#and also kinda brave for laughing at his actor's singing

[greisekinderschar]

Aaaah, thanks for this! I’m a bit obsessed with nuances in translations and german being my first language, I usually avoid the german dubbings bc theyre frankly flat and the formal adressing in The Witcher is pain, so this post was fun. Although imagining him saying “Dann nimm mich hier” sends me to hell and back. 

I do enjoy the Czech dubbings of The Witcher, though, especially Jaskier’s voice actor and his singing, so don’t mind if I add some nuances in the Czech version, in case anyone is interested!

Also disclaimer: I’m not dragging the translators because Czech, being a slavic language, is a bit more difficult to fit into the lines than French and German, which are obviously way more similar to English. As I said, I’m a fan of the Czech dubbing in general, especially the way they gave the dwarves a distinct dialect like in the original, German dubbing would never.

First of all, there is no formal adressing between the two of them ever, which I love.

Episode 1

English: ”If your life at court has been staid you’ve been doing it wrong.” Czech: "If your life at court has been boring, you don't know how to live it." Something about Radovid telling Jaskier he doesnt know how to live...

Episode 2

The lyrics got me. Once again gotta point out I absolutely adore Jaskier’s Czech singing voice, stan Ondřej Rychlý. Tried my best to translate it but have the Czech lines too (at least what I think them to be, my Czech is not perfect).

Ústa mít jak led když srdce plát chce žárem To have a mouth like ice when the heart wants to burn in the heat

proč měl bych spívat co chce svět a plýtvat tak svým darem why should I sing what the world wants and waste my gift like that?

proč mám se vám všem podbízet a dál důl přetékat  why do I have to pander to all of you and keep flooding the mine? (I struggled with whether he really sings důl but it makes the most sense)

vždyť nikdo z vás neví níc, to co písní chci říct to vím nejlíp jen já sám when none of you knows anything, what I want to say with the song only I myself know best

co v písních se spívá musíš mezi řádky číst what is sung in the songs, you have to read between the lines

dost slov chci dát ti víc there are many more words I want to give to you

z mých rtů čti co chci říct read from my lips what I want to say

z mých rtů teď vem si víc now take more from my lips for yourself (while “vem si” is the usual way to say “take”, the reflexive “si” refers to the taker, so I wanted to point that out with “take it for yourself”, bc ugh)

tak vem si víc come on, take more for yourself

so yeah... kinda intense

And then:

English: "You see people. For what they are, not what they pretend to be." Czech: "You see people. Who they are, not what they want to be." Gives me aching heart disease.

Episode 3

English: "You can't play a player." Czech: "You can't cheat a cheater." Cheater more as in someone who betrays. Czech Jaskier (Marigold) sure thinks less of Radovid than the English one.

English: "He's hiding something." Czech: "He's hiding something from me."

Sadly, he does not refer to him as little spoon, although he could have easily.

English: "Crushes are for children, darling." Czech: "Love is for children.” (before this line they did talk about crushes) Oof ouch ouchie

Episode 4

English: "Just saying that makes you braver than you know." Czech: "That alone makes you braver." Thats one of the instances where the correct translation just didn’t fit but I did have to laugh. Being scared makes you brave apparently.

English: “You learned my song.” Czech: "That is my song." Internet Explorer Moment

Thankfully, the word play with taking him inside and taking him here works out perfectly and I love it. Just a bit more of that sweet sweet “vem si” action.

Episode 6

(this one is rough)

English: "Because that is who you are, Radovid, at your core. I thought I had seen through your mask, turns out there was nothing behind it." Czech: "You simply are like that, Radovid. You're a crook. I saw through your mask long ago, and that there is nothing behind it." LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE THAT SOUNDED DIFFERENT LAST NIGHT MARIGOLD. He’s bitter af

Episode 7

grammatically, Radovid is still looking for his guards as he’s cowering next to their corpses, which I found great

English: "We have to get you out of here." Czech: "We have to get out of here." Not Jaskier getting Radovid’s hopes up like that.

English: "Plans change." Czech: "I am changing my plan." More false hopes

English: "I don't know what happens next." - "Just let me be there with you. Prove that im more than a mask." Czech: "It's hard to say what will happen." - "Then take me with you. Maybe I am more than a mask." NOT ONLY the “come with me” to “tell me where to meet you” to “take me with you” pipeline that is SENDING me but also the fact Radovid seems to admit he doesn’t know himself if he can be good? Had more feelings abt this than I should have had.

Episode 8

English: "I am not staying." Czech: "I cannot stay." PAIN.

And last but not least:

English: "I finally found something that suits me. Someone. And he needs my help." Czech: "I finally found a use for me. Someone who I want to help." I love that the Czech wording refers more to being useful than finding something that suits him, and that not only does Jaskier need his help, but he wants to help him. Idk man I just think that’s neat.

Radskier dialogue nuances in different languages

So I have been rewatching The Witcher in French recently and some of the changed lines stuck out to me, in the interactions between Radovid and Jaskier in particular. So i figured I'd compile my favourites from the translated versions I've seen so far here and compare their meaning to the original. I've also included some of the German lines since I'm German and I got curious!

Disclaimer: I'm just a guy who speaks a bunch of languages, don't expect overly technical linguistic wizardry here. Also this is not about the voice actors' skill or how well the lines are matched up to lip movements, strictly about the little changes in meaning when you take the translations literally! All meant to be in good fun.

Since this is about the season 3 dialogue, there are spoilers ahead.

This is going to be a long post so buckle up!

Season 3 in general: The way Jaskier and Radovid address one another

English (original): both use "you" which makes sense of course

French: Jaskier uses "vous" (the formal "you") for Radovid and Radovid uses "tu" (the casual "you") for Jaskier until they have sex in episode 4. When they talk the morning after in episode 6, they're both using "tu".

German: both use "Ihr" and the other formal derivatives for one another throughout (Even Geralt and Jaskier address each other formally the whole time. I'm not a fan)

Episode 1: Jaskier and Radovid meet

The dialogue here is generally very close, just two little things between the original and the German version I want to point out.

English (Jaskier): Fuck, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to… Bow? Or curtsy, or… I’ve been holding your hand a long time, so sorry about that.

German (Jaskier): Shit, I don't know if I'm supposed to bow or be polite... I've been holding your hand for too long, forgive me ("bow or be polite"?? HUH?)

English (Radovid): If your time at court’s been staid, you’ve been doing it wrong

German (Radovid): If your time at court has been too calm/quiet, something went wrong ([gay silence])

Episode 2: specifically Extraordinary Things

I've put the different lyrics as rather direct translations in the pictures below. They're also written out in the alt text. The French ones are a little more pointed compared to the original imo, I like that version a lot. I'm not sure how I feel about the German version but the first line did make me giggle.

Episode 3: Jaskier talks to Vespula about Radovid

I love this scene for many reasons. I have two things to point out about this.

The first thing is that while in the English and French version, Jaskier says that he and Radovid have only met twice, in the German version he says that he and Radovid don't even know each other.

The second thing is that in the English and German version, Jaskier calls Radovid a spoon and he does in the French version as well. However, he specifies Radovid is a "little spoon" here. Need I say more?

Episode 4: the scene in the shed

Ah, the scene of all time. Before the other scene of all time in episode 6. A few things about this one. The first thing is a very small change in the French version:

English (Jaskier, after Radovid admits he's scared): Just saying that makes you braver than you know.

French (Jaskier, after Radovid admits he's scared): The fact you're admitting that proves you are brave

The second thing bothered me more because it isn't really a subtle change. Both in English and French, Jaskier says Radovid has "learned [his] song", but in German he says Radovid "knows [his] song". The German line here isn't saying that Radovid "knows" the song as in he knows how to play it (from hearing and watching Jaskier play it for him once, mind you), the way it's said makes it sound like Radovid has just heard the song before.

The third thing is what they're saying right after the kiss. Unfortunately with the slightly changed lines for Jaskier we don't get the clever connection between Jaskier talking about taking Radovid into the cabin and Radovid asking Jaskier to take him (sexually).

English (Jaskier): I can't take you inside, I'm sorry.

English (Radovid): Then take me here.

French (Jaskier): The cabin is occupied, I'm sorry.

French (Radovid): Then take me here.

German (Jaskier): We can't go inside, I'm sorry.

German (Radovid): Then take me here.

Episode 6: the morning after

The German version is the same as the original here.

English (Jaskier to Radovid): I thought I’d seen through your mask. Turns out there was nothing behind it.

French (Jaskier to Radovid): I thought I had lifted the veil from your soul. But I found nothing but darkness beneath that façade

The subtle differences in the French version on the other hand not only make the pain a little different, it also includes an allusion of sorts to that version of Extraordinary Things with Jaskier talking about Radovid's soul. At least that's how I saw it. Ouch!

Episode 7: the moment where Jaskier finds Radovid at Thanedd

All three versions here make me want to cry. That's all.

English (Radovid): Just let me be there with you. Prove that I’m more than a mask.

English (Jaskier): Maybe.

French (Radovid): Just let me stay with you and show you what is beneath this façade.

French (Jaskier): Why not.

German (Radovid): Just let me be with you and show my true self.

German (Jaskier): Maybe.

[sixteenthshen]

Word of Honor Interview (1)

There’s another Word of Honor interview (by ifeng.com) with the scriptwriter, and this time, also with director Cheng Zhichao. It’s written like a proper article this time, so I’ll translate excerpts from it.

On the ending credits song 天涯客* (listen on YT)

Both director Cheng Zhichao and scriptwriter Xiao Chu have endless praise for the two lead actors. Both actors get along very well on the set, and they also sang the postlude song together.

The song was something that Cheng Zhichao had looked forward to from the start. “Because I felt that they were both very well suited for their roles, and I knew that Zhang Zhehan had experience in musicals professionally, I’ve also heard that he has had concerts and things like that.”    

In reality, when he listened to the song after (the actors) recorded it, “the first time I heard Gong Jun’s singing... I was ‘amazed’.”

During filming, Gong Jun would often complain about the standard of his singing, but at the time, Cheng Zhichao had never heard him sing before, “so this was why when the song was completed, I had dared to listen to it.”

It took Xiao Chu (scriptwriter) two to three hours to finish writing it. She had so much that she wanted to say to the characters, and there were so many things that Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing wanted the audience to know. She hid them all between the lines of the lyrics.

As to whether the audience can accept these things, Xiao Chu again replied using a quote from the drama, “how can it be possible to please everyone; all I seek is to have no regrets*”.

T/N: Shameless self promotion of the super lovely lyrics that WKX sang (to ZZS)

*Youku is being a dick and not giving us the official title in English **岂能尽如人意，但求无愧于心, it’s a slight variation on a famous motto since ancient times in China. If you watch wuxia and even xianxia dramas subbed, you’ve probably heard it being and not realized what it is. It’s in Jin Yong’s Condor Heroes, in Legend of Fei, cql and more.

[hd-learns-korean]

Musical Monday: Week 5!

Hey all! I hope everyone is doing Ok. Today I’m back with another musical Monday. This song is another recommendation and I think it’s great! Thank you so much for the fab song choice! 🥳

Song: New by Yves (Loona) 

Genre: Definite K-pop

My thoughts on the song: What a great summer bop is all I can say! Just the jam I was looking for. (God I sound so old!🤦‍♀️ )

 Just a note: I’ve used a few more Naver dictionary examples in this post  - Reason for this is because I know that I’m a langblr and I’m not a native speaker of Korean, so for study posts I wanna make sure that I at least get a couple of things right. Also you will be able to spot my own example sentences A MILE OFF! I mean I think if I said my own examples in real life I’d for sure get laughed at! 😅 

So if you spots any mistakes lemme know so I can fix ‘em! Thanks guys! 

Ok everybody Lets get this study train started! Hoot Hoot! 

👀뜨다 – 1.)To open one’s eyes/ to be awakened 2.) to hear/ to catch/ to understand

🎁Present Tense:  떠, 떠요, 뜹니다

⏰Past Tense: 떴어, 떴어요, 떴습니다

🔮Future Tense: 뜰 거야, 뜰 거예요, 뜰 겁니다

👀👀바라보다 1.) to look/ to watch/ to stare 2.) to hope

🎁Present Tense: 바라봐, 바라봐요, 바라봅니다

⏰Past Tense: 바라봤어, 바라봤어요, 바라봤습니다

🔮Future Tense: 바라볼 거야, 바라볼 거예요, 바라볼 겁니다

하늘을 바라보다 to look up at the sky

✨😎눈부시다 1.) dazzling/ glaring/ blinding 2.) be brilliant/ be gorgeous

🎁Present Tense:  눈부십니다,  눈부셔요, 눈부셔, 

⏰Past Tense: 눈부셨어, 눈부셨어요, 눈부셨습니다

🔮Future Tense: 눈부시겠어,  눈부시겠어요,  눈부시겠습니다

Examples from Naver:

눈부신 태양 the glaring sun

눈부신 재능 splendid talents

🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️다가가다 to approach/ to go near 2.) to get close/ to become close

🎁Present Tense: 다가가, 다가가요, 다가갑니다

⏰Past Tense: 다가갔어, 다가갔어요, 다가갔습니다

🔮Future Tense: 다가갈 거야, 다가갈 거예요, 다가갈 겁니다

Examples I found on Naver: 

다가가 말하다 approach and speak

창가로 다가가다 approach the window seat

💫되다 1.) to become 2.) to change into 3.) to reach/ attain/ pass 4.) measure/ total/ amount to 5.) be done/ be completed 6.) consist of/ be composed of 7.) be enough/ be sufficient 8.) run out of 9.) grow

🎁Present Tense: 돼, 돼요, 됩니다

⏰Past Tense: 됐어, 됐어요, 됐습니다

🔮Future Tense: 될 거야, 될 거예요, 될 겁니다

Examples: I found these on Naver

2에 3을 더하면 5가 된다 two and three makes five

요리가 다 되었다 cooking is done

물질은 원자로 되어 있다 matter is composed of atoms

백 원만 있으면 됩니다 a hundred won will be enough

연료가 다 되었다 the gasoline (fuel) has run out

버릇이 되다 grow into a habit

부자가 되다 become rich

봄이 되었다 spring has come

🎨물들다 – 1.) to be dyed/ to be tinged 2.) to be influenced/ to be affected

Examples I found on Naver: 

그녀의 두 뺨이 붉게 물들었다 her cheeks turned red.

악에 물들다 be infatuated with evil

습관에 물들다 fall into a habit.

🥤채우다 1.) to fill up/ pack up 2/) serve out/ meet/ make/ fulfil

🎁Present Tense: 채워, 채워요, 채웁니다

⏰Past Tense: 채웠어, 채웠어여, 채웠습니다

🔮Future Tense: 채울 거야, 채울 거예요, 채울 겁니다 

Examples I found on Naver:

병에 물을 채우다 fill up a bottle with water

빈칸을 채우다 fill in the blanks

계약 기간을 채우다 see one’s contract through

🙅‍♀️🙅‍♂️💰초라하다 to be shabby/ poor/ humble 2.) to be insignificant/ pathetic

Examples I found on Naver

초라한 옷 shabby clothes

초라하게 살다 to be badly off

🍨달콤하다 1.) sweet 2.) honeyed/ sugared

Examples I found on Naver: 

맛이 달콤하다 to taste sweet

달콤한 말 sweet talk

달콤하게 말하다 talk in a wheedling tone

달콤한 말에 넘어가다 fall for somebody’s sweet talk

달콤한 미소 a sweet smile

🌺🌼🌻피어나다 1.) To bloom 2.) to rekindle, burn again 3.) come back to life 4.) Get better

Examples I found on naver: 

꽃이 피어나다 flowers bloom

My example: 봄과 여름에서 꽃이 피어나다. Flowers bloom in spring and summer.

⬅➡다르다 different/ dissimilar

Examples I found on naver: 

다른 방법은 없다 there’s no other choice

약간 다르다 slightly different/ somewhat different

완전히 다르다 completely different

다른 different, dissimilar, unlike anything else

🔦비추다 1.) shine a light 2.) reflected 3.) compare with/ check with 4.) drop a hint

🎁Present Tense:비춰, 비춰요, 비춥니다

⏰Past Tense: 비췄어, 비췄어요, 비췄습니다

🔮Future Tense: 비출 거야, 비출 거예요, 비출 겁니다

Examples I found on Naver: 

불빛이 비추다 the light shines

햇볕이 비추다 the sun shines

촛불을 비추다 light a candle

속마음을 비추다 show one’s innermost thoughts

🤷‍♀️묻다 1.) ask/inquire 2.) blame

🎁Present Tense: 물어/ 묻어, 물어요/묻어요, 묻습니다

⏰Past Tense: 물었어/ 묻었어, 물었어요/ 묻었어요, 물었습니다/ 묻었습니다

🔮Future Tense: 물을 거야/ 묻을 거야, 물을 거예요/ 묻을 거예요, 물을 겁니다/ 묻을 겁니다. 

Side note grammar form: ~에게 묻다 ask me ….

My own examples:

미나 씨, 도움이 필요하면 저에게 물어보세요. Mina if you need any help, ask me.

��차갑다 1.)cold/ chilly/ icy 2.) be cold- hearted

🎁Present Tense: 차가워, 차가워요, 차갑습니다

⏰Past Tense: 차가웠어, 차가웠어요, 차가웠습니다 

🔮Future Tense: 차가울 거야, 차가울 거예요, 차가울 겁니다

Examples I found on Naver: 

커피가 차갑게 식었다 the coffee has turned cold

그는 나의 질문에 차갑게 대답했다 he answered my questions coldly

얼음처럼 차가운 as cold as ice

차가운 눈으로 쳐다보다 look at a person coldly

날씨가 차갑다 the weather is cold

차갑게 굴다 behave coldly

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️뛰다 1.) run/ dash 2.) Jump/ skip/ hop 3.) soar/ skyrocket

🎁Present Tense: 뛰어, 뛰어요, 뜁니다

⏰Past Tense: 뛰었어, 뛰었어요, 뛰었습니다

🔮Future Tense: 뛸 거야, 뛸 거예여, 뛸 겁니다

Examples I found on Naver: 

전속력으로 뛰다 run as fast as one can go

최근에 휘발유 가격이 많이 뛰었다 The price of petrol has shot up recently.

기뻐서 뛰다 jump for joy

🤝닿다 1.) touch/ reach/ brush 2.) arrive/ get 3.) connections with a person

🎁Present Tense: 닿아, 닿아요, 닿습니다

⏰Past Tense: 닿았어, 닿았어요, 닿았습니다

🔮Future Tense: 닿을 거야, 닿을 거예요, 닿을 겁니다

Examples I found on Naver: 

천장에 닿다 reach to the ceiling

서울에 닿다 arrive in Seoul

손에 닿다 reach one’s hand

표면에 닿다 touch a surface

🤸‍♀️🤸‍♂️뻗다 1.) Reach 2.) stretch 3.) expand 4.) informal meaning ‘knocked out’ / sprawl out

🎁Present Tense: 뻗어, 뻗어요, 뻗습니다

⏰Past Tense: 뻗었어, 뻗었어요, 뻗었습니다

🔮Future Tense: 뻗을 거야, 뻗을 거예요, 뻗을 겁니다

다들 술에 취해 뻗어 있었다 Everyone was drunk and out of it/ everyone was sprawled out drunk. (Sounds like a good old English work party then?!) 

하늘로 뻗다 stretch out into the sky.

🥰맘 1.) personality 2.) mind 3. )feeling

Examples I found on Naver

맘이 넓다. Have a broad heart

맘이 좋다 I feel good

고운 맘 a tender heart

미안한 맘 feeling sorry

맘이 무겁다 to have a heavy heart

맘이 불안하다 to feel uneasy

맘을 가라앉히다 settle one’s mind

맘을 풀다. Blow one’s mind

My own examples:

‘부장님의 말 듣기후에, 저는 맘이 불안했습니다.’ After listening to the manager, I felt uneasy.

좋은 뉴스를 듣기후에, 저는 지금 맘을 가라앉히 수 있어요. After listening to the good news, I can calm down now.

내 남자친구는 고운 맘 있어요. My boyfriend has a sweet heart.

🤏겨우 1.) barely/ narrowly 2.) only, just, nearly, no more, at most

Examples I found on Naver:

겨우겨우 살아가다 barely make ends meet/ keep the wolf from the door

이제 겨우 7시다 it’s only seven o’clock

겨우 달아나다 barely escape

겨우 달래다. Barely appease

😘😏유혹 Temptation/ lure/ allurement

Examples I found on Naver: 

유혹적인 제의 an inviting/ seductive offer

유혹을 견디다 resist temptation

유혹에서 벗어나다 free oneself from temptation

🖐👏🤟짓 1.) act 2.) motion/ wave/ gesture

Examples I found on Naver: 

바보 같은 짓 하지 마라 don’t act like a fool

손짓 a wave

눈짓 a look

🔝위 1.)  top 2.) superior authority

Examples I found on Naver: 

위를 보세요 look above (you)

그 책은 선반 위에 있다 the book is on the shelf

저는 위에서 시키는 대로 했을 뿐입니다 I only follow orders from above/ I just did what they told me to do.

위에 above/ over

맨 위의 the uppermost

🤏🤏점점 gradually/ increasingly

Examples I found on Naver:

점점 더 워지다 be getting hotter

길은 점점 험해졌다 the road became steeper and steeper

점점 희미해지다 fade away

⏰그때 1.) that time/ those days 2.) at the time

Examples I found on Naver: 

좋아요, 그럼 그때 봐요 okay, I’ll see you then.

마침 그때 just at the moment

그때까지 by that time/ theretofore

처럼 like/ as though/ as if

I found these examples on Naver

돈을 물처럼 쓰다 spend money like water

평소처럼 as usual

그는 억만장자나 된 것처럼 말한다 he talks as if he’s a billionaire

너처럼 just like you

🤷‍♀️🤷‍♂️듯 – a  noun that indicates the speakers guess

I found these examples on Naver

알 듯 말 듯 like I know or not

사실인 듯 이야기하다 speak as if it were true

할 듯 말 듯 like it’s going to do

공기 1.) air 2.) atmosphere

Examples I found on Naver: 

공기를 들이마시다 breathe in/ inhale

공기의 aerial

상큼한 공기 cool crisp air

오염된 공기 polluted air

💖심장 1.) heart 2.) nerve/ cheek/ guts

Examples I found on Naver: 

심장이 빠르게 뛰었다 my heart was pounding

심장의 cardiac

심장이 강하다 be bold/ be cheeky

심장이 약하다 be timid/ faint-hearted

👸🤴당당히 1.) fairly, squarely, grandly, bravely 2.) in a dignified manner/ with pomp and glory

당당히 행동하다 act with confidence

기세가 당당하다 be in high – spirits

⏰순간 A moment / an instant

Examples I found on Naver: 

감동적인 순간 a touching moment

겁나는 순간 a scary moment

긴장된 순간 a tense moment

재미있는 순간 a funny moment

짧은 순간 a brief moment

순간적인 momentary

🌞태양 the sun

태양의 solar

🌋🔥타버린 burnt – out

🧭새벽녘 around dawn/ towards dawn

🔍거울 mirror

Examples I found on Naver:

손거울 hand mirror

전신거울 full-size mirror

백미러 rearview mirror

거울을 보다 Look into a mirror

My examples: 오늘은 시장에서 예쁜 손거울이 샀어요. I bought a pretty hand mirror at the market today.

😁얼굴 Face

Example I found on Naver: 

얼굴을 씻다 wash own face

얼굴을 찡그리다 grimace/ frown/scowl

각진 얼굴 angular shaped face

계란형 얼굴 oval shaped face

둥근 얼굴 round shaped face

My examples: 그 배우는 정말 각진 얼굴이 있지! 그는 광대뼈들은 칼 같아요!   The actor has such an angular face! His cheekbones are like knives! (Sorry, sorry I know my examples are kinda out there...but daymn this imaginary actor sounds SHARP!) 

🤷‍♀️🤷‍♂️누구 1.) who 2.) somebody’s 3.) I

Examples I found on Naver: 

누구 차례입니까? Whose turn is it?

누구 놀리니? Are you kidding me?

누구 앞에서 함���로 입을 놀려? You have no idea who you're talking to (A little bit of a sass mouth *snap snap*)

There we go guys another weeks study list completed! I hope you guys had fun reading it and find it helpful for studying with. Just a heads up though, I’m still a beginner so my translations may be a little rusty! Thank God for Naver dictionary and it’s plentiful examples! Also for all the words I break down here, I recommend searching for them on the Naver dictionary cos there a ton more examples and example sentences. 

I have also used Verbix to help find the verb conjugations. 

Right I’m off now to sing this song again  into my wooden spoon and pretend I’m in a 노래방. (I’m so sorry neighbours! Please forgive me for my horrendous singing!) 😅

Happy Studying! x 

Gifs: are not created by me. All credit should go to the original creators. I just found the gifs on tumblr. 

[broccolettuce]

prinxiety or Logince In the rain! like dancing or kissing or just generally having a good time!

Romance in the Rain

Warnings: None

Words: 1025

For a while now, Roman had a crush, but he wanted something more than that. He loved Virgil. He loved him more than roses, more than the beautiful singing of birds, even more than Disney.

Every time he looked at him, his heart fluttered and he couldn’t help but grin. He began to make random excuses to be around Virgil. Every moved the anxious side made, everything he said was so perfect to Roman. Roman couldn’t look away. (Except when Virgil caught him staring)

Roman was the romantic side, so of course he knew what this meant.

He had to ask Virgil out! He wanted Virgil to be his so much. So badly! Just the thought of it was enough to make him smile as he sat at his desk. It was covered in papers. Each held writing or a drawing about Ro’s plan to ask Virgil to date him.

“Ah ha, I got it!” Roman exclaimed before grabbing another piece of paper.

Roman would take Virgil to the Imagination. But, where and what scene? It had to be something that Virgil would enjoy, but also something Roman liked too.

Maybe a ballroom? No. As much as Roman liked it, Virgil wouldn’t. A library? Too quiet and not really either of their styles. A movie theater? No again..

Then Roman remembered the storm cloud on Virgil’s hoodie. That’s it! What if Roman brought Virgil out into a storm- Wait, no. Too much rain. Then what about making it just a slight sprinkle. And what’s more romantic than a picnic? He made a mental note to bring an umbrella or two.

Roman spent the rest of the day planning every detail whether it was major or minor.

                                          ~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was around noon the next day. Patton was busy in the kitchen making lunch. Logan was reading a book on the couch. And next to him, Virgil was on his phone.It was actually pretty rare for Virgil to be out of his room. Maybe this meant he was in a good mood!

Roman walked up, “ Hey, Virgil, can you help me with something?” He was surprisingly nervous. Luckily, he was a great actor and didn’t show it.

Virgil looked up, kinda annoyed, “What?”

“Relax,Penny Dreadful, it’s just something in the Imagination.”

“Can’t you get Logan or Patton to help instead?”

“I need your, um, expertise. Only someone as talented as you can help me.”

“Really?” Rolling his eyes, Virgil got up and pocketed his phone, “Fine. But, if I’m eaten by a..dragon, I’m gonna loose it.”

“I promise you won’t get eaten by a dragon,” Roman sighed.

“Or if I-”

“Or attacked by a manticore-chimera.”

Virgil opened his mouth to retort once more.

“Or cursed by the dragonwitch. You know what? Maybe, it’s easier to say that it’s not dangerous at all.”

“Okay, fine.” Virgil shoved his hands into his jacket pockets accepting his defeat, “Let’s go.”

Roman didn’t say much as he lead Virgil to his room and that obviously alerted him. In hindsight, Roman should’ve expected that.

“So,… what are we doing?” Virgil asked as they entered the room.

“You’ll see.” Roman mustered up a smile before conjuring an umbrella. It was big enough for the two of them and was a lovely mixture of red and purple.

“And you’ll probably want this.” He said handing the umbrella to Virgil.

Without saying anything, Virgil reluctantly took it. Roman opened the door to the Imagination.

Virgil eyes widened as he took in the scene. It was cloudy, but not too dark. Rain sprinkled from the sky creating a beautiful sound. With the added sound of nature, it sounded like a symphony. The smell of wet earth floated in the air. But the part that surprised Virgil the most was the picnic that was set up in the middle of the clearing under an umbrella.

“Um, what’s going on?” Virgil questioned.

Roman took his hand gently, allowing his romantic side to take over. Yet, his heart still pounded in his chest.

“You’ll see.”

Virgil was hesitant but allowed Roman to lead him towards the blanket.

Virgil gave him a questioning look. Roman vanished the umbrella Virgil was holding as he sat both himself and Virge down under the bigger one. He used the moment to quickly go over the plans and rehearse it one last time in his head. He took Virgil’s hands (mostly to hold them still).

Now’s the time to confess his feelings. He had to take the chance.

“Virgil…”

“Y-yeah?”

“I really like you.. a lot really. I..love you, Virgil. I suppose I should just hurry up and ask: Will you date me…please?”

Virgil just stared at him for a second, blush forming on his pale cheeks. Then a smile grew. He covered his smile with his sleeve. Roman half expected some retort, but was surprised when Virgil hugged him.

“S-sure.”

Roman was overcome with joy. He gave Virgil a soft kiss on his head. They sat there for a while. It could’ve been a minute or an hour. Roman didn’t care. He had his boyfriend in his arms.

“It’s…nice.” Virgil spoke up.

“Isn’t it?” This got a small laugh out of Virge.

Roman half reluctantly let Virgil go and got up.

Extending a hand to Virgil he said, “Care to dance?”

Virgil slowly got up and took his hand, “I should’ve expected that from you, Princey.”

The rain and nature sounds became even more musical. Plus, it sounded like an invisible orchestra started to play. Out from under the umbrella and exposed to the rain, they held each other close and swayed to the music. They didn’t mind the rain as it dampened their clothes at all. It was nice. Maybe even fun. Roman even became brave enough to twirl Virgil a couple times.

“I was actually thinking about asking you out but I was too…” Virgil started.

“Anxious?”

“Yeah. I’m glad you asked me first.”

“Me too!”

They continued dancing until Virgil gained enough courage. He quickly (but gently) dipped Roman and kissed him as the music seemed to crescendo and the rain continued to fall around them.

//This is my first time writing romance so I hope it’s okay. Also, I’m so sorry this took so long. I hope you enjoyed reading it though. 

Taglist:

@stop-it-anxiety (I know you were the one to send the ask, but I’ll tag you anyways lol)

If you want to be added to the taglist, feel free to message me, comment, or send an ask. 

[reachfortheskiespeeps]

The Meeting

FANFICTION BY: ''You know who you are ; ))'' AU: #actorAU PAIRING: MIKHAIL x ARCHER (aka HS!AU Adult Emilio's actor and HS!AU Adult Abel's actor)

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛

((A/N: I ended up writing this before the one I initially thought to do, I swear this is much tamer than the other 😂 Sorry to disappoint, no spicy scenes, maybe next time XD Thank you Eszii for your spicy art, I just about burst into flames from it 💞

It’s this ship again, Mikhail x Archer, bc I am currently in love with them. I don’t think I’ll get over them for a while. I wanna write about them going through classic shoujo tropes, like, idk, beach episode? xmas episode? kabedon? ‘A got sick so B took care of A’? Gimme ideas y'all. I wanna keep writing while I have the motivation to do so, since I’ve had a dry spell for a year now 😂

One thing to note before getting started, Idk how to phrase it, but basically this fic is not in chronological order–but also yes bc it’s in the order i wrote it–I hope it’s not too confusing. Aight happy reading!))

——

Mikhail loves leaving butterfly kisses and hickeys all over Archer’s soft and fair body. He has his favorite areas, which are evident from how many and how deep they are, so Archer can’t even look at his reflection without blushing. Mikhail likes the sight of his lover covered in marks he made, knowing it was he who made them. While he does want to make it known that Archer is his, he doesn’t cause trouble by leaving marks on areas impossible to cover. On days when Archer isn’t busy, Mikhail is given free reign to kiss wherever he wished. He doesn’t want Archer getting hurt, so he rarely makes blatant bite marks, and the only times he did that was because Archer was being naughty and had to be taught a 'lesson’. (Although Archer didn’t seem very hurt by them, and instead….)

Archer, on the other hand, likes biting Mikhail’s hard body. He bites, he scratches, he licks. He did it the first time because he was being pouty and petty–it’s tough being the receiver ya know? And Mikhail just lets him because he’s cute and it’s kinda hot to feel his fangs sinking in like that. But then Archer got used to doing it and eventually did it because Archer noticed that Mikhail seemed to like being bitten (by none other than him, of course). He once caught Mikhail looking at his body on the mirror with a happy little tug on the corner of his lips, looking very much like a content Big Bad Wolf. Archer could almost see an imaginary tail wagging. He loves Mikhail’s body for all its glory and imperfections, even if the man himself didn’t, so leaving those marks on him was one of Archer’s many ways to show affection.

So one day when Mikhail shows up to work without bothering to cover up (it wasn’t noticeable anyway, his dark skin, tattoos and intimidating aura was enough for people not to look long enough to notice anything), Logan, who was beside Mikhail getting prepared for a scene, saw a small portion of scratch marks on his chest, the rest hidden by the v-neck shirt Mikhail wore.

And before he could stop his mouth, Logan found himself asking, “You have a cat, Mikhail?” Yuki, who was in the room with them too, looked up from reading his script upon hearing the brave attempt of Logan to converse with Mikhail. He didn’t join them, but he sat there, just listening in on their conversation. He didn’t have the guts that Logan had, but he was still interested to see how their conversation would go.

Mikhail looked at him–it was an ordinary glance but Logan still almost flinched. “Oh?”

'It was a gentler reply than I expected,’ Yuki thought. 'He is in a good mood?’

Logan seemed to think that as well, so he carried on the conversation. “Since when did you have it? Did you get it vaccinated yet? Some cats are just really playful, they don’t mean to be naughty, so it’s better to be patient and discipline them when–”

“Why do you think I have a cat?” Mikhail interrupted.

“Hm? Ah, I saw the scratch on your chest. What does your cat look like, by the way?”

Mikhail thought about it before he answered. “Pretty, soft, round, and pure white, got some claws, but never intends to hurt me. It’s cute.”

“And the eyes?” Logan eagerly asked.

“Hypnotic.” Mikhail unconsciously smiled, though Logan didn’t seem to notice, too happy to talk to the man in a pleasant manner. “Makes the cutest sounds too.”

But Yuki did.

“You must really love your cat huh?” Logan, as well as the silent Yuki, was surprised to know that Mikhail had a soft side. Well, not so surprised. He’s only ever truly obedient to Archer, whether the two of them noticed it or not.

Mikhail thought back to the man resting at home. Archer’s next scene was scheduled for tomorrow, so he had enough time to recover the energy he lost.

Mikhail played with his 'cat’ a bit too much last night. His clothes hid the many marks all over his chest and back made by his oh so cute little cat who grew resentful of Mikhail’s stamina, yet still unable to withstand mewling to his irresistible charm.

With a mischievous smile, Mikhail said, “I do.”

—-

Bonus:

After the shoot, in the shower rooms.

Yuki’s reaction when he saw Mikhail’s back: やっぱりね~ [Yappari ne~] Not a ネコ [neko], but a こいびと [koibito]…. Well, maybe both.

((A/N: Fun fact, neko in Japanese slang can also mean the “bottom” in a relationship. The more you know~

Can you guys recommend some sexy songs? I need background music for when I write stuff like this lol))

——

The first time Mikhail 'met’ Archer, it was on the radio. He was in his car, driving alone to a destination that no upright citizen should have any business with. He wasn’t in a good mood. Everything ticked him off–the traffic that he’d already passed, the voices on the radio who thought they were being funny, the sun blazing high up in the cloudless sky. He turned the radio off because it was annoying, but the goddamn silence left him with too much space to think. He needed a distraction. So he turned it back on and chose a random station.

“–by Archer Charles,” after the introduction, a pleasant-sounding voice thanked and began to sing live.

When Mikhail heard that voice, he sharply inhaled through his nose, his slightly dry lips parting.

Mikhail was not very good at describing. He could only say what he felt upon listening to Archer’s voice. Mikhail, who had been irate, was awestruck. He had never heard a voice so…. erotic. It’s not that the song itself was sexy or whatever, but there was something about that voice that made him….

'Ah.’

“Damn.” Mikhail cursed when he looked down to check his pants. “Almost.”

Mikhail heaved a deep breath to calm himself down.

'Charles Archer, was it?’

Ever since then, he became a fan of Archer. He kept this interest a secret from his colleagues; he didn’t want to hear their ribbing. He supported the singer the best he could and eventually, an opportunity arised for him to meet Archer at last.

He took a day off and even disguised himself to look as normal and harmless as possible for a man of his stature. Of course, he got his hands on a backstage pass. It wasn’t difficult to get for someone like him. He asked the staff if it was possible for him to meet the singer before the concert, because despite having taken a day off for today, Mikhail was concerned he would have to cut his holiday short. What if there was an emergency at work halfway through the concert? No, he’ll make use of this backstage pass, he would make sure he wouldn’t leave this place without meeting Archer.

At least, that’s what he thought before hearing his voice.

They were separated by the door he was about to open, but he could clearly hear an angel from behind this flimsy slab of wood. Mikhail knew from Archer’s instagram story yesterday that he was singing a song from an animated movie he just watched and he really loved it. Archer sung the song slowly, gently, as if lulling a child to sleep, and yet it did not lose its cheer.

“I’ll swim and sail on savage seas With never a fear of drowning And gladly ride the waves of life If you would marry me,

"No scorching sun nor freezing cold Will stop me on my journey If you will promise me your heart And love me for eternity,”

Oh. Oh. Mikhail covered his mouth with his hand, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks. The staff were buzzing around in preparation for the concert, but all he could hear was Archer’s voice.

“I have no use for rings of gold I care not for your poetry I only want your hand to hold I only want you near me,”

His hands were trembling–from what, he wasn’t sure. It was as if he had no control over his body. He felt parched, but at the same time, while listening to Archer, he felt so good. The best ever, after all these years. Like he was floating, higher and higher, Archer leading him by the hands, and Mikhail did not feel a shred of fear of falling.

“To love and kiss to sweetly hold For the dancing and the dreaming Through all life’s sorrows and delights I’ll keep your laugh beside me,

"I’ll swim and sail on savage seas With never a fear of drowning I’d gladly ride the waves so white If you will marry me!”

The heart he thought that had gone cold was reminding Mikhail of its presence when he heard the loud beating, as if his heart were right next his ears. His body seemed to throb achingly along with every beat.

Mikhail was brought back to earth when he felt the vibrating of his phone. It was the right decision to use the backstage pass early. He had to go back now.

'Meeting Archer will have to be moved. Again.’ Mikhail thought, changing out of the disguise in his car.

He was pissed that his work disturbed his time with Archer. Mikhail knew that after today, it wouldn’t be enough for him to just listen to his voice from a recording. He was being greedy, he knew, but he couldn’t help himself. After hearing his voice in real life, after almost seeing those mesmerizing scarlet eyes for himself, after being so close to meeting the reason he’s been sleeping well these past few months,

How could it be held against him to want more?

Mikhail had been mulling over this for a long time, but now he finally had the resolve to do so. He had enough power, he could do it.

Mikhail wanted to be with Archer.

But first, he had to go to Archer’s world.

—–

“I only want one person to play Abel.” Mikhail demanded.

The director raised an eyebrow, meeting Mikhail’s glare with a steady gaze. “I chose you because you’re a perfect fit for the role of Emilio, even though you’re a complete rookie.” Milo went back to looking at applicants for the role. “You’re in no place to make demands.” Milo retorted, disregarding the fact that Mikhail was the drama’s biggest sponsor. From the short time he’s known the man, he knew Mikhail wasn’t so unreasonable that he thought the world should bow to his whims because of money. However, he did have no qualms in using to his advantage the fear of people towards him due to the rumors of his ties to a gang.

“Archer. Archer Charles.” Mikhail took a drag of his cigarette, rudely blowing smoke to Milo’s direction, although they were on either ends of a long table so Milo didn’t mind.

Milo paused. The name that Mikhail said just so happened to be the one he was currently looking at. 'He looks…. good. A singer? Hmm.’ Archer was the one who had everything Milo was looking for in Abel. But he didn’t want to indulge that brat. He wouldn’t admit out loud that the one Mikhail recommended looked fit for the role.

“We’ll see in the auditions,” is what Milo finally said. “let them all act out a scene with you. The chosen actor for Abel should have good chemistry with Emilio’s actor.”

In contrast to what Milo predicted, Mikhail’s eyes gleamed, a slight smirk on his lips as he scoffed, “Chemistry? I’ll show you chemistry. Careful not to burn your pretty boy face,”

Milo smiled sweetly. “My my, how thoughtful of you.”

Mikhail held his cigarette in one hand, using the other to flip the director off. Milo mentally laughed at his juvenile response.

After three candidates, it was finally Archer’s turn. From the moment he entered the room, he brought with him a soothing aura and such a genuine smile that they couldn’t help but return the smile, easing the atmosphere in the room. From the corner of his eyes, Milo knew that Mikhail’s gaze never left the singer.

“You’re not being very subtle, you know?” Milo teased lowly.

“Mind your own damn business, pretty boy.” Mikhail would have snarled, but his eyes were still trained on the angelic singer in front of them, and he didn’t seem to be capable of showing a bad face in the presence of Abel. There was no way Archer couldn’t notice it, so Milo admired the way Archer didn’t seem to mind. That in itself already won him plus points; despite Mikhail’s unconcealed disinterest, the other candidates were still visibly nervous because of him. Regardless of what Archer thought of Mikhail, he didn’t outwardly show it.

Milo asked them to do two scenes–the first was a very short, simple scene compared to the others: Emilio coming home after two days and Abel comforting his touch-starved husband.

The scriptwriter was already losing her mind, soundlessly slapping the producer beside her. She spoke in a tone that was between a whisper and a squeal, “Oh my god, oh my god. They’re so perf I cannot even. They’re like, they’re like, so good together. Archer looks so soft and warm and white like rice, Mikhail is a mouth-watering dish, and together they make a complete meal!”

The second scene was not so innocent. To see how well they’d work together ad lib, they were not given any lines, just a scenario.

Abel in heat, in need of his alpha.

The judges watched, engrossed in the scene played out by the two. Archer’s wet, glassy eyes, flushed cheeks, panting and whimpering as he stared up at Mikhail, wordlessly pleading to be held. Mikhail, rigid for all but three seconds, scooped him into his arms, his unveiled desire lacing his husky voice and the almost feral look in his eyes. “I got you, babe.”

Archer went limp in his embrace, letting his whole weight be carried by Mikhail, arms reaching up to hug his neck. He rubbed his cheek against Mikhail’s neck, bare skin on bare skin, and let the words breathily escape from his mouth: “Please, dear, please, hmmm….”

At this point, the scriptwriter couldn’t hold her shrieking anymore, and so the spell was broken; Archer moved five steps away from Mikhail, who looked terribly displeased at the disturbance. “You got it! Oh honey, you’re perfect!” She stood up from her seat and enthusiastically gushed about the chemistry between the two.

The producer tugged her sleeve and reminded, “We have yet to discuss it together, keep your crazy down.” It is notable though, that the producer did not refute her words.

“Fine, let’s talk about it now. What does director think?” she turned to ask Milo.

Milo didn’t reply to her. Instead, he looked at Archer with a welcoming smile. “We start shooting next month, please call your manager in and we’ll discuss in more detail.”

The moment the cameras were rolling–no, even if they were off, sparks would still fly, that much the judges could tell. They were so perfect for the roles, they even pulled off not being cringy or awkward despite being relatively new to the acting business. It was because they complemented each other, both as themselves and the characters they portray.

Granted, Mikhail played favorites and didn’t do his best with the others trying out for the role, but what he had with Archer…. was unique. Together they were like a flame. They made anyone watching them feel like moths unable to look away from the bright and warm light, and anyone who gets too close will burn. Milo knew he struck gold with these two.

Milo looked at the innocent Archer and the devilish Mikhail. 'Poor kid. He’s not letting you go.’ Milo mentally smiled mischievously. 'Oh well, this will be fun to watch.’

—–

Bonus:

Archer, alone in a room: w h y, he was so cool, I was so flustered I couldn’t even look him in the eye, I’m so lame aaaaaahhhhh

—–

“I love it when you sing for me,” Mikhail says, his fingers tracing random patterns on his wife’s chest. “Even better when I make you sing.”

Archer shot an amused glance at his fiance, catching the man’s wandering hand on his chest because it was starting to tickle and make him shiver, and he was not about to be led into another round. Archer is determined to stand his ground this time, not to be affected by Mikhail’s seduction. It was his own stubbornness really, because it was so frustrating that he was the only one who always got flustered and unraveled.

But he has yet to learn his lesson, since he naively asked, “What’s the difference?”

Mikhail softly nips at Archer’s exposed collarbone, and Archer all but melts into a puddle when his irritatingly charming husband-to-be whispers, Mikhail’s lips against the helix of his ear: “Let’s find out, hm?”

Archer thinks to himself, 'Whatever, it’s not like he’s bad at it.’ When Archer has these kinds of thoughts, he feels even more embarrassed, and takes it out on Mikhail, the bad influence, by biting whatever part of his body Archer can reach at the moment.

And years after, as Archer reads a book on the large sofa while Mikhail naps with his head on Archer’s thicc lap, he realizes something about his husband.

Mikhail had the power to make Archer’s knees tremble in the most delightful way. He could make Archer reach the limits of his vocal range as they exercised. He could crumble Archer with a single, rare smile–a genuine smile, not a teasing grin or a provocative smirk, not that they don’t make him feel butterflies all the same.

But Archer, it belatedly dawned on him who made Mikhail that way. Archer roused the fire in Mikhail, made it hungry for him, made it want him. Archer didn’t just see it–he heard it, he felt it. Everyday, Mikhail would kiss him. He was not shy to say 'I love you’ contrary to everyone else’s expectations; he would hug Archer’s waist, bury his head on the crook of Archer’s neck, and mutter, 'I missed you’ or 'Come home soon’ when either of them became bogged with a packed schedule. Archer didn’t even know if Mikhail was conscious that he makes puppy dog eyes when doing those gestures.

Archer makes Mikhail melt.

He was notorious in the industry for the rumors of his ties to the yakuza, and it didn’t help that he looked the part and always answered ambiguously when asked. There was no media coverage about their tying the knot, perhaps thanks to Mikhail’s interference, but the people in their industry know. Most, who have never seen or worked with them together, didn’t believe it would last. They had even been worried about Archer getting hurt.

Hurt? By this defenseless, naughty, loving man?

Archer’s nails dug into the skin of his hands and assured them that his husband was not that kind of man. He smiled, but deep inside he was angry. Angry at them, but also at himself. Because once upon a time, he was scared of Mikhail too. Scared of him because of the rumors, scared of him because of his daunting build, scared of how easily Mikhail could break him, scared of how, despite all that, Mikhail was still so attractive in his eyes.

But Mikhail was gentle. Yes he was teasing and lewd, but he was always so sweet, so caring. Mikhail would cup his hands on Archer’s cheeks, staring in entertainment at how he made him blush, then kiss his pouting lips several times. And then, Mikhail would smile. His eyes curved, whatever harshness on his face melted away.

Archer still remembers the day he said yes.

Mikhail had never looked as nervous, then dumbfounded, then jubilant in a span of a minute. Mikhail grabbed him into a hug and spun him around, bursting with an unrestrained, happy laugh. If others saw Mikhail then, they would probably be weirded out and think he’s on some sort of drugs. He was never so positively expressive outside of acting out his role, and even then, most of them were directed at Archer. For Archer, it wasn’t strange at all. Mikhail slowly opens up to him for each day they are together, in the more frequent smiles, in the stories of his tattoos and the scars underneath. He knew Mikhail was only like that in front of him, and he felt so childish for feeling proud of it.

Mikhail put him back on his feet, arms still around his waist. They were forehead to forehead, eyes focused on the other pair, and Mikhail swore, “I’ll be good to you forever,”

Archer smiled. He had half the mind to think, 'Oh, he was a forever man. Such a romantic.’ He said, “I know. I’ll be good to you forever too,”

Archer ingrained in his memories the look of absolute joy and love on Mikhail.

Mikhail stirred from his nap. “Um…. hey.” the man blinked a couple of times. “Did you eat yet? Sorry, just wake me up next time.”

“It’s too early to eat, dear, it’s only been an hour. You came home in the morning, you should catch up on your sleep.” Mikhail always rushed home after an out of town job, unmindful of the jetlag and exhaustion that would follow.

“Yeah,” there was still sleep in Mikhail’s tone. Archer knew he would go back to sleep if he just closed his eyes.

“Why don’t you close your eyes?” At this point in their relationship, Archer was aware that Mikhail liked being spoiled, and he liked it even more when he could flirt like this with Archer.

“I want my goodnight kiss.” Mikhail said righteously.

Archer chuckled and bent down to place a chaste kiss on his husband’s lips.

He put a hand on Mikhail’s forehead, brushing away the stray strands of hair. “There, now go to sleep, dear.”

Mikhail hummed, evidently pleased, and obediently followed his wife’s demand.

As for whether Archer stole a kiss from his handsome sleeping husband, and whether Mikhail was actually asleep, that would be a secret they’d keep to themselves.

——

((A/N:

Q: If Mikhail is so tired since he rushed home, why are they resting on the sofa? Isn’t the bed more comfy?

A: The bed is broken. They have yet to buy a new bed because Abel wants Mikhail to learn to be more restrained. Mikhail is okay with it, since this time, he is thinking of testing the durability of the sofa, the table, the bathtub….))

Bonus:

Preparing for the wedding.

Archer: Dear, do you think I should wear a suit, or a gown?

Mikhail: Doesn’t matter.

Archer: ( • ^ • ) ?

Mikhail: I’ll be taking it off anway. ( =-= ) ✧

Archer: *sighs* I should’ve known. (〃 - 〃)

Mikhail: Wear whatever’s comfortable for you. You look beautiful in anything, even in nothing. Especially in nothing.

Archer: Mikhail! (⁄ ⁄>⁄ꇴ⁄<⁄ ⁄) … . *whispers* You too.

[metaphysical-human-being]

Roman

A/N: I wrote more fic because polotics and because the bees made me

Warnings: transphobia, horrible parenting, Remus being Remus, t-slur, swearing, crying, purposeful misgendering, tell me if there are more!

Ships: none

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

Roman checked his bag one more time. He needed to make sure he had everything. 

Shuffling through his bag he let out a long sigh before rushing into his bathroom. He was forgetting about toothpaste and toothbrush. 

"You sure you got everything? And you remember the code to use if it goes bad?" Jasmine, Romans best friend, said over the phone.

"Yeah, Jazz. I triple checked everything." Roman announced, placing his toothbrush in his bag along with his toothpaste. 

"Good, did you forget your sword?" Jazz asked. She knew how much he loved his sword.

"Nope! In my bag. Along with my keys, my masculine clothes, my binder -thanks for that, again. You're amazing- brush, shampoo, school stuff, my charger, toothbrush and toothpaste." He checked off. 

The girl chuckled. "Good. Can't forget that shampoo. I would let you borrow mine but my kinky ass hair shampoo is not gonna work with that white-boy hair you got." She said, smirk evident in her tone. 

"Oh ha ha," he mocked. She was always doing that but he didn't actually mind.

"Now," she got serious again. "Tell me the plan one more time."

"Okay," he took a seat on his bed. "I'mma put my stuff in my car and come out to my mom after dinner. If she reacts badly then I text you the code word-" 

"Which is?" She interrupted.

"Chicken butt. Then I drive to your house and stay at your place until my dad gets back from his trip. Then I tell him. If he reacts the same as my mom then I stay at your place. If he reacts how we think he will then I can just stay with my dad permanently. If my mom reacts well then I just stay at my place and tell my dad when he gets back." Roman explained, one more time. He knew this plan to heart, they've been planning it since he first told her when he was thirteen that he wasn't a girl. 

"Good. Good luck out there, soldier. I gotta go prepare your room in case she reacts the way we assume. Love ya, bye!" She hung up. 

Roman let out one more sigh before he heard a knock on his door. He looked up and saw his younger brother, Remus, standing there. 

"What do you want, peasant?" Roman asked, earning a glare from the younger boy. 

"Two things. One; what's that stuff on your bed? Two; dinner time." He said in his sing-song voice.

"None of your damn business and okay. I'll be down in a sec." Roman shot back. He didn't want his brother to know anything. He'd tell his mom immediately and the plan will have to happen early. 

"I would be nicer to me if I were you or I'll cut off your boobs, slice them up, bake them in a pie and feed it to you." The 12 year old hissed before flipping him the bird and running off downstairs. 

Roman grabbed his stuff and went downstairs, passed the kitchen and outside to his car. He got it from his dad when he first turned sixteen a couple months ago. It was old and not the best but it was his most prized possession for he knew that his father had been saving up the money since Roman was eight so he'd be able to have it for his sixteenth.  

Quickly, he placed his backpack in the passenger seat and briskly walked back inside. 

"Why'd you go outside?" His mother, Aleiya, asked. Her perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised as if asking him what he was up to this time.

Roman looked down at his phone in his hand. "I just left my phone in my car." He lied through his teeth. He's gotten good at it, being an actor and all. 

His mother just gave him a slight nod before telling him to go hurry up and wash his hands. 

After a quick prayer the family started eating. Remus went on and on about his day, saying a lot of… questionable things. 

"-and I was sitting in class thinking 'hey? What would it be like if I tied up my teacher by his ankles and shove chalk so far up his a-"

"Okay! That's enough out of you." His mother pointedly stared at Remus. Remus just shrugged before going back to his food. 

"Roseanne, sweety, how was your day?" His mother asked. Roman just shrugged before shoving more food in his face. He was too busy going over all the different scenarios in his head to answer. 

"Oh! Mom! I wanted to tell you something!" Remus spoke up once more. His mother turned to her youngest child and told him to go on, although to keep it pg.

"Y'know that dick RoRo wants?I know where we can get him one. I know a guy," He said, simply. His wide, kinda-but-not-really innocent smile on his face. Absolutely no idea about what he had just done.

Romans eyes widened while his mothers darkened. 

"Remus, sweety," she asked, so sweet it was sickening. "What do you mean by that?" She asked, venom dripping in her words. Roman tensed up. 

"Y'know? The dick that Roman wants. I know where we can find one!" Remus said, pointing at Roman. 

His mother's face twisted into something down right nasty.

"Remus, sweety ...who's Roman?" She asked, glaring daggers at Roman just across the table. 

Remus giggled as if this was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

"You're looking at him, silly….oh, wait. He was gonna tell you after dinner, right? That was the plan you and Jazz band were talking about...hm, oh well." He rushed, shrugging it off as if it were that simple. Roman kinda wished it could be. 

"Anyway, can I have a worm and Beetlejuice shake for desse-"

"Rose." She said, voice hard and angry as she cut off Remus. 

"Is what Rem saying...true?" Roman just opened and closed his mouth, looking like a fish out of water.

"Is. It. True!" She yelled at him, standing up from her seat and slamming her hands down on the table. Remus flinched. Roman looked at his food.

"Yes." He murmured. That's where shit hit the fan. 

"Get out of my damn house." 

"What?" Both Roman and Remus squeaked. Remus didn't know this would happen. He….he thought he was helping. Not getting his older brother thrown out. 

"You heard me, tranny. Get out of my damn house. This ain't no pride parade. Get your shit and leave!" She spat, sitting back down and glaring at Roman.

And with a huff and a glare, Roman left the table.

Remus stared as his brother shoved back the seat and stormed out of the house, making sure to slam the door as loud as possible. 

Everything went according to plan. Roman texted Jasmine and went to her house, struggling not to cry on the drive over. The minute she opened the door he was in her arms, sobbing. She rubbed his back and told him to let it all out. 

That was the first night Remus cried himself to sleep.

- 

After a few days, Romans dad came back home. Roman texted him, asking to meet at a coffee shop so he could explain why he wasn't at his mother's. 

Remus had told him that their mother refused to even acknowledge she had another child so their dad was really confused.

"Hey, dad! Over here!" Roman called, waving to his father when he saw him enter the shop.

The man in question, Paul, walked over to the table and took a seat right across from him.

Just looking at the pair you could tell they were related. Roman got most of his looks from his dad. He got his dad's dark brown eyes with specks of gold. He also got his dad's light brown, almost blonde hair. He got his tan, sun kissed skin and his splatter of freckles. The only thing he got from his mom was his smile. 

He gave Roman a politeful hello and asked how he's been. They had a small conversation before his dad asked the big question. 

"So ..why'd your mother kick you out?" His dad asked, setting his phone down on the table. Roman took a gulp before he started to explain the events of a couple nights ago. His dad didn't say a thing while he talked. He only nodded his head and let him explain. 

"So…." His father started when Roman was all done explaining. "What I'm hearing is that whole thing when you wanted to be called Roman….that wasn't a phase?" His father asked, pressing his lips together. 

Roman nodded his head. 

"Well ...okay then. So, your name is Roman now and you're a boy?" 

"Uhm..well yeah. I mean, I guess I've always been a boy really," Roman rubbed his neck and looked down at a stain on the table. " I guess I just realised that I was one." He said, a small smile on his face as he looked back up at his dad.

"And when did you realize this?"

"Uhm, when I was thirteen, I think,"

"Geez, kid. Thirteen? That's some time.."

"Heh...yeah…"

"And that's why you've been buying all those guys clothes-"

"Yep"

"And acting more suspicious. Never letting me see your phone or anything-"

"Uh-huh"

"Wow," his father sighed. "I….I don't know what to say,"

"Look, dad," Roman started. "I know it's weird and new and stuff but I need you to know that I'm not gonna just stop being trans. This is who I am and...if you don't like it then...well then I guess you won't see me for a while." Roman said, putting on a brave face even though he was absolutely petrified. 

His father's eyes widened before he started shaking his head. "Kid! Of course you're not gonna stop and I would never make you! I….I know I'm not the most...what's the word? Uhm-"

"Educated?" Roman tried, hope blossoming in his chest. 

"Yeah. I'm not the most educated person on the planet but...you're my kid. I'm not gonna stop loving you just because the hospital got it wrong," his father smiled, tearing up a bit at the thought that his da-...son would ever think he could ever not love him.

Roman smiled from ear to ear, practically vibrating in his seat at the amount of joy he was feeling. He launched himself into his dad's arms, crying happy tears as he thanked him over and over. People in the coffee shop who had been overhearing beamed at the father and son as they both laughed and hugged. 

After Roman pulled himself together they left, both grabbing a pastry on the way out. 

-

After that Roman decided to stay with his dad for the rest of...well, as long as he stays at home. They had to get his mother's permission but all she said was;

"I don't fucking care what the hell you do with that bitch! She's not my 'son'. I had a daughter, not whatever that is. Do whatever you want with her! Throw her in a garbage can and let the rats have at her, I don't care. Now stop asking me."

Let's just say, there was no argument and Roman was legally allowed to stay with his dad full time. Soon after, though, Remus came along. He says it was because his mom became a bit bitchy and annoying after he told her he was gay, and that was a big reason but he had been planning to runaway and live with his dad ever since Romans mother kicked him out. 

Life wasn't perfect and Roman still had his days, but with the help of his dad, brother, and friends he was able to get through it. 

(He even got himself a boyfriend, but that's a story for another day)

[kachinnate]

DEH on tour! 9/17/19

HI so i said i was gonna make a post describing my experience watching DEH last night so B^) if that’s a thing u sorta care abt i dropped it under the cut 

would like to start off that i had no idea that they were introducing a new touring evan and?? he’s fucking FANTASTIC ???? aH ,, but at first glance at the cast list, the only names i recognized were maggie and marrick’s.. and even then i only knew their names, i had no idea what they sounded like or even looked like tbh. if ur curious; 

evan: stephen christopher anthony jared: jared goldsmith larry: john hemphill alana: phoebe koyabe zoe: maggie mckenna cynthia: christiane noll heidi: jane pfitsch connor: marrick smith 

honestly........ i wasn’t displeased w/ a single one of these actors, holy FUCK they were so good?? i love obc w/ my entire heart, and i never thought i’d ever say this, but this cast is a CLOSE fuckin second dude. aahH. and not even because they sounded like the obc, like they all sounded completely different and brought a pretty different take to their characters and it was so..... good??? 

one specific thing that i noticed that happened in this performance compared to all the ones i’d seen before (broadway, two or three boots, two audios for arena stage) throughout was that there was a lot more.... crying? and like, just hearing that you’re probably like,, ‘oh, that’s annoying they probably made it a lot more extra :///’ but!! really i just think there was a different sort of depth that these actors took on in certain moments that made them like.... justifiable for crying when you’ve seen these scenes before and the mood was different and there weren’t tears... 

like, example: the beginning of the computer lab scene, when evan is writing his letter to himself, every evan that i’ve seen before this one read the letter out as he typed it in an almost defeated manner. like, he’s sad, obviously, how can u not be sad writing ‘maybe no one would notice if i disappeared’, but it sounds like he had long resigned to the fact that this was how things were. although it wasn’t super over the top or anything, stephen’s evan .. cried a little, like fully had some tears running down his face and was choked up as he got to the end of the letter, and i was like “!?!?!” cause it immediately gave off the sense that.. fuck, shit, evan really, really wanted his mom to be right, he genuinely had hope that today was going to be good, but.. it really wasn’t, and that kinda fuckin hurts?? like i think especially w/ us fans who know the show so well, we forget how legitimately dismal this letter is that he’s writing dsjkaefg like the murphy’s thought it was a suicide note bc it sounded like that and this might’ve been the first time i like.. didn’t question the confusion they had over it for a second, like of course you thought it was a suicide note , w/ the way evan wrote it it might as well have been 

another specifically notable moment was that alana cried throughout that scene following good for you?? like holy shit was i not prepared for that?? but she played it in a way that made so much sense, like she was so hurt that evan hadn’t cared about the project and maybe the stress of it’s weighed on her a lot because she’s just trying to do this good thing but like always everyone’s just left her to it and maybe she thought it’d be different w/ evan..... like there was a lot of pent up frustration and hurt in every word she said when i’m so used to hearing that scene delivered in a monotone, deadset, cold hurt sort of way. “i’ve moved on. obviously you don’t care.”, not “you know what?! i DON’T have time for this, I have to raise SEVENTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!” while choking up on tears like holy fuck alana did u really have to come for all of us like that 

(honestly in general phoebe played the best alana i’ve ever seen, hands down, period point blank, i fucking loved what she did w/ her character.... i’m not sure if she’s been alana for a while or if she’s new too, but oh my god????)

other notable cry things:

- connor was VERY audibly on the verge of tears on his “what are you laughing at?” line - when heidi and alana were singing at evan in good for you, jared was standing off to the side and was glaring daggers @ evan but was also.. crying a little and that fucking hurt  - ev was still croaky and teary from so big/so small into the scene before the finale, and zoe’s voice started catching a little halfway into their conversation and she had to stop a couple times to compose herself  - and then of course tears in the spots that usually have tears like words fail and so big so small and w/e but like. it hurt more i can’t describe it these actors personally Hurt My Feelings

all in all a lot more tears from both the characters and myself 

and just from all of THAT it goes without saying that there was a different, like... sort of depth that these characters brought to the table. stephen’s evan screamed desperate for a friend. i empathized with him immensely because literally every time he talked about fake!connor he sang so longingly and it was obvious that he needed needed needed this lie for himself too, like he wasn’t just telling it to the murphy’s to comfort them, he wanted so badly for this to be the truth for himself. the pull of the murphy’s caring about him and zoe was obviously there, but i truly didn’t think that was even a factor of this whole thing until into act 2. and even then... while it’s obvious that he’s in the wrong and his intentions get a bit more clouded, to me it feels like the general feel was “this has all gotten to out of hand, i can’t back out now, so i might as well just go along with all of this” instead of “oh hey this started as me trying to help the murphy’s but now my life is better? cool” 

his Evan Hansen Nervous Tick (tm) was wiping compulsively at his eyes (which, given how often they all cried is very valid but also kinda funny dsjgn) and his presence in general was very........... good. like, if you mix ben platt and taylor trensch’s energies, i think you’d get stephen’s evan’s stage presence, and really that’s the only way i can describe it djslgnsdg.. like he wasn’t Stoic and Awkward like ben was but he wasn’t as bouncy and quirky as taylor was, he was placed almost in the middle of those two and it... worked, i liked it a lot. it looked like he sort of hated being in his skin and sort of wanted to run away but he Won’t because he knows he needs to Try if he wants to be seen and that’s *chef’s kiss* a good energy that i can appreciate 

 jared goldsmith played his jared similarly to the way that will roland played his jared, but instead of being Blant about his love for evan he gave off a little bit more of a “haah yeh bro >B^)” energy... but still obviously gay because he’s jared, i don’t think u are legally allowed to play ur jared as a straight boy (source: will roland himself, and also the author of the deh book). something i REALLY loved specifically about his singing was that whenever they sing in a harmony, jared gets the top note, and ..... omg there was something about his voice that made the chord sound so fucking PRETTY like there’s no reason for me to be star eyed @ that ending note in sincerely, me, but here i am!!! also, jared was. tiny. SO small. how can so much chaos fit into such a small lad. 

 also i can’t remember when but there was a point where he said a line that was funny and he laughed at himself, and then the audience laughed, and then he continued to giggle and waited a few extra seconds to say his next line and it was the cutest thing i’ve ever seen 

extremely bitter at “look at you, helping the murphy’s”, he cried during good for you, and at the finale he is BEAMING at evan, like he is smiling SO BIG AT HIM, LIKE JARED GOLDSMITH PERSONALLY DECIDED “you know what, in my heart evan and jared did reconcile before the events of this moment and i’m going to make sure the audience knows because i’m going to look at him with an immeasurable amount of love in my eyes” and that was so fucking brave of him

maggie mckenna... maggie mckenna!! she was a wonderful zoe, i think she’s like my favorite zoe high key because oh my GOD? requiem fucking destroyed me... and like, i’m the odd one out because although that song is gorgeous, minus the first time i ever listened to it i never really was deeply deeply moved by it, like i understand the meaning of it and i know why it’s an extremely important song and i appreciate the amount of emotion that is portrayed within it, but to me it’s not really the Highlight of the show....... maggie’s voice was so beautiful, like soft and pretty during the beginning and powerful as FUCK on the bridge and!!!!! i wept for the first time during that song ever and i’m still shook abt it 

in general, maggie’s zoe was really balanced and well played and, like... real?? like, she was adorably hanging onto every word evan said as he stammered through their first interaction, albeit a little confused, when he’s over for dinner to talk about connor she’s indifferent and sort of aloof but it’s obvious that it’s from a place of like.. misplaced Hurt, even without knowing the plot already like it’s sort of obvious.... like maggie made it clear to the audience that zoe wasn’t supposed to be coldhearted or bitchy, she was a kid who’s been hurt by her brother and has every reason to not forgive him for it just because he’s gone and is now rightfully confused because now she has to try and cope with the fact that he might’ve been a good person even though every thing he’s ever done prior went against it, and.... ughsGDJ she was just!!! so good!!!!!! also, her chemistry that she had with evan was really real too and like.. i could believe that she actually fell for him, i could believe that she genuinely did like him for more reasons than a plot device, which is really refreshing bc i can’t rlly say that i saw that same level of like.. genuine chemistry between the evan and zoe i saw when we saw deh on broadway (it was still good, don’t get me wrong, but there was just something missing that i really only noticed by watching this performance). she’s kind of quirky and weird at some points too, which again is another thing that made her feel more real to me??? when evan was like “thank you” and touched her arms after she told him that she wasn’t breaking up with him, she fully reached out to touch his arms and fully bent her entire body in half, like her face was facing the ground and i audibly choked,, also she super gently like smacked his face at one point during only us and i heard it in his mic and he inhaled a lil sharply bc he was trying not to giggle and i. cri 

ngl, i’ve really only seen alana being played in one way up until now.... like, obviously every actor is going to play their character differently, and even from performance to performance there might be some change, but at least for the MOST part every alana i’ve seen has been straightforward: i’m chatty, i’m bright, i’m kind of lonely but i mean well and i REALLY care about this thing that we’re doing. there isn’t a lot of room for her to emote until, like... the whole good for you fiasco happens, the scene before it and after it, when she’s upset with evan for not helping, but even then there’s usually a trend with how she’s played. phoebe played her with SO much emotion and made her SO much more than what i expected to see??? like she cared... so much, but it was obvious that she was maybe not going about it in the right way. she seemed more like an awkward kid just like the rest of them, it was a bit more obvious that she didn’t think of herself as perfect, and it seemed a lot more clear that her intentions for helping out with the connor project were never about herself or making herself look good - it was because it genuinely meant something to her. yes, she was still a lot at times, but when evan accuses her of only being in it to help herself, it’s so like... evidently not true. like u don’t even have to see alana’s expression at all or hear how she responds, ur just immediately like “oh, so evan’s gonna be a dick now” because it’s just so obvious that it’s not like that at all, y’know?? alana had... big feelings, and she was more than the smart girl that drove the plot forward at points and gets screwed over by evan. also, her voice was extremely pretty as well *heart eyes emoji* 

both of the moms brought something similar to this show: it was obvious that while they started their characterization with what obc brought, they made it their own. they brought new mannerisms and choices up and they were both so??? fucking cute????? like they had extreme mom energy, at points it felt so real, like something about the whole scene with them talking together in the murphy house b4 good for you felt..... so so so real and it was disorienting. they both made me cry so like they definitely did their job 

ALSO the fucking way that heidi was looking at evan in the finale like. was one of the things that made me weep the hardest, like holy shit. she loves her son so much!!!!!! and i am CRYING !!!!!!!!! but anyway

*CLAPPING HANDS EMOJI* LARRY. FUCKING. MURPHY. oh my GOD he was an amazing larry !!!!!! like i know the fandom likes to demonize larry murphy but watching this man, i couldn’t think for a single second that this man was a bad father. he was trying so hard and just went about it in the wrong ways, and ... ghh... to break in a glove isn’t supposed to make you tear up but guess what (also this might be a personal problem but seeing him interact w/ evan gave me surges of feelings that reminded me that i have daddy issues ajdnGS like he was so. sweet. all the time, i want to throw a baseball around with this man and have him explain football to me even though i know i won’t understand it). his singing was rlly good too... like hearing it, i was like “ah. i can hear it in ur voice that when u were younger u were a bright tenor lad, but a bright tenor lad in the way that was good and not terribly nasally”  

marrick was really good, but i’m like 85% sure that he was sick :’( his voice caught and he had to clear his throat a few times during sincerely, me, and he had a break on a certain note and couldn’t go higher than that, which.... is rough because although connor isn’t super tenor-y all the time he definitely ... doesn’t sing just low (but when he did sing low? *chefs kiss*) but other than that? v good acting, like evan this connor just... rlly wanted a friend. he almost cried when evan started laughing at him, and he sounded extremely devastated when he read the note... as evan’s OC, he played it very Defeated(tm) instead of confrontational, which obvs Hurt bc evan was fully like “no!!!! i fell!!” while connor was just “ did u. or did u let go.” u don’t gotta be confrontational when u are the inner demons of a boy and aren’t actually a person yaknow >B’’’’^) nevertheless i am crying xoxo!!!!!!!

all in all?? fucking incredible, i can’t believe i had the opportunity to see this cast and i’m going to hold them in a v special place in my heart :’) 

[getyourvitamin-bri]

Okay so I did one of these last season and I once again felt the urge to rant about how much I love each and every character on this show. 

*SPOILERS BELOW*

Eleven // El // Jane who continues to be my personal favorite character on this show. God this season she reached new levels of being a badass. Can we take a moment to just appreciate how strong and brave she is, she just keeps going even when she is scared. And those fight scenes were just phenomenal, they didn’t make her seem invincible which I love cause its her tenacity that really makes her so strong and interesting. I loved the story line where she basically is becoming a normal kid discovering new “rules”, her own style, her personality, we get to see the type of person she’s becoming on screen and its done so well. 

Mike Wheeler Okay I’ll be honest I always liked mike but it was always more aww he and El are so cute together not mike individually. But I felt this season fleshed out his character a little more. We get to see him just being a normal dumb teenager. That opening scene where he starts singing and being a dork really made me love his character, also him and Lucas ranting about girls was hilarious. Most of all though you could see how much he cares about El is taken into account in all his actions even when they were wrong. Overall I though he was really adorable and compared to my younger cousins a realistic teenage boy. 

Lucas Sinclair Lucas always gives some of the best dialogue in my opinion (must run in his family) and I think it kinda gets overlooked sometimes. This season his whole thing about teaching mike about girls was hilarious and something I totally picture a young teenage boy thinking. He’s really quick witted and stubborn and I love him, his and max’s dynamic I think just fits well somehow. 

Dustin Henderson God he is such an adorable marshmallow I want to protect. He just always makes me smile, he’s honestly the perfect mix of smart and adorable. This season once again shows how committed he is to science and finding the truth of things, he’s so determined once he starts a mission and I’m so happy he found a girl to appreciate him. That song they sang together melted me in to a puddle. 

Will Byers I honestly felt we didn’t get enough of will this season I mean I get it, theirs a lot of characters not enough time but we’ve steadily been getting to know him more and I fine myself with more questions about him. He’s so sweet and different than a lot of teenage boys portrayed on television and its this uniqueness that makes me want to get to know him more. I just really feel for him and how he wanted to go back to how things were before. 

Max Hargrove Max is quickly rising in the ranks for me in becoming another favorite character. She is just so stubborn and witty and blunt I love it. Most of all this season I love her and El’s friendship. I though they were gonna hate each other from what happened last season but thank god the writers took it in this direction cause I need more shopping trips and sleepovers. I myself am more of a tom boy and seeing a girl who skates and says whats on her mind just makes me really happy. 

Jonathon Byers I don’t have much new to say about Jonathan this season, I still love him and how much he cares about will, that scene where he and Nancy fight in the car, wow by the end I’ll be honest I felt for both of them cause I could understand both their points.

Nancy Wheeler She continues to be super tenacious and definitely a fighter. Her tenacity can lead to good and bad things but its a constant and I love that about her. She dealt with such sexism and never let it stop her from thinking of big dreams. She's an icon honestly and I love how brave she is, she has the traits of a great reporter.

Steve Harrington I admit I didn’t dig Steve in season 1 but he is now my second favorite character because how can he not be. His whole parent dynamic with the kids, its fucking adorable. His hair is gorgeous. He may not know everything in the world but he’s just unabashedly himself. Adorable, confident and above all caring. You could see how much he just cares about all the other characters, he respects dustin and the other kids and he’s friends with them because he doesn’t just see them as kids he see them as friends. I’m excited to see more of his character as he learns to prioritize things that are actually important not things society tells you are important.

Jim Hopper *SOBS* I always loved hopper but I loved dad hopper the most. Him and El had this unique dynamic that I just wanted more of. He’s wasn’t perfect by any means (anger issues lol) but he cared so fucking much about everyone and he just didn’t know how to express it. I sobbed when El read his speech but it felt like such a good ending though, you finally get to hear what was behind all that frustration about El and mike, he just missed her. I miss him. 

Joyce Byers She fucking mom of the year. I love her so much. You just know she would do anything for those kids. This season continued to showcase how much of a badass she is, she took no shits from people and she did what she had to do to make sure nothing happened to her son. Also this who Joyce and Jim dynamic was beautiful cause they just pushed each other up and if they had the chance I feel like they would have been a awesome team keeping those kids out of trouble.

Billy Hargrove I think seeing into his mind, seeing what makes billy do the things he does, what makes him into who he was, was just done so well. It shows how people and their actions always have reasons. We are made up of our experiences in life and no character shows this more than billy, he was handed an unlucky hard life and under all that attitude he was just a boy who loved his mom. I’m sad we did get to see him grow and learn and I loved how well the actor did this season it was phenomenal.

Murray Bauman He was a more important player this season and I loved his and Alexei’s dynamic. He’s brings some humor into any scenes he is in, seeing him pretend to be a communist was hilarious just all around no complaints, he’s a great character and he like all the characters has compassion for people, he wants to help save people and has flaws that make him well rounded.

new*

Erica Sinclair just give this child a round of applause. Every single word from her mouth made me laugh my ass off and appreciate her. She is the queen of sass on this show. She is confident. She is hella brave. She is so smart. She is a fucking icon and I look forward to seeing everything she said made in to gifs cause I love her with all my soul and look forward to her having an even bigger roll in the next season.

Robin Another newbie, she like max is not the like most teenage girls portrayed on tv, she's the real thing, she’s unique and really funny and true to herself. With every scene I just find myself wanting to know more about her and her past. Her whole “you suck” board was hilarious, she's just incredibly likable you can’t help but root for her.

Dr. Alexei By far the most surprising character for me to like, you first see him and you do not expect to get attached to him, just like barb and bob. Stranger things just gives us these character we never expect to come to love so much and leave us heart broken cause we don’t get enough of them. He just wanted a cherry slushie and its these small things that just bring him down to our level. Like yes Alexei there is a difference between cherry and other flavors, yes it is funny that hopper and Joyce haven’t banged, yes. He’s just adorable and I didn’t expect to be so sad when he died. 

Sorry for the grammar & if I forgot someone I wrote this hella late. Heres link to my thoughts on last season. You might not agree with everything I say and thats totally cool just please don’t be rude. 

stanger things 2

[thequlturecritic]

QULTURE’S TOP 20 SERIES OF 2018

20.  BUSY TONIGHT

You guys! Good energy is, like, totally in right now. And it’s never going away. You may know her from Freaks and Geeks, but I know her from Cougar Town as CC’s fun-loving, super-supportive sidekick. When you watch Busy Phillips on her cheeky, positive-vibes only E! talk show, a sense of “we’re all in this together” and “being kind to one another” is definitely a recipe for demolishing disaster. Remember how major Chelsea’s career became because of what so many probably considered a silly little talk show… well. I’m not a fortune teller or anything, but I could totally see Ms. Phillips taking over the universe. I want to be one of her minions. Cheers to another leading lady of late night! 

19. THE VOICE

I’ve always been anti-reality competition shows when it comes to singing, only because I’m a total snob when it comes to what I subject my ears to. My musical tastes are versed and varied, but I still am pretty picky about who I let in to my drums, mostly because I need it to stimulate an eargasm and coincide with my life’s soundtrack. When American Idol launched, I definitely was enamored with Kelly Clarkson’s powerful vocals, but I still kept the close mind that an artist is discovered naturally, not “created” by producers with the backdrop and illusion that AMERICA gets to vote and pick the winner. Ah, who knows, maybe they do… I would just never take the time out to vote. HOWEVER. When I found out Kelly was going to be a judge on The Voice, which is a whole separate animal than Idol, I was shitting my pants with glee, because she really is such a goddamn force of fucking nature. Her spirit is overwhelmingly angelic and I simply love everything about watching her. Last season’s competition was magical, at least for me, perhaps because it was the first time I really got to experience the message and place the show has in the universe. It really is inspiring and lovely to see how much these artists themselves care for the teams they build and the individuals they want to see grow – regardless of whether or not it leads to fame. Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson’s dynamic was really something special that inspired me in so many ways.

18. COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE

I love nothing more than a loose format, sans makeup, realistic conversation between famous people. Talk shows rock and all, but there’s something to be said for two people we all know and (often) admire, getting together and doing something that, ya know, regular people do! Like… go out to breakfast. I was never a fan of the Seinfeld sitcom, mostly because when it was popular it was kinda over my head and nothing that interested me. I’d probably be more inclined to watch and enjoy it now because of how much Veep has made me adore Julia-Louis Dreyfus and now much Jerry Seinfeld’s Netflix series about him… getting coffee… with comedians… has made me adore his admiration for vintage cars, honesty in humanity and one of the most important things we all seem to forget sometimes – which is to LAUGH! We live in such politically charged times, and while I get how important it is to talk about the very things we were always brainwashed to believe were impolite to talk about, we also need to be able to make jokes and not be so sensitive about everything. Ya heard?

17. AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL

Oh how I love me some Tyra, but it seems the future is all about Ashley Graham. Yet again – another fucking beautiful superhuman. I am really starting to hate that people even think of someone as “plus size”, but hey, it’s the world we live in. All I see when I look at her is someone with a whole lot of personality, gorgeous features and a personality that you’d be crazy to not gravitate toward. She is living proof that good vibes, energy and kindness (in the fashion industry?! How dare you!) go a long way. Tyra and Co. are doing such a bang-up job sending young women empowering messages about feeling safe in their own skin by infusing all shapes, sizes, colors and archetypes. This cycle was full of hilarious moments and was totally unpredictable. Despite her Trump-loving, Republican ways and complaining about being transformed into a “fire-crotch”, I was rooting for Liberty, Rio and Jeana to compete in the Top 3. That certainly evolved as the season went on, mainly because Jeana’s insecurities were getting the best of her (she had alopecia and they convinced her to be the alien-like, bald beauty – which she looked 10X better as vs. wearing wigs) and Rio had the most off-putting temper tantrum that had me and my bestie Carlee yelling at the the TV, “Who da fuck you think you talkin’ to?!” as if we were speaking for Tyra. Be humble, girls! Beauty ain’t just skin deep. At the end of the day, I loved seeing Kyla take the crown, because her activism, big heart and growth really was something special at the end of the day. Keep up the good work! I want 1000 more cycles.

16. SWEETBITTER

Starz’s adaptation of the best-selling novel by Stephanie Danler is short, but bittersweet. Ella Purnell is a breakout star, headlining the cast of unknowns who are all as equally as fantastic. I think that’s one of my favorite things about it (Caitlin Fitzgerald, in particular, who definitely has that thing) – how naturally gifted the entire cast is. Purnell stars as Tess, an All-American girl from bumfuck who makes her way to New York City to chase the dream, even if she has no idea what it is yet. Any of you who have worked in the service industry as a waiter or waitress will appreciate the authenticity of how intimidating, grueling and chaotic the industry can be… but how much fun it can be once your shift is over.

15. MANIAC

What is Netflix’s limited, vivid, disturbing, funny, emotional rollercoaster about? My brain is exploding from trying to analyze. Typically, in each episode, I get so lost in the perfection that is Emma Stone, I’m completely enthralled by how inspiring it is to watch one of our most exceptional young talents only seem to get better and better. It’s also always a pleasant surprise to see someone like Jonah Hill continue to prove himself as truly versatile. Remember when these two were just getting into stoner cinema and taking over the shelves at Blockbuster, during their Superbad days? Justin Theroux, plus. Sally Field, super-plus. Julia Garner (also of Ozark), a star on the rise! It might make you feel a little crazy while watching, but hey, we all go a little mad sometimes.

14. SHARP OBJECTS

Gillian Flynn’s book to big screen success with Gone Girl made a lot of us anxious to see what would be translated next. Following the trend of mini-series, binge-worthy greatness and big stars coming to the “small” screen, HBO announced Amy Adams would star in Sharp Objects, a dark, sultry murder mystery set in the swampy south that co-stars the amazing Patricia Clarkson – one of my absolute favorite actors. I’ll never forget when I “discovered” her, in Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art, one of my all-time faves. There’s a similar hypnotism with the limited series which also features a deliciously naked Chris Messina, and, of course, the direction of the man I’d say is pretty much cinematic perfection these days – Jean Marc Valee. If you have not yet seen Dallas Buyers Club, and another all-time favorite of mine, Wild, you are missing out. I’m assuming you have watched all of Big Little Lies once or twice, and can’t wait for season two next year. Neither can I. These are the people doing AWESOME awesome things in Hollywood.

13. AMERICAN HORROR STORY: APOCALYPSE

So, I’m always back and forth with AHS. I always love how visually stunning it is, but some seasons either lack substance or are literally just too fucking freaky for me to engage. I can not even set my eyes on Freak Show, thought Cults was too gory and scattered (although fresh off of the Trump presidency was a possible prediction of the future if we don’t all get our shit together) and definitely didn’t even give that Roanoke one a chance. The first two seasons rocked, and Gaga slayed in Hotel, but being that I love witches (Hocus Pocus, Witches of Eastwick) I have to say Coven is my favorite season. I love every Farmiga in life, Precious’ Gaborey Sidibe always makes me laugh and Emma Roberts is a rock star. How gorgeous?! She’s also such a little asshole in the best way. She’s someone I can picture punching me in the face, and I’d invite her to. Apocalypse is the best infusion of boy/girl magic and the ultimate comradery casting wise – as what could make for a perfect finale for the series ties all of Ryan Murphy’s brilliance together. That’s just my opinion – because I think a great series needs to know when to wrap it up, but these days everything is all about milking everything to the last drop, so… idk.

12. THE CONNERS

Roseanne returning was definitely the best of the best in reboot land, until her big mouth got her fired from ABC and launched The Conners, which features the entire cast minus a dead mother. I still respect her as an artist and will always love when TV wasn’t so linked to the Twitterverse, but these days I guess everyone really does have to be super careful about the shit they say – especially when we should know better that racism isn’t cool. It’s such an odd thing, because Roseanne was always so controversial, brave with their material, and was one of the first shows to have an out lesbian comedian/actress and character (the great Sandra Bernhard)… so… idk. That Sarah Gilbert though… she’s somethin’ special.

11. THE GOOD PLACE

Kristen Bell!!!!!!! That’s all. Ok, well, that’s not all… because Ted Danson is equally as amazing. Who wouldn’t love someone married to a dame like Mary Steenburgen?! I’ve been a fan of his since Three Men (and a Little Lady!). The diversity, quick wit, modern spin on the classic sitcom and concept behind this hit NBC series reminds us of why the network is always killing it when it comes to delivering quality, quantity and maintaining its colorful edge. I’m surprised I didn’t get into this show when it premiered, as season 4 approaches and the Globes, and surely the Emmy’s now are getting into recognizing genius when they see it. This show is filled with all the good feels! Maybe Heaven really is a place on Earth.

10. WILL & GRACE

When the reboot of W&G first returned to NBC, I was a bit underwhelmed by some of the writing. It seemed forced and a bit insecure – but it just took a few episodes for them to really get back in the swing of things and season 2 of the return is really on point. Debra Messing is better than ever (congrats on a Globe nomination!), as are Eric, Megan and Sean Hayes – who I’ve always greatly admired because of, what I like to consider his “big break” – the film, Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss. Growing up gay, Will and Grace was a trailblazing, extremely important and relevant show to so many of us because there wasn’t much of that on TV. But I’ll always remember that adorable indie of Sean’s. He should make more movies! I love him in Pieces of April too!

9. I LOVE YOU AMERICA: with SARAH SILVERMAN

Sarah has always been my absolute favorite comedian. Jesus is Magic is probably one of the most brilliant stand-up comedy feature films I’ve ever seen (are there many of those) combining music, comedy, political satire, sexually inappropriate and explicit linguistics… nothing is off limits. From jokes about AIDS, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Holocaust, to her dead grandmother’s rape to pussy jokes about child lesbians she’s related to. On her new Hulu series, Silverman takes a tour of the great country we live in, United States of A, talking to Trump supporters, men and women of all colors, shapes and sizes and makes an honest, unbiased, non-judgmental effort to deliver an intellectual perspective on all things current and heated in the minds of many. I love her condescending approach, ability to keep her cool, remain true to herself and do something important with her career. It’s a humbled and divine dose of reality that I think we all need, as at the end of the day she’s basically trying to unite us and get people to understand that despite our differences, respect and kindness can truly inspire change.

8. POSE

First of all – watch Paris is Burning, if you’ve never seen it.

I remember when I worked for the super cool East-coast indie video chain, TLA Video, it was one of the most popular rentals in our Gay and Lesbian section, as it should be. It’s a classic documentary that captures the heart, sole and strut of African American LGBTQ culture during the AIDS epidemic, when being a queen and going to the balls would begin to define what FIERCE meant for a generation. (Play: Azealia Banks, Fierce). It’s one of RuPaul’s favorite movies and certainly inspiration for Ryan Murphy’s vivid and heartfelt FX series starring Evan Peters, James Van Der Beek, Kate Mara and a wonderful assortment of newcomers including the fetch, fierce, versatile and gorgeous MJ Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson and (MY FAVE) Indya Moore.

7. CAMPING

Ever since 13 Going on 30, I’ve known Jennifer Garner was a unicorn. She has that innate ability to charm, impress and entertain us with charisma and natural comedic talent. When it comes to the American adaptation of the Brit series Camping, developed for HBO (in part with Girls’ master Lena Dunham), the team surely arranged the most perfect blend of talent for both behind and in front of the camera. Garner brings the most complicated and hilarious nuances to her character and proves she is more than capable of leading a most diverse and perfectly perfect blend of talent.

6. OZARK

Janet McTeer!! OMG! This woman is amazing and really the force that makes the sophomore season of the hit Netflix drug smuggling/money laundering/gangsta livin’ series all the more bombastic. Sure, Jason Bateman continues to be awesome in every way, but the women on the latest season (even the creepy old meth lady who wants a baby at 99) really slay and own the show, keeping us on the edges of our seats and beyond impressed with how hard anyone with a vagina is proving that they are taking over the world these days. As if we needed more reasons to be obsessed with Laura Linney – she takes her character to new heights, getting more screen time and really being thrust into a more evolved dynamic – sort of how Robin Wright does on House of Cards. As though the audience was more drawn to the female than the male lead the series was built around. But Janet McTeer?! Holy fuck, Janet McTeer. She’ll make your skin crawl and keep you up at night… binge-watching.

5. THE AFFAIR

Showtime’s scandalous, suspenseful and intricate portrait of love, marriage and infidelity has been one of my must-see series since its debut. The entire cast is pure magic, especially the four leads – Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney and Joshua Jackson. I’m constantly lobbying for Tierney, who continues to blow my mind with everything from those perfect, pouty lips to the way she can make my heart melt with a single tear. Last season, the twists and turns were so unexpected – something so refreshing these days when it comes to storytelling – that none of us could’ve ever seen coming what we now have to go into season five knowing (and grieving with, in my case). This is one of of those shows that stands tall from start to finish, and continues to inspire the way character and perspective is conveyed, as well as how we process it ourselves as an audience. I’ve always been fascinated by the same story being told through different goggles – kind of like in The Rules of Attraction, or Go. I can’t wait to see how this show wraps up, as I am pretty certain we move into the final act, which in itself is always a great quality for a series to know when to wrap it up.

4. HERE & NOW

Alan Ball, oh how I love thee. In the evidence of his brilliance, my affection toward Ball’s beautiful writing and ability to conduct such a beautiful cinematic symphony began with Six Feet Under, as it did most. If ever there were a perfect start to finish series… Rare is the artistic bird who can take such a celebrated drama and weave the social and political issues into a horror series – which is what he did with the addictive True Blood, a show that I would find myself equally hypnotized and aroused by. Ball’s latest gem is yet again a celebration of why we love HBO, his observant mind and heart, and ability to recognize genius when he sees it, in regard to casting. The always wonderful Holly Hunter and Tim Robbins headline a cast of brave, beautiful talents – including the tiny miracle that is the birth-child of Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon, Sosie, who is one of my favorite actors/characters in this captivating new drama that celebrates all the feels of our current reality. It’s a mixed blend of understanding the human condition and how people of all walks relate to one another while truggling with matters of the heart and psychological warfare.

3. RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE

For ten seasons now, Queen of Drag, RuPaul Charles has been taking her dynasty and giving it a royal upgrade every season with eye-popping elements that consistently allow this groundbreaking competition series to be one of queer and pop culture’s most celebrated. From the guest judges (Season X premiered with a Farrah Moan-esque Christina Aguilera dolled up for all the queens to gag over, which they did – myself included) to Michelle Visage’s dazzling eyewear collection to the costumes to the casting and the challenges – which get more and more innovative – Rupaul’s Drag Race has become a small empire that has the promise to spinning into so many different types of series and assure celebrity drag careers are a thing of the future, now more than ever. I loved the queens this season, especially my future husband Kameron Michaels (beautiful inside and out, boy or girl) and the well-deserved winner Aquaria. This was the second season in a row for me (I haven’t seen a lot of the previous seasons) where Ru got it absolutely perfect. I’m also a huge fan of Vice’s The Trixie and Katya Show which you should get into as well!

2. THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

All of the hype surrounding the Golden Globe & Emmy winning Amazon Prime series starring the incomparable Rachel Brosnahan as Mrs. Maisel, is the type of perfection that isn’t all-talk. Everything you’ve heard about this hilarious gem of a binge-worthy comedy is true: the costumes, the production design, the brilliant performances, directing and top-notch writing is on trend with celebrating everything we love about women in the world right now, and the time capsule reminds us of how far everyone has come marching to the beat of optimism and fighting for equality. I’m so happy the great Alex Borstein has been honored and been receiving praise for her work, and rightfully so, as she steals scenes from the great Maisel herself in the latest season. It’s truly one of the best watches out there, so get into it!

1. SCHITT’S CREEK

What started out as a little Canadian sitcom from a then unknown Pop TV, has since become a pop culture phenomenon and one of the small screen’s most celebrated, quoted and adored comedies out there. In Season four, we continue to follow the Rose’s on their journey of personal growth, going from riches to rags in a small bumfuck town where they clearly stick out like a redneck tooth fairy for plenty of good reasons. We already knew Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy were totes brilliant, but every season I grow more and more enamored with how crazy talented Dan Levy & Annie Murphy are. Their nuances, the way the arcs of their characters have evolved… it’s like their learning from two comic legends and its working for them every step of the way. This is truly already an iconic, feel good show that is spreading such messages of love and beauty throughout society. Loves it!

[aigoo-infinite]

5, 6, 11, 12, 28 and 30! ~leesungjongg :3

Thank you for the ask~~~

5. What’s your favorite One Great Step (their first world tour video) clip(s)?

Lol idk why but I think this clip of them rapping. Like can we take a second to appreciate how good Myungsoo is at rapping?? Like idk I just liked that style XD and Sungjong rapping!!! Infinite F are just full of cute lil rappers

6. Your favorite Infinite Showtime clip(s)?

The first ep where sunggyu shows why he’s the greatest leader, that one time Sungyeol predicted Woohyun’s dating life was ruined, that one time they put Myungsoo in a purple tracksuit and made him be dongwoo, all of that episode where they just sit in the rehearsal room and played games like idiots, just that like 3 sec of woohyun stuffing his face with bread (idk that just pops into my head sometimes. Also that one pic of sunggyu looking like joker. Just the pic. Sometimes that just also pops up in my head

11. Who is the member you’re always fond of? Like the one you can never get upset with?Ahhhh I don’t think I can ever get upset with any of them? Like Infinite just immediately improves my mood. But I guess the one I’m softest for is obviously Woohyun, especially with his solo out. He’s just gently and precious and I want him to be protected at all costs TT

12. What impact did it have on you when Hoya left? How did you feel?

It was a weird mix of emotions for me. I was happy to hear that Infinite wasn’t disbanding, sad to hear he left, worried for what that meant for him and the boys, and kinda relieved that we just had some news on their renewals. After hearing his interviews post-Infinite, it seemed like he was really feeling suffocated being in a group so of course I fully support him doing what he needs to do. I think there was a quote by Hyeri about Girl’s Day all resigning and she said something along the lines of “No resigning shouldn’t be something that’s criticized and renewals don’t need to be applauded”. And I think that kinda sums up how I feel now that Hoya and Infinite are going about their careers. I just want them to be happy with everything that they’re doing.

28. What member do you have the most in common with?Hmmmm I guess…on an emo level, Woohyun XD I relate a lot to some of the struggles he has been talking about. But also with how he complains that sometimes he just likes to bum around the house and play video games. Like same. Then there’s this post that reminds me of why I’m like Sunggyu (why on earth did this get 34 reblogs XD) because food+sleep>everything else. I think my sense of humor might be closest to Hoya/Woohyun.

30. What are your thoughts on each of the members as a person? As a leader? As a teammate?

Sunggyu- I think he’s an amazing leader and you can tell how much all the other members really respect him. The stories about him during contract renewals and the story Sungjong told about seeing him again makes me so TTTT He seems like such a stable and solid support for people around him. He’s also such….a good person? Like how he’s willing to be the butt of jokes to get laughs and how the other members always tell stories of Sunggyu cheering them on in their solo projects. I need him to be my best friend.

Dongwoo- He’s such….a happy person. It gets said a lot but I think seeing him makes me realize how much I need more people like him in my life.  He’s the type to make lemons out of lemonade. Like how other members may sometimes complain about not having schedules (they have the right to) but he’ll just be like “I’ve been getting into VR games lately!” And he’s so humble. He has so much talent as a singer/rapper/dancer/AND ACTOR OMG HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE CLIPS OF HIM ON IRON MASK. The world needs to see more of dongwoo.

Woohyun- He’s…..the softest pile of love and needs to be protected at all costs. I’ve talked a lot about him this past month so I won’t go too overboard. I love his dorky/mischievous personality, but I also love the fact that he’s so open about talking about his struggles because I don’t think enough people talk about it (like you said ^^) also, I wanna take a second to mention how sweet he is to his members? Like how he bought Myungyeol heating vests for when they were filming in the cold and how he was the only one to watch a bit of miss hammurabi and congratulate him on it? He’s such a sweetheart….I think I went overboard.

Sungyeol- My buff bean pole :D lol jk I don’t think those can coexist. I love how extroverted he is? Like how he’s willing to lay down image and just be the life of the party. I think he’s mentioned before that he’d considered doing a ballad or something for the fanmeeting but opted to do something more fun and energetic since all the other members were doing more mellow songs? I just thought that was so sweet of him. I wonder if he wanted to showcase what he can do musically (like sing…OR EVEN RAP LIKE DROP A MIXTAPE) but had instead chosen to do something fun for the crowd. Idk I just wonder sometimes XD he’s always that kind of subtly sweet person that quietly shows support but I really hope everyone appreciates what a gem he is as he steps out more as an actor.

Myungsoo- marshemellooooooooow. Lol what a squishy bean. I kinda love the weirdo that he can be when he’s hyper. It almost feels like giving a kid too much sugar. But jokes aside, he’s such a kind and supportive person. He talked about it himself how he flew out to japan to support woohyun’s first solo mv shoot. Like that’s so extra but also so sweet TT and he visited woohyun’s second mv shoot and was the only one to go to sunggyu’s completion ceremony. He’s such a considerate person (members pls love him more). I feel like he always gets promoted individually a lot but he never forgets to mention his members (except at his award speech LOL) and that just speaks to how humble and kind he is.

Sungjong- our brave warrior who was the one chosen to be Infinite’s maknae in this lifetime. The poor baby :’D It can’t be easy to take all the savagery but he does it and even goes on to say things like “it’s because they really like me”. LIKE HOW MUCH SWEETER AND PRECIOUS CAN A PERSON BE? He also seems like such a pure person? Like idk how to explain it. Maybe innocent is a better word? It comes out a lot when he’s on variety shows. He puts out this kind of naive vibe that translates into a lot of laughs (think infamous crotch trapping on knowing bros). I love that he’s really beginning to develop into a variety star/mc. He’s so quirky and funny in his own way and I’m glad the world can see~~

….this turned really long. I’m sorry XD

💙send me and inspirit ask💙

[askpolylosersclub]

I just want to mention that y’all are some amazing people and that every single one of you is important and that’s something none of you should ever forget. ❤️ I also want to ask that all of you say what you love the most about each other everyday because it’s always nice to hear things like that and you never know when someone needs to hear it.

Thank you so much, chickie~ It’s so lovely of you to say something like that. I would LOVE to make a list like this, about my wonderful boys, so that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m sure most people will agree with me on this stuff, so it’s okay if I do it all, haha~

His fashion sense is so weird and eclectic, but it’s bright and colorful and playful and we love it (even those of us who pretend not to).

He’s super super smart, even though you might not think so. He might even be the smartest out of all of us, naturally, he just doesn’t put the work in, haha.

HIS HAIR! Richie’s hair is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, period. No one would ever disagree with me. It’s like his best feature.

He’s so tall you feel a cross between ‘awww, my lanky giraffe baby’, and ‘holy shit he’s tall and I’m wet’.

He’s all skinny and you can wrap your arms right around him like four times.

His glasses are fricken ADORABLE.

And he’s so blind with them off and that’s cute, too.

He’s SUPER TALENTED. Like, he can do voices and impressions and he’s a brilliant actor, he can dance, he can sing, he can play instruments, and he’s just great at making people LAUGH, and isn’t that one of the best talents of all?

He has super cute freckles basically EVERYWHERE. He’s like a sky full of stars all on his own.

He’s beautiful, and he makes jokes about his appearance, because I don’t think he even realizes how gorgeous he is, and that humility is beautiful, too.

Did you mean, ‘my future husband and the most beautiful man in the universe, inside and out, Ben Hanscom’?

He’s the literal definition of a gentleman.

He’s ADORABLE with a capital A. Like, everything makes him shy, he can’t talk about sex out loud, he’s just the sweetest guy in the world, and every time you see him you’re compelled to like…squish his beautiful face.

ATHLETIC. Like, so athletic my ovaries are crying.

But he’s super smart, too, like…what?

When he talks about books his face just lights up and I wanna cry and protect him forever.

Not that you would need to, because he’s brave and strong, too.

He’s just so calm and laid back, he’s really lovely to be around all the time. Literally nothing about him could ever make you mad or upset or stressed out.

Caring and respectful.

I don’t think I’ve ever even heard him curse out loud before, in my entire life.

THE literal sunshine

The happiest, kindest, loveliest man you will ever meet.

He loves animals so much and he talks about them literally every day. Like, catch Mike over breakfast talking about how much he loves elephants and how if he met an elephant in real life he’d cry.

TALL, DARK, AND HANDSOME??? YES.

Can always cheer you up, no matter what. Someone just mugged you and stabbed you in the chest? Hey, don’t worry about it, Mike Hanlon is here, and pretty soon he’ll have you convinced that being stabbed was a positive experience in your life, that made you a stronger person. And in the meantime, he’ll patch you up, make you some hot cocoa, and tuck you into bed with a kiss on the forehead. Then he’ll watch over you while you sleep so that nothing bad ever happens to you again.

SO. STRONG. He could probably carry all six of us at once.

The voice of an ANGEL.

Literally knows everything. Like, you wanna know a random fact you think nobody will know the answer to? Ask Mike.

An adorable nerd.

The best cook in the world. Like, move over Gordon Ramsay. Mike will make you the best meal you have ever had, AND he will never shout or curse at you while he’s making it. He’ll probably just give you compliments and sing your favorite songs.

Fearless Leader. And I mean, literally FEARLESS. Bill isn’t scared of ANYTHING.

But somehow, he’s also the cutest, most softly-spoken human being on the planet. He’s the literal dictionary definition of SOFT. Look up the word ‘soft’, and there’s a picture of Bill Denbrough.

And he probably drew that picture himself, because he’s such an amazing artist, and I mean drawing, painting AND writing!

Cares about his friends and family more than anything in the world. We know he would die for any of us without a second thought (not that we would want him to or let that happen, obviously).

HIS STUTTER IS THE CUTEST SHIT EVER.

Stunning. Beautiful. Handsome. Pretty. Gorgeous. He’s just really good-looking, okay?

TALKS TO INANIMATE OBJECTS LIKE THEY’RE PEOPLE. Like his bike, his car, his laptop…

Eyes that are so piercing and blue that if you look into them you’ll die, but it will be totally worth it.

Bill has the nicest, most pleasant voice you have ever heard in your life. You could listen to him read the obituaries and you’d still be super relaxed and also like ‘awwwww’.

SO. CLUMSY. AND. WE. LOVE. IT

A little angry baby.

So tiny you just wanna pick him up and carry him around in your pocket and feed him little teaspoons of sugar water.

But on the flip, FEISTY AS SHIT. Like he could probably beat the crap out of literally anyone, but he’s so pretty that you wouldn’t even care if he beat your ass into the ground.

SO. PRETTY.

His eyes are so huge and brown and sparkly and he has the longest, thickest lashes I have ever seen like…girl, tell me your secrets.

Gets embarrassed about stuff super easy and it’s actually adorable. Even though everything about Eddie is adorable. Period.

Seems kinda dense about some stuff, especially like grown-up things like taxes and laundry and sex cooking, but is also super into science and knows all of this insane terminology and like how micro-organisms work and stuff. He’s a SMART. BOY.

Boxing AND cheerleading. Like he’s so strong and aggressive and he could probably bench-press any of us, but his favorite color is baby pink, and he loves dancing to pop, and his favorite singer is Ariana Grande. He’s the epitome of FEMININE POWER.

Tiny little freckles in certain places, like his cheeks, that stand out if he has been in the sun or if he’s blushing. Like, could he BE any cuter?

Can literally fall asleep ANYWHERE. on anyONE.

The most beautiful being to ever walk the face of the Earth. He’s not even a human being. Like no one is that good-looking.

Super intelligent. Like…give him any math problem and he’ll work it out in his head in literally a couple of seconds.

JUST LOVES BIRDS SO MUCH. Like he’s such a bitch how is he also so soft???

QUEEN BITCH. MASTER OF SASS AND SARCASM. But we love him that way.

FRICKEN. BEAUTIFUL.

Actually really sweet. Like, you never feel like you couldn’t rely on him. His exterior bitchiness only goes so deep. It actually really doesn’t go very deep at all.

LEGS FOR DAYS.

Really takes care of us, in ways we don’t always even notice. Like, takes care of all of our taxes/finances/bills/utilities/budget etc etc and does most of the cleaning/organizing. Leaves sticky notes everywhere with reminders for us, makes all of our lists, helps us with our studying and homework. If he left, we would literally fall apart, and he never even mentions that he does that stuff.

I know I haven’t really mentioned anything like this yet because I was trying to leave it out, but…SEX GURU? You want advice? Go to Stan.

DID I MENTION BEAUTIFUL???

- Bev xx

[adotblog]

Brave New World-Chapter 1-Baptism of fire.

Pairing: LMM x Reader

Warnings: Alcohol, discussion of a crappy relationship.

Notes: Alright, here it is-the follow-up to the Brave series. I’m basically going for a Sliding Doors kinda thing here-the same characters from Brave meet in the same way but take different actions and we see how their relationship would’ve progressed on this different path. I’m thinking it’ll be 5/6 parts and I’ll aim to publish every Friday. Since they’re the same characters, there will be callbacks to Brave-similar phrases used, backstory elaboration, that kind of thing. You know I crave feedback so please let me know what you think-use anonymous ask if you’re shy :)

There’s a sort of West Wing reference (when isn’t there?)

Words: 3005. I’ll never change.

It’s your second week at the theatre and you’ve already settled in pretty well. Most of your working hours are spent with your colleague Clare who is chatty and loves to sing and boogie her way through prep, which was a welcome surprise. Everyone you’ve met so far has been sweet and the work is varied. Overall quite the good start. You’ve yet to meet Lin-Manuel Miranda, the composer and lead actor, as he’s been on vacation. But Jonathan (another new friend) says he’s funny and lovely. Today you’ve brought in a ton of doughnuts for everyone-two-show days are long and you figure people might need a pick-me-up.

You’re surrounded by stage crew as soon as you come through the door and they immediately take one box off your hands. You head through to the common area with the others and go to place them on the table. You see that there are a couple of people in the office and since the door is open, you decide to take the plunge and go in with the final box.

As you near the door you see that Jonathan is one of the people in there and he beckons you to come straight in. Chris is also there-you’ve met him once already-and as you go through the door you realise the other person is Lin-Manuel Miranda. You nearly freeze on the spot as he flashes you a big smile.

You’re dimly aware that Jon is introducing you and saying something complimentary. There’s a hand stuck out in front of you and you juggle doughnuts in order to shake it. “Please, just call me Lin”. Lin. Ok. Well, Lin is an absolute dream.

He has long dark hair, pulled back in a scruffy bun. His skin is a rich olive and so smooth-looking that it really makes you want to stroke some part of him. Uhoh. His smile is broad and beaming, his voice warm and so New York it almost hurts. Oh boy, new crush. Absolutely no escaping this one. Shit.

You pull yourself away from your reverie and start offering out doughnuts as the guys continue their conversation. “And so I was thinking of changing that line up and putting in another Shakespeare quote”, says Lin. Chris plays eenie meanie minie mo to choose a flavour as Lin elaborates “so Eliza will refer to New York as a ‘Brave New World’”.

“Oh, I wouldn’t”, you say before your brain connects to your mouth. Jonathan freezes, hand hovering over a doughnut. He catches your eye and manages to convey with a single look “What are you doing correcting the boss the very first time you meet him?!”. You panic. This is not a good career move. “Why wouldn’t you?”, prompts Lin, an amused smile on his lips.

You look briefly to Jon for help but he just makes a “go ahead” gesture. Fuck it. You turn to face Lin and try to keep your voice even as you say “Well, Shakespeare was poking fun-Miranda refers to the place as a ‘brave new world’ because she’s seen some hot dude. Brave means ‘handsome’ and the subtext is that it’s handsome but lacking any character or depth. So you’d be suggesting that New York hasn’t got anything under the pretty. Also, Miranda was sappy and pathetic-Eliza’s too badass for her words.”. You finish by extending the box of doughnuts in Lin’s direction, as if they’ll protect you from any backlash.

Lin reaches out and takes one “Alright then, no brave new world!”, he says with a smile. Oh thank god, he’s not mad. You smile back and begin to retreat out of the room, saying you’ll leave the box by the coffee maker. “Hey Y/N?”, Lin calls after you. You stick your head back around the door and he says “Don’t write off all Mirandas, Ok?” and winks at you.

*****************************************

Over the next week or so, you get to know Lin and the rest of the cast and crew a little better. Whenever Jonathan is around he introduces you to new people and tells you what everyone’s role is, which really helps you feel more at home. Jonathan is hilarious and warm, you clicked right away and he’s a lot of fun to hang out with. The only downside is that he has an adjoining dressing room to Lin’s, so you’ve also seen a lot of him. That means your inappropriate-attraction-to-the-boss situation has not got any better. It doesn’t help that Lin is charming, sweet, honest and welcoming. You’ve a burgeoning crush and it makes you nervous as hell.

It’s the break between shows and you are alone in the wings getting everything back in place for the evening. You’re blasting some tunes from your Spotify when a head pops around the scenery-a beautiful head. It’s Jasmine, a principal cast member you’ve spoken to a couple of times. “I was just wondering where the music was coming from!”, she says with a grin. “Oh, sorry-do you want me to turn it down?”, you ask nervously. “Hell no! I came to dance!”, she answers as she comes into the wings. You laugh and the track changes to Superstition by Stevie Wonder, causing Jasmine to holler “I looooove this song!”. She grabs your hands and spins you round and round, insisting that you dance with her.

Jasmine’s enthusiasm is infectious and you’re giggling as you both slip out onto the stage, dancing all the while. When the song ends, shuffle picks out something soft and instrumental, eliciting a boo from Jasmine. She stands, hands on hips. “This is not dancing music”, she disparages. “Pssh, you’ve no imagination!”, says a voice from the wings. Lin’s voice.

Jasmine rolls her eyes as Lin steps out onto the stage. He heads straight over to you, takes your right hand in his, puts your left hand on his shoulder and grabs your waist. He leads you in some kind of haphazard salsa all over the stage. It’s totally unsuited to the music and you’re laughing uncontrollably while Lin keeps a mock-serious face. Jasmine declares you both crazy and heads back to her dressing room. Lin continues to spin you around the stage until the song ends. When the music shuffles to a Biffy Clyro song he holds up his hands in defeat. “I’m out!”, he laughs. He pulls you to the front of the stage to take a bow and then drops your hand to take his leave. “Welcome to the company”, he says with a smile as he heads away.

*****************************************

Three weeks in and you’ve essentially committed yourself as chief two-show day snack-bringer. You’ve met everyone now and are thrilled to be working with such a lovely group. You place a box of cookies in the green room and take a handful upstairs to the dressing rooms. You drop a few off with Oak and Anthony and then knock on Lin’s dressing room door.

“Come in!”, he yells. He’s only half-dressed when you walk in. Breeches are on but he’s naked from the waist up. Oh god. He looks good. He really looks good. “Oh sorry, I thought you were costumes!”, he apologises “I have a shirt emergency” he holds up a torn shirt sleeve as evidence. You drag your gaze from his torso, his smooth, kissable torso, to his face. “No problem.”, you say. This is a lie. This is *entirely* problematic. You won’t be able to shake this image for days. He pulls on his torn shirt and asks what you need.

Oh yeah, there was an actual reason you came here. “Cookies…I brought cookies”, you say. “Thanks!”, he says, taking one and moaning as he bites into it. This is really not helping. “Ok I gotta go!”, you say abruptly. “Uhh, more deliveries!”. You wave the cookies as you make a quick exit.

You pause with your back to his door for a second or so to recover your senses. There is no denying now that you have a full-scale, ridiculously school-girl crush on Lin. This is a recipe for disaster.

You knock on Jasmine’s dressing room door and enter. You’ve been spending most of your breaks with her, becoming fast friends incredibly easily. You toss her a cookie and squish into the chair in the corner of the room. “I just added you to the WhatsApp group”, she says as she throws her phone in her bag. “Group?”, you ask. “Yeah a bunch of us go out or have dinner semi-regularly so we have a group chat, and since you’re my new bestie you’re automatically required to come with me.”, she says matter-of-factedly. “I’m your new bestie?”, you ask with a hand clutched to your heart-you’re only partly joking, you’re quite touched. “Duh!”, she says and adds a wink. “It’s the snacks, isn’t it?”, you joke. “Aww man, you’ll never know…”, she answers and you both dissolve into giggles.

*****************************************

Chris: Ray’s bar, 8. Who’s in?

Lin: I’m there.

Jasmine: Me and Y/N are in.

Jonathan: Of course.

Lin: Woah, Newbie’s first #Hamilouting

Jonathan: Lin that’s a terrible hashtag.

Y/N: Uhh, Apparently I’m in…

Lin: We’ll ease you in gently, don’t worry.

Chris: Naw, baptism of fire, I say!

Y/N: Oh shit.

*****************************************

Nothing fancy, Jasmine said. Jeans and a nice top, she said. Nothing you have is any good. Staring at your wardrobe, you may as well be looking at racks of cloth sacks-nothing is jumping out at you. In desperation you text Jasmine.

HELP. I have nothing to wear. I know people always say that but it’s actually true.

Jasmine: Just a nice top will do, honey.

NOTHING, Jas.

Jasmine: You wanna come over? You can borrow something?

Please. Now?

Jasmine: see you in a bit.

Jasmine’s place is a subway ride away from yours, so you grab your makeup and put on your best jeans and head straight out. When you arrive, Jasmine instantly approves of your jeans and shoes. She has laid out a few tops for you to try on, and perches on the bed while you turn this way and that in front of the mirror. Ten minutes later, she’s bored. “The purple one was fine, Y/N”, she says. You make a dissatisfied noise. “It was! Why are you so bent out of shape about tonight, anyway?”, she asks. “I just want to make a good impression”, you say. “Mmhmm”, she sounds skeptical but doesn’t push it further.

When you arrive, Lin and Chris wave you over to a booth they’ve saved. “You’re both looking lovely”, Lin says. “She always looks amazing”, you say as you sit down next to him and Jas goes to the bar with Chris. Lin gives you a look. “What?”, you ask. “Just, that’s a funny way of taking a compliment.”, he jokes. “Oh, yeah no I don’t do that well”, you admit. “And why’s that?”, he asks outright. “Well Dr,”, you tease “low self-esteem, shitty ex destroying my confidence-you know the drill”. Lin nods slowly. “Well, we gotta do something about that.”, he says. “What do you mean?”. “Well I’ll just have to keep giving you compliments until you believe them”, he shrugs. Well, you don’t quite know what to do with that.

Thankfully Jonathan turns up at that moment and wraps you both in hugs, complaining about the weather and enthusing about the cocktails. On cue, Jasmine and Chris return from the bar with a tray of drinks. Whiskey for Chris and Lin, Cosmo for Jasmine. “And I got you two an Old Fashioned each”, she says. “I love you”, you and Jon say in unison and then collapse into each other in a fit of giggles. “Oh boy, they’re off!”, calls Chris.

*****************************************

Four Old Fashioneds in and you’re a teeny bit tipsy and having a whale of a time. You’ve danced with Jasmine until your feet are too sore and now you’re nestled safely in your booth between Lin and Jon, shoes off and feet tucked under you. “I’m so ladylike”, you groan, indicating your crossed legs. “Look at Jazzy, all class and grace-how d’ya get like that?”, you question. Lin does a double take “I’m wearing sneakers and a hoodie, don’t ask me!”, he says. You both turn to Jon. “Darling, you either have it or you don’t.”, he says dramatically. You and Lin roll your eyes at each other as Jon laughs at his own joke. He downs the rest of his drink and after checking his watch, announces that he’s got to go. He tracks down Jasmine and Chris and hugs them goodbye before running out to hail a cab. Jasmine tried to drag you up for another couple of dances but you protest about your feet. Chris has reached his limit too and she’s just about to work on Lin when she gets a text message from Anthony. He wants her to join him and his friends at a club a few blocks away. Chris offers to walk her their on his way home. You and Lin both jokingly boo them for skipping out before midnight, but it’s all kisses and hugs as you part.

And then it’s just the two of you squished into the booth. You settle back with your legs crossed again, facing Lin and sipping another Old Fashioned. “So the shitty ex”, he begins. “Ugh, yes?”, you reply. “How long ago was he?”, Lin asks. “Couple of years ago, he moved away when we broke up-he never liked New York and resented me for moving here”, you say. “Well, another reason to hate him”, says Lin. You nod. “He just. I always felt like he was ashamed of me, you know? He would go out with his friends but never take me, he just used to put me down all the time and our sex-life was just fucking DEAD”, you exclaim. “Oh god. Why did I tell you that?”, you say, rubbing your temple. Lin laughs to try and break the tension “Because you’re on your fifth Old Fashioned?”, he suggests.

You shake your head. “I’m not drunk. Merry, maybe.”, you admit. “I’ve not told anyone any of that before. I mean, with everything else I’m a pretty open book but not…this”. Lin takes a drink, and then takes your hand. “I’m glad you told me.”, he says. “He sounds like an idiot, though”. “I thought I loved him. I did, once. I don’t know if he ever loved me though. That bugs me, makes me doubt my instincts.”, you admit. Why are you telling him all this?! He’s just so inviting-those warm eyes, the way he makes you feel like he’s really listening. The odds are really stacking against you ever being able to resist this ill-fated crush.

“Don’t doubt yourself. You strike me as pretty bright, pretty observant…just generally pretty too”, he says with a grin to lighten the mood. You give him a light punch on the arm, unsure whether he was serious and clueless as to how you should react.

“Now, how we gonna get you home?”, he asks, looking at your feet. “Barefoot, baby!”, you laugh. “Umm, no. No, no. Your feet’ll be in shreds. We gotta get a cab to your apartment.”, he insists. “Is it on your way?”, you ask when you’ve told him your address. “Sure”.

You spend the cab ride talking about the last movie you both saw, and the time passes very quickly. When you reach your building, you’re so busy wincing at your shoes as you get out that you don’t notice Lin has also got out and has paid for the cab. “Lin is this really on your way home?”, you ask as he offers you his arm. “Good lord, no!”, he laughs. “Lin!”, you protest. “I promised Jas I’d get you home safe-I’m under strict instructions to walk you to your door”, he says.

You wonder for a second if Jas has caught on to your crush on Lin, and this is a set up on her part. But then you’re at your door and there’s no time left to wonder about that. Lin stands awkwardly as you search for your keys. “Do you want to come in for some coffee?”, you ask as you pull the keys out of your bag. Even though you know you can’t sleep with the boss, a little rebel part of your brain hopes he’ll come in and is daydreaming about how that would go. “I can’t, but thanks.”, Lin says. “How was your first Hamilouting?”, he asks with a grin. “So much fun”, you smile. “And hey, sorry if I unloaded on you back there-I’m kinda sober now and regretting revealing all my insecurities…”, you say, trying to laugh it off. Lin moves closer, standing right in front of you now. “Not at all.”, he says. “I just wish that no one had ever made you feel anything less than strong and beautiful”. He reaches out and moves your hair behind your ear as you feel your own breath hitch.

In the next few seconds, your mind races: is he making a move? Isn’t he technically your boss? This can’t be a good idea.

Then he strokes his thumb across your cheek bone and brings his lips to yours and oh but it’s the best fucking idea. You lift your hand to his neck and close any remaining distance between you by pressing your body up against his.

The kiss is pretty much perfect-gentle but firm, sweet but insistent. It makes you want to pull him through your door and keep kissing him until your lips are bruised.

But soon he stops. He is looking for a sign from you that this is ok. You reach up to give him a peck on the cheek and softly say “Goodnight, Lin.”. “Goodnight, Y/N”, he says, and you smile before turning to open your door. “I’ll see you tomorrow “, he calls as he heads for the stairs, flashing you a smile as he goes.

“Tomorrow”.

[noahfence1d]

James Corden is known for two things: making shit jokes about sexual predators and kissing straight men. Recently, he set his sights on everyone’s favorite heartthrob Harry Styles (again), locking lips with the former One Direction star on a special Christmas episode of Carpool Karaoke, the world’s longest-running talk show segment. Twitter was obviously flooded with legions of fans and publications praising them for their apparent cutenessand joking they were both kinda into it, but why is a kiss between two straight dudes still treated as headline news?

Contextually, we live in an age that is queerer than ever. More and more of us are starting to think differently about sex and sexuality, including Styles, who earlier this year responded to questions about his own love life by saying he had “never felt the need to label himself.” This kind of forward-thinking statement is exactly what fans have come to expect of Styles, a notable queer ally whose LGBTQ fanbase is well-documented. He’s got the look to match, too; his post-One Direction wardrobe is filled with pastel florals lifted from Alessandro Michele’s bohemian vision for Gucci, as well as color-blocked power suits by queer trailblazer Charles Jeffrey. Styles has nailed an elusive formula: he’s queer enough to be progressive, but not queer enough to be pigeonholed.

James Corden, on the other hand, has experienced a meteoric rise to global fame which is, well, perplexing. Noisey wrote about this success in a piece entitled “That’s Quite Enough, James Corden,” which summed things up nicely; his career has literally been built on getting naked, kissing guys and singing over talented musicians, yet he’s generally adored by the public and even lands coveted gigs like the Grammy Awards. Why? Because he’s lovable, cheeky and “comfortable with his sexuality.”

The fact remains that straight men get praised for being open to kissing other dudes, whereas gay men just open themselves up to homophobia. When someone like Corden locks lips with another guy, it’s deemed acceptable because he isn’t a “threat,” whereas gay men are still treated as sexual predators. There’s an obvious double standard at play. It’s easy to write this off as just another shit joke, or as another example of James Corden being praised for doing the absolute bare minimum, but there’s a wider context which needs to be examined. The last few years have been stellar for queer cinema; Moonlight took awards season by storm in 2016, whereas recent releases like Beach Rats and God’s Own Country have been met with critical acclaim.

Arguably the year’s most celebrated movie is Call Me By Your Name, a same-sex love story built around sun-drenched landscapes, forbidden desire and, of course, the famous “wanking into a peach” scene. The movie has been breathlessly praised by critics describing it as a “masterpiece” but, as usual, it’s a cinematic depiction of queer intimacy played out by straight actors. Buzzfeed ran a lengthy, in-depthessay on the career trajectory of breakout star Armie Hammer, raising the extremely valid point that he was in desperate need of critical acclaim after a series of mainstream flops. Predictably, Call Me By Your Name was his meal ticket. Why? Because straight men are still deemed “brave” for undertaking roles that are, well, pretty ordinary to LGBTQ people.

It’s not just depictions of gay men, either. Trans protagonists are still overwhelmingly played by cisgender actors, whereas the year’s most popular lesbian love story was acted out by two straight women. Our stories are generating profit, but little of it is actually coming back into our hands. We seem to have reached a tipping point – when the stories of marginalized people are humanized, imbued with emotion and sold to a mainstream audience, the results are overwhelmingly positive. When it comes to actually supporting queer talent, directors seem to draw the line.

It’s also impossible to divorce the concept of “modern masculinity” from the recent influx of revelations sparked by #MeToo. It was always assumed that Hollywood relied on a “casting couch” mentality, but it wasn’t until news of Harvey Weinstein’s sickening actions broke that women—and men—felt able to share their stories. In horrific detail, we saw that powerful men abuse their positions to take advantage of vulnerable women. We began to understand the toxic connotations linked to “masculinity.”

A man like James Corden exists in stark opposition to the stereotypical, aggressive alpha male. He’s cuddly, lovable but cheeky. Above all, he is non-threatening. In many ways, he’s exactly the kind of man society needs to latch on to now more than ever – a straight man unashamed to act effeminate and toy with notions of his sexuality.

Still, it’s hard to be impressed or charmed by this when he only does so for laughs; and, for some bizarre reason, the praise keeps coming. It’s not that queer people can’t take a joke, it’s just that he’s really, really not funny. Styles, on the other hand, offers a genuine blueprint of what a queer ally should be. Sure, the reluctance to clarify details of his love life fuel his already-rabid fanbase and allow them all to project their desires onto him, but his willingness to show solidarity is impressive and much-needed.

Still, in times of political difficulty, it’s easy to award stars maximum credit for doing, well, not very much whatsoever. The fact that two straight dudes are still praised excessively for being “brave,” or “cute,” or “comfortable with their sexuality” is pretty patronizing, as it implies homosexuality is still something to shy away from. Meanwhile, straight actors are being cast in award-winning gay roles while actual LGBTQ actors are often left struggling to find work or being placed in clunky, stereotypical characters only found in the “Gay & Lesbian” division of Netflix — which, to be honest, even most queer people don’t bother with. This paradox is emblematic of a new age; one willing to praise straight men for venturing into same-sex desire but still likely to wrinkle its brow in disgust at intimacy between an actual queer couple.

[sleepdragon]

Burn it ALL Down: The Story of a Super, a Sidekick and Fans at a Comic Con...

Comic Con is a magical time of year where we get to see the actors out and about promoting their show to dozens of places, chatting about themselves, each other, fans and their characters.  It’s a time where we get to experience behind the scenes of those shows we love, and as fans do we ever look forward to it.

 This comic con ran sour for many people, and people feel what they feel and I’ll never invalidate the if’s but’s or why’s.  But I am going to take a moment to discuss some unsettling things I’ve been seeing in the Supergirl orbit, then I’ll address the giant elephant that has been shitting on the carpet.

 1.     Representation Matters:  Alex came out in the most amazing way; it was positive, uplifting, embracing and beautiful really – she got to be all of Alex.  Fan-fucking-tastic and about bloody time.

a.     She got the girl.  Yay? Except I feel that Alex lost herself in the girl.  She forgot that she had a sister.  She marginalised Kara in every possible way.  She didn’t plan to spend Earth Birthday with her sister, her sister who is celebrating the day that she lost everything.  The day that represents her being on Earth longer than Krypton – but hey, she got the girl.  

b.     The girl is played by someone who, from all accounts is a lovely woman.  She’s dating Casey Affleck; oh noes fire her, we don’t like him.  Wait, the girl isn’t a POC because she is part Italian and Irish.  People, Italy has black people.  They do.  They can quite marginalised there too.   But she wasn’t good enough to play a POC on TV (which BTW she has never been referenced on the show has Latina)… wow, are you fucking kidding me?

2.     Diversity Matters: James has nothing to do, let’s make him the most useless vigilante since that relationship with Kara didn’t work out (thank god, it was so shoe horned and not sustainable).

a.     Diversity Matters but just throwing a POC on screen isn’t enough.  Give us something more.  James was not my favourite character, still isn’t.  He still deserves better.

b.     Diversity doesn’t mean that the character has to be likeable, but they have to get the same amount of thought as every other one.  But even much of the fandom didn’t care about his side lining, that was disappointing.

3.     Relationships are invaluable but the romance, and the ‘shipper wars have not been.

a.     Sanvers I want to love, but I don’t really think I like Maggie, and I don’t like who Alex has become with her.

b.     Karamel Not the best, but I can understand why Kara would latch onto someone when she was literally abandoned by everyone in season 2.  No, I don’t think it’s okay he lied to Kara about who he was, but it was unsurprising Kara forgave him.  Probably the most believable thing in the relationship.

c.     J’onn and M’gann if people want to talk about toxic relationships – she saved his life and he repays her by imprisoning her for no good reason, and during that time M’gann developed Stockholm Syndrome and fell in love with her capture. Yay! Positive.

d.     Danvers Sisters who now?  Were they a band or something, because damn if they didn’t break up in season 2.  They were once the heart of the show, and when that was lost the show was lost.  

e.     ‘ships are important and there is plenty of ocean out there for them ALL to sail.  Problem is that the infighting started and it became every ship for themselves, because obviously the individuals chosen ship was the least toxic of them all.  IMO, all the canon romantic relationships this season were shit, they devalued every one of the characters.  Speaking only for myself, I still struggle with what J’onn did to M’gann…

                                               i.     Some fandom ‘ships were toxic and when a guest star comments on that, at a convention, and the threats and vitriol he received there is a systemic problem.  Thankfully not all SuperCorp fans are like that, but the problem is for the actors and creatives they may not see the flip side.

                                             ii.     All fandom ‘ships had toxic members who screamed loudly and sounded like spokespeople for the ship.  It’s unfortunate, but it happens.

f.      Friendships are important if anyone can remind Kara’s friends of that, I’d be forever grateful.  Remind her Foster Mother and Space Dad for extra points.

4.     KARA MATTERS: The show is called Supergirl, so obviously the most important character should be her.  Although Supergirl did get more time than Kara, but I feel as we moved away from Kara we lost the humanity too.  It’s why I did adore the addition of Lena to the show (if they make her evil…) ��I feel that when we lost Cat, we lost Kara.  I’m hoping we get more Cat this season to make up for that.

 And yeah, Melissa said that Kara’s world ended when she lost Mon-El but she expanded on it in the ET interview – the woman has lost next to everything and the hits keep on coming.  All she is seeing is loss – and that, that is the product of someone who has terrible abandonment issues.  Now, if they could actually explore this throughout the season…

 Now, much of the online fandom has been shitting on each other (I will reiterate not all), the actors and creatives and then Comic Con happened.  One of their first interviews of the day Jeremy was asked to reprise a little skit he did last year and sing the events of last season, so he hit on the main storyline affecting those in attendance (which is why Sanvers was overlooked) – unfortunately he made a tone-deaf joke that hurt people, Melissa kinda joined in and everyone laughed.

 I do believe he hit on it because of the SuperCorp fandoms notoriety, but I don’t think it was designed to invalidate the LBGT community.  I don’t believe it was a homophobic remark, I just think it was a stupid moment that any human has had.  Not even a saint could claim they haven’t accidently hurt someone by not understanding something, or joking about it.  It happens, but to assume that the intent was malicious goes against everything else they have both done in the past, and Melissa said later the same day (before all this blew up). It even goes against what Melissa said later in the same interview.

 Yes, I am aware that she called Jeremy “brave” for what he said, but no I don’t think that means that she wanted to invalidate the ship.  I think it means that she thinks he is brave to want to take on the fans, and that he was fucking stupid to do it.  Melissa may not really do cons, may not do many signings on set – but she does stop for fans on the street and she has been an ally for years.  I do not believe a single moment erases everything they have done in the past, nor do I think it makes them a bad person now.

 What I do believe is that it makes them human.  The problem is in many cases that’s the last thing we want (or need) celebrities to be, we hold them up as the perfect representation of whatever we need them to represent.  We falsely idolise them, so when they fall it hurts, it hurts a lot.  But that hurt, the hurt from our idolisation, isn’t their fault.  That’s like when we discover that our older siblings, or parents or grandparents are just human.  They didn’t hang to moon and the stars, even though we thought they did.

 Now, these humans did something well, human.  As a member of the LBGT community I will only speak for myself (and I do ask can everyone do that, no one voted for official spokespeople so lets not pretend to have them), they didn’t upset me.  I don’t feel devalued by them.  They owe me no apology.

 Jeremy has issued a 2 part apology, and no it’s not perfect but he isn’t perfect.  None of us are, I’m not going to tell anyone to give him a chance or forgive him.  I am going to say that you should forget but c’mon – people are telling him and Melissa to choke.  They are wishing a show that hires hundreds of people to be cancelled.  They are calling out and attacking their personal lives, how it any of that okay?  So much of fandom is NOT okay with the way it’s responding. Being hurt I get, threats of any kind is just ridiculous and intentionally malicious.

 Maybe this can be a learning curve for everyone, starting with realising we are all but human.  And we will all make mistakes.

(I also decided not to tag sanvers because I will not go into a tag when I don’t like the ship)

And for the love of god, don’t ask an actor to validate your ship.  They see what they see, you see what you see.  That’s okay, that will forever be okay, they never have to meet.

[holycowbrowniekitty]

Thoughts on 3rd Rokkaku (Cast & Songs)

Thoughts on Rokkaku 3rd

Since Rikkai has started, and of course a new Rokkkaku song is there, I thought now would be the best time to write my opinion on the DVD from Rokkaku. I have not watched it live, so this rant may be a bit lacking, but I'll try my best anyways. Please note that everything under the cut is only my opinion and definitely not representative for everyone and may contain errors.

More under the cut

Overall Wow, this is a really cute team! It seems that they kept the fresh and lively behaviour of Rokkaku, but in comparison with 2nd, they're a bit toned down, and compared with 1st they're a lot more fresh so I'd say it's a mix between both. Since this group has a lot of age differences, it's a bit harder to see their "cameraderie", but they did a good job and I feel like they will definitely grow as a team.

They’re a silly team

Yashiro Takuya - Aoi Kentarou Okay. This Aoi is definitely my most favorite Aoi (until now). The thing I immediately felt from him was his maturity, especially in the case of a character like Aoi, who practically exists to be cute and hyper. If not for his seniors, I would definitely have thought that he was the most professional actor in Rokkaku. He's well rehearsed, as is apparent in his speeches that tend to be very scripted and don't make a lot of place for emotions and crying, despite being one of the youngest members. Even in comparison with Miura, I believe he was a very good captain in correlation with his age. Of course he has his natural cuteness going for him, which is a 10 (sorry dude that you have to shave your hair), when I first saw the casting I was really dying because of his cute face. 

When someone slips into your shot but somehow it isn’t Saeki or Ryou.

Things I especially liked about him were the moments after his playstyle was revealed. Not only his movements, but also his expressions and general feeling changed into something a lot more dynamic and terrifying, much like in the BaneDavi match. That said, he does an amazing switch between his three personas, the professional off stage, the "I want to be popular" on stage and the "I will definitely beat you" in his match.

Arguably not the best picture

Futaba Kaname - Saeki Kojirou Saeki is by far my least favorite member of Rokkaku, because I usually view him as a enrichened white slice of bread. When I first saw the casting visual of Saeki, I did not have a lot of expections, and I was not in the mood to stalk Kaname's twitter a lot. Now that I've watched the musical, I have only one thing to say. Wow, this dude is handsome. Is it shallow? Perhaps. He has a big mouth, which makes for weird singing faces. But when he doesn't he manages to look handsome 99% of the time, and his smile really helps with that. Uh I should return to gushing about personality right. Saeki is a whimiscal, perfect, and oblivious character that tends to annoy the shit out of me. Futaba nailed that part absolutely. Things that come to mind are the adlibs: "No, I'm not popular at all" upon which Kenchan calls him out like the big fat liar he is. Same for the "Am I not a god?". He totally knows it. 

So, you wanna fuckin go Fuji?

A different part that Futaba portrayed extremely well, probably a part of his own personality was his "coolness". He practically screamed "Kakkoii" and sometimes it felt like he needed no effort at all. He's probably the heartthrob of many new enrolled Rokkaku 3rd fans lmao. My favorite part of Saeki was when he got slapped by Ryou. All in all, Kaname was very Saeki, a lot more oblivious than 2nd and really cool.

How uselessly handsome

Hinata Kento - Kurobane Harukaze MUSCLE MAN. Bane was always a big bro in my eyes, emphasis on bro, but after Rokkaku 3rd I feel like it has changed to big. When casting was revealed, I remarked that his face was really cool, but when I stalked him on instagram and came to know that he was super duper ripped as well, I knew this was the Bane in my heart. Mossan is still my pedestal Bane, and it hasn't changed, but I heartily accept this Bane. Kento made good use of Bane's speech style, had a lot of very little interactions that made his character come alive and was good at the "DAVIDE I'M GOING TO KILL YOU". 

He was especially good at these faces

A minor point was that he didn't nearly laugh as much, since he was too busy with his Tsukkomi. From his twitter, he has a really huge smile, but in play itself, it seemed like it got pushed away, so I missed his bro. Moments I appreciated of him were for example mouthing the whole song of Onna no kara chuu, needing Davide's retribution slap and being some sort of mentor senior thing to the same aged Shudo. ShudoBane friendship lived in this one, and the same happened with Ryou, so that part was very appreciated.

This is what the BaneDavi dynamic felt like.

Shinnosuke Takagi -  Itsuki Marehiko Not a lot can be said of him, because with Icchan being my favorite character, he has absolutely 0 screentime, which makes for a hard time trying to know what the heck he's doing really. As usual, they left out the part where they mention that Icchan is a sensitive (clam gatherer) player, which quite adds to his character, but it seemed they casted on looks and not on noseness (can't blame them). Each generation of Icchans seems to get a lot cuter as well, which I really don't mind. Now, as to what I think about Shinnosuke, it's probably that he really looks like a nice person. I really can't exaggerate and be like OMG HE'S SUCH A CUTE MINI BUCHOU, he's super handsome and cool wtf, WHAT A BRO THE MUSCLES AAH... Nope I can only think of how nice he looks, or quoting a fellow Rokkaku fan: "He is shaped like a friend." And he is, I would definitely want to be friends with him. He looks like a total mom as well.

Yes, position for mom is still open

Moments I liked about him were in the senshuuraku, with the adlibs, when Bane and co go to kidnap Saeki in order to kill him, he crouched down in his fetus position, which I though was a really nice touch, since it's kind of the trait how I fell in love with him (and subsequently became a Rokkaku stan OKAY I KNOW A BOY CRYING UNDER A PIER IS NOT THE BEST PROPAGANDA BUT IM WEAK). Another part is when Davide slaps Bane, and Bane slaps Shudo. His concerned face is really adorable and Icchan like.

With Saeki, he just makes fun of him

Sakagaki Reiji - Amane Hikaru Oof this is my struggling point. Again, I'll admit that my first impressions of him were..biased. That's to say, he looked like a fish. After stalking even more media, I was really convinced that they chose the worst face. He looked dead in all kind of media, and he didn't know how to shave probably, which was not really bothering me but it made for quite an enigmatic figure. When the cringy introduction videos were released, it was then that I accepted him, as he had a very Davide feeling in his puns. So in the looks department, he was definitely not lacking when it came to the stageplay itself. Holycow he was so cool and uh, mature in the more adult way? He definitely got a shot of Shiraishi I think lol. He was the objective best one in singing and dancing I believe, (SHAKE THOSE HIPS) and had a really cool feeling. He lacked a bit in the acting department (all his shit eating grins come to mind), but he was a very good choice for a musical that is usually populated with inexperienced actors. 

Rennaisance worthy On what his Davide was, wow Davide you're such a shit. It felt like he changed the "dependent" Davide to the "brat" Davide. It felt a bit more off, since I was really used to the sweet cat that 2nd was, and not the shit cat 3rd, but in the end, I'm really weak to assholes, so I kinda liked his interpretation. All in all, I prefer the characterization of 2nd, while also appreciating how shitty 3rd was. I have no particular favorite moment of him, perhaps I would say the "Sumash ni Shimasu", line he had in his match. Somehow he looked really really cool there.

A super cool Mizuki twirl

Sato Yugo - Kisarazu Ryou Ah, this Kisarazu wasn't nearly as vain as fancy as I wished for him to be, simply because Yugo seems too sweet for me.  Yugo was pretty much my fav actor from pre-Rokkaku (cause again, I'm weak to tears) and I was looking forward to tears in Rokkaku, but it seems like he has hardened into a veteran Tenimyu. In comparison with 2nd, he missed a little bit of the outgoing bitch personality and instead became the more canon introvert bitch.

Protecting your hair is your first defensive mechanism?

What can I say about Yugo, except him being buff but still pretty enough to pull of the horrible wig. He definitely makes Ryou a lot more capable, with his breakdancing and all which adds a cute touch. I feel like he did a very good job at portraying the somewhat more, petty side of Ryou. Moments that come to mind are like when Saeki entrusts his jersey to Ryou, upon which Ryou gracefully accepts it, folds it and then sweeps it off the bench to the ground or pushes it to Shudo. Also the Saeki slap. That's still such a beautiful moment.

Dumping your responsibilities on the team pet

Chiba Kota Shudo Satoshi Would it be hypocritical to say that this guy is my fav actor now despite having the least to say about him? He's horribly cute, has a really nice face and looks like a really nice guy. The thing I was suprised by was his voice. It doesn't seem to fit his face at all, but it's so lively and has a raspy cuteness to it. That said, while I thought that he would be a lot more calm and cute offstage, it seems that he really keeps the Shudo persona in both places. While I characterized Shudo as a brave, somewhat more stoïc individual that happened to make stupid choices, they really decided to exaggerate his character in a very pleasant way, which translated to YOLO AHAHAHA WHAT IS THIS DRINK non preservation mode Shudo. My second OTP after Saegoku is ShudoRyou, and while I don't really want to relate this to the actors, ShudoRyou lived during the stage.

Adorable...

Especially the adlib with Satoshi-kun and Ryou-chan was everything I needed to establish a beautiful scenario in my mind. Another moment was Shudo jumping on the bench and pushing of Kisarazu, after which gets Shudo of the bench again. The Inui adlibs could get a bit repetitive, but it's okay, seeing Shudo roll off screen multiple times makes anyone's day brighter. I love Shudo. Protect him from himself.

He has a really precious  :<> expression

Songs

Nice People Good People You know, the name of the song already killed me. And I will be honest, the first thing I thought when I watched this song was how horrible it was compared to the other super cool songs the other schools got. However, after 500 repeats, I grew to like it as the best most ultimate good song that tenimyu could deliver. It seems like Rokkaku now has a theme that focusses on geometry lol? Everything about it was really cute, though I have to admit that the singing felt more like shouting in a melodious way to me. Bane and Amane didn't stand out, they were more like shouting all the time, but it was the first time I could see how captivating Reiji was as Davide. Icchan looked like a happy man, and Saeki was needlessly cool of course. I really liked the choreography they did between BaneDavi and SaeIcchan's singing parts, the circling while turning on the beat was somehow really cute... Aoi looked a bit constipated, but that's what usually happens when you always close your eyes and have a relatively big mouth. After all, Kisarazu's performance was the first one that didn't immediately sounded like shouting to me and his experience was really apparent. Shudo was shouty, but his happy face when Kisarazu is singing and he is pointing his racket around was really adorable. A Rokkaku worthy song, not enough wiggle, but a very fun choreography, needs more geometry.

Highlight

Shabadada Adult. I never imagined i would like Shabadaba as much as I absolutely loved Scatto scat, but BaneDavi blew me away, partly due to how amazing Davide was in that one. His dancing was perfect, and it was at that moment that I accepted that Sakagaki would definitely be the Davide closest to the actual David statue. Again, shake those hips and shoulders. I'm glad they decided to put in a shoulder pump Bane line,cause thats what Bane's all about. Bane unfortunately didn't get a lot of solo singing time, and when he did, he was shouting his way through so that was a minor point, but his arm muscles and beautiful exaggerated expressions made up for it. All in all, Sakagaki is really really handsome.

Why is this here? Someone explain

Acrobatic and genius Futaba unfortunatly didn't have the smooth voice 2nd had, which he made up for with sheer power. He ended his lines very breathy, something I definitely didn't expect since his music videos (okay I stalked his media a little) had him with a very light voice, that he somehow exchanged in the musical for a deep voice.I think he still can improve a lot on it, if he somehow managed to get rid of the unecessary vocal inflexions (lol no idea what im talking about). The song was a great example of how uselessly handsome Saeki is, really a big but handsome  showoff. Shinchan did pretty as well despite falling short of breath a lot of times. I could imagine his voice as being a bit nasally though, so it was all fine.

Saeki, stop overcompensating, Icchan , your collar is adorable

Onna no kara chuu By far my favorite new song that Rokkaku got, MINI BUCHOU IS THE CUTEST. Not only did Takuya really surprise me with his vocal evenness (I expected nothing since his voice sounded like Horio to me at first) he also seems to have a natural happy and cheery feeling to him in the song, which couldn't really be said for other Aoi's. The song also got a lot more cooler, this time also adressing the pressure playstyle a bit more. 

BaneDavi cheering on mini Buchou from the stands, I believe Saeki would have liked that place too

The second part is the benchwork. Ranging from Ryou benig fussy about his hair when Kenchan sings about women, to Icchan's preliminary kisses and Shudo having this enourmous MWAH kiss. Speaking about kisses, it seems like Saeki, Bane and Amane put more focus on the "cool" airkisses and Ryou on the direct kiss, but uh that's definitely not what this song is about right. Other cute parts include Kento mouthing parts of the songs, Yugo doing a really agressive hagu hagu, but like very agressive, Davide accidentally falling of the stand during the chorus and Bane repriminding him a little bit (Reiji really makes a lot of mistakes huh). The choreography was a mix between chicken dance and some japanese girlish idol band, which I absolutely don't mind. Yes, give me more super adorable buchou songs. One day I want to compare all the buchou solo songs, ranging from Tachibana's impressive Kejime, Tezuka's powerful stoic songs, really fancy Atobe songs, Gangsta mafiosa Kite, Shiraishi's ecstasy and Yukimura's god songs VS mini buchou who wants to kiss a girl. Best buchou.

Various expression of chuus

Conclusion I love Rokkaku 3rd. I'm really looking forward to their party song in Rikkai (apparently Saeki rocks his solo) and more adlibs. There is so much more to say, but I'm afraid I've gone on too long.

Thanks for withstanding this mini essay!!