#best WILSON CLASH

[urdreamydoodles]

X-Men x Reader (Part.1)

A chaotic night at the carnival with your boyfriend (Part.1)

You and your boyfriend embark on a chaotic carnival adventure, where their unique personalities lead to unpredictable situations.

Characters: Logan Howlett, Remy LeBeau, Kurt Wagner, Scott Summers, Erik Lehnsherr, Warren Worthington III, Bobby Drake, Pietro Maximoff, Wade Wilson & Cable

Let's forget mutant rac*sm for one night, 'kay? No humans looking you weird because of who you are. These headcanons are pure joy.

Logan Howlett (Wolverine)

- Logan wasn’t exactly the carnival type. When he suggested taking you to one, you weren’t sure what had gotten into him. But there you were, walking hand-in-hand with him through the bustling crowd of people, the scent of popcorn and fried food filling the air. His rough exterior clashed humorously with the colorful surroundings, and you couldn’t help but laugh at the way he grumbled every time someone bumped into him or a ride screeched too loudly. He glanced down at you, raising an eyebrow. “What’s so funny?”

- “You are,” you teased, nudging him with your shoulder. “This doesn’t seem like your kind of thing.”

- Logan grunted but gave a small smirk. “Figured you might like it. And besides, could use a little break from the usual crap.”

- You smiled at his thoughtfulness, squeezing his hand. You weren’t sure how long the peace would last, though, knowing Logan’s knack for attracting trouble. As if on cue, you spotted a strength-testing game nearby, the kind with the hammer and the bell at the top. Logan’s eyes narrowed as he noticed it too, and you instantly knew what was coming.

- “Wanna give it a try, tough guy?” you teased, already imagining the chaos this could cause.

- “Oh, I’m doin�� it,” Logan growled, determination in his voice as he dragged you over to the booth. The carnival worker looked a little too confident, like he’d never seen someone like Logan in his life. Logan picked up the hammer with ease, spinning it in his hands before positioning himself in front of the game.

- “You sure about this?” you asked, giggling at the way he sized up the machine like it was his next battle. But before you could say anything else, Logan swung the hammer down with full force. The bell didn’t just ring—it practically flew off the top of the pole with a loud clang, leaving the carnival worker standing there, slack-jawed.

- People around the game burst into laughter and applause, while Logan just shrugged and handed the hammer back like it was nothing. “Cheap machine,” he muttered, as if it had been a weak challenge. You couldn’t stop laughing, your sides aching as you tried to catch your breath.

- The carnival worker, still stunned, offered you both a giant stuffed bear as a prize. “For your troubles,” he said, eyeing Logan warily. You gladly accepted the bear, knowing Logan wasn’t the type to care about prizes.

- As you walked away, you leaned into Logan, wiping tears of laughter from your eyes. “You broke the carnival.”

- “Wasn’t my fault,” he grumbled, though there was a hint of pride in his voice. “Damn thing wasn’t built right.”

- Despite the chaotic start, the night continued with more laughs as Logan tried his best to blend in. He won you a few more prizes, though you could tell he was holding back on most of the games, trying not to cause too much destruction. The bumper cars were another story, though. The moment Logan got behind the wheel, all bets were off. He went after anyone who came close, slamming into other cars with a grin that told you he was enjoying this way too much.

- When the night ended, you were both loaded down with stuffed animals and prizes. “Well, that was… something,” you said, glancing up at Logan. He looked more relaxed than you’d seen him in a while, and despite the chaos, you were glad you had come.

- Logan gave you a sideways look, his hand finding yours again. “Yeah, it was somethin’,” he agreed. “But don’t think I’ll be doin’ this every week.”

- You laughed, pulling him close for a kiss. “Maybe once in a while. Just for fun.”

Remy LeBeau (Gambit)

- “You ready for dis, chérie?” Remy asked, his grin wide as he led you through the carnival entrance. His excitement was contagious, and you found yourself getting caught up in the lights and sounds, despite knowing that anything involving Remy was bound to lead to some kind of trouble. He held your hand loosely, his thumb brushing over your knuckles as he scanned the carnival with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

- “Ready for what, exactly?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. You knew better than to expect a quiet night when it came to Remy. The man thrived on chaos and fun, and carnivals were like his personal playground.

- “Everything!” Remy said dramatically, sweeping his arm to gesture at the carnival games, rides, and food stalls. “We gon’ win every prize, eat everythin’, and maybe—just maybe—I’ll take you up on dat Ferris wheel.”

- You laughed, already bracing yourself for whatever chaos Remy was about to unleash. He dragged you toward the game booths first, eyeing the ring toss with a suspicious amount of confidence. “How ‘bout we start with somethin’ easy?”

- Remy tossed a few rings with the finesse of someone who had probably spent his life perfecting sleight of hand tricks. He made it look effortless, hitting the targets every time. The game worker handed you a small stuffed animal as a prize, but Remy wasn’t satisfied.

- “Non, non, I got more in me,” he said with a wink, flipping a coin in his fingers as he eyed the larger prizes. You tried to pull him away, knowing what was coming, but it was too late. Remy wasn’t playing fair anymore. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a ring that glowed faintly with kinetic energy, sending it perfectly onto one of the highest-scoring targets.

- The worker’s eyes widened, clearly confused by how Remy had managed that, but he handed over the grand prize—a ridiculously large stuffed tiger. “Here you go,” he said, casting Remy a suspicious look.

- “Merci, mon ami,” Remy said smoothly, handing the tiger to you with a flourish. “For you, ma belle.”

- You could only shake your head, trying to hold back your laughter. “You cheated,” you whispered, though you couldn’t help but smile at the way he was grinning like a kid who had gotten away with something.

- “Just a lil’ help,” Remy said, shrugging as he slung his arm around your shoulders. “Dat’s the fun, non?”

- The night continued in much the same way. Remy charmed his way through every booth, somehow managing to win every game despite the odds. He even convinced you to go on the Ferris wheel with him, though the moment the wheel started turning, he leaned over and whispered in your ear, “You scared of heights, chérie?”

- “Not until you said that,” you muttered, gripping the safety bar a little tighter. Remy laughed, pressing a quick kiss to your cheek as the Ferris wheel carried you both up to the top. From there, the chaos of the carnival seemed far below you, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

- That was until you got off the Ferris wheel and Remy decided to try his luck at one last game—a dart-throwing booth. “Watch dis,” he said confidently, picking up the darts. You watched, amused, as he tossed the first dart with perfect precision. It hit the target dead center, earning him another prize.

- But as Remy lined up his second dart, someone bumped into him, causing him to miss the target completely. The dart hit the edge of the booth and sent one of the stuffed animals flying into the air.

- The game worker let out a startled yell, and before you knew it, Remy was laughing so hard he could barely stand. “Oops,” he said, though you could tell he wasn’t sorry at all.

- You grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the booth before things got worse. “I think that’s enough chaos for one night.”

- Remy flashed you a grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Ah, but you had fun, didn’t you?”

- You couldn’t deny it. “Yeah, I did. But next time, maybe we try something a little less… explosive.”

Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler)

- “Zis is amazing!” Kurt exclaimed as he looked around the carnival, his excitement contagious. His tail flicked back and forth as he took everything in—the lights, the music, the people. You smiled at his enthusiasm, knowing that Kurt’s childlike wonder could turn even the most ordinary event into something magical. But you also knew that wherever Kurt went, chaos was never far behind.

- “It’s just a carnival, Kurt,” you teased, though you couldn’t help but smile at how happy he looked. “You act like you’ve never been to one before.”

- Kurt grinned, his fangs peeking out in that charming way that always made your heart skip a beat. “Ja, but every time is like ze first time when you’re with me, mein Schatz.”

- You rolled your eyes but let him lead you through the crowd, his arm wrapped around your waist protectively. You could already see him eyeing the different carnival games with curiosity, and you knew it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.

- The first sign of chaos came when Kurt spotted a haunted house attraction. His eyes lit up, and before you could protest, he had already bought tickets and was dragging you inside. “Zis vill be fun!” he promised, his tail curling in excitement.

- The haunted house was dark, and cheap jump scares popped out from every corner. Despite knowing they were fake, you still jumped every time something came at you. Kurt, on the other hand, was having the time of his life, laughing at every skeleton or ghoul that leaped out from the shadows. His hand remained on your lower back, guiding you through the twisting hallways, but you noticed his tail twitching in anticipation.

- Just as you both rounded a corner, a particularly loud scream echoed through the room, followed by a life-sized animatronic zombie lunging toward you. Without thinking, Kurt instinctively "bamfed"—disappearing into a cloud of smoke and reappearing right in front of the zombie. “Ach! You scared mein Schatz!” he exclaimed dramatically, holding out his hands as if scolding the fake creature.

- You burst into laughter, doubling over as Kurt’s display turned into a full-fledged performance, complete with mock outrage. “You realize it’s not real, right?” you said, trying to catch your breath between giggles.

- “Real or not, I vill not stand for zis disrespect!” Kurt said, grinning as his tail curled around your wrist. He gave a wink before "bamfing" again, appearing just behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist.

- As the haunted house continued, Kurt couldn’t resist teleporting around, jumping ahead to surprise you or appearing beside some of the animatronics to “challenge” them to a duel. By the time you reached the exit, both of you were breathless from laughter, and the haunted house employees were giving Kurt curious, amused looks.

- “Zat vas wunderbar!” Kurt declared, pulling you close for a quick kiss. “Ve should do zat again, ja?”

- “Maybe without the bamfing next time,” you teased, though you couldn’t deny how much fun it had been.

- The rest of the night continued in much the same way. Kurt’s excitement was infectious, and he couldn’t help but teleport around the carnival, grabbing prizes for you and whisking you off to different booths. At one point, he even teleported both of you onto the Ferris wheel, much to the operator’s confusion.

- As the night came to a close, Kurt wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you close as you both watched the fireworks light up the sky. “Danke, mein Liebling,” he whispered, his tail wrapping around your wrist gently. “For making zis night perfect.”

Scott Summers (Cyclops)

- Scott had insisted on going to the carnival with a plan. A structured plan. “We’ll hit the games first, then maybe the rides, and after that, we can grab some food,” he said confidently, holding a map of the carnival in one hand as he walked beside you. You couldn’t help but laugh at how seriously he was taking it, but that was just Scott.

- “You know, you can relax a little,” you teased, nudging him playfully. “It’s a carnival, not a mission.”

- Scott gave you a half-smile, adjusting his sunglasses. “I just want to make sure we get to do everything. There’s a lot to cover.”

- You appreciated his effort, but you knew Scott’s love of structure would inevitably clash with the chaos of the carnival. It didn’t take long for things to spiral. The first sign of trouble came when you reached the ring toss booth. Scott, ever the perfectionist, was determined to win you one of the giant stuffed animals. After missing a few rings, though, you could see the frustration building in his expression.

- “I don’t get it,” he muttered, lining up another ring. “I’m hitting the target dead-on. Why won’t it stay?”

- You bit back a laugh, knowing he was taking this far too seriously. “Maybe it’s rigged?” you suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

- Scott frowned, clearly not convinced. “I’m going to try again.”

- This time, you stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm gently. “It’s just a game, Scott. We can always try another one.”

- He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just wanted to win you something.”

- Your heart melted a little at his earnestness, and you leaned up to kiss his cheek. “You don’t have to win me anything. I’m happy just being here with you.”

- Scott’s expression softened, and he gave you a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks.”

- Just as things seemed to calm down, the Ferris wheel caught Scott’s eye. “Let’s ride that next,” he suggested, glancing at the line. “We’ll be able to see the whole carnival from up there.”

- As you both waited in line, everything seemed to be going smoothly until, suddenly, one of the carnival workers tripped over a loose cable, causing a small electrical issue that made the Ferris wheel stop mid-turn. You both were stuck at the top, dangling in mid-air.

- “Great,” Scott muttered under his breath, looking at the non-functioning ride. “This wasn’t part of the plan.”

- You couldn’t help but laugh, leaning your head on his shoulder. “I guess even you can’t plan for everything.”

- He gave a resigned chuckle, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. Guess you’re right.” He wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close as you both watched the sun setting over the carnival from your vantage point in the sky.

Bobby Drake (Iceman)

- Bobby was the definition of carefree and fun, so when he suggested going to the carnival, you knew it would be a night full of laughter and mischief. “I’m gonna win you all the prizes,” he declared confidently as you both entered the carnival grounds, his hand laced with yours.

- “You sure about that?” you teased, raising an eyebrow. “What if I’m better at the games than you?”

- Bobby grinned, giving you a playful wink. “Oh, I *know* you’re competitive, but just wait. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”

- The first game you both hit was the basketball toss. Bobby stepped up, flashing the carnival worker a confident smile. “Watch and learn, babe.”

- You crossed your arms, smirking as you watched him make his first shot—and miss. “Looks like you need some practice,” you teased, stifling a laugh.

- Bobby shot you a mock glare before lining up his next shot. This time, he nailed it, and you couldn’t help but cheer for him. “Told you I had this,” he said, accepting the prize from the worker—a small stuffed penguin, fittingly enough.

- As the night went on, Bobby’s playful antics kept you entertained. He made sure to try every game, even using his powers in small, sneaky ways to give himself an advantage. At one point, he froze the water gun in the shooting game just enough to keep it steady, winning a giant stuffed bear that he proudly handed over to you.

- “How many stuffed animals do you think we can carry?” you asked, laughing as Bobby piled yet another prize into your arms.

- “As many as it takes,” he said with a grin, but you could see the gleam in his eye that told you he was up to something.

- Sure enough, when you reached the ice cream stand, Bobby couldn’t resist using his powers to show off. He created a small ice sculpture of a penguin on your cone, earning a round of applause from the nearby kids.

- “You’re such a show-off,” you said, rolling your eyes, but you couldn’t stop smiling.

- “I know, I know,” Bobby said, bowing dramatically. “But admit it—you love it.”

- As the night continued, Bobby couldn’t resist getting into a bit of chaos. When you both reached the bumper cars, he made sure to freeze the track just enough to send everyone spinning wildly out of control. You could hear people laughing, completely unaware of the small patch of ice Bobby had created beneath their wheels.

- “Bobby!” you scolded, though you were laughing too hard to sound serious. “You’re going to get us kicked out!”

- “Nah, they’ll never know,” he said, giving you a wink as you both raced around the track, dodging the other cars. It wasn’t long before the ride attendant started looking suspicious, though, and Bobby quickly melted the ice before anyone could catch on.

- By the end of the night, you were both loaded down with prizes and stuffed animals, your sides aching from laughter. “Best. Night. Ever,” Bobby declared as he wrapped his arm around you, pulling you close.

- “Yeah, it was pretty amazing,” you agreed, leaning into him as you walked toward the exit. “But next time, maybe we keep the chaos to a minimum?”

- “Where’s the fun in that?” Bobby teased, planting a kiss on your temple.

Warren Worthington III (Angel)

- Warren always had an air of elegance and class about him, even at a carnival. From the moment you walked through the entrance, his hand resting on your lower back, he looked slightly out of place among the flashing lights and crowds. Still, he indulged your excitement, smiling at the prospect of a night filled with games and rides.

- “I’m not exactly used to this kind of... environment,” he admitted, adjusting his shirt as if he were still in some high-class event. You laughed, giving his arm a playful squeeze. “Don’t worry, Warren. Just follow my lead. We’ll start with something simple, like the ring toss.”

- At the game booth, Warren gave a polite nod to the carnival worker and then tried his best to follow the rules of the game. Unfortunately for him, his first few tosses were way off the mark, despite his best efforts. His wings twitched in mild frustration, and you could tell he wasn’t used to failure in any form.

- “Here, let me show you how it’s done,” you teased, stepping up and grabbing a ring. To your own surprise, your first throw landed perfectly around the bottle. You turned to Warren with a grin. “See? It’s all about aiming where you’re not trying to go.”

- Warren chuckled softly, though you could see the competitive spark in his eyes. He was always one to rise to a challenge. After a few more tries, he finally won, and with his natural grace, he handed you a giant stuffed bear. “For you, love. Even if it did take me longer than I expected.”

- Things really started to get chaotic when you both decided to go on the bumper cars. You didn’t think much of it, but Warren’s wings made it difficult for him to comfortably sit in the small car. “This... might not have been the best idea,” he muttered as he tried to squeeze in.

- You were already laughing as you got into your own car, watching Warren struggle to fit his wings within the tight confines. As the ride started, Warren immediately became a target for all the kids driving around, probably because of his wings sticking out awkwardly. Every few seconds, a car would bump into him, sending him jolting forward.

- “Why did I agree to this?” he grumbled, trying to avoid another hit. But when you managed to ram your car into his with a mischievous grin, Warren shot you an amused glare. “You’re going to pay for that.”

- The rest of the ride was a blur of chaotic bumper car mayhem. You laughed the whole time, but you could tell Warren was both trying to enjoy himself and maintain his dignity. By the end of it, his feathers were slightly ruffled, and he gave you a look that said he was never doing that again.

- As the night continued, Warren did loosen up, especially when you convinced him to go on the Ferris wheel with you. The view from the top was breathtaking, and for a moment, he seemed to relax completely, his arm around your shoulders as you leaned into him. “Now *this* I can get used to,” he whispered, his lips brushing against your temple.

- By the end of the night, despite the chaos, Warren admitted he had fun. “Next time, let’s try something a little more... refined,” he teased, though you knew he’d come back to the carnival with you any time you wanted.

Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto)

- Erik wasn’t exactly the kind of person who frequented carnivals. You knew it from the moment you suggested it, and the slight arch of his eyebrow told you he wasn’t thrilled about the idea. “A carnival? You’re serious?” he asked, arms crossed.

- “It’ll be fun,” you insisted, grabbing his hand. “Come on, Erik, when was the last time you let yourself just relax and enjoy something silly?”

- He sighed, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. “For you, I suppose I can make an exception.” That’s how you found yourself walking into the brightly lit carnival with one of the most powerful mutants in the world by your side, looking decidedly out of place but determined to humor you.

- It didn’t take long for things to start going wrong. Erik, being the master of magnetism, unintentionally interfered with several of the carnival rides. You were both standing in line for a simple spinning ride when it suddenly shut down. The operator seemed confused, scratching his head as the machinery stalled.

- “I didn’t even touch anything,” Erik muttered, though you shot him a knowing look. “Really, I didn’t.”

- “Maybe we should stick to games where you don’t have to be near anything metal,” you suggested with a grin, tugging him toward the balloon dart booth.

- Erik’s mood lightened a bit when you both started playing the carnival games. He didn’t have much interest in stuffed animals or prizes, but watching you get competitive at the ring toss and dart games made him smile in his own subtle way. “You’re really getting into this, aren’t you?” he teased, watching as you missed another shot.

- “It’s harder than it looks!” you argued, but Erik just chuckled. With a flick of his fingers, he subtly guided one of your darts into a balloon, making it pop instantly. You turned to him with wide eyes. “Did you just—”

- “No idea what you’re talking about,” he said smoothly, smirking as the carnival worker handed you a prize.

- The real chaos came when you convinced him to try the strength tester, the game where you hit a hammer and try to ring the bell. Erik didn’t even bother to use his full strength—just a quick, casual swing, and the bell practically flew off the top, clattering onto the ground.

- “Well, that’s one way to win,” you said, trying to stifle your laughter as the carnival worker stared in shock.

- Erik shrugged, looking mildly amused as he glanced at the broken bell. “Not my fault they didn’t build it properly.”

- By the end of the night, despite the mishaps, Erik seemed to have enjoyed himself more than he’d admit. “It was... tolerable,” he said with a smirk, pulling you close. “But next time, let’s do something less likely to fall apart around me.”

Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver)

- Going to a carnival with Pietro was a whirlwind—literally. From the moment you stepped through the gates, he was off, zipping from one game to the next, barely giving you time to catch up. “Come on, slowpoke!” he called out, already standing at the dart booth before you could even take your first step.

- “You’re impossible,” you muttered, but you couldn’t help but smile. Pietro’s energy was infectious, and you knew tonight would be full of chaos.

- It started with the games. Pietro was determined to win you every prize in the carnival, though his speed made it hard for him to slow down enough to actually play. At the ring toss, he zoomed through several rings before realizing none of them had landed. “This game is rigged,” he grumbled, crossing his arms.

- “Maybe you should try slowing down,” you suggested with a grin, stepping up to take your turn. To your surprise, you managed to win on your second try, earning a small stuffed animal. Pietro looked at you with wide eyes, clearly impressed. “Okay, maybe you’re just better at this than I am.”

- The real chaos, though, came when you convinced him to go on the carousel. It seemed like a harmless enough ride, but as soon as it started moving, Pietro couldn’t resist the urge to speed it up. Before you knew it, the horses were spinning around at an alarming rate, and people were shouting in surprise.

- “Pietro!” you yelled, holding onto the pole for dear life. “Slow it down!”

- With a laugh, he finally let the ride return to its normal speed, though the other riders were clearly a little dizzy when they got off. “What? I thought it could use a little excitement,” he said with a mischievous grin.

- “You’re going to get us kicked out,” you teased, shaking your head as you both moved on to the next attraction.

- The bumper cars were a whole different level of chaos. Pietro’s speed allowed him to dodge every car with ease, leaving the other riders frustrated as they tried to catch him. You, on the other hand, found yourself being bumped into every few seconds as you tried to keep up.

- “You’re supposed to be on my team!” you shouted as Pietro zipped past you, laughing as he narrowly avoided another car.

- “Sorry, babe, no teams in bumper cars!” he called back, clearly enjoying himself.

- By the end of the night, you were both breathless from laughter and running around the carnival. Pietro wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you close as you walked toward the exit. “That was fun,” he admitted, his usual cocky grin softening a bit. “We should do it again sometime.”

- “Maybe next time you’ll slow down long enough for me to actually enjoy it,” you teased, though you knew you wouldn’t change a thing about the chaotic, whirlwind night you’d had with him.

Wade Wilson (Deadpool)

- A carnival date with Wade, was bound to be one of the wildest experiences of your life. The second you stepped into the carnival, he was bouncing around like a kid who’d had way too much sugar. “Oh baby, this is gonna be epic! Carnies, cotton candy, and chaos—three of my favorite things!”

- Wade insisted on playing every game, but instead of trying to win prizes, he was more interested in “spicing things up.” At the dart throw, he purposely hit the ceiling instead of the balloons, declaring, “It’s reverse psychology! They’ll never see it coming!” The poor booth operator was at a loss for words, especially when Wade whipped out his katana, threatening to “pop them all at once.”

- “Wade, no weapons at the carnival,” you reminded him with a chuckle, pulling him away before he could get you both kicked out.

- The real chaos began when Wade spotted the Ferris wheel. “Do you know what this needs? A dramatic Ferris wheel kiss!” Before you could protest, Wade dragged you into a cart, somehow managing to cause a malfunction that stopped the wheel at the very top. The two of you were suspended in mid-air as Wade dramatically dipped you, trying to plant a kiss while also almost flipping you both out of the cart.

- “Wade! We’re gonna fall!” you shrieked, laughing despite yourself.

- “Then we’ll fall in love—literally!” he quipped, still holding onto you with one arm while the other waved madly for the carnival operator to fix the ride.

- After finally getting back on the ground, Wade couldn’t resist trying the bumper cars. This, naturally, turned into a high-speed chase where he decided to narrate the entire thing like a car chase in an action movie. “And Deadpool swerves to the left, narrowly avoiding that kid with cotton candy! But wait, here comes the love of his life, ready to T-bone him from the right!”

- By the time you left the carnival, both of you were banned from at least three rides, Wade had convinced a few people he was actually part of the entertainment, and you couldn’t stop laughing. As the night wound down, Wade gave you a surprisingly soft smile, taking your hand in his.

- “Y’know, this wasn’t half bad,” he said, squeezing your fingers. “You’re pretty fun, babe. And that’s saying something, ‘cause I’m the king of fun.”

- “You make chaos fun,” you teased back, leaning into him as you walked out of the carnival. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Nathan Summers (Cable)

- A carnival with Cable was a different kind of adventure. Nathan wasn’t exactly the carnival type, and you could tell by the way he scanned the crowd the moment you stepped in, his metal arm gleaming under the bright lights. “Do you ever stop being on alert?” you teased him, looping your arm through his.

- He gave you a half-smile, the kind that made your heart race. “Force of habit. But if you want me to relax, I’ll give it a shot.”

- The night started off relatively normal, at least by Cable standards. He begrudgingly tried a few games, and while he wasn’t exactly into it, you could tell he was making an effort for you. “This is rigged,” he muttered after missing a shot at the basketball hoop, his brow furrowed in concentration.

- “Or maybe you’re just out of practice,” you teased, and for a moment, you thought you saw a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. But things took a turn when you both decided to ride the carousel.

- Halfway through, the ride glitched, and suddenly you found yourselves not in the carnival but in a different time period entirely. “Nathan, did you—?”

- “I didn’t do anything!” he said, his eyes narrowing as he tried to figure out what had gone wrong. The carousel horses were now galloping through a war-torn landscape, and Cable immediately shifted into battle mode.

- “We have to get out of here,” he growled, using his telekinesis to shield you from flying debris. Just when you thought you were stuck in this alternate timeline forever, Cable managed to fix the glitch, and you both tumbled back into the carnival with a thud.

- “Okay, no more rides,” you panted, laughing as you collapsed against him. Cable chuckled softly, wrapping his metal arm around you protectively.

- “Yeah, maybe we stick to something a little less... chaotic,” he agreed, pressing a kiss to your temple. But despite the madness, you couldn’t deny that the chaos had been kind of thrilling.

- As you left the carnival, Cable squeezed your hand, his usually stoic expression softening. “Next time, let’s just do dinner,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “I think we’ve had enough excitement for one night.”

[avengerscompound]

Shared Experience - Chapter 7

Shared Experience - A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Rating:  E

Warnings:  vampire stuff, mentions of past sexual assault, sex talk, foreplay

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Rose Astor

Word Count: 2000

Summary:  Rose Astor met her end in 1920, joining the ranks of the living dead two years after the birth of Steve Rogers.  A century later the two meet in battle - a beacon of light clashing with a creature of the night.  Despite their differences, the two bond over their shared life experiences.  Can a vampire become an Avenger?  Can two such different beings create a life together?

Chapter 7

The relationship between Steve and Rose progressed slowly and Rose wasn’t sure if that was due to Steve or her.  Steve was extremely respectful.  Sometimes to the point of frustration.  Their first kiss was one of the rarer occasions of him acting without at least implied consent.  It was refreshing after her past, and she appreciated that Steve wasn’t racing to the finish line, but she wondered if maybe he was so old-fashioned and such a gentleman that he would want to wait until marriage.  That was something that might not work for Rose.  She had always been sexual, and she didn’t even know if she could legally get married given that she was legally dead.

She wondered if he was waiting for her to take the lead.  He did know her past, and if it was just a case of him waiting for her, she wasn’t quite sure how to take that next step.

The problem wasn’t so much her past experience.  That always affected the way she dealt with sex and sexual advances, but she’d had sixty years to work out how to reconcile her trauma with her urges and figure out what she needed to feel okay.  The issue was she’d perfected that with mortals she had no connection with.  They were her food supply first and she didn’t care if she offended them by telling them what she wanted.  It also meant that food and sex were now entwined in her mind and she worried that she wasn’t going to be able to pick them apart.

Of course, talking to Steve would be a simple way to work through that problem, she wasn’t exactly sure how you bring up wanting to have sex with someone and being afraid that it might make her want to eat them.

So she took it slow.  She went to training and afterward, she and Steve would spend time together - sometimes as a group with the other Avengers, but most of the time just him and her alone.  They spent a lot of time listening to music together, dancing, talking, and making out.  Dating was difficult though, as they trained when the sun set, and by the time training was done, restaurants were closing, and even if they weren’t, it wasn’t as if she ate.

They did their best with what they had, and Rose began to realize that alienating herself from humanity had been part of the way Marcellus controlled her.  Accepting her humanity had allowed true happiness to start trickling in.

Her first mission was raiding an AIM facility with Tony Stark, Sam Wilson, and Clint Barton.  It was Rose’s job to break in and let them in.  It was an easy job with her preternatural powers.  None of the cameras were able to pick her up, and her vision meant she could see perfectly well with no lights on, and even picked up things on the infrared spectrum.

She had missed Steve while she was away and when she returned she couldn’t wait to go straight to him.  Unfortunately, she’d arrived back during the day and when she’d emerged from the steel box they’d installed on the jet for her to travel in, she’d had to go to a debriefing.

By the time she was in the armory removing her body armor, she was practically itching to see Steve, but it was only an hour before dawn.

She unzipped the catsuit and was tugging it down when the door clicked open.  “Rose?”

Rose startled, covering her breasts with her arms as Steve came around the corner.  He stopped suddenly and his eyes went wide.  “Steve!” she shouted.

“I’m sorry!” he said, his gaze flicking to the roof as he spun around.

The shock of being caught seminaked dropped off almost immediately when she saw his flustered reaction and she dropped her hands and ran to him, pulling him back around and jumping up so she could wrap her arms around his neck.  She didn’t even care that her bare breasts were pressed up against his clothed chest.  She had missed him and there was no time to worry about her false modesty.

Steve didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands.  They hovered over her for a moment before his arms closed in around her, pulling her up off the ground and into a kiss.  It was slow, deep, and tender.  She poured every ounce of her feelings for him into that kiss and felt them returned to her tenfold.  His hands splayed out on her back as he pulled her tightly against him.  Hers went to his hair, carding through it as their lips moved in sync.

Steve slowly lowered her to his feet, breaking the kiss, but keeping her pressed up to him, her breasts squashed against his chest.  It wasn’t clear if he was trying to keep them covered or just liked her that close.  In either case, Rose was fine with it.  She ran her hands down from his hair to his jaw as she looked up into his eyes. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” he said as he looked down at her.  “Sam said you did great.”

“It was a piece of cake,” she said and leaned up and kissed him softly again.  When she pulled away she looked up at him and bit her bottom lip.  “I don’t have much time before the sun sets.”

Steve turned away again, looking up and off to the side, making it extremely obvious that he was avoiding looking at her breasts.  “There’s still the coffin here you can sleep in if you want.”

Rose ran her fingers down Steve’s arm and took hold of his hand, smiling at his reaction.  “That might be a good idea,” she said.  “Steve… don’t you want to see my tits?”

Steve’s face almost turned crimson as he continued to try and look everywhere but at Rose’s breasts.

“I do want to,” he said.  “But I just walked in on you, and I haven’t… we haven’t…”

“That’s okay.  You don’t have to look, but you can if you want to,” she said. “I want you to.”

Steve slowly lowered his head and looked at her, his eyes first resting on her face and then sliding down to her breasts.  She backed away from him. “What do you think?”

His lips twitched, and his eyes flicked up to meet hers again.  “Very nice.”

She hooked her fingers into her catsuit at her hips and shimmied from side to side. “You want to see more?”

“Yes,” Steve said, stumbling over the one-syllable word.  “I mean - yes.  Please.”

She chuckled and began to push the catsuit down, swaying her hips from side to side as she wriggled out of them.

Steve looked at her with lust-darkened eyes and licked his lips.  “Uh-huh,” he said, taking a step toward her.

She moved closer, taking his hands and putting them on her breasts.  He looked down at her, his chest rising and falling with each breath like he’d just been for a run.  His thumbs skimmed over her nipples making them pebble.  “Steve,” she whispered.

His eyes snapped up to hers and he lunged in, capturing her lips.  As they kissed his hands moved to her thighs and he lifted her.  She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed her against the wall and started to grind on her.  Her body buzzed with stimulation.  The rough fabric of his clothing scraped against her soft skin, making it break out into goose pimples, and his growing erection pushed against his pants adding even more friction.

She could hear the blood rushing through his veins as his pulse picked up and rushed down to feed his cock.  She tried to focus on the wetness of her cunt and her need for him to penetrate her, but the blood called to her, making her mouth water.

She tried to fight it, but her eyes flashed red and her fangs extended, wanting more than what Steve was offering.

“Stop,” she gasped, pushing on his shoulders.  “Steve, I need you to stop.”

He stopped immediately, setting her down on the ground and taking his hands off her.  He took a step back to give her space but stayed ready to take her into his arms if that’s what she wanted.  Her hands reflexively covered her face.  She didn’t want him to see her like this.

“Honey,” Steve said, sounding like a man trying to soothe a wild beast.  Not that she could blame him. That’s what she was, after all.  “Rose?  What happened?  Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head and turned away from him. “No.  It’s not you.  It’s me.”

“We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” he assured her.  He grabbed a towel from her locker and held it out to her. 

“You don’t understand,” she said, hunching over a little.

He carefully put the towel around her shoulders.  “So help me, sweetheart.”

She turned and looked up at him.  Her irises which were normally a pale blue were now blood red, the white around them, black as coal.  Her lips were parted due to the length of her fangs in their extended state.

Steve blinked in surprise.  He didn’t say anything and Rose felt the sudden urge to run from him.  All the passion and desire she had been feeling had dissipated.  She retracted her teeth and stepped back away from him, pulling the towel around herself.

“What happened?” he asked.  “Did I do something wrong?”

She shook her head.  “No.  It’s nothing you did.  I just…” she stopped speaking.  She knew she needed to tell him. She knew Steve understood what she was.  He’d already accepted that she was a vampire.  This felt like a step too far.  How could a man like Steve Rogers accept her when she wanted to eat him when they made love?

She sat down and sighed.  Steve came and sat beside her.  He tentatively put his arm around her.  “This is the only real relationship I’ve been in, Steve.  You know about Marcellus but after him, and really during my time with him too, sex was linked with feeding.”  She paused again.  Steve remained silent, letting Rose come to it in her own time.  “When I feed it feels good.  Especially for my victim.  I’d often seduce someone to feed.  It’s connected and now I don’t know how to break the connection.  And I don’t want to see you as food.  I don’t want you to think I see you as food.”

Steve pulled her a little closer to him and rested his chin on the top of her head.  “Rose, this is new for both of us.  Which is amazing to think about considering how old we both are.  I’m not scared of what you are.  I know who you are.  Look at what’s happening right now.  Yes, you had a reaction that scared you, and you stopped.  I don’t believe you’re going to hurt me or bite me.  We don’t need to rush to sex.  Look at me, I was blushing even looking at you.  We can take it slow because the one thing we both have is lots of time.”

A tightness wrapped itself around her chest like a snake, and she blinked back tears.  It was bad enough that she’d just gone full Vampire on him, she didn’t need to start crying blood.  She looked up at him and ran her hand along his jaw.  “I don’t deserve you.  Not at all.”

Steve shook his head.  “I don’t think that’s how the world works.  I want you.  Don’t push me away because you’re scared for me.  I’m not scared of you.”

“Okay,” he said, leaning in and kissing him.  The kiss was soft and tender and with it, she released a little more of the anxiety she was holding.  Maybe the relationship could work after all.

// NEXT

[geneseedraws]

✨COVER REVEAL: THE NOBLE'S MERMAN✨

Happy MerMay everyone!! Let's start it off with a bang, with my cover reveal for my upcoming novel, THE NOBLE'S MERMAN 🧜‍♂️✨ I drew the artwork & designed the text myself, and I am so proud of how it came out!! I've also been busy busy busy working on editing it and making it the best it can be. I have to say THANK YOU to all my beta readers, from the bottom of my heart, I couldn't do this without you!! 🥹💕 Information about arcs will come at a later date! So, without further ado...

🧜‍♂️Preorder ebook here🧜‍♂️ Paperbacks will be available on release day!

🧜‍♂️Add to Goodreads🧜‍♂️

...............…...............

✨Blurb✨ A merman who possesses deadly magic. Mo is a merman, born with a magical gift: the Siren’s Song. It’s a primal, instinctual force that runs through his veins, urging him to kill humans, to see their blood. But clashing with that urge is Mo’s soft and tender side, taking a special interest in humanity and wondering what it’d be like to walk amongst them with legs of his own.

A human noble with a broken heart. Kent Wilson is the heir to the Earl of Fareham. He’d felt his life was secure until his betrothed abandoned him unexpectedly a year ago, leaving both his future and his heart in tatters. After a fierce argument with his father one day, Kent runs away to the beach. Needing some time alone with his melancholy thoughts, he sings to the sea.

What he doesn’t expect, though, is for a merman to hear him.

Together, the two form a secret relationship—one which propels them into passion, and a love greater than they ever thought possible.

[The Noble’s Merman is a standalone novel. It is an 18th century historical fantasy MM romance, with merfolk magic, cozy beach encounters, pirates, and plenty of spice.]

[bougiebutchbitch]

Love your recent-ish plunge into house md. it even got me rewatching the show after years of forgetting about it- do you have any Wilson/house fic recs?

HOO BOY DO I! As ever, please check each fic individuall for ratings & warnings. But here's a little curated selection I've enjoyed so far.

I am desperately on the look out for more sub!bottom House fics, so if anyone knows any... hit me uppppp

Best Served (scribespirae) - EXPLICIT

BEST FIC IN THE FANDOM. I don't say that lightly.

The ducklings get caught screwing at work. House and Wilson have their revenge.

Or House does, anyway. Poor Wilson just gets dragged along.

Touch Starved (sempri)

something, something, Wilson and House are both touch-starved idiots and they snuggle about it. Adorable, reccommended x 1000

Summertime Sadness (sempri) - EXPLICIT

Wilson finds out House has been self-harming as an attempt at pain relief. Soft and sad and sweet - and they fuck about it <3

Machete (orphan account)

Deals with some of that quietly implied child abuse. T-rated, but sad - and a good look at how Wilson's desperation to always be helping and healing can clash sometimes with House's needs.

The Escalated Butt Dial (lohoron) - EXPLICIT

Hilarious smut. House 'accidentally' calls Wilson while jerking off. Only then it happens again. Aaaaaand again. It's totally just a new way to mess with Wilson, right? Right?

Bait and Switch (ORiley24)

Wilson convinces House to participate in a hospital-run bachelor auction. Everything goes as well as can be expected.

It Will Come Back (wishbone)

Wilson fake-proposes, but House suddenly finds himself desperate to kiss him.

Triad (orphan account) - EXPLICIT

And saving another incredible fic for last... This one broke me. Amber will never give Wilson what he needs. Dom/sub. The power dynamics are SO fucking good.

[sarahwroteathing]

Coffee and Cinnamon

[Steve Rogers x Reader]

Word Count: 1874

Summary: You and Natasha own a small bookstore beside an even smaller bakery, and the fact that both establishments sell coffee is... a bit of a problem.

Warnings: All fluff and foolishness

A/N: This is for @odetoapotheosis who made this lovely storyboard for my December Gift Exchange! I had a lot of fun with it! And I’m very happy that I gained enough mobility in my wrist today to finish it up and share it with you guys!

The streets were still quiet and mostly empty as you left the park that morning, the loudest sound the soft shushing of your boots through the freshly fallen snow, still pristine white and powdery. Even with a business to run, you didn’t mind a slow morning. It gave you time to take a breath, take a walk, prepare yourself for the day ahead. Eat something.

You crossed the road quickly, not bothering with the crosswalk when there was so little traffic to contend with. Your shop was only a few blocks from the park, and you spent that time shaking loose the few fallen flakes of pastry clinging to your scarf, the only remaining evidence of your breakfast. Evidence you’d prefer to withhold from your business partner and best friend Natasha Romanoff, if at all possible. 

You gave your coat one final pat down as you passed the neighboring storefront, a compact but industrious little bakery owned by Sam Wilson and your mostly-playfully-but-sometimes-not sworn nemesis Steve Rogers. Steve Rogers, who was just inside, drawing something on the chalk sandwich board he’d soon be setting outside. Steve Rogers who listened to old man music and wore a polka dotted apron and poked his lower lip out just a little when he was concentrating. Not that you’d noticed.

They were perfectly cordial and about as well behaved as neighbors can be. Sam liked to sing - loud - in the mornings, and the wall between your back office and their kitchen was not up to the task of soundproofing, but mostly it just made you smile. And on days when you balanced the books, you gave the wall a little knock, and heard the muffled “sorry!” come back. Steve was, in your humble opinion, a punk with too much snark for his own good, but other than that you had very little to complain about.

What stopped your cheerful little business ventures from being owned by the very best friend group in town was that both the bakery and your charming little bookstore happened to sell coffee. And thus, an unshakeable and largely theatrical rivalry was born. Sam was unbothered - his job was cakes and cookies, two things that you did not sell. Natasha got great joy out of reminding you that you owned a bookstore and coffee was an extremely minor part of the business, but that didn’t stop her from egging on the competitive spirit that kept you and Steve clashing in, for her, extremely entertaining ways.

The bells above the door chimed happily as you opened the door, and you immediately saw the familiar flash of red as Natasha peeked around a bookshelf.

“Where did you go?” she asked, a dangerous spark in her eyes as she moved into the aisle. 

“On a walk,” you said innocently, brushing past her on your way to the back counter that served as both the checkout and the coffee bar. 

“On a walk,” she repeated, following behind you. “In the snow. When the sun is barely up.”

“It’s very peaceful out there. I recommend it, if you don’t have too much to do. Today definitely belongs to the late morning and early afternoon customers. I can feel it.”

“Sure,” she said noncommittally, leaning on the countertop as you shrugged out of your coat. “You’re wearing lipstick today.”

You steadfastly ignored the flutter in your stomach reminding you that it wasn’t the first time today someone had pointed that out to you. 

“Just felt like it this morning. Why, do you not like it?”

“I like it just fine. It’s a good color for you, makes your lips pop.” She was smiling now, and you ventured a smile back.

“Thank you.”

“Did Steve like it?”

You froze for half a second before removing your scarf too.

“Beg pardon?”

“I said did Steve like it?”

“I know what you said, I just can’t imagine why you said it.” 

“Because you’ve got the glow,” she said, finally pushing off the counter to help you arrange the clean mugs and to-go cups. 

You snorted. “The glow? The randomly-decided-to-wear-lipstick glow?”

“The apple turnover and light flirtation glow. The Saturday mornings when Steve opens the bakery alone and gets extra chatty glow.” 

You huffed out a dramatic sigh, deciding to trade one admission to protect you from another.

“Okay, fine, I got an apple turnover. Are you happy? They make me see through space and time, and I will not apologize.”

Natasha laughed, but you meant every word. Steve’s turnovers were so good it was borderline scary, and they were also a fantastic way to start a Saturday. That was the reason you went to the bakery today, and that was the only reason, thank you very much.

Never one to leave well enough alone, Nat leveled a knowing grin at you.

“Is it the apple turnovers that make you see through space and time or all that unresolved tension?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” you said primly, wiping down the already spotless counter. “I have no tension. Never been less tense in my life, as a matter of fact.” 

The soft chime of the bells above the door had you turning so quickly, the towel in your hand nearly went flying across the room. But just as quickly as you tensed up, your shoulders relaxed again. 

“Just Bucky,” you said quietly, more to yourself than to a very smug Natasha, as you began preparing the same coffee order he requested every morning. 

For his part, he looked mildly offended. 

“Oh, sure. Just Bucky. Just Bucky risking being violently murdered by his best friend for the crime of buying coffee from someone else.”

“You’re very brave,” Natasha laughed. 

Bucky winked at her, and you smugly filed it away to torture her with later. She had it coming at this point, she really did. 

The three of you kept up a lighthearted chatter as you finished making his coffee, and just as you slid the to-go cup across the counter, Bucky fished a folded piece of paper out of his pocket to hand to you along with his credit card. 

“Steve asked me to give that to you,” he said in answer to your raised brows. 

You handed the credit card off to Natasha, who had run this exact transaction often enough to do it blindly, her eyes fixed on the paper you were unfolding.

A drawing of your shop’s logo, a cat asleep on a stack of books, precisely rendered in blue ballpoint pen. Beneath it, a tagline: “Come for the books, leave for the coffee.”

Your mouth dropped open. Beside you, Natasha was watching your face with positively gleeful expectation.

Your hand curled into a fist, crumpling the paper into a tight ball. 

“If you’ll both excuse me, I’m going to go commit an act of violence,” you said calmly. 

As you circled the counter and headed towards the door, Natasha called out behind you.

“Where are you going?”

“To witness a murder,” Bucky replied as he followed you. “Always thought I’d hold up well to cross-examination.”

“To witness, not stop?”

“Still deciding.” 

You did nothing to contribute to the conversation, riding a wave of righteous indignation right out the door into the snow with Bucky hot on your heels. When you entered the bakery, Steve was behind the counter, humming quietly to himself as he balanced a hot tray of croissants in one hand and stocked the glass display case with the other. They smelled amazing. It only made you angrier.

He looked up at the sound of the door, a smile growing on his face at the sight of you, your stormy expression doing nothing to deter a cheerful “Good morning!”

When you started to round the counter, his smile started to fall a bit.

“Hey, hey! No customers behind the counter.”

“I’m not a customer. I’m an angry mob,” you said, stepping closer until he was forced to set the baking tray down to avoid burning you. 

“What, all by yourself?” he asked, looking gratifyingly startled by your close proximity, the toes of your boots very nearly pressed against his.

“And doing a great job,” Bucky chimed in from his spot near the door, holding up his coffee cup in a toasting motion. 

“Come for the books. Leave for the coffee. Are you serious?”

That smile was back. Infuriating. 

Cute. But mostly infuriating.

“I thought it was funny. Didn’t you think it was funny?”

“I thought it was in poor taste. Like the coffee you sell here.”

“Ooo, burn,” Bucky laughed, earning a brief glare from Steve.

“I’m curious about where you think my customers should go to get coffee if they don’t buy it from me. Their next best bet for quality coffee would be the gas station five blocks south. Seems a little inconvenient though.”

“The gas station?” Steve repeated incredulously. “Wow.”

You shrugged.

“I thought it was funny. Didn’t you think it was funny?” you asked innocently.

And that smile was coming back again, but you didn’t find it so annoying this time, not since you were smiling too. 

“Well played. How was the apple turnover?” 

“Hmm. Acceptable.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said softly.

There was quiet for a few seconds, the two of you still staring at each other, still standing incredibly close together. The smell of apples and cinnamon was lingering on his clothes from all his morning baking, blending with his cologne in a way that made you feel faintly dizzy. And the spark in his blue eyes, charming in a way that made you think of ruffled hair and breathless laughter, did not make your head any clearer. 

“Um… Do I need to leave so you guys can kiss or something?” Bucky asked, breaking the strange trance you both had been locked in. Steve went a little pink, and you fumbled through a few quick steps backward, embarrassingly conspicuous. 

You cleared your throat, eyes catching on a diversion and clinging to it like a liferaft. 

You snatched up another apple turnover, holding it aloft in a square of wax paper like a trophy.

“I’m taking this. For free. For emotional damages.” 

“Seems fair,” Steve replied with a brief laugh, cheeks still rosy, and avoiding your eyes in favor of taking up the tray of croissants again. 

“Right. Bye.” You exited quickly with your stolen prize, not missing the way Bucky was grinning like a kid on Christmas as you passed.

When the door closed behind you, Bucky cleared his throat dramatically, crossing to lean against the counter near Steve, who refused to look at him.

“So that was fun.”

“Shut up.”

“You ever going to ask her out, or are you gonna keep tugging on her pigtails like a seven year old?”

“Shut up.”

“Here’s your coffee, punk,” Bucky said, smile entirely unfaded as he slid the to-go cup across the counter. 

Steve took the cup quickly, turning his back on Bucky as he took a generous sip, closing his eyes briefly to savor the taste. He adjusted the cardboard sleeve, staring at the logo stamped on it in heavy black ink, a cat asleep on a pile of books. 

“You’ve got it so bad it’s embarrassing.”

“How’s Natasha?”

“Shut up.”

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

I had so much fun with this. Hope you guys enjoyed it!

Replies, reblogs, and asks keep me going! I’d love to hear from you :)

Sequel: Maple Latte

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

Tags: @shifutheshihtzu​ @internalbullshit @lilasiannerd-blog @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory @iwillbeinmynest @scotlandasshole @netflixa @hardcorehippos @singingprincessstudent @sophiealiice @blue1928 @tinuviel015 @a-book-pressed-rose @bbparker @battlebunnyteardropsinthesun @feelmyroarrrr​  @orangespocks​ @multifandomgirl-us​ @majesticavenger @buckybarneshairpullingkink​ @patzammit​ @pato-el-cerdito​

[eliotquillon]

Your Cameron timeloop fic sounds so cool! I don’t write timeloop usually bc it stresses me out to write but I love it as a reader and a concept. What kind of gave you the itch to write it - like what are you finding super fun about it?

OKAY SO time loop stories are kind of my white whale; always wanted to write one, have about 6 different drafts for different fandoms dating back as far as 2017/18, and never really managed to pull it off (apart from a one-shot i wrote 3 years ago, and that was less ‘time loop’ and more ‘reincarnation’—the loop wasn’t an enclosed time period). time loops are so interesting to me because they’re a physical manifestation of what is (usually) an internal conflict of some kind; the loop is a metaphor and a way for characters to work their shit out, but it’s also real, and brings its own set of problems. in groundhog day, phil’s loop forces him to confront his own cynicism and become a better person; in russian doll, nadia and alan’s loop forces them to process their own trauma (with the addition of them dying at the end of every loop); in undertale (i would argue that its save/reload ‘memory’ and the fact that you have to play it at least twice for the true pacifist ending qualifies it partly as a time loop story), the loop forces the underground to reckon with its desire for freedom and what they’re actually willing to do to get it. it’s an external obstacle that forces internal processing, and that is FUN but also scary as hell to write. my gut instinct whenever i consume a new character-driven piece of media is always to daydream ‘well what if there was a time loop?’, because for me it is THE ultimate blender to stick people in and see what comes out.

why i chose cameron (and the events of hunting specifically) is a bit more complicated. first things first: i love cameron. i love WRITING cameron, because time and time again in the show there’s a clash between what she believes abstractly and what she actually finds herself capable of following through on, and that’s a fun internal/external conflict. can you see where i’m going with this. and cameron is having…a TIME in early s2. the premiere of s2 literally has her going through the stages of grief in order, and that foreshadows the next few episodes pretty well for her. she’s not happy, and stuck in a rut, and everyone can see it—the other fellows, house, wilson, even the TB doctor. and it’s not like she’s going to just pack up and leave—she’s worked hard to get where she is! she’s fought so hard to be taken seriously! it’s got to mean something! and i think she’s been feeling that way a while (for example, why does a person like cameron apply for a job under house in the first place? he’s the best there is, but they have very different beliefs and attitudes towards patients, and when she finally leaves the fellowship she turns around and ends up doing something completely unrelated—i think it’s because she’s looking for meaning even back then). hunting is such a great episode because it brings to a head what’s been bubbling under the surface for a while now: secretly, a part of cameron does want to change. she suddenly has the perfect excuse to throw caution to the wind and do something different. and it’s tragic because of course it turns out that the patient is lying to her, that he’s just as unhappy as she is even with all the partying and casual sex, and ultimately cameron comes away from that episode with a better understanding of herself but…she’s still unhappy, you know? she’s determined to act like it didn’t happen and move forward. and the great thing about a time loop is that it forces you to confront things. the only way out is through. that’s why the loop is set the day after she does the meth, and not the day before: if cameron were stuck in a loop of that day, the first thing she’d realistically do is. Not do the meth. and not call chase. and since the main point of this fic is to force her to confront the aftermath of that, it has to be the day after. she can’t change the past, but she can (and will!) change how she deals with it.

i’m also interested in hunting because of cameron and chase’s conversation in lockdown, when she tells him that she slept with him on meth because she was starting to already have feelings for him and it scared her and she pushed it away. because like. this is entirely characteristic of cameron. i 100% believe this is what happened. there is also zero fucking evidence from the writing that this is what happened. there are occasional callbacks to cameron’s HIV scare later in s2, and the fact that she’s slept with chase before gets brought up in s3 during the fwb era, but between hunting and insensitive cameron and chase basically act like none of it ever happened and most of the s2 drama is between cameron and foreman instead. so this is kind of a fix-it, as well: i’m bringing those feelings to the surface and making chameron happen earlier because this time there is no running away. the fallout of this is gonna vary—@all-pacas wrote up a very good meta recently about how chase’s provoking of the patient’s brother into suing him in the mistake very likely happened a day or two after he slept with cameron, and therefore that might not happen if him and cameron actually TALK ABOUT THINGS and he doesn’t hoard up more guilt and frustration—but there will be a happy-ish ending. i say ish because ultimately this isn’t really a ‘shipfic’ and therefore things will be a bit messier than they are in, say, groundhog day, but the fic will end with them together and things will be better than they were at the beginning.

anyway this fic is so crazy fun to write for a lot of reasons, but what has really taken me by surprise is how much i’m enjoying writing FOREMAN into this fic. cameron is spiralling (time loop) and chase is concerned and house is intrigued and meanwhile foreman is just stood in the corner going ‘guys 🤨 anyone gonna fill me in 🤨’. one of my fave parts of the first chapter is the section where cameron starts drawing a clock to see if she has encephalitis and then is like ‘wait the clock will look normal to me anyway. What if i email it to foreman. Nevermind he’s going to think i’m insane’ lmaoo. foreman and cameron were actually decent friends in s1 (never forget him shovel talking house and saying he considers her a friend) until articlegate, and in s3 it’s revealed he knows she has a brother (and chase didn’t!), so i’m putting foreman/cameron friendship BACK ON THE MENU. he will probably still steal her article anyway but she wouldnt be as mad about it. not that this fic is going to cover articlegate but yknow

anyway thank you for letting me be very self indulgent and yell about this fic LOL

[lobinilo]

What are your favourite Jonah’s projects? ☺️🎬

~ plays TikTok Sound~

OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE THIS QUESTIOOOONNN

So since May 2023 (what happened there? I have no idea 😉) I've watched everything Jonah-related I could get my hands on (except for Little Women, but I'm definetly going to watch that later this year).

My top 3 Jonah projects OTHER than The Little Mermaid (because truth be told, I think it's pretty clear how obsessed I am with that movie and it's not really a fair comparison to some of the more indepent, even low budget projects Jonah has starred in) so far:

1. World on Fire (2019 - 2023)

created by: Peter Bowker directed by: Chanya Button, Thomas Napper, Adam Smith, Andy Wilson Jonah plays: Harry Chase

Big shocker, right? Given how much I already rambled about Harry and Kasia (my traumatised parents) and how upset I was when they cancelled it. I will always mourn this show for the huge potential it had.

World on Fire is a BBC-show following different people in Britain, Poland, Germany and France (with some American viewpoints as well) as they have to endure and navigate their life through World War II. Doesnt really sound like anything we haven't seen, right? However, World on Fire is worth checking out imo, since it differs a lot from the usual Hollywood-infused war epics, because rather than focusing on the politics or the big battles, the show looks more closely at the everyday person that actually had to live through this tragedy and how they deal with what's happening. That being said, obviously this is still a show about WW II, so there definitely IS depiction of violence, murder and torture, as well as bombings, gunfire etc., so please be careful if you find any of those things triggering. I personally found some episodes quite hard to get through.

I think it's interesting that Jonah's filmography is very heavy on projects set during or related to WW II (additionally to WoF you have The Song of Names, Ashes in the Snow and ofc coming up The Tattooist of Auschwitz). Theories on why that is are welcome!

Harry Chase (brilliantly brought to life by our favourite British simp) differs quite a bit from many of Jonah's other roles in that he`s not your heroic, clean-cut good guy (like Andrius, Lucas, Mo or Prince Eric). He's insecure and a little helpless, even cowardly at times. Harry starts out as a translator, but later joins the British Army and the SOE. He fucks up repeatedly, both in his role as lieutenant, as well as in his personal life. Even though most of the time he means well, his cowardice ends up hurting a lot of people and leads him to be in the middle of a love triangle. (Though to me it's not a triangle, but rather a straight line, Team Kasia all the way.)

Harry, though deeply troubled, is a very kind and soft soul. That doesn't really pair well with the acts of war, as well as british society in the 1940s in general, which leads to conflict with other characters and their idea of who he should be. Especially when he clashes with his mother Robina (portrayed by the absolute MAGNIFICENT Lesley Manville, shes giving Emily Gilmore in the best way possible), Jonahs acting is ON POINT. His performance is so nuanced: He's angry, he's desperate, he's sad, but also condescending, sarcastic and hostile towards her. The interesting thing about Harry is the journey he takes. To watch him try to better himself by dealing with past trauma and taking responsibility for present mistakes. The real standout for his character is episode 5 of season 1 where he finally steps up and takes charge. This is also when he starts earning the respect of his sergeant Stan (Blake Harrison) for the first time - they have a real bromance, both on and off the show, I LIVE for these two.

But - just like in real life - he doesn't have this one breakthrough moment and everything is smooth sailing from there. He fluctuates, just like a real person would. He still has the tendency to run away from his problems, but I think what he's seen in the war, what happened at home and (yes, I'm making this about my ship) his love for Kasia (Zofia Wichlacz) make him realise the type of man he wants to be and he would probably try to act accordingly IF WE GOT A THIRD SEASON, BBC! 😤����🤬

2. Old Boys (2018)

directed by: Toby MacDonald Jonah plays: Henry "Winch" Winchester

If you can only watch one Jonah movie, I beg of you MAKE IT THIS ONE!

I`ve found next to nothing about Old Boys and that seriously has to change. (watched the entire movie again, getting my non-existing gif-making skills ready, just the night before I got this ask, talk about fate)

This movie is so underrated, it doesn't even have a Wikipedia entry. Make it make sense! How is nobody watching this cutie-patootie work of art? Its adorkable in the best sense of the word, it's heartwarming, a little silly and oh! so funny!

It's losely based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, set in an all-boys british boarding school in the 1980s. Given the source material, catfishing is definetly a thing here, keep that in mind if you might find that topic difficult.

Alex Lawther's character Amberson (cliché school nerd and victim of bullying) falls in love with the new french teachers daughter Agnes (Pauline Etienne) who in turn has a crush on First-Class-Himbo Winch (portrayed by a beautiful, dimple-faced, british actor). Because Agnes is very artistic and looking for someone that matches her vibe, Amberson helps Winch to try to impress her, because Winch himself is... well... a little dim 😅.

Winch is easily my favourite Jonah character to date (yes, including Prince Eric). I have seriously considered changing my tumblr-name to themightywinch because of him. I mean... he's corteous and punctual, after all 🤣😍.

While not the main character, he's definetly the highlight of the movie. Jonah is likeable, charming, the right kind of awkward in the right moments, has fantastic comedic timing and great chemistry with Alex Lawther.

Just look at that scene alone! IT`S. SO. CUTE!!! (cute-raging over here 😡) Watching this just makes you wish Jonah would star in more comedies, because he definetly has the skills for it! This is just a feel-good movie that leaves you smiling with a warm, fuzzy feeling in your heart. It has easily become one of my new comfort watches. Old Boys just never fails to make me laugh and I wish it would get more attention and recognition since it definetly deserves it! (like at least write a Wikipedia article about it) Btw, I bought this on Prime for 99ct, best money I ever spend!

3. The Last Photograph (2017)

(the trailer says 2019, but the movie was originally shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2017)

directed by: Danny Huston Jonah plays: Luke Hammond

Fair warning, this movie is gut-wrenching. I don't know if this qualifies as an actual trigger-warning, but this movie deals with the loss of a child/ death of a young person, as well as the real life tragedy of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombed in 1988 so proceed with caution.

Luke Hammond (Dimples McGee) is on said flight to visit his long-distance girlfriend Kate (Stacy Martin) in New York. Kate's and Luke's first meeting is a little awkward imo, I think it's meant to be like a meet-cute, especially with the whole "Bird"-thing, it just doesn't really work for me. But the rest of their love story is very endearing, they're just two young people experiencing love for the first time. Their time together is told through seemingly random, incoherent flashbacks and memories, just giving little glimpses of what their relationship was like and it's the cutest thing. Little intimate touches, hidden smiles, shared laughter... It's shot in a way as if you're watching them through rose-colored glasses, which is probably the point.

I love the way this movie uses different lighting and colour changes to depict a difference in the time line as well as the emotional state of the characters.

We only see Luke in flashbacks (guess why) and follow his dad Tom (Danny Huston) in present day (which in this case means 2003) as he is desperately trying to retrieve the last photograph (hence the titel) he possesses of his son after his bag was stolen. To see Tom slowly losing his grip as he grows more and more desperate to find the picture is truely heartbreaking. (It's a polaroid, so there are no copies, this is truely the last memory he has of Luke. God, I'm tearing up while writing this.)

Because Luke is basically just seen through the memory of his father who obviously holds him in high regard/ romanticizes the idea of his son, he is portrayed in a solely positive light, which usually wouldn't give much dimension to his character. Yet Jonah still manages to fill this role with life and witt and charisma, making you understand why Bird fell for him. He's sweet, romantic, a little bit shy, which works really well here, has the cutest laugh and clearly cares really deeply for his father. He's definetly portrayed as the "you simply have to love him" kinda guy, which is why his absence cuts so deep.

This is also in huge parts due to Danny Huston's performance. Honestly, the sweater-scenes (or jumper, if you're british 😉) almost broke me. And don't even get me started on his letter to Kate or Kate's letter to him... ugh. It's. So. SAD.

This is obviously not for everyday watch. However, even though The Last Photograph is heartbreaking, it doesn't necessarily leave you hopeless and depressed. This movie feels like a loving tribute to an actual person and therefore has a beauty in its melancholy. Throughout Tom's journey there is hope and forgiveness towards himself. There's a beautiful symmetry to the whole thing. The ending feels almost satisfying if you can say that in this context.

I also wanna give a shoutout to This Is The Night (2021). The movie itself isn't that great, it's a little all over the place and I think they tried to do a little too much all at once. But I looo~oooved Jonah in this, Christians character arc is by far the most interesting one and I wish the script gave their character justice in the way Jonah's and Naomi's acting did. (Also this is the HOTTEST he's ever looked which is a bit ironic).

This list is probably going to be outdated soon, since he has a lot coming out in the near future (I'm especially excited for Rich Flu).

Sorry, if this is too long and rambly and if it took too long for me to answer, I got a little carried away and suddenly had a lot of gifs to make 😅.

Thank you soooo much for the ask, @measuredmotion ❤️.

[mermaidsirennikita]

Im pretty sure you had an enemies to lovers list but I can’t find it 😭 so can I request a list of the best enemies to lovers you’ve read?

Sure! I will say, I definitely have gotten a bit stricter about what constitutes enemies to lovers for me. There's dislike, and then there's being an ENEMY.

Paranormal:

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole. Enemies in that, though they are fated mates and he knows this, he hates her because she's a vampire and he's been trapped under the Parisian catacombs for 150 years in eternal flame, tortured by vampires. She does not love the fact that he kidnaps her, her family comes to kill him, it goes on.

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole. Enemies in that her brother rules his stolen kingdom and she is enlisted to seduce and kidnap him, and subsequently get him to impregnate her with the heir to the throne so they can like... kill him. Again, they know they're mates, but THE GAME IS V MUCH ON.

Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole. They're fated and have actually been lovers in all of his previous lifetimes... but each time they do consummate it, he dies shortly after and gets reincarnated again. She intended to avoid him to spare him, but oops, in this lifetime he's a militant anti-immortal warrior who's kidnapped her and is now holding her prisoner on an island. This is inteeeense.

Lothaire by Kresley Cole. He's an evil 3,000 vampire, she's a 24-year-old human who he believes has been possessed by the soul of his fated mate. His intent is to have her own soul taken from her so his mate can stay there permanently—her intent is to not have that happen. By any means necessary. Very much a Clash of the Titans type EtL in terms of willpower.

Evernight by Kristen Callihan. Victorian paranormal, the heroine is like... a witch who manipulates metal and also a mad scientist lol... the hero is a vampiric demon type. She was used to warp his body by an evil villain, he's out to basically force her to fix him, BUT THEN it turns out that the only way he feels peace is when she's touching him, oops!

Fantasy:

The Winter King by C.L. Wilson. After her brother kills his entire family, their nations go to war and he wins. As a part of the peace treaty, she's forced to marry him, but it's with the understanding (on her end) that she'll probably be an agent from within, and he's aware of this. Also, there's a lowkey threat that if she doesn't get pregnant within a year, he'll put her on like. A glacier. Lmao

The Witch Walker Series by Charissa Weaks. Begins as this for the core hero and heroine; he's the "witch collector" who takes witches to some mysterious locale from which they're never heard of again, he took her sister years ago, she intends to get her sister back and also kILL HIM. Even after they fall in love, however, you've still got a great secondary romance going on between one of the main villains (an evil prince with amnesia) and one of the main good guys (a hot disaster bi winter king who's like "but what if I healed his heart with the power of love").

The Kingdom of the Wicked Trilogy by Kerri Maniscalco. The heroine is a witch who wants to get vengeance for her identical twin's murder. There are tons of spoilers I can't give away here, but suffice to say... the hero..... has a lot going on that leads to EtL situations lol. Throne of the Fallen is a standalone spinoff that also has these vibes. Very much "enemies who reluctantly have to work together" throughout these novels.

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon. Very classic EtL, hero and heroine are on the opposing side of a war, he's all shadow she's all light, an arranged marriage MIGHT be on the table...

A Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane. Another reluctant EtL situation, but their enemy deal is pretty heavy because her dad killed his parents. Recently! However, she also wants her dad dead, so they enter into a betrothal situation with zero trust.

Historical:

A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught. They're very literally on the opposite sides of a political conflict (he's English, she's Scottish, it's medieval times) and he has her kidnapped at the beginning of the book. The king does force them to marry, and they're not happy about it!

The Widow's Kiss by Jane Feather. She's a Tudor era lady who's recently been widowed for the fourth time, each time enriching her more. He's the guy Henry VIII sends in to investigate her for murder, essentially... also, he benefits if she loses her lands (which would likely also end in her execution). There's a ton of distrust here, and it is very fun.

A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart. He's sorta responsible in part for her family dying in the Reign of Terror, she's become a cook in his cousin's house, and when he shows up there (because he's waiting out whether or not this guy he shot in a duel will die, he's the worst) she tries to kill him! And then goes on the run when it doesn't work! Definitely pretty damn dark, a true enemies to lovers book, TW TW for dubcon and past noncon and a ton of of other shit.

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale. The hero takes the heroine and forces her to marry him as a part of his political scheme. He's crazy and murderous, she hates him... until she starts to learn from him. TW for noncon first encounter.

The Viper by Monica McCarty. The hero and heroine had an almost-thing years ago, but then he basically dropped the ball and she ended up being imprisoned and separated from her kid for years. Now they're reunited, and the beef remains VERY real and the trust is ZERO.

When a Rogue Meets His Match by Elizabeth Hoyt. The hero is the henchman for the heroine's evil uncle; and he's about to quit his job when the uncle is like, "do one last thing for me and you can marry my niece". To which the hero says "GREAT! LOVE THAT FOR ME!" She does not love that for him, and in fact begins plotting. If he dies, he dies.

Dark:

Mafia Mistress/Darling, Mafia Madman, and Mafia Target by Mila Finelli. A guy who kidnaps a girl to have her marry his son, then decides to make her his mistress! ANOTHER kidnapper, this time with more hatred and both of them deciding to destroy each other! An assassin falling for his target while still vowing to kill him! This is the stuff fairy tales are made of.

King's Captive by Amber Bardan. I mean. He kills her dad in the beginning of the book and keeps her on his private island for years. She's not thrilled, and she does want out.

In Sierra Simone's Lyonesse series (MMF), Tristan and Mark are not enemies... and Tristan and Isolde are not enemies... But Mark and Isolde are in an arranged marriage in which she is trying to learn his secrets to take him down from within, and he is Terrified of Feelings while also being like I ALWAYS WIN, ISOLDE. So. Yeah. Begin with Salt in the Wound to find out Why They Are The Way They Are.

[innytoes]

👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻 hello!

A fake fic title:

(My Favourite Colour Is You) Won’t You Help Me Feel Something Again

(My Favourite Colour Is You) Won’t You Help Me Feel Something Again

When you meet your soulmate, you see colours. Bobby's always wondered what was so amazing about 'colours', because you already had red and green and blue and yellow and purple. He wasn't too sure about orange, though. Besides, he tended to wear black, like most people. (Because it was cooler. Not because he was scared of the people with soulmates laughing at him for clashing or anything.)

Until that night at the Orpheum, when he was trying to flirt with the pretty waitress, and suddenly everything turned to gray.

Which was when he learned what a world without his soulmate looked like, what the world looked like for most people. And Bobby was left not only grieving his three best friends, but also the loss of the soulmate he never knew he had, because they'd all met as toddlers.

Twenty-five years later, Trevor Wilson doesn't wear all black. He's rich enough to afford a stylist who will make sure he doesn't clash.

Which was why it was so startling when he looked into the mirror one morning and noticed the bright red of his boxers.

[eddieredmayneargentinablog]

New! SPECIAL FEATURES Eddie Redmayne First Played the Cabaret's Emcee in School, Now He's Doing It on Broadway.

The actor is newly Tony nominated for his nihilistic take on the iconic character.

By TALAURA HARMS , Playbill, May 10th, 2024

📷 Heather Gershonowitz.

Eddie Redmayne is gathering tips. As the Tony and Oscar-winning actor was opening a Broadway musical this season, he was also trying to figure out the best ways to navigate New York City for the six months that he’ll be in the show. His wife and two young children have joined him from London. They’re currently looking for ways to spend summer in the city. And speaking of summer, Redmayne is concerned about keeping his voice in good working order in a city with more air conditioning than he’s accustomed to having.

“I’m accumulating a little handbook of ‘The Survivor’s Guide to Broadway,” Redmayne laughs. “I’m a passionate lover of New York, so any excuse to come here…I’m thrilled.”

The excuse—and it’s a pretty good one—is Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, which opened April 21 at the August Wilson Theatre. Redmayne reprises his role as The Emcee in the revival of the classic John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff musical. Rebecca Fracknell directs the production, a West End transfer that won seven 2022 Olivier Awards, including one for Redmayne’s performance. The production has been a hit in the London, where it is currently still running.

Redmayne is the only member of the West End cast, though, to transfer to Broadway with the production. He’s joined at the August Wilson by Gayle Rankin as Sally Bowles, Ato Blankson-Wood as Clifford Bradshaw, Bebe Neuwirth as Fraulein Schneider, and Steven Skybell as Herr Schultz. And both Rankin and Redmayne have been Tony nominated for their performances; the show picked up nine nominations total, including Best Revival of a Musical.

“It’s been such a unique experience because it’s been starting anew and fresh whilst at the same time, having this character sitting in my stomach and ruminating for three years now. And my journey, of the relationship with the character, has been one that stems from, oh gosh, almost 30 years now from when I first played it when I was a schoolboy,” says Redmayne. “There is great joy that comes from that—from each time getting to re-mine the character and re-look at it in a different context and with a different inspiration.”

When Playbill spoke with Redmayne, the company was still in rehearsals for the Broadway mounting. As part of his continuing exploration of the Emcee, the actor had just revisited one of his favorite New York museums, the Neue Galerie of German and Austrian art on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. 

“I was looking at some of the Schiele paintings there and reminding myself of how, when I first started looking into the idea of The Emcee, just having portfolios of Schiele prints everywhere. That was one of the ways in. It was a lovely moment to reconnect and reinspire in the museum.” It is easy to spot the influence of the Austrian Expressionist painter Egon Schiele in the angles of Redmayne’s body as he looks over a shoulder, crooks an arm, or snarls a bit, daring an audience to come a little closer.

The original source material for Cabaret is the 1939 Christopher Isherwood novel Goodbye to Berlin. It was inspired by his own life during the Weimar Republic when the freedom of the Jazz Age was clashing with the rise of Nazism and fascism. The Emcee, though, is not a character in the novel, nor in the play adaption I Am a Camera. He was created solely for Cabaret and does not exist in any of the scenes outside of the Kit Kat Club. The lack of story for The Emcee has allowed Redmayne to create a character almost entirely from scratch.

“He exists almost in abstraction for me. The character is almost like a Greek chorus. He’s sort of the Shakespearean fool. The court jester who then becomes the king,” says Redmayne. “He can assimilate and accumulate people from every walk of life and community, and can seemingly either celebrate or exploit that. As the world is becoming more homogenized and fascism is kicking in, he can shape-shift his way out of it, and he’s going to be just fine. He has the privilege of that. There’s a nihilism, ultimately, to my take on The Emcee that felt important. He’s not the victim. He's the perpetrator".

Cabaret first premiered on Broadway in 1966 and this production is the musical’s fourth revival. Except for the 1970s (when it was adapted for film starring Liza Minnelli), it has been on Broadway at some point in every decade since that first run. “There’s always been this relevance culturally, and that’s terrifying, because it basically sings as a warning to our incapacity to learn from our mistakes,” says Redmayne. “It’s about what happens when humanity is consumed by hate. And the idea of the creation of the other and the exploitation of the other to instill fear.”

Arguably, the musical’s draw has always also been as much about how it presents that message as the relevance of the message itself. The Kit Kat Club is seedy and seductive. It feels naughty…like you’re getting away with something you shouldn’t. And this new production pushes that element far beyond the footlights of a stage. Club, scenic, and costume designer Tom Scutt��has reformed the August Wilson Theatre, creating spaces in the house and in the bar for a Prologue company to perform. Audiences are encouraged to arrive early to take in the music and dance cabaret acts prior to Cabaret.

Redmayne is reminded again of his museum visit: “When I was at the Neue Galerie, there was an exhibition on [Gustav] Klimt. This idea that this group of artists in Austria at the time, and then in Germany, were trying to create this world which was all-consuming. It wasn’t just the painting, it was also the specific space in the gallery…you were not just looking at the painting but the entire experience around it. I feel like that is, perhaps, the dream of what we’re trying to do. Once you leave the sidewalk and cross the threshold [into the theatre], you’re being taken on a journey that’s all encompassing.”

Boris Aronson’s original set design for the 1966 production of Cabaret featured a large mirror above the stage, tilted toward the audience so that they could see themselves reflected at both the beginning and end of the musical. Scutt has created a fully in-the-round stage at the Wilson. 

So while the audience is watching the action on stage, they will also be seeing other audience members’ reaction to the story. “There’s complicity in that,” says Redmayne. “We’re all there laughing and engaging in an evening of entertainment, but also seeing ourselves in some of the elements—the joyful qualities of humanity and the scarier qualities, too.”

[eddie-redmayne-italian-blog]

SPECIAL FEATURESEddie Redmayne First Played the Cabaret's Emcee in School, Now He's Doing It on Broadway

The actor is newly Tony nominated for his nihilistic take on the iconic character.

BY TALAURA HARMS MAY 10, 2024

Eddie Redmayne is gathering tips. As the Tony and Oscar-winning actor was opening a Broadway musical this season, he was also trying to figure out the best ways to navigate New York City for the six months that he’ll be in the show. His wife and two young children have joined him from London. They’re currently looking for ways to spend summer in the city. And speaking of summer, Redmayne is concerned about keeping his voice in good working order in a city with more air conditioning than he’s accustomed to having.

“I’m accumulating a little handbook of ‘The Survivor’s Guide to Broadway,” Redmayne laughs. “I’m a passionate lover of New York, so any excuse to come here…I’m thrilled.”

The excuse—and it’s a pretty good one—is Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, which opened April 21 at the August Wilson Theatre. Redmayne reprises his role as The Emcee in the revival of the classic John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff musical. Rebecca Fracknell directs the production, a West End transfer that won seven 2022 Olivier Awards, including one for Redmayne’s performance. The production has been a hit in the London, where it is currently still running.

Redmayne is the only member of the West End cast, though, to transfer to Broadway with the production. He’s joined at the August Wilson by Gayle Rankin as Sally Bowles, Ato Blankson-Wood as Clifford Bradshaw, Bebe Neuwirth as Fraulein Schneider, and Steven Skybell as Herr Schultz. And both Rankin and Redmayne have been Tony nominated for their performances; the show picked up nine nominations total, including Best Revival of a Musical.

“It’s been such a unique experience because it’s been starting anew and fresh whilst at the same time, having this character sitting in my stomach and ruminating for three years now. And my journey, of the relationship with the character, has been one that stems from, oh gosh, almost 30 years now from when I first played it when I was a schoolboy,” says Redmayne. “There is great joy that comes from that—from each time getting to re-mine the character and re-look at it in a different context and with a different inspiration.”

When Playbill spoke with Redmayne, the company was still in rehearsals for the Broadway mounting. As part of his continuing exploration of the Emcee, the actor had just revisited one of his favorite New York museums, the Neue Galerie of German and Austrian art on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. 

“I was looking at some of the Schiele paintings there and reminding myself of how, when I first started looking into the idea of The Emcee, just having portfolios of Schiele prints everywhere. That was one of the ways in. It was a lovely moment to reconnect and reinspire in the museum.” It is easy to spot the influence of the Austrian Expressionist painter Egon Schiele in the angles of Redmayne’s body as he looks over a shoulder, crooks an arm, or snarls a bit, daring an audience to come a little closer.

The original source material for Cabaret is the 1939 Christopher Isherwood novel Goodbye to Berlin. It was inspired by his own life during the Weimar Republic when the freedom of the Jazz Age was clashing with the rise of Nazism and fascism. The Emcee, though, is not a character in the novel, nor in the play adaption I Am a Camera. He was created solely for Cabaret and does not exist in any of the scenes outside of the Kit Kat Club. The lack of story for The Emcee has allowed Redmayne to create a character almost entirely from scratch.

“He exists almost in abstraction for me. The character is almost like a Greek chorus. He’s sort of the Shakespearean fool. The court jester who then becomes the king,” says Redmayne. “He can assimilate and accumulate people from every walk of life and community, and can seemingly either celebrate or exploit that. As the world is becoming more homogenized and fascism is kicking in, he can shape-shift his way out of it, and he’s going to be just fine. He has the privilege of that. There’s a nihilism, ultimately, to my take on The Emcee that felt important. He’s not the victim. He's the perpetrator.”

Cabaret first premiered on Broadway in 1966 and this production is the musical’s fourth revival. Except for the 1970s (when it was adapted for film starring Liza Minnelli), it has been on Broadway at some point in every decade since that first run. “There’s always been this relevance culturally, and that’s terrifying, because it basically sings as a warning to our incapacity to learn from our mistakes,” says Redmayne. “It’s about what happens when humanity is consumed by hate. And the idea of the creation of the other and the exploitation of the other to instill fear.”

Arguably, the musical’s draw has always also been as much about how it presents that message as the relevance of the message itself. The Kit Kat Club is seedy and seductive. It feels naughty…like you’re getting away with something you shouldn’t. And this new production pushes that element far beyond the footlights of a stage. Club, scenic, and costume designer Tom Scutt has reformed the August Wilson Theatre, creating spaces in the house and in the bar for a Prologue company to perform. Audiences are encouraged to arrive early to take in the music and dance cabaret acts prior to Cabaret.

Redmayne is reminded again of his museum visit: “When I was at the Neue Galerie, there was an exhibition on [Gustav] Klimt. This idea that this group of artists in Austria at the time, and then in Germany, were trying to create this world which was all-consuming. It wasn’t just the painting, it was also the specific space in the gallery…you were not just looking at the painting but the entire experience around it. I feel like that is, perhaps, the dream of what we’re trying to do. Once you leave the sidewalk and cross the threshold [into the theatre], you’re being taken on a journey that’s all encompassing.”

Boris Aronson’s original set design for the 1966 production of Cabaret featured a large mirror above the stage, tilted toward the audience so that they could see themselves reflected at both the beginning and end of the musical. Scutt has created a fully in-the-round stage at the Wilson. 

So while the audience is watching the action on stage, they will also be seeing other audience members’ reaction to the story. “There’s complicity in that,” says Redmayne. “We’re all there laughing and engaging in an evening of entertainment, but also seeing ourselves in some of the elements—the joyful qualities of humanity and the scarier qualities, too.”

Photographer : Heather Gershonowitz

https://playbill.com/article/eddie-redmayne-first-played-the-cabarets-emcee-in-school-now-hes-doing-it-on-broadw

[overworkedblorbobattle]

Welcome to the Overworked Blorbo Battle Preliminary Round!

Many characters were submitted for this tournament so, in order to allow as many different blorbos into the bracket as I can, I’ve had to limit them to one per series. For most, i just included the most highly submitted character but there were a number of series with characters who had the same (or very similar) number of submissions. Therefore, I’ve created a preliminary round for you to vote on which character from each series gets to enter the bracket.

There will be 37 polls lasting 1 week each.

The polls will be separated into 3 waves. Each wave will be posted 24 hours after the previous.

The first wave will begin on Tuesday the 27th of June at 3PM BST

I've tried my best to only include official images for all of the characters on the polls but I'm not familiar with every series listed so, when the polls go up, if you notice I've used a fanart or cosplay image without permission or credit please let me know and I'll add credit and correct it for any future appearances of that character.

I apologise if I’ve accidentally spelled something wrong or used a wrong name for something, I’m not familiar with every series listed.

The matchups are listed under the read more

There may be spoilers ahead

Wave 1

Poll 1: Ace Attorney

Dick Gumshoe

Apollo Justice

Miles Edgeworth

Franziska Von Karma

Phoenix Wright

Poll 2: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Katara

Azula

Aang

The Cabbage Merchant

Poll 3: Batman

Barbara Gordon/Oracle

Batman/Bruce Wayne

Alfred Pennyworth

Tim Drake/Red Robin

Dick Grayson/Nightwing

Jim Gordon

Poll 4: BBC Ghosts

Pat Butcher

The Captain

Poll 5: Welcome To The Table

CDC

DC

Poll 6: Carmen Sandiengo

Carmen Sandiego

Chase Devineaux

Poll 7: Critical Role

Laerryn Coramar Seelie

Percival De Rolo

Poll 8: Death Note

Light Yagami

L

Touta Matsuda

Poll 9: Disco Elysium

Harry Du Bois

Kim Kitsuragi

Poll 10: Discworld

Havelock Vetinari

Ponder Stibbons

Moist Von Lipwig

Poll 11: Doctor Who

Coordinator Narvin

Romana II

Rory Williams

The Doctor

Poll 12: Ensemble Stars!

Keito Hasumi

Mao Isara

Tsumugi Aoba

Wave 2

Poll 13: ER

Carol Hathaway

Mark Greene

Poll 14: Falsettos

Mendel Weisenbachfeld

Dr Charlotte Dubois

Poll 15: Final Fantasy

Aymeric De Borel

Emet-Selch

Reeve Tuesti

Jessie Jaye

Poll 16: Fullmetal Alchemist

Riza Hawkeye

Roy Mustang

Poll 17: Hatchetfield/The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

Emma Perkins

Paul Mattews

Poll 18: Homestuck

Karkat Vantas

Peregrine Mendicant

Poll 19: Honkai

Fu Hua

Natasha

Poll 20: House MD

Lisa Cuddy

James Wilson

Poll 21: Hunter X Hunter

Cheadle Yorkshire

Heavens Arena Elevator Operator

Kurapika

Poll 22: Lobotomy Corporate

Angela

Hod

Poll 23: Mistborn

Elend Venture

Marsh

Poll 24: Monster Prom

Joy Johnson-Johjima

Vera Oberlin

Wave 3

Poll 25: Persona

Ryotaro Dojima

Sadayo Kawakami

Poll 26: Project Sekai

Mafuyu Asahina

Yoisaki Kanade

Haruka Kiritani

Poll 27: Spongebob Squarepants

Squidward

Spongebob

Poll 28: Star Wars

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Commander Fox

Poll 29: The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee

Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre

Marcy Park

Poll 30: The Adventure Zone

Lucretia

Mama

Kravitz

Poll 31: The Owl House

Alador Blight

Hunter

Poll 32: The Wilds

Dot Campbell

Fatin Jadmani

Rachel Reid

Poll 33: The X Files

Dana Scully

Director Walter Skinner

Poll 34: Toontown: Corporate Clash

Atticus Wing

Chip Revvington

Poll 35: Transformers

Soundwave

Shockwave

Prowl

Optimus Prime

Minimus Ambus

Ratchet

Poll 36: Witch Hat Atilier

Olruggio

Qifrey

Poll 37: Worm

Amy Dallon/Panacea

Lisa Wilbourn

[mariacallous]

Thanks to global warming, there is less ice at the top of the world. And less ice, paradoxically, means a surge in demand for icebreakers, the specialty ships that are seen as the must-have currency to be a player in a melting world.

It’s that time again, when the very real warming in the Arctic—four times greater than the rest of the world—is exceeded only by superheated predictions of a coming great-power clash in the High North. Russia’s been rattling Arctic sabers for years and is now being joined by China. There are renewed worries about a resource scramble, new shipping lanes where ice floes used to be, greater military competition, and as always, the icebreaker gap that periodically frazzles U.S. policymakers.

Russia has scores of icebreakers, specially designed ships that crush ice with their hulls or shear through it to clear lanes of open water, including numerous nuclear-powered ones and one (soon two) armed with deck guns. China has four, as well as a super-advanced one on the way. The United States has just one heavy icebreaker—the half-century-old Polar Star, which is out of its annual dry dock after its Antarctic run—and one medium icebreaker, which is out of action for now after catching fire last month. This summer, there are no U.S. missions in the Arctic; China has three.

The United States and a pair of Arctic NATO allies, Canada and Finland, have announced an ambitious plan to team up and build scores of icebreakers. U.S. officials have touted the so-called ICE Pact, announced on the sidelines of July’s NATO summit, as a mix of friendshoring and industrial policy, leavened with a dose of great-power competition fought with rivets and ratchets, not rockets. 

But the looming competition in the Arctic is not like that facing the United States in other oceans or battlefields. The United States has immense strategic interests and challenges in the warmer waters of the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the rest. If the still-chilly waters of the High North get short shrift in Washington, it’s because whatever may come to pass there takes a back seat to things that are happening in the wider world. The U.S. Defense Department’s new Arctic Strategy essentially boils down to a watch-and-monitor approach to an arena that for two decades has been the perennial next great-power flash point.

“Why do we have trouble seeing ourselves as an Arctic nation in anything like the same way as Russia does? One of the reasons is that Russia gets a significant and growing share of its GDP from the Arctic; we do not,” said Rebecca Pincus, director of the Polar Institute at the Wilson Center. 

“The United States is clearly focused on the Indo-Pacific and Europe, so the Arctic is not top of mind—so why the obsession with icebreakers?” said Pincus, who previously worked on Arctic issues at the Pentagon.

The short answer is that all the Arctic nations—there are eight, and seven of them are in NATO—have the icebreakers they need, except for the United States. The long answer is that there seems to be a looming great-power competition up north, and the only way to play is to have the chips, or ships. But the even longer answer is that there is only one gambler at the table—Russia—and it has a very definite tell that can be exploited.

If the competition in the Arctic boils down to another front in the rivalry with Russia (and China is at best a self-proclaimed “near-Arctic state,” despite its frequent polar forays), then the fight should be in Russian shipyards and vulnerable Arctic facilities, not in American ones. The better strategy to combat Russia in the Arctic, Pincus suggested, happens to be the one that the United States and Europe are already employing: making it harder for Moscow to profitably ply the icy waters, not just easier for Washington to do so.

More icebreakers for the United States would not be a bad thing. For years, the United States Coast Guard has said that it requires a minimum of six icebreakers to adequately handle multiple missions a year to both poles, and only a generous accounting of ships on hand can tally even one-third of that minimum; now the service wants eight or nine. 

Icebreakers are used up north to support several research missions every summer, as well as for practicing oil-spill response and environmental monitoring. On the far side of the world, the United States has to break in once a year to resupply its Antarctic research station at McMurdo, for which really heavy icebreakers are needed. 

The problem is that, while the United States can build some very complex ships such as nuclear aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines, it cannot quite manage to build icebreakers despite years of trying. The Polar Star was built in the 1970s; the Healy, the U.S. medium icebreaker, was built in the 1990s. Since then it’s been dry ice.

In that sense, the new Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact, makes some sense. Finland and Canada are best in class at building that very particular kind of ship; Finland alone has built more than half of all the icebreakers afloat. For a country like the United States that is now hoping that its much-delayed Polar Security Cutter, the new generation of icebreakers, will arrive only about five years late and over budget, getting some professional help is smart. 

“Icebreakers have been a key Finnish know-how for a long time. Now that we are part of NATO, this is one thing that Finland can provide—we are tops in the world in designing and building icebreakers,” said Mika Hovilainen, the CEO of Aker Arctic, the world’s leading designer of icebreakers.

What’s not clear about the ICE Pact, though, is what it will actually deliver or how it will work; the outlines of the collaboration pact as announced so far do not tackle the fundamental challenges that have bedeviled decades of U.S. efforts to build the kind of ship that China turns out inside of two years. 

Foreign shipyards, for starters, are off-limits for U.S. Coast Guard and naval vessels, yet they are the ones with the specialized workforces. U.S. shipyards, bereft of investment, workers, work orders, and even dry docks, have enough trouble even building the congressionally mandated number of nuclear submarines, let alone a new class of vessel. Misguided adventures, such as choosing an unproven German design for the new polar cutter rather than a tested blueprint, only add to the woes. 

The ICE Pact, Pincus said, is a little bit like AUKUS, the three-way deal among Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom to bring nuclear submarine technology down under. “Except this time, we’re the Australians,” she said of the United States. “What price are we going to have to pay for their expertise?”

Why does the country that invented the nuclear aircraft carrier find it so difficult to build a ship that can drive straight into a six-foot chunk of ice and keep going? It turns out that icebreakers, like nuclear carriers and subs, are very complicated to design and build, and practice does indeed make perfect. Icebreakers need not only specially strengthened hulls, with different attributes depending on whether they will crush the ice or shear it, but also massive engines and absolute all-weather systems. 

Aker Arctic, for instance, spent a decade working on hull-strength analysis to figure out just where an icebreaker needs to be strong and where designers can save steel. That matters enormously when building a ship that is explicitly designed to steer straight for what everything else afloat avoids.

“We are gaining that kind of experience with icebreakers, because we design icebreakers all the time,” Hovilainen said. “We have a lot of standard solutions, we know what works, and we can apply that to new projects. If you have to reinvent the wheel in all areas of the ship, it is going to be super complex.”

Perhaps the new ICE Pact will indeed deliver a collaborative arrangement that helps build the estimated 70 to 90 icebreakers that U.S. officials say Western allies need in the years ahead. But the point about the looming Arctic challenge isn’t to build more Western icebreakers—which mostly carry scientists and science projects—but to make sure that the main Arctic rival of the United States and its NATO allies can’t really take advantage of any ice that it breaks. The United States aspires to be an Arctic nation, or at least Alaska lawmakers do; Russia genuinely is. And that presents not so much a threat as an opportunity.

In 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin updated his already ambitious plans for the Russian Arctic by 2035. He added some new hits such as “protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity,” but he kept the old favorites, including the two most important: tapping Arctic resources to drive Russian economic growth and turning the northern coast of Siberia into a shipping lane worthy of the name.

The Russian Arctic does have mind-boggling amounts of oil and natural gas. (The U.S. and Canadian Arctic has lots, too, but it’s easier and cheaper to frack in North Dakota than to drill in the Chukchi Sea.) Tapping those oil and gas reserves is challenging enough, but Russia has been able to do it, to an extent, despite a decade of Western sanctions that have handicapped some of its frontier energy projects. The tricky part is to move that gas from the frozen north to thirsty markets in Asia: Arctic ice may be melting, but that doesn’t mean those are warm-water ports or easy to navigate.

Especially after the onset of the war in Ukraine, which largely foreclosed European energy export markets to Russia, Arctic energy and its shipping routes to the east have become a key strategic priority for Putin. The Yamal Peninsula in northwest Siberia is the epicenter of Russia’s newfound trade in liquefied natural gas, or LNG; since piping it to Europe is no longer an option, and China is proving a hard bargainer on piped gas headed east, freezing it and shipping it out is the future for Russian energy.

For Putin, the so-called Northern Sea Route (NSR)—the would-be shipping lane across the top of Russia—is the embodiment of his end-run around Europe and toward a full embrace with China. Moscow has visions of the route becoming a genuine global sea lane to rival such routes as the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal, no matter the fact that container ships cannot and will not save a few days’ journey by venturing into shallow, ice-filled, foggy waters that Russia calls its own and taxes as such. In 2023, the NSR had its best year yet, shipping a whopping 36 million metric tons. The Suez Canal, when not disrupted by Houthis, transits that much cargo in a week.

There is one vulnerability, though. About half the traffic on the NSR is LNG exports. Shipping gas through ice floes requires icebreaking LNG tankers. Those were previously being built for Russia in South Korea, but the Ukraine war put paid to that, with Seoul canceling the pending delivery of new ice-class tankers. (Western dry docks are still servicing the existing fleet, though.) Russia is trying to build some of its own, and probably can, but it may struggle to master some of the advanced cargo containment technology that was a Western monopoly, Hovilainen said.

That is part of an evolving Western strategy to strike at the Russian weakness in the Arctic. Just after the invasion of Ukraine, Western sanctions poleaxed the big LNG liquefaction facility in the Yamal Peninsula, which was reliant on Western technology. Novatek, the private Russian company plowing ahead, now hopes to jury-rig a solution to get its gas super-chilled and super-moving by 2026, but it is employing unproven workarounds. The facility upped production and even started exports this summer but is still running below capacity.

The West has found other chinks in the armor. This summer, the European Union, in its 14th sanctions package on Russia, specifically targeted Russian transshipment of LNG in European ports—Moscow would use precious ice tankers to ship gas south, then move the gas to a regular tanker for export overseas. With that trade foreclosed, Russia’s hard-worked LNG tanker fleet will have to make the full run from Siberia to the final destination and back again, essentially cutting its energy-export capacity.

Or take the latest Western step to hit Russia. In late August, the United States went after Russia’s LNG shadow fleet with new sanctions. The latest sanctions not only intensify the pressure on Russian gas production and liquefaction in the Arctic, but they also take aim at the fleet of specialized tankers that Moscow needs to build up in order to get its product to its last remaining big market. The goal, the U.S. State Department said, is to “further disrupt” both production and export of Arctic LNG, especially relevant now that the big plant in Yamal is up and running again.

If there is a great-power competition in the Arctic, it is only existential for one of the players. And the recipe for success is not building more icebreakers, welcome as they may be, but making sure that those in Russian hands are opening leads to nowhere.

“We are pressuring Russia with economic tools in the Arctic, which is a cost-effective means of pursuing our goals. Russia’s icebreaker fleet is all about energy exports to Asia,” Pincus said. “That’s why the sanctions are smart. If we can sustain them, and the Russian Arctic oil and gas reserves and facilities become stranded assets, then what is the Arctic to Russia? That could end up starving the NSR.”

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009, Shawn Levy)

23/12/2023

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is a 2009 film directed by Shawn Levy.

The film, starring Ben Stiller and Amy Adams, sequel to the film Night at the Museum, was released in cinemas on May 22, 2009 in the United States of America and in Italy. In 2014, its sequel entitled Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb was released, which once again saw Shawn Levy directing and Ben Stiller as the protagonist, alongside Robin Williams.

Two years have passed and Larry Dailey has left the Natural History Museum, where he worked as a night watchman, and entered the business world, becoming a major entrepreneur with his Dailey Devices. One day he returns to the museum driven by memories and discovers that all the wax statues will be packed up and transferred to the federal archive of the Smithsonian museum and replaced with interactive holograms. The only pieces not to leave the museum will be Teddy Roosevelt, Rex, Pharaoh Ahkmenrah and his magic board and some of the more popular characters.

The next evening Larry receives the phone call from Jedediah, the little cowboy, very scared: the capuchin mobkey Dexter, the night before, stole Ahkmenrah's table and everyone has come back to life in the Smithsonian, but they are held hostage by Ahkmenrah's evil older brother, Kahmunrah: the world's largest museum has come to life.

Larry decides to sneak into the museum archives and meets the proud and childish Kahmunrah: a series of clashes ensue in which, among others, George Armstrong Custer (who turns out to be just vain) and Amelia Earhart (ante litteram feminist) intervene.

The evil Kahmunrah then allies himself with Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon Bonaparte and Al Capone to then kidnap little Jedediah, who had facilitated Ottavio's escape from their prison, and lock him in an hourglass: in this way he forces Larry and Amelia to find the combination to be placed on the table, with which he wants to open the doors of the afterlife and unleash them on the world. Thanks to the help of a series of Einstein bobbleheads, the combination is found and the doors to the afterlife are opened from which bird demons arrive. In the meantime, Ottavio has asked for the intervention of the enormous statue of Abraham Lincoln, which sweeps away all of Kahmunrah's soldiers, who flee in panic and return to the afterlife.

Ben Stiller is Larry Dailey: Two years after the end of the first film, he abandoned his job as a night watchman at the Natural History Museum, founded the company Daley Devices and invented the Glow Flashlight along with other products. He returns to the museum and discovers that some artifacts had been moved to the federal archives of the Smithsonian museum and at this point he will have to deal with the evil pharaoh Kahmunrah.

Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt: he is Larry's best friend.

Amy Adams is Amelia Earhart: she is the wax statue of the famous pilot who flew over the Atlantic Ocean.

Hank Azaria as Kahmunrah: He is the main antagonist of the film.

Owen Wilson as Jedediah Smith: he is the main tritagonist of the film.

Steve Coogan as Gaius Octavius: The Roman general undertakes a rescue mission to free fellow cowboy Jedediah, who has been placed in an hourglass by Kahmunrah.

Mizou Peck is Sacagawea: Due to her transfer to the federal archives of the Smithsonian, she is forced to separate from her beloved Teddy Roosevelt but at the end of the final battle she returns home together with the old exhibits and sees the president again.

[billdecker]

I’ve spent nine months perfecting my 40th birthday party playlist and I think I have it. It’s split up into kinda eras/musical obsessions of my life and songs that mean a lot to me/remind me of people no longer in my life, so here we are...

Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs

Apply Some Pressure - Maximo Park

Banquet - Bloc Party

Michael - Franz Ferdinand

Mirror Kissers - The Cribs

Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand

Somebody Told Me - The Killers

Fell In Love With a Girl - The White Stripes

One Step Beyond - Madness

The Sound of the Suburbs - The Members

Jilted John - Jilted John

Anarchy in the UK - Sex Pistols

Teenage Kicks - The Undertones

Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks

Going Underground - The Jam

Rock the Casbah - The Clash

Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads

It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way - The Blow Monkeys

Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

The Look of Love - ABC

Wishing I Was Lucky - Wet Wet Wet

Breakout - Swing Out Sister

Yes Sir, I Can Boogie - Baccara

Dancing Queen - ABBA

Best of My Love - The Emotions

Got To Be Real - Cherly Lynn

Never Too Much - Luther Vandross

Boogie Wonderland - Earth, Wind & Fire

You To Me Are Everything - The Real Thing

The Snake - Al Wilson

Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield

Land of 1000 Dances - Wilson Pickett

Do I Love You - Frank Wilson

Get Ready - The Temptations

Reach Out, I’ll Be There - Four Tops

My Girl - The Temptations

I Can’t Help Myself - Four Tops

This Old Heart of Mine - The Isley Brothers

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross

I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney Houston

Respectable - Mel & Kim

London Nights - London Boys

When Will I Be Famous? - Bros

Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley

You’ll Never Step Me From Loving You - Sonia

Too Many Broken Hearts - Jason Donovan

Love in the First Degree - Bananarama

Venus - Bananarama

One For Sorrow - Steps

All That She Wants - Ace of Base

Love to Hate You - Erasure

Love Shack - The B-52′s

Sweat (A La La La La Song) - Inner Circle

Baby I Love Your Way - Big Mountain

Shine - Aswad

Would I Lie To You? - Charlie & Eddie

Return of the Mack - Mark Morrison

Save Our Love - Eternal

Stay - Eternal

Naked - Louise

Maybe - Emma Bunton

Mi Chico Latino - Geri Halliwell

I Turn To You - Melanie C

Out of Your Mind - True Steppers, Dane Bowers, Victoria Beckham

I Want You Back - Mel B, Missy Elliott

Re-Rewind - Artful Dodger, Craig David

Scandalous - Mis-Teeq

Flowers - Sweet Female Attitude

I Know Where It’s At - All Saints

Never Ever - All Saints

Stay - Lisa Loeb

I Quit - Hepburn

Drop Dead Gorgeous - Republica

Trouble - Shampoo

Bitch - Meredith Brooks

You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette

Celebrity Skin - Hole

Weak - Skunk Anansie

Don’t Speak - No Doubt

Torn - Natalie Imbruglia

I Want It That Way - Backstreet Boys

Crazy For You - Let Loose

Love Me For a Reason - Boyzone

Keep On Movin - Five

Be the First to Believe - A1

Love Here I Come - Bad Boys Inc

I’m a Man, Not a Boy - North & South

House of Love - East 17

Let’s Get Ready to Rhumble - PJ & Duncan

If I Give You My Number - PJ & Duncan

I Should Be So Lucky - Kylie Minogue

Never Too Late

Step Back in Time

Better the Devil You Know

Spinning Around

Can’t Get Blue Monday Out of My Head - Kylie, New Order

Girls & Boys - Blur

Connection - Elastica

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

Creep - Radiohead

Song 2 - Blur

Your Woman - White Town

Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

Change - Lightning Seeds

Trash - Suede

A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins

Disco 2000 - Pulp

Common People - Pulp

Country House - Blur

Mulder and Scully - Catatonia

World in Motion - New Order

Three Lions - Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds

Wannabe - Spice Girls

Say You’ll Be There

Who Do You Think You Are?

Spice Up You Life

Stop

Old Before I Die - Robbie Williams

Rock DJ

Millennium

No Regrets

Angels

Babe - Take That

Once You’ve Tasted Love

It Only Takes a Minute

I Found Heaven

Could It Be Magic

Everything Changes

Pray

Relight My Fire

Two Can Play That Game - Bobby Brown

I Luv U Baby - The Original

Don’t Give Me Your Life - Alex Party

Never Let Her Slip Away - Undercover

When I’m Good and Ready - Sybil

Ride on Time - Black Box

The Rhythm of the Night - Corona

No Limit - 2 Unlimited

Get A Way - Maxx

The Key The Secret - Urban Cookie Collective

U Sure Do - Strike

I Breathe Again - Adam Rickitt

Spaceman - Babylon Zoo

Red Alert - Basement Jaxx

Feel It - The Tamperer, Maya

Freed From Desire - Gala

Mr Vain - Culture beat

What Is Love? - Haddaway

Gypsy Woman - Crystal Waters

Finally - CeCe Peniston

Free - Ultra Nate

Dreamer - Livin Joy

Let Me Be Your Fantasy - Baby D

I’m Alive - Stretch n Vern

Set You Free - N-Trance

disco tits - Tove Lo

Coconuts - Kim Petras

Outside - George Michael

It’s a Sin - Pet Shop Boys

Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Gimme Gimme Gimme - ABBA

Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler

Let’s Dance - David Bowie

Temptation - Heaven 17

Gold - Spandau Ballet

Karma Chameleon - Culture Club

Club Tropicana - Wham

I’m Still Standing - Elton John

Uptown Girl - Billy Joel

Young at Heart - The Bluebells

Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners

I Could Be So Good For You - Dennis Waterman

Amarillo - Tony Christie

Delilah - Tom Jones

The Best - Tina Turner

All Around the World - Lisa Stansfield

The Time of My Life - Billy Medley, Jennifer Warnes

Especially For You - Kylie, Jason

Perfect Moment - Martine McCutcheon

Chains - Tina Arena

A Design For Life - Manic Street Preachers

Yes - McAlmont & Butler

I Do This All The Time - Self Esteem

Zombie - The Cranberries

This Charming Man - The Smiths

Paranoid Android - Radiohead

The Wonder of You - Elvis Presley

Don’t Look Back in Anger - Oasis

Baby I Love You - The Ramones

[gamesindustrynormal]

2024 Independent Games Festival Finalists

Best Student Game

goodbye.monster (Monster Team)

Once Upon a Jester (Bonte Avond / Crunching Koalas)

Pile Up! (Remoob / Catoptric Games, IndieArk)

Planetka (TeTerka)

RAM: Random Access Mayhem (Xylem Studios Inc.)

TRY AGAIN(the Rejects / USC Games/the Rejects)

Honorable Mentions: A Day With Mochi (San Felicete Studio / Rubika Supinfogame), Barkane: The Folds of Calamity (Chase O'Brien & VGDev), Birds Aren't Real: The Game (USC Games), Cyberside Picnic (Michael Luo / Cathode Radiator), Entangled (Fibula Studio), Lime Juice (Benbees), Re:Fresh (Merge Conflict Studio)

Excellence in Audio

A Highland Song (Inkle)

COCOON (Geometric Interactive / Annapurna Interactive)

Nour: Play With Your Food (Terrifying Jellyfish / PANIC)

Rhythm Doctor (7th Beat Games / 7th Beat Games, indienova)

Tchia (Awaceb / Kepler Interactive)

Venba (Visai Games)

Honorable Mentions: Anthology of the Killer (Thecatamites, Tommy Tone, A. Degen / Thecatamites), El Paso, Elsewhere (Strange Scaffold), Let's! Revolution! (Antfood, BUCK / Hawthorn Games, BUCK), Planet of Lana             (Wishfully / Thunderful Publishing), Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical (Summerfall Studios / Humble Games)

Excellence in Design

Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc / Focus Entertainment)

Cobalt Core (Rocket Rat Games / Brace Yourself Games)

COCOON (Geometric Interactive / Annapurna Interactive)

Cryptmaster (Paul Hart, Lee Williams, Akupara Games / Akupara Games)

Final Profit: A Shop RPG (Brent Arnold)

Isles of Sea and Sky (Cicada Games, Jason Newman, Craig Collver / Cicada Games, Jason Newman, Gamera Game)

Honorable Mentions: 20 Small Mazes (FLEB), Peaks of Yore (Anders Grube Jensen / TraipseWare), Price of Flight (WATERBOX), Timberborn (Mechanistry)

Excellence in Narrative

1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor / Fellow Traveller)

A Highland Song (Inkle)

Mediterranea Inferno (Lorenzo Redaelli/EYEGUYS / Santa Ragione)

The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood (Deconstructeam / Devolver Digital)

The Wreck (The Pixel Hunt)

Venba (Visai Games)

Honorable Mentions: Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP), Saltsea Chronicles (Die Gute Fabrik / Die Gute Fabrik), Slay the Princess (Black Tabby Games), Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical (Summerfall Studios / Humble Games) The Archivist and the Revolution (Autumn Chen)

Excellence in Visual Arts

Anthology of the Killer (Thecatamites, Tommy Tone, A. Degen / Thecatamites)

Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (ACE Team / Nacon)

Darkest Dungeon II (Red Hook Studios)

Little Goody Two Shoes (AstralShift / Square Enix Collective)

Phonopolis (Amanita Design)

Venba (Visai Games)

Honorable Mentions: 30 Birds (RAM RAM Games/Business Goose / ARTE France), Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc / Focus Entertainment), Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP), NIDUS (Caleb Wood), SLUDGE LIFE 2 (Terri Vellmann, DOSEONE / Devolver Digital)

Nuovo Award

1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor / Fellow Traveller)

Anthology of the Killer (Thecatamites, Tommy Tone, A. Degen / Thecatamites)

Cryptmaster (Paul Hart, Lee Williams, Akupara Games / Akupara Games)

Kevin (1997-2077) (Kevin Du)

Mediterranea Inferno (Lorenzo Redaelli/EYEGUYS / Santa Ragione)

NIDUS (Caleb Wood)

The Forest Cathedral (Wakefield Interactive, Brian Wilson / Whitethorn Games)

Honorable Mentions:  BlueSuburbia (alienmelon), goodbye.monster (Monster Team), In Stars and Time (insertdisc5 / Armor Games Inc.), Nour: Play With Your Food (Terrifying Jellyfish / PANIC), The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood (Deconstructeam / Devolver Digital)

Seumas McNally Grand Prize

1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor / Fellow Traveller)

A Highland Song (Inkle)

Anthology of the Killer (Thecatamites, Tommy Tone, A. Degen / Thecatamites)

COCOON (Geometric Interactive / Annapurna Interactive)

Mediterranea Inferno (Lorenzo Redaelli/EYEGUYS / Santa Ragione)

Venba (Visai Games)

Honorable Mentions: Chants of Sennaar (Rundisc / Focus Entertainment), Final Profit: A Shop RPG (Brent Arnold), Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP), In Stars and Time (insertdisc5 / Armor Games Inc.), Rhythm Doctor (7th Beat Games / 7th Beat Games, indienova), Tchia (Awaceb / Kepler Interactive), The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood (Deconstructeam / Devolver Digital)