#aydtd extended universe

[angrylizardjacket]

Okay but Cerie and Cyrus hanging around The Dirt set because 'that hot mua from youtube' (its Mickey from my aydtd extended universe) is working on the project VS. Jupiter hanging around set because they're looking for an excuse to deck MGK.

Seo's just there for a laff

[angrylizardjacket]

Asher Kids Do An Interview

Choose an OC.

Answer them as that OC.

Tag 5 people to do the same.

Tagging @siriuslymooned​ @sam-writes​ @toplesstaylor​ @rogerandhishair​ and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it!!

[aydtd]

Note: Astrid is the oldest. Cate is the middlest. Barney is the youngest.

1. What is your name?

Cate: Cate Taylor.

Barney: Barney Clarke- Taylor... Sun. 

Astrid: Astrid Taylor.

2. Do you know why are you named that?

Cate: It’s short for Catherine.

Astrid: Is that what it’s short for?

Cate: Shut up.

Barney: What are you short for?

Astrid: That’s just how I grew.

Barney: You grew?

Astrid: I didn’t come out of ma at five-foot nothin’, yeah I fuckin’ grew, ya turnip.

Cate: Barney’s short for Barnabus.

Astrid: Barney’s short for a giant.

Barney: Taller than both of you.

Astrid: Taller than everyone.

Cate: ’s not difficult to be taller than Trid.

Astrid: Shut it; Barney what’s the deal with your last name?

Barney: Clarke is my professional name, I was born a Taylor, and I married into Sun. So legally I’m Barnabus Sun-Taylor, but I’m usually credited professionally as Barney Clarke.

Astrid: Huh. Nice; I didn’t realise you and Mickey [Barney’s partner] hyphenated. I’m named Astrid ‘cos dad liked how it sounded.

3. Are you single or taken?

Barney: Taken. [Barney wiggles the fingers off his left hand, to show where a wedding ring sits neatly on his ring finger.]

Cate: Taken? Taken. Not married though, almost made that mistake before.

Astrid: Single as.

4. Have any abilities or powers?

[There’s a long silence, the three of them look at one another with confusion.]

Barney: I played a superhero once.

Astrid: Oh yeah, you were good in that, what was it-?

Barney: X-Men.

Cate: Did you really forget X-Men?

Astrid: He’s been in a lot of movies!

5. Stop being a Mary Sue.

Cate: The next time you read an alcoholic, lesbian, disaster Mary Sue, can you please send me a link? 

Astrid: Hey!

Barney: I’m pretty sure it’s ‘Gary Stu’ for me?

Cate: You’re not a Gary Stu... Actually-

Astrid: Maybe a little?

Barney: I’m successful, there’s a difference, I think.

Cate: (amused) Did you put yourself through the litmus test?

Astrid: There’s a litmus test?

6. What’s your eye color?

Astrid: Blue.

Cate: Blue.

Barney: Ma’s eyes all the way; green.

7. How about your hair color?

Barney: Ginger.

Cate: I dunno, I think I’d consider myself a strawberry blonde.

Astrid: We’re a weird sliding scale between mum and dad; I’ve got dad’s blonde hair.

8. Have any family members?

[They look at each other with amusement.]

Astrid: (sarcastically) No, I’ve never seen these people before in my life.

9. Oh? How about pets?

Cate: My daughter’s been asking about getting a dog and I’m pretty sure Joe’s gonna get her one if he gets wind of how much she wants it. 

Astrid: God, imagine her little face if Joe gets her a puppy, oh Christ.

Cate: She’d cry, she’d absolutely cry, like happy tears but... oh, God I’m gonna get a dog aren’t I?

Barney: Pets are great; I love Sir more every day.

Astrid: I hope [Cate’s] dog is nothing like Sir, that cat is an asshole-

Barney: Only to you.

Astrid: Barn, your cat is an asshole.

Barney: You’re an asshole.

10. That’s cool, I guess. Now tell me something you don’t like?

Astrid: Barney’s fucking cat.

Barney: Astrid.

Cate: Calm down you babies. I don’t like wearing high heels.

Astrid: Seconded.

Barney: Thirded.

11. Do you have any activities/hobbies that you like to do?

Barney: I box.

Astrid: That’s your go-to, isn’t it?

Barney: Fine, I also enjoy swimming, spending time with Mickey, and mixing drinks. 

Cate: That’s cute.

Astrid: I enjoy drinking the drinks he mixes.

Cate: That’s less cute.

Barney: Drinking isn’t a hobby.

Astrid: Alright, I enjoy going to pubs to listen to music, driving fast cars, and spending time with pretty people.

Cate: Yeah, that checks out. I don’t have a lot of time for hobbies, though I play music, my bass mostly, and, ah, studying languages I guess. And spending time with Claud [her daughter], obviously.

12. Have you ever hurt anyone in any way before?

Astrid: Bar fights, mostly. Smacked a few assholes who’ve heckled Barn’s movies while I’m trying to watch them.

Barney: That’s actually kind of sweet. I’ve only been in one bar fight, and Trid finished that guy off, but other than that, and a few stunts gone wrong, a few hits in boxing, not really.

Cate: (visibly uncomfortable) Not, uh, not physically.

13. Ever… killed anyone before?

Astrid: What the fuck? No.

14. What kind of animal are you?

Cate: I think I’m a meerkat.

[Astrid immediately raises her hands up to her chest like paws, perking up and looking around, imitating a meerkat. Cate smiles, and imitates the gesture.]

Barney: Yeah, I can see it. Trid’s that terribly taxidermied- ah, [he pulls out his phone, and taps away at the screen for a moment] cheetah! 

[Astrid shoves him, but both he and Cate are laughing.]

Astrid: You’re your asshole cat.

15. Name your worst habits?

Barney: Oh, Mickey actually hit the nail on the head when we did the Husband Tag on their channel the other day- follow Mickey, they’re sunteamick, all one word, on YouTube.

Cate: What did they say?

Barney: I’m too unperturbed.

Astrid: You’re too chill?

Barney: They said I’m a danger to myself because of it; got hit in the face at boxing a few months ago, broke my nose - not the first time, but still not pleasant - and went home instead of to the hospital because I didn’t think it was that bad. It wasn’t; I still should have gone to hospital but it wasn’t that bad. Much worse things could have happened, it’s just a nose.

Cate: You need to be more perturbed?

Barney: I need to be more perturbed.

Astrid: Being unperturbed isn’t exactly a habit.

Barney: I also leave the cap off the toothpaste after I use it.

Cate: That’s bad and you should feel bad.

Barney: I do, but I’ll never change. It perturbs Mickey.

Astrid: My worst habit is that - I’m a stunt driver sometimes, right, and I do mad dangerous stunts, and every time I get injured or have like, a near death experience, I don’t think like ‘oh maybe I should slow down’, I think ‘how long until I can get this fuckin’ cast off and get back behind the wheel?’.

Cate: You’re an adrenaline junkie.

Astrid: But only with dangerous car stunts.

Barney: You perturb me.

Astrid: Good.

Cate: I bite my nails.

16. Do you look up to anyone at all?

Astrid: Physically or metaphorically?

Barney: You look up to everyone physically. 

[Note; Barney Clarke is 6′4. Astrid Taylor is 5′0.]

Cate: Our parents, obviously. They’re very successful, and have been through a lot. I grew up idolising them because they’re my parents, but as I came to know more about them as people, it was just natural to idolise them as people too.

Barney: Yeah, mum and dad, also Alec Baldwin.

Cate: Alec Baldwin, really? I wouldn’t have picked that.

Barney: Did you see him in Streetcar? [he hums appreciatively] That man’s career, his talent, all the stuff of legend. Meryl Streep, too.

Cate: Yeah no, I get that.

Astrid: Meryl Streep can get it.

17. Are you gay, straight or bisexual?

Barney: Uh, I’m pan?

Cate: I’m probably on the asexual spectrum, I haven’t thought about it in a while. Not aromantic though, I guess I’d be bi or pan romantic? Queer. I’m queer.

Astrid: I’m- look at me, I’m a whole damn lesbian.

18. Do you go to school?

Astrid: I take a few classes here and there, but I actually didn’t finish high school, dropped out in Year 10 with my parent’s blessing and started working as a mechanic.

Cate: I haven’t studied in a while but I have a Masters in Public Relations.

Astrid: And she speaks like eight languages.

Cate: Five.

Astrid: Still, you’re a very impressive lady.

Cate: Thanks, Trid. 

Barney: I finished high school, but I’ve been working pretty steadily since then, don’t have a degree or anything.

19. Ever want to marry and have kids one day?

Cate: I’ve got Claud, I almost married her dad, but... but that would have been bad for everyone. I’m not in a hurry to get married, let’s say.

Barney: Mickey and I don’t really want to be parents just yet, maybe one day, but we’re happy just spoiling Claud when we can.

Astrid: Oh, absolutely seconded; that kid is terrifyingly sweet for how spoiled she is.

Barney: She’s so great.

Cate: She really is.

20. Do you have any fangirls/fanboys?

Astrid: I run a Barney stan account on Twitter.

Barney: Really?

Astrid: Fuck no, but he does actually have fans.

Cate: I guess we all have fans in our own way, but a lot of that, like minus Barney, who’s genuinely a star, is more because of mum and dad.

Astrid: Imagine if Claud grows up to be a Queen stan on tumblr.

Cate: That’s horrifying.

21. What are you most afraid of?

Cate: The concept of Claud finding smut about Joe.

Astrid: The concept that Cate’s found and read smut about Joe.

Barney: Why would she need it? Couldn’t she just-

Astrid: Maybe before they were together?

Cate: I hate you both.

Barney: Well, that’s not a ‘no I haven’t read smut about my boyfriend’. Also I’m afraid of submarines.

Astrid: Submarines?

Barney: The big hole in the front of them gives me anxiety.

22. What do you usually wear?

Barney: Astrid doesn’t get to answer this one because she doesn’t know what fashion is, and dresses like a single dad in the middle of his mid-life crisis.

[Astrid shrugs but keeps quiet; her shorts have oil stains on them.]

Barney: Good. I’m a fan of colourful button-downs and slacks.

Astrid: Gucci [pronounced Gucky, like ducky but with a G] button-downs, you mean. 

Barney: (quietly, but with a lot of feeling) I hate you.

[Cate is laughing too hard to answer. She wears a pastel sweater and well fitting jeans.]

23. What’s one food that tempts you?

Astrid: Kracken Rum.

Cate: That doesn’t count as food.

Astrid: I’m not changing my answer.

Cate: Fine. Original Glaze Krispy Cream Donuts.

Barney: Like the ones dad used to buy us when we’d visit him on tour in America?

Cate: Yeah! God they’re good.

Barney: I’m always tempted by whatever Mickey cooks, though they don’t do it a lot. I usually cook. I enjoy it a lot.

24. Am I annoying to you?

Cate: No, you’re fine.

25. Well, it’s still not over!

Astrid: How many questions left?

26. What class are you (low/middle/high)?

[All three of them seem to become uncomfortable with the question.]

Cate: We- we’re comfortable. Our parents are Roger and Ash Taylor, we’ll always be comfortable.

27. How many friends do you have?

Cate: I’d say we’ve all got good circles - very different circles, sure-

Barney: If Astrid could stop collecting my pretty-boy costars that is.

Astrid: (smugly) It’s not my fault I’m good at making friends with your pretty-boy costars.

Barney: I’m glad people don’t realise we’re related, sometimes.

Astrid: Because I embarrass you?

Barney: (grumbling under his breath) Because everyone thinks you’re cooler than me.

Astrid: Men are so easy to get; look good, drive fast, and drink hard. Once they find out I’m gay and I can help wingman them really well, and maybe fix their cars, I’ve got ‘em, hook, line, and sinker.

Barney: That’s a bit of a generalisation, don’t you think?

Astrid: Fine; pretty boys in Hollywood are easy to get. 

Barney: That much I’ll give you.

28. What are your thoughts on pie?

Cate: Actually, Barney, that apple pie you made for Easter was stunning, I was meaning to tell you.

Astrid: Easter was months ago.

Cate: I’ve been busy!

Barney: Thanks, I can send you the recipe if you like.

Cate: I’d never have the time to cook it.

Barney: I’ll make it for you again, then. 

29. Favorite drink?

Astrid: Kracken. Rum.

Barney: Peanut butter and chocolate milkshake.

Cate: (again, uncomfortable) Orange juice, I guess.

30. What’s your favorite place?

Barney: The kitchen of my LA apartment, with a roast dinner in the oven and Mickey sitting at the kitchen island talking to me about their day.

Cate: Awww!

Astrid: That’s really sweet, Barn.

Cate: Well mine’s probably being side of stage at one of dad’s concerts with Claud with me.

Astrid: (quiet) Mine’s gonna sound stupid.

Cate: No, it’s- well, maybe.

Astrid: It’s just- I don’t really have like a favourite favourite place, you know? I have like, moments with people that just stick with me. Like, I shared a cigarette with Ben [Hardy] during one of Cate’s gigs and I just remember talking and laughing and looking up at the stars, and I could hear my talented as all fuck sister playing inside, and I just- it was lovely. 

Cate: Trid...

Astrid: And you know, I do remember X-Men, you know? Because when you flew with that scream-thing you do in the movie? I fucking cried. I was so fucking proud, dude. My favourite place is in a cinema watching my little brother on the big screen, or at a bar watching my sister smash out some of the best rock and roll of our generation, or watching dad play, or seeing mum’s smile when she’s finally happy with an outfit- fuck, sorry I didn’t mean to get all sappy and shit.

Barney: No- Trid, no, don’t apologise.

31. Are you interested in anyone?

Astrid: Not in a long-term sense.

[Cate and Barney share a frown, before turning their identical ‘are you kidding me?’ looks on the interviewer.]

32. That was a stupid question…

Barney: Yeah, I’m married.

33. Would you rather swim in a lake or the ocean?

Cate: Ocean, always the ocean.

Barney: Yeah, I’m with you on that one.

Astrid: But the ocean has submarines in it.

Barney: Well I can’t see them so it’s fine.

Astrid: Fair cop, I also have to say ocean.

34. What’s your type?

Astrid: (teasingly) Cate likes cute, goofy actors with dumb perms and big grins and-

Cate: Astrid likes all girls ever, especially if they buy her a drink.

Astrid: Guilty as charged.

Barney: Two opposite ends of the spectrum? Every girl ever and Joe Mazzello specifically?

Cate: ... Pretty much.

35. Any fetishes?

[Astrid opens her mouth, but Cate smacks her hand over her mouth.]

Cate: That’s information I don’t need to know about my sister, thanks.

Barney: (grinning) Bondage.

Astrid: (muffled) Nice.

Cate: Christ.

Barney: That’s the tame shit, Catie.

Cate: You are my Baby Brother, shut your mouth. Ow!

[Astrid has bitten Cate’s hand. She removes her hand from Astrid’s mouth.]

Barney: I’m a married man!

Cate: I don’t want to know what you guys are into, and I don’t want you to know what I’m into, okay? We all know too much about our own family, I’d like some modicum of privacy.

Astrid: Yeah, after you see your mum bare it all in a photoshoot from the seventies with Bowie, life does get a little weird.

Barney: Oh, I forgot about that. Okay, moving on.

36. Camping or outdoors?

Astrid: Camper van.

Barney: I like hiking, but not really camping.

Cate: Claud camps in the backyard sometimes, it’s fun to join her, sometimes we stargaze.

Astrid: That’s a grossly cute image to end on.

Barney: Does Joe stargaze with you guys?

Cate: (blushing) Once or twice. Claud fell asleep on him last time. It was pretty cute.

Astrid: Oh that’s actually really cute.

Cate: Yeah, it was.

[angrylizardjacket]

aydtd asher kids’ headcanon

barney’s a good actor in his own rights, and since he goes by Barney Clarke, people don’t tend to associate him with his parents (apart from when he and ash are seen together, because he definitely takes after her in terms of looks, apart from the fact that he’s 6′4) but they also don’t realise just how well connected he is on all accounts; 

cate is the Taylor Child that everyone knows, she’s queen’s social media coordinator, she’s often behind the camera on their instagram posts and story, and she has a following in her own right (her daughter dressed up as freddie for halloween and the fandom collectively lost their minds)

astrid, while she isn’t super public about it, she moonlights as a stunt driver for films and tv shows that film in the UK. she’s well known in her field as Trid, though it’s a very niche field. 

he’s MARRIED to MICKEY SUN, who is a YouTube beauty guru with a considerable amount of influence, who also works as a makeup artist for film and television.

barney honestly acts because he enjoys it, and he prefers minor roles because he knows how the spotlight can effect people (has seen/heard about it with his parents) but he’s quite literally connected to almost every aspect of the entertainment industry. he’s been on so many sets with his mother, earned spots in crowd shots, little bit parts or cameos, made friends with stars, and there’s so many people in the music industry who are essentially god-parents to him because they’re good friends of ash and roger’s, and he’s always mickey’s +1 to influencer events

he once had a group interview for a film and the interviewer asked ‘who’s the most famous person in your phone’ and barney, sweet, humble barney, just answered ‘i don’t want to play this game’ and keeps insisting though the interviewer keeps pushing

INTERVIEWER: come on, what about your co-stars?

BARNEY: (deadpan) fine, my mum.

the interviewer laughs, but barney’s completely serious. the interviewer asks if he’s kidding. barney looks visibly uncomfortable.

BARNEY: my mother’s been working in the industry for half a century, and she’s one grammy away from an EGOT, no, i’m not kidding. (pause) and it’s less of a douchy thing to try and pick than anyone else

the interviewer who has not done their research that far (and who is woefully underprepared for a Taylor child, with a sister in management and marketing, who is well versed in interviewing and public presentation) tries to pry and ask who his mother is, but Barney steers the conversation to plug the film.

in conclusion; barney could be a juggernaut in the entertainment industry but he doesn’t feel the need and is just a good kind soul who loves his incredibly talented family

[angrylizardjacket]

AYDTD Extended Universe - Asher Kids’ Instagrams

Astrid “astro_winnie” - posts like the only followers she has are her siblings. has no aesthetic, likes posting awful close ups of her friends, blurry videos of whatever she’s doing at any time, occasional posts about her garage, and will put her friends on blast at any given moment. 

Cate “cate.astrophy” - posts about her daughter, and about her band, sometimes videos of her gigs, or photos of cute little things she sees, as well as updates about queen since she’s also their social media coordinator.

Barney “thebarneyclarke” - he’s an actor, and he posts mainly things that promo his upcoming movies, or his appearances at awards shows. sometimes he posts something about mickey, or something about his cat. tries to keep it aesthetic and professional.

Mickey “sun.tea.mick” - they post bits and pieces from all around their life; Barney, their cat, things they eat, makeup looks they’ve been working on, places they go, anything and everything, as long as it’s pretty.

[angrylizardjacket]

happy pride, have some Barney&Mickey going to Sydney Mardi Gras

bonus: Astrid back home

[angrylizardjacket]

first the worst {Ben Hardy & OC}

Summary: Ben actually considers Astrid (Ash and Roger’s eldest daughter) to be a good friend, or maybe she’s just the only one still in town and he’s sick of moping around his flat; even so, the more he learns about her, the more he comes to realise that she could give a younger Roger a run for his money in terms of being a general menace. At least he knows where she got it from.

A/N: 2257 words. Not what I promised, I am really sorry, but when the writing demon grabs you by the eyeballs and won’t let go, you tend to listen. Anyways I love Astrid so much and I love the extended AYDTD universe, okay? Also Astrid is super gay, and she and ben are v platonic bros.

[aydtd]

“You’re bumming me out,��� Astrid announces from where she’s got herself rolled beneath a car, and Ben, where he’s leaning against the hood of the car.

“What?” He seems a little spacey, like he’s been in his own head, his own world, and only at the sound of his voice is he pulled back into reality, frowning down at her legs sticking out from under the vehicle.

“You wrapped on filming what, two weeks ago?” Pulling herself out from under the car, Astrid tucks her flashlight into her pocket, dropping her spanner into the toolbox by the car, before leaning against the car door and looking up at him, “why are you moping in my garage, Ben?”

“I’ve got nothing to do,” he finally groans, sliding down the side of the car to sit next to her, and Astrid laughs, wiping her grease-stained hands on her jeans, turning to look at him, “and everyone’s gone back to like, the states, Gwil’s fucked off to Australia, and I’ve still got meetings in London over the next few weeks and-” with a loud groan, Ben leans his head back to rest against the car with a thump.

“Watch it.” Astrid warns, and Ben smiles a little at that.

“And we’re friends, ‘Trid, I’m sick of moping around my own flat and being bored out of my mind; everyone else seems to be working,” Ben groaned, eyes roaming over the rest of the garage, taking in the messy workbench, the pictures and little knickknacks tacked up everywhere, the neatly labeled tool drawers, half of which were opened as if she’d been rifling through them not long ago.

“Do you assume this is just my hobby?” She asks wryly, and Ben half grins at her.

“No, but you’re not going to kick me out,” and while his assumption is correct, Astrid can’t help but rolled her eyes at him.

“Fine, if you’re going to stay here, you’re coming with me to Cate’s gig tonight, I promised her I’d be there, I bet she’d love to see you,” Astrid’s smile softens into something genuine as Ben smirks.

“I bet she’d love to see Joe more.” 

“Oh absolutely, she thinks Claud’s got the crush; Cate’s got absolutely no self awareness, it’s hilarious.” Astrid’s grin turns sharp again, and she lets out a low, amused chuckle, as she leans her head back against the car door, softer than Ben, who’s now watching her with raised eyebrows, “she overheard me giving Joe her Instagram at the wrap party and she looked ready to tackle me, I swear she turns back into a teenager around him.”

“But you did give it to him to fuck with her, didn’t you?” Ben asked, and Astrid snorted.

“Yeah, of course, she’ll never make a move.” 

“They’re pretty hopeless.”

Ben’s only ever seen Astrid in either covered in grease in an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt while she’s working, or in the same thing, sans grease, whilst visiting set. He’s seen her in makeup maybe once, but the wrap party is sort of a blur. 

When she steps out of her room, hair still damp from her shower, wearing a silk button down tucked into the most well-fitted pair of jeans he’s ever seen, Ben wonders for a moment if this is the same person.

“Who are you and what did you do with Astrid?” Is what he actually says, and she flips him off, heading back into her room. “’Trid, no, come on I didn’t mean it!” He’s half laughing, and she comes back, leaning against the doorframe with an eyebrows raised expectantly, radiating a cool confidence, and Ben can’t help but smile at her. 

“This shirt, yay or nay?” She asks, and Ben hums for a long moment.

“Like yes, you look hot as hell, but what other options have you got to work with?” He asks, and Astrid grins, taking a moment to herself and shaking her head.

“If only I were into guys,” she mused, snickering at him, before she hummed thoughtfully at his question. Ben’s smile was fond, as she disappearing into her room for a moment, rifling through her closet until she reappeared wearing a different shirt, this time it was sheer with opaque, blue, silk detailing. 

“It isn’t exactly a bar shirt,” Astrid mused, while Ben took a long moment to look her over with a critical eye, analysing the outfit. “It’s a bit on the fancy side-”

“Is that Versace?” He asks, and Astrid grins, nodding. “So you’d let me go out in,” he plucks at the hem of his own shirt, “whatever this is, beside you in your goddamn silk Versace?” He splutters, getting to his feet, and Astrid’s smile widens.

“I mean, you’re welcome to borrow my other one,” she offered, and Ben, who hovered on the peripheries of fashion enough to appreciate a high end brand when he heard it or got to wear it, accepted without hesitation.

“Under all that car grease you’re secretly like, really well dressed,” he mused, tugging his shirt off over his head and tossing it onto her bed as she rifled through her closet. There was something almost comforting about how, when she turned back to him with shirt in hand, her gaze didn’t linger on his physique, not that she didn’t think he was objectively attractive, it was just sort of... nice, a change of pace to have a girl he was somewhat close to who was around his age and wasn’t interested in him like that in the slightest. 

“Secretly; yes. Objectively I know how style works, but living my life in jeans and t-shirts pisses off both mum and Barney and that makes it all worth it.” She sighs contentedly, moving past him towards her mirror and dresser where her makeup was scattered.

“Do you just spend your life, like, gently menacing your family?” Ben asks, standing behind her and buttoning up his shirt, taking in his own reflection in the mirror. Astrid seems to buy most of her fancier clothes a few sizes too big, and as such, the shirt fits Ben almost perfectly, in all it’s gold, black, and silk glory. 

“Gently menacing,” she concedes, smiling at him in the reflection where she’s halfway through her foundation, “and Barney’s fun to menace, he invited me to Paris Fashion Week last year and he almost screamed at me from the runway when he saw I was wearing one of dad’s old band shirts and a pair of jean shorts from the mall; best moment of the whole week.” Astrid just seemed delighted.

The moment Ben steps into the pub, he feels himself awash with an unreasonable sense of nostalgia; it’s so oddly reminiscent of the Smile scenes’ bar set from Bohemian Rhapsody that he almost does a double take. The band, Cate’s band, is a cover band it seems, when he hears ‘What’s My Scene’ playing loud and bright from around the corner of the bar. 

He recognises Cate almost instantly, but is surprised to see her not behind the drums, but with a bass in hands, leaning into the microphone to also sing lead vocals.

“She got all the talent,” Astrid’s voice is loud enough to be heard over the vocals, but still low enough that only Ben hears, and her smile is fond as she watches her little sister jam out a pitch perfect cover of the bright, bopping song. They’re a cover band, Ben soon comes to realise, as they play song after song that he recognises ranging from the seventies to even some modern hit. The dance floor is full, and Astrid and Ben lean against the bar, both sipping beers as they bop along, along with a whole crowd of others too nervous for the dance floor, or keeping their drinks with them.

The set comes to an end, and Cate plugs her phone into the sound desk so the crowd wouldn’t be met with silence for the fifteen minutes break the band would take, and she makes a beeline for Ben and her sister, grinning and flushed with adrenaline from performing.

“Holy shit, Ben, what are you doing here?” Cate hugs him tightly after greeting her sister, and Astrid is already turning to the bartender and ordering Cate a drink.

“Astrid invited me.” He smiles brightly, a little uncomfortable as he can see two girls in his peripheries giggling and pointing towards them in a way that he was all too familiar with. Cate’s whole expression lit up, however, at his words.

“Oh, that’s so nice, dude you really didn’t have to come, but it’s so great to have you here,” and after working with Ash he knows where the family’s obsession with ‘dude’ as a term of endearment comes from, but it’s still a little amusing.

“Happy to be here, was sick of moping about in my flat doing nothing,” he admitted, and Cate laughed at that, accepting her drink from Astrid, taking a long draft. Putting the drink back on the bar, she make light conversation as she pulls her mane of strawberry blonde hair into a messy ponytail with the hair tie from around her wrist with the same casually confident air that Astrid seemed to be glowing with. 

When the next set is about to start, and Cate has to go back to the stage, Ben announces that he’s going for a smoke, and Astrid offers to join him, and the two of them make their way to the courtyard, air cool when compared to the sort of musty, far more crowded bar and dancefloor.

“I didn’t know you smoked.” Ben passes her his cigarette, and she takes a short draft, holding the smoke in her lungs as she passed it back and thought over his words.

“I don’t usually,” she said, voice thoughtful, “but there’s something about pubs, I don’t know how to describe it.” Ben’s humming, nodding as she explains, cigarette loose in his grip. “Barney quit when he was like, twenty one, but he only smoked menthols.” She mused, taking a sip of her drink, looking over towards the door back into the pub.

“Why are you out here, ‘Trid?” Ben asked, smoke spilling out with his words. Astrid turned sharply to him, frowning. “Look, I know you saw those girls by the bar; you don’t need to try and protect me, I’m pretty used to it-”

“It’s instinct.” Astrid cuts in, and Ben’s left in the lurch for a moment, trying to decipher what exactly she means.

“What?”

“I didn’t like how they were looking at you, sure, but if you left me in there alone I would have just confronted them,” she laughs a little humorlessly, “I’m too old for bar fights, but God knows that doesn’t stop me.” 

“Wait, you’ve been in a bar fight?” Ben asks with a laugh, and passes the cigarette to Astrid’s waiting fingers. In turn, she grins, nodding.

“About five years ago,” she says a little breathlessly as she tries to speak around the smoke, handing the cigarette back, “Cate played a gig in Glasgow and Barney and I made the trip to support her because it was her first gig in another country with her own band, so to speak,” she snickers, and leans forward, elbows on the table, eyes closed as she enjoys the muffled sound of the band starting up again, “and this dickhead was having a go at Barn, who’s just like nineteen at this point, and so of course I decked the fucker, but he turns out to be a local and it turns into a whole thing; long story short, Barney and I aren’t welcome there anymore and Cate didn’t talk to either of us for like three months,” she paused, considering, “well, she blamed me, and the asshole who was having a go at Barney; mum thought it was fucking hilarious.” 

It’s times like this that every over the top story about Ash and Roger that Ben knows all seem to blow through his mind at once, and Astrid makes total and complete sense in the context of her upbringing. It takes a few moments more for him to process what she’d said, and the mental image of Astrid, who took after Ash in terms of height, defending the towering giant who was Barney, is a picture he never hopes to forget.

“Was that your first bar fight?” He asks, stubbing out the cigarette, and Astrid muses, wrinkling up her nose as she thinks, and it’s an expression Ben recognises with startling clarity from where he’s seen hundreds of pictures of Roger making that same face; at times she’s the spitting image of him without even meaning to.

“Not even close,” she half laughs after a beat.

“Wait a second, back up a bit,” Ben leaned back in his bar stool, grinning and looking up at the stars, expression a little more fond than he intended, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face, “so you would fight those girls in there if they were being dicks to me?” 

“‘course.” Astrid doesn’t even hesitate, and Ben’s smile grows wider. “But they’re in heels, wouldn’t be much of a fight.” She muses, and he laughs into the cool night air.

“You’re secretly nice -”

“Not even secretly, Ben,” she snorts, laughter loud and bright, as she bumps her shoulder with his, and he feels a rush of affection towards her, “I’m just constantly ready to fight, ‘specially for my mates, have you met me?”

[angrylizardjacket]

aydtd extended universe taylor-family faceclaims

so everyone knows what everyone looks like (at least in my head) when i post this cate/joe snippet

Cate Taylor - Freya Mavor 

Claudia “Claud” Taylor-Creed (Cate’s daughter) - Maggie Elizabeth Jones

Astrid Taylor (Cate’s older sister) - Lucy Fry

Barney Taylor (Cate’s brother) - Caleb Landry Jones

Mickey Sun (Barney’s partner) - Justin Min