to your erect nipple. Your eyes crossed at three parts of your body were on fire with immense pleasure. The flames of rapture enveloped most of your body, even your soul.

"I'm-m-m gonna cum," you cried out. Damiano smiled against your breast as his fingers began going faster. "No, no, let me cum on your cock." Damiano looked up at you with a bit of surprise. You'd never said something like that without prompt.

The needy look that painted your face was all Damiano had to see before he complied. His briefs were off in the blink of an eye and he began to pump himself just to prepare. Your legs were spread wide as you could already feel yourself drip onto the sheets below which made Damiano groan with barred teeth.

He lined himself up with your entrance and gave you one final questioning look. You nodded adamantly before he pushed himself through your folds.

Truly, you could feel your soul ascend as you remembered just how big he was. You big your lip so hard you nearly broke skin while Damiano hissed an intake of breath. He came down to your lips to taste your minty mouth just as his hips began rocking into you, first at a slow pace, then began to get closer.

Damiano's hips snapped into yours quickly, and the sound of smacking skin filled the room, along with the scent of sex and sweat. The combination of both of your moans filled each other's mouths. The bedroom was incredibly hot but somehow you were in a cold sweat, save for where your body joined with Damiano's in sweet harmony.

"Fuck, Y/n, you're so fucking tight," Damiano huffed. You clenched around his cock, only making Damiano cry out with pleasure. Your nails drew down his back, clinging him closer and closer to you with every thrust against your g-spot. Tears brimmed your eyes as a knot formed in the lower part of your stomach.

"Soon, I'm cumming soon."

"Cum on my cock, Baby, just like you want."

You could tell his thrusts were getting sloppy because he was closing in on his release as well. But you couldn't help but cum first as the knot suddenly exploded within you.

Your walls spasmed against Damiano as your release washed over you. Your legs tingled and your toes went a bit numb. Damiano then hit in you a few more times before his own seed seeped into you. It was warm and you felt incredibly full as Damiano stayed within you for an extra few seconds, before falling next to you.

"I know you said this wouldn't equal forgiveness but I'm feeling very forgiving," you sighed. Damiano chuckled and looked over at you. Your skin glowed in orgasmic radiance and your hair was completely fucked out. Damiano's heart swelled at the sight and he couldn't help but kiss you again.

He cleaned you both up after, with a warm wash cloth, and got you new pyjamas. Romeo reentered the room once the sex smell was gone and you were in Damiano's arms once again. Your cat curled between both of you in the dead of night, like the beginnings of a family.

Damiano came home Wednesday afternoon with a massive bouquet that must have cost a pretty pence, a box of Belgian chocolate and a bag of cat treats. It seemed a movie night was in order.

[serenefreakgeek]

Thank you for tagging me!! That was a pleasant surprise 😊

Last Song: Merry Go Round of Life (kalimba or piano versions) is basically on repeat in my life cause I need that tranquility but also lately I've been binging through Dream's album he's releasing on YouTube, Stick Season by Noah Kahan (though Ive been listening to that one for about a year straight so not as much), and also Runaway by Aurora

Last Film: well similar to above, the last film I actually watched was Howls Moving Castle once more cause it's self-care time ladies 👏 but if we're talking last movie I watched for the first time then it'd beee... (this is where I'd insert an answer.... if I had one)

Currently Reading: that'd be the dream, but ive been unable to find smth stimulating enough to capture my attention rn. I'm big on fanfic (writing and reading) but I read through so much that it'd be hard to name one. The last published book that I actually was reading through was the Gone series (I think book 2?) I wanted to reread it cause I read half the series as a kid since the rest hadn't come out yet and then I never kept up with it cause my library refused to get the new book so there was that lol but same thing, books can't hold my attention rn. Last book I finished though! Was, you guessed it, Howl's Moving Castle 😂

Currently Watching: Critical Role. I feel like this is the easiest question for me lol I know it's more an online show than anything but it's still what I'm currently watching, am up to date on, and am in love with. If we're talking real TV series, then I watch Brooklyn 99 when I'm at work and have to put smth on the TV for my individuals

Current Obsession: I can't list just one so here you go- Critical Role, Howls Moving Castle, Dungeons and Dragons (in general), Baldur's Gate 3, Sengoku Dynasty (early access game that like just came out and needs a lot done to it but I think this is the first time I'm willing to stick it out and get the new updates as they come instead of just giving up on it so ye), and also Starfield now that it's just come out too. And yes I am always thinking of all of those things simultaneously. (Just realized three of those are video games and one is a tabletop game so maybe THATS where my attention for books went to lol)

(also is it gonna be any surprise when I say my partner and I were discussing future vibes and we both agreed on a Howls Moving Castle wedding??? Lmao)

Tagging: @gallifrey1sburning @wynnyfryd @mxmaneater @shiewolf @sockablock

Tag nine people you want to catch up with/get to know better

tagged by @dragonflylady77 <3

Last song - Halloween in Heaven by Type O Negative

Last film - pretty sure it was Elemental! it was so cute and so good I loved it

Currently reading (or last read) - haven't read a book in way too long, last read was an omegaverse harringrove oneshot

Currently watching - like multiple things.. 9-1-1, Sons of Anarchy, Greys Anatomy, The Walking Dead

Current obsession - mine and vio's AU world and specifically any and every version of Stefano

@fishfingersandscarves @lacefedora @nerodmcdevilslayer @squishyace @asininepigeon @adelacreations and anyone else if you wanna do this please tag me when you do!!

[bridgertonbabe]

I have to say that the Umbrella Academy AU sounds so interesting. But as usual my Benophie loving ass had a thought...

You noted that Sophie struggles maintaining her neutral state...what if it is only when she is with Benedict that this settles. (Whether that be due to their emotions or Benedict's superpower). It could link in with the whole Benophie 'let me be your anchor' idea, and the fact that Benedict is the one who truly sees Sophie.

Bonus. Benedict drawing/painting her in every state because he finds her beautiful even when she has a different eye colour etc.

Sorry, read your post and got inspired, can't wait to hear more!

Oh I mean naturally Benophie's story in the Umbrella Academy AU is the one I've thought through the most! 😜

And you've absolutely read my mind in that Sophie's appearance only settles when she's with Benedict because his soul anchors hers and perceptively sees her better than anyone else.

For full perspective, Sophie has never truly known what her true appearance is meant to look like. Throughout her tumultuous childhood her looks never settled, her hair wildly changing colour length and texture and her facial features contorting her from one identity to another. When she joined the academy and was shown some basic care and love as well as stability, she gained better control of her shape-shifting, though during her neutrality her appearance would still gradually fade (for example, if she sat down to watch a film with the other academy members she would appear as a brand new person by the time it had finished). Once she had mastered her power she could simply maintain the appearance of someone whose looks she admired or wished to appear as (and for fun she regularly cloned herself as her fellow academy members and mimicked them), but every night she would sit at her dressing table, staring hopelessly at her own reflection, willing herself to present her authentic self just so she could know what she might look like. She had photos of her parents, to get some idea of what she was likely to look like, but still she could never seem to nail her actual appearance down no matter how much she wished for it.

While some of the other academy members could navigate their way through the outside world during their downtime without any issue, Sophie was practically reclusive because of her appearance. She was too scared to make friends because of her inability to possess her true neutral physicality and even when she put effort into maintaining another person's appearance she hated herself - she was so sick of being everyone else but herself and she simply didn't have the strength to quite literally keep up appearances when she wasn't fighting crime.

For a long time there was a loneliness Sophie endured all to herself even in spite of the love and support she received from Lady Danbury and the rest of the academy - but then one night everything changed.

As she drifted off into sleep she dreamt she was out on a terrace overlooking the countryside - and she wasn't alone. Keeping her company was a handsome man with chestnut hair, blue eyes, and a lopsided grin. She was instantly smitten and in the dream they talked and laughed and even shared in a dance. She was downhearted upon waking though she was quite surprised by just how vividly she remembered the dream in such great detail. Then, when she went to bed that night, there he was again in her dream. He asked her a question - a question which followed up on something she had mentioned in her dream the previous night - which left her bemused. The dream played out much like the previous night's one did, almost as if they were on a date, but this time her date revealed his name; Ben. And then he kissed her and somehow it felt as though she really was kissing him - but then much to her chagrin she woke up again.

Fortunately Ben was there again the next night, and the night after that, and the night after that; in fact every time she closed her eyes at night and rested her head on her pillow, there he was smiling brightly at her. They spent their dream dates chatting non-stop, laughing, and kissing, and each night they were in a new setting; one night he was sweeping her across a magnificent ballroom, another they were cuddled together looking up at the stars, and then a romantic date in Paris, a long walk on a tropical beach, admiring the Northern lights. Every single dream of hers was enchanted, with Benedict being the most enchanting factor of all. They shared secrets together, telling each other their innermost thoughts; and Sophie even told him of her identity of being Umbrella Number Three and her deep-seated frustration of never knowing what she truly looked like. This confession surprised Ben - because she had only ever had a singular appearance every time they met in her dream. She was so startled by his observation that she woke herself up and began wondering if the fantasy of Ben was becoming a worrying obsession of her own imagination, one that she knew would destroy her if she stopped dreaming him up. That night when she entered her dream she found herself in a cottage looking out on a picturesque countryside - and of course, there was Ben. He asked her to sit before an easel he had set up and informed her he was going to draw her in order to show her what she looked like. She was apprehensive and began pondering aloud; what if she had subconciously made herself in the image of what Ben's dream girl looked like, who was she kidding that all of this - Ben included - was nothing more than a grandiose figment of her own imagination, how had her ability to lucid dream brought her more happiness than she ever thought possible? Her babbling screeched to a halt when Ben presented his portrait of her and she stared in stunned silence. In an instant she knew that was her true authentic appearance; she shared the same facial features as the photo of her mother but had her father's blond hair and green eyes. She teared up, knowing that upon awaking she wouldn't have the appearance, knowing her dreams were nothing more than that.

But then Ben told her that this wasn't her dream; this was their shared dream and stunned her by telling her he was just like her and that he had a superpower too. He tells her he has the ability to infiltrate other people's sleeping consciences and to manipulate their dreams, that he's part of a surveillance agency where his power is employed - at which point Sophie freaks out, accusing him of exploiting her in her sleep for his own agenda. He confesses he was initially tasked with slipping into the sleeping consciences of the Umbrella Academy to see if they posed any sort of harmful threat to the world but after passing through the rest of the team's consciences (and mentioning that with all due respect her teammate's dreamscapes were just plain weird and of no beneficial insight whatsoever), he entered hers and the second he saw her forgot all about his mission. In fact when he awoke from that first dream he lied to his team and told them that the Umbrella Academy's minds were impenetrable, that they must have some sort of mind force preventing anyone from getting into their brains. Ben tells her that though they've ever only met and been united in their dreams, what they share and what they have between them is real. He professes his love for her, that he spends every waking moment waiting to go to sleep to be reunited with her, that he's been disregarding assignments and claiming his powers are waning just so he can spend every second of dreaming being with her. He swears on his mother's life that he's not manipulating her, that she can trust him, that he'll quit his job and leave everything behind just so he can be with her in real life. Sophie is taken aback by everything she's just been told - and then much to her frustration she wakes up.

As she begins to mull over it all, weighing up the truth and the reality of it all (and very much considering if her mental health has taken a turn for the worse), Phillip calls her for a chat. Just like Luther in the series, Phillip is situated on Mars (as opposed to the moon) collecting samples and seeing if the planet is hospitable to growing plant-life. Sophie is his regular point of contact and they video-call all the time. Phillip wants to share something with Sophie that he's observed, something which he's kept track of for awhile now, wanting to gather enough evidence before he got her hopes up. She's confused until he tells her that several times he's video-called her only for her laptop to automatically answer without Sophie accepting it. When her camera's answered, Sophie has been sleeping but Phillip wouldn't hang up, leaving the call on so he could have some company even though Sophie wasn't conscious. It was after several hours when he realised that Sophie's sleeping appearance hadn't altered in the slightest and over the course of the next couple of months whenever he video-called her and found her sleeping, not only did her appearance not change but it was the exact same face every single time. He wasn't sure what it meant - he had seen Sophie sleeping before over the years but her appearance would gradually change through the night - but he wondered if perhaps she was slowly adapting to her authentic form. He then sent screenshots of what she looked like in her sleep and Sophie was blown away - her appearance was that of the portrait Ben had drawn of her in her dream.

That night as soon as she met Ben in her dream she told him she believed him, that she trusted him, that she loved him back. She informed him of what Phillip had told and shown her, telling Ben that whatever connection they had was special, that what they had ran deeper than their shared dreams, that they were bonded on some sort of spiritual and mental level enough that her shape-shifting had finally settled whenever she was with him. Ben offered up the idea that they were soulmates and Sophie truly knew in her heart that this was true. She then asked if they could finally meet in real life, wanting to be able to physically touch him and kiss him, to be her truest self with him. He leapt at her proposal, and told her once they had met that they could start a life together, away from the rest of the world and live a quiet life in the country, an aspirational dream they had both shared together for what they wanted in life.

They arranged to meet at a party held at some big country house called Aubrey Hall with Benedict telling her she'd recognise the terrace with a knowing grin. On the day of the party Sophie had gotten all dressed up, giddy with anticipation to finally meet Ben in the flesh, for her happy ever after to begin, and she eagerly revealed all to Number Four ahead of her departure, unable to keep her excitement to herself.

And yet in spite of all that, Sophie never went to the party. She never even left the house. She did a u-turn at the front door and went back up to her bedroom before resting into a dreamless sleep. Months later when Phillip returned he asked Sophie if she had any luck with settling her appearance like she had done in her sleep but she had no idea what he was on about. He had also observed just how dulled her mood had become, considering for a while during their video calls she had never sounded brighter and more optimistic - but again, Sophie hadn't a clue what he was referring to. He thought it additionally peculiar when he asked her how her dreams were going, as she had mentioned in passing how vivid hers had become to the point where she was sure she was lucid-dreaming, but Sophie dismissed the question altogether; she had always had dreamless sleeps after all.

Fast forward to the Bridgertons reaping havoc with their newly upgraded and wildly omnipotent superpowers, Gareth and Sophie team up when a new sibling is located. Gareth teleports them to the countryside where a Bridgerton sibling seems to have the power of conjuring up dreamscapes and just about anything imagined from his mind. Their surroundings are completely distorted and other-worldly but once they get around the obstacles, they manage to find one of the troubled Bridgertons in some sort of palace projected from within his own mind. The Bridgerton - Benedict - spins around when they call out to him and he stares in wild disbelief at Sophie. Gareth tries to explain why they're there but is instantly yeeted out of the realm they've entered by the simple flick of Benedict's finger (Gareth teleports back, gets yeeted again, and teleports once more before taking the hint after Benedict expels him for a third time). Benedict approaches Sophie, his eyes wide as if trying to comprehend her very existence, much to her confusion. She carefully addresses him by his name, hoping to talk him down, but he asks her to refer to him by his shortened name. She obliges and calls him Ben - and then out of nowhere he's kissing her passionately. Sophie shoves him off her and slaps him without thinking. There's a beat of silence and she worries how explosively he'll react, expecting to be yeeted away with even more force than he had done with Gareth; but instead Benedict tears up, asking her what he did to make her stop loving him.

Sophie is flabbergasted, telling him she's only just met him, before suggesting that maybe her current appearance just so happens to be of the woman he loves and tries to explain to him she's a shape-shifter. He cuts her off, telling her he's well aware; he knows everything about her. Then much to her shock and horror he begins listing off things she's never told anyone else, things she's only ever internally thought to herself, but she argues back, accusing him of manipulating her mind. Furiously Benedict tells her that her mind is the one he can't manipulate because he can't access it. She doesn't understand what he's talking about before he fills in the blanks and tells her all about the dreams they shared, the connection they had, and everything else in between. He tells her how he waited for her to show at the party but she never came and when he tried to reach her in her dreams he no longer could no matter how much he tried. He thought then his powers simply weren't strong enough to break through whatever mental block she had shrouded her conscience in, and after the lightning strike with his abilities heightened and more powerful than ever before he thought he could finally reunite with her; but still he couldn't reach her. Sophie is floored by what he's revealed and believes he's simply having some sort of mental breakdown with all the might of his powers affecting him, making him believe the most elaborate and intricate of delusions. She informs him that she's only ever had a dreamless sleep and that she's never been able to keep a neutral appearance, never knowing what she actually looks like in spite of what he's trying to tell her.

Frustrated, Benedict conjures up a mirror and shoves it in her face; and there Sophie sees herself for what she believes is the very first time and somehow deep down inside she knows that is what she's meant to look like. Benedict doesn't even give her a chance to respond before their surroundings are engulfed with copious screens displaying the dreams they shared together. In each and every one Sophie sees herself looking exactly as she does in the mirror and the more of these memories she sees, the more something within her is burning, something akin to familiarity and yet she can't quite reach it. It all looks so vivid, almost like she can reach out and touch the memories, but something keeps blocking her in her mind and it feels as though a grip is tightening around her. She starts to panic as she begins to get pains in her chest and as a searing ache tears through her head, almost making her feel as though she's about to explode. Benedict grabs a hold of her, begging her to remember him, to remember them, imploring her to fight against whatever manipulation has permeated her mind so that she can remember that he's her soulmate. The physical and mental pain becomes too overwhelming and Sophie ends up passing out from the sheer anguish of it all.

Holding her close to him, Benedict returns his surroundings to what they once were before he distorted them, wanting to get Sophie help as quickly as he can - except Gareth is waiting for him and he's brought company, and Phillip incapacitates Benedict before he can do anything.

When Sophie comes to she finds herself back at the academy recuperating and is congratulated by Lady Danbury for successfully retrieving another Bridgerton, who they now have under observation. Suddenly they hear Benedict screaming from the other side of the building - and he's screaming for Sophie. Immediately Sophie jumps up and runs in the direction of his voice as the walls around her begin to distort as a direct result of Benedict's raw emotion. She hurtles in to where Benedict has been confined and instinctively pulls him into her arms, comforting him in an instant and the distortion that had begun to affect the building simultaneously stops. As Sophie cards a hand through his hair, quietly assuring him that she's not going anywhere, the Umbrella Academy and the other Bridgertons that have been retrieved enter the room and quizzically observe how close the pair are.

Lady Danbury gently asks what power Sophie seems to have over him, but Phillip talks over her, pointing out to Sophie that her current appearance is the one she used to possess in her sleep a few years previously. Before Sophie can respond, Benedict beats her to it, snapping that this is how she's always looked to him, how she's supposed to look. Sophie begins to elaborate for the rest of the room's stunned benefit but Benedict ends up taking over, clutching her close as he explains how he and Sophie know each other better than anyone else, how they dreamt together and how a mental block has been put over Sophie's mind to prevent her from remembering him and what they had.

As he's talking something suddenly strikes Sophie as she realises there's someone who would have had the power to make her forget all about Benedict and close her mind off to him. Slowly she pans her gaze around the room and across the faces of her teammates until she lands on the only one who can control others' minds.

"Why?" she croaks, her eyes welling with tears, bringing Benedict to a halt in his speech before he follows her train of sight. "Why would you do that to me, Penelope?"

[albertserra]

How did you learn/grow to write about and review film the way that you do? I love reading your critiques on here, especially of the technical side of filmmaking like sound and scene framing.

im a little flattered you said that last part bc i always think my weakness is analyzing technical aspects like lighting, sound, editing, framing etc compared to thinking and writing abt content/themes which I'm much more comfortable and confident with aksdjlsjdskj so thank you <3

to answer your question its kinda hard to say for sure. I've answered a question like this a while ago (another reason i need to get to tagging these kinds of answers) and i think my answer is still pretty much the same even though ive continued to grow from that point - I don't really think theres an ending point to this kind of thing. basically i think the film classes i took as electives in college helped a LOT to give me a good basis to use as a jumping off point. i went to a big state school so there was a huge variety of courses which was good for me. they weren't anything crazy and were pretty much always theory based never hands on which is why i feel less confident talking abt technical aspects of filmmaking.

ofc going to college and taking these classes isnt necessary whatsoever, but it did force me into reading theory and in-depth analyses for the first time - and having the readings already picked out for me rather than having to search for myself was obv a big help. then ofc in all these classes i also got to practice and get feedback on my writing - id probably cringe reading some of the stuff i wrote in my earlier classes but i think i'd still stand by things i wrote in my senior year. the feminist film class i took was like vital for me bc its where i tackled like much heavier and imo more interesting (to me) theory - bell hooks, laura mulvey etc - and i think thats where i got a lot of the tools i now use. for example bell hooks' the oppositional gaze was huuuuge for me. along with hito steyerl's in defense of the poor image.

all this just to say i think reading is a huge part of it but really it is. i want to get back into it by reading on my own time rather than being told to do so in classes bc it really can be so enlightening. the other big part of it imo is just watching a lot a lot a lot of varied things like open yourself up to anything and you will naturally develop that way. i wrote about that here. like my letterboxd bio used to be 'ill watch anything once' and that is still my approach! like pretty much all of my gay subtext knowledge came from watching film rather than reading (like the seminal work the celluloid closet... still havent read it and only watched the film after having already been obsessed w gay subtext for like well over a year) but i did all that after having graduated so as i said having those tools to begin with was essential i think, not that i can really cite any specific examples its just all up there in my head mashed together

[tamisdava2]

My top 10 fav films, got tagged by @themousefromfantasyland long time ago, but I am doing this only now. Sorry pal.

1)Life of pi

Me and my mom always keep rewatching it whenever we see it on tv. And how could we not rewatch it for millionth time when we have duo of Pi and Richard Parker that try to survive (Mostly Pi tries not to get eaten by Richard). It doesn't matter if you take this story literally or see it as a bunch of collection of symbolisms, it's still an interesting movie to watch.

2)Roots

You see, this film has a lot of moments that make me cry like a bitch, a young man named Giorgi went to France to earn some money? Now he can't go back home because surprise-surprise, ww1 has started and all borders are locked. That's alright, he doesn't lose hope, he marries French woman and lives his life as taxi driver, he realizes that none of his sons know their heritage (culture, language and etc.) so he decides to teach everything to his grandson, I am not going to retell the whole story. Giorgi tells his grandson, Georges, that he must take his ashes back to his home village. After his grandpa died Georges does as he was told and travels to his granddad's home village, he thinks that nobody remembers Giorgi because of how much time has passed but when he comes down from the train he sees people in black waiting for him. And no I am not tearing up.

3)Kukaracha

I saw Kukaracha for the first time in theater, but when I saw the movie adaptation I loved it more, Nodar Dumbadze (No, I haven't read Kukaracha) I is one of my favourite writers. Kukaracha is adorable and his relationship with Inga was cute af. Also this movie has one of my favourite if not the most favourite quotes of all time.

4)Mimino

How can I not love this comedy? Kikabidze's and Mkrtchyan's duo is iconic for me. This movie makes me laugh (and cry a little).

5)The eccentrics

Every soviet comedy must have at least one gut wrenching moment that will make you tear up or cry? I guess yes, because every soviet comedy I have watched has such moments. The film is about a young boy that falls in love with woman, to save her he goes to prison, where he meets man who dreams about making a flying machine, together they manage to do it.

6)Ace of aces

This movie has everything I like 1)It's set in 20th century 2)Enemies to friends trope 3)Adorable baby bear 4)Adorable baby boy 5)And this film makes fun of Hitler.

7)Lion

Another sad story with happy ending.

8)Spirited away

It never was stated that I can't put animated films on the list!

9)Ratatouille

Ratatouille was one of my favourite movies as a kid, I've watched it more than just multiple times, it gives me serious nostalgia.

10)Up

I have watched this when I was kid once but after many years, not so very long ago I have watched it again with my mom. Yes we cried, we laughed and we basically loved it.