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is0gild · 4 years ago

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Ice Cream and Fire Oven Pizza - Chapter 23

Pairing: Elsa x Lea/Axel || Side Pairing: Riku x OC

Summary: Modern AU. She's an introvert ball of nerves who works at Ice Palace, a mall food court ice cream shop. He's the outgoing, sassy goofball who works at the Pizza Planet across the way. Hilarity, snark, and fluffy romcom hijinks ensue.

Word Count: 11,552

FIRST CHAPTER || PREVIOUS CHAPTER || NEXT CHAPTER

Credit for super friggin’ cute and super friggin’ amazing cover art goes to the super friggin’ talented ky-jane here on tumblr!

"Sorry, did I miss a point back there where my car transformed into a submarine to cross the Atlantic Ocean?"

I turned my head towards Lea, knitting my eyebrows together. "Pardon?"

"Well I just don't see how else we would have ended up at freaking Buckingham Palace," he muttered, keeping one hand on the steering wheel while the other tipped his aviators forward for a better look at the mansion at the end of the long, extravagant driveway he was currently cruising his car down. He gave a low whistle, "Shit, all it's missing are those dudes in the highschool band uniforms and big fuzzy hats."

Rolling my eyes, I snorted softly. "Oh come now, it's not that big."

He scoffed, "'Not that big' is something girlfriends say about their exes to protect their insecure boyfriends' fragile male egos. It's not what you say about the Taj Ma-fucking-hal here."

The dreaded weekend was upon us at last.

You know. The Weekend. Capital T, capital W.

Aka, the visit with my parents.

Operation Boyfriend But Shh Not Really was about to be tested to the extreme limits.

The chateau in question (maybe villa would be a better word? Or manor, perhaps? Really, it wasn't big at all, Lea was just exaggerating) belonged to my parents. This was the home I'd grown up in. It was weird coming back here now after all that had happened. Was still in the process happening, I suppose. My fingers fidgeted with my braid as the mansion loomed ever higher the closer we got.

Actually… now that we were more up close and I was really seeing it again… oh gosh, it was rather enormous, wasn't it?

...had it somehow grown in size since last I-?

Shush, now, don't be ridiculous. That was just the anxiety talking.

Of which I was in no short supply of. I still had no clue what was in store for this weekend. Anna seemed almost just as much in the dark as I was, which was strange seeing as how she still lived here. Then again, I was pretty sure she'd been spending a lot less time around home lately in favor of staying over at her new boyfriend's place. A man I still surprisingly knew absolute zilch about, but I was hoping Anna had invited him to join us for this weekend as well. That way, I'd get to meet him and maybe even have a little of the attention taken off me. Long shot, I know, considering he was only Anna's still relatively new beau whereas I'd skipped out on my own wedding and shamed my whole family (apparently), so this guy was kind of small potatoes by comparison. But hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

It was actually Friday evening right now, so we were going to be in for more of a long weekend - in every sense of the word. Lea and I had both worked early shifts today before going to our respective homes, getting changed, packing bags for staying over for two nights and then finally heading up. Not knowing what this weekend was going to entail was wreaking no small amount of havoc on my nerves. That said, it could have been worse. Pretty sure I'd actually been more nervous for the audition a couple days ago than I was for this. Maybe that was because the audition had just been so last minute, whereas I'd been preparing for this little get-together for a couple weeks now. Even I had to admit that Lea and I made a pretty convincing couple at this point. Sure, I still got a bit awkward with PDAs, but I was no longer anywhere near as bad as I had been the day I'd seen father at my old condo.

...then again, doing the whole relationship act around the mall for the past couple weeks was one thing. Trying to pull off the same charade in front of my parents now, not to mention the Duke as well? Probably was going to be a lot more complicated.

I really had no idea what was going to happen the moment we passed through those ornate double doors leading into my parent's home.

But I was about to find out.

Whether I liked it or not.

"Alright, we made it," Lea announced as he parked the car next to the big fountain in the middle of the circle driveway, shutting off his engine. He shot me a grin, "You ready for this, my lil sötnos?"

I blinked over at him, then narrowed my eyes. "Do I even want to know?"

"It's a Swedish term of endearment. Its literal translation is sweet nose. And if yours ain't the sweetest, I dunno what is," his grin twitched wider as he reached over to tweak said nose.

"Sweet n-" I groaned, swatting his hand away. "Veto."

"Aw c'mon, I thought that one was cute!" he gave a little whine. I just drooped my eyelids at him and he sighed, stretching over to open his glove compartment and pull a black marker from it. "Guess America's just not ready for the sweet nose," he grumbled, pulling the cap off with his teeth and marking something off on his palm.

I frowned. "...what are you doing?"

"Regrettably giving up on what is arguably the greatest pet name of all time, that's what."

"No, I meant with your hand." I snatched his in both mine, yanking it over in front of my face to discover a small list written on the inside of his palm, located at the top of which was sötnos with a line struck through it. "...are these... more terms of endearment for me?"

He smirked as he leaned in closer to stare down at his palm alongside me. "Yup! Since the big weekend's here, figured I'd best come prepared. This is important stuff we gotta nail down!"

I squinted at the words before me, reading, "Kruzynko…?"

"It means breadcrumb."

Scrunching up my nose, I stole the marker from him and crossed that one off. "No. Bogárkám?"

"My little bug," Lea supplied, sounding more confident in this one.

A snerk. "Nope," I popped the P. And another one bites the dust. My tongue tripped uncertainly over the next one, "Blodyn tatws?"

"Heh… potato flowers?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh wow, I love that one."

He perked up, "Really?"

"Absolutely... not," I said flatly, looking him dead in the eye as I drew a line across it as well.

"Aw man, not cool!" He pouted, then pursed his lips to one side. "Hey, is now really the best time to be doing this? We, uh…" he chuckled sheepishly, holding up his second hand to reveal a whole other list scrawled on that one too, "...might end up being here all day."

I stared blankly at him. "Just how many more of those do you have?"

"I'd show ya, but that'd require me going a lil more half monty than you'd probably prefer I'd get in your parent's driveway."

My brow furrowed and I leaned away slightly, eyeing him up and down. "...where…?"

He waggled his eyebrows at me, "That's for me to know and you to find out."

I let his hand drop from my grasp, "I'm good, thanks." As he snickered, I looked away, rubbing my fingertips over one of my (now brought to a low simmer) cheeks. "Can't you just stick to El? It's simple. Nice… I like El."

"You do?" I heard him ask and I directed a furtive sideways glance in his direction. A slow smile was curling his lips, "Alright… El it is." But then he was peeking down at his palm again. "...and also krúttið mitt."

Biting back a grin, I swat his shoulder. "How would you like it if I kept calling you some weird pet name in a foreign language all the time?"

Lea beamed, "I'd like it very much actually."

"Really? Fine," I took up his hand again, scrutinizing his palm, "...mo chuisle it is then."

His eyes lit up, "Ooo, that one's spicy!"

Oh dear, why had I thought this was a good idea again?

"...what's it mean?"

He bent towards me, eyes hooded as he purred, "You just called me your pulse."

I've made a grave error this day.

"Ah-ah!" he chirped, pressing a finger to my lips as they began to part. "Too late! No take-backsies!"

I huffed, unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car, slamming the door shut behind me.

Lea looked far too smug as he climbed out himself, retrieving both our bags from the backseat of the car on his way out and slinging them over his shoulder. He removed his aviators, hooking them into the collar of his black, fitted v-neck shirt as his eyes took in the mansion before us once again. He'd reclaimed his leather jacket to wear for this, accompanied by snug jeans tastefully ripped at just one knee and a pair a black, heavy, steel-toed boots. He'd blinged out a bit as well, sporting a small sun medallion that hung from a chain down to his mid-chest, along a few strappy leather bracelets and a couple of rings decorating his fingers. His winged guyliner was somehow even darker and bolder than usual and his hair had been pulled back into a half-tail.

Not going to lie, my traitorous fingers practically itched to pet that little red tuft at the back of his head.

Instead, I settled for fussing with the necklace that rested against my skin just above my collarbone. The pendant was formed of three blue, almond-shaped gemstones gathered together at one point. A present from Rayne to wish me luck on this trip. I was a much bigger fan of her good luck charm than I had been of the one Lea had "gifted" me with for the musical tryouts. I wore the small charm with a classic little wrap dress in a soft lilac. Off the shoulder of course - it was me we were talking about here, so you can probably guess it before I even say it at this point - and with the hem of the skirt flaring out around the knees.

Needless to say, looking at him and me side-by-side right now, it was clear one of us was either severely over or underdressed. Considering it was my parents' door we were about to knock on, one guess as to who was what.

"Try not to scratch the paint, chief!" Lea chipperly called out as he was suddenly tossing his keys at one of the staff under my parents' employ who just so happened to be walking past us in that second.

Eyes widening, the man fumbled to catch them. As Lea turned to head towards the front door, I followed, quirking my eyebrow at him. "What was that?"

"I'm blending in," he flashed a cheeky smile, shoving a hand into one pocket of his jacket. "Whatcha think, do I sound like a rich asshole or what?"

I tipped my head to one side. "...actually, you kind of sounded like my ex."

A snort escaped through his nose. "I'll take that as a yes then."

We walked a couple steps in silence. Then, "That wasn't a valet, by the way."

He froze midstep, looking at me sharply. "What?"

"That was a gardener. My parents don't even have a valet."

"Oh." Lea glanced back over his shoulder, frowning. "...maybe I should go get my keys back then."

I hid a small grin behind my fingers. "Maybe you should."

Waiting politely, I watched him jog back towards the worker to do just that, along with offering what looked to be quite the humble apology. "Got 'em!" he declared once he'd rejoined me, flinging them up into the air before catching them again to slip into his pocket. "So even a proper gent like your old man feels the need to prove what a hot, young stud he still is, eh? Wouldn't of thought him the type."

"What?" I blinked a couple times. Where'd that come from?

He tossed his chin back towards his vehicle. More specifically, at the few other cars he'd parked next to. "I recognize Anna's Porsche over there, but that blue Ferrari reeks of midlife crisis."

"...that's my car." Then I grimaced and amended, "Rather, was my car."

"Huh?" he looked taken aback. "You drive? Since when?"

I gave a small shrug, "Since always."

"Then why're you always having me n' your roomies chauffeur you around? Not that I mind..."

"I don't have a car or the funds to purchase one." He wordlessly jerked his thumb back towards the Ferrari, face blank. I sighed, "My parents bought me that. It didn't feel right keeping it after… everything. Not with me trying to separate myself from them and make it on my own. No, I plan to buy my own once I've saved up enough."

"Shit, still shoulda kept it," Lea said and I gave him a dull look. He hastily waved a hand in front of him, "Even if ya didn't want it, you coulda sold it and made bank before giving all that munny away to charity. Ya know, just so you could really stick it to your folks."

Shaking my head with a soft chuckle, I started walking towards the entrance again. "Let's just get on with this."

"Aye aye, Capitaine," he gave me a two-fingered salute, catching up to me with his long strides.

Feeling my chest start to constrict as we drew nearer to those doors, I blew out a soft, slow breath. "I hope we're not late. I shouldn't have let you talk me into that salon visit after we got off work."

"What, you needed something to help ya relax and a quick spa day was just the ticket! 'Sides, I wanted to make myself all pretty for this! Whaddya think?" He stretched his arm out before us both, fingers wiggling to show off his fresh coat of black nail polish. "If this doesn't impress your folks and tell 'em what a man of sophisticated tastes I am, I dunno what will!"

I snorted. "I think my father is more of a mauve man himself."

"Really? Crap, you shoulda said something! I'd have asked for a matching color so he and I could be twinsies! Shucks," he snapped his fingers, "missed opportunity."

Coming to a stop on the doorstep, I reached for the bell, but my fingers hesitated.

This was so strange. I'd lived here. Spent my childhood here. I'd never had to use the doorbell before.

...why did the idea of doing so now seem so hard?

A sudden warmth enveloped my other hand. I looked down to discover Lea was holding it. He gave it a small squeeze as he said softly, "Hey. Whatever happens in there, just know I'm here for you."

I felt a small stutter in my chest as a tiny smile tugged at my lips. "...thank you," I murmured, squeezing back before looking to the doorbell once more. Taking a deep, calming breath, I pushed the button at last and a heavy chime could be heard within.

While we waited, a glimmer of something at Lea's waist caught my eye and I turned to see what it was. A crease formed between my eyebrows. "...is that… a wallet chain?"

How had I missed that thing until now?

"Hm?" he followed my gaze. "Oh! Yup! Heh, thought it might really pull the whole look together! Do I look like a punkass bad boy now or what?"

"Or what," I fixed him with a deadpan stare. "You look ridiculous."

He splayed a hand against his chest in mock offense. "Rude. Can't believe you'd talk to your pulse like that."

Face warming, I hung my head. "...I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?"

"Nope!" he grinned wickedly.

"Would you just take that silly thing off?"

"No can do, sweetcheeks! Boys like to accessorize too, ya know," he sniggered, giving the chain a little twirl. "Just be grateful I left the spiked choker in the glove compartment."

"Spi-?!" I spluttered over the word before managing a scoff and crossing my arms. "Oh, trust me, I am. The point is to get my parents to back off, not to send them into cardiac arrest!"

...huh… Lea in a spiked choker…

"You're trynta imagine what I'd look like wearing it now, aren't ya?" he'd hunched down beside me to whisper into my ear with a smirk.

My cheeks burned so hot, you could have roasted marshmallows on the damn things.

"...am not."

I was almost grateful when the door swung open just then. And also a little surprised, because the face that greeted me wasn't that of my parents' house maid Gerda.

No, instead it was that of a pale, wide-eyed, huffing and puffing Anna.

(With Gerda right behind her, looking quite harried and put out by the fact that my sister had stolen her job.)

"Elsa!" she cried out in relief. "Finally! What took you so long?!"

Furrowing my brow, I began, "Anna? What-?"

"No time! Get." She lunged towards me. "In here." Her hands seized my shoulders. "Now!" I was forcibly yanked inside.

I heard the door booming shut behind me and could only hope that Lea had managed to slip in himself in time as well. Gripping my sister's arms, I tried again, "What's going on? We couldn't be more than a few minutes la-"

Her hand suddenly shot out to squeeze my cheeks together between her thumb and fingers, squishing my face and effectively silencing me. "Shush! No talkie! Only listen! Oh, it's bad, Sis. Really, really bad! It's him! He's here! Like, here here! Right friggin' now!"

"Who's here?" I asked, tugging my face free of her vice-like grip and working my jaw. I knit my eyebrows together at Gerda, who was frantically circling us as she kept trying and failing to get a word in edgewise. "The Duke? I already knew-"

"No! Not the Duke! Of course not, he won't be here until tomorrow! Gah! You know, Sis, sometimes you can be really-" Anna cut herself off in a tiny snarl, fingers curling in front of her to strangle empty air. "Ugh! Anyway, it's- I didn't- It was just- Out of nowhere- Mom and Dad, they- He- His-"

"I think she's trying to tell us something. What is it, Lassie? Timmy trapped in the well again?" Lea snerked as he let our luggage fall to the foyer floor beside his boots.

Ignoring him, I gently rubbed my hands up and down Anna's arms. "Breathe. Calm down. Take a minute to gather your thoughts."

"People!" she suddenly blurted out, startling me a bit. "Lots of them! Loads of them! So many people!"

I frowned. "People? Where? You mean here, now?"

She shook her head rapidly, "No, no, no, no! Not now people! Future people! Tomorrow people! And… and caterers! And musicians! And decorators and, and, and him! He's- Right now, he's- just down the hall, he's- he's-"

"Who, Anna? Who?" I insisted.

Her hands violently shook me, "Him!"

Right. Thanks, Sis. Big help you are.

Why was she like this?

The maid finally managed to pipe in, "What Miss is trying to tell you is that your-"

"Got it, Gerda, thanks!" Anna huffed out with a tiny scowl. Then she took in a deep breath, preparing to say something.

"Crap, I think that dude just robbed us," Lea chimed in first.

Holding a finger up to Anna, I whipped my head around to see what he was talking about: an older gentleman in a black suit walking briskly away with our bags. "Oh, that's just Kai."

Lea cocked an eyebrow at me, "The robber's name is Kai?"

"No, the butler's name is Kai."

"Why would the butler rob us?"

"He's not robbing us, he's just taking our things up to our room." I blanched. "Rooms." Plural. As in more than one. My parents would never, not in a million years, have put Lea and me in the same room under their roof… right? Oh gosh, why was the possibility only just now occurring to me? "He's, uh… he's p-putting them where we'll be staying. Separately. As in, not together. Completely and one hundred percent apart," I (overly) clarified, fighting that blush I felt creeping up my neck now.

Anna suddenly grabbed my head with both hands and forced me to look at her again, grounding out through her teeth, "You're. Not. Listening to me!" Then with a grumbling sigh, she snagged my hand in hers and started dragging me down one of the many corridors that branched off from the foyer. "Come on, we better hurry, they're probably wondering what's taking so long."

Gerda squeaked and scurried after us. "Right this way, please, and I'll see you to the Marigold Room where your hosts await your presence!" she awkwardly trilled, trying to maintain some semblance of performing her duties despite Anna's continued interference.

A whistle from Lea confirmed he was following as well. "Lemme guess. The Duke in the conservatory with the candlestick."

"Wha-?" my voice faltered as my feet tripped trying keep up with Anna, only barely managing to keep myself upright.

He grinned down at me as he strode along, shrugging. "This whole place is a legit, life-sized Clue board. Just trynta play the game here."

I stumbled again. "Ow, Anna! Not so hard. What is the rush?"

Not slowing down, she glanced back at me over her shoulder. "Come on, Elsa, think! What day is it?"

"Uh…" Was this a trick question? "...Friday?"

A low, agitated noise emitted from her throat. "No, what day?"

I squinted up at the ceiling in thought. "...the seventh?"

"Yes!" she spun around to tap her nose excitedly, her feet still moving backwards. "Which would make tomorrow…?"

"The eighth." Lost by this line of questioning? I know I was.

"Of?" she pressed. "What month, Elsa?"

"The eighth of… oh!" It finally clicked and I staggered again, my eyes growing round. "...oh no. It's his birthday. Oh gosh, he's here?! Right now?!"

"Yes! Finally! Thank you!" Anna cried out in exasperation.

"Who?" Lea asked, both eyebrows shooting up his forehead at my sudden change of attitude.

"It's-" I began, but that one word was all I got out before Anna took a sudden sharp turn, yanking me into the Marigold Room with her and bringing us face to face with-

"Grandfather!" I breathed, feet faltering as Anna brought us both to a sudden and jerky stop before him.

He cut an imposing figure, my grandfather. Tall, like father, and with the same red hair too that had been passed down to Anna. His however bore prominent streaks of grey at his temples - really the only sign of him getting on in years as he otherwise looked remarkably good for a man of his age. Still fit as a fiddle, barrel-chested, with a strong, square jaw and a sharp, piercing gaze.

A gaze that was so cold right now that I didn't know how I wasn't frozen into solid ice on the spot.

Anna had been wrong.

This wasn't bad.

This was catastrophic.

Because my grandfather? Not exactly the nicest person. Remember what my father had been like? Well, just think - he'd had to learn it from somewhere. And next to Grandfather, my father seemed warm and cuddly. Like sunshine and rainbows. Heck, Father was as friggin' teletubby by comparison to the man who'd raised him. Grandfather was cut from the same cloth as his brother, the Duke. The epitome of old fashioned and proper etiquette. The thing was, where the Duke was all bluster and tantrums, Grandfather just got quiet when he was angry. Like... really, really quiet. An ominous kind of quiet. A bone-chilling kind of quiet. Whenever Grandfather stopped talking, that's when I really got scared of the man.

No, scratch that. That was when I got petrified of the man.

So the fact that he was just staring down his nose at me right now, eyes narrowed, lips set into a grim, disapproving line, and not uttering a single word? Would have been enough to turn my hair stark white if it weren't pretty damn close already.

And to make matters worse? Mother and Father stood not five feet behind him looking rather unamused with me themselves.

Oh gosh, this wasn't going to be some pleasant, little family gathering.

This was going to be an execution. Mine, to be exact.

Gerda suddenly appeared off to one side, panting to catch her breath and making a hasty curtsy towards my parents and grandfather before announcing, "Elsa and her guest have arrived."

...thanks, Gerda. I think they figured that out already.

I watched as she turned and hurried to make her exit before reluctantly returning my gaze to Grandfather. Still, he said nothing. Just arched one bushy eyebrow at me and waited.

Oh fudge, he wanted me to be the first one to speak? Where do I even begin? What do I even say? Could I even talk right now? I don't think I could, not with how heavy my tongue suddenly felt, like it had turned into solid lead. What was I supposed to do here? How-

Suddenly, I felt it. A hand. Lea's hand, slipping across the small of my back and coming to rest on my hip, pulling me gently into his side. "Aren'tcha gonna introduce me, babe?" he asked, voice low and sugary-sweet as he grinned and pressed a kiss to my temple.

Grandfather's thick mustache gave a little twitch.

That's all it took for me to know. Not thirty seconds into this and there was absolutely zero doubt in my mind.

Before this weekend was out, Grandfather was going to murder Lea.

Inhaling and exhaling, I wrung my hands together and somehow figured out how to do this thing called 'talking' once again. "F-Father, you've already had the, uh… the pleasure, but Grandfather, Mother… this… this is…" I screwed my eyes shut, trying to steel myself.

Come on, Elsa, you can do this. Just one word. Just one measly, little word.

"This is my boooooo-" What was this? What was I doing here? "-oooooooooooooooo-" Why was I stretching the syllable out so friggin' long? What, had I gotten stuck? "-oooooooooooooo-" Dear god, how was there this much oxygen in my lungs? "-oooooooooo-" I didn't think there was even this much oxygen on the whole planet, much less inside my lungs. "-oooyyyyyyy-" Oh good. Progress. At this rate, I'd complete the word sometime this century. "-yyyyyyyyy-"

Anna, my divine saviour and blessed angel of mercy, jabbed her elbow into my gut.

"-friend!" I finished at last with a cough. "Boyfriend. This is my...my boyfriend. Yes. This is he. He is this." A beat. Then, "Lea! By the way. His name, that is. Yup. Lea the Boyfriend. My boyfriend. That's right, Lea is my boyfriend. My boyfriend is-"

"I think they get it, Sis," Anna hissed quietly out of the corner of her plastered-on smile.

Gee, I was getting so good at this whole lying thing, wasn't I?

"Pleased to meet ya, Gramps," Lea stretched out a hand towards him.

Grandfather didn't take it. Instead, he just stared long and hard at it. At the black nail polish and rings adorning it. Finally, he lifted his chin with a sniff and straightened his already ramrod posture even further. "That'll be Sir to you, young man."

"Oo, how formal. Whatever you say," he retracted his hand with a smirk, "Sir Gramps."

This had been a mistake, using Lea as my rent-a-boyfriend.

Actually… no, mistake would be an understatement. This was a powder keg and Lea was a goddamn burning match.

Pushing past my now rigidly stiff grandfather, Lea approached my parents next. "Pops, always a pleasure. Ma'am," he took my mother's hand in his to politely press his lips to the back of it, "lovely to make your acquaintance."

She looked slightly taken aback, blue eyes widening. However, Mother recovered quickly, delicately plucking her fingers from his grip to smooth at the tight bun her brown hair was currently up in before primly folding her hands together just below her waist. When she smiled, it was gracious but tight. "As it is yours," there was a briefest of pauses before she tacked on a hesitant, "Lea. Please, take a seat. Dinner should be ready shortly, but would anyone like a drink prepared while we wait?"

I was relieved to hear Lea answer with, "I'm good, thanks." Because a return of Wine Tipsy Lea was by far the very last thing this situation needed right now. As I declined as well, a quick look around brought to my attention the fact that we were the only two not partaking as it seemed the others had already started before we'd gotten here. Mother and Father were sipping at what looked to be some sort of dark red cabernet, while Anna retrieved her own glass and moved towards the mini bar to refill it - most likely with something sweet, fruity and potent enough to bring down an elephant, knowing her. On the low table around which all the seats gathered was a sturdy glass full of ice and an amber liquid. Probably Grandfather's. Probably bourbon.

I shifted over towards the sofa opposite the table from my parents and all three of us took a seat at the same time. Lea joined me soon after, slipping his arm around my shoulders as he flumped down into the cushions beside me. Grandfather, however, hadn't budged from where he stood since we'd entered the room. Not one inch. "Father," was all my father said to him - partially warning, partially pleading.

Grandfather's mustache twitched again and his left eye ticked. But then he moved to sit down in the armchair in front of the bourbon, snatching up the glass and sullenly nursing it.

Dear lord, this was a nightmare. No, this was Hell. That had to be it - I'd died and was now in my own little corner of the Underworld specifically designed and crafted to torture me in the cruelest way possible. I could already feel the stress burning an ulcer into my stomach and no amount of Lea's fingers lightly trailing up and down my arm would calm me down.

There was no point in putting it off, right? I should just do it now. Bring up the thing that was on all of our minds but no one was talking about. You know, the thing. The wedding thing… or rather, the whole lack of the wedding thing. I should just get this over with. Rip the bandaid off. Getting it all out in the open now had to be better than this. Anything had to be better than this… right?

Hands fidgeting furiously in my lap and this close to dislocating a finger, I licked my dry lips and managed to find my voice. "Perhaps now… we should discuss what exactly h-happened on… on my-"

"That is a topic that would be best saved for later," Father talked over me, his stern voice cutting me off. "Let us speak of other things right now."

My head rocked back at that, my forehead wrinkling. I flicked my gaze over to Grandfather briefly - who was still stewing quietly over his drink - then back to my parents. "But I thought-"

"Now's not the time, Elsa," Mother insisted firmly. "This is not a discussion that will be brief, nor will it be suitable to have over dinner. Besides, your father and I will have our hands full preparing for the party tomorrow evening, so this is a conversation that will just have to wait until the day after."

A frown tugged at my lips. "You're hosting a party?"

"For Grandfather's birthday," Anna plopped down onto the sofa beside me, freshened drink in hand. "Since, ya know, it's such a huge one. The big seven-oh. The whole family is going to be there to celebrate. And I mean, the whole family," she shot me a pointed look over the rim of her glass as she took a swig.

Oh. So that's what she'd meant earlier by "tomorrow people."

Why couldn't she have been this articulate when she'd greeted me at the door?

Mother added, "You are, of course, invited to attend the celebration as well, Lea. I know Father would be thrilled for you to join us."

Uh-huh. Sure. Grandfather looked positively pleased as punch over there at the very prospect.

"Sounds like a blast, count me in," Lea grinned.

Alright so… the birthday soirée would be tomorrow, then The Talk™ would be the day after. Roughly two days… forty-eight hours of waiting and worrying and dreading and- oh dear, I had to wonder what the world record for longest sustained panic attack might be. Start the timer, I was about to shatter that sucker.

A hush fell over the room, with the only sound coming from the clinking of the ice in Grandfather's drink accompanied by the ticking of the ancient but well-kept longcase clock in the corner. The ticking seemed to get louder with each passing second.

After one painfully long minute, Mother was finally the one to break the silence. "So Lea," she began, her eyes intent on him, "please… tell us a little about yourself."

"Where to even begin? Lessee here." Uh oh. I didn't like that little gleam he had in his eye as he rubbed a curled finger over his chin. "Well, I guess ya could say I had the kinda childhood every lil tyke dreams about: full of joy and love and the foster system." It was probably a good thing I hadn't gotten a drink because I'd probably be choking on it right now just like my parents were with theirs. "But I mean, with a druggie dad who bought the farm and a druggie mom who split outta my life first chance she got, where else was I s'posed to go?

"As for the rest after that, let's just give ya the highlights." Now he started ticking off his fingers, "College dropout. Ride a motorcycle. In a hardcore death metal band. Smoke ten packs a day." For the love of… he did remember the part about not giving my parents a heart attack, right? "Just got my thirty-day chip from AA - hey, fifth times a charm, right? Oh, I'm also a wanted felon in three different states. Wait…" he squinted one eye, pursing his lips to the left, "...make that four. Always forget about Connecticut. Which reminds me, I need to check in with my parole officer."

"He's joking!" I said quickly with a tiny, nervous laugh.

"Or am I?" he leaned forward in his seat to whisper conspiratorially, eyebrows bouncing. I pinched his arm, forcing a soft tch from him. "But let's not forget the most important thing ya need to know about me: how completely," he kissed my pinky, "and totally," another one for my ring finger, "head over heels," three more, one for each word and each remaining finger, "I am for your daughter."

Alright, you need to cool your jets, cheeks. This was all just part of the show, after all.

A show that was possibly being performed a bit too well. Grandfather's knuckles had gone so white around his glass, I was surprised the poor thing hadn't shattered into a million pieces yet.

Lea tapped his index to his lips now, "Hmmm, what else? Oh! Got a pretty cool story about this gnarly scar my half-brother gave me with a-"

"Anna!" I suddenly burst out, turning towards her at the same time I snagged Lea's hand, keeping him from lifting the hem of his shirt. She froze mid-sip, glancing at me out of the corner of her eyes. "What about you? What's new with you? You have that new boyfriend of yours, right? What about him, will he be joining us this weekend?"

Who me? Trying to change the subject? Psh, I would never!

She winced, averting her gaze and lowering her drink as she traced a finger around the rim. "Oh jeez, my…? Well... he, er… he was going to make it for dinner tonight but… something… unfortunately came up! But he should definitely be here in time for the party tomorrow, so… don't worry! Heh… I- oo, little cheeses!" she cried out excitedly as Gerda abruptly appeared once more to place a small platter of hors d'oeuvres on the coffee table. Anna immediately proceeded to stuff her face with them before pointing at her bulging cheeks and shaking her head, signaling she could no longer talk.

A crease formed between my eyebrows.

Huh… was it just me or was Anna acting kind of weird?

Maybe the tension around the room just had us all on edge, even her. Yeah, that was probably all it was.

"And you, Elsa?" Father's cool tone snapped my attention back to him. Each word that followed was slow and measured, as if he were picking them very carefully, "Tell us how you have been keeping yourself occupied during these past several weeks."

"Oh!" I gnawed on my lower lip, my fingers already tugging at my braid before I'd even realized it. "Well, I've… reconnected with an old friend - you remember Rayne from when I went to summer camp? Well she's married now with a baby on the way, can you imagine? And… and I've gotten myself a place to live and have found a job and-"

-and auditioned for a musical.

That was what I'd been about to tell them. However when I tried, the words got caught in my throat.

I knew they'd disapprove. That they'd probably scoff and wonder why I was still wasting my time on such childish, useless things. But it wasn't childish or useless, at least not to me. To me, the audition had been so important, had brought me so much happiness. I didn't want to give my parents the chance to belittle and ridicule it. I didn't want them to take this thing that was so special away from me.

So instead I released my braid and folded my hands in my lap, sitting up a little straighter as I simply said, "...and that's it really."

I could sense Lea's eyes on me. I think he knew what I'd purposely omitted. Thankfully, he kept his mouth shut about it.

"So… Lea…" Grandfather spoke up suddenly, his voice dangerously low and making me flinch. "I hear you're in the…" his lip curled in a slight sneer, "...pizza business? Is that right?"

Smirking back, he slouched a bit more comfortably into his seat. "That's right. I sling dough at a lil pizza joint in the local mall food court. Great place by the name of Pizza Planet… you ever been?"

His jaw clenched ever so slightly. "No, can't say that I have. But this... Pizza Planet," he said it like those were the two most offensive words in the english language, "...is that where you see yourself working for the rest of your life?"

Lea chuckled, his hand batting the air, "Nah, that'd just be silly! No, I won't be selling pizza forever." His mouth curved into a cheshire grin, "Instead I'll be selling ice cream."

"He plans to own his own business, Grandfather," I hastily clarified.

"His own business… selling ice cream," he growled, pointer finger incessantly tapping against his glass now. "And this is how you would plan to provide for and take care of my granddaughter."

"Pardon me, Sir Gramps," there was a hint of an edge to Lea's voice now, despite his unwavering smile, "but I was under the impression that your granddaughter was her own person fully capable of taking care of herself."

You know that chilling, goosebump-inducing, hackles-raising energy you can feel crackling in the air right before a devastating storm strikes and ravages the land?

That was exactly how it felt right now in the space between Grandfather and Lea.

Luckily, Gerda appeared in the nick of time to divert the tempest by announcing, "Dinner is ready!"

"Thank you, Gerda," Mother had stood in the blink of an eye and was already making her way over to Grandfather. "If you would be so kind as to escort me, Father?"

His hard, unblinking gaze was still on Lea and for a second it seemed like he hadn't even heard her. But at last he tore his eyes away with a harrumph and put his drink back down on the table with a sharp, audible clink. "Of course, my dear," he said evenly as he rose from his own chair, offering her his arm and leading her out of the room.

I turned to Anna, but before I could say anything she'd already bolted up and around the table to grab both of Father's hands in hers. "C'mon, Dad! Walk me to dinner too!" she yanked him up, startling a soft grunt out of him as he staggered to his feet. Then she was hooking her arm through his elbow and all but dragging him out of the room with her.

What the…?

...maybe Anna was just super hungry?

"I think that went really well!" Lea chirped, giving me a thumbs up.

I merely drooped my eyelids at him and said nothing.

Later that night found me in my old bedroom. I'd deduced this was where I was expected to sleep, seeing as how this was where Kai had deposited my luggage. As suspected, Lea had been set up in one of the guest rooms further down the hall, so it was just me alone in here now.

It felt odd being back in this room. Just like it'd felt odd returning to my parent's home or going back to my old condo. I don't know, I guess I just didn't feel like I... belonged here anymore. Like I was some piece that everyone else was trying to force into the wrong puzzle, even though my edges didn't fit and the picture didn't match at all.

Sighing, I shifted in my chair to face the mirror on my vanity once more - this one a lot nicer than the one we'd scrounged up for my room back at the apartment I shared with Rayne and Riku, as you might imagine. Having just finished combing out my hair, I set my brush aside and my fingers idly went to work on rebraiding as my thoughts began to wander.

Dinner had ended up just being the sequel to drinks in the Marigold Room. My parents had continued to try and maintain some semblance of being hospitable hosts while keeping up strained conversation. Grandfather had continued to be a seething ball of barely-held-in-check fury and I don't think he'd said more than two words for the rest of the evening. Lea had continued to… well, be Lea. And as for my sister…

I quite honestly had no idea what was going on with her. Maybe it was just my imagination but it seemed every time I'd tried to talk to her, something else had always gotten in the way. Like I'd open my mouth to speak but before I could so much as make a peep, she'd already engaged Mother or Father in some new topic. Or I'd ask her a question only to have her look at me, lips pursed shut against a mouth full of food and shoulders shrugging. There was even one time where all I'd said was her name before she'd accidentally knocked over her drink. At least, I thought it'd been accidental… unless...

Could it be that she was... purposely avoiding talking to me? Had I done something to upset her? I couldn't even begin to think what. Last I'd seen her a week ago, she'd been fine. Everything had been normal between us. What could have possibly changed since?

...maybe I was just reading too much into it. It was probably just a lot of coincidence and poor timing. In fact-

There was a knock at my door just then.

Ha! Bet you that was her now. See? Nothing to worry about, I'd just been overthinking it all. Tying off my completed braid, I rose to answer the door.

And indeed, it was a redhead that I found waiting in the corridor on the other side.

Just not the redhead I'd been expecting.

"Lea?" I frowned, both my eyebrows rising.

He snerked, "Yeesh, don't act too excited to see me."

"What? No, I'm- You're just not who I-" I pressed my lips shut, heaving a small sigh through my nose. "...nevermind. What brings you here?"

"Brought ya something," he grinned and for the first time, I realized he was hiding his hands behind his back. "May I come in?"

My head tipped to the right. "Uh...sure," I opened the door wider, my bare feet stepping off to one side as I absently smoothed at my dress - the same one from dinner. Lea had arrived just before I'd been about to change for bed.

He was still in his earlier clothes as well, though he'd left behind his boots and jacket. I couldn't help but notice he hadn't taken that cute little half-tail out of his hair yet. I also couldn't help but notice the way he carefully managed to keep whatever he had behind him out of sight, even as he walked past me into the room. I closed the door and when I faced him, he hunched down to my eye level, "Ya ready?"

I crossed one hand over my abdomen and gestured with the other for him to continue.

"Ta-da!" he brought one hand forward now, revealing a little black strip lined with sharp, metal points dangling from the clasp pinched between his fingertips.

That's right. It was the spiked collar.

...whatever I'd been expecting, it hadn't been this.

My eyes blinked once. Then twice. "...you were serious? You actually have one of those?"

"Course! What, didja think I was lying? I'm offended, madame," he hmphed, putting his free hand to his breast.

I snorted with a roll of my eyes, "Well no, not lying, but more so just joking."

"I never joke about studded leather," he waggled his eyebrows at me.

Nose crinkling, I delicately poked a finger into one of the spikes. "Alright, so why exactly are you showing me this?"

Lea smirked and shrugged. "Your curiosity just seemed so piqued when I mentioned it earlier."

I gave him a flat look. "It was not piqued."

"Keep telling yourself that," he chuckled then paused, eyes crinkling. "...so you wanted to know what it looked like on me, right?"

Cheeks lightly toasted now, I scowled, "I never said-"

He wrapped the thing around his neck, holding it in place with a hand instead of fastening the tiny buckle in back.

Oh.

Oh, I see.

...it was, um… hrm, it was… interesting.

Damn it, face, be cool. That goes double for you, heart! Don't go thinking I can't hear that racket you're making down there!

"Well, I guess that's one mystery solved," was all I said as I glanced away, hand coming up to cover one cheek in a vain attempt to hide the growing blush.

"Glad I could be of service," he murmured as he (mercifully) removed the collar from his throat once more.

"...why do you even own one?" I asked, hesitantly reaching for the accessory now.

He let me take it from him. "Just a relic from my pissed-off, rebellious juvenile delinquent days that I managed to dig up again recently. What a punkass lil poser I was back then, huh?" he hummed a tiny laugh as he looked down at his feet, lightly scuffing one against the carpet.

Intrigued by it now, I turned it over in my hands as he spoke before taking it over to the mirror on my vanity. "I suppose we all try to find different ways to express ourselves when we're young. Just a part of growing up and figuring out who we are," I said distractedly as I watched my reflection bring the choker up to encircle her neck, tilting her head slightly to the left with a thoughtful frown.

"Well I guess that'd make me a-" whatever quip he'd had locked and loaded was forever lost as he made a sudden strangled, choking noise.

I looked over at him sharply, brow furrowing as I lowered the spiked collar once more. "You okay? What happened?"

His fist thumped his chest as he fought for breath, which was making his face red. "N-nothing," he wheezed, rapidly shaking his head. "Just oxygen, man. That shit'll kill ya, am I right? Heh."

I squinted at him dubiously.

Lea was such a weirdo sometimes.

He averted his gaze now, rubbing at the back of his neck. "You, uh… that choker looked good on ya. Like really, really good."

"You think so?" I frowned down at where it rested in my palm before holding it out to him, "I'll just have to take your word for it."

"Keep it," he grinned, pushing my hand back towards me. "Ya never know when you'll need one for an impromptu angry goth phase."

I smiled at that, "I think I'm in the clear. Isn't that more of a teenager thing?"

"Please. Angry goth isn't an age, it's a state of mind."

"If you say so," I snorted, but put the choker down on my vanity. I had to wonder what my parents might say if they ever discovered it in here with the rest of my things.

"So," he piped up once more, pulling my attention back to him, "this is the bedroom that sweet lil El grew up in, huh?"

As I watched Lea take a few steps further in now, it suddenly occurred to me... this was the first time a boy had ever been in my bedroom. And not just any boy - this was my crush.

Wow… it felt so highschool when I put it that way.

To be fair though, this wasn't an experience I'd ever got to have while I was actually in highschool.

Better late than never, I suppose?

I only wish it didn't make me want to squirm so much as his eyes roved over everything in here, from the big, purple, gauzy canopy bed to the embellished, oversized wardrobe and matching dresser set. From the cushy, inset bench beneath a grand window in the unique shape of a triangle to the tall, antique shelves of neatly arranged novels and DVD cases of old musicals and plays. From the small sitting area in one corner furnished with plush red chairs to the vintage Broadway posters hanging from the walls in expensive frames.

The room was not small by any means, but him being in it somehow seemed to make it shrink. Like here was this big guy that had somehow found his way into a cutesy little dollhouse room. The comparison did not make me want to fidget any less.

Trying to take my mind off it, I began, "So… earlier at drinks and dinner, did you really have to be so…" I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to find the right word. "...just so, ah…"

"So much of a grade-A jackass?" he suggested brightly. Not exactly the word I would have used, but still, I gave a slow nod and he laughed. "Remember, the whole point was for me to be a total hooligan so they didn't just think me some pushover they could boss around or scare off. Think they got that message loud and clear. 'Sides, pushing every last button of the girlfriend's folks is kinda a hallmark of being a classic bad boy."

My fingers found their way to my braid, running up and down it. "But there's a big difference between pushing a few buttons and having a deathwish."

"Aw, how sweet, you worried about lil ol' me, El?" He paused briefly in his casual perusal of my room to glance my way, flashing me that cursed dimple of his, "I'm so flattered."

I shook my head, "I just think you didn't have to go to such extremes or be quite so-"

"Gotta question for ya," he interjected, coming over to stand in front of me. "Say I had showed up on my very best behavior. The perfect gentleman, minded all my P's and Q's and was just the saintliest boyfriend to ever saint. Do you think your family would be singing my praises right about now?"

My eyes shifted about and I tried weakly, "...well… maybe if-"

"Do you truly, honestly believe that your family would ever accept a white trash lil nobody like me dating their precious princess of a daughter?" he pressed quietly yet firmly.

I tucked in my lower lip, hesitating for a long moment before a tiny grimace twisted my face and I mumbled, "Probably not, no."

Lea gave a little smile that almost seemed a touch sad before he turned away once more, returning his attention to exploring the bedroom. "Thought so. I was screwed the second I so much as dared to breathe the same air as your gramps. So if they're all gonna hate my guts whether I play the part of boy scout or hoodlum, might as well go with door numeros dos and at least have some fun while I'm at it," he chuckled.

"Fine, I see your point," I crossed my arms with a frown. "But still, you might want to tone it back just a smidge. Grandfather has munny and connections. He can seriously make you disappear."

A snerk. "I'd like to see him try. I'm one tough son of a bitch to get rid of," he muttered as he neared my bed now, reaching out a hand to poke some of the draping aside as he peeked in, "Trust me, no one axes me that easily, got it memorized? He's in for one rude awakening if he thinks he can just- gah!" he stumbled back in surprise, blinking a couple times before shifting the canopy again for a second look. "The fuck is that ugly lil bastard?!"

I rushed over, snatching up the stuffed plushie sitting atop my neatly made bed and hugging it close as I glared at Lea. "It's a snowman and shush, he's cute! Cuter than you anyway!"

His horrified gaze darted from me to the doll and back. "Dear god, I hope not!"

Sitting down on my mattress, I spun the little guy around in my lap for a better look at him - it'd probably been at least four-some-odd years since I'd last seen the plush, after all. And okay, sure, I could admit he probably wouldn't be winning any beauty contests any time soon, but give the poor, stuffed snowman a break! I had had him since I was a baby and he had had to endure more than one stitch repair job, especially with what a destructive little toddler Anna had been. Despite all that, I still thought him rather handsome with a unique, quirky charm to him.

Giving Lea a flat look and hitching my chin, I said dryly, "My statement stands."

"Wow, guess it's true what they say, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder," he grumbled, narrowing his gaze on the plushie as I snuggled it close to me once more. But then one corner of his lips quirked up and he bowed down to look me in the eye, tipping his head to one side as he murmured, "Hope I at least rate a close second."

Resident cheeks be advised: flash fire warnings are now in effect.

I held my tongue and just glanced away.

The corners of his eyes crinkled as he straightened back up and shoved his hands into his pockets. "So… about that big party tomorrow…"

Thank goodness, a new topic! "What about it?"

Shrugging, Lea said, "Just wanna know what to expect."

My fingers idly stroked at the snowman's head - the fabric still felt soft after all these years, even if it had taken on more of a dull gray color by now as opposed to its original pristine, snowy white. "Well… it'll probably be held in our ballroom-"

"This small palace has a freaking ballroom too?" He shook his head with a snort, "I was kidding before, but this place really is just one big damn Clue board."

Rolling my eyes, I continued, "And it'll probably be packed with all our relatives. Believe me, there are a lot of us on both sides of the family. Acquaintances too. Honestly, it'll most likely all be rather boring. Just a whole lot of mingling, maybe a speech or two, and an over abundance of food accompanied by music."

"Music…" he repeated, frowning up at the ceiling now as one hand went to the nape of his neck, tugging at the little hairs there. "So that mean there'll be dancing? Like… the fancy kind?"

I cocked my head at him. "Are you worried about having to waltz?" Resting my stuffed doll against my pillows, I stood up, "I can teach you if you'd like."

He blinked at me, expression unreadable. Then, "Alright."

I stepped over to stand before him. Now that I got close, I was reminded of just how freakishly tall the man was. My stomach did a little somersault at that and I was already regretting this decision. But it was too late to turn back now. Beating the blush back, locking it up and throwing away the key, I schooled my face into seriousness.

I was going to handle this like a professional, damnit!

"It's fairly simple really, and you've probably seen more than your fair share of it in those sappy movies you like so much. Our hands come together, like this," I joined my right with his left, holding them up to one side. "While your other hand goes…" gingerly taking his wrist in my grasp, I tentatively guided his palm to rest on my hip, hoping the action didn't seem as awkward as it had felt, "...right there." Finally, I settled my left hand on his shoulder and looked up the few inches that separated us.

Big mistake.

Jeez, having eyes as green and beautiful and heart spasm-inducing as his should've been illegal!

And being surrounded by his warm, cinnamony boy scent was not helping matters one bit.

I hastily broke eye contact, opting to look down at our toes instead. Toes are nice. Toes are safe. "It's, uh... it's very easy. You just take steps in the shape of a square. Watch my feet and follow along, I'll go slow. Forward with your left foot first," I took a step back and he moved with me, "then to the side with your right… now bring them together… Good. Then back with your right… out with your left… and together again." I took him through it a few more times without issue. "See? Simple. You're already getting the hang of it."

"I just must have a really good teacher," he said in a low hum.

"At this rate I'll soon be the one following your lead instead of… wait," my forehead wrinkled, "...you are already leading." I looked up at him suspiciously. "Did you already know how to ballroom dance?"

He smiled sheepishly, "Heh… guilty?"

"You brat, why did you tell me you didn't?" I laughed, trying to step away from him.

"I said no such thing," his hand shifted from my hip to the small of my back, not letting me escape. To be fair, I didn't try that hard. "You just assumed I didn't know how. And you know what they say when you assume," he teased as he continued to lead me in our little dance.

I scoffed in spite of the upward tug I felt at one side of my mouth. "Where did you even learn to waltz?"

"My lil secret," Lea winked. "But you know the deal. I'd be willing to give it up for one o' yours."

"You want me to give you a secret?" My eyes darted to the left. "I'm not sure I even have anymore…"

He snerked, pulling me ever so slightly closer to him. "Now I know I don't believe that. You must be able to think of at least one."

...actually yes. There was… at least one more I could think of…

That of certain feelings I was having for a certain redhead.

Sensing a small, familiar heat creeping up into my face, I cleared my throat and shook my head, still not meeting his gaze. "No… no I don't think so. Pretty sure I'm all tapped out."

He dipped his head down next to mine and I could feel him smirking against my ear as he whispered, "You wouldn't be lying to me now, would you?"

His warm breath tickled and I had to suppress a shiver. Conceal, don't feel. Don't let him know. I finally looked at him with a small, playful smile that I hoped didn't betray my hammering heart. "Come now… does this look like the face of someone who'd lie to you?"

Lea bit back a tiny, crooked grin as his eyes hooded, his thumb tracing small circles against the fabric of my dress. Then his lips parted, about to speak.

That was when, for the second time that night, a knock came at my door.

That must be Anna. Smile widening as I continued to stare up at Lea, I called out, "Come in."

I heard it open followed by a soft, "Oh!" that caused me to pale and my feet to stumble.

That wasn't the sound of my sister's voice.

My head whipped towards it as I stammered, "M-Mother!" This time when I attempted to break free of Lea's hold, he let me.

She stood there, posture perfect and hands clasped together in front of her. "Sorry, I didn't think you already had company."

"S'okay, I was just leaving," Lea said before pressing a tender kiss to my forehead. "Night," he told me, voice low as his fingers tucked some of my hair behind my ears. Apparently, he couldn't just depart without giving me one final whammy of the warm fuzzies. Jerkface. "Ma'am," he nodded to my mother as he walked past her towards my door, closing it behind him on his way out.

My gaze followed his exit before drifting over to my vanity right beside the door.

More specifically, to the spiked collar still resting on top of it.

Fudge. Had I wondered what my parents' reaction would be if they ever discovered it in here? Yes. Did I particularly need to find out the answer to that little question this very night? Hell no!

Luckily Mother hadn't seemed to notice it on her way in and her back was currently to it as she said, "That young man is… quite the character."

Funny. That's what Father had said. Almost verbatim. I wondered if my parents rehearsed these things.

"He, uh…" I sidled past her, putting myself between her and the choker, blocking her line of sight to it. Then I forced an innocent smile and a weak chuckle, "...he makes me happy."

If she thought my movements strange, she was good at hiding it. "And he seems very fond of you."

"Ah… yes, I suppose so." I casually leaned back against the piece of furniture and slipped a hand behind me, discreetly moving the offending item into one of the vanity's small drawers.

Whew! Mission Hide The Goth Contraband was a success!

The small feeling of victory swiftly waned however and I frowned. "Mother, I…" I began, only to find I had no idea what to say to her.

I hadn't had any idea for years now.

It had not always not always been like this. In fact when I'd been very little, I'd felt like I could share anything and everything with her. She'd been my biggest supporter in all things, especially in my love of the performing arts. As I'd always been such a shy child, she'd gone so far as to even encourage the activity, perhaps in the hopes that it would build my confidence and make me more outgoing.

But as I'd grown older, our relationship had changed. She became more aloof and distant. I suspect she and Father had hoped my interest in theater was just a phase, one I'd grow out of eventually. But when it seemed I wasn't going to - not on my own anyway - she'd started taking a sterner approach with me. That's when she stopped being my friend. That's when it became harder to talk to her. And it'd only gotten harder and harder with time. Things were never quite the same between us after that.

She watched me now, patient for me to continue. Worrying my bottom lip between my teeth, I finally settled on, "Why are you here?"

"I would think the answer should be obvious." Her small, gentle smile caught me off guard, but not nearly as much as her now stepping forward to take both my hands in hers. "I wanted a little time alone with my daughter. Away from your father and grandfather... just the two of us."

My breath hitched, my chest constricted, and before I knew it I was blurting out, "I auditioned for a musical."

Her head reeled back slightly and I winced.

Welp. So much for not letting that cat out of the bag.

I swear, mouth, I can't take you anywhere.

Waiting with bated breath, I searched her wide-eyed gaze for any clue as to what she might be thinking. Was she angry? Annoyed? Disappointed? I couldn't tell as her face gave away nothing for several long seconds. Finally though, she tipped her head to one side, "...did it go well?"

I blinked, a crease emerging between my eyebrows. "I, uh… yes, I think it did. But they won't announce casting until next week."

"I see. Well," and here she was smiling again as she leaned in closer to whisper, "we can just keep that our little secret, hm?"

...who was this woman and what had she done with Mother?

I stared at her before slowly nodding. It was all I could do. Words abandoned me at the moment. I hadn't been prepared at all for this.

And I was even less prepared for what came next.

Mother's gaze softened as she brought her hand up, cupping her cool fingers to my cheek. "That must have taken a lot of courage. I'm very proud of you."

My throat tightened and I swallowed past the lump I felt forming in it. I blinked away some tears, my voice hoarse as I somehow managed to get out, "Th-thank you… Mother."

Had I entered some sort of Twilight Zone? If so, I never wanted to leave.

She regarded me kindly for a second more before her expression turned to that of concern. "You look tired. Have you been sleeping well?"

Honestly, I hadn't. The last good night's rest I'd had was the unplanned sleepover in Lea's room. Every night since then was one night closer and closer to this weekend and whatever unspeakable horrors awaited me. Every night had been less and less dreams, replaced by more and more tossing and turning. I'd actually spent all of last night wide awake, just staring up at my ceiling until the sun had at last arisen.

So, naturally, my answer to Mother was, "Yes."

Her quiet tsk said she didn't believe me. "Come here," she turned away, walking towards my bed and lowering herself down onto it. I hugged myself, feet rooted to the spot as I stared after her, bewildered. Sitting back against my pillows and tucking in her legs, her hand patted the spot on the mattress beside her, "Cuddle close, scooch in."

Instantly I was transported back to when I was a little girl. Back to the last time I'd heard her say those words to me. My response was automatic and before I'd realized it, I'd already curled into her side and was resting my head against her shoulder.

She started humming a familiar lullaby. One she had used to sing for me all the time when I was small. It was from my favorite musical, the same one that the song I'd sang in the tryouts had been from.

This was nice. It wouldn't put me to sleep, but still, it was... nice. Comforting. Nostalgic. Her hand was lightly stroking my arm, my hair, my cheek. Then she was trailing the tip of her pinky down the bridge of my nose slowly before bringing it back up to do it again. An old trick she'd used to use to get me to pass out. Cute. That may have worked when I was a child, but I was an adult now. There's no way it could still possibly have the same effect on me now, not in a million-

Within minutes I was out like a light.

Author's Note: Ah, it's finally here! The dreaded weekend with (dun dun dun)… The Parents (TM)! Elsa's spent most of the story in Lea's KH universe, now it's his turn to spend a few chapters in her Frozen world xP Let me tell you, when I was writing outline notes for this whole story, I had very little planned for this arc at first. I had a smattering of a few vague ideas, but hardly enough to fill even so much as one chapter with! But thankfully, Frozen 2 was released, coming to my rescue and giving me a whole new host of Frozen characters to include xD Then the ideas started flowing, thank goodness! Soooooo, more F2 characters to be introduced in the chapters to come! Fun Fact: Elsa's dress this chapter (complete with lil necklace) is loosely based on the dress she wears at the beginning of F2 for the Some Things Never Change song, just picture it shorter (cuz apparently I just want to do that to all her dresses) and with a maybe slightly poofier skirt.

Next chapter, what new trial and tribulations does The Weekend (capital T, capital W) hold in store for our couple? Is there something up with Anna or she just being her normal oddball self? Was there a reason behind Mother's unexpected show of affection? Will there be trouble brewing at Gramps' bday shindig? Just who REALLY is the cuter cutie to ever cute: Lea or Elsa's wonky snowman plushie? Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, I super duper appreciate it! And an extra BIG thank you to those of you who’ve liked, reblogged, and followed so far, seeing those lil notifications always brings the biggest, goofiest smile to my face!

FIRST CHAPTER || PREVIOUS CHAPTER || NEXT CHAPTER

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blackswaneuroparedux · 5 years ago

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“H7″: The Norwegian king who led a resistance

King Haakon VII of Norway is considered a national hero in Norway - even though he was originally Danish. He was to be the first king of Norway following the restoration of that country’s full independence in 1905. In time he became an important symbol of nationalism enshrined within the Norwegian monarchy.

The figurehead king who became a symbol of Norwegian liberty was not someone born to the role. Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axel was born 3 Aug 1872 into the Danish royal family and was originally known as Prince Carl of Denmark. Son of King Frederick VII of Denmark (r.1906–1912), he was the younger brother of the crown prince.

Norway, at this time, was an autonomous kingdom in a personal union with the Kingdom of Sweden (known as Sweden-Norway). The king of Sweden was also the king of Norway. This arrangement ended in 1905 with a referendum in which the Norwegian people voted overwhelmingly for dissolving the political union with Norway. That same year, the Norwegian people voted overwhelmingly for a constitutional monarchy rather than a republic. Prince Carl was invited to become king of Norway. He did so, taking the name Haakon VII.

Norway kept its 1814 constitution intact and King Haakon VII became king in November 1905. Haakon VII was formally crowned in an elaborate coronation ceremony the following year. This was the last such ceremony for any Norwegian monarch as the requirement for a formal coronation with the monarch in regalia was abolished a couple years later. After Haakon VII, monarch have had simpler ceremonies to celebrate their accession.

King Haakon VII reigned from 1905 to 1957, the first independent king of Norway in centuries. All of this makes King Haakon VII notable for Norwegians, a strong national symbol. Events in the latter part of his reign would test his character and reveal what a leader he was. Though his power was almost entirely symbolic, the life and reign of King Haakon VII shows what an ideal leaders does in a time of national emergency. In short, King Haakon VII was the ideal constitutional monarch and ideal head of state.

At the start April 1940, the Kingdom of Norway was a neutral country as Europe descended into the Second World War. War had been declared in September 1939 by the United Kingdom and France against Germany after the latter invaded Poland and refused to withdraw. War had broken out in the east but not so much in the west. This was the so-called ‘phony war.’ The British had decided to start placing mines in Norwegian waters to halt potential Nazi expansion.

Norway, being a country rich in iron, was a key target for the Nazis. The Nazi Government leaders hoped to faced no real resistance, extract resources, and install favorable governments. On 9 April 1940, the Germans sent military forces into both Norway and Denmark. The German invasion of Denmark lasted less than six hours. The Danish government capitulated in exchange for retaining independence and not having the Luftwaffe bomb Copenhagen. In contrast to Denmark, the Norwegians did not capitulate. It was Hitler’s desire to have a Nazi-friendly government in Norway under Vidkun Quisling, something the Norwegian people were not in favor of.

In the Battle of Drøbak Sound (depicted in the movie The King’s Choice), the Norwegians temporarily halted a German advance into Norway. Though this campaign did not stop the German advance (the Germans increased their military presence as they sought to gain control of the country), it did buy enough time for King Haakon VII and the Norwegian government to get out of Oslo.

The German delay in occupying Oslo, along with swift action by the President of the Storting (parliament), C. J. Hambro, created the opportunity for the Norwegian Royal Family, the cabinet, and most of the 150 members of the Storting (parliament) to make a hasty departure from the capital by special train.

The Storting first convened at Hamar the same afternoon, but with the rapid advance of German troops, the group moved on to Elverum. The assembled Storting unanimously enacted a resolution, the so-called Elverum Authorization, granting the cabinet full powers to protect the country until such time as the Storting could meet again.

The next day, Curt Bräuer, the German Minister to Norway, demanded a meeting with Haakon. The German diplomat called on Haakon to accept Adolf Hitler's demands to end all resistance and appoint Vidkun Quisling as prime minister. Quisling, the leader of Norway's fascist party, the Nasjonal Samling, had declared himself prime minister hours earlier in Oslo as head of what would be a German puppet government; had Haakon formally appointed him, it would have effectively given legal sanction to the invasion.

Bräuer suggested that Haakon follow the example of the Danish government and his brother, Christian X, which had surrendered almost immediately after the previous day's invasion, and threatened Norway with harsh reprisals if it did not surrender. Haakon told Bräuer that he could not make the decision himself, but only on the advice of the Government.

While Haakon would have been well within his rights to make such a decision on his own authority (since declaring war and peace are part of the royal prerogative), even at this critical hour he refused to abandon the convention that he acted on the Government's advice.

In an emotional meeting in Nybergsund, the King reported the German ultimatum to his cabinet. While Haakon could not make the decision himself, he knew he could use his moral authority to influence it. Accordingly, Haakon told the cabinet:

“I am deeply affected by the responsibility laid on me if the German demand is rejected. The responsibility for the calamities that will befall people and country is indeed so grave that I dread to take it. It rests with the government to decide, but my position is clear.

For my part I cannot accept the German demands. It would conflict with all that I have considered to be my duty as King of Norway since I came to this country nearly thirty-five years ago.”

Haakon went on to say that he could not appoint Quisling as prime minister because he knew neither the people nor the Storting had confidence in him. However, if the cabinet felt otherwise, the King said he would abdicate so as not to stand in the way of the Government's decision.

Nils Hjelmtveit, Minister of Church and Education, later wrote: “This made a great impression on us all. More clearly than ever before, we could see the man behind the words; the king who had drawn a line for himself and his task, a line from which he could not deviate. We had through the five years [in government] learned to respect and appreciate our king, and now, through his words, he came to us as a great man, just and forceful; a leader in these fatal times to our country.”

Inspired by Haakon's stand, the Government unanimously advised him not to appoint any government headed by Quisling. Within hours, it telephoned its refusal to Bräuer. That night, NRK broadcast the government's rejection of the German demands to the Norwegian people. In that same broadcast, the Government announced that it would resist the German invasion as long as possible, and expressed their confidence that Norwegians would lend their support to the cause.

The Germans retaliated with bombing campaigns. King Haakon VII ultimately evacuated the country with government leaders, forming a Norwegian government in exile. During this time King Haakon VII made speeches to his people through the BBC radio service.

Meanwhile, Hitler had appointed Josef Terboven as Reichskommissar for Norway. On Hitler's orders, Terboven attempted to coerce the Storting to depose the King; the Storting declined, citing constitutional principles.

A subsequent ultimatum was made by the Germans, threatening to intern all Norwegians of military age in German concentration camps. With this threat looming, the Storting's representatives in Oslo wrote to their monarch on 27 June, asking him to abdicate.

The King declined, politely replying that the Storting was acting under duress. The King gave his answer on 3 July, and proclaimed it on BBC radio on 8 July.

After one further German attempt in September to force the Storting to depose Haakon failed, Terboven finally decreed that the Royal Family had "forfeited their right to return" and dissolved the democratic political parties.

During Norway's five years under German control, many Norwegians surreptitiously wore clothing or jewellery made from coins bearing Haakon's "H7" monogram as symbols of resistance to the German occupation and of solidarity with their exiled King and Government, just as many people in Denmark wore his brother's monogram on a pin. The King's monogram was also painted and otherwise reproduced on various surfaces as a show of resistance to the occupation.

After the end of the war, Haakon and the Norwegian Royal Family returned to Norway aboard the cruiser HMS Norfolk, arriving with the First Cruiser Squadron to cheering crowds in Oslo on 7 June 1945, exactly five years after they had been evacuated from Tromsø

By June 1945 King Haakon VII was heartily greeted by cheering crowds. The Nazi threat was over and the country free once again. King Haakon VII would reign for another twelve years. Haakon died at the age of 85 in September 1957, after having reigned for nearly 52 years. At his death, Olav succeeded him as Olav V. Haakon was buried on 1 October 1957 alongside his wife in the white sarcophagus in the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Fortress. He was the last surviving son of King Frederick VIII of Denmark.

King Haakon VII reigned over his people from the time of dissolution with Norway in 1905 through the dark years of the Second World War and proved to be one of the best national leaders of the first half of the 20th Century. Haakon VII is regarded by many as one of the greatest Norwegian leaders of the pre-war period, managing to hold his young and fragile country together in unstable political conditions. His leadership as the symbol of resistance to hostile outside invaders is still deeply revered by all Norwegians to this day.

#king haakon VII #norway #monarchy #king #history #norge #norsk #world war two #war

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jj-lynn21 · 5 years ago

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You will remember things that we never said ch 1

Starring college rocker Axel Cluney

Music by Dolly Trauma: Morla , LIGHT BULB

Character idea Billofourtime

Detrimental behavior courtesy of my college years lol

photo by @hiddlelecki

Warnings: aloofness, vulgar language/behavior, complete lyrics to songs

ch 2 ch 3 ch 4 ch 5 ch 6 ch 7

Stephanie Westin had aspiration of becoming a great writer. She wasn’t sure a University degree in anything would help her. According to her family and friends that was the only place to go next. So, she applied to major in creative writing and minor in art. She was able to get a scholarship that paid for her courses, books and even included a meal stipend. She planned to work hard. Take the maximum load of courses each semester and be done in two years, maybe three at the most.

Axel Cluney never had anything handed to him. He worked his ass off from the time he could find a job outside of the house. He washed dishes in restaurants, mowed lawns and painted houses but when his Dad’s buddy, Derick, let him work in his tattoo parlor he had found his calling. That’s how Derick would put it anyway. Axel just liked the job didn’t get in the way of his other creative outlet, His band Zeigeist.

It was Derick who encouraged Axel strongly to get a degree in business with a minor in art so he could take over the tattoo parlor when Derick retired. Axel reluctantly agreed. Derick had practically raised him when his Dad ditched town a few years after his Mother passed away. Axel was fourteen and just wanted to quit school to go look for his Dad who never treated him very well anyway. Derick convinced Axel not to quit. He encouraged him to do better than Axel ever thought he could. He was a better Dad to him than his Dad ever was, which Axel never told him.

The first week of classes. Neither Stephanie nor Axel knew where anything was located. When they finally found room twelve in the creative art’s building, they almost bumped right into each other reaching the door at the same time from opposite sides. They looked at each other a second. Stephanie smiled. Axel just had a blank look on his face as he opened the door and let her go through first.

She sat up front in her fitted blue jeans and red V-neck long-sleeved t-shirt. He sat in the back in his long sleeve black turtleneck and dark denim jeans. She still noticed the tattoos on his hands and fingers. Also, how his green eyes seemed to make her nervous. Axel noticed how her wavy blonde hair fell to the opening of her shirt revealing the tops of her ample breasts. He licked his lips absentmindedly.

Come Thursday evening Stephanie already felt overwhelmed with schoolwork. The syllabuses she received from each class had reading assignments and project deadlines for the whole semester. But since she had the work in front of her she thought she would just get it all done in a few days or maybe weeks other than the tests she would have to wait for instructors to give her. She shared a dorm room with Bella. She only had seen her briefly at the beginning of the week.

“We are going to be great friends,” Bella hugged Stephanie tight when they first met. “We will have great adventures. Working towards a goal is great but you have to live life girl.”

Stephanie laughed at Bella uncomfortably. Stephanie likes her privacy bubble and studying towards her goals just fine. There would be time to “live life” later.

Bella opened Stephanie’s bedroom door when she got to their dorm room, “Come on and get ready Steph. Its Thursday night. You have all weekend to study. You need to go see my friends band play at Hide & Seek. We can walk so we can stumble back drunk if need be.” She laughed.

Stephanie looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language. “I’m fine. I just started organizing my studying, so I get the most done in the least amount of time. I have an art project due in a week. I need to do a portrait of someone interesting. So…”

“I will find you lots of interesting people.” Bella said. “It will be like your studying to find that perfect portrait specimen. You go this one time and if you don’t enjoy yourself, I will never ask you to come party with me again.”

Stephanie looks at her new roommate exasperated, “alright, I’ll go. What kind of music does your friends band play?”

“My friend, Rick, is in a metal band called Dark Breed.” Bella brushed her long ebony hair.

Stephanie took her hair down from the bun she always wore when studying. Then brushed it out adding a bit of shine oil to bring her waves back to life. Both girls touched up their makeup in the mirror.

“You are so easy to share the mirror with Steph.” She touched up her mascara. “Your so short I can see right over you.”

“Thanks,” Stephanie put some light pink natural looking lip stain on your lips. She wasn’t sure if what Bella said was really a complement, but she tried to look past short girl jokes she has been hearing all her life.

It’s a great evening for a walk. The air is crisp with fall smells as Stephanie and Bella walk to the club. Bella goes on and on about the club she is taking Stephanie to and how the people just welcome everyone that aren’t critical of others. As soon as they walk in Stephanie hears the buzz of amps being setup. Some drummer practicing beating down hard on his set. And a guitar being tuned. She doesn’t even glance towards the stage as she paid five dollars and Bella pulls her over to introduce her to her friend that plays bass.

Stephanie heard some guitar, bass and drums form a song. Then a familiar voice starts to sing.

“Stick around. Talk to him. I would kill for love. I would kill for love. Stick around, for what you miss. He will spread you love, spread you…”

Stephanie looks up hearing the beautiful vocal backed up by a heavier sound. It’s the guy that opened the door for her Monday. He is covered in elaborate tattoos. His voice easily grabs Stephanie as everyone else around her continue to talk.

“Don’t believe in us from then. I will kill for love. Kill for love. Who are you now turning me down, turning me down, as long as you can cum we can fuck all night, as long as you cum we can fuck…”

Bella finally notices Stephanie’s infatuation with the sound. She smirks as she stands behind her with her hands-on Stephanie’s shoulder. “I told you, you would like it here.”

Stephanie said in a voice not quite comprehending her surroundings, “Yeah.”

“That’s Zeitgeist.” Bella said. “The singer is Axel. He’s hot, right?”

“He’s in one of my classes.” Stephanie said.

The song continues to play. “as long as you can cum we can fuck…they all want your legs, they all want your legs facing the moon…But do they cum into you…”

The crowd in front of the stage is moving to the music. The next song they perform starts off slow enough. But a mosh pit starts to circle. Rick and his guy friends stand in front of Stephanie and Bella so they can enjoy the music without having to be involved in the malay.

Axel starts in a soft voice, “Muscle was your man, and through your self-arising plan, you took this kindness that I showed in places special to their core, and shoved me out of your promising timeline, after give me those good signs, stranger tell me why you picked my brain to ask just where you might find…” The song starts to crescendo. The mosh pit starts to bounce off each other. “Come again my snow-white shroud, I will take your hand and you will say…” Axel’s voice gets gravely and deep as the pit starts bang into each other roughly and the music increases intensity. “My first seven days, my first breath of pain, you self-loathing bitch, your cut with need no stitch…” The music intensifies on as Axel bang his head holding the mic away. The pit goes nuts until the music slows again for another bridge of the song before Axel ends it with a howling scream while the people in the pit go nuts.

It’s the most amazing experience Stephanie ever felt at a concert and she had been going to concerts from right before she was born. Her Dad is a hippie rocker that took her to see Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd. Her mom is more into main-stream nineteen-seventies music taking her to see Captain and Tennille in which they let her sit and pet their dog on stage when she was a baby while they sang Muskrat love. And her name was already in a song that played on the radio because her mom and dad knew the singer. Her mom sat at the piano while the singer wrote the song and asked about her daughter. And that’s how her name got in the song.

Axel jumps off stage as his band cleans up their equipment. Some guy screams, “Hey Axel, sounds like you need some Pussy.”

Axel screams back at the guy, “Its not quantity. Its quality. And your girl is fucking finger licking good.” He licks his middle and index finger before flipping the guy off. Then he turns seeing Stephanie a few feet away. He freezes like a deer in headlights.

Bella said, “Hey Axel, I guess you have seen Steph around but not been really introduced.”

Axel gains his composure. Stares with a hard ass look on his face and just nods. He leans over Stephanie to whisper something in Rick’s ear. He crosses his arms when he stands back up straight. Glance at Stephanie a second. Looks back at Rick, “Well?”

“Yeah, we can start with that, Axel.” Rick said. “Just tell your lead.”

Axel jumps back on the stage and whispers something to his lead guitar player before disappearing into the restroom. Rick takes his leave from Stephanie and Bella to get ready to play. Bella heads to the front of the stage. Stephanie is right beside her. A few husky guys get between them and the ever growing mosh pit. Axel’s band’s guitar player is on stage with Dark breed. So, there is two guitar players, bass, and drums as the lead singer for Dark Breed, Mick, takes the stage.

“We’re going to do something special for you tonight.” He said. “We only performed this with Axel & Todd one other time. Maybe some of you saw that performance. It’s called Light Bulb.”

The crowd goes crazy as Axel steps out on the stage again. “Fuck you Axel,” Stephanie heard someone say. Axel flipped them off. He paces the stage as he prepared. Mick paced the opposite way. They both look like caged tigers ready to devour the crowd if let off the stage. There is silence in the room as the music begins.

Mick starts low just saying, “suffocate” in the back ground as Axel starts to sing, “Insatiable you pay again, for nothing for nothing, spongin the blood without defense, for nothing, for nothing, and all of this is on your knees, for nothing, for nothing, pulling the sheets over her feet, for nothing, for nothing.”

Mick whispers into his mic, “anguish, alone. suffocate”

Axel continues, “Your saving her, eight times a day, for nothing, for nothing, and when your late you must explain, for nothing, for nothing, you suffocate, you suffocate, for nothing, for nothing…On your own time, such a long time, It’s alright, broken ones enjoy those chains, And don’t fight, nothing ever gets away…”

Stephanie finds herself getting emotional over the melodic song. Bella sees her and stands behind Stephanie holding her. They sway as the song continues.

Axel sings, “Don’t say the word love. I remember you when you were alone, and you seemed as happy then. It’s alright, broken ones enjoy those chains, And, don’t fight, nothing ever gets away…from here…”

“From here,” growls Mick in the background.

Axel and Mick sing, “I don’t think I need this, just go away. And I’m sure I need this. Won’t you please stay…”

#rocker axel #axel cluney #alternative rock #metal #punk #fiction #fantasy #college life #au axel #original story #bill skarsgard #bill skarsgård edit #bill skarsgård smut #bill skarsgard art

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namtanlovesfilm · 6 years ago

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axelle judges bl shows > He’s Coming To Me

/!\ SPOILERS AHEAD.

shitty summary: Met is a ghost who hasn’t reincarnated in 22 years since in his death. One day he meets Thun, a little boy who can see ghosts and who promises to come see him every year for the grave-visiting festival. When Thun is all grown up and in college, he decides to take Met to live with him.

grade: 8,5/10

pros:

- beautiful love story

- a coming out that’s done well? hell yeah

- the plot outside of the bl aspect is very captivating and you want to know how it’s all gonna end

- despite everything, happy ending???? hell fucking yeah!

- the group of friends is awesome

- the straight couple is v cute i approve

- honestly it’s just all very well done and you can tell that the cast and crew have put their all into it

cons:

- there are still some inconsistencies, like the fact that Met literally disappeared because he used his power too much and then he came back and we never learned why??? there are maybe 4-5 instances where shit happened and it wasn’t explained

- the ending isn’t a clear cut so i was personally kinda left a little dissatisfied but i think that if you already know it’s a happy ending before watching the show you’ll be fine

would i rewatch it: yes

top/bottom discourse: 0 - 1 - 2 - 3

(0 being non existent, 1 being implied, 2 being shown and 3 being said)

#he's coming to me #bypiningbisexuals #axelle judges bl shows

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anorderanditsstone · 6 years ago

Note

how New Order, Ex-admins and Warden would react if they discover that their friend or s/o have a drinking problem. Would they try to help the reader or nah. (gender neutral)

(So uh I swear I posted this but it was in drafts? I thought I posted it so sorry for the delay)

(POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING??? MENTION OF ALCOHOL AND STUFF! AND THIS IS ALSO ANGSTY!)

(Song I listened to while writing. It’s pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sLU5pwfp2c )

(I would put under the cut but idk how to do that so uhh)

(Also if you’re going under an alcohol or drug addiction or whatever addiction that’s unhealthy, please, please seek help. People care about you and it does get better, regardless of whether you believe that or not. Please take care of yourself and your well being. Seek help because in the end there’s someone who wants to help you)

New Order

Lukas

-When he finds out he’s just worried completely

-He’ll ask how it started and if you ever tried to stop

-He doesn’t really know too much about this stuff so he’ll talk to a friend (like Petra or Jesse)

-He does his best to help you cure the addiction

-If you refuse though he’ll get even more worried but is determined to help his lover

-He’ll probably just takes all the alcohol and throw it away somewhere if you refuse (and if you accept but he’ll let you know first)

-He’s not giving up on you ever. He’s going to help and nothing can stop him

Petra

-Very similar to Lukas

-If she catches you drinking then she’ll just swipe the bottle out of your hands and throws it at a corner (it breaks)

-Mostly out of instinct because if she was doing it completely consciously she probably wouldn’t have thrown the bottle

-But regardless of how she finds out she looks at you with a concerned expression

-”Talk to me… What’s going on”

-Regardless of if you don’t want to talk then or not you’re going to tell her. She’s going to keep asking.

-Panics a little (maybe a lot) because she doesn’t know how to help

-Like Lukas, she’ll try talking to a friend (mostly Jesse)

-She’s going to do her best and not even a witherstorm could stop her if it tried

-She’s going to help you out of it and she’s going to make sure of that

Axel

-He gets sick to his stomach when he finds out

-Literally, he thinks he’s going to vomit

-He starts to ask questions about it and it might seem like a privacy invasion he doesn’t know what to do

-And he really doesn’t. Does he talk to his friends about it? Does he stop you?

-He still let’s you drink but monitors when you do when he can

-If he notices that you’re over doing it he’ll just put the bottle up and take you to your/his room

-Asks, no, pleads for you not to drink to much while he’s not around

-He’ll tell his friends to monitor you a bit more while he’s gone

-Doesn’t give any reason or details unless he’s sure you’re okay with it

-He wants to help you but doesn’t want to be over-controlling

-He makes a note to be more affectionate towards you though

Olivia

-Everything just stops when she finds out

-Her breathing, her heartbeat, the birds outside. Just stops.

-After a minute she rushes to hold you

-If you’re not a fan of physical affection she’ll quickly pull away and apologize

-She’ll ask a bunch of questions but keeps in mind of you’re privacy

-She’ll need a minute to think about all of this, but decides what to do

-She comes back out and asks you to try and stop for your safety and her own (emotionally)

-She won’t be very forceful but she’s stubborn

-Let’s you drink a little bit but is quick to notice when to much is being taken in

-She’ll politely ask you to take a break for a bit

-If you refuse she’ll eventually take the bottle away after a bit

-A TON more affectionate in every way she knows how

-She only wants to see you be able to grow up with her healthily

Ex-Admins

Romeo

-Again, everything freezes but not as long

-Gently asks questions and partially blames himself

-He’ll have a long talk about the dangers of alcoholism and that it’s best to cut it for the safety of the future

-Afraid to be too demanding but knows that he has to get you to stop one way or another

-Let’s you drink more than the others do but notifies you when it’s time to take a break

-If you refuse though, he’ll just watch over you from a distance

-Let’s you take in more than Olivia but also gently force you to stop after a while

-Checks in with you a lot and does his best to show more affection despite not being the best at it

-Is afraid of your health in the future but he’s not willing to give up so easily

Xara

-She stares a bit before asking questions

-Doesn’t ask a lot because she doesn’t want to breach your privacy

-Kind of assumes you’ll tell her more when you’re ready

-Let’s it go for a bit but she’s observing

-She hasn’t tried alcohol yet but she’s not stupid. She knows what it can do to you

-When she determines that yes, it is a major problem that’s when she steps in

-Will only let you drink a little. She knows that there’s not a whole lot of harm in drinking a bit more but she doesn’t need you risking worsening your addiction

-If she sees you drinking more than she thinks is healthy or enough to help worsen your addiction, she’s taking the bottle away in a silent manor

-Seems extremely cold and distant but after years of sleep deprivation and isolation it’s not a huge surprise her ability to help with this in a less harsh manor has been ruined

-She often tells you encouraging things and gives you pep talks when she’s going away or you’re going to sleep

-She’s going to get you cured and that’s a promise that she’ll take to the grave if she has to

Fred

-By your side instantly

-Asks basic questions before going a bit deeper

-Still doesn’t breach your privacy too much though

-Holds you hand while talking with you if you’re okay with it

-He gently requests that he helps you cure the addiction

-If you refuse though, he’ll just nod but that won’t stop him from stepping in when he deems you had too much

-Often talks about your issues when you’re okay with it

-Gets worried when he notices you drinking so he just watches and subtly hints that maybe you shouldn’t right now

-If you continue though he’ll gently take the bottle away though

-He takes you outside a lot as it can improve health

-Very gentle but strict. He just wants his sunshine to be okay

Warden

-He just sits there awkwardly and asks basic questions like why you do it and if you ever tried to stop

-Afterwards he just sits there before awkwardly moving towards you

-He’ll pull you into a stiff, but whole-hearted hug if you’re okay with the physical affection

-If not he’ll just ask if you want to talk about it and asks if he can help (also does this after the hug if you are okay with physical affection

-When he notices you drink he just let’s you do what you want to at first

-Not because he doesn’t care but he’s just so used to not being to do things on his own accord

-After a couple weeks or so he finally steps in

-He’ll gently take the bottle if he sees you’re drinking too much before quietly asking if you’re doing okay

-Tries to be more affectionate but after the Sunshine Institute he became so much more emotionally distant

-He made a promise to himself, and eventually you, that he’s going to do his best to make sure you’re life is the best as it can be

#mcsm #minecraft story mode #mcsm axel #mcsm olivia #mcsm lukas #mcsm petra #mcsm romeo #mcsm xara #mcsm fred #mcsm warden #alcohol #angst

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axelritt · 6 years ago

Video

youtube

Grave Digger guitarist Axel Ritt shows us round his incredible 2019 live rig, which is all based around his TriAmp Mark 3!

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlE3eizEKdw)

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the-fandom-crossroads · 6 years ago

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☠: my muse visits your muse’s grave ( Going through the Proof of Existence room after hearing about those in Castle Oblivion being terminated. I am ready for the angst. OuO)

Ooc: This turned into a monster omg. I did quite a bit of research to make sure I did this right. Most funerary customs I looked up were a moot point because Demyx has no body to mourn. (eh nobody get it? eyyyy that is a horrible pun I’m sorry) I’m pretty sure I wrote Demyx going through all seven stages of grief. So keep an eye out for that.This is really sad and I hope it makes you sad as it made me. It’s all under a read more cause oh boy so big.

Demyx had been avoiding the room. Demyx would portal around half the castle just to avoid walking past the door. It had worked for the last two weeks. Just act normal and no one will notice that laziness has changed to depression. Nobody’s don’t get depressed. Nobody’s don’t miss their friends.

It was bullshit. Demyx missed Zexion and he couldn’t make it stop. The horrible feeling of losing someone else. The dreams of running and never getting to them in time. It was all back and he hated it.

Hanging out with Xion and a sleeping Roxas helped. Xion was nice and she always brought seashells. Demyx loved giving her little facts about different types of shells.

But everything had been flipped on its head again. Axel was back, Axel was alive. Demyx didn’t mind that Roxas immediately went back to hanging out with Axel. They were best friends, Demyx could tell. Demyx wasn’t surprised that Xion followed. She always followed Roxas’ lead. He was certain they’d still hang out from time to time and talk about seashells.

But Axel was alive. And that had to mean something right? It had to mean the report that everyone died in castle oblivion was wrong. That maybe someone else survived too. Demyx couldn’t get the thought out of his head.

So here he was standing in front of the door to the Proof of Existence. He had to know. He had to see for himself. So why did he hesitate?

Screw it! He was here and he was going to learn the truth. Demyx pushes the door open and steps into the Proof of Existence.

A quick glance shows a balanced mix of blue and red markers. Demyx moves to check Axel’s first, intentionally not looking at the other half of the room. A shiver goes up his spine as he walks past his own marker.

Demyx stops in front of Axel’s marker. The floor plate glows a bright blue, but the stand is destroyed. The back piece seems to have been snapped at the base and glass still covers the floor.

If Axel had been injured like he said the floor plate would have been flickering between red and blue. That plus the decimated back piece. It made sense why Xigbar had assumed him dead with the others. There’s little you can do for a flickering nobody. They tend to be too close to fading.

Demyx sighed; he had held off long enough. Keeping his head down he stepped out of the row and moved forward one. He closed his eyes as he turned his body to face the no. VI marker.

“Please, just please be flickering.” If it was flickering maybe something could still be done. Axel had survived flickering. Hopefully, Zexion would too.

Demyx opened his eyes and gasped in horror. “No.” It was the only word that escaped his mouth as he fell to the floor, kneeling in front of the marker. It was totaled. None of the back piece remained and most of the floor piece had been ripped out. But that wasn’t what trapped Demyx’s attention. What little of the floor piece that remained was a bright bleeding red.

Demyx stared as the red began to blur with the gray around it. Emotions, feelings, things he had been holding in for the last few weeks came rushing to the surface. “No! Zexion! Why?! You were supposed to be careful! You were supposed to be the smart one! So why… why are you gone?!”

Demyx curls in on himself. Castle Oblivion was supposed to be safe. It meant Zexion wouldn’t be going on dangerous recon missions anymore. It meant he would be able to work on his experiments more. It was supposed to be a good thing.

“Do you guys really have to move to Castle Oblivion Zexion? It’s like halfway across the universe.” Demyx unapologetically sat on one of Zexion’s lab tables. Demyx absentmindedly skimmed over some of the papers near him while swinging his legs back and forth.

“You know Superior ordered us to split our forces between the two castles. So yes we really have to go. Besides the distance is relative, you can always portal there.” Zexion would tell Demyx to leave when he started getting annoying, but sitting on a counter chatting was relatively harmless. He wasn’t interrupting any of their experiments.

“But I’m going to be so busy! You know Saix is just going to toss all the recon missions on me when you’re gone.” Demyx tossed his arms up, never giving up a chance to complain about the blue-haired superior.

“And yet I get the feeling you will find ways to be lazy.”

“Ha! You know it! Maybe I’ll use that time to visit you guys.”

Vexen chose this moment to butt in. “No, no you will not no. IX. We are moving to Castle Oblivion to avoid distractions from our experiments.” Vexen was actually quite pleased with the arrangement fewer people meant fewer interruptions.

“But what about breaks? You guys need to take breathers from time to time.”

Zexion sighed. “Don’t worry IX I’m certain V will find ways to force us to take breaks.”

Demyx crossed his arms and pouted. “But I wanted to help with that.”

Vexen rolled his eyes. “No. IX if you want to be helpful keep an eye on XIV while we’re gone.”

“The new guy? Why do you want me to watch them?”

“XIV is part of one of our more long-running experiments. I need to know if there are any issues with the new member while I am away.”

Demyx shrugged. “If that’s what you need help with sure. I mean Axel’s going to be busy showing XIII around.”

Zexion looked up from his papers. “Didn’t you hear? Axel has been assigned to keep an eye on Larxene and Marluxia.”

“What!?”

Demyx didn’t talk to Zexion for long after that. Demyx got distracted running off to yell at Axel for not telling him he was on the Oblivion mission. That was the last full conversation Demyx had with Zexion. Most days he regrets that.

And now he was gone. Demyx brushed the few tears that had appeared in his eyes.

“H-hey Zexion. I guess you really are gone. Sorry I didn’t come to visit sooner. I just wasn’t ready to admit you were gone.” Demyx sighs.

“I’m sorry I don’t have anything with me. Marluxia’s flowers died a long time ago. But I doubt you’d want a Lei from them, he was an asshole.” Demyx gives a dry chuckle of a laugh wiping away a few more tears. “I doubt he had any Maile* plants anyway.”

Demyx somber’d up for a moment. He may not be able to follow any of the customs, but he could still give his respects. He knew Zexion hadn’t been religious. It would be foolish to wish him well in a next life he didn’t believe existed. So he would just say what was important for Zexion to hear right now.

“Zexion you were the youngest of us, but you were the smartest of us. You were witty, cunning, intelligent, fun, sarcastic. Given enough time I’m sure you would have solved every mystery in the universe. I mourn every day the fact that you didn’t get to be a somebody for long. I mourn your lost chance to experience emotions like the rest of us did. I-i mourn that you didn’t live to get your heart back. I mourn that you will n-never be in my life again. I mourn you. Hoaloha* Ienzo.”

Finding himself with nothing else to say. Demyx wiped away the rest of his tears and stood. Slowly he left the Proof of Existence. He doubted he’d ever find the strength to go back in there. Once had been draining enough for a nobody with no feelings. As he walked down the hallway he ran into the last person he wanted to see.

“Hey Demyx, I haven’t really seen you around since I got back.”

Because I’ve been avoiding you. Demyx looks at the ground refusing to make eye contact. “Hello VIII, I thought you were giving your report to Xemnas.”

“I just finished.”

“Ah well, then I assume you’ll want to be getting to twilight town. Roxas and Xion should be finishing with their missions soon.”

“Hey man if I didn’t know any better I’d assume you’re trying to give me the cold shoulder. I wanted to talk to you before I go.”

“Oh yeah…” Demyx decides to rush through the conversation then maybe Axel would leave. “Roxas and Xion were fine while you were gone. Roxas ended up sleeping for a week or so at the end there, but it started on a mission with Xigbar so it’s on him. I did what I was told and kept an eye on them. Now if you’d excuse me.”

“Demyx why are you avoiding me?” Axel had easily noticed that Demyx was refusing to even look at him.

Demyx shouldn’t blame Axel. It wasn’t his fault he was the only one to survive the castle. Demyx shouldn’t blame him for surviving, but he couldn’t help it!

“How did he die?” Demyx didn’t need to specify who Axel knew. Demyx was still looking down so he didn’t see as Axel’s eyes looked away.

“The keyblade wielder, he… he wiped everyone out.” Axel put a hand on Demyx’s shoulder. “Demyx I’m sorry.”

“Bullshit.” Demyx roughly pulled his arm out of Axel’s grip. He finally looked up at him, a glare secure on his face.

“Any tests with the keyblade wielder were to be conducted in the higher levels. Overlooked by no. XI Marluxia and no. XII Larxene. Superiors IV, V, and VI were to be conducting private experiments in the underground lower levels. They never should have been in contact with the keyblade wielder.”

Axel tensed. “How do you- Zexion. He told you about top-secret mission details.” So Zexion was one of the traitors.

“Nope.” Demyx gives a tired smirk. “Vexen did, he was really excited to brag about his new lab facilities.”

At that moment Axel was scared of Demyx for the first time. The kid could wiggle his way into any conversation and make it seem like he was supposed to be there. Demyx could convince Vexen to talk about secret information with him in the room. The scariest part was it didn’t seem like Demyx even realized he was doing recon on the other members.

Axel shook his head. He’d have to word this carefully to convince Demyx. “You’re right the keyblade wielder wasn’t supposed to go to the lower floors. The first one didn’t.”

Demyx frowned, “what?”

“There were two of them Demyx. Apparently, the first one had a little friend. The second one didn’t arrive until the first was already working his way through Larxene and Marluxia. Lexeaus and” Axel looks away. “Zexion was overwhelmed by the second one. They didn’t have any backup.”

Demyx’s eyes narrowed. “Where were you?”

“After Marluxia and Larxene fell, I was the only one left upstairs. I was stuck trying to contain the first wielder. If I hadn’t stalled him as long as I did they would have been overwhelmed by two keyblade wielders.”

Demyx’s shoulders sagged as he listened to Axel’s tale. So Zexion had died fighting. Zexion had hated fighting. It wasn’t fair!

“Where are they?” Demyx’s voice comes out as a deep growl. Axel startles.

“You can’t be thinking of going after them. That’s suicide!”

“They killed members of our organization! We have to take them out!”

“Woah, woah, woah. Demyx you can’t just go hunt them down.”

“Why not!? They killed Zexion Axel! They killed him!” Demyx gets in Axel’s face as he yells at him. Specs of tears returning to the corners of Demyx’s green eyes.

“Demyx.” Why hadn’t Axel realized this? Why hadn’t he thought an event like this wouldn’t affect their most loyal member. “Demyx they’re gone. None of us know where they disappeared too.”

Demyx looks away. Quickly blinking away the tears and clearing his throat. “Doesn’t matter, I’ll just start searched world to world. They can’t hide forever.”

Axel had to stop him. Demyx was teetering over an edge and Axel wasn’t certain his mental state would survive the fall. A rogue Demyx was the last thing they needed.

“Demyx you can’t go after them.” Axel grabs Demyx by both shoulders and shakes him. “Do you hear me? You can’t go after those two.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re too-” Axel trails off, he’s not sure how to finish that sentence.

Demyx’s eyes glare again. “To what?” Demyx is pissed. “To EmoTIONALLY cOMpromISED?!” Demyx grabs both of Axel’s wrists his grip incredibly strong. “NEWSFLASH AXEL WE’RE NOBODY’S. WE DON’T GET EMOTIONALLY COMPROMISED! BECAUSE WE DON’T FEEL THINGS!” Demyx was tired of feeling things he wasn’t supposed to feel. He was tired of hurting all the time.

“WOULD YOU JUST LISTEN FOR A SECOND!?” Demyx froze at Axel’s response. His hands slackened and he sagged in Axel’s grip. Axel took a deep breath, collecting himself.

He was surprised the fight left Demyx so easily. Was this part of Demyx new? Or had he always been this close to tipping over and no one had noticed? Axel groans, Zexion probably noticed.

“Demyx you can’t go after the wielders, because Xemnas hasn’t given you that mission.” Demyx seemed to listen to this logic. “You have to follow orders or they’ll label you a traitor.”

“Like Marluxia and Larxene.” Axel really didn’t like that. He really didn’t like that Demyx had figured out they were traitors. It meant he probably made the connections that they had been intentionally sent to Castle Oblivion to die to the keyblade wielder. It was too close to the reason the others had died.

“Yeah Demyx, like Marluxia and Larxene. Do you understand Demyx? Xemnas will give us orders to go after them. They took out our own after all. But you have to wait for him to give us the order.” Axel hated tricking Demyx like this, but he knew it was effective.

Demyx sighed in Axel’s arms, defeated. “You’re right. I should wait for Xemnas to give the order.”

Axel sighed in relief. “Good.” He finally let go of Demyx’s shoulders.

Demyx stepped back. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

Axel coughed awkwardly. “Yeah, I’ll see you later.” Demyx started to walk away. “Uh, Demyx?” Demyx paused. “If you uh want, you can come join us for ice cream sometime. Since you, you know, know about it.”

Demyx slightly turned and gave Axel a tiny smile. The first one Axel had seen on Demyx all conversation. It was weird seeing the guy without a smile.

“Thanks for the offer Axel, but I think I’ll pass. Ice cream is your thing with Roxas and Xion. I refuse to impose on that.” Demyx continued walking down the hallway. Once he turned the corner he summoned a door of darkness and portal’d to his room.

Demyx face planted onto his bed. He screamed his frustrations into his pillow. After a moment of muffled screaming, he came up for air. He just laid there on his side. Wishing the world would just stop.

Axel was right. Demyx would follow Xemnas’ orders. He wouldn’t engage with the keyblade wielders until ordered too. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t be the first one to find them and report back to Xemnas.

Demyx sat up on the bed. That was it! He could just check random worlds himself during his free time! And if Saix or Xemnas himself questioned it. Demyx could say he was just exploring and doing recon! Which technically he was!

If he wanted as much time as possible to search. He would have to finish his missions faster. Perhaps skip parts of the reports entirely.

“Well, Zexion you did always want me to find a way to get over my procrastination. Too bad hunting down your murderer is what did it.”

*Maile leaves are the most common type of funeral Lei. Different Lei’s have different meanings so I had Demyx mention the one used in funerals.

*hoaloha combined word meaning hello/goodbye friend. Hoa-friend, Aloha-hello/goodbye.

Also tossed Ienzo in there at the end, cause names have power. And it felt wrong for Demyx to call him Zexion in his final goodbye.

Author’s note: wow was that long! 2,600 words. Hope it’s a satisfying response. lol. I’m definitely posting this one as a one-shot on AO3 at some point. This thing doubled in length because Axel decided to show up and do a bunch of foreshadowing. I’m glad I was able to work in my headcanon that Demyx is avoiding Axel for most of days. In the manga, Demyx is always quite happy to talk to Xion or Roxas. But he rarely interacts with them when Axel’s around.

My favorite part of this was giving a reason for Demyx’s “laziness” in days. He wasn’t lazy he was just busy trying to hunt down Sora and Riku for killing Zexion. When really it had been Axel the whole time. Man, maybe I should write a part 2 post-DDD where Demyx learns Axel is the one who ended Zexion. It’s something to think about for later. Something to use with nort’d Demyx maybe?

#days demyx #cloakedbookworm #zemyx #omg this was so sad to write #that end argument with Axel wasn't planned #but man was it painful #Demyx has no idea Axel willingly watch Zexion die #it makes Axel more of an asshole #but that's how CoM axel was

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romaniangothic · 3 years ago

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concept art for my v

#this fucking bitch #he is old and mean and tired #i have so much backstory for him i gotta keep myself from talking #cyberpunk 2077 #cyberpunk #cp2077 #cp77 #cyberpunk v #male v cyberpunk #cyberpunk tag #my art #axel v graves

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alexlacquemanne · 3 years ago

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Mai MMXXI

Films

La Classe américaine (1993) de Michel Hazanavicius et Dominique Mézerette avec John Wayne, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford et Paul Newman

Assassinats en tous genres (The Assassination Bureau) (1969) de Basil Dearden avec Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Curd Jürgens, Philippe Noiret et Katherine Kath

Le Secret (1974) de Robert Enrico avec Jean-Louis Trintignant, Marlène Jobert, Philippe Noiret et Jean-François Adam

La Métamorphose des cloportes (1965) de Pierre Granier-Deferre avec Lino Ventura, Charles Aznavour, Pierre Brasseur et Irina Demick

Le Grand Frisson (High Anxiety) (1977) de Mel Brooks avec Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman et Madeline Kahn

Ant-Man et la Guêpe (Ant-Man and the Wasp) (2018) de Peyton Reed avec Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer et Laurence Fishburne

Bonnie et Clyde (Bonnie and Clyde) (1967) de Arthur Penn avec Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard, Estelle Parsons et Gene Hackman

Le Clan des Siciliens (1969) de Henri Verneuil avec Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Lino Ventura, Irina Demick et Yves Lefebvre

Meurtres à Toulouse (2020) de Sylvie Ayme avec Lionnel astier, Camille Aguilar, Annelise Hesme, Marc Citti et Yvan Le Bolloc’h

Papillon (1973) de Franklin J. Schaffner avec Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Victor Jory, Ratna Assan et Don Gordon

Spectacles

Le charlatan (1979) de Robert Lamoureux avec Pierre Tornade, Robert Lamoureux, Jean Malambert, Annie Gaillard, Magali de Vendeuil, Erik Colin et Robert Dadies

La Parisienne (1974) de Henry Becque avec Micheline Boudet, Dominique Paturel, Christian Alers, Bernard Alane et Claudine Colas

Face à face (1998) de Francis Joffo avec Michel Roux, Popeck, Yolande Folliot, Jean-Pierre Castaldi, Marie-Bénédicte Roy, Sébastien Azzopardi, Francis Joffo et Julie Judd

Colères (2012) de Joël Dragutin et François Rollin avec François Rollin

Le Professeur Rollin se re-rebiffe (2017) de Vincent Dedienne, Joël Dragutin et François Rollin avec François Rollin

C'est encore mieux l'après midi (1989) de Ray Cooney avec Pierre Mondy, Jacques Villeret, Virgine Pradal, Jacqueline Jefford, Marie Lenoir

Trop c'est trop (2006) de Georges Beller et Yvan Varco avec Axelle Abbadie, Georges Beller, Michel Derville, Michèle Kern, Antonia Malinova et Stéphane Russel

La surprise (1999) de Pierre Sauvil avec Axelle Abbadie, Darry Cowl, Gérard Hernandez et Mama Prassinos

7 ans de réflexion (2019) de George Axelrod avec Guillaume de Tonquédec, Alice Dufour, Jacques Fontanel, Agathe Dronne, François Bureloup et Clément Koch

Séries

Kaamelott Livre IV, V

La Blessure d’Yvain - Corpore sano II - L’Enchanteur - Les Bien Nommés - Drakkars ! - L’Approbation - La Prisonnière - Les Paris III - Alone in the Dark II - Les Plaques de dissimulation - Le Vice de forme - L’Inspiration - Le Renoncement 1re partie - Le Renoncement 2e partie - L’Entente cordiale - Les Endettés - Double Dragon - Le Sauvetage - Le désordre et la Nuit - Les Repentants - Miserere nobis - Le Dernier Recours - Les Nouveaux Clans - La Sorcière - L’Épée des rois - L’Odyssée d’Arthur - Domi nostræ

Friends Saison 6

Celui qui ne pouvait pas pleurer - Ce qui aurait pu se passer : 1re partie - Ce qui aurait pu se passer : 2e partie - Celui qui avait l'Unagi - Celui qui sortait avec une étudiante - Celui qui avait des problèmes de frigo - Celui qui avait une audition - Celui qui rencontrait le père - Celui qui se la jouait grave - Celui qui achetait la bague - Celui qui faisait sa demande : 1re partie - Celui qui faisait sa demande : 2e partie

Le Coffre à Catch

#24 : Bobby Lashley Arrive !! - #25 : Les Hardy Boyz Enfin Réunis ! - #26 : Préparation du Elimination Chamber...ou pas! - Hors-série : ECW December to Dismember

Columbo Saison 1, 5, 3, 6

Faux témoin - Question d’honneur - Subconscient - Meurtre à l’ancienne

Meurtres au paradis Saison 10

Pacte avec le diable : Première Partie - Pacte avec le diable : Deuxième Partie - Partie de pêche - Amnésie

La Cloche

#53: Le Punjabi Prison Match, une Idée de Génie! - #54: De Retour à New York Pour SummerSlam 2017! - #55: Cyprien Me Prend Pour Un BEAUF!

Top Gear Saison 15, 12, 17

Les rois du camping - Spécial Bolivie - Construire l'impossible - Essais sur la Cote d'Azur

Nestor Burma Saison 3, 4

Nestor Burma et le Monstre - Nestor Burma dans l'île

Livres

Nota Bene : Les Pires Batailles de l’histoire de Benjamin Brillaud

Astérix Tome 36 : Le papyrus de César de Jean-Yves Ferri et Didier Conrad

Les XII Travaux d'Astérix de René Goscinny et Albert Uderzo

Superman Poche #65

Supergirl #1 La dernière fille de Krypton de Michael Green, Mike Johnson et Mahmud A. Asrar

#mediatheque #mai21

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audreygallego · 7 years ago

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Fairy Tales + Proppian Key Characters

Today we were introduced the important topic of fairy tales and we took a first look at the Proppian analysis.

Animations students should study fairy tales due to the influential role that their narrative has played in informing most of the films ever made and it continues to do so, as Zipes says.

The Encyclopedia Britannica describes a fairy tale as: ‘a wonder tale involving marvelous elements and occurrences, though not necessarily about fairies.’ Making us wonder if that could be a description of animation too.

A fairy tale doesn't have to be about Disney princesses and ideal magic worlds although I can be.

Though, they do end ‘happily’, meaning that the justice is always served. They can be fairly gruesome, as the oldest fairy tales weren't intended for children. In fact, many people have tried to protect children from them as they were worried, for various reasons.

For example, the tale Bluebeard tells the story of a wealthy violent man in the habit of murdering his wives and the attempts of one wife to avoid the fate of her predecessors. Bluebeard presents his new wife with the key to a secret room, which she mustn’t enter, no matter what. Inside the room are all his dead wives.

In the medieval versions of Cinderella her step-sisters slice off their toes to fit the slipper –made of squirrel fur. These are the versions on which the Grimm brothers based theirs. There is no Fairy Godmother –Cinderella is helped by birds who visit a tree she plants on her mother’s grave. The step-sisters are punished by having their eyes pecked out by pigeons. This dark inversion of the birds who ‘help’ Cinderella offers another warning –suggesting that the natural world can only ever be appeased, not tamed.

In ‘The Grandmother’s Tale’ there’s no red hood (or cap). The wolf is a ‘bzou’ (werewolf) and the unnamed girl must choose between 2 paths: the path of pins (virtue) or the path of needles –needles being a symbol of ‘penetration’.

In 1921, Lucy Sprague Mitchell, author of The Little Engine that Could thought children should focus on stories about the ‘here and now’. Old-fashioned fairy tales had peculiar and disturbing messages.

Most evidence suggests that early folktales were shared amongst adults, not children. They had serious meanings and contained critical ritualistic elements. The evident polarity between good and evil acted as a warning of what might happen if you strayed from the righteous path.

Most of the fairy tales we know today come from two sources:

Charles Perrault (1697) Tales of Mother Goose – wrote stories based on pre-existing folktales.

Cendrillon (Cinderella) Little Red-Cap (Little Red Riding Hood) Sleeping Beauty Puss in Boots

The Brothers Grimm (1812) Children’s and Household Tales – collected ancient oral tales (and extensively edited them).

Aschenputtel (Cinderella) Little Snow White Rumpelstiltskin

‘When a story begins… “There was once a little tailor, a good and unremarkable man, who happened to be journeying through a forest” we settle back and ready ourselves for a journey we have taken before.’

Axel Olrik, in his book Epic Formulas in the Folktale, identified so-called ‘Epic Laws’, including:

The Law of Threes – ‘three is the maximum number of men and objects that occur in traditional narrative’

The Law of Repetition – actions in folk tales are typically repeated 3 times

The Law of Contrast – other people should be antithetical to the hero; therefore if the hero is generous, other characters should be ‘stingy’ to contradict him.

The Law of Twins – two people can appear together in the same role and should be similar in nature

The Law of Patterning – situations and events are told and re-told in ‘as a similar a manner as possible’

Olrik also said that folktales are ‘single-stranded’ and have a ‘unity of plot’. There is a Concentration on a Leading Character. They don’t branch off into sub-plots.

Stories have ‘constants’ and ‘variables’ as Vladimir Propp demonstrated in his 1928 work Morphology of the Folktale analysing 100 Russian fairy tales and founding striking similarities between them. His analysis was of chronological story sequence rather than plot, although it should be noted that, in general, the fairy tale is plotted chronologically.

Before Propp fairy tales were categorised according to ‘type’ or ‘motif’:

Animal stories

Fantastical stories

Stories of everyday life

The appearance of a dragon

and so on

But many tales belonged in more than one category, and the system did nothing to illuminate the underlying structure of the fairy tale. Propp argued that fairy tales had a ‘particular structure’. Many details were variable, but there were also set elements or constants.

Propp in 1968 stated 4 fundamental principles:

Functions of characters serve as stable, constant elements in a tale, independent of how and by whom they are fulfilled. They constitute the fundamental components of a tale.

The number of functions known to the fairy tale is limited.

The sequence of functions is always identical.

All fairy tales are of one type in regard to their structure.

He found that all 100 of the tales he analysed were built on a pattern drawn from 31 ‘functions’ (actions), occurring in a set order. In other words, only 31 things can happen in a fairy tale. But it’s important to note that the word ‘morphology’ means the study of forms, and in doing this work Propp was categorising form as separate from content.

Scarlett Thomas in 2012 explains further ‘A dragon may as well be a whirlwind if it has the same effect’. All plot types have ‘constants’ and ‘variables’, any basic plot ‘will have static elements and variable elements. If we decide, for example, that the quest is a basic plot then we can say that a static element is that it will always involve a journey. A variable would be the destination.

Propp identified 7 key characters who each have their own ‘sphere of action’:

The Villain

The Donor

The Helper

The Princess (or ‘sought-for person’) and her Father (who function as a single ‘agent’)

The Dispatcher

The Hero

The False Hero

However, characters are not fixed; a single character may inhabit more than one ‘sphere of action’ (fulfill more than one role). ‘If a villain inadvertently gives something important to the hero, then he or she is also at that moment acting as a donor’. In like manner more than one character may inhabit the same ‘sphere of action’; ‘Each function is connected with the designated character. So it is always the hero who ascends the throne at the end, never the villain’.

The Heroe

There are two types in a fairy tale:

Directly suffers from the action of the villain in the complication (Victim-hero). The person who is supplied with a magical agent or helper.

Or agrees to liquidate –‘remove’ or ‘solve’– the misfortune or lack of another person (Seeker hero).

A girl is kidnapped and disappears: hero goes in search of her. He is the hero, not the girl.

A girl is cast out or banished: we follow her narrative thread. She is the hero.

Propp states that each category of characters has its own form of appearing:

The Villain

The villain appears twice. ‘First, he makes a sudden appearance from outside (flies to the scene, sneaks up on someone)’.

The ‘second appearance’ is as a person ‘who has been sought out’.

The Princess

The princess appears twice – the 2nd time ‘she is introduced as a personage who has been sought out’.

She is ‘sought after’ – often a ‘reward’ that the hero (eventually) receives.

Often bound up with her ‘father’.

The Donor

‘The donor is encountered accidentally’.

The donor provides the hero with a magical object or helper (may do so unwillingly).

Not necessarily benevolent.

Rumpelstiltskin gives a magical gift to a miller’s daughter (spins straw into gold) but demands her firstborn child in return.

‘The Magical Helper is introduced as a gift’. We can see Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother as a ‘magical helper’ in the 1950 Disney version.

‘The False Hero assumes the role of hero but is unable to complete the hero’s task’. Lord Farquaad in Shrek (2001).

The Dispatcher sends the hero away for some reason – therefore, often plays a pivotal role in inciting the action (similar to Vogler’s ‘herald’ archetype).

Tales begin with an ‘initial situation’, followed by any of 31 functions: the dispatcher, the hero, the false hero, as well as the princess, are introduced into the initial situation.

#narrativeproject

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sloujba · 5 years ago

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🔴🕊🇫🇷SOUVENEZ VOUS🤮 #BalanceTonPost

Chirurgien-urologue, transhumaniste convaincu, essayiste et entrepreneur français, cofondateur avec Claude Malhuret du site web Doctissimo (qu’il a revendu 139 millions d’euros, dont la moitié pour lui), Laurent Alexandre est un influent soutien de Macron et un proche de Jacques Attali et d’Alain Madelin.

Membre du Siècle, chroniqueur au Monde, à l’Express et au Huffington Post, il possède 28 % du journal la Tribune.

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent_Alexandre )

Les Gilets jaunes, des « êtres inutiles » destinés à être de plus en plus pauvres et dirigés par une élite de « dieux »…

Lors d’une conférence en janvier 2019 devant les élèves de l’école Polytechnique, cet homme, influent dans les allées du pouvoir et dans les médias, a carrément affirmé que les Gilets jaunes sont des « INUTILES », des êtres intellectuellement inférieurs, incapables de comprendre les enjeux du monde actuel.

Avec un ton de prédicateur d’Apocalypse, il a affirmé en même temps que les élèves des grandes écoles – dont les jeunes polytechniciens venus l’écouter – sont des « DIEUX », qui ont vocation à diriger les masses et à les guider vers la rationalité du XXIe siècle.

Il a également annoncé que les Gilets jaunes verraient leur niveau de vie continuer à baisser année après année tandis que les « élites » de ce « nouveau monde » allaient gagner des rémunérations de plus en plus colossales.

(Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyLysKUMyyU)

Un homme d’affaires sulfureux,

dénoncé par des dizaines de chercheurs et de généticiens.

Ce soutien de Macron, ami d’Attali et de Madelin, n’en est pas à son coup d’essai.

Dans un article publié dans l’Express le 26 avril 2018 – publié avant le début du mouvement des Gilets jaunes – il avait déjà interprété les inégalités sociales comme dues en grande partie à des inégalités génétiques de naissance, en affirmant que « l’ADN détermine plus de 50 % de notre intelligence » et qu' »à l’âge de 50 ans, notre ADN expliquerait 81 % de nos capacités intellectuelles ».

De façon très sournoise et vicieuse, ces affirmations lui permettent – tout en prétendant bien sûr vouloir lutter contre, en « dynamitant le déterminisme génétique » – d’accréditer peu à peu l’idée qu’il y aurait en quelque sorte des sous-hommes, voués à devenir de plus en plus inutiles dans la société de demain. Sauf à avoir recours à des thérapies génétiques. Et il en a profité pour légitimer l’action du ministre de l’Éducation Jean-Michel Blanquer.

(source : https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/sciences/determinisme-pourquoi-bourdieu-avait-tort_2002043.html )

Ses thèses, et cet article de 2018 en particulier, ont été dénoncées par plusieurs dizaines de scientifiques, qui ont pointé notamment sa mauvaise compréhension du concept d’héritabilité.

Dans une tribune parue dans Le Monde et intitulée « Halte aux fake news génétiques », un collectif d’une vingtaine de chercheurs (dont Jacques Testart, père du bébé éprouvette) a dénoncé Laurent Alexandre, sans le citer directement, et les arguments qu’il propage. Ce collectif a manifesté son inquiétude du « retour d’un discours pseudo-scientifique sujet à toutes sortes d’instrumentalisations ».

Le généticien Axel Kahn s’est également insurgé contre les propos de Laurent Alexandre, en s’indignant que celui-ci se soit fait « le continuateur enthousiaste de la vieille droite anglo-saxonne eugéniste, inégalitariste, à l’occasion raciste. Il vient d’asséner froidement que les riches étant génétiquement plus intelligents que les membres des basses classes sociales, il faut admettre la faible utilité des approches sociales ».

Et Axel Kahn a démonté la vision de Laurent Alexandre, en se fondant sur des arguments scientifiques.

(Source : https://axelkahn.fr/genes-et-intelligence/ )

L’eugénisme des États-Unis et de l’Allemagne nazie

des années 1920-1940

Les thèses et la vision du monde de Laurent Alexandre font froid dans le dos car, comme l’a rappelé Axel Kahn, elles font craindre un grand retour des thèses eugénistes, qui furent développées aux États-Unis et dans l’Allemagne nazie des années 1920-1940.

Avant même l’arrivée d’Adolf Hitler au pouvoir, une majorité de scientifiques et une large partie de la classe politique allemande étaient favorables à l’eugénisme. Le concept pseudo-scientifique d’hygiène raciale avait été inventé bien avant le nazisme.

Hitler s’est notamment inspiré du courant eugéniste américain illustré entre autres par Madison Grant. Hitler considère ainsi en 1924 à propos des États-Unis qu’« il y a aujourd’hui un pays où l’on peut voir les débuts d’une meilleure conception de la citoyenneté ».

La politique eugéniste propre à l’Allemagne nazie s’insérait dans un programme plus vaste que l’on peut qualifier d’« eugénico-raciste » et dont les objectifs essentiels étaient :

– d’une part un « eugénisme positif », dit d' »amélioration de la race », destiné à favoriser la fécondité des humains considérés comme supérieurs (politique nataliste, soutien familial, pouponnières, lebensborn…) ;

– d’autre part un « eugénisme négatif », dit de « défense raciale », destiné d’abord (dès 1933) à éliminer des maladies héréditaires, puis tout groupe humain considéré comme racialement inférieur ou « impur », ou encore socialement indésirable.

(Source : https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugénisme_sous_le_régime_nazi )

Conclusion : un nouvel indice inquiétant de la dérive�anti-démocratique et fascisante du régime de Macron

Souvent qualifié de « provocateur » et d' »excessif », Laurent Alexandre n’en est pas moins un ardent soutien de Macron et de Blanquer, un ami d’Attali et de Madelin, un personnage qui dispose d’une influence certaine dans les sphères politique, éducative et médiatique du pays.

Or, que cela plaise ou pas, force est de constater que les propos de Laurent Alexandre sont désormais très voisins de la vision criminelle de l’humanité des eugénistes des années 1920-1940.

Il suffit de considérer qu’il ne fait que remplacer le concept de « race » par celui « d’intelligence », et qu’il adopte des formulations moins explicites et plus prudentes que celles de l’Allemagne nazie. Mais le fond cynique, inhumain, dépourvu de toute vision transcendante de l’Homme, est affreusement le même.

Plus grave encore, le cas de Laurent Alexandre n’est pas un cas isolé. Son discours qui suinte le mépris de classe, et le mépris tout court, – sous un vernis de paternalisme qui ne trompe que ceux qui le veulent bien -, se développe de façon inquiétante chez les européistes et les suppôts de Macron.

C’est un nouvel indice inquiétant – très inquiétant – de la dérive

anti-démocratique et fascisante du régime de Macron.

Rien ni personne n'est supérieur à la vérité

« LE VERBE EST PLUS FORT QUE LA RÉPRESSION » #Humanité

#GiletsJaunes #France #FREXIT #CGT #FO #CFECGC #CFTC #CGTFO 🇫🇷🔵⚪️🔴 #Justice #RéformedesRetraites #Constitution #Brexit #BlackRock #Démocratie #Ric #Grève

#ForMiSC #CEMAT #CEMM #CEMAA #OIA #BSPP #BMPM #UIISC #BIRD #Société #Institutions #ONU #OTAN #LDH #UPEACE #UNESCO #UNICEF #OMS #CPI

https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2020/02/18/l-intelligence-artificielle-enjeu-majeur-pour-l-ue_6029940_3232.html

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rockandblognet · 5 years ago

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Entrevista con UNDERWATER LIGHTS

Entrevistamos a los chicos de Underwater Lights aprovechando el lanzamiento de su nuevo EP «The Rift» esta misma semana

Underwater Lights es una banda de death metal progresivo/ambiental, procedente de Madrid que lanzarán su primer EP esta misma semana y hemos querido hablar con ellos para conocerlos un poco mejor.

RnB: Vamos a conocer a underwater lights , ¿Cómo surge la banda y la idea de hacer este género?

Arc: Fue sobre la marcha. La idea inicial era bastante más directa y visceral. Los métodos de trabajo que fuimos adoptando, poco a poco, nos han ido brindando la posibilidad de convertirlo en algo más complejo y cerebral. A medida que profundizamos en ello, comentábamos esas opciones y todos vimos de buen grado tirar en esa dirección. Siempre fuimos conscientes de que nos adentrábamos en algo que iba a exigir más horas y más desempeño técnico por nuestra parte, a la vez que empequeñecería la puerta de entrada para la audiencia, pero nos brindaría las herramientas que realmente necesitamos para expresarnos.

RnB: ¿Y cómo os conocisteis contadnos un poco sobre esto y quiénes formáis la banda?

Arc: En febrero de 2017, Alex (guitarra) y yo (voz/sintes) encadenamos un concierto de Devin Townsend y uno de Freak Kitchen entre el público, en las primeras filas. Nos conocimos en el segundo de esos conciertos. Nos pusimos a hablar y surgió la cuestión de que él tocaba con otros dos chicos. El cantante había tenido que dejar el grupo así que le propuse dejarme caer por su local para un ensayo y ver qué tal lo pasábamos. Allí conocí también a Héctor (batería) y a Raúl (bajo). Tenían dos o tres temas bastante avanzados en una línea black/death a toda pastilla y con algún que otro guiño progresivo. Después de un par de sesiones, y viendo que a todos nos apetecía tirar para adelante, hablamos de rediseñar un poco la idea, bajando la afinación e incorporando a otro guitarrista. Por unas amistades, conocía a Bogdan (guitarra) y le invitamos a venirse también un día y ver qué tal funcionaba el invento. Creo que le pasó un poco lo mismo que a mí: Vino con idea de tocar un día y divertirse, pero también decidió convertir la experiencia en algo permanente.

RnB: ¿cómo ha sido la creación de este The Rift?

Arc: Cuando lanzamos el primer tema, “I Can Handle This”, en octubre de 2018, pensamos que sería una buena idea buscar medios especializados y mandarles un mail con un pequeño dossier, un saludo y una presentación de la canción. La gran mayoría, no habrá abierto el mail,aún a día de hoy, tratándose de un remitente desconocido y, probablemente, compartiendo buzón con otros 200 mensajes similares, pero algunos respondieron amablemente que les escribiéramos de nuevo cuando tuviéramos un trabajo completo, ya que no se dedicaban a la reseña de singles. Nuestra intención seguía siendo la de trabajar canción a canción, pero vimos adecuado, después de un año de trabajo, englobar el resultado en un EP para darle una oportunidad de difusión y crítica. En este caso, es una recopilación de nuestras 3 primeras composiciones.

La escena underground todavía está sujeta a ciertos convencionalismos. No entraré, ahora mismo, a valorar si suman o restan pero es posible, bajo mi punto de vista, que todavía se otorgue una mayor reputación a la banda que ha editado un disco, que a una que ha publicado un cierto número de singles, independientemente de si los tiempos y las vías de difusión y comunicación han cambiado radicalmente en esta última década.

RnB: Este trabajo que creo se editará muy pronto ¿quien lo ha producido?

Arc: Se ha lanzado recientemente, el 19 de septiembre y está disponible en la gran mayoría de plataformas. Incluso se puede descargar gratuitamente en algunas de ellas.

Entiendo que las labores de producción engloban muchas fases que, profesionalmente, atañen algunas que ha llevado a cabo el propio grupo, pero si nos ceñimos al diseño de sonido, participación en arreglos, feedback masivo y valiosísimo, orientación, mezcla y mastering, además de parte de la grabación, nuestro bastión, nuestra arma secreta, ha sido Axel Tougeron, que lleva www.inwavestudio.com. Algún día, más pronto que tarde, trabajará con grupos mucho más gordos y estará fuera de nuestro alcance pero, ahora mismo, tenemos una enorme suerte al poder contar con todo su conocimiento y su talento.

RnB ¿cómo surgió el concepto para la portada?

Bogdan: El concepto, directamente, lo puso Arcangelo sobre la mesa. Un día dijo algo como «mi propuesta para el nombre es The Rift, como una brecha entre dimensiones.» Inmediatamente cogí ese concepto y se me vinieron ideas a la mente pero, hasta meses después, no comencé a plantear cosas de manera definitiva.

En el momento en el que empecé venía bastante bloqueado, una de las clásicas crisis que todos tenemos hacia nuestros medios creativos, sobre todo cuando tienes la presión del tiempo y la de tener que estar a la altura, pero la idea para iniciarlo era simple, dentro de lo simple que puede ser pensar en dimensiones paralelas… La letra de “Unseating Kings and Gods”, primera canción del trabajo y la tercera en ver la luz, habla de un ser que controla al resto desde un punto que nadie conoce, es algo superior a los límites de la percepción, podríamos decir, un concepto muy clásico del horror cósmico. Con esto pensé no solo en una brecha física sino en el espacio entre realidades como un sujeto de por sí, que mueve esas puertas entre realidades a su voluntad alterando la vida de los seres que las habitan.

Cuando terminé el dibujo y el color lo presenté con algo de miedo al resto del grupo, les dije que no iban a ver casi nada hasta que no estuviera casi terminada. Siempre es difícil presentar tu trabajo al resto, pero hasta ahora todo el feedback que he recibido del grupo ha sido bastante positivo y las críticas y sugerencias para mejorar los diseños han fluido con mucha naturalidad y buena vibra. Ahora, con algo más de distancia, veo cosas que modificaría. Es algo que a todos nos pasa siempre, pero ya todo lo que pueda hacer es por intentar mejorar los siguientes trabajos.

¡Espero que a la gente le guste la portada y que sigan recibiendo tanto el artwork como los temas con la misma acogida!

RnB: Desde vuestro trabajo anterior, parece que el grupo ha evolucionado técnicamente ¿cómo ha sido este proceso?

Arc: La decisión de ir single a single ha ido precisamente encaminada a ello. Con cada trabajo, aprendemos muchísimas cosas. Supongo que lo natural, con estas cuestiones, es que el aprendizaje lleve una progresión logarítmica. Me explico: Cuando estás empezando, aprendes mucho más deprisa, o tus progresos son mucho más notorios. No estoy seguro de que esto se distinga en el resultado final de un tema totalmente terminado, pero hemos sacado conclusiones cada vez y las hemos aplicado en la manera de trabajar la pieza siguiente.

Lo esperable, probablemente, será que en algún momento tengamos unos métodos asentados y nos pongamos a experimentar más, para no dejar de aprender.

RnB: ¿Qué equipo utilizar para las grabaciones? ¿Trabajáis con alguna afinación especial?

Arc: El tema tecnológico ha ido evolucionando un poco a lo largo del último año. Ahora mismo, grabamos tanto las cuerdas como las voces en mi casa. Utilizamos un simple ordenador de sobremesa muy todoterreno con el famoso DAW llamado Reaper, del que estoy profundamente enamorado y no paro de cantar virtudes. Las guitarras las enchufamos directamente a interfaz de audio Audient ID14. Hasta el segundo single, hemos utilizado una Focusrite Scarlett. Las baterías las secuenciamos con Toontrack EZ Drummer 2, pero Axel, ya en la fase de mezcla, las cambia por samples de Toontrack Superior Drummer 3. Grabamos las voces con un micrófono de condensador Lewitt lct 440, con un panel que he fabricado,a partir de un tutorial de youtube, nada menos, detrás y un armario abierto con toda su ropa colgada delante (todo ello para evitar los famosos «rebotes» en una habitación no tratada).

Me encanta esta pregunta porque, lo que trato de decir con esto es que, siendo conscientes del punto de compromiso al que queremos llegar entre frecuencia y calidad de nuestros trabajos, con los recursos de los que disponemos, que son muy pocos, hay maneras de sacar las canciones adelante e ir publicando material. Ojalá llegue el día en el que podamos pagar un estudio profesional y grabar 12 temas del tirón (baterías incluídas), para publicarlos como disco y que, este, tenga miles de escuchas. Sabemos que estamos en un punto embrionario y muy precario en cuanto a posibilidades materiales así que examinamos mucho cada pequeña inversión y tratamos de sacarle absolutamente todo el provecho. Desde aquí quiero hacer un llamamiento a toda la gente que compone y toca en casa para que exploren este mundo del “home studio” y aprenda a hacer cosas. No solo se pueden obtener resultados sorprendentes sino que es terriblemente satisfactorio.

En cuanto a la afinación, 3 tonos y medio por debajo del estándar. La nota más grave que podemos tocar en cuerdas es, por lo tanto, un La. Ya no es algo especialmente novedoso. Solo es una opción de diseño más, por la que optan muchísimas bandas en estos géneros.

RnB: Supongo que como todo músico que está empezando tenéis un lado mortal como se suele decir jejeje… contadnos un poco vuestros gustos musicales a que os dedicáis en la vida cotidiana aparte de hacer música claro

Arc: Somos simplemente 5 chavales bastante frikis y sí, absoluta e insultantemente mortales y vulgares. Unos con sus trabajos en horario de oficina o con turnos rotativos, otros estudiando… De hecho, no siempre lo tenemos fácil para poner los días de ensayo en el calendario y, muchas veces, esos ensayos son después de trabajar y muy cansados. Menos mal que la música tiene un efecto sobre el cuerpo y suele dar una prórroga energética a quien la práctica. Después, llegas a casa con la actividad cerebral en mínimos, pero feliz.

En cuanto a gustos musicales, a todos nos unen ciertas vertientes de metal de vanguardia y progresivo, pero podríamos contarte que Raúl va a menudo a ver bolos de hip hop, Alex sigue estudiando jazz. Héctor hace unas cosas muy inquietantes, por su cuenta, que me cuesta muchísimo comprender, pero aplaudo. Bogdan tira bastante por esa música de guitarras que es tan caótica como emocional, en un sentido que yo calificaría de peligrosamente destructivo… muy punk, el tío. Yo estoy ahora muy pillado con la escena synthwave. Creo que son pinceladas, no creo que nadie sea aficionado solo de uno o dos tipos de música, pero lo mismo dan una idea. Lo que está claro, es que no nos consideramos estrictamente metalheads.

RnB: ¿Qué planes tenéis en mente para The rift este año?

Arc: The Rift está haciendo su trabajo. Está ahí colgado para que lo escuche cuanta más gente mejor. Va justito de difusión, como es natural para nuestro actual estatus, pero nos está llegando un feedback enormemente satisfactorio, que nos ayuda mucho. Nuestra mente está ahora centrada en los directos con los que vamos a terminar el año y en la preparación del siguiente single. Nuestra intención es mantener una periodicidad de 2 o 3 meses entre lanzamiento y lanzamiento, y subirnos a escenarios como los próximos, con mayor frecuencia.

RnB: ¿Tenéis en mente girar y dar conciertos a nivel nacional?

Arc: Desde luego. David, de Wear Black Management & Booking nos está ayudando mucho con esa cuestión. La de Barcelona, el 21 de diciembre será la primera de muchas salidas, esperamos y deseamos. Y ¿por qué no? También fuera de la península. Ojalá en los lugares de dónde provienen las bandas que admiramos y donde sabemos que hay escenas con actividad. Todo lo que deseamos es conectar con la que sea nuestra audiencia potencial, esté donde esté.

Estamos casi terminando, así que ahora es el momento de nuestras preguntas más personales. No os preocupeis que no se trata de relaciones, el único amante que nos interesa es el rock and roll (jejeje):

RnB: ¿Cuál fue el primer concierto al que asististeis, como público?

Alex: Judas Priest, Megadeth y Testament, en la cubierta de Leganés en 2008 con apenas 13 años.

Bogdan: Reincidentes, en el 2009.

Arc: Creo que mi primer concierto como público fue con unos 15 años: Ska-P y Xigante Verde, en Ourense, hace una burrada de tiempo.

Raúl: Fue Carlinhos Brown junto a Pignoise.

Héctor: El primer concierto al que asistí no tiene nada que ver con el metal, fui a ver a la cantante española Merche porque a mi familia le gusta.

RnB: ¿Cuál fue el primer disco que comprasteis?

Bogdan: “Follow The City Lights”, de Dover.

Arc: Probablemente el “blur” de Blur.

Alex: Los dos primeros que tuve en mis manos fueron el “Painkiller” de Judas Priest y el “Dark Side Of The Moon” de Pink Floyd.

Raúl: Recuerdo que el primero fue “8 mile” de Eminem.

Héctor: El primer disco que pude comprarme por mi cuenta, como mucha gente de mi edad supongo, fue el “Master of Puppets” de Metallica.

RnB: ¿Alguien cercano puso la semilla para que amarais el rock and roll?

Bogdan: Fue más por contexto que por alguien específico.

Arc: En mi caso fue una canción de Marilyn Manson en la banda sonora de Matrix. Por algo se empieza, pero no puedo culpar o agradecérselo a nadie personalmente.

Alex: La relación con mi padre siempre ha sido muy importante en ese aspecto. Desde que tengo uso de razón he tenido la gran suerte de mamar todo esto en casa. Y no sólo lo más clásico, sino una gran paleta y variedad de incontables estilos musicales. Por ello le agradezco y le debo mucho a mi padre por introducirme en este mundo, complicado pero muy hermoso.

Raúl: Básicamente fueron mis ganas de descubrir cosas nuevas e indagar en grupos y estilos de música diferentes. Nadie me dijo: “Mira escucha este grupo que está muy bien”.

Héctor: Empecé como todo el mundo escuchando Metallica, y después metal extremo para luego pasar por hacerme fan del más grotesco goregrind. Ya en 2014 empecé a escuchar fregaderos y váteres combinado con gritos de ultratumba, algo denominado Japanoise.

Muchas gracias por dedicarnos este tiempo, y desde Rock and Blog os deseamos mucha suerte.

Os estamos muy agradecidos por este tiempo y atención que nos habéis dedicado. Sois los glóbulos rojos de la escena.

Entrevista de Manu Gutierrez

Comparte esto:

Entrevista con UNDERWATER LIGHTS en el artículo original de Rock and Blog

#Underwater Lights #rock music #heavy metal #rock

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