#from the movie to the stage was delightful

[anghraine]

Update: let me upgrade that to "what if 'Spock's Brain' was good?"

So, I really, really enjoyed this one despite disapproving of its existence on a certain abstracted artistic level.

Like, do I feel that "oh actually he's not really gone" undermines the power of Spock's sacrifice in The Wrath of Khan? Well, yes. Do I want a series like Star Trek to risk something that big and then hurriedly back away and jettison every new development? Well, no, generally not.

But. But. While it's not the movie The Wrath of Khan is in certain ways—not as self-contained, not as substantial—I ... well, I've got to speak my truth. I actually like it more than The Wrath of Khan.

I HAVE REASONS OKAY.

For one, I much prefer it to both of the preceding movies aesthetically. The costuming is consistently fantastic; the leather jackets are god-tier, especially Sulu's, and the beige sleepwear aesthetic of TMP and the highly militarized one of TWOK are blessedly much less prominent. The Vulcan outfits rule. Kirk has this, like, fluttery eighteenth-century blouse at one point that's fantastic. There's something incredibly vivid and distinct about the details of the settings that I love, especially on Genesis and Vulcan. I love the choreography. The use of intensely vibrant color palettes again is just deeply refreshing. I was genuinely surprised to read that most of it was filmed on sound stages and not on location.

The supporting characters are generally good: the Klingons are fun villains and more memorable than ever before (I love their sarcastic description of the idyll beneath the Federation flag, lmao, and the understated exchange between the lady Klingon and the commander). Our heroes get to outwit some Federation people who aren't evil or anything, but range from mildly disappointing to obnoxious as hell (the Excelsior captain ... heh). David Marcus goes from one of my most hated characters in TWOK to a consistent delight who goes out like a champ. The major let-down is Saavik, who was fantastic in TWOK but is just kind of fine here.

[super long ramble below the cut!]

(I do not like the random pon farr with Saavik, I will admit, just given how much of a mentor-very young protégée dynamic Spock and Saavik had in TWOK. And also the fact that he functionally doesn't have a brain. It's puzzling to me that a barely adolescent Spock would go through pon farr when TOS Spock obviously went through his first in his late 30s, anyway, and I suspect it's mostly there for the usual horny Star Trek reasons.)

But most of all, I find the characterization in this one far more consistent with the details of the established characters than TWOK had, while projecting probable, intriguing character developments into the future for those people. And for me, that makes the arcs and emotional beats hit a lot harder.

TSFS is one of the best Star Trek stories for McCoy, period. He's carting around Spock's soul for nearly the entire movie, and it's both comedic and just really delightful to see McCoy shift between fully himself, or fully Spock, or blurred somewhere between both. I love the bar scene where he's grumpily yelling about how illogical the people trying to deal with him are. I love the switching between very McCoy lines and very Spock expressions on his face. I love the scene where he admits to Spock's body that he cares about him and wants him to be okay. I love his awkwardly respectful involvement with Vulcan mysticism that's got to twig him out, his explicit agreement to risk himself to return Spock's soul, and then the very McCoy aside of "hell of a time to ask."

I think this is one of the first narratives in which his bigotry pretty much vanishes (which makes perfect sense in context, but it's very welcome after him still carrying on the xenophobia torch in TMP and TWOK). It also just feels really nice to see DeForest Kelley get a chance to shine as an actor, which he very much does here.

I was actually thinking about how, IMO, McCoy is not only overshadowed by Kirk and Spock and their relationship in fan perception, but often enough, in how the various TOS narratives are structured, and even in the in-story dynamics. In both TOS and the films, I think McCoy is presented as having strong, fundamentally affectionate, fraught, but ultimately close ties to both Kirk and Spock, and as offering an important counterweight to them in perspective and temperament. At the same time, though, I think he's also kind of stuck on the outside of their little hyper-intense binary system with regard to each other. It makes the triad dynamic of these characters messy and complicated and compelling to me in a way that a more neatly balanced central triad often isn't; McCoy's role is so fundamental, yet the Spock-Kirk-McCoy dynamic so often seems unbalanced in favor of Kirk and Spock within the story in a way that McCoy visibly struggles to navigate at times.

Kirk and Spock undoubtedly care deeply about McCoy—we certainly see them show it—but I don't think that they are at all consistently on his wavelength (or him on theirs) in the way that they're frequently on each other's. I don't think McCoy relates to them in the way they relate to each other. In TOS, Kirk and Spock regularly seem to forget other people are in the room with them, including McCoy; they're mutually puzzled by McCoy's choice to stay with his wife and mutually come around to understanding; McCoy tries and fails to get Spock to back down from repeatedly risking hundreds of people's lives in desperate, likely fatal attempts to save Kirk; McCoy is much more hesitant to accept that something is very wrong with Kirk in various episodes where Spock correctly leaps to red alert; etc. Kirk's matter-of-fact statement in the series finale that Spock is closer to him than anyone else in the universe would not even slightly surprise McCoy himself, IMO.

Even in the movies, McCoy is shocked and enraged by Spock's initial coldness in TMP, where Kirk is visibly much less surprised (though disappointed—he seems to have known what to expect in a way McCoy and the others didn't). McCoy raises reasonable (if mistaken) doubts about Spock's loyalties that Kirk refuses to consider despite rising evidence. Spock bids farewell to the Kirk-McCoy-Saavik away party with an intense "Jim, be careful!" that ignores McCoy and Saavik (as McCoy himself points out), blahblahblah.

I'm not sure McCoy would even want to be part of Kirk and Spock's whole deal—he's typically framed as a more normal person who represents natural human decency, emotion, reasoning, and attachment where Kirk and Spock are (I say with love) kind of unhinged beneath their more measured demeanors. But it's got to feel weird to be McCoy. So having him be the one carting Spock's katra around (and not really liking it, but doing his best) feels interesting and unexpected and strange—and very funny at times—in a way I suspect it wouldn't if it were Kirk in that role. After McCoy's been kind of ... uh, assigned third wheel at birth for so long, there's something rewarding about him getting so much of the spotlight, and very admirably bearing up under the strain of a truly weird-ass situation while Kirk spends most of the film sliding towards the deep end.

Speaking of whom: my main complaint about TWOK was that, especially with Kirk, it tended towards inventing new traits wholesale, and building the film's central arcs around those traits for the duration of the movie, rather than engaging much with the established character. For instance, as I mentioned the other day, a major thread of TWOK was the idea that Kirk is someone who's spent his life evading any serious confrontations with the inevitability of loss or death by refusing to allow them as possibilities, instead relying on being clever and daring and ingenious and determined enough to avoid seriously encountering death/loss/failure. This is not even slightly consistent with TOS Kirk, who has experienced horrific losses over and over and over, and is painfully aware that death is a very real possibility in many situations.

The use of "the good of the many outweighs the good of the few, or the one" is powerful and effective in TWOK, but honestly it is much more the philosophy of Kirk in TOS than Spock. Kirk is not always written evenly in TOS, but his preoccupation with the welfare of the hundreds of people on his ship above his own interests or desires is a very persistent feature of his character. Meanwhile, TOS!Spock is entirely ready to risk those same hundreds of people and his own better judgment if it means even a slight chance of saving Kirk. Spock just ... refuses to give up trying despite the risk to many people, in order to save one(1) man. In fairness, it's entirely possible that "the good of the many..." is a philosophy Spock generally subscribes to on a cerebral level and he just launches all his principles out the airlock when it comes to Kirk specifically. But honestly, I don't think the characterization swap is really about that or about much of anything in TOS, it's about what works for movie Trek.

That's fine enough in many ways (ST historically has had a healthier, looser approach to continuity than other franchises) and TWOK is fantastic in its own right. But the characterization in The Search for Spock feels very TOS to me, despite following directly from the events of TWOK. Like, TWOK has Kirk preoccupied with aging and feeling tired (he uses reading glasses, God forbid). It ends with him being grief-stricken by Spock's loss but facing it, and in doing so, feeling alive and young again. That works for TWOK, but I don't really believe it's where Kirk as a person would be at emotionally at that point, tbh.

I think it's entirely plausible, however, to interpret original Kirk's relationship with death and loss as flawed and unhealthy. It's not that he's been able to evade death and loss by refusing to accept the possibility of them, rejecting the reality that he might ever not win, whatever; rather, Kirk avoids truly facing the horrific scale of death and loss he has experienced by not letting himself dwell on them. He generally represses sorrow, focuses on what can (or should) be done in pragmatic terms, and coordinates his people into solving problems until it's time to move on to something else he can occupy himself with. TOS Kirk knows how to endure, how to reinvent himself, how to keep going. I'm not sure he knows how to grieve.

Certainly, the episodes that deal most directly with grief and trauma make it clear that he has never really moved on, just repressed guilt/rage/whatever in favor of being capable and charming. We see it in "The Conscience of the King," we see it in "Operation: Annihilate!", we see it in "Obsession," it's a whole thing.

Of course, people can't just endure forever. And in The Search for Spock, we find a Kirk who has finally reached the limits of his ability to power through loss. The first bit of the film, showing us a Kirk devastated by grief and blankly going through the motions of Performing James T. Kirk, is some of the best of movie Kirk IMO. To me, it feels like this is a limit that TOS Kirk was always going to hit someday, and Spock's death makes perfect sense as the thing that would leave him just kind of lost.

His attempts to present a good front are visibly strained from the outset, and while he tries to hang onto his principles throughout, he is more of a loose cannon in this film than he's ever been, more determined to let nothing stand in his way, more prone to extremes, more cavalier with life, more enraged but also colder and more calculating. There are times in this film where he seems a thread away from snapping; the effect is not This is who Kirk always was but This is Kirk pushed beyond his limits.

I love Sarek showing up and being accusatory (in a very Sarek way) towards the initially muted, lost Kirk. It's ... well, it's really hard not to describe Sarek as his judgmental father-in-law, not only for TOS shipping reasons, but just the intense "in-laws handling mutual grief poorly" dynamic. The fact that it literally never entered Sarek's mind that Spock would have passed his katra to anyone but Kirk only reinforces this, along with Kirk's quiet "We were separated" explaining why it didn't happen. Yes, of course it would have been him if he'd been available, duh, but he wasn't there.

(I can only imagine what the Kirk-Sarek mind-meld must have felt like, damn. Neither of these men have the faintest idea of how to process something like this.)

ANYWAY. I also really appreciated the pacing of this one, the places where it lingers and where the action crackles from scene to scene. I loved the destruction of the Enterprise and the icily cheerful insouciance of Kirk's "c'est la vie" about the deaths of the Klingon crew (something that at another time might have allowed him to see commonality between himself and Kruge). Loved Kirk both giving Kruge a chance to live and grating out "I have had enough of you!" when he brutally smashes his boot into Kruge's face and kicks him into the lava; you feel he is really on the edge of becoming someone else. I also love that he's smart and resourceful enough to then transport into the Klingon vessel by the simple expedient of knowing how to speak Klingon and impersonating Kruge through a communicator.

I loved the original stealing of the Enterprise and the various crew members getting some moments to shine (justice for Uhura at last, though I think she should have joined them!). I loved the Vulcan ceremony and how it showed the difficulty of the ritual through the offscreen passage of time, and visible general exhaustion, with most of the Enterprise crew having fallen asleep by the time the ritual finished. Loved Sarek coming as close as he ever will to admitting he loves Spock (in, again, the most Sarek way possible) and acknowledging that Kirk made monumental sacrifices to restore Spock's katra to his body.

Loved how there's still a cost to Spock's sacrifice; he's there, he's Spock, but so much is absent. Loved his blankness as he passes his former friends and the bittersweet quality to this after all that was lost to bring him back, the sense that things might never be wholly right, though there's hope that they will. But I also loved him turning back and recognizing that he knows the name ("Jim") that goes with Kirk's face (the only one of them he appears to recognize at all, though it's enough for everyone to break into rejoicing). Love the raw joy in Kirk's visibly tired, dirty face in that moment, even though there's such a long way to go.

So, well. It's my favorite!

J and I are about to take up our ST watch with The Search for Spock!

me: If you think about it, a significant portion of this one is "What if 'Spock's Brain' wasn't terrible, right?

J: oh God. You're not wrong.

[chloecherrysip]

breaking news: local woman goes to the movie theater and somehow DOESN'T see the mario movie again for the millionth time? who IS she??????

[philiponmycracker]

Tom Hulce as Brillstein, in Fearless (dir. Peter Weir, 1993)

[nexus-nebulae]

watching the spirited away stage play over and over just for the background spirits (and the songs)

[solxamber]

This is a funny lil idea I just had but have you ever thought about rook and a reader that acts like his behavior is normal? Like, they know he's literally stalking them but is perfectly fine with it for some strange reason.

And when they finally do start dating, everyone is either

1. Convinced that he’s threatening your life

Or

2. Judging you like crazy because WHY

Totally Normal Romance || Rook Hunt

You've fallen hard for the hunter and you're dating! But when you tell your friends the good news, they immediately try staging interventions. Huh, I wonder why?

thank you for waiting! I loved the idea a lot and it became way longer than I expected but I hope you like it!

You’ve somehow managed to fall into a relationship with Rook, the Academy's resident “Hunter” and renowned tracker of students who can't even attempt to hide without him finding them.

Most people would be a little alarmed—okay, extremely alarmed—by Rook’s knack for showing up whenever you breathe a little too loud. But you? You’re weirdly, unapologetically chill about it.

The day starts as it usually does. Rook is outside your door bright and early, practically sparkling, ready to report how many steps you took in your sleep, how many breaths you exhaled, and what percentage of your dreams contained images of his dashing silhouette.

You nod, acting like he’s merely sharing the weather, and go about your morning. People are whispering in the hallways; they’ve noticed that the school’s “greatest hunter” is now your personal shadow.

Some think you're being held hostage in an unholy union. Others are convinced you’ve cracked under the pressure of Rook’s endless poetic monologues and have, in fact, lost your mind.

When the two of you officially start dating, the rumors take a delightful nosedive into the surreal. Rook is, naturally, over the moon, reciting sonnets about your “captivating acceptance of his pursuit.” Friends beg you to “see the red flags.”

You just smile as Rook emerges from behind a tree on your morning jog to hand you a flower he found “radiant with the essence of your aura.”

Intervention Attempt 1: Adeuce

You’re just sitting down to lunch when Ace and Deuce suddenly approach you with identical expressions of horror and determination, like they’ve somehow stumbled into a horror movie and taken it upon themselves to rescue the clueless protagonist. Ace, as usual, decides to take the lead.

“We need to talk. About... him.” He jerks a thumb toward Rook, who’s lurking—quite visibly—behind a tree, watching you with a delighted grin as if the entire world is his favorite reality TV show.

You shrug. “Rook’s just being his usual sweet self.”

Deuce’s mouth falls open. “That’s... sweet? The dude’s literally hiding in a tree to stare at you.”

You wave a hand. “He’s just thoughtful, you know? He knew I needed a pick-me-up yesterday, so he waited in my closet for two hours just to surprise me with a motivational haiku.”

Ace’s expression is somewhere between pity and disbelief. “You’re serious? That’s... sweet?”

“Uh-huh.” You pop a fry in your mouth, unfazed. “Honestly, it’s kind of nice to have someone that dedicated.”

Ace and Deuce share a silent, horrified look, one that clearly says, Our friend has lost it. Then, Ace leans in close. “You know, if he’s threatening you, you can blink twice or something. We can handle him.”

You burst into laughter, almost choking on your fry. “Guys, come on! Rook’s harmless. It’s just his way of showing affection.”

Behind the tree, Rook notices you laughing and beams even wider, waving with both hands like you’re his entire world. Ace sighs, looking like he’s just signed up for an impossible mission. Deuce’s brows knit together in concern, like he’s mentally preparing himself to guard you from the “danger” Rook apparently presents.

Intervention Attempt 2: Leona

Leona lounges on the couch as you walk into the room, looking way too relaxed—except for the sharp glint in his eye as he watches you. You know that look; it’s the we need to talk look, though Leona would sooner eat his tail than say it outright.

“You know that guy who keeps creeping around you?” he starts, his tone casual, as if he’s talking about the weather. “The hunter dude?”

“Oh, Rook? Yeah, he’s great!” you reply with a smile, clearly missing his hint.

Leona raises an eyebrow, looking faintly amused. “Great? The guy basically tracks your every move like a lion on a hunt. He’s probably memorized your breathing patterns by now.”

You laugh it off, waving a hand. “Leona, you make it sound creepy. Rook’s just… committed.”

Leona smirks, leaning back with a lazy yawn. “Committed to what, stalking you?”

You shrug. “It’s romantic in its own way! He writes poetry about me, makes sure I’m always safe... It’s kinda nice knowing someone’s always watching out for me.”

“Watching out for you,” Leona mutters, barely concealing a snicker. “Sure. Or just watching you.” He tilts his head, examining you as if you’re some rare species that’s suddenly shown up in the savanna. “You sure he hasn’t put a spell on you? You sound completely out of it.”

You smirk. “Leona, you’re just not used to people showing appreciation.”

Leona narrows his eyes, amusement flickering in his gaze. “You keep saying stuff like that, herbivore, and I’m gonna assume you’ve completely lost it.” He yawns and flops back onto the couch, muttering under his breath, “That crazy hunter and his weird haikus…”

You walk away, oblivious, and Leona just shakes his head with a smirk, quietly wondering if he’ll end up having to pry Rook off of you someday.

Intervention Attempt 3: Riddle

Riddle stares at you over his teacup, his brows knit with concern as you talk about your latest “date” with Rook. You've barely started describing his newest poetic declaration when Riddle sets his cup down, looking thoroughly alarmed.

“I… don’t understand,” he interrupts. “Did you say he was waiting in the shadows outside your dorm window at midnight? And he… recited sonnets?”

You nod, completely unbothered. “Oh, yes! And he was so sweet about it. He even had a rose between his teeth, Riddle. He really went all out.”

Riddle’s expression looks like he’s been hit with cold water. “And you… didn’t feel unsafe?”

“Why would I?” you laugh, waving a hand dismissively. “It’s Rook. He’s just being his passionate self.”

Riddle’s face hardens, and he stands up, clutching his teacup with barely contained fury. “This is unacceptable! You must report this immediately—stalking is a severe issue! You don’t have to tolerate this treatment, no matter how he frames it!”

You blink, surprised. “Riddle, it’s really okay. He’s not stalking me; he’s just… really attentive.”

Riddle’s lips thin, and he looks at you with pity, as if you're just too naive to understand the danger you’re in. “It’s worse than I thought,” he mutters, eyes blazing. “He’s… he’s manipulating you into thinking this is acceptable!”

Riddle finally sighs, shaking his head. “If you’re too afraid to tell him off, I’ll do it for you. As a dorm leader, it’s my duty to protect students in my care.”

“Riddle, I appreciate it, but I don’t need protection,” you insist, patting him on the shoulder. “Rook is harmless.”

Riddle huffs, looking like he’s already planning out the verbal lashing he’s going to deliver to Rook the next time he sees him. “You’ll see,” he says. “When you realize the danger, remember I warned you.”

You just smile, and he glances at you like you’re a sheep walking happily into a lion’s den.

Intervention Attempt 4: Malleus (And Lilia?)

When Malleus summons you to Diasomnia for what he calls an “urgent matter,” you’re intrigued. However, when you arrive, his expression is downright grave. The flickering candlelight gives his face an eerie glow as he looks at you, his usually calm demeanor laced with worry.

He leans in close, and his eyes narrow. “I understand you… spend much time with Rook,” he says, voice almost a whisper.

“Uh, yeah? We’re dating,” you say, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Malleus blinks, clearly taken aback, as if he was expecting an entirely different answer. “So you willingly… permit him to lurk in the shadows around you?”

“Well, yes, he’s got that whole poetic ‘silent protector’ thing going on.” You shrug, but Malleus doesn’t look any less alarmed.

“I see,” Malleus says, more to himself than to you. “So he’s already gained control over you.” He sighs, looking deeply concerned. “Fear not. I will protect you from him.”

Before you can respond, Lilia, who’s been silently watching with a smirk, bursts into laughter.

“Oh, Malleus, you’re taking this far too seriously,” he cackles, clapping a hand on Malleus’s shoulder. “Rook isn’t dangerous—well, unless you count bad poetry as a weapon.”

Malleus doesn’t look convinced. “You find this funny?” he asks, frowning.

“Of course I do!” Lilia grins, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. “They’re dating, Malleus. Rook doesn’t even know how to scare a fly when it comes to them.”

Malleus turns back to you, still worried. “Are you… certain you’re safe?”

You nod, but the look of pity in his eyes says he’s clearly unconvinced, as if he thinks you’re only defending Rook out of fear. Meanwhile, Lilia gives you a wink and a mischievous grin, enjoying the absurdity of the whole situation.

Intervention Attempt 5: Azul

You’re strolling past the Mostro Lounge, hoping to grab some food, when Azul intercepts you, looking unusually serious. He gestures for you to follow him into a private corner, glancing around as if he's worried someone might overhear.

“I understand you’ve been spending quite a bit of time with Rook,” he says, his tone grave, though there’s a glint in his eyes that tells you he’s already calculating something.

You raise an eyebrow. “Yeah, we’re dating.”

Azul’s expression shifts to something between shock and pity, as if he’s just heard you’ve taken up with the Grim Reaper himself. “Dating? So… you’re aware he’s stalking you?”

You shrug. “He’s not stalking—he’s just keeping an eye out. Very vigilant, actually.”

Azul’s face darkens. “Right… vigilant.” He clears his throat. “In that case, allow me to offer the services of Floyd and Jade for your… protection.”

You blink. “Protection?”

“Yes. For a reasonable price, of course,” he says with a smooth smile, back to his usual self. “Consider it a sort of… insurance in case this arrangement with Rook takes a… dramatic turn.”

He leans forward, lowering his voice. “Imagine if you had two skilled guards who could tail him as closely as he tails you.”

Before you can respond, Floyd appears out of nowhere, draping an arm over your shoulder and grinning. “We could totally scare him, too. Make him feel like he’s the one being hunted!”

Jade nods from behind him, his smile too sharp to be comforting. “Yes, we’re more than happy to shadow Rook if you’d like.”

You stare at the twins, whose predatory smiles seem to stretch further the longer they look at you. “Guys, I appreciate the offer, but Rook’s fine. I’m not being held captive.”

Azul raises an eyebrow, but he doesn’t push, instead sighing in that dramatic way of his. “Very well. The offer stands should you need it. Just remember: one word, and we’re at your service.”

As you walk away, you catch a quiet exchange between the twins.

“Do you think we’d even get the chance to tail him, Jade?”

“Hmm… I’d say it’s more likely he’d follow us, Floyd.”

You shake your head, amused. Only Azul would find a way to capitalize on your love life.

Intervention(?) Attempt 6: Vil

You’re backstage in Pomefiore, helping Vil with his costume adjustments for his latest role when he pauses, hands on his hips, giving you a long, evaluative look.

“So… you and Rook?” he finally says, an eyebrow raised with an almost resigned air.

“Yeah.” You grin, shrugging. “I mean, he’s… intense, but it works.”

Vil sighs, pressing two fingers to his temple as if that would ward off the headache he’s certain to get from this conversation. “You realize that most people would find his behavior concerning, right?”

You wave him off. “He’s harmless. Just… expressive.”

He gives a soft, humorless laugh, as though he’s not sure if you’re just that naive or that confident. “You’re both completely mad, you know that?”

“Maybe,” you say, leaning back with a shrug. “But I like it that way.”

Vil sighs again, and there’s a glimmer of a smile, even if it’s hidden behind a look of sheer exasperation. “Well, at least he won’t make you look bad. He’ll be too busy swooning in the background to do anything truly reckless.” He adjusts your collar with an air of finality, giving you a nod. “Good luck. You’ll need it.”

And with that, he returns to his preparations, mumbling something under his breath about how only you could take Rook’s intensity as a “feature” rather than a “warning sign.” But you catch the faint smile on his face as he walks away, leaving you feeling oddly reassured.

Final Intervention: Idia

Idia’s “intervention” is the sort of spectacle that would probably have your other friends dial emergency numbers if they walked in. He's got his laptop perched on a stack of comics, his tablet propped up, and an honest-to-Seven laser pointer he’s brandishing like it’s going to physically ward off any poor life choices.

He points at his first diagram, titled in neon-green font: "Why Your Boyfriend Should Not Be Tracking Your Every Move Like a Supervillain”. It's complete with cartoonish red arrows and diagrams that could pass for an undergrad thesis on questionable behavior.

Rook’s sitting beside you, nodding along with a strangely approving look, as if Idia's crude drawings are just part of the "unrefined genius" he'd expect from mere mortals.

When Idia clicks to his next slide—a very intense pie chart on “Reasons You’re Definitely in Danger"—you shrug. “Look, Idia, everyone’s got their quirks, right? He leaves poetry scrolls for me; you send messages only through encrypted text channels with six layers of memes as the header.”

Idia stares at you, blinking, and drops his laser pointer. It rolls pathetically across the floor, and he looks like he’s two seconds away from fainting. “Th-This isn’t the same! I don’t leave my IP address in your flowerbeds!”

Rook, thrilled, interjects. “Ah, but would you not feel a poetic stirring in your heart if you did, monsieur? Every new line I compose is a love letter to the chase!”

Idia sways. You’re genuinely worried he might black out.

Life, as it turns out, continues with a healthy dose of Rook’s “love language,” which to everyone else looks like the dictionary definition of a security risk.

Yet, you find yourself smiling every time he swoops in with that glittering look in his eyes, poetry scrolls under his arm and a thousand strange ideas.

And even if everyone around you is either looking into exorcisms or planning escape routes, for you, it’s just another day of living your best life.

Masterlist

[chansaw]

i read donald sutherland’s letter to gary ross pleading for the role of president snow and was so struck by his eloquence, wit, and humor. i’m posting it in full below. what a loss </3

Dear Gary Ross:

Power. That's what this is about? Yes? Power and the forces that are manipulated by the powerful men and bureaucracies trying to maintain control and possession of that power?

Power perpetrates war and oppression to maintain itself until it finally topples over with the bureaucratic weight of itself and sinks into the pages of history (except in Texas), leaving lessons that need to be learned unlearned.

Power corrupts, and, in many cases, absolute power makes you really horny. Clinton, Chirac, Mao, Mitterrand.

Not so, I think, with Coriolanus Snow. His obsession, his passion, is his rose garden. There's a rose named Sterling Silver that's lilac in colour with the most extraordinarily powerful fragrance — incredibly beautiful — I loved it in the seventies when it first appeared. They've made a lot of offshoots of it since then.

I didn't want to write to you until I'd read the trilogy and now I have so: roses are of great importance. And Coriolanus's eyes. And his smile. Those three elements are vibrant and vital in Snow. Everything else is, by and large, perfectly still and ruthlessly contained. What delight she [Katniss] gives him. He knows her so perfectly. Nothing, absolutely nothing, surprises him. He sees and understands everything. He was, quite probably, a brilliant man who's succumbed to the siren song of power.

How will you dramatize the interior narrative running in Katniss's head that describes and consistently updates her relationship with the President who is ubiquitous in her mind? With omniscient calm he knows her perfectly. She knows he does and she knows that he will go to any necessary end to maintain his power because she knows that he believes that she's a real threat to his fragile hold on his control of that power. She's more dangerous than Joan of Arc.

Her interior dialogue/monologue defines Snow. It's that old theatrical turnip: you can't 'play' a king, you need everybody else on stage saying to each other, and therefore to the audience, stuff like "There goes the King, isn't he a piece of work, how evil, how lovely, how benevolent, how cruel, how brilliant he is!" The idea of him, the definition of him, the audience's perception of him, is primarily instilled by the observations of others and once that idea is set, the audience's view of the character is pretty much unyielding. And in Snow's case, that definition, of course, comes from Katniss.

Evil looks like our understanding of the history of the men we're looking at. It's not what we see: it's what we've been led to believe. Simple as that. Look at the face of Ted Bundy before you knew what he did and after you knew.

Snow doesn't look evil to the people in Panem's Capitol. Bundy didn't look evil to those girls. My wife and I were driving through Colorado when he escaped from jail there. The car radio's warning was constant. 'Don't pick up any young men. The escapee looks like the nicest young man imaginable'. Snow's evil shows up in the form of the complacently confident threat that's ever-present in his eyes. His resolute stillness. Have you seen a film I did years ago? 'The Eye of the Needle'. That fellow had some of what I'm looking for.

The woman who lived up the street from us in Brentwood came over to ask my wife a question when my wife was dropping the kids off at school. This woman and her husband had seen that movie the night before and what she wanted to know was how my wife could live with anyone who could play such an evil man. It made for an amusing dinner or two but part of my wife's still wondering.

I'd love to speak with you whenever you have a chance so I can be on the same page with you.

They all end up the same way. Welcome to Florida, have a nice day!

sourced from this article

[bbyobbyo]

Everyone thinks Vernon is always at your place because you feed him. While you can agree it's mostly true, there might be more to it than meets the eye.

content: fluff, f2l, mentions of food

wc: 1.6k

notes: me taking a stab at writing lol. i also don't know how tumblr works. inspired by the fact that this man will eat everything in sight regardless if its someone else's food or not. i'd love to cook for him someday ❤

6pm on the dot. You don't even have to check to know who it is.

"Hey, Sol." You look up from the pot you've been stirring to greet your visitor who let himself in. Your apartment's passcode was practically muscle memory at this point.

"Hey, smells good in here," he comments while taking off his shoes, "I mean — it always does but you get it." You give him a little chuckle in response.

You hadn't been friends with Hansol for very long, but when a mutual friend decided to introduce you two to each other, you instantly hit it off. The whirlwind of a friend group you now shared was filled with strong personalities and quirks: Seungcheol was the self-proclaimed "dad" of the group but you'd swear he would whine and complained more than the rest of them combined. Seungkwan, the one who always had a sassy quip to share, but would be the first to cry at Disney movie nights. There was Jihoon, who showed his love exclusively with acts of service but is so tsundere he would rather die to admit he had any kind of emotions besides annoyance. Not to mention Soonyoung, who made it his mission to convince everyone that he was a tiger. No one knew how this bit started but everyone finds it entertaining nonetheless.

Amongst them all, Hansol was just a dude. A normal guy. As funny as it sounds, that's what made you two click so well. Not that he didn't have his own aspirations (and his own fair share of quirks!), but he had always been the sort of person that was along for the ride. Although a little bit clueless at times, you could tell his heart was in the right place.

"I brought dessert, by the way," He plops a plastic bag onto the kitchen counter, his cheekbones pushed all the way out in a smug grin, "hope you like it."

"Aww, Sol you didn't have to!" delight in your eyes as you wipe your freshly washed but still wet hands on your pants and scurry over to peek inside the bag. "Oh my god, this is that tiramisu from that bougie place, isn't it?! I heard the wait times were, like, over an hour. You're insane for this, thank you so much!" You're practically beaming as you put the dessert in refrigerator, promptly turning around to give him a hug. His hands automatically reach around your back as you bury your face into his chest. Man, he will never get tired of the way you smile at him over the smallest things.

"You're always feeding me, so it's like, the least I can do really" he murmurs as you let go, his own smile spreading across his face when you look up at him.

Right. Your relationship with Hansol was rooted in the fact that you both loved food. Cooking food in your case, and eating it for him. It was a match made in heaven, really. In the beginning stages of your friendship, you always noticed how he would always ask for bites of other peoples' food, the way he would eye a bag of snacks if anyone dared to bring them out, the "you gonna finish that..?" that would inevitably follow the conclusion of every meal. The guy was a human trash can with a black hole in place of his stomach. So really, was anyone surprised when Hansol practically attached himself to you that day you brought in those homemade baked goods for the friend group?

After that day, the rest was history. His insatiable hunger and the lack of his own cooking skills (poor dude would be consuming toast everyday if he didn't eat out) made him worship the ground you walked on whenever you fed him. In turn, his enthusiasm for your cooking and willingness to give honest feedback on your experimental recipes made him a regular guest at your apartment, much like today.

Hansol would be lying if he said he didn't feel like he was taking advantage of you sometimes, no matter how much you insisted that it wasn't the case. He always tried his best to chip in for your groceries or pick up ingredients when you didn't have time. He didn't even mind the way his friends teased him for being at your place more often than his own or the fact that you gained your own nickname among the guys as his personal chef. He was happy with your little arrangement, and it also helped that you were so easy to be around.

"Hey, can you help me set the table?" you say as you push a stack of plates and tableware toward him. Your attention is quickly pulled away again as you go to plate the food you've been laboring over the past hour.

The routine is a familiar one: sitting down across from each other with a wide array of dishes and sides in between. You always make him take the first bites; "I already taste tested everything as I was cooking, silly!" you would say, eyes focused and hands tucked under your chin eagerly awaiting his reactions and thoughts.

Today's meal was a hit, as it usually is. Hansol could count less than a handful of times that he didn't love your food, and even then he still ate everything despite you telling him that it was okay if he didn't finish it.

The next part of the routine, however, rivals even the food in his eyes. Both of you are glued to the chairs chatting away, even when all the food is long gone and empty plates remain on the table. Between you two, there was always something to talk about. Tangents turn to into more tangents turn into "remember when we…" turn into "we should totally do…" Hours can pass by before one of you even remembers that there was dessert in the fridge, and even more hours before either of you get up again to go wash the dishes. When that happens, you simply carry the conversation to the kitchen except this time with the gentle running of sink as background noise.

You were like a breath of fresh air from the chaos of his main friend group and someone he felt entirely comfortable with. Except lately he's been wanting to see you more and more. He would catch himself staring at his phone hoping a text from you would pop up, asking him to come over again.

He's embarrassed to admit that you have never hung out one-on-one outside of the walls of your apartment. It was an unspoken boundary that you two saw each other under the pretense of food, a boundary that he increasingly would like to cross.

You're not even looking at him, attention focused on scrubbing away at the pot in your hand, still talking about that awkward encounter with your neighbor yesterday. But the longer he stares at you, Hansol thinks to himself — have you always been this pretty? He traces every part of your form, from the micro expressions you make with your eyebrows as you talk, to noticing the little strands of hair by your face that escaped the ponytail you put it in, and the way your left sleeve is slowly slipping down your arm and in danger of getting soaked.

"...so screw me if I thought that it was none of his busine— Sol...?"

Before he even knew what he was doing he found himself abandoning his plate drying duty and sliding behind you at the sink, your back pressed against his chest as he grabbed your sleeve and gingerly rolled it up your arm once again. Just as he thinks you can't get any more gorgeous, his world stops when you turn your head around and he finds your face inches from his. The way your eyes glisten into his own makes the split second feel like an eternity before pulling away.

"S-sorry if I scared you, just didn't want your sleeve to get wet." adding a nervous chuckle to the end as he returns to the stack of tableware he has yet to dry.

"N-no! It's okay! Thank you for that!" you stammer back, trying not to look him in the eyes to hide the very obvious blush that spread on your cheeks. "Ahaha... yeah so anyways, what was I saying again?" Without missing a beat, he replies "you were talking about how your nosy neighbor thinks we're dating because I come over so often."

"Oh, haha, right..." your voice is barely above a whisper, a chuckle dies in your throat as you realize you've been scrubbing an already clean pot for 5 minutes now. You sigh as you turn off the water and start drying off your hands to put the dishes back in their places.

"I don't mind," he says after a thoughtful pause. It takes a second for you to register the words. "Sorry, what?"

"I don't mind if he thinks we're dating."

You feel like the hearing comprehension part of your brain just reset. "Wait, wha-"

"I think it would be kinda nice actually... if we dated."

After a second too long of silence from you, he was the one with panic with his eyes this time. "B-but only if you want to! Shit, uh, sorry I really didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything. Just forget I said anyth-"

He's interrupted by your arms snaking around his neck. "You're hopeless, Sol", you say as you press a light kiss to his lips. "I think it would be nice if we dated, too."

[royalsweetteaa]

Hi can you do a Steve Rogers x shy reader smut

Where she’s shy to make moans while Steve paces harder to make a moan🥰

Title: Music to my ears

Pairing: dom!Steve Rogers x shy!reader

18+ ONLY | MINORS DNI

WARNING - The following fic contains: explicit smut, smut with no plot, fluff, rough sex, dom!Steve Rogers, sub!reader, dom/sub dynamic, p in v sex, cumshot, praise kink, pet names.

It’s quiet as the only noise echoing in the bedroom is the queen sized bed squeaking.

Steve is on top of you, entering the stage of home base as he pushes the tip of his cock past your pussy lips and into your pulsing core. He already goes into a steady pace with your legs around his waist, pulling him in closer.

Your breathing becomes heavier, but that’s about the only sound he gets to enjoy from you while he in contrast audibly grunts. Light squeaks leave your lips at best, and while he absolutely adores those short little noises, he knows there’s more in you.

He knows you’re ashamed and you keep feeling the need to suppress those moans and cries as he makes you feel good with the way his cock hits your cervix with each thrust.

He has heard you scream from horror before as you have watched scary movies together, so he knows the high level of sound your lungs can create.

And oh, how he wishes to hear you scream from pleasure.

Steve doesn’t stop praising you as he continues to roll his hips against yours, his huge cock thrusting in and out of your tight hole, making you see stars by how much he fills you.

“Feels so good being inside of you, baby…” Steve groans as he closes his eyes for a moment, taking in the way your pussy sucks in his cock as he drags himself out before he fucks home again. “I’m going to move a little faster from now on, is that okay?”

You nod shyly as Steve plunges in deeper, and you quickly slap a hand around your mouth to keep quiet as the pool of arousal in your abdomen tests your limits. Already by then, you pick up the look of disapproval Steve pulls, and you frown.

“A-ah, no covering your mouth. I won’t allow it anymore...” Steve sets the new rule as he pins your hand to the side, making your eyes go wide as blood rushes through your cheeks.

“B-But…- mmmhaaah!” A sudden mewl is ripped out of you as Steve starts to pound into you faster, his heavy balls beginning to slap against your ass at the quicker pace.

You become overwhelmed, your mouth left hanging to let out cries for each thrust Steve performs. Embarrassment showers over you like cold water, but the heat from Steve’s breath tickling your neck and the constant friction is enough to distract you from it.

In final attempts you try to keep your mouth shut, but Steve surprises you yet again as he holds you by the chin and kisses you, slipping in his tongue to meet yours. It’s beyond erotic, and it prevents you from keeping any noises slip. When he pulls back, he gives you the warmest smile, stroking your cheek ever so lovingly before he speaks.

“I know you’re shy, hun…but I’m about to show you how much I want to hear you…how desperate I am to have you moan for me…if you won’t allow yourself to make noises, I’ll have to force them out myself.”

He thrusts harder, making sure you feel every inch of his thick shaft slide inside of your wet cunt. Your eyes roll back with your head as you let out the loudest moans you have ever made before. Steve holds you by the hips, pulling you back as he slams into you, causing his cock to enter you ever so deep. You cry out so loud you think everyone in the city must be hearing it, but Steve’s hums of delight reassures you there’s nothing to worry about.

“Mmmh, my love…I could never say enough about how wonderful you sound. Keep making those sounds, be as loud as you want. Let me know how amazing it feels to be stretched…how much you crave to be fucked…”

“O-Oh Steve…Aaaaah!~ Feels too good! I-I can’t - nngh!~ M’gonna cum!” Cries and moans escape your mouth uncontrollably now as Steve pounds away, making him grin with pride. There it is, he thinks.

“That’s my girl…cum for me, doll…sing for me…”

Your back arches against him as you reach your climax through a cry, making your cunt hug Steve’s cock tighter as a new flow of wetness surrounds inside. Steve grunts and snaps his hips into you once more before pulling out, cumming all over your stomach and making a hot mess.

He pants with his chest rising, and hovers over you one last time to kiss your lips tenderly before he lays down to rest next to you.

Steve sighs with content, “That was…”

“Embarrassing…” you barely mutter with your palms hiding your face.

Steve frowns, and let’s out a sudden chuckle as he playfully pinches your cheek, “It was no such thing, my love. Quit speaking nonsense. You were amazing…made me cum so hard and fast hearing your cute cries as you clung onto me desperately during your orgasm…you’re my precious doll…” he picks a towel by the nightstand and cleans his mess off your stomach before he drags you closer to him, giving your shoulder a peck.

“…I love every part and aspect of you. Don’t think otherwise...” He whispers, and it makes your stomach swirl with butterflies at his reassurance.

N/A: Thank you for some inspiration, anon! This became just a simple drabble but it helped getting my writing skills in use!

Hearts & Reblogs are very appreciated! Thank you! <3

[driverlando]

✧.* FAST AND FRIGHTFUL

synopsis - charles fellow drivers doubt he’s actually going out with you, until you both make a grand gesture in the paddock (actress!reader x Charles Leclerc)

a/n: I’m very new to this smau so please do reblog and show your support! thank you <3

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc and 113, 368 others

yourusername happy ABIGAIL day! Hope you all have a bloody good time watching it 😉🩸

view all 1,894 comments

yourfan1 You were SO good! Loved the movie

yourfan2 loved the performance

alishaweir123 🩸🩸🩸🩸

yourfan3 how do you make covered in blood look good?!?! 😩

charles_leclerc you were amazing

↳ charlesfan1 a cross over no one expected

↳ yourfan4 so are we all just going to ignore the fact that Charles leclerc commented?

—

—

—

LOVE IN VICTORY: CHARLES LECLERC CELEBRATES MONACO GRAND PRIX WIN WITH PADDOCK PDA

Monaco was not only the stage for Charles Leclerc’s historic triumph at the Grand Prix but also the backdrop for a heartwarming display of love as the Formula 1 sensation celebrated his victory with a passionate kiss from horror movie actress Y/N, confirming their blossoming romance in front of cheering fans and thrilled friends.

A Moment of Joy and Affection

Amidst the jubilant atmosphere of the Monaco paddock, Charles Leclerc and Y/N shared a tender moment that stole the spotlight from the race itself. As Charles basked in the glory of his hometown victory, he rushed to y/ns side, her eyes shining with pride and admiration.

In a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood romance, Charles and Y/N embraced, their lips meeting in a sweet and spontaneous kiss that spoke volumes about the depth of their affection for each other. Cameras captured the intimate moment as cheers erupted from the crowd, congratulating the couple on their shared success and newfound love.

As news of their romance spread like wildfire, fans took to social media to express their delight and admiration for the happy couple. “I’ve always shipped Charles and Y/N!” tweeted one enthusiastic supporter. “They’re the perfect match!”

A Confirmation of Romance

While rumors of their relationship had been swirling for weeks, after Charles commented on y/ns post about her new horror movie Abigail, Charles and Y/N’s public display of affection in the paddock served as an official confirmation of their romance. With the world watching, the couple made no attempt to hide their feelings, embracing each other openly and without reservation.

From Victory Lane to Love Lane

For Charles and Y/N, their celebration in the paddock was about more than just victory—it was a celebration of their love and shared happiness. As they savored the sweet taste of success, they also embraced the joy of being together, united in their passion for each other and their respective careers.

What Lies Ahead for the Power Couple?

As the celebrations continued into the night, Charles and Y/N looked ahead to a future filled with love, laughter, and shared adventures. With their careers flourishing and their hearts entwined, they are ready to take on whatever challenges come their way, secure in the knowledge that they have each other by their side.

—

charles_leclerc

liked by yourusername, landonorris and 1,856,919 others

charles_leclerc Final Monaco Grand Prix post I promise! This one’s dedicated to this beauty, thanks for being there for me yesterday! love you mon chérie @yourusername ❤️🤍

view 8,346 comments

oscarpiastri I finally believe you 🫡

↳ landonorris hey, don’t believe everything you see online 🤣😉

↳ charles_leclerc get out of my comment section

yourusername I love you!! so unbelievably proud of you 🫶

[liked by charles_leclerc]

charlesfan1 THE PRINCE OF FERARI AND MONACO EVERYBODY!!

y/nfan1 you smashed it yesterday 😁

[cheralith]

— these violent delights

feat ; director!nanami kento x assistant director!reader | word count ; 1.9k contains ; gn!reader, no pronouns used, angst, pining (men who yearn are men who earn), mild making out (suggestive) a/n ; some minor errors possible sorry! (シ_ _ )シ

RENOWNED WORLD CLASS DIRECTOR KENTO NANAMI commands his production teams of every movie he creates with an iron fist, and his hard work pays off considering the majority of his films and their actors have been nominated for tonys, BAFTAs, golden globes, you name it. and when it's rumored that he'll be directing his largest project yet—a modern re-enactment of romeo and juliet. it's no doubt that many people are anticipating for its arrival, considering that despite shakespeare's most famous production having multiple versions, but nanami's style of production is distinct that it will for sure stand alone as its own film that isn't just another lazy and cliche remake.

which is why the production studio figures that he may need some extra aid, which is why they hand-pluck an upcoming creative genius that may just rival his own—a young filmmaker a few years fresh out of grad school. your short films have won some minor awards since you earned your first degree and the studio thought that your mind with his would be a perfect match.

and ultimately, they're right. introductions were a little awkward, of course, it was clear you were trying not to burst at the seams when you met one of your all-time favorite directors, but you eventually prove yourself worthy and dependable. your input proves to be the most valuable out of everyone's on the team. nanami seems to only listen to you whenever he needs a second opinion, blatantly shooing away anyone else in line.

you work with nanami privately at times, joining him at his townhouse to discuss the next project on the movie. others that have worked with him for a while have never seen the normally stoic and stern director be so... warm to another person before. even his closest colleagues often don't see nanami so unbelievably attentive when someone suggests for him to do something even the slight bit different from what we original had in mind.

"i don't know," you murmured to him once, shifting the different panels of the storyboard around. "i think we can have this scene first, it'd build more suspense."

from behind you, nanami grew quiet, scanning the order of the frames before nodding and agreeing and gently cupping your smaller hand that grips the plastic frame, shifting it backwards. "i agree, i think having a pause between romeo and juliet's first interactions will keep the viewers on their toes just a while longer. especially since that's what they're all waiting for."

it was clear to everyone—except you and nanami—that there was something more between you and him. it was difficult to hold a conversation with nanami that wasn't about the film production, but when you spend the first few shy hours of the morning yapping about a new restaurant you visited over the weekend, it shocked everyone when he showed you a soft smile and said he'd like to visit it sometime (he says the "with you" part in his head).

his affections for you were rather apparent, considering he'd always ask aloud, "where's my AD?" before shooting every single scene, like your approval was the only one that mattered. at some points in time during the production, some of the crew members witnessed you and him alone at certain moments both in and out of the studio. you ate lunch with him, went out with him for a seemingly casual dinner, usually worked on him alone in his trailer that was always locked to him and him alone, until one stage manager discovered you had a spare key to it when you fetched a spare script for him that he left on his desk.

rumors spread fast, but when interrogated about it, nanami simply told them that he just wanted to help out an aspiring young director out by his own means.

"a potential like that must be nurtured in the best possible way," he'd retort. "rest assured that everything is professional between us. teetering that line benefits no one."

but oh, how nanami despised saying that. how nanami wish those rumors of you being his secret lover were true, that you and him had a relationship beyond just mere co-workers. how you and him consistently teeter the lines between what is appropriate. how he so badly wants to cross it with you, envelope you in his arms and kiss you just as passionately as romeo and juliet did when they first met at the ball.

you're a more free version of him, more passionate, more loving—all the things he wishes he was more. his ideas and ways of going about were traditional, but he found a spark with how rambunctious and spontaneous you were. he adored how you would do something on the whim and how so utterly unique your ideas were. he'd never met anyone like you before.

he caught himself staring at your back when you carefully direct the actors in such a way that accomplishes his vision in one-go, how you weren't afraid to try new things to see what would happen. you were poised and meticulous about your craft, despite your disposition. and it proved to be more difficult than it seemed when nanami tried to fight his affections off for his assistant director.

because at the end of the day, he knew you and him were much too different. he knew that it would be unprofessional to be running about behind scenes with a fellow, esteemed co-worker, knowing how that may look to everyone else; a younger, amateur director fooling around with a distinguished, honored one. while you were only a sparse few years younger than him, from the naked eye, you could just simply be another young creative using their charm to get ahead in the game, despite nanami knowing all too well you had more than just charisma to you and that there was no such flattery involved between your relationship.

and even though his own films their actors have been nominated and won a plethora of awards, he has yet to receive a credential of his own name. all of nanami's work and energy was pouring into this project to prove himself as a director worthy of one of the highest titles the film industry could offer—the academy award for best director. love is distracting, relationships are distracting. and he can't be having distractions for his most highly-anticipated film yet.

he can't afford to ruin his and your reputations at the cost of his pleasure, for these violent delights and have violent ends.

he knows he should put a distance between you and him. that the line of professionalism and personalism should be kept strictly at bay.

until it all comes tumbling down one night. choosing to film the most tense scenes last so the actors had proper time to get comfortable with each other, you and him are quietly rehearsing a very loose version of act two, scene two—the famous balcony scene—to properly get a grasp of what he was looking for before the official shooting.

you're seated beside him on the couch, a script for each of you, rehearsing the lines of a longing juliet. "how camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? the orchard walls are high and hard to climb."

your eyes flicker up when you pause, your former diction faltering a bit when you notice his hazel eyes staring at you so... warmly through his reading glasses, as if he's hanging on to each and every word despite hearing these lines a plethora of times.

"um," you clear your throat, feeling a slight shiver go down your spine when you and him bump knees on the couch, neither of you moving. "a-and the place death, considering who thou art, if any of my kinsmen find thee here."

nanami adjusts his script before speaking his lines as romeo.

"with love's light wings, did i o'erperch these walls," he begins and you quietly admire at how punctual his delivery is when he delivers his lines. his eyes go up to share your gaze again and he curses himself when he briefly looks at your lips, plump and almost inviting.

suddenly he remembers how close you are to him, that only a hairs breadth lie between your body and his. amidst the yellow light of the lamp and the quiet night that stirs outside the trailer, suddenly you appear a little more beautiful than usual.

"... kento?" you call out quietly, tilting your head oh-so charmingly to the side when he falters from his continuing line. the way you say his name startles him, even though he's been allowing you to call him on a first-name basis for a few months now. but even though, it stills feels so right when you say it.

"sorry," he coughs, adjusting his glasses and returning his gaze back to the script. "for stony limits cannot hold love out; and what love can do..."

he can't help himself. his head doesn't budge, but his eyes still return back to your visage, where a look of what seems to be yearning is painted over. he swallows. although he's reading these lines as romeo, something about them seems so sentimental that he feels like he's saying it to you directly, not juliet.

without looking back at the script and instead, meeting your eyes, he mutters, "... that dares love attempt."

it's your turn to swallow thickly, trying your absolute best to regulate your shallow breathing as his body nears yours.

he knows, he knows damn well that there's still the line between you and him. it wears down with every interaction he has to you to his dismay, and it still stands before you and him, but it's thin. it's so thin that it's barely there. akin to a strand from a spider's web, all nanami has to do is wave it over and it's knocked down—it's just his decision whether he wants to leave it alone and let it stand as it or destroy it down completely from his urges.

his body moves on his own. with the only border separating you two being the space between the two couch cushions you and him sit on, he crosses it with his arm that is moving on its own to the warmth of your cheek. his mind is screaming to not go further, to respect the line, to ensure no distractions, to secure that academy award, but his heart's longing overpowers it, and nanami isn't so sure if he wants to silent it. not when you look this ethereal from the light of the lamp.

you don't seem frightened. you're actually allowing him to do what he wants, and that you don't move away when his hand gently cups your cheek, his thumb stroking the cusp of your cheekbone so tenderly, so lovingly.

"therefore," he whispers, his skin on fire when your own hand goes to hold his that holds your face in the same manner. your eyes hold a certain longing, one that he mirrors from behind his reading glasses.

the line reduces to an invisible, flimsy string.

"...thy kinsmen," he brings your face closer to his and he drops his script entirely on the floor, your own following shortly after. the distance closes in; it's still there, but it's so small enough that you're able to feel his breath on your lips, and the gap between you shrinks with each millisecond. up until your hearts conjoin as one with each other through your chests.

"... are no stop to me."

the line is now nothing but a concept.

and he kisses you so deeply, hungrily, ardently. until his lungs are pining for air other than your own. parting is such sweet sorrow, indeed, because when you disconnect from him for a brief moment, it only takes a short second before nanami pulls you into him again.

[nobodysdaydreams]

I have a theory about Wicked Part 2 and what they are going to add to it, and why it's going to add so much to the movie.

I think they are going to add Dorothy's POV.

In the musical, she's mentioned, but Dorothy never appears on stage. We never know her POV or how much she knew about the witches, Fiyero, Boq, the lion, or what was actually going on in Wicked beyond the Wizard of Oz plot. But in the Wicked two trailers, we see scenes of Dorothy and those scenes are shot as if from the Wizard of Oz, not the traditional Wicked musical, in which Dorothy's character is only briefly mentioned or shown as a shadow. Which means we're going to get to see her story this time!

However, if I was going to include Dorothy's POV for Wicked, I don't think it would be anything like the Wizard of Oz, for a few clear reasons:

Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz is a perceptive and animated child and unless they plan on erasing that aspect of her character, she is not going to go home from Oz at the end of the Wicked movie with the same beliefs as the Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. She sees the Wizard is a fraud and calls him out just like Elphaba does. Besides this, there is no way she would just not pick up on the fact that Galinda, the dead witch, Boq, Fiyero, Elphaba, and the lion have a deeper history together than meets the eye for the entire trip.

This one might sound stupid, but trust me, it's important: Toto as a character. Here me out. In the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's distress in the real world is centered around a mean lady trying to drown her dog and the Witch of the West tries to do the same in Oz. However, in this version, Elphaba's whole thing is animal rights. She'd probably be horrified that Toto can't talk or Dorothy would be surprised and delighted to find that in this world, Toto can talk depending on what they decide to do with the dog. And if Dorothy comes to this world distressed about a lady trying to kill her poor dog, Elphaba would surely empathize. There might even be a misunderstanding between them if Elphaba believes Dorothy is working for the Wizard and Toto is a dog that needs rescuing.

So how does this change things?

There are a number of wonderful options.

The most obvious one is that we could see Dorothy put together and discover the story of Boq, Nessarose, Galinda, Elphaba, Fiyero, and the Wizard. She and the rest of the gang would formulate a plan to help Elphaba fake her death to save her from the people of Oz and the Wizard.

Within that narrative, we could see Elphaba enchanting the sleeping poppies to stop them from getting to the Wizard with the goal of protecting them from the Wizard (rather than to stop them from getting home). In Act 2 of Wicked, the Wizard again tries to form an alliance with Elphaba but Elphaba rejects his offer when she discovers what he's done to her Animal friends. It's possible that Elphaba believes the Wizard is trying to use Dorothy too and is trying to protect her from the same fate.

We could also see conversations between Dorothy and Fiyero about Elphaba (and there are many AO3 fics that have been going with that concept. I see y'all, thank you for doing the Lord's work 🙏🏻) and possibly some conversations between Dorothy and Boq since they'll be traveling together and we don't really get to hear about Boq's ending in the musical. I think the last we see of Boq is that he's angry at Elphaba for his condition and rallying crowds against her, but with all that traveling time and secrets coming out, I could see him getting, I don't know if I'd call it a "redemption arc" per say, but finding his heart again (a real one). Additionally, conversations between Dorothy and the lion about how Elphaba saved him would be nice too. Even if the lion had learned to blame Elphaba for what happened to him, I'm sure Dorothy would be quick to correct him once she discovered the full truth.

But my favorite, my absolute favorite and darkest possibility is the interactions that Dorothy can have with the Wizard. In the Wizard of Oz, she exposes him as a fraud, but in the Wicked movie, he's much worse than that, and I can totally see Dorothy being the one to point that out to him. Why?

First of all, Dorothy is not from Oz. Most people there would never question the Wizard, but if he's so powerful and generous, why is he sending an innocent little girl and three down-on-their-luck guys to go murder his dangerous enemy? That right there is a red flag, and again, if they don't change Dorothy's character, she's going to be a very honest child and comment on how strange this is.

Second of all, if anything I speculated above is true and Dorothy realizes this the Wizard is an animal abuser who vilified an innocent woman, she's going to be very angry at the Wizard, and rightfully so (I hope Toto bites him).

Third of all, and here's where it gets good: in the musical Wicked, the Wizard discovers he is Elphaba's father at the very end because of the bottle Galinda has. Dorothy is not on stage for that because she's not in the main cast of the musical, only mentioned by the other characters, but what if she was? What if she's the one that discovers the connection? What if she calls him out the exact same way Elphaba did after the Wizard gave his little "I always wanted to be a father" speech?

What if the Wizard had a little animal-loving girl who reminds him so much of the daughter he just sent to her to kill standing in front of him with a horrified expression while he puts the pieces together?

What if Dorothy's POV in Wicked isn't about her exposing the Wizard as a nervous fraud, but as a heartless monster?

What if Dorothy's POV is about her exploring this new world and discovering for herself who is truly wicked or good?

[hotvintagepoll]

Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh (Fire Over England, That Hamilton Woman)—That's a whole lot of beautiful in one on screen couple, and since both were stage actors they played passionate so well

William Powell and Myrna Loy (The Thin Man films)—i know they will have been submitted already but What If They Haven't Been!!!! the screen couple so hot together that people assumed they were married in real life! they match each others snark and dry deliveries SO well, theyre so married i still keep them tucked away in my mind as The Bar of established couples for movies. its also THEIR season rn new years is THE season for the thin man so a vote for loy-powell is a vote for love

This is round 3 of a mini tournament. Each poll lasts for three days. If you'd like to send additional propaganda supporting your favorite hot couple, you can reblog this post with your propaganda added, send it to my asks, or tag me in it. To vote in all the polls, click here. Happy holidays!

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut]

Olivier and Leigh:

Loy and Powell:

William Powell and Myrna Loy from The Thin Man series. Glamorous and witty, with the banter of a will they or won't they couple combined with the mischievous affection of the happily married. And they're detectives!

They're ridiculously in love with each other, genuinely enjoy spending time together, respect each other, and just look at them:

He's dapper! She's gorgeous! Asta is adorable! They're simply the best!

Nick & Nora Charles, my pre-Code LOVES. Wikipedia describes them in one line as a couple who enjoy “copious drinking and flirtatious banter,” and they’re right for that.

Myrna Loy and William Powell, their delight in each other on screen makes me deliriously happy every time I watch them. I’ll even watch the later Thin Man movies, even if they aren’t great, just for those two flirting and smirking knowingly at each other. Watching them as Nick and Nora, you just know those characters really enjoy being with each other more than anyone else.

They had sizzling chemistry, and their real life friendship meant that they actually enjoyed being around each other, and it showed on screen.

I know I'm probably not the only one suggesting them, but I HAVE to nominate my favorite on-screen duo: Myrna Loy and William Powell. The chemistry between them has rarely been equaled; they're like the fun, cool couple that's clearly in love without ever being obnoxious about it. I love all of their movies so much, but my favorites are the Thin Man Series, Libeled Lady, Love Crazy, and I Love You Again. Obviously, I'm not alone, seeing as they had 13 movies together. Also, them+Asta? True double income, no kids goals.

(I know other people will be saying this but One Must Be Sure). MYRNA LOY and WILLIAM POWELL. From The Thin Man (1934), After the Thin Man (1936), and all the other Thin Man movies etc. They're just so into each other in such an equitable way, they push each others buttons and tease each other while drinking like fishes and solving mysteries and it's REALLY HOT. They both always had a twinkle in their eyes and adorably wrinkled their noses at each other.

Myrna Loy and William Powell, who are both life goals and wife goals simultaneously. The ultimate gender envy couple.

[milfloveer]

Suprise

Pairing: Patti LuPone x fem!reader

Plot: Patti finished one of her shows and you're waiting in her dressing room, only she doesn't know you're there

Warnings: Patti being sad is a major warning and trigger don't you agree?

A/n: I'm simply and completely obsessed with Patti LuPone and some of her characters 😩 it's not even healthy fam

A/n II: also this isn't my best work, but will do ig

Today was Patti's premiere of A Life in Notes and I wasn't able to go as I was shooting for my new upcoming movie... At least it was what Patti thought.

I was always present on her first and last shows without failing, always there to be the loudest in the crowd when the show was over. But this time was different, I couldn't be there because this movie was draining me out, always shooting and reshooting.

Of course she was sad when I told her and I was too, seeing her like that made my heart, the one who beats for her, break. But what she didn't know was that today the shooting went really well and by the time I was finished I still had an hour to be at the theatre where Patti was doing her show.

I was currently changing clothes and putting some makeup on, so I could hurry up and go to Patti's show when a knock sounded on my trailer door "Come in!" I say and as the door opens Aubrey, who was part of the cast of the movie I was working in, walks in with a smile, already changed from the costume "You ready, love?" she asks and I frown "For what?" I ask confused, I don't remember making plans after shooting, she simply chuckles "Your wife's show duh." she says and I relax "Totally! Are you coming too?!" I ask excitedly "Of course I'm coming, wouldn't miss a Patti show for nothing." I just smile from ear to ear, grab my purse and walk out with her "Don't tell Patti we're going, she doesn't know and I want to make it a surprise!" I say excited and Aubrey just laughs at me "You look like a child ready for some candy, y/n." I stop and look at her "I am a child and my candy is waiting for me." I say smirking and winking at her, which she responds with a mocking disgusted face making me laugh.

As we arrived we were instantly met with Kathryn and Joe "Oh my god! Y/n! Aubrey! You made it!" Kathryn said as soon as her eyes landed on us, I was changing messages with her all day and of course she knew what was going on, she gave us a big hug and so did Joe "Yes! Isn't it awesome?!" I asked excitedly as they nodded with big smiles "Oh, and please don't tell anything to Patti, I want to surprise her, she doesn't know we're here." Kathryn already knew but nonetheless she lifts her hands in surrender as saying she won't tell anything and Joe seals his lips with an invisible key.

As we're talking I see from the corner of my eye the director of the show walking by, excusing myself I walk away so I could get to him. As I'm approaching him his eyes fall on my figure and he instantly recognises me "Mrs. LuPone!" he says happily greeting me with a warm hug "Oh, please, call me y/n. We're friends after all." I tell him and then proceed to explain what my plan is and to say he's delighted and excited too is an understatement "Patti really was a little low today and now I know why, but this will certainly make her night Mrs. LuPone- I mean, y/n!" he says laughing softly "Great! Then it's a deal." I say clapping my hands and saying goodbye so I could join the group again and go find our seats.

The show goes smoothly, we laugh, we cry, we sing and we feel everything. My eyes were always glued to my love, the glint in my eyes just like a child seeing his favourite toy, the love and admiration evident in me, proud emanating from my body as I followed her figure on the stage. And her voice. Oh, her beautiful voice. I'll never get tired of it, at home she's always singing something and sometimes I join her, but mostly is her singing while I watch with pure joy and love.

The last song is over and the crowd erupts into applauses and cheers and, as always, I scream from the top of my lungs and whistle, trying to be the loudest of them all, completely forgetting what I've planned and that she shouldn't know I was there.

I'm brought back to reality when a member of the crew approaches me and tells me to follow them, as well as the rest of the group. We're arriving at Patti's dressing room when suddenly she appears and I quickly jump behind a random black tall box that's in the way. Aubrey looks at me confused and so does Kathryn and Joe, then I point into Patti's direction and they all hurry to her cheering and congratulating her about her performance as I slip into her dressing room.

"You guys! What are y'all doing here!" Patti says, her big smile reaching her ears as she receives big hugs from everyone "You were incredible Patti!" Kathryn says "Yeah! Just wow! No words- like wow." Joe says and then she turns to Aubrey with wide eyes "Aubrey! What- How are you even here?!" and with that Aubrey just replies with one of her sarcastic and funny remarks "I ran away from the studio." she says shrugging her shoulders while everyone laughs "What about y/n, did she came with you?" Patti asks expectantly "I thought I heard her in the crowd screaming and whistling, but couldn't find her." she says still hoping it was true and I was there, but Aubrey being the good actress she is, puts on an act "No... Sorry, Patti she had more scenes than I to shoot. She couldn't make it." she says with a sadned and apologetic tone. Patti's face drops "Oh, alright. It's... Alright." she says and gives them a tight smile "I'm goin to change and then we could all go out for dinner, hm? My treat?" she asks and all of them agree.

I was seated on the little couch near the door waiting for my love. The door opens and I see her coming in and leaning into it as it closes, she lets out a shaky breath and it breaks my heart... She really wanted me here tonight "What's wrong, my love?" I ask softly while getting up from the couch.

She gasps and jumps, her eyes open quickly as she was not expecting someone to be there "Oh my gosh! Wha-" her eyes lock with mine as I approach her figure "Y/n?" she asks, her hands reaching out to my face, cupping and caressing it "Yes, my love." I say smiling lovingly "You really didn't think I would miss your show, right?" I ask with a breathy laugh, Patti lets out a shaky breath and brings our lips together to a soft and tender kiss, comforting even. "I love you." she breathes out against my lips bringing a big smile on my face "I love you too, Patti." I say kissing her again.

[greentrickster]

It's never going to stop being wild to me that the Wicked Witch of the West was never seen as green-skinned until the original movie came out, and the look was just so iconic it stuck, and also the movie's still under copyright (including the exact shade of green used for her) which is why more recent movies and productions have to be super finicky with the shade of green they make her due to copyright.

All of which is to say, if I ever do my own take on the Wizard of Oz (og!book version), I'm making her blue. Or maybe purple. I'd go with orange, for contrary funsies, but there's WAY too much history with various groups as being described as red or yellow, and I'm not going to risk going too far in either direction and adding unpleasant unintentional undertones in a choice that's about as deep as a puddle. There will also be no point in my take on events where anyone (even the narrator) makes a comment or joke about her not being green.

Might make a joke about how Dorothy's dress matches her skin and neither of them knowing what to do with this discovery, though.

Also I wouldn't go the full 'the Wicked Witch owns slaves' route from the original book and make her more similar to Madam Mim from The Sword in the Stone in her flavour of wicked/evil, and I would go with the 'Dorothy and the Wonderful Wizard in Oz' backstory regarding the Wizard and Ozma (basically retcons him having usurped the throne), so he's still something of a conman and trickster figure, but still definitively an ally to Dorothy & Co. Not only does this satisfy my own personal sensibilities for these characters, it sets up the delightful scenario of dangerously powerful evil witch versus some guy from Omaha with a quick tongue and a knack for stage magic and making gizmos desperately trying to keep a couple steps ahead of her.

She'd still get melted in the final confrontation of the original story, but she'd also get better later, Enchanted Forest Chronicles style. Dorothy is the only one surprised or concerned by this, but is also relieved that she did not, in fact, accidentally murder a second person. The Witch of the West shows up off and on throughout the continuing stories afterwards as a sort of side menace, maybe she has a domestication arc or something, I dunno, this post was just about making her blue instead of green because of who I am as a person, we're two paragraphs deeper than I planned, I'm calling it here before it can get any longer on me. O_OU

[luvyeni]

❛AFTER-PARTY❜ (h. jisung )

p. rockstar!jisung x fem!reader w. 1.5k

warnings? strangers to potential lovers , oral (m. receiving) , cumming on tits , unprotected sex , riding , handjob

— 𖦹 ( jisung had his eyes set on you ) !

jisungs eyes scanned the room , landing on you for like the 9th time , he'd been watching you ever since he spotted you in your crowd at his show , you had attended with your friend who was currently "dating" one of his members.

"hyunjin said that she is single , doesn't go out much." lee know sat next to her. "don't you like them like that?" han rolled his eyes. "why are you telling me this?" his eyes never leaving you. "because you've been staring at her for the past hour , just go talk to her." the older boy said. "before someone else does."

listening to his friend , he made his way over to you , you were sitting on the couch , drink in your , ready to go home. "hello." he said , you looked up from your drink , eyes widening. "oh hi." you waved. "han , right?" he loved the way you said his name. "that's my stage name , everyone else calls me jisung." you nodded. "well hi jisung."

he was cute , his long wavy hair framing his face nicely , you weren't that familiar with the band , only what your friend told you , but he was definitely working his way to being your favorite member. "can i sit down?" you nodded , moving over patting the seat next to you. "here." he sat down next to you , his leg pressed against yours. "thank you."

"so you know my name , what's yours?" he was cheeky , it made you smile. "(name)." you responded. "cute name , did you enjoy the show (name)?" you nodded. "yes i did you guys are super talented , i didn't know much about your group , but i'll make sure to look further into you guys."

"well i hope i'll be your favorite." he said. "i don't want to lose such a pretty fan to any of the other fan." your face heated up , but you still decided to play along. "i don't know seungmin is pretty cute too , his voice is amazing." he pouted. "im kidding." your laugh was like a new song stuck in his head. "we'll see." you said. "i'll take it."

the night went on , and you and jisung got closer , literally, the more you talk , the closer you got. you drank the rest of your drink , sitting the cup down. "ah , do you want me to get you another one?" you shook your head. "im almost certain my friend is going home with your band member , and i have to get in a cab alone , i'd rather not be drunk."

he didn't want you to go , he never took girls home , opting to be alone , taking care of himself — but he can't help it , you were beautiful , and you actually were interesting , you loved to stay home and watch movies , everything he liked.

and he couldn't even kid himself , your body was a dream , he prayed to meet a girl like you — your plus thighs , the tight miniskirt extenuating them , your boobs which he couldn't keep his eyes off since he saw you at the show were basically on display , being held by the shirt barely covered anything , your side boob protruding from the shirt — you were his dream girl.

"what if don't go home." he said. "what if you come with me?" you quirked your eyebrow up. "you trying to take me home jisung?" he smirked , the drink giving him a boost of confidence. "it's all up to you princess."

you didn't even bother telling your friend , she was safe with hyunjin , you and jisung making your exit. the cab ride to jisungs apartment was nothing but you sensational touching , and flirty comments in each others ear.

by time you make it to his elevator his arms are wrapping around your waist silently , you both get on the elevator and make it to his apartment , he opens the door , letting you walk in , and take a look. "you have a nice apartment." you took your heels off , sighing in delight when your feet hit the ground. "thank you." he closed the door , following behind you. "i don't normally bring girls home."

"why?" you questioned. "you're a handsome man , you mean to tell me girls aren't throwing themselves at you?" he laughed. "of course they are." it was your turn to laugh. "but i'd rather not stress about it knowing i'd probably never see again." you turned around , facing him confused. "but you invited me here?"

"yeah i did." he smirked. "you plan on seeing me again." he hummed. "depending on how this night goes , i plan on seeing you many times." his confidence was definitely a turn on for you , you chuckled , rubbing your neck where the string dug into your skin in pain. "stupid shirt."

he wrapped his arms around your waist. "does it hurt?" he toyed with the string. "s-so much." you breathed , his lips came up to your cheek right to your ear whispering , pulling at the string. "then take it off." he grabbed your jaw , pulling you into a passionate kiss.

your lips moved perfectly in sync , he took the grabber the other string , pulling at it , stepping back , letting your shirt fall to the floor , your boobs falling their natural state. "fu-fuck." he groaned , cock twitching in his jeans. "so fucking pretty."

you grabbed his hand , guiding him to his couch , pushing him down on the couch , spreading his legs , slotting your body into between them. "you look so pretty in between my legs like that." he caressed your face. "gonna suck my cock like a good girl?" you nodded , batting your eyelashes. "then take it out princess."

you got straight to work , undoing his jeans , pulling them down to his ankles , kissing his clothed cock. "sh-shit , no teasing baby , take it out." his demanding voice made you clench your thighs.

you pulled his cock out , his tip bright red. "you're so big." you kissed his tip , precum sticking to your lips. "yeah? but you can it , i know you can." you stroked his cock , bringing your lips to his mushroom head sucking on it. "oh fuck , there you go." he sighed. "suck my cock like a good girl."

you took him all the way in your , pulling out a long whine from his pouty lips. "your mouth feels so good." he grabbed the back of your head , guiding you up and down his shaft. "fu-fuck im gonna cum , wanna cum on your tits." he groaned. "fuck please let me cum on your tits."

you pulled off his cock , spit trailing behind as you took him back into your hand , stroking him. "wanna cover my tits in your cum." you looked so hot , lips swollen and red. "cum for me sungie." the way you called him that in that tone , sent him into overdrive , he groaned , cumming all over your tits , some getting on your chin , you gasp. "you came so much."

he had a lazy smirk on his face as he caught his breath , watching his cum drip from your chin to your tits , his cock hardening against , twitching against his stomach. "fuck get up here." he helped you off the floor , stripping you of your skirt and underwear. "want you to ride my cock."

he grabbed the base of his cock , letting you climb into his lap , his tip pressed against your hole. "wanna see your tits bounce while you're bouncing on my cock." you both moaned out as you sunk down on his cock. "fuck you're pussy is tight." you sat all the way down on him , he slapped your ass , grabbing the flesh. "come on , bounce on my cock."

he threw his head back against the couch , groaning as you moved up and down , his cock stretching you out. "god damn , you're so fucking good at this." he said. "fucking yourself on my cock like that."

"fu-fuck jisung." you moaned , your hands on his shoulders as you moved up and down. "you feel so good." he slapped your ass , making you jump forward. "faster bun , fuck yourself faster." you moved faster , moaning even louder. "sh-shit princess , gonna cum." he panted. "me too."

he reached in between your bodies rubbing your clit. "fuck jisung m'gonna cum!" you scream. "fuck im cumming!" you cursed , cumming around his cock. "sh-shit baby you gotta get off." he felt his orgasm approaching. "fuck." he sighed , as you climbed off his cock , sitting in his lap , stroking his cock until he came into your hand. "shit."

you brought your fingers to your mouth , licking the cum off. "fuck baby you're nasty." he grabbed your jaw , smashing his lips against yours.

you both sat there for a few minutes before getting up to shower together , spending another hour in there because jisung initiated round two , before you actually got clean.

"our tour ended yesterday , so i'll be home for a while." he spoke up , a anime playing on the tv. "huh?" you said. "i want to see you again." he said. "we don't have to go out or anything , we can have a home date or something." you nodded , kissing his cheek.

"sure , lets do it."

©️LUVYENI

[bellshazes]

dreaming up a syllabus for an imaginary course on metanarratives about gameplay, which i think would go something like:

unit 1: who do you think you are i am - auto-documentary & games

Vlogs and the Hyperreal, Folding Ideas

The Slow Death of Let's Play Videos, Meraki (to ~10:00)

World Record Progression: Mike Tyson, Summoning Salt

ROBLOX_OOF.mp3, hbomberguy

Life as a Bokoblin: A Zelda Nature Documentary, Monster Maze

optional: Braindump on the History of Let's Plays, slowbeef

unit 2: what like it's hard? - intro to challenge narratives

Chapter 26: Games as Narrative Play: Two Structures for Narrative Play, Rules of Play

A different kind of challenge run: Minimalist 100% (BOTW), Wolf Link

Surviving 100 Days on Just Dirt, Mogswamp

Can You Beat DARK SOULS III with Only Firebombs, the Backlogs

Is it Possible to Beat Super Mario 3D World while permanently crouching?, Ceave Gaming

The Pacifist Challenge - Beating Hollow Knight Without Collecting Soul [CHALLENGE] - Sample

optional: How to 100% Snowpeak Ruins in under 15 minutes, bewildebeest

unit 3: nelly you don't understand, i AM the narrative - form and function

The Future of Writing about Games, Jacob Geller

Can You Beat GRIME Without Weapons?, the Backlogs

Mushroom Kingdom Championships, Ceave Gaming

My Life as a Barber in Hitman 2, MinMax (Leo Vader)

MyHouse.WAD - Inside Doom's Most Terrifying Mod, PowerPak

optional: Mega Microvideos, Matthewmatosis

the theme and structure is mostly intended to introduce at least one critical or historically contextual work followed by examples of the type of narrative in question.

in unit 1, this is the idea of "How do people talk about their own experiences in the context of YouTube and playing video games?" across three rather different kinds of documentaries. unit 2 is intended to take that lens of who is telling what tale and dial in on challenge running, where i first noticed the way some videos turn the story of overcoming a challenge into its own narrative that is distinct from but related to the narrative events of the game itself. unit 3 circles back to the bigger picture with a variety of examples that, to me, are maximally metanarrative, the emergent story of the player-narrator now functionally replacing the game's embedded narrative.

bonus unit: broken narratives

Glitch & the Grotesque at the MLA, Sylvia Korman

Watching time loop movies to escape my time loop, Leo Vader

The Stanley Parable, Dark Souls, and Intended Play, Folding Ideas

Breaking Madden, Jon Bois

The TRUTH about the Pizzaplex in FNAF: Security Breach, AstralSpiff

this one is highly underdeveloped, but i'd love to work out something more robust building on randomizer challenges that produce intentionally bizarre, semi-ironic "lore," and bois-esque endeavors to break games so hard the story itself crumbles. but that's really out of scope so i'm just including the links to things i couldn't bear to get rid of. more rambling abt the challenge runs I chose under the cut.

Challenge runs represent one of the most obvious places to start, due to being extremely plentiful and having a hook that makes a "here's how I did X thing in Y video game" format almost unavoidable. Minimalist 100% is an underrated and sweet straightforward example that I mostly include as a baseline for reporting-out style narrative; here are the facts, here's what happened, this is the thing that it is. Mogswamp's 100 Days on Just Dirt is similar in style, but the physical measuring of days is a delightful and, more importantly, external narrative device.

Now oriented, we get a taste of Ceave Gaming's narrative approach to Mario challenges with the no-crouching run, and while we still aren't at the degree of player-characters being constructed for the narrative's sake, the spirited belief in crouching sets the stage for other rhetoric in more extreme cases we'll see later.

The Backlogs' entire body of work qualifies here, but GRIME is the strongest inspiration for putting this list together. I include the DS3 firebombs run because what was initially a factual description of how his wife's use of firebombs inspired him to play differently in the original DS1 firebombs run has developed into full-blown multi-game narrative arc with the Firebomb Goddess (his wife, who also voices the character) compelling his in-game character to achieve his destined quest. Grime takes that even further,

In-Game Documentaries

I include Life as a Bokoblin mostly as a contrast to My Life as a Barber - there is a level of fictionalization and roleplay involved in the Zelda in-game documentary that highlights exactly what I want to single out when I am talking about metanarrative, the story about a story.