#but you hadn't done ballet in years probably

[whereisthedamndaddymanual]

I make claims to 67, 107, 133.....and sometimes 30 and 56....even though I feel creepy with family.

[nestingtendencies]

Hello, my lovelies!

For some reason I don't post here often as just... me - the person behind NestingTendencies. I'm not quite sure why this is; I guess most of my crafting needs are catered to by Ravelry, as a platform. But I do realise that I have many, many wonderful followers, who have been regularly reblogging both the patterns that have piqued my interests and my own creations. And for that I am very grateful!

So I'd like to try and be a bit more social here; get to know you a little, learn what projects you're working on, and show you what's on my own hook!

First up is the Mariposa Sweater which has been the bane of my existence sole focus of my work since January!

You see, one of my new year's resolutions was to grow as a crafter beyond shawls, which are my specialty, and make sosme sweaters and jumpers! I've been having urges for those since last autumn and by now the craving cannot be ignored any longer.

So this is my first ever crocheted sweater, right? Do I bother with a gauge swatch?

No. Gauge swatches are for the weak.

Pretty soon I realise that my crochet is much, much tighter than the author's. Do I go back and try a size bigger? Do I increase the hook size to obtain the right gauge?

No. I decide that I know better, and I understand enough about how raglan works to just wing it. The joy of making a garment yourself is that you can make it fit your personal body contours perfectly, right?

So long story short, I am now on Mariposa the Second (First one is here) and I have frogged SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF ROWS (like, all of the yoke for example) - wait for it - upwards of 20 times. Yes, 20. Not an exaggeration. If I hadn't done that, I could have probably about 4 completed Mariposas by now.

But no. The Gods have cursed me with a perfectionist streak. So we live and we learn and we carry that burden with us.

The photos in this post are the latest of the most correct version of this top that I currently have. My New Hope. My baby. I'm going to be sharing more WIP photos in the future.

The only good news is that as soon as I figure this sweater out, I'm going to have meticulous notes, which will give me the exact stitch sounts for my measurements and unlock the door to other jumpers like this one, of which I want to make at least 3.

And then there are other sweater patterns. 74 of them currently in my library. At least a dozen literally burning a hole in my consciousness - I want to start them immediately right now yesterday!!! Look look!

Elara Pullover - This is want in gradient purples, like an autumnal sunset

Chevie Sweaer - This I want in greys and golden ochres. I love the stitch used.

Don't Scrap That Raglan - Aaaah, Moss Stitch my favouritest stitch ever and I've almost improvised a sweater like this before!

Cosmopolitan Sweater - This I want in solid teal. Alpine stitch could well become my new mistress. It's also probably THE sweater I should have started with as my first project...

Peony Tee - I am in love with the funky-coloured contrasting sleeves and the raglan concept

Bridgette Ballet Neck Pullover - Ballet necks are my weakess...

Cap Sleeve Top - This I had a little romance with before, oh, about 8 years ago and it was shaping up beautifully in navy - I have all the yarn that I need for it.

Isop Sweater - I really want to learn this fair isle technique of making yokes, because I saw this pornographically beautiful set of 2 knitted sweaters in just the perfect colours and I'd like to do equvalent crochet versions, no I'm not at all trying to run before I can walk, why you ask?

Many of them much easier than Mariposa. Many of them not so tailored to the figure.

But no. Mariposa.

I have been buying up yarn in bulk again. This is how I know I'm in trouble.

But what about you guys? Do you have a Nemesis Project that has been kicking your ass for ages? Do you get overly ambitious like me? Or do you make your gauge swatches and avoid pissing off the Gods of Yarn, like sensible people?

[novankenn]

J/C - the Idols of Beacon

--==(Table of Contents) ==--

(Chapter One - the Beginning) Jaune was a nervous wreck. His breathing rushed, and his heart crashing against his rib cage. He was convinced this was it. That his dreams would be shattered... but deep inside he knew it was his just reward for his actions. Images of what his family would do, and echoes of what they would say, caused Jaune's legs to start shaking.

Cardin glowered, he wasn't not the least bit impressed at being called out by Professor Goodwitch. So what. He picked on other students, he was a equal opportunist when it came to tormenting people. Male, female. Human, faunus. It's didn't matter to him. If you couldn't stand up for yourself, then why were you even training to face grimm.

Professor Goodwitch hadn't specified why she had sent Jaune and Cardin to the Headmaster, she just called them out at the beginning of combat class and ordered them to the Headmaster's Office. the man of the hour sat in his chair behind his desk, studying the two young men.

"Mr Winchester. Mr Arc. I has been brought to my attention that both of you have been acting in ways that contravene what is expected of a trainee huntsmen or huntress in attendance here at Beacon." Ozpin leaned forward, clasping his hands before him, "Do either of you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Defense for what?" Cardin snorted. "I've done..."

"Blackmail is a serious offense Mr Winchester... one that requires expulsion, not to mention the nearly endless complaints about your negative behavior and blatant harassment of other students."

"If they can't stand up for themselves, they they can't stand up for people when they are..."

"Interesting sentiment, Mr Winchester, but you have readily showcased your complete lack of regard to values that a huntsman or huntress should ascribe to."

"Whatever. Kick me out. I can..."

"No you can't. Once you are expelled, you will be blacklisted, and thereby unable to seek any training through one of the Academies, though it possibly wouldn't prevent you from finding a licensed huntsman or huntress who could take you on as an apprentice."

"You..."

"We can, Mr. Winchester, and we will." Ozpin stated flatly. "Now Mr Arc..."

"With your permission, I'll go and pack my things." Jaune offered, knowing full well he had no defense for his crimes.

"Unfortunately, Mr Arc... your actions while commendable for your intentions... however are far from legal. You I am afraid will be facing criminal charges."

"But... but..."

"You purposefully used falsified documentations to gain admittance to what legally is a governmental facility. That is a crime." Ozpin informed the completely panicked young man.

Ozpin regarded both young men before him with a practiced eye. Taking a sip from his mug, he prepared to give his counter offer to the young gentlemen.

"Beacon currently has a public relations issue that requires addressing. You will probably be unaware of it, but it is there and it needs to be rectified."

"What's this have to do with us." Cardin growled.

"I have done some digging into both of your backgrounds, much further and more in depth than what we traditionally do for applicants to the huntsmen and Huntress programs." Ozpin let his words sink in, before continuing. "Both of you have... skills and talents that would be perfectly suited to the task I have in mind."

"Skills? Talents?" Jaune looked at the Headmaster with pure confusion. "You already know I'm a fraud... I have no..."

"On the contrary Mr Arc, you do have training, just not in combat. Twelve years of ballet, classical and contemporary dance training to be specific."

"What does that...? I don't understand."

"As for you... Mr Winchester..." Cardin's smirk was erased as soon as Ozpin started speaking to him. "You have about eight years of dance training, some vocal coaching, and musical instruction... for what six years?"

"How?"

"I have my ways. Now to be honest I saw potential in both of you, which is why I was being lenient in regard to your behaviors and actions... however you pushed the boundaries too far with Professor Goodwitch, and as such you are now... my problem."

"So... so what's going to happen to me?"

"You Mr Arc will be give a change to stay, and avoid prosecution, however it will NOT be in the huntsman/huntress program."

"My team?"

"Unfortunately as of this moment both you and Mr Winchester are no longer team leaders, or even members of any team."

"You can't!" Cardin growled.

"I assure you I can, and have." Ozpin responded to Cardin's outburst with a flat voice and stern look. "So here is the offer, you will sign a contract with Beacon and join our Public Relations initiative, for a term of four years less the time you have already been enrolled as a students."

"And if we don't?"

"Yo, Mr Arc will face criminal prosecution, and Mr Winchester will be black listed and expelled." Ozpin picked up two almost book thick stacks of paper and placed one before each of them. "This is the agreement. Please read it. Ask questions if you have them. If you wish we can provide access to legal representation, and if you accep..."

"Do you have a pen?" Jaune asked.

"Aren't you even going to read it?" Cardin asked a little shocked at Jaune's rather uncharacteristic decisive action.

"Why? I agree or I possibly end up in jail. I'm too pretty to be in jail... I'd end up becoming someone's wife!" Jaune replied, before taking the pen Ozpin offered him.

"Please sign on the indicates lines on the first and last pages, and initial the bottom right hand corner of all other pages." Ozpin turned his gaze to Cardin. "So Mr Winchester will you at least consider the offer, or should I arrange for security to escort you and your possessions from Beacon's grounds?"

"This straight up coercion." Cardin commented as he idly flipped the pages of the document. "It's no better than blackmailing us. We either agree or we get punished... not much of a choice, especially for Jauney-boy."

"I don't care." Jaune countered, "It's like a plea deal. I do something for them, they do something for me, and if it keeps me from having forced prostate exams... all the better."

"Still..."

"You are correct Mr Winchester, this is very similar to, no it is exactly that... but it is also much like Mr Arc has described. It's a plea deal. You are admitting your mistakes, and we are taking the action NOT to punish you to full extent we are capable of."

"I'm still..."

"You can take some time to review the document... but I do need an answer before Friday."

"So two days?"

"Unfortunately, yes. With the Vytal festival being hosted by Vale, and the recent dust robberies... I have other constraints on my valuable time... your situation is not as pressing or as complex so... short deadline."

"Don't know why you're not signing." Jaune commented. "I mean it's not like they're going to more from us."

"Keep your advice to yourself Arc."

"Whatever."

"I can provide temporary lodgings for you while you consider your decision, Mr Winchester." Ozpin informed the burly young man.

"Fuck it. Give me that pen." Cardin scanned the documents sporadically as he went through the required actions. Once done he tossed the pen down on the desk and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Signed. Now what?"

[fiercedancers]

Thank god im not disgustingly flexible anymore honestly junior year felt like a curse bc I had no time to stretch but now I have like a perfect balance of strength and flexibility it's nice

[soloh]

All of the ask questions!

Ah geez, okay, thanks, I think haha

Going to hide this under a read-more because it's long

What’s the theme song to your life right now? Probably When by Dodie

What do you fear most at 3 A.M.? Never being truly happy

How do you show someone you love them without saying it? Gifts or acts of service

What does the moon mean to you? I'm sure this is supposed to elicit some kind of profound answer but all I can think of is "that's rough, buddy"

What did you want to be as a kid? And what do you think about that now? Dance teacher. I think I would still love to do that and I totally shot myself in the foot by quitting dance when I did because to be an RAD certified ballet teacher you have to have done your Intermediate ballet exam, which is the one I would have done the year I quit, if I hadn't quit

Why did you end up at your current job? Worked for a different brand of the group, applied for a promotion in the store I was in at the time, didn't get that one but my regional manager offered me two different promotions instead and said I had to choose one, and now here I am

What’s the last thing you do at the end of the world? Hold my boyfriend's hand, if I can

If you were someone’s D&D character, what class would you be? I'd like to be a warlock, but realistically I'd probably be a bard

Were you rebellious as a kid? Not particularly. I used to think I had a rebellious streak because I snuck out of my house at night a couple times when I was 17 to go see the boy I liked, but then I found out later that my mum would've just driven me if I'd told her where I was going, so that made me feel a lot less rebellious and a lot more silly

What’s one book or short story you read in school that’s stuck with you? Uh, I'm guessing Harry Potter is too much of a cop-out answer? So... maybe Inkheart.

If you could freeze the world in time, would you? Right now? No. As a general power? Yeah, probably. Mostly because I don't like making decisions on a time crunch so there are definitely moments I'd like to give myself an extra couple minutes to think about things.

What element do you like best? (do with this what you will) Air. Not for any profound reason, I just think being able to fly would be cool

If you could do anything without consequences, what would you do? Find a house somewhere that some investor is leaving empty to land-bank, claim it as my own and move in.

Where do you feel most at peace? Answered this earlier :)

Who do you love most? My boyfriend

Who were you two years ago? Someone who was keeping a horrible secret and letting it ruin her life

Who do you hope to be in two years time? Someone better

What do you think happens when you die? Realistically, probably nothing. I'd like to think there is some kind of nice afterlife though, or reincarnation would be cool if you get to choose (10/10 would be a cat, dog or eagle)

What’s something you used to love but don’t anymore? Trying to answer this without just copping out and saying "my exes" was tough. Playing cricket, I guess?

What’s something you used to love but can’t anymore? Writing poetry. I've struggled so much for inspiration over the last couple of years that trying to write frustrates me and then I get sad that I can't think of anything.

What kind of hero did you need as a kid? Someone willing to listen.

What kind of hero do you need now? The same.

What kind of villain are you in someone else’s story? I hate to think. I know I've hurt people, and a lot of the time it's been in response to them hurting me but that doesn't make it right. To a lot of people I'm probably the girl that got angry and bitter when she wasn't loved the way she wanted to be loved, even though those feelings were out of the control of the people she wanted to love her. Snarky, passive-aggressive and vindictive. I like to think I've grown out of that as much as possible.

Would you rather lead or follow? Depends on the situation, but generally, lead.

What kind of magic would you have - if you had magic? Ech, I don't know, something that gave me the power to heal, not hurt.

What gives you meaning? Wanting to know what happens next.

Does life have a purpose? Not intrinsically, but that doesn't mean you can't make up your own.

What colour is your soul? Red.

Would you like to dance? Always

Would you want to live through the end of the world? No

What’s the name you give your anxiety? Lil' bitch

Who lives in your dreams? Well that's awfully personal. But to answer without getting specific: everyone I have ever loved.

Does evil fear the sun or the moon? The sun. Evil hides in darkness.

What’s the natural state of the universe? I'm not even going to try to answer this, that's just asking for an existential crisis

Who do you wish you were? Someone who was better at throwing caution to the wind

[judgement-free-sideblog]

Dancing lessons

Barry Berkman x reader

Summary: Barry is finally cast in a feature, the problem? He said he could dance and now he can either disappoint Sally or found a way to learn some steps.

Warnings: Swearing, blood, violence, guns, cheating maybe.

Part 1 ● Part 2 ● Part 3 ● Part 4 ● Part 5 ● Part 6 ● Part 7 ● Part 8 ● Epilogue

Part 2

One week after the first time Barry meet Y/N he was nowhere near learning tango, let alone dancing on the level his stupid resume said he could, he only have ended with horrible pain on his knees, thighs and back. And he hasn't even practice dancing with music yet, apparently his instructor thought he first had to learn one basic step and repeat it a million times before he could start doing the "flashy and presumptuous" step, as she called them, that the director may want.

"You really don't have to worry" Sally said during breakfast, they have an agreement to spend the night at least twice a week in each other apartment but he could tell she rather if he stayed at hers since Jermaine and Nick didn't get along with her. "That girl you say is dancing with you, I just heard from Lindsay that she is totally sleeping with the director so probably the scene is an excuse to show her dancing talent and they will be focusing on her instead of you" She drank the rest of her orange juice and stood up quickly "God is so late" she checked her phone and gave him a kiss on the cheek before taking her purse and keys and rush to the door "I'll see you tonight ok? Good luck!"

"Bye, I love..." And then she was gone. "You" He finished his breakfast and took his own car to the studio where he had to finish filming his scenes.

"Barry you're here, excellent!" Andre said when he arrived, thankfully he was not the star of the film and he didn't have to listen the hundred of notes he had for the leads nor taking all the shit the PAs get from him. "Look" He said pointing at his tablet "Janice is on New York for three more weeks for a Ballet presentation, but she sent this to me, is the perfect choreography for the scene. What do you think?" He showed her a clip of Janice and some professional dancer with a song he didn't knew, probably in Spanish or Italian, dancing incredibly close, with several lifts and spins.

"Great" He said feeling dizzy "Flashy and presumptuous" He add really low.

"What was that?"

"Classy and marvelous, is a modern take on the Argentine style isn't?" He said repeating what Y/N had said to him the day before.

"I have no idea, but hey you are the expert" He gave him a pat on the back. "You can start rehearsing with Janice when she gets back" He didn't like that kind of touching, it reminded him of Fuches and make him feel uneasy.

"Sure, great, hey could you send me that video, you know to study her movements" he tried to sound casual and not frightened as he was.

"Yeah sure" he said and with a hand gesture urged him to move to the set where he got to start shooting.

The minute he was over he drove back to Y/N's studio and saw her giving her class to young girls all dressed as ballerinas, she was wearing a black seetrough dancing skirt over a leotard, and his eyes lingered on her legs a few seconds more than he should mesmerized as he was by the elegance she used to dance.

"Barry you are early" She saluted him with a smile, "Girls say hi to Mr. Block" she said at the mass of pink and white.

"Hi Mr. Block" They cheered.

"I'll be done in a few minutes but this really is a private rehearsal" She pat her lips with one finger thinking "Would you mind waiting upstairs? I mean I would hate for you to drive back home to come back in less than an hour, and the coffee place on this block sucks" She said and the girls start laughing "Don't tell your mothers" She quickly add.

"I don't want to be a burden"

"Oh nonsense, you are not, go upstairs, I have food on the fridge but I wouldn't recommend it since you are dancing later and the WiFi password is written next to the phone" She insisted and he finally accept.

The apartment was just a little bigger than the one he rented with Jermaine and had a nice walls on a blue shade that reminded him of the ocean. And a big window facing directly to the door, so the first thing you see when you entered were the rooftop of other buildings and the hills in the back.

He entered feeling himself as an intruder, but being honest that was a common feeling for him, even if he haven't break in any place in over a year, a very long year, and again the pain of thinking of Fuches maybe lurking around strike him in the chest.

He found a place to sit and after being 5 minutes in complete silence trying to not be alone with his thoughts he took out his laptop to watch the dance again. Next to the landline was a nice picture of Y/N on his wedding dress next to a man that must be her husband with golden letters and numbers written over: JPTLV150813.

Once he was connected he allow himself to look around, the living room was tastefully decorated and there were some framed paintings of wild flowers on the wall in purples and pinks. He glance at their dinner table in the other room next to her kitchen, and while he was still holding he picture his mind start wandering, maybe Sally would like to live with him in a place like that. Full of light and peaceful.

He picture himself waking every morning and walking towards the kitchen to make her breakfast, she getting out of the set exhausted, to get a glass of wine in the living room. Reading lines together in the couch, and falling asleep there watching a movie.

And then since he hadn't sleep wery well and Y/N couch was madly comfortable he fall asleep still holding the picture and suddenly Sally's face start fading away, and Y/N replaced her, in a blue version of the clothes she was wearing earlier, he saw himself dancing with her on the living room, a slow and romantic rhythm, and instead of her husband it was him smiling on the picture next to the phone. She would come upstairs tired from work and he would stop her at the door to give her a passionate kiss... then the sound of a gun going off came from the window and a blood stain start forming in her chest running and she collapsing on his arms, and then it was Sally lifeless body again who he was holding and she whispered before losing her breath You did this and fearful he looked at his own hand holding the gun...

"Barry?" Y/N's voice came from the door, and immediately woke up and shake those horrifying ideas from his mind.

"Here" He call from the couch and was careful enough to not look back and don't picture her covered in blood

"I'm so done, boy I'm glad you came upstairs, Amanda's mother is a pain in the ass, if she have seen you she would have called the cops or something" She said and sit in next of him, she was already wearing the heels she used to practice with him. "What you got there?" She said looking at the screen where the video of Janice was still on.

"Is the dance I'm supposed to do for the movie" He said glad to have something to said and he showed her the clip.

"Well... you are screwed" She said after it was finish and he gave her an imploring look. "I'm kidding, I mean is a monstrosity of showing off, and her technique is not perfect, but I'm pretty sure you can put together something, like Ed Sheeran on Thinking out loud". She said confidently.

"Who?" He asked with no idea of what she meant.

"He is a British singer, we are probably too old to know him, but couples come all the time trying to learn his routine for their wedding" She said, but his face was still puzzled "You are not very familiar with pop culture, for an actor living in L.A. I mean" She stood up and walked towards her kitchen "Do you want anything? I have wine, beer, orange juice?" She called from the other room.

"Beer is fine, and is because I only became an actor recently" He said with some embarrassment in his voice taking the bottleshe offered him "I used to amm... sell auto parts in Cleveland"

"Ohio, that's ... far" she said taking a sip of her drink.

"And before that I was a Marine" He add and she almost spit her beer but did her best to pass it down.

"Oh wow, that's unusual. I would definitely say thank you for your service, but I'm antiwar so what if I gave you a 10 percent off on the lessons and we call it even?" She grin at him

"Don't worry about that, I don't like to make a big deal about it anyway" He said sincerely "Also I'm pretty sure you are wasting your time with me"

"Don't be so harsh on yourself, here look" She took the laptop off his hands and found a video of a ginger man singing a cheezy song about eternal love "See he is not properly dancing, but he act like he is, so first you have to learn how to lead, come on take off your shoes"

"Take them off? Why?" He asked while she got rid off her heels and let her bare feet touch the wooden floor.

"Because, and I mean this with respect" She said standing and looking for a record to put in her old record player until she found one "You are huge, and I'm afraid you would step on me with those shoes" a slow rhythm start playing and he did what she asked and stood barefoot in front of her.

"That doesn't sound like the other songs" Although he like it.

"Because you have to learn to walk before you can run, now, put both of your hands on my hips" She said getting closer to him.

"Like this?" It was funny how without the heels she was way shorter and couldn't completely reach her neck so she settled for put both hands on his shoulders.

"Fine now listen to the music and move" She said moving her body rhythmically "There you go, now move me, lead, right or left, is your choice" She said letting him take small steps and occasionally looking down to watch his feet.

"This is not that bad actually" Barry was actually enjoying himself, then the music start going faster and she took his right hand on hers and pull away from him and he chose to ignore the feeling of lost that caused him.

"Now, the hand on my back has to be steady, and lead, we can spin" She said and taught him how "Or we can walk" She started walking back slowly letting him follow the steps at his own pace. "Is all about who is leading" She gave him a smile and they kept dancing until the music was ending and since he had confidence now he make her spin and catch her on his arm like Janice's partner did on the clip.

"Sorry I always wanted to try that" he said once she was standing next to him.

"It was great, you are getting it, now we can try to improve your actual steps, but we should go downstairs, my husband is about to comeback and he hates having music on when he is working" She put on her shoes again and walked out followed by Barry.

[aboutlouishofmann]

A Life Devoted To Music

[Original interview here which is already in English. I'm just testing. All images curtesy of cinema.de]

FRIDAY, 7/5/2019

A LIFE DEVOTED TO MUSIC

In PRÉLUDE Louis Hofmann plays a talented pianist.

Rising star Louis Hofmann has often been seen at FILMFEST MÜNCHEN — for example, in the tender coming-of-age drama CENTER OF MY WORLD. By now, Hofmann is well-known all over Germany thanks to the captivating mystery series DARK. This makes us all the more delighted that this up-and-coming actor is returning to Munich this year with not one, but two exciting films. In PRÉLUDE, he plays a talented musician who experiences the downside of being an artist; and he also has a role in THE WHITE CROW, about Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev. We met the amiable actor at the world premiere of PRÉLUDE and asked him about his own experiences as an artist and how life in the spotlight affects a person.

In PRÉLUDE, you play an aspiring pianist named David, a freshman at a conservatory who's under pressure from the beginning. What was it about this story that caught your interest?

In 2015, I was invited to a casting for PRÉLUDE. I think I'd read only a small blurb about it, but it won me over right away and I knew I absolutely had to play this part. I don't know whether I'd already seen WHIPLASH. I grew up around lots of music and have an affinity to it — and probably a fascination with sadness as well. I thought if the script fulfills the promise of that little blurb, I've got to be a part of things. Then I went to the first casting with director Sabrina Sarabi and we simply got along very well and I noticed that she does very fine work.

When did you finally shoot the film?

Two years ago. It was hard to get all the money that was necessary. It is just a small film, after all. I'm still glad that we made it even though we didn't have much money. Being so close on set was also great. On the first day of shooting, there were maybe 15 of us on the set. It took some getting used to, because I'd just come from DARK, where we'd had 100 to 150 people. That was our own little microcosm, and working with such a small team was something I enjoyed to the fullest.

Is that something you generally prefer: a smaller scale?

No. I just prefer good material.

What does good material consist of?

That's the question. There are only the standard responses: well-developed characters, a nice development of the role, a story that's exciting, not one that's narrated. David is somebody I can identify with to a good extent. He's sensitive. He has this great ambition that I carry within myself. When he does something, he jumps in wholeheartedly. That's also the approach I take to my own work. That's why I understood him right away.

You mentioned that music has always been very important to you. Do you play an instrument?

I played violin for a year, because my brother played violin. I stopped pretty soon after that. Then, at age eight or nine, I began to play the drums. I did that for eight years.

Do you still play?

I stopped when I moved from Cologne to Berlin. I didn't have a drum set there, nor did I have the infrastructure: a place to rehearse and so on. I didn't take it up again until this year. I rediscovered how awesome it is and how much I'd missed it — how I'd totally been caught up in the piano as well. I used to be able to play chords or three-finger accompaniment. Classical pieces, though, were pretty foreign to me. I somehow put in a lot of effort with a teacher, without being able to read music. We did it with videos. I think it helped me a little to be able to play the drums. But to learn a new instrument and suddenly understand how it works and to be familiar with the keyboard and to get into the groove when playing: that really did a lot for me. In addition, it was just extremely good preparation for the part. It made the character accessible to me, which is something I hadn't really expected.

How long did you practice?

After I got the role, we did two years of workshops. In the end, we had two-hour lessons, five days a week for three months, and then two to four more hours a day of practice.

That's a lot.

You're right. But it's great. At first it's so difficult. The first two weeks were so rough: you're really just searching for the notes; your fingers don't understand it all just yet. You feel like a dyslexic on the piano, just so amateurish. And suddenly after two or three weeks, your fingers start doing what they should. You follow the instrument, and it's simply awesome.

Are you still doing it?

Unfortunately not. No, because I can't read music and because I'd noticed that I get bored easily because I only ever play the same pieces. My roommates and I have a piano, and I play it sometimes, but not like before.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Mainly indie rock, indie pop, alternative. Sometimes soul classics, chansons, or jazz hip-hop.

Can you name two or three artists?

Two or three artists I can name... Somehow that's always pretty hard to do. Right now I'm really looking forward to the new Dope Lemon album that's coming out soon. As for indie pop, Bon Iver is one of my heroes. Parcels is great. I could go on forever. Music is a really important part of my life. I just immerse myself in it and discover new artists. It's a lot of fun.

There's this gotcha question that I once picked up from a job interview: If you were a song, what song would you be? That is, a song that describes you very well.

I have no idea. I think the songs we listen to speak to only part of ourselves. The first song I thought of is "8 (Circle)" by Bon Iver. But that's just my melancholy side. It wouldn't describe me completely, because I also have a non-melancholy side, a very happy side, that I wouldn't be doing justice to.

Now that you've had a brief look at the life of a musician, even indirectly, what would you say is similar to or different from the life of an actor?

The pressure is what they have in common. The expectations one has of oneself. The competition. Although I have to say we're a generation, I think, who fight more alongside each other than against each other. For a pianist, it's a more individual fight than for an actor, because as an actor you normally don't perform alone.

In the film, David has to put his personal life on the back burner in order to get somewhere as a musician. Since you said that you enjoy immersing yourself, to what extent do you find yourself having to put your personal life on the back burner?

Since the work always comes in phases, you only have to do that in phases. And then I do that. In recent years, I've also learned that you can't completely separate the two — that the project phases should intersect more with the phases of free time. I've always felt that I've completely forgone personal life while working, up until the end of shooting. At some point, I no longer thought that was a good thing. In this line of work, you have to watch out, otherwise you'll start thinking of the year only in terms of blocks of time. I've resolved to be aware of this for more than a whole year again. Theater actors can probably do that a lot better, because they have regular work. They're able to balance their personal lives and their work more easily. That's a small obstacle that a film actor has to overcome at some point.

Let's assume you have free time. What do you do to unwind after work?

I had a hard time of that in Berlin. But this year, I went back to some old hobbies, like the drums. Also skateboarding, climbing, bouldering, and so on, to find balance. It's just about doing something that no one judges and where there's no output. Where you're not forced to deliver output. Because all you do when playing is give, give, give. You learn something, too, of course, and it gives you something back. But it's very relaxing to just do something that no one is appraising.

And where you're not being watched.

That, too, yes.

How often does it happen nowadays that you're recognized out on the street?

Sometimes. Occasionally. There are days when nothing happens, and other days when it happens several times. It also depends on whether I'm in a bar or another place where people gather.

Imagine that for some reason you had to do something other than act.

What would I do?

Exactly.

Hm. That's difficult.

Did you always want to be an actor, or were there alternatives?

A soccer player, of course. I definitely wanted to be a soccer player. When I finished high school, I was also very interested in psychology — and art. But I don't believe that I'd study art or psychology, even though I was still saying that two or three years ago. I also have a lot of fun working behind the camera, and I've been a set manager for short films. I enjoy organizing a set in the extreme, because I also have experience in how these things work. I'd probably still prefer to stay in the world of film and then maybe try to develop material or help to see it realized.

So you could also imagine directing and scriptwriting?

Probably not scriptwriting. I'm more the kind of person who reads the script and says, "Oh, that's what happens. I think it'd be great if this and that also happened." I don't think I could write a story myself. I have a lot of respect for those who can.

What else are you up to next?

On Monday, we started filming the third season of DARK, so I'll just do that for now. That'll probably take another six months. After that, we'll be done. The series was planned as a trilogy from the beginning, so the story will conclude with the third season.

That's all from me. In closing, do you have any more comments you'd like to make about your film?

I think Sabrina is very talented, and I'm very proud of this film and hope that people will see it.

[lunaofthevalley]

Steadfast Tin Soldier.

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Plot: Inspired slightly by the Hans Christian Andersen Take of the same name, which for some reason reminded me of Bucky. Don't know if something like this has been done before so? Hope you guys like it.

Bucky grew up hearing the tales of Hans Christian Andersen. His younger sisters adored the stories, and his Ma adored telling them. She would somehow rope Bucky into sitting through them as she would tell them to the girls to get them to fall asleep.

If you asked, he could probably recite every single one by memory, or tell it to his best ability. He'd heard every single one, The Little Mermaid, The Snow queen, Thumbelina, The Ugly Duckling, etc. But there was always one that stood out to him for some reason.

The Steadfast Tin Soldier.

He didn't know what was so special about it at the time, why it stuck with him. He wasn't a soldier, nor was he missing a limb. He didn't have his ballerina, and much less an evil possessed Jack-in-the-box having it out for him.

And even years later, before he was shipped off to war, he remembered the story. He was a charming man, and in every girl he dated or wooed, he looked to see if she could be his ballerina, but none ever came to par. They lacked something.

When he actually became a soldier, he remembered the story, which he now used more or less like a metaphor. Bucky was the soldier, except he wasn't missing a leg, Thank God. And his Ma, his sisters, and even Steve to a certain point were his Ballerina, while the Nazis were the Jack-in-the-box. And while in the story the Steadfast Tin Soldier made it back to his ballerina safely, this soldier didn't.

After years of torture, confusion, and forgetting, the story made its way back into Bucky's memory. It took 75 years, give or take, but when he remembered it, it was as if he'd never forgotten it.

It happened when he was in the compound. After Shuri had managed to wipe his mind free of hydra and having stayed in Wakanda for a few months, Bucky decided it was time to head back. He knew before getting back to the compound that it wouldn't be as he left it. In a place as busy as that, things were bound to change, nothing drastic, but change all the same.

But he sure as hell didn't expect you.

The moment he laid eyes on you was the moment he remembered the story. The way you looked was the same way he always imagined the Ballerina in the story looking. Sure the ballerina was described as being made of paper, but Bucky always imagined her as much more than that. And now he was seeing her in the flesh. Not literally, but figuratively.

You were Bruce's new assistant, hired shortly after he'd left for Wakanda. You were younger than he was, obviously. You were around 27, while he in physical appearance appeared to be 32. You had lovely Y/E/C eyes, and your H/C hair was like silk flowing in the wind, and Y/S/C skin looked like the softest thing to touch, dotted around with little moles here and there which reminded Bucky of the Stars.

Bucky had found his Ballerina after all. He thanked god he could now get the mental image of pre-serum Steve being his metaphorical ballerina out of his head.

Sure it had taken a horrible 75 years, a world war, HYDRA and countless other things before he found you, but truth is Bucky had never felt more like the Steadfast Tin Soldier than he did now.

He was a soldier, he was missing a limb, he has his Jack-in-the-box, which would be HYDRA, he'd gone through a great journey and now after all that he'd met his Ballerina. Y/N Y/L/N.

Now all he had to do was win you over.

As time passed he got to know you. At first it was through small talks you two would have here and there, then small talks progressed to talks and talks progressed into full on hour long conversations. He'd gotten to know plenty about you. Your favorite color, food, movie, season etc. But his favorite fact about you was that apart from being a certified genius, you had also trained as a dancer growing up, mostly in ballet.

Life was a funny thing.

As life progressed in the compound, so did the sexual tension between you and Bucky, as well as the irritation of the other team members, knowing that you two still hadn't even acknowledged the feelings you held for each other. Which is why they decided to do something about it.

"Can someone explain why I'm here please?" Bruce asked, "I'm pretty sure I've got more important business than whatever this is."

"Ah actually this involves you so you are needed here," Tony replied, "well actually it involves your lovely assistant miss Y/N."

Bruce looked around the room before his eyes landed on Tony again, "What about Y/N? Has she done something wrong?"

"It's more like what she hasn't done, she-"

Natasha cut Tony off, "What Tony means is, we've all noticed the growing sexual tension between her and Barnes, yet neither have done anything about it and it's killing them and all of us, surely you've noticed?"

Bruce nodded, "I have actually noticed, but I tend not to meddle in things that I'm not actually involved in."

"But we are all team members, therefor we should all help each other out, including Lady Y/N and the metal handed man." Thor reasoned.

"I can't believe you're all doing this, even you Steve."

Steve sighed, "I'm not overly pleased with the idea, but I know the outcome will be good for Bucky and for Y/N, I have all their best interests at heart."

"We all do." Wanda added.

"Fine. Okay. What's the plan then?"

"That's kind of why we're here Mr. Banner, to brainstorm."

"Seriously, even the kid is here, no offense Peter."

"Non taken Mr. Banner."

"What can I say Bruce, all hands on deck are needed. Even the frail ones of the Spiderling." Tony then clapped his hands before continuing. "Alrighty then if were gonna do this, we need to do something that they won't forget. Something big. Hmmm how about a party?"

"Only Tony Stank could make this end up in a party."

"Shut up Rhodes. Just think about it. It would give us an excuse to be there and make sure everything goes to plan. It would be public enough yet private enough, and think about it, the 'make them dance together' trope always seems to work in movies." Tony explained.

"I hate to say it but I kinda agree with stark." Sam spoke up

"Kinda?"

"Don't push it, Stank."

"I agree too. It's kind of perfect actually." Natasha reasoned. "There would be enough people there that they wouldn't be the center of attention, it also gives them a reason to dress up and impress the other, like Tony said, we can make them dance together, and we can also get them a bit tipsy, which would help in making them confess their feelings."

"Hmm we could also make it themed." Clint spoke for the first time.

"Like what?" Asked Vision, "If I'm not mistaken all important and big holidays have past."

"What about a costume party?" All eyes were suddenly on Peter, no one said anything so Peter took it as his chance to elaborate. "Well we are in mid-October so it wouldn't seem too out of place, which would also be perfect for making them 'accidentally' dress up in a couples costume."

"Genius. Pure genius. Kid your a genius. How didn't I think of it."

"You're not as smart as you think Stark, age is catching up on your brain." Clint laughed.

"Shut up Legolas"

"Now the question is, what costumes do we get them?" Steve asked.

Everyone thought in silence before Thor spoke up.

"What about that cat Lady and bat Boy."

"You mean Batman and Cat Woman? Nah that's overrated." Sam reasoned. "How about Mario and Princess Peach?"

"As much as I would love to see Barnes dressed up as Mario, I'm not sure he'll agree to that costume. We need to think of something more original, something that might not seem like a couple costume at first but when it's brought together it fits perfectly." Tony stated.

Wanda who had been quiet for most of the meeting finally spoke up. "I was talking to Barnes the other day, and he told me a story, about a soldier and a ballerina."

Steve perked up at this. "You mean the Steadfast Tin Soldier. Bucky used to talk about that story all the time back in the 40's"

"Isn't that the one about the toy soldier that's missing a leg and falls in love with a paper ballerina?" Peter asked.

"Yea it is," Steve replied, "Bucky used to hear it all the time, his sisters loved the stories by the same author that wrote the Steadfast Tin Soldier, but for some reason that one stuck with Bucky."

"Huh, that's funny." Laughed Bruce

Tony turned to look at Bruce, "What's funny? Please enlighten us."

"Well, uh, growing up Y/N took dance lessons, contemporary, tap, lyrical, all the sort, but what she liked the most and dedicated her time to the most was Ballet." Bruce explained.

Everyone stared at him as if he had grown to heads. They were all too stunned by what they had just discovered.

"So let me get this straight," Said Tony, "you're telling me we have Barnes, a soldier who happens to be missing a limb, and Y/N, who so just happens to be a Ballerina?"

"Well she's not technically a ballerina but-"

"Shut up Bruce don't ruin this." Tony interrupted.

"Well if all of you are alright with it, I think we found the solution to our costume problem." Natasha spoke.

"Well then Avengers it seems we have a party to plan, and to reunite a certain Soldier and a certain Ballerina"

Part 2??

Feel free to send in requests, I'm on a writing high at the moment and I also have the time.