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cherrylng · 6 months ago

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Memory of Muse 2000-2004 [STYLE Series #004 - Muse (August 2010)]

From the first visit to Japan to the 2004 Japan tour. How did Muse grow up after seeing them up close? We look back at how Matthew, Dom, and Chris were at that time, with some interesting episodes.

Conversation◎Yoshika Horita & Kaoru Abe pix Yoshika Horita

Yoshika Horita and Kaoru Abe, who had close encounters with Muse while working for Avex as their official photographer and interviewer, respectively. We asked them about their most memorable episodes, not only during their visits to Japan, but also during the many times they interacted with the members during on-site interviews. Please enjoy their memorable talks, which convey the individual personalities of the members, as well as their nostalgic memories.

[2000/First visit to Japan] Horita: I first met the three of them at ON AIR WEST. They were like three dark and friendly guys from the countryside, whispering in hushed tones about everything. They have very thick accents to begin with, so you can't hear them very well when they talk like that. Dom is the type who consciously tries to speak properly, so his English pronunciation is clear. Matthew is like a muffled machine gun and speaks very fast.

Abe: He wasn't so nervous at that time. He was being interviewed while lying on a gorgeous couch at Avex (laughs). Basically, [to them] it was like "I'm on a field trip!" and it was so pure.

Horita: At that time, they were accompanied by a manager who found them and was like a father figure.

Abe: Yes, it was like they were a local family. The show itself was very good, and they already had a certain style, but their usual behavior was not up to the level of their ability at all. Even in Tokyo, if they were to walk around Harajuku or Shibuya, they would look a bit out of place (laughs).

Horita: The way he dressed (laughs). I liked Matthew's cyber look at the time, but his shoes looked like something an old man would wear, and his denim was cut off at the hem! The uniqueness of Matthew's fashion came out at that time. But Dom is a bit of a fashionista. He was choosing what was appropriate for his height and weight. Chris doesn't care at all.

Abe: He (Matthew) talked a lot in the interview. He talked a lot about how they started the band because there was nothing to do in the countryside...... He talked a lot about things like that. But he would get bored in the middle of the interview (laughs). Then the three of them would get together again and start whispering in hushed tones. They didn't really have anything profound to say.

Horita: At that time, we even went to a music store to look at effectors.

Abe: It was their first time in Japan.

Horita: Dom is Matthew's personal interpreter. Whenever Matthew needed something, he would call Dom and be like “Dom-Dom, Dom-Dom, you know....“ He always says “Dom-Dom” twice in succession (laughs). There was also a classmate of theirs named Tom (Kirk), and the four of them were originally best friends, but Tom went off to college and didn't play in the band. But they continued to be good friends, and eventually became like an external coordinator for Muse. You see, the world is closed, so they need that kind of existence (laughs).

Abe: Matthew is a little bit different. He is rather shy, so it would be difficult without Tom. Well, he's about as shy as I am. ...... So shy people interview each other and get interviewed by each other....... It's the worst (laughs).

Picture: Matthew cools off with a mini fan given to him by a fan. He said, “Back then, I would have gladly used any gift from my fans.”

[2000/Summer Sonic 2000] Horita: When Matthew had blue hair. Chris got a tattoo in Japan after his son Alfie was born. I went with him to Harajuku, and we went into a store owned by a very seedy foreigner, and he got it done by a female assistant who said she had just started working there (laughs). I was like, “Oh my God, are you sure this is a good place to get a tattoo?" She showed me a font sample book, and I just put the letters exactly as they were in the book. I wrote “Alfie” as “Zaibu Ryo” (在父良/Father-in-law) in big letters at ....... But he looks so happy!

Abe: That doesn't exist, does it? (laughs)

Horita: Matthew seemed to be very interested in it. I think that's why he let Chris try it out (laughs).

Abe: I didn't do any interviews at that time. I did see Summer Sonic, though. I remember they were already playing “Plug in Baby” at that time. It was the first show of the morning, and it was on a grand scale. It was so hot that I almost collapsed, but I heard that Matthew almost collapsed too.

Horita: Speaking of Summer Sonic, Coldplay['s Chris Martin] and Matthew were talking backstage at the Osaka show. Then one of the tour managers at the time asked me to take a picture of them. I was like, “Hey, let's take a picture now!“ And I thought to myself, “Well, Coldplay is in a higher position than Muse.“ They didn't really know each other that well, but Matthew, who was shy, talked a lot. Matthew is a very cunning guy (laughs), and he will go for anyone who benefits him or interests him. He is a surprisingly calculating man (laughs). Also, maybe it has something to do with the fact that his grandmother is a medium, but he seems to have a divine power or something out of the ordinary. There is a little bit of evil spirituality in him (laughs). It's great because that kind of thing is sublimated into the music!

Picture: At Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, where we stopped by during the Osaka performance. These two are always a set.

[2001/London coverage] Abe: At that time, they did two days at the Brixton Academy and it was a great success. I think I went to see both days.

Horita: The first day was just the day I arrived or something, so I just went to see the show without any equipment. Matthew backstage was very funny. I think there was a tax accountant or someone in a suit there, and he was talking seriously about something like, “From now on, I'll take care of the money!“ As I said earlier, Matthew is very calculating and businessman-like. Their previous manager was someone who looked like someone from the industry, so I guess he thought he would be taken advantage of if things continued like this.

Abe: With all the money they had, they also bought a house to share among the three of them [Note: Presumably they're talking about Matt, Dom, and Tom's time of living together]. So, because of the formalities involved, we arrived very late to the hotel where the interview took place (laughs). During the interview, Matthew and Dom talked about the house all the time.

Horita: It was around this time that they suddenly became aware of themselves as members of society...... A tax accountant and a house! The next time I interviewed them in London, they had already moved to a different house (laughs).

Abe: Oh yes, it was a house with a studio. On the second day in Brixton, they had 2ManyDJs [aka Soulwax] in the afterparty, and it was Matthew's birthday party. 2ManyDJs at a live venue were still cute back then (laughs).

Picture: Matthew is not much of a drinker, but these two are the type that drink until morning. Chris in particular is the type that is easy to get along with.

[2001/performance in Japan] Horita: This was the time when the dark side of Muse was in full bloom. They were selling out at once, they had money coming in, and they had more than enough talent, especially Matthew (laughs). The number of groupies increased to the point where I wondered, “How many groupies are there nowadays?“ (laughs).

Abe: Chris was a serious guy and never played around...he lost his wedding ring at a show in 2004 and turned blue.

Horita: Oh yes, once Chris got very drunk and lightly kissed someone. The next day he was depressed and said, “What have I done? I'll never get drunk again!“ (laughs) It was painful to watch, but he was so cute.

Abe: Yes, he was. He really cherished his wife. Did he have his fifth child this year?

Horita: Yes, yes. His wife is a very plain, ordinary person. She is very different from Matthew, who is now a celebrity (laughs). Dom is a mystery! Even if he cheats on me, I feel like I'll never find out. On the other hand, I don't think he is clean for sure.

Abe: Come to think of it, Dom is always clean [i.e. hygienic]. Chris is always clean, too. But Matthew never takes a shower even when he is sweaty at a show. (Laughs) Even when they play until morning.

Horita: Matthew's eccentricities are many. They were staying at the Nikko Hotel at the time, and when we were in the cafe on the first floor, he came down from his room in his hotel gown and slippers. When the hotel staff was upset with him, he told them that he was “dressed in African formal wear“, and they forgave him (laughs).

Abe: He had a look on his face that said, “If I say this, they will never be angry with me.“

Horita: He was once scolded for suddenly playing the transparent grand piano displayed at Kawai Omotesando without permission (laughs).

Abe: Well, even if he did that, it still looks good, in Matthew's case.

Horita: The thing about Matthew is that he is easily drawn to things like “white pianos” and “transparent pianos.” It's simple and cute in that way.

Abe: He likes to play the piano as soon as there is one. He must think “I'm so cool!” playing it more than the guitar (laughs).

Horita: On the piano, he can play Chopin and other pieces right away, but he's not actually that good at it. But on the guitar, even though he is so good, his movements are unique.

Abe: Speaking of Matthew, he always went back to the hotel after rehearsal. Dom and Chris stayed at the venue. I don't know what it is like now.

Horita: Yes, and that sometimes caused him to come back to the venue about 10 minutes before the show started, which made the people around him nervous. I don't know what he’s doing, but I really want to go back!

Abe: Is it some kind of ritual to concentrate?

Horita: Some kind of ritual to bring down the god of live performance? After all, he is a spiritual person (laughs).

Abe: Maybe he’s preparing confetti to be taken out of his pockets during the show (laughs).

Picture: The pass from the 2001 Brixton Academy show in London, which was attached to Abe-san's press notebook.

[2003/Reporting in London] Abe: Before [the release of] “Absolution,” we were in London again for an interview. At that time, they had a confident but calm impression. They took a long break before making the album, and all three of them had that good feeling. I would say that all three of them had grown up while still maintaining an aura of being rock stars. They also set up our own studio. It was just a renovated flat.

Horita: Yes, there were computers and office desks in one room, and a huge pile of equipment in the next room. There was a grand piano, so it was not small, but there was no table or anything like that, so it was just a place for recording as a hobby.

Abe: But he said he went there three to four times a week.

Horita: What surprised me was Matthew's new car. It was a very nice [Toyota] Solara, the kind of car that only [Japanese] yankees drive nowadays, and it was a white convertible (laughs)! It had a tachometer that looks like something you would never expect to see on a car like this (laughs).

Abe: But I was convinced. No matter how you try, only Matthew could drive a car like that!

Horita: It's the same as the idea of the white piano (laughs). Dom drove a maroon BMW or something, so he was totally normal. After the interview, they both said, “Goodbye,” and went home.

Abe: It was a bit of an inconvenient location, and we were at a loss because we couldn't get a cab. Dom said, “I'll wait with you until the car comes,” and bought us a drink at the pub next door! Really, Chris is like a good father and he is very kind.

[2004/performance in Japan] Horita: Before the Bay NK Hall show, I caught up with the guitar tech at the venue when the band members were not there, and he let me take pictures of the equipment. Matthew was just passing by and said, “You can film anything you want! There's no secrets.” When I first came to the show [back in 2000], he was very reluctant to have his effects equipment photographed, but I could see that he was gaining confidence. Matthew was wearing a weird “Matrix”-style coat and sunglasses, and there was a big fuss about “Take a picture! Take a picture!“ Matthew may be a dorky guy, but his personality and sense of aesthetics remain consistent. But that is out of tune with the world's sense of beauty (laughs).

Abe: He always likes things that are futuristic. He likes to wear a ring with a cybernetic design that was given to him by a Japanese fan. He was wearing it during the photo shoot, but I guess it wasn't fanservice, he really liked it.

[Thereafter.....] Abe: After they moved to Warner, we stopped doing interviews with this trio. They had a worldwide breakthrough and became an unreachable band.

Horita: They were five years after their debut... a country bumpkin who succeeds, falls to the dark side, and realizes who he really is... It was like the “Star Wars Trilogy” (laughs).

Abe: By making a good album, you grow as a person. That must have been how Matthew was able to make such a big leap forward.

Horita: I think Dom, Chris, and Tom were instrumental in that. If it had been just Matthew, he would have destroyed himself by not being able to use his abundant talent. Also, it was good that he didn't have any impatience like, “I want to sell [out] in America! I want to be big!“ Even though Coldplay had achieved success, they [Muse] were not in a hurry, and they worked slowly and deliberately, and finally achieved success. But he might have had a desire to play in a big venue and hypnotize everyone in the room......

Abe: Yes, he just needed a place to present his sense of aesthetics.

Horita: That hasn't changed. I haven't met him (Matthew) yet, so I can't tell you more about him. I met Chris and Tom when they came to Japan in January, and I was happy to see that they had not changed at all.

Abe: Well, I think I was very lucky to catch a glimpse of Muse, who have now become such a great band, on their way to the top, and I have really good memories of them. I would like to continue to support them from behind to see where they are headed.

Translator's Notes: This is actually one of my favourite and unique Muse interviews I encountered so far in the STYLE magazine, because it's an interview/conversation in the point of view of those who actually interviewed and photographed the band themselves and witnessed their growth over time in 5 years, and gives interesting insight of stuff that they picked up, such as:

-Matt calling for Dom's attention by going all "Dom-Dom, Dom-Dom!" and he does it twice in succession!

-Matt's sense of fashion in the past was just that... eccentric/bad enough that nobody could ignore it LOL

-Not even his choice of car was spared from Abe and Horita's low-key savage mocking LMAO

-The journalist and photographer are like "Yeah, Matthew is a weird dork, but that's what makes him so cute!" LMAO

-Matt's preference for white or transparent pianos were actually noticed since 2001.

-The true story behind Chris' first tattoo and the absolute horror by Horita at the choice of tattoo shop and being forced to pick the kanji letters that sound the closest to what 'Alfie' would be pronounced as.

-Matt actually enjoys receiving gifts from fans and would use/wear them.

-Their observation that Matt and Dom always stick together as a set. My heart...

-The imagery of the boys' first trip to Japan being like "I'm on a field trip!" to them shall live in my head rent free.

#Matt Bellamy #Dom Howard #Chris Wolstenholme #Muse #Showbiz era #Origin of Symmetry era #Absolution #my scan #translation #interview #this interview is legit funny yet heartwarming at the same time #it's really worth the read #STYLE Series #STYLE Series 004

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justrainandcoffee · 28 days ago

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Have you ever seen the rain (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc)

Summary: 2020. Alfie is in his Inn and he's redecorating part of it. His friend, Rose, is helping him. The song starts to sound just when their proximity is unbearable. "Have you ever seen the rain, coming down on sunny day?" A song and a travel to the past 16 years ago, in 2004.

Warnings: None. Modern AU. || Look at me finally writing this story. || This is set after this story which I recommend to read first

Words: 3k. || Masterlist

2020

She knows all the truth now. He loved a man who broke his heart and she accepted him for whom he is. She also knows that his business is far from being legal. There's no secrets between them and he is ready to start again. But the morning after telling her everything, what they are doing is painting his kitchen, the one in his apartment that's over the inn, something he wanted to do before the quarantine but didn't have time. Now he has free time but his mind isn't focused in that job. No when the woman living with him, trapped with him in his inn, is next to him wearing an old t-shirt of his and her messy hair is a delight to Alfie's eyes.

Rose isn't paying attention to him now, she's singing -or trying to- while his playlist is full of good and old songs. The brush in her hand is painting the wall while The Doors is sounding and her movements follow the rhythm of the music. Only when she hears him chuckle, she stops.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just you are doing a mess, Rosie."

"The audacity! Alfie, I'm doing this for free, you should be more grateful."

"Oh, I am, love. I'm very grateful, sweetheart. But you know I'm right."

"You should have asked me to help you to choose new curtains or wallpapers, instead. I'm good at it."

"I'm going to consider your offer. Thank you, luv," he says before returning to his work.

It's raining, the virus is a menace everywhere, there are very few places they can go together, so the best thing to do is to be locked there, safe and alone.

Rose also looks at him when she believes he's not looking. Dirty thoughts cross her mind although she shouldn't be thinking that, but she couldn't help it. She likes him, in ways she never experienced before. She likes him as person because he showed her before that he's a good person, a sweet man, at least with her. But also everything of him, as man and all his testosterone, feels irresistible for her. And Rose knows that unless any of them do something then those thoughts only are going to increase. Despite everything she's also a woman with needs.

"I can't ignore this any longer," Alfie says throwing his brush on the floor and walking towards Rose, no longer after she returned to paint trying very hard to ignore her thoughts.

Alfie is a lot of things, including a very perceptive man. Or maybe because Rose isn't subtle at all. But he realised that she had been looking at him.

"Fuck the paint," he says taking the brush she has in her hands and also throwing it on the floor next to all the things that are there.

He advances toward her until her back touches the wall. He is front of her, giving the woman no space to escape.

Rose is pinned between the wall and him. One of his hand is on her waist and the other, tracing a path on her neck.

"Why are you so beautiful?"

"I'd ask the same."

The night before it wasn't possible, but Alfie isn't going to lose this opportunity, too. The hand that it was on her cheek is now on the back of her neck. Their first kiss is imminent. In that moment a new song starts to sound.

[I wanna know have you ever seen the rain- I wanna know have you ever seen the rain... comin' down on a sunny day?♪]

"That song was playing when I had my first kiss," she says, eyes closed, smiling at the memory that suddenly appeared in her mind.

"That song sounded when I had my first kiss, too" Alfie replies touching her nose with his.

"Are you kidding?"If she moves just an inch her lips would touch Alfie's ones, but she opens her eyes to look at him.

"No," he replies, but a memory hits his brain:

"...My name is Rose."

"Alfie."

"Tell me it wasn't raining… was it under a willow tree?" He asks and stares at her looking for an answer that he already knows.

2004

The rain seemed to be there just to ruin the party. The parents of Francesca, one of Rose's best friends, rented a house outside London to celebrate their daughter's birthday. It was summer and it seemed good to them allowed the girl have fun with her friends while the family spent time together as well.

Francesca and Rose were friends since they were eight years old and through the years, more girls joined the group till that point where they were five inseparable friends. Francesca had a brother a year older, Jules, who invited his friends because according to the boy he never was going to spend time with a group of crazy girls.

"He invited the boys that play football with him," Fran said. "A group of losers as he is. They all go to different schools, they know each other thanks to the club."

"Any of these boys is cute?" one of the girls asked. "Like Pacey Witter?"

A year ago, Dawson's Creek ended and the girls were still mourning the finale and the fact that Josh Jackson won't be the handsome and sweet Pacey ever again. It was hard not to develop feelings for a character like him. And find a Pacey in real life was difficult, not to say impossible.

"There's only one Pacey, Letitia."

"You never know," Rose commented.

"Don't keep your hopes up, girls. They're just a bunch of idiots like my brother is. And like all boys we know, too."

That was true, they agreed. It was hard being a 15 years old girl in the beginning of the 2000s, when all the boys seemed to be nothing but assholes. Yet, despite Francesca's words, the rest of her friends expected to see the boys. Why not? The hormones were knocking on their doors and the perspective of having a good day, sounded fine.

Alfie was reluctant to go, but finally accepted because the host were Jewish people too and the idea of having kosher food for free was okay for him.

"My sister's friends are brainless girls," Jules said "they're laughing all the time. Luckily, my mom doesn't allow pyjama's party that often so I guess it's good."

"One of them, at least one of them has to be hot," one of the boys commented.

"Meh. There are better out there."

Alfie shrugged his interest in the opposite sex was barely beginning so if girls there were nice or not, wasn't going to change his life.

That was he thought.

At first the sun was shining and both the teens and the adults were outside enjoying the day. The pool that the house had was being used by both groups: the boys and the girls. But later it was just the girls because the others found playing football more entertaining. But the first exchange of glances between Alfie and Rose was a reality.

He saw her for the first time when she was sitting on the edge of the pool wearing a purple bikini top and shorts. She had two braids and, in his opinion, the most beautiful smile of all.

Rose saw him when he was talking to Jules and something about him caught her attention immediately. Maybe the colour of his eyes when the sun illuminated his face. Or something she couldn't explain that moment.

"Who is he?"

"Oh," Francesca said sitting down next to her friend "that's Alfie. He's our age, 15. He goes to another Jewish school, but that's all I know. I think he lives with his mother. Jules met him in the club years ago and after Alfie invited my brother to his bar mitzvah, they're good friends. Of all my brother's friends he's the less idiot. Which is not a compliment at all considering how low the bar is."

"He seems cute."

"Alfie? Alfie ain't cute, Rosie," snorted Francesca but when she saw her best friend's eyes couldn't help but smirk. "You like him."

"What? No, no! I just said that he seems cute. That's all. It's not important."

Jules provided information about Rose to Alfie as well. She was one of his sister's friends although Jules admitted that she wasn't the brainless of them.

"But she can kick you in the balls if you look at her badly," the boy added.

"But she's nice."

"If you say, Alfie."

The rest of the morning the girls stayed in the pool or sunbathing, while the boys played on the other side of the property. And more than once, Alfie and Rose found themselves looking at each other.

"Just talk to him," Francesca said visibly tired of her friend daydreaming about the boy since the beginning of the day. "He's not going to bite you and as far as I see, he can't stop looking at you either."

The idea was to return to the pool after lunch, but the rain started when they were eating to everyone there disappointment.

It was Jules the one who searched in the different CDs he had, the perfect song compilation for the occasion and thanks to him the rest forgot that they were now forced to be under roof, away from the rain.

The first time they were close to each other was when both of them were near the window, looking at the storm outside.

"It's a pity that it's raining," he said to her and he felt like the most idiot boy in the world. Stupid thing to say to the girl who he had been looking at, since the very first minute. But Alfie really didn't know what else to say.

"Indeed," she agreed. Her heart was racing like never before but she managed to smile at him "my name is Rose."

"Alfie."

Their friends saw the closeness between them and while the boys were a bit upset for losing a player, the girls were a bit more excited. Until that moment, neither of them had seen Rose interested in a boy enough to be giggling like it was happening with Alfie.

They found their place to be alone and It didn't take them long to start chatting about unimportant thing. About school, subjects or others a bit more important for them like religion but that, in the end, was nothing but an excuse to be together.

The intense rain seemed to stop a bit and tired of being locked most of them decided to go outside, Rose and Alfie included, even if that meant ending up wet.

They didn't go with the group, they walked hand in hand through the place until they sat under the willow tree that provided them some protection from the rain that although weak, was still there.

"I always liked willow trees," the girl said "I used to read about them when I was a kid. My brother used to mock me, but I really like them. It something about their resilience that I find them fascinating. They are associated to life and w…".

"And witchcraft. But the good one."

"Yes! How did you know?"

"I had my phase reading about them, too."

She looked at the boy and smiled. Never before she knew someone interested in those trees.

Never before, Alfie felt he could talk about it without being judged.

The rain started to be a nuisance again and both of them sought refuge under the branches, they were so close that he could feel her breath on his shoulder.

From where they were, they could hear the music that still sounded inside the house. Credence Clearwater Revival was the name of the band and one of their hits was exactly the song they were hearing.

[Have you ever seen the rain on a sunny day? ♪]

They looked at eachother. A shy smile appeared in her face when Alfie felt brave enough to touch her hair.

"I want to kiss you," he finally said.

"Me too…but I- I never kissed anyone before."

"Me neither."

"Alfie, What if I disappointed you?"

"You won't."

He put his hands on her waist and looked at her. The rain on their faces made them close their eyes and soon Rose felt his lips on hers.

If before that moment her heart was racing, now she felt it was going to get out of her chest. She dared to put her hands on his shoulders and play with his hair at the same time both of them discovered at the same time what kissing meant. And why it did feel so good.

As the rain began to stop again, and probably this time definitely, they pulled apart and smiled. The sunlight started to appear again as they kissed again, this time with a bit more of confidence.

At the end of the day, they weren't ready to be apart but they had to. Francesca's parents had to take her back to her house and Alfie returned to his in one of his friend's car.

"Call me," she said to him giving him a paper with her telephone number. "Please, call me."

"I will, Rosie."

"I want to see you again."

"Me too."

They kissed for the last time, with the hopes and promises of seeing each other again.

Only they didn't know that it was going to take them a while to do it.

2020

"It was you…" Rose says still incredulous. "It was always you."

"I lost the telephone number you gave me. Now I remember very well the desperation when I realised what happened. I asked my friend if he could help me but their lives after the party were chaotic and that summer they moved to Bristol and I didn't see him again and in consequence I lost the only link to you that was his sister."

"Their grandmother died and it was horrible for the whole family. My mother forbade me to bother them so, eventually I gave up. But, you know, I was only 15 and this boy blew up my mind…"

"Did he? That's a coincidence because it took him a while forget about her" A smile appears in his face and Alfie put again his hand on the back of her neck and tilts his head "Can I kiss you… again?"

"Yes."

Alfie looks at her one last time before finally resting his lips on hers. That's their first kiss… or the second one that feels like the first.

Unlike the night before, there's no Tommy in Alfie's mind, there, it's just her. He feels her hands on his waist, pressing his lower back and he starts to feel that her kisses won't be enough to calm his body.

Somewhere in the past, a distant point of their lives, they are those teenagers under the willow tree experiencing love for the first time. Rose can't help but smile against his lips. That's the feeling she craved that much. They were once again reunited… and it just took them 16 years.

With his hand caressing her skin under the shirt she's wearing, he pushes Rose against him at the same time that with her arms are around his neck, she deepens the kiss. And both of them have the same thought.

On the floor, around them there are hammers and nails, old newspapers protecting the tiles and brushes everywhere and yet, Alfie manages himself to avoid them without looking as he carries her to the first open bedroom he finds.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks as he puts her on the mattress.

Rose nods, removing her shirt "I'm completely sure."

It's not like Alfie certainly knew that having sex with her it was going to happen but it was a possibility and that morning he put a condom in his pocket. It was a good decision.

They kiss each other again, this time with a lot less clothes on them and for the first time since they met two months ago, they make love.

They can see the raindrops on the window but also the sun through the light clouds that cover the sky now. There's a mix of colours in that window similar to a little rainbow.

They're resting now. Her fingers are tracing patterns on his chest and he's brushing her back with his hand.

"What's in your mind?" she asks.

"I'm just thinking, sweetheart. What were the chances of finding you again? I mean… London has thousands of women, girls, named Rose. When we met; first I barely remembered my first kiss and second, much less the name of that pretty girl. But now, it seems so obvious, of course it was you… Maybe it's true that there's something else."

"Something that escapes our understanding? I felt that since I put my foot here. But I feel in peace, like I'm where I suppose to be. Ridiculous as it sounds."

"I feel the same. Rosie, do you want to try? Us, together… and see where we can end?"

"Are you sure? I want, but you… your ex-"

"Fuck him. And yes, I'm sure."

"Then yes," she says. Her eyes bright with joy and Alfie rolls on the bed to face her.

"There's nothing else to say, then."

"I'm not going to hurt you," she says repeating what she said the night before when they were in the terrace, by the swimming pool.

"Me neither, Rosie."

It's May and spring it's filling the air. Even inside the inn.

#alfie solomons #alfie solomons x ofc #alfie solomons x oc #alfie x rose #peaky blinders #modern au #alfie solomons imagine #alfie solomons fanfic

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cutiecorner · 2 years ago

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Happy Holidays everybody! I hope everyone is having a wonderful season! Since I recently got an ask about my personal reqs for where to start with batman, as a Christmas gift to me and y'all I'm finally making a curated list of my favorite batman media! This is 100% skewed to me, it's essentially just a list of all the batman stuff I've consumed, but I might throw in a few others for folks with different tastes! Also, most of these can be found on HBOmax as of now, but I'm including links to where you can watch online where possible! See you under the cut for a very, VERY long guide! Enjoy!

TV!

Hands down, the definitive piece of batman TV is Batman: The Animated Series. Soooo much iconic batman stuff was coined in this show. Also, it has hands down the best characterization of Bruce himself imo. If you're getting into Batman due to dadfred & babybat, here's a list of standout episodes for you!

Beware the Grey Ghost: A whole episode about Bruce's childhood special interest. You even get to see actual baby Bruce!

Eternal Youth: Absolutely precious Alfred episode, with Ivy as the villain no less. Sooooo many adorable moments, like, I don't even wanna spoil it. Just watch it.

Heart of Ice: For one, an absolutely excellent episode of television, and also a tooonnn of cute Alfred and Bruce moments!! Real dad moments for sure.

Harley's Holiday: 100/10 episode in general, and full of Harley and Bruce moments!!

The Lion and the Unicorn: Another Alfred focused episode!! Bruce Dick and Al being famiwy...

I have more, but those are a good place to start. Have a fave villain? Watch all their eps!! Discover new ones! Watch it from the beginning! Watch around and see what floats your boat. There's a redesign in season 3 (The New Batman Adventures) and they bring in a littler robin, Tim Drake. Warning for TNBA in general though, they tease at some really uncomfortable relationships here and there. But overall it has a lot to offer!

After btas I started on Justice League (2001)! I super love it, I adore the other members of the league so much and there's plenty of interesting stories. Justice League Unlimited is great too! Fantastic Bruce/Diana stuff, even though I'm not big on the ship their interactions are beyond precious. These are ensemble pieces so they're not all bats, but they're highly recommended if you're interested!

For some quick silly adventures, Justice League Action is fantastic! It's super funny and cute. There's plenty of batman centric episodes, and it's super lighthearted and fun! No robins or alfred in any of the Justice Leagues (very sparcely in JL/JLU) though, unfortunately. Speaking of silly fun batman shows: Batman the Brave and the Bold is a total blast! There's soooo many heroes in it, if you like any other DC characters there's a good chance they appear!

I just recently got into The Batman (2004), and it's really growing on me! The first season especially is really creative and cool. It's a younger take on batman, and it has seeerrious early 2000s boy/Ben ten/bionicles energy lol, but if that's nostalgic for you you'll LOVE it.

If you like adult cartoons, Harley Quinn is pretty good and funny! Of course it's about Harley and her gang over the bats, and the first season especially can get kinda ick in the adult cartoonyness, but by the third season it gets great (VERY good Bruce stuff in the third season! Honestly in all the seasons). Overall I definitely think it's worth a watch. It is not appropriate for kids though, make sure to look up warnings! If you're especially sensitive to gore/violence maybe skip it.

I haven't watched much of these, but I've heard good things if live action is your style! Gotham follows the villains and older generation before Batman came along. Supposedly very good Alfred and Bruce content, with kid Bruce! For my Alfie lovers, Pennyworth follows the adventures of Alfred along with the Waynes, taking down conspiracies back in England during the 60s. As completely up my alley as those sound, they're not really my thing because they are pretty violent, so beware!

Movies!

Starting off with animated movies, the btas movies come very highly recommended! Especially Mask of the Phantasm! I was super not excited for the romance plot, but it 1000% won me over, it's fantastic. Lots of young Bruce stuff (like early early 20s), which is wildly endearing, and very good dadfred moments!! The Mystery of the Batwoman isn't as great, but it's good fun. Sub-Zero is really good if you like Mr.Freeze! For The Batman 2004, there's the Batman vs Dracula! It is wild but so much fun!

On the animated movies front - Batman and Robin: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman vs Two Face are absolutely delightful. They're based on the 1960s Batman show, and they go all in on the campy goofy energy!! They're such a good pick me up if you're having a rough day.

As for live action movies, I honestly cannot recommend the 1990s Batman movies enough. Yes, they don't have a great reputation among mainstream comics fans, but they're straight up just wrong. Batman Forever and Batman and Robin are some of the most fun batman content ever created! There is so much creativity and energy and love in these movies, they are the definition of a good time. Absolutely guaranteed to provide childlike wonder, 1000/10.

If you're into the more gritty stuff, The Batman (2022). It's a cool new take on Bats, I think it's an interesting direction artistically. Once again violence isn't super my thing, but I appreciated the Alfred moments and Bruce's potent autism swag. Also, though it's probably a genuinely good movie, I am physically unable to take anything seriously and really enjoyed watching it ironically (there are so many serious moments that land as... pure comedy). Though please be sure to look up trigger warnings first, it's a lot.

Comics!

Full disclosure, I'm not a big comic book reader "^^ I really just read the comic versions of the shows I like and a few miscellaneous others I run into. Here's a list of some of the comics I've enjoyed, but they have no rhyme or reason, they are not cohesive lol. If you're more into comics you want to look elsewhere for advice "^^

All Star Batman: First Ally - I have no context for this series as a whole and I do not care: I'm here for pretty art, Alfred backstory, and father and son behavior. I own a hardcover copy.

Batman: Zero Year - Stumbled upon by accident but thoroughly enjoyed. I don't agree with everything in these (batman writers obsession with characters slapping each other my BEHATED) but its pretty cool overall. Featuring my The Alfred Ever and baby Duke Thomas! There's Dark City then Secret City!

One Bad Day: Mr Freeze - I'm not gonna lie this comic is like... bad. Okay so that's not entirely fair: I adore the art, the baby Dick Grayson content, the Alfred content, and honestly most of the story until the end. Spoiler, but they nerf the daylights out of what makes Freeze such an iconic character. Like, I get what they were doing but... come on. Insinuates a bizarre message too. Still worth a peruse for the good moments.

Batman: the Adventures Continue - a continuation of the btas comic series (the batman adventures)!! It's interesting to see them put more modern storylines in the btas universe. The last few issues (holiday special!) Are at very least worth a read.

While I'm here, The Gotham Adventures is also cute and cool, takes place in the btas universe with the tnba style + continuity.

Same as above, if you like the Justice League cartoon check out the tie in comics, including the recent continuation Justice League Infinity!

Oh I guess this do counts: The Wayne Family Adventures is a very cute comic on tapas! It's very cute, and actually published by DC comics!

My best word of advice: follow your interests! Indulge! There is no right way to explore this franchise! There's so much to discover and there's a little something for everybody. There is no obligation to know every little thing about the mythos, you do not need to read from issue 1 or know all the current updates to be a "real fan". Actualy, do us all a favor and stick it to toxic comic fanboys by having as much fun as you can! Pick and choose! Try it all! Be gritty! Be goofy! Be both! Spend hours poking around on fandom wikis to learn about what you want to learn! There's no wrong way to play, I'm just so happy youre here. Now go forth and be batfans!!!

#updated: now with all the links i can find!#squeaks #fandom agere #dc agere #batman agere #dadfred & babybat

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