#for the record i also wasn't talking about hudson

[time-like-tears-in-rain]

"hey remember when the two most attractive marines in Aliens played vampires?"

"Hicks was in Near Dark?"

"..........no, he wasn't..."

[cherrylng]

Muse Relay Interview - Part 2 - Matt Bellamy [INROCK (November 2012)]

L→R: Dominic Howard (dr.), Matthew Bellamy (vo./g.), Chris Wolstenholme (b.)

Muse's latest album ‘The 2nd Law’ has been released!

Relay interview No.2 / Matthew Bellamy.

"‘Follow Me’ is a song about becoming a father, and the heartbeat at the beginning is my son's, recorded just before he was born."

Matthew Bellamy/Muse INTERVIEW: P.G. BRUNELLI/INROCK

A phenomenal band that sells out stadiums when they play, and sells millions of albums worldwide when they release them. Yet Muse remains the same Muse. In other words, they are a perfectly ordinary trio with no ego whatsoever. They are three ordinary people, intoxicated by their own world, making a magnificent album without any restraint, and yet it is amazing that it is so easily accepted without being obnoxious, and they have been highly acclaimed for a long time. Matthew Bellamy ended his multi-year relationship with Italian woman Gaia Polloni and is currently engaged to actress Kate Hudson, five years after divorcing Chris Robinson (vocalist for the Black Crowes), and just last year they had a baby. However, despite moving to Los Angeles and having an actress for a wife, he seems to be living the same low-profile life as before, avoiding the public eye. Conversely, the band's sixth album in total, ‘The 2nd Law’, has attracted considerable attention even before its release. Personally, I imagined that the main sound would be orchestral, horn section, electronica, etc., but in fact, it is more like Muse as it is as a band, with a different mentality, and of course the sounds mentioned above are there, but they are not pushed strongly to the forefront. When I arrived at the interview venue, Matthew had already arrived and was sitting on the sofa talking to someone on the phone. I have met him many times before and we have exchanged a few words in Italian, so when he saw me he immediately smiled and welcomed me.

In an interview with the NME in March, you said that you were "saying goodbye to the political and religious songs from the last three albums (“The Resistance”, “Absolution”, and “Black Holes and Revelations”) and that the new album will be a new chapter and sing more personal songs". I actually watched the preview video for the new album posted on your website (with the opening part of "The 2nd Law: Unsustainable" playing in the background) and it seems to be connected to the previous three albums and sends a pretty strong message, doesn't it? I didn't detect any personal element, as you said in the interview, but if it's really personal, why are you promoting the album in a way that confuses the listener? Matthew Bellamy (vo./keys./g.): Of course there is a lot of personal stuff on this album. “The Resistance”, “Absolution” and “Black Holes and Revelations” were albums where we were on a journey away from the personal for a long time, so it's a big change in that respect. I'm still interested in politics, but there's definitely an added personal dimension that wasn't there on the last three albums. For example, “Madness”, “Big Freeze” and “Follow Me” are all about love and stuff. But even if they're about that, there's a message or some political meaning in them. There are also a few new challenges on this album. The songwriting process is one of those things, where we'll write a song as usual and then record it in a completely different way to give it a completely different finish. When we first wrote “Follow Me”, it was a pretty normal song, but then we decided to go completely electronic and swapped all the instrumentation for synthesisers. That was a big challenge. And then, on the other hand, the first and second part of “The 2nd Law” started out with a very creative electronic sound, but later we replaced it with real instruments. “Madness” was another normal song that was very much us, but we cut a lot of it out in the recording and it's a lot simpler than people would have expected. There's a couple of songs where we've done that and given it a new sound, and there's a couple of songs where Chris [Wolstenholme, b.] is on vocals for the first time, so we're breaking the pattern, but overall, well, it's the same band.

Matthew and his partner, actress Kate Hudson, attend the opening ceremony of the 69th Venice International Film Festival in Venice, Italy, on 29th August. PHOTO BY PASCAL LE SEGRETAIN/Getty Images

"The song “Explorers” is quite pessimistic, it's about energy dependence from a child's point of view."

The title track “The 2nd Law” is divided into two parts, one loud and aggressive, the other quieter and more pleasant (PG note: both tracks are instrumental), but other than the fact that they share the same title, what is the connection between the two tracks? Matthew: (laughs). They were both written with the concept of the album in mind. It's not a concept album or anything, it's just one of the themes of the album that I've seen in the news about the world economic crisis and the banking crisis in Europe, but it's kind of getting boring because it's always the same story over and over again. So I started to take it a step further and look at the world behind the scenes. I became interested in energy and how energy works. According to the second law of thermodynamics, the energy in our bodies, the energy of the earth, the energy of the sun and the energy of other planets is constantly decreasing, and the available energy of the universe itself is decreasing, and when I thought about this, I began to think that our human existence in the universe is incredibly unique. Everything we do seems to go against the second law. From the way we live to the way we evolve. We exist in a very isolated system. The planet Earth is completely isolated and its energy is constantly diminishing. And yet we keep fighting against it, we're constantly expanding and contracting. That's why I started to get interested in that, and that's why I wrote metaphoric songs like “Big Freeze”, and maybe in “Madness”, which I was talking about earlier, there's a song about that in relation to love. Going back to your question, musically part one and part two represent, as I said, expansion, and then the collapse that awaits. It's about the chaos that surrounds you and it's expanding and expanding and exploding and then finally it all collapses, and that's what the song is about. In part two, I wanted to express how far away from Earth we are, disappearing into the distance. It's only when we're out in space that we realise how isolated we are. Part one is about the chaos on Earth and part two is about the pure, peaceful feeling of leaving it. Sound-wise, it's a contrast, so there's no connection between the two, except for the part where we're reading the newspaper articles.

So it's not personal, not at all… Matthew: No, no, like I said, “Madness” is, and “Follow Me” is about becoming a father. By the way, the heartbeat at the beginning is my son's. I recorded it just before he was born. Anyway, I wanted to write a song about my son. The first time I heard my baby's heartbeat in the belly was quite a shock. It was an amazing experience and crazy at the same time. So a few months after my son was born, I went into the studio and started recording. I even wrote a little orchestral part to go with the song. Anyway, the song is about the feelings of wanting to protect that incredibly small and delicate baby for the first two weeks or so. And “Madness” and “Big Freeze” are about love and the conflicts within it.

Speaking of conflicts in relationships, you've broken up with Gaia, but you've been with her for a long time and you speak a lot of Italian now? Matthew: A little bit. I should really be able to speak more.

In an interview with the NME, you said something like, “I want to draw a line with the past…” Matthew: That comment was Chris, not me. But I'm sure that's what he meant… Well, our contract with Warner expires with this sixth album, and maybe because of that, I don't think we've yet established a completely new sound. We tried our best to create a new sound, but we can't help but link it to the past. We're doing things that are completely different from our past work, but I think we still need to change. To be honest, I really have no idea where the hell we're going to go from here.

I don't quite understand, does it matter to the band's sound whether you're signed to a label or not? Matthew: No, it doesn't. But I think we were aware of it somewhere in our heads. Also, I was thinking about the fact that we're going to have a lot more options now that we're not signed to a label, and we can do music in a completely different way. Every band makes six albums and then they go in a new direction, and I think there are some songs on this album that point in the direction we want to go in the future.

“Having a kid has given me more of a desire to be optimistic, but fundamentally I still see the world the same way I always have.”

I read an article about David Campbell on this album and how his presence is a big part of the difference between this album and your previous albums, so I thought it was going to be mainly orchestral, but apart from the instrumental ‘Prelude’, you don't use that much, do you? Matthew: Yeah, the NME did a couple of misleading things in their article about that. Firstly, there's only a few orchestral parts, and secondly, I wrote all the orchestral parts and arrangements. David just conducted, he didn't write any of it. He's a great conductor and he's known for finding the finest musicians, so that's why we chose him. He's got a big connection with the NME (for being Beck's father), so I think people got excited and made up their own minds about what was and wasn't going to be in the article.

Can you pick a random song and talk about what it's about? Matthew: On “Animals” I wanted to do some more clever guitar playing. It's a more subtle, simple way of playing without feeling like it's overdone.

This is the most political song on the album, and it seems to be addressed to a certain kind of people? It's kind of linked to your previous albums, like “Uprising”, for example. Matthew: No, not really. It's true that we're singing to the same people, though. It's about banks treating everything like gambling and pushing the country towards bankruptcy. It's like “Uprising”, but more subtle. It's the first song I've done in five-quarter time, and it's a different tempo to anything else I've ever written.

There's a Black Sabbath vibe to “Supremacy”, but at the same time there are strings, which are really cool. Matthew: I think there's a bit of an Ennio Morricone vibe to this song. The strings were inspired by movie soundtracks. It's probably the most dynamic song on the album. It's got some pretty crazy vocal parts. Especially the screaming part in the chorus. I've never done a rock scream before, but it would be fun to do it live.

There's a lyric in this song that says they're “brainwashing our children”… Matthew: (laughs). I don't think it's possible to explain the lyrics of this song. It's really weird and crazy. The reason why we put it as the first song is because it has a unique atmosphere and a strong personality. It's like a crazy science fiction film. Then it flows into “Madness” which is a very personal song for me. No, it's really hard to explain this song, but I'll give it a try (laughs). Let's see… Well… I guess in my imagination I'm in some strange war somewhere, and I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that both of my grandfathers fought in World War I and World War II. One of them was shot in the eye in the First World War and the other one was badly injured in the Second World War. So I started to imagine that history, or those scenes from that time, and try to write a song about it. My uncle was killed by the IRA in Ireland, and I feel like my family's involvement with the military has a big influence on me. To be honest, I don't know how my grandfathers' past suddenly came to mind and became a song. Another important song is called “Explorers”, which is one of the more pessimistic songs on the album. It's about energy dependence, and it's sung from the perspective of a child who, as they grow into adulthood, suddenly realises that there's nothing left for them to use. The land has already been taken by someone else. I think that's very scary for young people today. And the big international oil companies, like BP, own a lot of land in Nigeria and South America. So from a child's point of view, “Where are we going, what are we going to do? We don't have jobs, we don't have land, we don't have houses. Everything has already been taken.” It's the most pessimistic thing on the album.

How has becoming a father changed your view of the world? Has the birth of your son made you more optimistic? Or, on the other hand, do you think it has made you more pessimistic, more worried about what he will be like when he grows up? Matthew: I'm more optimistic, but basically my view of the world hasn't changed. I still care about the same things, I still worry about the same things. No, more so now that I have a child. When you have children, you start to think more about nature. About the destruction of nature, how nature is disappearing. Anyway, my views haven't changed, but I'm more sensitive. The resources we use are not infinite and we need to find ways to conserve them.

Speaking of which, I hear your custom-made guitars are now available to the public? Matthew: Yeah, it's something I started with Nick Manson. He's the guitar maker who built my guitars and he also built my first custom-made guitar, which we designed together. He's also from South Devon, like me, by the way. I heard that for years our fans have been sending him requests to have the same guitar made, so I thought it was a great idea.

How are sales going? Matthew: I think we've sold about a hundred… No, I think it was more. It's not a huge success financially, but we must be making a bit of money. It's a very unique design, so it's not for everyone. It's kind of for the hardcore Muse fans.

Translator's Note: I finally got around to scanning and translating the second part of the relay, especially once I got the December 2012 issue of INROCK to complete the trio interview.

Also, for some reason, the journalist PG Brunelli referred to Kate Hudson here as Matt's wife. Which... wasn't really correct since even back then, they were never married. So I corrected and referred to Kate as Matt's partner instead.

Please do support me via my ko-fi! ☕

[localwebslingers]

@hecrtswish asked: * do you ever think before you speak? you should try it. (Thranduil)

------

"You are not the first, and probably far from the last, person to ask me that question. And for the record the answer is no, not really, kinda just comes spilling out when I think of it. Though I gotta admit, this is all pretty new to me and I promise, also a complete accident."

Peter was really starting to not like magic. The spell back in the other world with Peter 1 was supposed to send him home. Something obviously went wrong with that because instead of skyscrapers and concrete, Peter found himself falling through a bunch of tree branches and landing in a river that was both smaller and cleaner than the Hudson. That could have been fine, if it had just made him land upstate instead, but the forest looked nothing like any he'd even seen pictures of, not for the state of New York, his spider-sense was a buzzing mess if he wandered too far off the barely noticable path, and now there were elves.

The last time he saw elves, it was during a convention going on and the time before that it was Halloween. But nope, there were real, honest to god elves in this place. He'd been wherever here was for a couple of days now, and apparently in that time had caused a mild headache to the elves by basically knowing whenever they were coming and being able to dodge them. Easily, every time, because arrows did not get along with spider senses. Apparently, he wasn't supposed to be able to do that. Hence...this guy. Going by the headpiece, obviously the guy in charge, and their conversation had been...

Well Peter was doing what he always did best when he was confused, stressed, or trying to make sense of things. Talking, a lot, which didn't seem appreciated, "Quick question of my own...you wouldn't happen to have anyone around here that can wave their hands and open a spinning golden portal thing, or know anything about the multiverse by chance, would you?"

Probably not but hey, it didn't hurt to ask.

[thursdaygrl]

River was no Olivia Pope, but they could handle a crisis. They were good at keeping the raging waves of worry at bay and locked under the surface, even when there were a million things to handle, as there often were with Naomi's campaign. Their face was often a calm ocean, unless they didn't want it to be. She'd learned that skill young, but perfected it just in time for Naomi to scoop her up practically fresh out of college. She was so hungry for it, practically ravenous and so caught up in her deep belief in her. They still felt it, even now, but sometimes they felt the need to tuck away whatever feelings came out around her until moments alone, where she could be vulnerable and pretend it was all part of the act. If she said something truthful with her hand wrapped around Naomi's neck, they never had to talk about it. However dangerous it had been for them to do, it had also provided a safety, somewhere to let it all out and be their most perverse and true selves. And now Mr. Hale was going to steal it all away with a thirty second video shot on an iPhone. River glanced at Naomi, seeing how she pulled herself together in record time. Such a politician, the way she immediately began to reason with him with raised palms, like she was trying to talk down someone with a gun. Hell, she supposed it may as well have been one. It felt like imminent death, like the walls were closing in as River glanced between Naomi and Hudson. She stepped forward, seeing if he'd hesitate but she didn't push forward. He seemed a lot more focused on her blonde counterpart. Good. River slinked back as she continued to try reasoning with him, sliding around the edge of the room in order to get behind him.

"I don't want anything from a godless whore like you except to make certain you don't get another minute sharing your radical left sex fiend crap." They took the opportunity to push the door shut with their hip now, locking it too with their hand as they leaned against it. Hudson turned around, holding the camera at her as they scowled. "What do you think you're doing, huh? You may have control over your boss, but I'm a real man. You think you're intimidating, sweetheart?" He teased and they took a step forward. It was foolish, to advance on him, but they were shellshocked and angry, wanting to wring his neck for talking to Naomi that way. Men like him were the problem, not the two of them. And if he wasn't going to see reason, River would have to find another way. "Look, Hudson, you're not leaving this fucking room until I get that phone." She replied, seething with a very clear hatred. Hudson took a step back, laughing now as he turned to Naomi. "Where'd you even find this one, hm? Sounds like she's —" River's mind went blank, their body moving before their brain did as they surged forward, body checking Hudson as hard as they could. They were stronger than they looked and he was ganglier, but she couldn't have foreseen him actually losing his footing, his head smacking hard on a heavy statue on the desk before his body clattered to the floor, his phone flying out towards their feet.

Jealousy wasn’t something Naomi had ever learned how to deal with. Usually, she didn’t care about the people she fucked enough to feel it, and there was no such thing as a category of people she dated. So, during her life, it’d served her more like a tool—an ugly, metaphorical alarm that warned her when it was time to run, because possessiveness wasn’t a part of the deal she offered when she decided to welcome someone into her bed. It was different with River, though; jealousy looked incredible on her. The blonde could see it as clear as day when their eyes hardened and the polite smile they had to keep on got just a little bit poisonous, and whenever it happened, she just knew they’d be fucking her especially hard that night. So, yeah, the brunette’s theory was more than accurate. Naomi would be more than happy to flirt with a bunch of decrepit, boring investors if it meant that she’d end up like this, nodding at the other’s words, all glassy-eyed as her fingers went deeper into her mouth. “You’re right,” she agreed after taking a deep breath as soon as their digits abandoned her lips. “I adore it when you get like this.” Their lips crashed against hers then, silencing a moan that would’ve spilled otherwise. It was frenzied and messy, but not nearly enough to keep the blonde from pushing impatiently against her body, earning another slap that left her skin burning. Riv moved then, fast, way quicker than what Naomi could process. “What’s wrong?” She was still dazed as she turned back, but it was useless. A fraction of a second later, she understood that it was already too late. It didn’t matter that her dress was back in place or that they had noticed the presence of the outsider before things got even more heated. Because the phone camera was on and the threat was real, turning her blood into ice. “You don’t have to do this.” Naomi raised her palms slowly, trying to turn the massacre of their careers into a fucking negotiation. Even now, with her hair a mess, her eyes hooded, and her lips swollen from kissing, she tried to think fast. “Stop recording; let’s talk.” And if her face wasn’t red before, it certainly was as the man laughed condescendingly. “I don’t think so, Nay. In fact, I think I’ll go out right now and show everyone how their favorite candidate gets off on sucking her publicist’s fingers.” Hudson took a step closer, and then another two. “Tell me, does your entire team pull at your hair and spank you too? ‘Cause that would finally explain your approval rating.” Trying to hide her panic, she looked at Riv then, hoping she’d get some courage out of sharing a look with them. “You could’ve done that already, and you didn't... So maybe there’s something you want that we could get you, right? Why don’t we close the door and you name your price, yeah? Money, a good position, some big favor?” Her lips were tightly pressed into a smile, as if this wasn’t a desperate attempt to use the last card she had under her sleeve.

[just-a-poor-boy-queen]

Freddie Mercury: The Final Act

Some highlights.

Kash said Freddie denied that he had AIDS. She said her mum called her up and said, "call your brother, he is very ill." Kash did, and asked, "it's not AIDS is it," and he denied it.

Roger called him his best friend 2 minutes into the show.

Brian acknowledged Freddie's struggle with sexuality.

"What I am is all in the songs." - David Wigg about Freddie.

God, the white house coverage of AIDS is soooo infuriating.

Brian and Roger talking about IWTBF video and America's response was funny lmao.

Brian acknowledged that Freddie was gay yayayy. He quoted the daffodil interview and said, "that's not a man denying his sexuality."

Phoebe said Rock Hudson's death made Freddie realise that "I won't get it" attitude is not true.

Anita said of the Kensington Roof Party, "Come and meet my Jim." She said Freddie was very proud of Jim😭😭

Kash talked about Jim. "It was decided that Jim would be introduced as the gardener, but I wondered that he must be a very good gardener because he is always there. Then I put two and two together."😭😭😭

Freddie revealed to David Wigg after the Ibiza '87 that he had AIDS. He said "I'm going to fight it, there will be a cure."😭

God I fucking hate Margaret Thatcher.

The band didn't know about Freddie's diagnosis while they were recording The Miracle.

He told them in Montreux. But they had already guessed.

They agreed to deny everything about his diagnosis and lie through their teeth to protect Freddie.

He told Kash that he had an incurable blood disease. She said, "it's not AIDS is it?" He denied but she knew.

Freddie asked Kash, "I was handsome, wasn't I?" while watching his old videos. She said that was hopeful but sad. She believes that her brother very handsome.

Brian never told Freddie that TSMGO was written about him, but it was understood.

People who had not seen Freddie for a while were visibly shocked on set of These Are The Days on seeing him.

"When I can't sing anymore I'll die." - Freddie once told Anita.

The doc also has other people talking about their diagnosis/people they knew who died of aids. It was very emotional.

Roger tried to run over a reporter once and failed.

Bomi couldn't see him because he looked like a skeleton. He said, "this should've been me instead of Freddie," while reading a newspaper and crying.

John, Brian and Roger stayed at Roger's house all night after Freddie died. When they saw the news, Freddie's death finally sunk in.

Anita said Jim didn't want any limelight so he withdrew.

Roger singled out The Sun and said they were very shitty.

Roger got fixated on the tribute concert and wanted to give Freddie "one hell of a send off," and at the same time raise awareness for AIDS.

The first person to be called was Elton for the concert.

George really wanted to sing Somebody to Love. His cousin that was reflective of his personal life. He was the only one who rehearsed it for days.

Anita said the concert was like a catharsis for the boys.

Elton was very sombre during the rehearsals.

The band didn't know if Axl would turn up at the concert because he never came to the rehearsals.

Brian said that it was difficult to do the concert because they were raising awareness but it was very hard to do it without Freddie.

A treat for George fans as well because the doc talks about his life and relationships a bit as well.

Damn, that intro to StL, George🥺

Brian said Liza was very emotional about the performance. She loved Freddie a lot.

The end killed me. They cut from Liza's We Are The Champions to the band recording the song in 1977. The last note was by Freddie during the Magic Tour.

Kash sings a bit of The Winter's Tale at the end😭😭😭😭

I am crying. This was a very good documentary. 1000/10 recommend.

[nakababakla]

@mr-nauseam thanks for tagging me!

Rules (kinda): Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Send me an ask with the title that most intrigues you and interests you and I’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it!

Stories:

Due Debts, Enduring Deaths

Poems:

Di Pala Malamig (But It Wasn't Cold)

i got inspired by @mr-nauseam to write something about sherlock holmes in my own language

Again!

In The Dark There Is No Need Of Shadow

i almost always make up my titles before writing the thing. this is one of the titles i'm proud of

One-shots?:

Metaphorical Gladstone

Why Did You Die?

Lastly,

Two Rooms for Three

this is the draft that i hurt my wrists editing. this is also the modern!Holmes fic, so I'll elaborate on it as per @mr-nauseam 's request.

Mary rolled down our windows. "Ahh! Finally out of London."

"The fresh air is intoxicating," I cried.

"Look at the beautiful countryside and all the little houses," said Mary.

"All I see in these lonely homes are the vile crimes committed in them," said Holmes.

Mary sighed. She muttered something unintelligible.

Holmes began to declaim, "You look at these scattered houses with adoration, I look at them and I think of their isolation and the impunity with which crime may be committed there. I assure you that the smiling countryside presents a more dreadful record of sin than the lowest and vilest alleys in London."

Mary shook her head and shot me a cheeky grin.

"Why, Holmes?" I asked. Mary raised an eyebrow at me, as if to say, Why are you accommodating them?

"In the city, the pressure of public opinion can do what the law cannot. But in the country—think of the deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, year in, year out, in such places, and no one would ever know. It's the five miles of country that makes the danger."

"You horrify me," I told Holmes.

Mary quipped, "John's on my side then." I think Holmes smiled.

"No," I said, "I agree with Holmes, but I'd rather we not talk about it. Not when it's Ms. Violet that might be the victim of said countryside cruelty."

This fic is a Frankenstein of bits and pieces of everything I love: maryshwatsonlock, Old Russian Holmes' STUD, canon COPP, Mrs. Hudson, Violet Hunter, rom-com carnival date, accidental sexual innuendo, drunk Watson, badass Mary, the handholding scene in SIGN, holmes' non binary awakening, i even snuck in my hobbies somewhere there.

@lovemeinthatuniverse i know you're multi-fandom and SH isn't your fixation now but i am also interested in your non-SH wips, if you have any :D

[guigz1-coldwar]

'Burning wounds' : New chapter for "Redemption in a Spirit in a Cold War" is out !

"Burning wounds"

Chapter Summary : Yirina come back to the safehouse with Park who has her arm burned....

To read it on AO3, click here !

Words : +3400

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We quickly left the apartment used by the Perseus Collective before the police or even some reinforcements from Perseus himself arrive to arrest us or kill us in here and that wasn't an option at all for us. Park was badly hurt at her left arm because of the guy that surprised her by throwing to her an very hot pan with water in it but hopefully, Garrett reacted quickly and knocked this guy out for good before we managed to leave the place behind us with me having the files I found on that table in my jacket, holding Park while Garrett took the guy with him too to interrogate him.

Right now, we needed to get back to the safehouse quickly because of Park's left arm burning. It wasn't so damaging but her arm was hurting her too much, all red where the water landed on it. I was almost panicking as I found nothing in the car that could have appeased the pain she had, staying next to her in the backseats as Garrett was driving the car, he put the guy he knocked out in the car trunk, knowing that he would not wake up for a little while. In me, I was angered to have seen about Greenlight again, thinking that it was done but as I can see, the project is far from leaving me.

We arrived at our safehouse ten minutes after we left 'Die Höhle', Garrett parking the car in hidden sight from the street as he wanted to get the guy out of the car's trunk discreetly. I got out of the car, taking Park with me as she was still not able to walk straight from her burning, making sure that I'm not hitting her during the process.

"It's okay, Park." I exclaimed, holding her with her unharmed arm behind my neck as we enter the front door, Garrett following us from up close, holding the guy on his shoulder.

"What happened ?" It was Greta herself who was sit in one of the living room couch, seeing us arriving in the house and instantly jumping from her seat to get next to us.

"Perseus agent throw an pan on her arm, she's badly burned." I replied directly to Greta as I moved to get to the kitchen. "Help Garrett with the guy." I added.

"Yeah, that dipshit....help me get that guy in the basement !" Garrett ordered to Greta, causing her to move quickly to help Garrett as I was walking slowly to the kitchen with Park.

"Thank you....thank you." I could hear Park whispering to me as I arrived in the room.

"Don't panick." I breathed, taking a chair near me to put right next to the sink of the kitchen counter where I put Park on it. "Gonna put some cold water on your arm." I told her and she slowly nodded as I removed her jacket.

"Not too cold, okay ?" She asked me and I nodded.

"I don't want to hurt you." I affirmed before I prepare myself, holding her arm by below with my hands above the sink. "Good, be ready and....if you have to groan because of the water, do it." I took a look at her quickly who nodded again before I activated the sink, releasing the cold water on her arm, making her groan silently, biting her lips.

"Shit..." She groaned, looking away for a second.

"You're doing great." I admitted, making her move her arm from time to time, allowing the water to get everywhere on the burns she got on her forearm as she was looking with either an small grin or an face that was looking like she was getting hurt. All of that, I've been doing for almost 15 minutes before she wasn't groaning anymore from the burns. "How do you feel ?" I asked, shutting down the sink.

"I'm well....but the arm is still hurting." She responded, looking at her red arm that I was still holding, trembling as I was thinking to not harm her. "You didn't hurt me, Yiri." She said, seeing me shaking from that.

"I know, it's just....just that I don't want to harm you doing that." I explained in a low voice, also looking at her arm before slowly turning my head back to her. "I just want you to feel good and better."

"You're here with me, I'm all good and better." She told me with an smile before moving from her seat to give me a kiss on the forehead. "See ?"

"Yes, I see." I replied before reciprocate the move, this time on her left cheek. "You might want to move from here." I suggested and she nodded to me, we wouldn't wanted to stay in the kitchen indefinitely.

"Uhm, maybe in one of the couch, to rest myself & my arm." She proposed as I moved to help her to get up, wondering if she could walk normally but I prefer to stay next to her, to support her.

"Got it, ma'am.' I scoffed, making her laugh as we walked together into the living room and once in it, I helped her to lay down on the couch I was always using. "You're comfy here ?"

"Yes." She replied, getting laid on her back, not putting her left arm on the couch as touching something with it was hurting her. "Can you show me the files you got ?" She asked me, causing me to take the files I had back inside of my jacket, getting them on the table near her couch.

"First, the file about Greenlight and that records file about that Sebastian Vargas." I showed the files to her with my hands, giving the one on Greenlight to her. "I thought that Greenlight was finished !"

"Me too." She declared, holding the file in her right hand, looking at it. "After Solovetsky, I threatened Hudson to stop the project if he didn't want me to talk about this to the MI6." She added, giving me back the file. "He said that he will do it but I never had any proof of it."

"That guy will never change...." I expressed to myself before taking a look at the file about Greenlight. "Part of it look encrypted but I can do it.....now, we got Stone walking around with 2 stolen US nuclear warheads."

"If Hudson wasn't so stupid, we wouldn't be facing Greenlight again." Park proclaimed, angry about Hudson....we were both angry on it. "I'll make a call to Woods about...."

"Wait, I'll do it !" I objected, cutting her. "It's better that you take some rest instead of working."

"You sure about it ?" She asked me, worried about having me to call Woods, maybe fearing that I would get angry and smash the phone but I'm not like that....for an part.

"Of course, you're not going to hurt yourself by doing that." I affirmed of my choice to her as I move to grab her satellite phone "Don't worry, I will stay calm....well, I will try." I added, having the phone in hand.

"Stay calm, it's all I'm asking to you." She breathed before I moved to get to her.

"I will be outside to make the call, tell the others for me in case." I gave her a little kiss again on the forehead before I start to walk outside by behind.

I stepped outside, discovering the same view on the Haven lake that was just at the back of the safehouse and to say, it was looking very pretty to each day, woke up with an big view on the lake. I looked around, finding a little bench on the back porch and I decided to sit on it, not wanting to stay up during all the call I will make. I started to compose Woods number on the phone as Park told me about it days when we were working to get that guy in Paris. I was nervous in fact to be the one making the call.

When the number was finally composed, I put the phone next to my right ear, awaiting now that someone took the phone to answer me. I waited about 10 seconds until I start to hear someone picking up the phone.

"Woods here." It was him and thanksfully, it was better that he was him and not someone else.

"Hi, Woods." I started in a low voice.

"Oh, Yirina, it's been a long time I didn't hear your voice." He exclaimed and frankly, he was right as Park was always the one to make the calls to him, updating of our situation. "How's you been since ?"

"Well, I can say." I told him. "We still tracking down Stone and what about you with Adler ?"

"In here, in Kazakhstan, it's advancing slowly, we have a few leads from time to time but not big things." He replied, sounding a bit bad to have nothing. "I know that Song called someone from your team to share some intels we got." He added, mentioning her call to Garrett.

"Yeah, he told us that he knew her very well....in a personal way, I can say." I scoffed about it, looking in the horizon. "To tell you, we just came back from the place she told us about."

"What did you find ?" He asked, sounding curious.

"At first, I'm the one making the call because Park got her arm badly burned by an Perseus agent who surprised her, she's fine if you want to know." I responded, sounding sad to talk about it.

"Shit, I hope that she will recover fast for you." He said, his voice worried about that.

"Anyway, we got a name : Sebastian Vargas." I started, closing my eyes for an second as it was hurting me a little like that. "Does that name ring you any b.....anything ?" I stopped, almost saying 'bell' even if it's just a simple word.

"Nothing on him from me." He groaned.

"And the second thing is....." I cut myself down, looking around me in case. "Well, Hudson is with you ?"

"No, he's been busy to talk with some contacts in town while us, we're lazy in the safehouse awaiting for him." He scoffed.

"Well to say.....Stone has stolen 2 warheards....from the Greenlight arsenal." I breathed as I heard from the phone Woods like redressing himself maybe from his seat. "Greenlight bombs are still scattered around Western Europe...Park told me that Hudson stopped the project."

"You got to be kidding me !" He raised his voice, not against me but against Hudson himself. "He told us that he will stop the project."

"I'm been working my ass for days to get it stopped and three years later, I learned that Greenlight is still out there." I raised my voice too, angry about it. "Now, an ex-SAS soldier is walking freely with behind him, 2 nukes."

"Damnit, you might need help from us." He suggested.

"No, you should stay focused on recovering Adler's stupid ass." I refused his help even if it was grateful. "I don't want to have Hudson at our asses too and frankly, if the CIA know that the MI6 know, it will complicate our own work."

"Hmm...fuck....you're right." He admitted. "If we found something that could help you again, I will transmit the intel."

"We'll do the the same." I added before I stood up from the bench. "By the way, how's Mason ?"

"Uhm, he's doing great right now, still a little bit troubled about....well, you know..." He spoke, referring to my & Mason identical state right now : both brainwashed...both trying to recover. "You know, he's been wondering how you're feeling with your memories."

"Well, sometimes, I'm okay and other times, it make me feel sad to think about seeing myself as an Perseus agent." I told him, taking a deep breath. "I'm still trying to do my best here to stay alive and not freaking out everyday."

"I know, it was also hard for him at that time, I can't tell you more about it but if you have the occasion, you can ask him." He proposed but I wasn't so sure about it.

"I don't know, I'll think about it." I said, sounding not sure.

"Well, I'm sure now you need to go back to work, I guess ?"

"Yeah, might need to decrypt the Greenlight file we got and then, we will see for the next move we will do." I affirmed to him. "It was nice to talk with you, Woods...oh, I forgot...can you punch Hudson for me ?" I half-scoffed about it, wanting also to do it myself.

"Yes, will do that for you and for a lot of us...." He started before I could hear move. "Yirina...uhm, I'm sure that it's certainly not my business but....take care of Park, she needs you." I was trembling about it but it was nice to hear Woods asking me to do that....it's one of my main goals now.

"Don't worry, I'm protecting her at 100%." I said proudly. "Bye, Woods."

"Goodbye, Yirina." The line went off after he finished, leaving me alone on that porch, looking at the horizon before I decided to return inside the house.

First thing I saw in the living room was Park, almost sleeping in the couch, her eyes narrowed to the max and to be honest, I didn't want to disturb her during my work so I took the Greenlight file with me, retreating myself into the archive room of the house to decrypt the encrypted part of the file. In this room, there were a lot of things that could help me to make my job on the decrypting more easier, making this room the third one I was liking the most, behind respectively the bedroom I had with Park and the living room.

Decrypting that file was pretty easy as it was using the code the CIA are always using in their transmissions since a long time...the same code I was decrypting in my old office in the Lubyanka with Zasha. To say that this code was like a piece of cake for someone like me who can crack any code given to me. In this file, there were an map of where the bombs was with two cross on two europeans cities : Rome & Brussels and what I have decrypted, Stone stoled the two nuclear warheads from these cities. If the cities were safe, having Stone with those things was much worst.

London....was reported to be the most powerful bomb of all the Greenlight arsenal and since Perseus wasn't able to have this file decrypted, they can't know it. This intel, we need to give them to the MI6 and even if we are maybe going to put a cold on the MI6-CIA relations, it's the only choice we had now because if Stone got this intel, he will maybe profit of it and blow up London to kingdom come. It will not happen with us, we're the only one that can stop Stone, not even the CIA can do it.

Once I was done with that one hour after I begin, I decided to return in the living room to see Garrett having come back from the basement, sit on the opposite couch from Park that was now fully awake again.

"Hey, you found something ?" He asked me as I stepped inside the living room.

"Well, Stone stoled the bombs from Rome & Brussels but....I learned that London's bomb is said to be the most powerful of Greenlight." I replied as I walked next to Park's couch, leaning on the armrest as Park was sit in the middle of the couch. "Is the MI6 aware of that bomb ?"

"No but now, they will have to know about it." Park responded in a low voice, making me & her on the same line of thinking. "We have to get this bomb out of service."

"We can ask the MI5 to deal with it, we have a new lead." Garrett said, making me look at me, curious.

"You got something from the guy in the basement ?" I questioned him, he nodded.

"Guy was wanted by the BND, he told us where we could find Vargas." He started, looking at the basement door direction "Greta is still with him as she think that he didn't tell anything."

"And where is Vargas ?" I crossed my arms above my chest, my eyes on looking either Park & Garrett and I could see some distress on Park's face. "Where ?" I repeated.

"Vargas....is in La Havana, Cuba !" She replied, making my blood froze and my chest to hurt me....Cuba....I hated the country because of what happened there....Lazar....."I'm sorry but....I can't go to Cuba."

"I....I....you can't ?" I was taken aback, removing myself from the couch, me going to Cuba....it's was like reliving a nightmare....and without Park next to me, I'm surely going to freak out at the instant I stepped out of the plane.

"It will be only me & you." Garrett told me in a low voice. "Greta need to stay here to interrogate the guy and Park...need to have some rest for her arm."

"Cuba...I don't know....is Vargas really there ?" I looked at Park who sadly nodded at me. "Fuck...I'm not sure of it but..." I started before I look down in defeat....I had to go in Cuba. "Fine, I will."

"Listen, if you don't want....."

"No, I will." I cut Park gently, biting my lips. "I'll go with Garrett, you need to rest here."

"I'll make a call for us to have a plane ready for us. It will be, I think, ready in a few minutes." Garrett exclaimed before he got up from his seat, grabbing his own satellite phone before leaving the room.

"I need....I need to go back to our room, just for some moments." I breathed to Park as I started to walk outside the living room, looking sad before I got up the stairs, joining my room and getting on the bed, looking at the ceilling.

I never thought that I will have to go back to Cuba again and I was scared of it and to return there. What happened last time....I don't want it to happen again...I don't want to freak out when I will arrive with Garrett on the Cuban soil, it will be like an struggle for each hour I will spend in Cuba. Five minutes after I got into bed, the door of the room opened, revealing Park that decided to laid down next to me.

"I'm sorry, Yiri." She whispered at me as I moved to look at her, her back against the bed before she moved her hand to put it on my cheek, cleaning some tears with her thumb.

"Why ?....why it need to be Cuba ?" I asked her and I know she couldn't respond to it with an clear response. "And...and you will not be here with me."

"I know, I'm so sorry." She said to me, sadly.

"Without you, I'm freaking out." I explained, referring to all situations where she wasn't there at my side. "It will be so hard for me."

"I'm...." She started before she moved my head, getting our foreheads against each other. "I need you to stay strong, okay ?" I grinned to her....a very little smile "That's what you told me an hour ago."

"I did." I breathed before I moved my hand on her face too. "You're the one making me strong here." I affirmed to her, my voice cracking about it.

"You too." She smiled at me and then, we could hear some knocks from the door.

"Yirina, the plane is ready for us, you're coming ?" It was Garrett himself behind that door, sounding worried.

"Yeah...I'm....I'm coming !" I slowly replied and after that, we could hear footsteps getting away. "Even if it's maybe going to be for just an day....I'm gonna miss you." I told to Park.

"I know, me too." She put her hand behind my head, pulling me for an kiss on the lips before I decided to got up from the bed, her staying on it. "Call me when you're there, Garrett will give you his phone for that."

"I will." I looked at her, saying it surely to call her as I walked next to the door before I put my hand on the door handly, hesitant to open it. "Stay safe, get well....and I love you, Park." I then slowly open the door, still looking at her and her, still looking at me, sad to see me leave like I was too.....

"I love you too, Yiri.....come back for me quick !"

[givereadersahug]

Spoilers

Okay, I'm going to talk more in depth. Cause this film has *taken* a hold on me. I rewatched this film so many times since it came out on Friday. SO MANY TIMES. And it's only the first Monday after.

First up? The editing! And framing! It could've been sloppy. It could've been pompous and showy. While there were creative sleight of hands, Rian Johnson and his team presented everything right in front of you in a clean fashion. You just got to *pay attention*. This what makes a good murder mystery for me. Esp when you go back and rewatch certain scenes and you are seeing things in a new light.

For example,

Miles hiding Duke's gun in the back of his pants. You can see the outline of the gun as he walked to the drink station. As Miles was walking to the drink station, he kept gesturing wildly with his hands, showing he has nothing in them. But when the film cut to him at the drink station, he clearly took something (the gun) from behind him and put it down. The gun made a loud clunk sound. But the anticipation of *something* is going to happen distracted us. Benoit's warning to Miles, the Mona Lisa seeing everything, the cuts to her and the glass case, Birdie spinning, the phone pinging --- all distractions. Duke making a comment about how he has *all of them* on his Google alerts. This could just be me, but I totally forgot that this get together happened a week after everyone received the box. Benoit said he can get the police to hold off on Andi's death being made public for a week. And then the week happened and the phone pinged. When Birdie was talking to Peggy by the pool, you can clearly see the recorder being thrown into the bag. Miles was the only one who looked like he saw a ghost when Helen appeared. Everyone else was shocked that 'Andi' showed up, but Miles had to take a moment, absorb what he was seeing, and the next words he said was 'Andi, you're here.' Also, after Birdie said 'Andi! Hi!...Holy shit.' It cuts to Benoit watching the group, seeing their reactions to seeing Helen. Benoit only took a quick look at Helen before concentrating on the group. He needed to see their initial reaction to seeing her, when it should've made more sense of him staring at Helen with the rest of them. Before the reveal, when Benoit caught up with Helen, he yelled out 'Helen'. This was so simple and yet it flew passed me. I even had subtitles on and the subtitles clearly said 'Helen' instead of Andi.

*Sighs happily* I just love a good murder mystery that reveals so much when you go back and try to poke holes into it. I also love the callbacks! Benoit specifically said that it's a dumb move for Miles to go kill Andi after a very public court trial, esp after that email. And guess what? Miles *is* that dumb. (Which, VINDICATION. I knew 'inbreathiate' wasn't a word!!! That was bugging me for a good portion of the freaking film. 😂) I also thought it was strange that 'Andi' made a mention of 'This rich-people shit is weird' cause she was a rich person herself? But, nope. That was Helen talking. lol (And, omg, can we talk about the faxes? How Lionel kept getting them and they were all dumb scribbles? I should've seen it coming how Miles is just dumb. lol)

The dialogue works so much better in this film than in the first film, imo. There were some very cringy lines in the first film. I knew what Rian was going about, but the characters felt a bit like cardboard cutouts with talking points. Which, can be said about this film. I just think the characters were more 'alive' and more 'human' in this film compared to the first. (But that could just be me.)

Kate freaking Hudson killed it as Birdie. The character is zany and in lesser hands you would not like her at all. (Well, tbf, you won't like any of them.) But Kate Hudson adds such humanity to Birdie that at times you just *feel* for her.

Kathryn Hahn is always such a joy to watch. Dave Bautista! Leslie Odom Jr! Daniel Craig! Edward Norton! Just everyone. You can tell they clearly had a blast making this film.

ALSO! Hugh fucking Grant! And his sourdough starter and his apron and HIM BEING BENOIT'S PARTNER!?! *That* is a story I want to know more of.

Janelle Monae!!!!!! I first saw her in Moonlight and I knew she's going to be big. She can act. She can sing. She can dance. I bow down to her. *bows bows*

I won't get into the social commentary, cause this post is long enough already, but I think that was also done super well.

The only thing I wished for this film was for me to see it in theaters. I LOVED my theater experience for the first one. The audience laughed, there was a sense of buoyancy in the air, and seeing Daniel Craig and his Southern accent on the big screen was such a joy. The auditorium was packed and hardly anyone took out their phones or got up or talked during Knives Out cause we were so into it. It just wasn't the same watching the film at home on my bed in the middle of the night.

(And do I currently have this film on in the background as I'm typing this out? YES. So, sorry for my many grammar mistakes and rambling sentences. I'm sure there are plenty. 😂)

Just remembered that Glass fucking Onion comes out on Netflix tonight.

I am *so* ready.