#glad the documentary went ahead strong

[askshivanulegacy]

I've seen this post going around, so I watched the documentary (and that's really what it is - a documentary of this Somerton YouTube rando's vid "career") and not only does it point out how insanely bad Somerton was as a person, but it's also a surprisingly thoughtful take and pretty entertaining.

It's really incredible just how deliberately Somerton preyed on his fellow queer creators, while making himself out to be the queer martyr of the YouTube nets. The guy's a weirdo and a thief and deserves to have his career prospects trashed forever.

The swiftness and brutality of Hbomberguy’s complete evisceration of James Somerton’s career cannot be overstated.

[retvenkos]

“would it be terribly cheesy if i said ‘it was always you’?”

requested by @biqherosix STRAP IN, FOLKS, BECAUSE TODAY WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE FOR EJ CASWELL TO HAVE A CRUSH ON A NORTH HIGH STUDENT...

so first of all, you and ej knew each other long before you ran into each other in high school. because, you see, you went to junior high together, and in those days, both you and ej were on dance company 

(you can pry dance company! ej from my cold, dead fingers)

you were arguably the better dancer, and seventh grade ej really wanted to prove himself. a baby competition sprouted between the two of you, but it was nothing big.

you both liked to show off in order to taunt the other, and you both got a kick out of trying to one up each other.

but at the same time, you were teammates. you did everything together.

so the bond between you and ej was strong. it was a competition, yes, but it was friendly competition and you both actually hyped each other a lot. 

plus, dance company does a lot of things as a group, so it was unavoidable. you were going to end up liking each other at some point. luckily, it happened sooner rather than later, and the two of you built up a nice rapport with one another - a closeness forged in friendly competition and last minute studying parties.

but all that changed when you went to north high and ej went to east high

now, since north high is completely fictional, i get to create the dynamic between the schools, so listen up everyone!

north high clearly has the better arts department, and they also have the better tennis and softball team.

east high has the better stem department as well as a better swim team and any other swim related sports.

west high has the better sport teams overall - basketball, football, volleyball, etc.

(that's why we never see any uber jocks at east high—)

now, clearly you have your boundary school, but people get on special permit all the time, and when you say you’re going to north high ej is like ???? but why ???

“they have a better arts department, ej, you know that!”

“well, yeah, but east high is the best. we always said we were going to be wildcats!”

“ej.... they’re actually leopards.”

it wasn’t a super emotional goodbye. you promised to stay in touch, and it wasn’t like it was hard. you still saw each other around the mall, you still followed each other on instagram and what not but.... time just got between you.

you slowly stop texting, you see each other less, when you see each other in public you do that thing where you give a smile but then don’t go over to say hi, because you’re wrapped up in other people. it’s not pointed things, you just... stop talking.

and you still like each others photos on instagram but you’re just... there. 

all of that changes, however, when carlos asks you to help him choreograph hsm.

at the time, the rivalry between schools wasn’t big, it was just a low simmer, and the reason carlos approached you was because once upon a time, you, ej, and him had all been in dance company together for one (1) year (it all comes full cIRCLE) and for one of your performances, you had done something hsm related.

carlos wanted to know if you remembered the routine and could help him come up with something slightly more advanced.

and while you and carlos hadn’t really kept up with one another, he jokingly brought up a time where he did something for you, and how you always said you’d pay him back one day and maybe now it was time to cash it in??

you decided why not? you’ve done a lot of stuff for north high’s dance company, but you’ve never helped out in a musical before (and as you can imagine, north high is very competitive in their arts)

so you joined the hsm cast as co-choreographer.

now, because you had your own north high dance company stuff to deal with, you end up missing a lot of rehearsals. you mostly brainstorm with carlos and add tweaks to the choreo. carlos is the one to really ~teach~ things.

which means that while you are present for ~the drama~ that was ej-nini-ricky, you actually miss a lot of it. you feel the tension, but exactly why it’s Like That is beyond you.

you tried to ask carlos once but he said he wasn’t going to get into that, thank you.

and honestly, you have competitions to keep up with, so you’re not fixated on it. you’re just hoping that they’re not still pissed at each other on opening night, when ej has to strap ricky in for “getcha head in the game”

and while you’ve chatted with ej a couple of times, you haven’t had much time to catch up.

you actually bond a lot with gina, who is on the same level as you in terms of dance. you end up talking and mention how ej was once on dance company, and that rocks her world because ej???

and that’s when you show her all of the old videos you archived on your instagram from your junior high days. carlos, ej, and you all in dance company. they’re precious.

and when ej’s friendships are strained and he doesn’t have anyone to turn to, he sees you and gina laughing and crowding over your phone, and he comes to say hi.

and thus, the friendship begins again.

it is, of course, slow going because so much time has come between you, and gina and carlos (the two you hang with the most) are not on great terms with ej, but you guys grow really close all over again. ej is glad to have another senior to talk to about college, and you’re glad you have an old friend to talk to because it’s easy to feel out of place in this school that isn’t yours.

and on opening night, you know ej gifts you something - maybe it’s a jacket or beanie with the wildcats emblem on it.

“it’s kinda stupid, but we always said we were going to be wildcats together, and we did it.”

“huh, i guess we did.”

and for some reason, you chest is really warm, and you can feel the heat sneak up to your cheeks.

“this is really sweet, ej.”

“well, you know me.”

“yeah, i guess i do.”

and then it’s his cue to get ready to go on stage.

“oh! and there should be another surprise coming, don’t hate me for not telling you!”

and you’re ??? but it turns out to be gina.

you all clearly go to denny's afterward to celebrate, and if ej feels his heart seize in his chest everytime you laugh or steal one of gina’s fries, it’s not an unfamiliar feeling. because really, it had always been like that, with you. you never cease to amaze him.

and once you’re on the east high theatre group chat, you never get taken off of it, so you know everything that’s going on with your theatre buddies, after hsm has finished.

and this is where a conflict of interest really comes in...

because, you see, once hsm is a hit, some of the theatre kids at north high think you’re a traitor. you gave east high their secrets, and now east high is an actual contender. uncool, (y/n).

so you kind of get iced out by a lot of north high kids. like i said. competition there is  s t e e p  and you’ve been accused of fraternizing with the enemy..

but when zach roy shows up and he hears about the drama surrounding one (y/n) (l/n), he gets an idea... so he approaches you one day after dance company practice...

“he asked you to do wHAT?”

you’re texting ej, carlos, and gina in a group chat

“he asked me to co-choreograph their show.”

“are you going to do it?” - carlos

“of course they are! do you think opportunities like this just fall out of the sky?” - gina

“i don’t know, though, i feel like he’s working some angle with me. there’s something about him that doesn’t feel genuine.”

“it’s those piercing blue eyes.” - carlos

“i have piercing blue eyes!”

“and you’ve never done anything underhanded?” - gina

“we did that together!”

“what should i do?”

“accept, clearly!” - gina

“i’d be careful, if i were you. miss jenn doesn’t trust him for a reason.” - carlos

“it’s up to you, (y/n). you’ll do great, and it’s a great opportunity.”

“but?”

and everyone can feel the pause - the conflict where ej doesn’t know what to say.

“but nothing! this is a HUGE opportunity! he’s dancer extraordinaire derek hough zach roy! i’d be the villain of your eventual documentary if i were to try to hold you back.”

“okay... i think i’ll do it. you know how competitive things are, here. this could really give me a boost.”

“hell yeah, (y/n)!” - gina

“spy on their production for us?” - carlos

“anything for you <3″

i imagine you clash a lot with lily, but you actually become really good friends with howie and antoine. but that’s beside the point.

and while things are on good terms at first, your bond with your wildcats stays strong, and you’re carving out a place in north high rehearsals, lily is quick to find out that you’re on the east high group chat.

and because this is hsmtmts, i get to have some fun with this premise.

lily gets some kind of tech nerd on her side, and she gets him to make it so that somehow, the text that you get from the theatre group also send to her phone, for maximum stalking of the competition. that’s how she always gets one step ahead of east high.

and as north high seemingly continues to have insider info on east high, someone suspects there’s a leak.... which leads to you. who else has access to north high? so they send a fake text and wait to see if north high takes the bait.

they do. so now east high thinks it’s you.

but at this same time, you keep noticing that suspiciously, whenever you get a text from east high theatre department, lily’s phone goes off to. literally at the same moment, you’re doing your own test to see if somehow she hacked your phone.

(you had your suspicions because lily is actually terribly bad at hiding her hand and constantly makes remarks that make you Think™.)

you confirm lily to have hacked your phone, and so you go old school and show up to east high, hoping to tell them what happened and find some fix (since east high is the mother of all tech schools in this universe.)

but when you walk into the auditorium, the cast is being really passive aggressive toward you? and you’re so confused? what happened?

of course, ricky is the only to confront you because these days, it seems like he’s always one (1) moment away from blowing up.

and you explain that you were played just as much as they were - it was never your intention to betray them. east high is your family.

“oh, yeah? i’ve never known an east high leopard to go to north high.”

and so now we’re in shambles! we’re divided! 

you leave, upset, and ej catches you in the hall. he tries to explain that ricky’s been on one, recently, that none of his anger was really meant for you, and that he believes you - truly. he knows you’re the last person to ever betray them. you’re not like that. that’s more him than it is you.

and you just give him the world’s biggest  h u g .

now you’re probably wondering why i insisted on this particular plot line, but let me tell you - ej never really understood completely what a complete breach of trust it was for him to steak nini’s phone and violate her privacy like that. now he can see how deeply it affects you - how it can really ruin people in ways you never intend. it’s about the learning curve.

anyway, it takes you a while to build up trust with east high again, but you say “hey, why don’t you guys continue to send false leads to this group chat? make another for yourselves, and continue to spread misinformation to me.

ej is like... do you really want to sabotage your own show? but you tell him something along the lines of “our show is still going to have superior choreography, lily is just going to waste her time doing pointless side missions. it has nothing to do with the quality of my work.”

and ej loves this competitive and devious side of you so much. but he’s also deathly terrified of telling you how much he cares about you, because he always manages to screw things up.

and gina finds hilariously endearing because of all people to be self conscious... ej caswell? the ej caswell? she would be his hype woman if she wasn’t so busy finding this all too Good to be true.

eventually, lily will find out, but when she confronts you and threatens to tell the cast that you’re the reason they’re so behind in their production, you tell her that to do that, she’d have to confess to stealing your phone, hacking into it, and using it to spy on you which breaks like 23 different school rules. but sure! tell everyone! you’d love to see how the principal reacts when you film it and show it to them on monday.

(this is getting really long, let me see if i can wrap it up, quick)

clearly, ej is an Idiot when he’s in love, and even though he’s deathly afraid of telling you his feelings, that doesn’t stop him from expressing them.

both of you are in your respective musicals, and your rehearsal schedules align really nicely, so a lot of the time, ej will drive up to north high afterward so he can give you a ride home. (you don’t have a car, okay?) you guys always stop to get fast food or a drink at starbucks or something, and you have little “dates” where ej parks the car and the two of you eat in his car, just chatting about your day.

or on weekends, you and ej go and drive up to the state college that ej was admitted to, and you walk around campus, trying to envision him there. and if you’re also going to a school nearby, you do the same for you. (bonus points if you’re going to the same college, so you walk around and pick out the places where you’ll chill together.)

and if these little excursions of yours are the highlight of your week, and all you want to do is hold ej’s hand forever, singing in the car with the windows down and driving into the sunset... well, you just hope that ej wants the same.

and since ej is in av club, and he’s really trying to dig in and figure out what his story is, he’s always got a camera of some kind out, and some of his best work, he swears, are pictures and videos of you.

anyway, at some point, you confess to ej that you have a crush on him (howie probably pushed you to do it because he was tired of seeing you pine).

it’s a weekend and the two of you are procrastinating on your respective school assignments (study sessions being interrupted with senioritis? sounds about right) so instead you’re just sitting on the floor, staring at the ceiling, talking about whatever. and i think it just slips out, and when you realize what you’ve said, you’re vvv embarrassed, and you don’t even want to look at see how ej reacts, but he calls your name and you turn to him, a deadly mixture of dread and hope rooted in your stomach and shaking you to your core, but ej is smiling and in his eyes is something brighter than the sun, and when he tells you he’s feels the same, it’s like that dread in your stomach blooms into pure joy and when he tells you he’s had a crush on you since you were eighth graders and you were a better dancer than him, you can’t help but laugh until all of that warmth in your stomach has escaped into the air and hangs around the two of you like low hanging stars - so close, you can reach out and touch them.

anyway, cue lots of sneaking around north high - not because it’s a secret but because it’s fun hiding in the back of the auditorium and sneaking into the empty dance room.

cue cheering for each other at the menkies and congratulating each other when east high gets best musical, and north high gets best choreography (amongst others).

cue going to denny’s to celebrate and laughing until your sides hurt, stealing each other’s fries, and holding hands under the table.

(also... ej 100% would kiss your fingers when your hands are intertwined and that’s truly a blessing)

cue going to pool parties together for no other reason than i want all of the east high kids to do an impromptu rendition of “all for one” and ej gets to hit ricky with one of those blow up beach balls “for revenge” on the basketball moment in season 1.

plus, a pool party would do wonders for destressing, don’t lie.

AND FLUFF ENSUES.

taglist: @maybanksslut, @theletterhart, @brokenandheadoverheels, @neelia-thedaughtherof-athena @kitsdeadwife, @amortensie // add yourself to the taglist here!

[afoolnottoloveu]

moonlight ♡

Summary: Spencer wants to go to sleep, but Reader doesn’t wanna break tradition (WC: 1.6k) {Masterlist <3}

Pairing: Spencer Reid x (intended she/her but technically gender neutral)!Reader (could be read as platonic or romantic!!)

TW: none!

A/N: i was supposed to post this on the 29th.. we dont talk about it its okay its fine everythings all good, I ALMOST FORGOT thank you to gracie for beta reading this!! she’s the first one on the taglist at the end if you wanna check out her amazing work as well mwah, n e ways enjoy :0

Playlist Pairing: it’s not a singular song this time, listen to the inspo playlist here! 🌘

_

You rushed up the stairs, praying to some deity that you would catch him before he sent himself to bed or was too immersed in some book to answer the door. JJ had called you 7 hours ago, so it wasn’t surprising that you somehow didn’t notice the time passing, plus the fact you had to get gas for your little trip.

Rapping at the door insistently, you were delightfully startled when Spencer opened the door only a few moments later. He was still in his work slacks and button up but tie-less. A quick glance behind him and you could see he had been making himself tea, and the satchel by his feet couldn’t have been dropped more than 10 minutes ago.

“Peanut?”

You were too elated that you had caught him to respond, instead opting to attach yourself to his torso. “You’re back! Oh my gosh, I was so worried you wouldn’t make it back in time, but luckily JJ called me that you were getting back today, but that was over like 7 hours ago, and then I got worried I wouldn’t make it here before you went to bed--” you rambled, but Spencer quickly brought you back down to Earth by removing you from his torso.

“Y/N! What’re you doing here?”

“We’re going on a drive, duh!” you said, before grabbing his wrist and making it halfway out the door before being pulled back.

“Now? I just got home from two back-to-back cases, and it’s almost midnight.”

“Spence, we can’t break tradition now! Unless Mr. Eidetic Memory forgot what tomorrow is--” you interrupt yourself with a very exaggerated gasp, earning an eye roll from Spencer.

“Of course I know what tomorrow is but--” Knowing he would only go on and on to list reasons why he shouldn’t come with you, you used your last resort, the “puppy dog eyes.” All Spencer did was stare at you, both of you knowing fully well that he was capable of resisting, but he didn’t like to. After a whole minute of unnecessary intense staring at each other, Spencer let out a groan and turned around to walk away, which you thought meant that he was going to bed. Instead, you were pleasantly surprised when you heard him half-yell from across his apartment, “I’m just getting my keys!” You squealed excitedly, knowing what was ahead of you both that night.

~

Your car was small, a basic silver Toyota corolla you named Carrie. She smelled of gas and was decked out with teddy bear head pillows and keychains that you asked Spencer to buy, hanging from the rearview mirror, (but only from the cool states). You even kept a tan knitted blanket in Carrie, which Spencer was now wrapped in.

You couldn’t help but notice Spencer’s infatuation with the moon tonight, as he took a long sip from one of his two cups of hot cocoa you guys had picked up on the way.

“Is it a full moon?”

“No,” he said--not in a rude way, just quietly and quickly, like he didn’t want to take his focus away from the moon or it might disappear.

So, you let him be. He was most likely tired, and despite tomorrow, which most people would be restless for, he probably just wanted rest. You almost felt guilty, but your tradition was important to you, and you could only hope that it was important to him as well. 

“Did you know the full moon is one of the most powerful symbols in astrology? It can represent one’s emotional instincts, habits and private aspects of one’s personality. It’s said that while the sun sign of someone represents their head, their moon sign represents their heart. Though, most astrologists say the moon is heavily compulsion-based. Similarly, someone’s sun sign depicts their actions, but their moon sign depicts their reactions,” he told you, still gazing, almost longingly at the moon.

“I didn’t take you for an astrology type of guy, Doctor.”

“I have knowledge in many areas, Y/N, I thought you knew this by now.” You snickered at the understatement. “If the moon smiled, she would resemble you. You leave the same impression of something beautiful, but annihilating,” he quoted.

“Plath--are you flirting with me, Doc?”

“Never, peanut.”

You rolled both your eyes and the windows of your car. Hopefully the blanket and cocoa was enough to warm him. All you wanted was to not blow out his eardrums as you turned up the music. Night Changes by One Direction was playing, and you reminisced on the fact that he originally had never heard of the band, causing your binge session, which consisted of watching their documentary and listening to all 5 of their albums straight. He told you he thought they were okay and he saw the appeal. What he didn’t tell you was that his favorite album was Midnight Memories, but if the way he was humming along to the song now was any evidence, you could’ve been a profiler.

You two listened to your playlist, made specially for the tradition, (Spencer insisted you always pick the music on these trips, since you weren’t very interested in classical piano) and besides the melodies, a comfortable silence encompassed the car for the most of the ride. As the road started to incline and your destination started getting near, you broke it.

“Can you believe-” you started, earning Spencer’s gaze from the sudden conversation, “Can you believe the audacity the calendar has, to change dates in the middle of the night, just like that, while we’re sleeping?” Spencer couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled out from him. “Like tomorrow… You’re gonna wake up and, and you’re gonna be one year older.” When you said this, you couldn’t help but steal a look at him. He wasn’t making eye contact, just fidgeting with his fingers, but the small smile was there.

“Just like that,” you finished, as you pulled onto the edge of a hill. 

When you showed up at his apartment the night you got your driver’s license, you found this spot. This was your guys’ cliff. The one you guys found on accident, when your car ran out of gas on your first night of the tradition. The same one you guys have had a handful of picnics at and late night rambles about both of your favorite things. Covered in the blanket of light that the moon so graciously provided, it was perfect, and it was both of yours.

Parked atop the hill, you turned off the car and turned to Spencer, who went back to admiring the stars. You were just about to tell him that you would be right back, but you decided he was a little busy, and so you quickly shuffled to grab the box he wasn’t aware was hiding in the trunk.

He finally noticed your disappearance when you came back with a lavender gift box in your lap and an excited smile on your face. “Oh Y/N, you know you didn’t--”

“Save it, Spence. Just open your gift,” you demanded, shoving it into his arms and the smile on your face only lingering. He rarely received real gifts, only for Christmas. You were essentially his only non work friend, and he told everyone at work that he never wanted nor needed anything.

He repeatedly blinked, yet carefully removed the lid. He first saw the small brown envelope which contained a gift card for the local coffee shop near his apartment. Underneath that and the matching lavender tissue paper, he found a tie of no other color than purple and two pairs of socks, one of colorful stripes and the other of baby tardises. (You knew nothing about Doctor Who, but he appreciated the references.) The whole time smiles adorned both your faces. The last item was a copy of The Alchemist. It was one of the main books you two had bonded over, and only a few weeks ago, someone had spilled coffee on their copy. Spencer was against buying another one, saying he could literally recite it in his head word for word if he ever wanted to again, but you stubbornly insisted that it didn’t have the same sentiment, (and of course you were right).

He took the book out the box and held it by the spine as he flitted through the pages, taking note of the annotations, your annotations. When done, he closed it and only opened the cover, finding your heartfelt message. 

Dear old dear old Spence,

I know you’re probably gonna read this in .02 seconds, and probably right in front of me at that. Unless we broke tradition. But I trust that I convinced you. (It was the eyes, wasn’t it?) Regardless, I wanted to wish my very, very best friend a happy birthday. You alone are so strong for going through all that you’ve gone through, stuff that no one should have to even imagine. You are one of the strongest people I know. You need to know that I’m proud of you, Spencer. I’m beyond grateful for you, for having such a caring, resilient, and just incredible friend as you. I hope I don’t need to remind you that I will be here for you, through anything and everything. See you in 500 years :)

Love, with all my heart, Peanut

In only a handful of seconds, he shut the cover once again, and the happiness (and slight gleam) in his eyes became painstakingly evident. “This is your copy?” He asked, mostly rhetorically, because he knew it was. At this point, he was lightly sniffling between words. “Thank- thank you, peanut,” 

“It’s no problem Doc,” you smiled and lightly punched him on the shoulder, “happy birthday, Spencer. I’m glad we didn’t break tradition.” And by the look on his face, well- you were no profiler, but you could safely assume that he was just as glad.

-

Taglist: @bxbyspxncer @goldenxreid @prettyboy-reid @rottenearly @rainsong01

[chris-sales-belly-ring]

Sale/Brianne/Porcello: We Ain’t No Everyday Lovers

To make a long story short, I started out writing a Sale/Porcello fic abut Rick visiting Chris after finding out he needs Tommy John surgery.

I somehow ended up writing about Chris, his wife, and Rick all being together.

I may or may not edit this and put it on AO3 at a later date.

Summary, warnings, etc. under the read more.

Summary: When she walked in earlier and she saw Chris practically sleeping in Rick’s arms, she knew. When they talked while fixing dinner together, Brianne knew in her heart how much Rick loved Chris. She rightfully assumed that her husband had mutual feelings. As her eyes meet Porcello’s, she’s pretty sure that she’s in love with him, too. 

Warnings: Polyamory. Talks of future pegging. (Everything else here includes sex acts that I don’t normally add tags for).

***

Even though they’re not teammates anymore, Rick is still his go-to person to talk baseball stuff with. He calls him to tell him about opting for surgery so that he doesn’t find out from the press. Chris could also use some encouragement from the best and kindest man that he knows. Porcello always knows the right thing to say when Sales has his rare self-deprecating moments. Chris admits that he’s a little scared that his arm won’t be the same post-surgery, but Rick assures him that he’ll be able to return to form.

Chris sighs. “But what if I’m not as good as before? It’s possible that I’m never that Chris Sale again.”

“You’re the best pitcher I’ve ever been around, Chris. If anyone can come back and be even better than they were before, it’s you. Your work ethic and your talent are unrivaled. I have all the faith in the world in you,” Rick tells him.

“I just feel like such a let down to everybody,” Chris says.

“You’re not letting anyone down. You’re an athlete who got injured, it happens every day. It was through no fault of your own. Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Rick responds.

“You’re always my voice of reason,” Chris realizes.

“I’m still in Florida, you know. I never went home once spring training ended, so I’m only a few hours away from you . . . ”

***

“It feels like forever since I’ve seen you,” Chris says as he hugs Rick.

“I know you’ve missed my pretty face,” Rick jokes.

“You come bearing gifts, too? You trying to get into my wife’s good graces by bringing wine?” Chris teases.

“I may or may not have bought organic just for her,” Rick replies.

“She’s dropping off the kids with my parents since it will be too chaotic having them around here after my surgery. She should be back soon,” Chris tells him.

***

After they start watching a documentary on Netflix, Chris eventually falls asleep with his head on Rick’s shoulder. He grabs a blanket to cover them both with and he idly runs his fingers through Sale’s hair. He assumes that Chris probably hasn’t slept well the last few days, so he’s glad that he’s finally allowing himself to rest. Rick smiles when Brianne makes it back home. She gives him a genuine smile back and she tells him that she’s glad to see him. She notices Chris sleeping and she mentions that she doesn’t think he has gotten more than a few hours the past few nights. 

“I roll over at 3 AM and he still looks wide awake. I caught him watching film at like 4 AM two nights ago. I’m so happy you’re here. Maybe you can talk some sense into him,” Brianne says.

“He’s just stressed out and a little scared. He’ll be back to himself in no time,” Rick assures her.

***

Chris wakes up to the strong smell of Italian food cooking. His stomach growls and he realizes that he doesn’t remember the last time he ate. He stretches as he gets off the couch and walks into the kitchen. There’s music playing while Rick and Brianne are talking and chopping up vegetables together. It’s not news to him how well his wife and his best friend get along, but he can’t help smiling as he watches them interact. He asks them if there’s anything he can do to help, but they tell him they’re almost done. Chris decides to set the table and he takes out the corkscrew to open the wine with.

“Do you mind keeping an eye on the sauce while I go talk to Chris upstairs for a few minutes?” Brianne asks.

“Go ahead, I got it,” Rick replies.

***

“He loves you, you know,” Brianne points out.

“Yeah, I know. He’s great,” Chris agrees.

“I mean, he loves you like I do. I can tell by the way he talks about you,” Brianne clarifies.

Chris blushes. “Oh. Are you mad?”

“I would’ve kicked him out if I was mad. I just want to know how you feel about him. You can be honest with me, Chris,” Brianne says.

“I’ve never done anything with him. I would never do that to you,” Chris answers.

“Of course not. I wasn’t accusing you of anything. It’s just that I could understand if you love him back,” Brianne explains.

“I honestly try not to think about my feelings for him too much,” Chris admits.

“Whatever you feel is ok,” Brianne assures him.

***

“This wine is amazing,” Brianne compliments.

“I have like two more bottles for you in my car,” Rick tells her.

“Wow, thank you. That was really thoughtful of you,” Brianne comments.

“He buys you wine and he shows up empty handed for me,” Chris jokes.

“Is my presence not enough for you?” Rick quips.

They finish off the bottle of wine and they take their time eating their dinner. Chris can’t remember the last time he laughed and smiled so much. Rick offers to rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Brianne reminds him that he’s a guest and that he has already been kind enough by cooking for them. He explains that he’s used to cleaning up the kitchen and that it’s truly not much of a chore to him. Rick gathers their plates, wine glasses, and utensils before Brianne can stop him. She just laughs and shakes her head at his stubbornness.

“How do you ever win arguments with him?” Brianne wonders.

Chris laughs. “I don’t.”

***

Brianne kisses Rick on the cheek. “Please take care of him for me. You can give him whatever he wants.”

“Are you . . . ”

“Giving you the go ahead? Yeah. He needs you right now,” Brianne whispers directly into his ear.

***

As Rick rinses off the last dish, he feels Chris wraps his arms around him from behind. He slowly brushes his lips against the back of Porcello’s neck and it makes him shiver. The tension between them has always been so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Two noble men can finally allow themselves to feel without guilt or shame. When Rick turns around and their eyes meet, Chris immediately brings their lips together. The kiss is both soft and passionate. It’s full of want and need, there’s a hunger that Sale didn’t even really realize he felt.

“Are you sure you want this?” Rick whispers against his lips.

Chris nods. “Yes. I want you to fuck me.”

“Has anyone ever . . . ”

“No, you’ll be my first,” Chris tells him.

***

Rick puts his hand over Sale’s mouth. “Shh, your wife is upstairs.”

“I wish she were down here,” Chris moans.

“You want her to see you like this? All spread out and full of cock?” Rick asks.

Chris bites his lip. “She’s a dominant little thing, she might like it.”

***

“This is giving me all kinds of strap-on ideas,” Brianne says.

Rick smirks. “You hear that? Your pretty little wife wants to fuck you, too.”

“You’ll have to teach me how to make him moan like this. He’s being so good for you,” Brianne comments.

It’s almost too much having Rick and Brianne talk about him so explicitly. Porcello digs his nails into Sale’s thigh as he starts fucking him harder. Brianne sneaks her small hand in between Chris and Rick’s body and she wraps it around Chris’ dick. She strokes him with the same rhythm of Rick’s thrusts. Chris never imagined that being with his wife and his best friend could be like this. He hears them whisper some of the things they want to do to him “next time” and his orgasm catches him off guard. His entire body shivers as he covers Brianne’s fist with cum. Rick gingerly pulls out and he checks to make sure that Sale is ok.

“I’ve never been better,” Chris replies.

Brianne kisses Chris. “I had no idea that you and Rick would look so fucking hot together. You made me so wet.”

He looks down and there’s a damp spot on the crotch of her red panties. The only other thing she’s wearing is a tank top with no bra underneath it. Chris pulls her on top of him and he slowly slides down the straps to her top. When her breasts are free, he palms them in his huge hands before taking his time sucking on her nipples. The little moans that escape her mouth make Sale’s cock twitch. When she tries to stick her hand in her panties, Chris gently bats her hand away. He tells her that there’s no need to touch herself when she has two guys that want to please her.

“Rick showed me how good he is with his mouth earlier. Want to find out for yourself?” Chris asks.

“Yes, please!” Brianne begs.

Brianne can’t remember the last time that she was intimately touched by a man other than Chris. Rick slides in between her legs and he gives her a few teasing touches over her thong. He softly massages the inside of her thighs with his fingers before kissing those same spots. She places her hands behind Rick’s head as she continues begging for his mouth. He slips her panties to the side and he licks his lips. He briefly turns toward Chris to tell him how pretty his wife’s pussy is. He spreads her lips before he finally licks her clit. Her eyes roll into the back of her head as he continues eating her out. Rick doesn’t mind his face being messy and it feels like he doesn’t have to come up for air.

“Good, isn’t he?” Chris whispers.

“Good is an understatement. He’s gonna make me cum soon,” Brianne says between moans.

Chris looks impressed. “Shit. Already? You have to teach me how to get her off this quickly.”

Brianne’s so wet that Rick’s fingers slip out while he’s fucking her. Just a little while ago, he was using the very same fingers to prep Chris. Just like her husband, Brianne’s enjoying his big, talented hands. He strokes her g-spot at the same time he sucks on her clit and that’s all she needs. She calls out Rick’s name as she shudders on his fingers. He continues touching her g-spot and it makes he cum again. She gently pushes his hand away when the overstimulation gets to be too much for her. Chris kisses her softly and he strokes her hair as she comes down from her orgasm.

“I think I literally saw stars,” Brianne eventually says.

Chris laughs. “He had that effect on me, too.”

“Baby, look. Rick’s still hard. I think we should help him out with that,” Brianne mentions.

“What do you have in mind?” Chris wants to know.

“Let’s blow him, together,” Brianne suggests.

They crawl between Rick’s spread legs. Brianne wraps her hand around the base of Rick’s cock before she starts sucking on the tip. She tells Chris to take his time once it’s his turn since he hasn’t given a blow job since college. While Sale is slowly working on taking more, Brianne massages Rick’s balls. The shaky moan that Porcello makes is music to their ears. He has a death grip on the couch cushions as he does his best not to thrust into Chris’ mouth. Rick doesn’t want to make him choke, so he has to force himself to calm down a little bit. He tells Chris how good of a job that he’s doing as he runs his fingers through his hair.

Brianne caresses Sale’s cheek. “You’ve missed having a cock in your mouth, haven’t you?”

It’s a rhetorical question because they all know the answer, of course. Chris’ jaw is slightly sore, but he doesn’t slow down. After everything his two favorite people have done for him tonight, he wants to show them how much he appreciates it. He has loved the woman next to him since the moment he met her. He’s not sure when he fell for Rick, but it was effortless and it has been for a few years now. Brianne coaches Chris on his breathing and she gives him some direction. She slips one of the couch cushions underneath his knees to give him more support.

“Look at our boy. He’s a natural,” Brianne says with pride.

Brianne’s use of “our” doesn’t go unnoticed by either man. When she walked in earlier and she saw Chris practically sleeping in Rick’s arms, she knew. When they talked while fixing dinner together, Brianne knew in her heart how much Rick loved Chris. She rightfully assumed that her husband had mutual feelings. As her eyes meet Porcello’s, she’s pretty sure that she’s in love with him, too. Since Sale has everything under control now, she moves onto the couch next to Rick. She can taste herself on Rick’s tongue as she leans in to kiss him. He tucks a blonde tress behind her ear as their kiss deepens. Sale has the perfect view of them and he has never seen a more beautiful sight.

“Are you close?” Brianne softly asks.

“Yes,” Rick answers.

“You might want to finish him off with your hands, babe,” Brianne advises.

Chris follows his wife’s advice. He uses both of his fists to jerk Rick off with. It doesn’t take long for him to cum. Before Sale can wipe his hands off, Brianne decides to lick his fingers clean. She doesn’t swallow before she kisses Chris. They both moan as their kiss gets sticky and messy. Rick watches them eagerly share his cum and it’s hotter than it has any right to be. They join him on the couch, Brianne on one side and Chris on the other. Porcello grabs the blanket that he and Chris used earlier to cover themselves up with. He wraps an arm around both of them and they all sigh in contentment.

“We’d probably be a lot more comfortable in our bed,” Brianne remarks.

“Yeah, but that’s too far,” Chris says.

Rick kisses him on the forehead. “I’ll carry you.”

***

“I don’t want you to leave us in the morning,” Brianne tells him.

“Who says I have to?” Rick responds.

Brianne nervously bites her lip. “I just thought you might not be interested in this being a thing with all three of us, you know?”

“I don’t want you to ever think that I’m trying to take Chris away from you. I love him, but I love you, too. You’re a package deal to me,” Rick explains.

Chris is asleep, so he’s completely oblivious to the conversation going on between his wife and his best friend. Before Brianne gets under the covers to snuggle Chris, she leans across him to kiss Rick good night. None of them really know the logistics of how things will work once baseball season resumes, but that’s a problem for another day. For now, they’ll fall asleep peacefully in the comfort of each other’s arms.

[leo-lucid]

Chapter 13: The Vampire

I was the most nervous about going on my date with Endrian. We seemed to connect the last time we spoke, but he hasn't spoken to me ever since. I haven't even seen him around the house. There was no communication on what we were going to do, what I should wear, or even if the date was still on. I just assumed that the date was still on. So, I dressed according to the weather and hoped that it was appropriate enough for wherever Endrian planned on taking me.

As I was pulling my hair into a bun, I heard a soft knock on the door. I finished doing my hair and opened the door to find no one standing in front of my oddly enough. However, there was a note sitting on the hardwood floor. On the front of the note was my name written in rather neat, cursive handwriting. On the back were simple instructions.

Meet me in the garage in ten minutes. Bring a heavy jacket. And don't eat any snacks.

- Endrian

From the instructions, I assumed that we were going to eat something on our date. I didn't take Endrian to really be the foodie type. Perhaps it was because he was a vampire that I just assumed that he only consumed food for the nourishment, not the flavor. I headed back inside my room and closed the door behind me, deciding to get ready even further.

After putting on some light makeup, changing into a royal blue long sleeve dress with black legging for more warmth, and touching up my hair bun, I checked the time and saw that five minutes have passed. I figured that it would take me a couple of minutes to get down to the garage and that it wouldn't hurt to be just a couple minutes early. So, I headed down the stairs and into the garage.

Endrian was shoving something in the carrier on the back of his motorcycle just as I walked in. After he saw me, he glanced down at his watch. Then, he looked back up at me with those serious, red eyes of his. "You're a minute early."

"Well, better early than late, right? May I ask where we are heading?" I finally asked, nervous to be asking that question in the first place. It was probably obvious that I was still kinda scared of Endrian, no doubt that he noticed my hesitance whenever it came to him.

"We're going to the cliffside to have a picnic. I got sandwiches, fruit, and even chocolate. You like chocolate, right?" He asked, his gaze not meeting mine. Hearing all the things he packed, I was actually a little excited about our date. It seemed like Endrian put quite a bit of time and thought into the date.

"I like chocolate. A lot, actually. Thank you for preparing everything for us. Can you eat any of that though?" I asked my next question.

"Yeah? Why wouldn't I?"

I blushed a little as I realized that my question may have been stereotypical. When it came to meals, I guessed that I never actually paid attention to his eating habits. All I really noticed was that Endrian finished his meals rather quickly and left at the same pace. "J-Just making sure is all. U-Um, shall we get going then?"

Endrian gave me a slightly bewildered look before rolling his eyes, dropping the topic. He handed me a motorcycle helmet before putting on his own. Hopping on the back of his cycle, he gestured for me to get on the back. I followed, getting on the back of the cycle and wrapping my arms around his waist. This action still made me nervous, but not as nervous as last time for some reason.

The garage door opened and the cycle was revved up, ready to go. Soon enough, Endrian sped away out of the garage and down the path towards the main town that would help guide us to the cliffside. It was a good thing Endrian suggested that I wear a heavier jacket. With the wind hitting me on the back of the motorcycle and just the recent changes in weather, it was pretty chilly. Even though my heavy coat, I could feel some goosebumps start to form on my skin.

We sped through the town and took the long way up to the cliffs, this time Endrian taking his time on the way up. I remembered the first time he took me to the cliffside. He went way over the speed limit out of frustration and anger and spewed out his confessions out of the same feelings. I wondered if he was still grieving or if he was healing already. I didn't know much about Endrian, but he seemed to be a strong individual that tended to bottle up his feelings until he exploded.

I wanted to help teach him not to bottle those emotions up. I knew from experience that bottling them up would only make the pain feel worse. The last thing I wanted for him was to experience more pain.

Eventually, we reached that familiar cliffside, the sun beginning to bathe the sky in purples and pinks. Endrian pulled into a parking spot and turned the engine off before taking off his helmet. I followed his movements and took my helmet off as well. Fixing my hair bun, I got off the cycle and stepped back to give him some space to hop off and fetch the picnic basket. There weren't any cars or people on the spot, probably because it was a little too cold. The only thing that kept me from shivering was the warm sunlight piercing through my black coat.

I continued to stare at the sunset and take in the warmth before it would disappear to bring the stars and moon out. Shuffling could be heard beside me as Endrian unpacked the blanket from the basket. Turning my head, I saw him setting down a blanket and bringing out the food. As promised, he brought sandwiches, fruit, and chocolate. The way everything was packed reminded me of what a little kid would bring to school for lunch. The sandwiches were in plastic bags and the fruit was in a large tupperware container to share. The chocolate was just in its plastic wrapping as well.

Despite that, however, I was really grateful that he even made the effort to organize the picnic. It made it seem like he was really trying his best to make this date a success. Once he sat down on the blanket, I went ahead and took a seat next to him, but still keeping some distance between us. I still didn't want to intrude on his personal space.

"Come on. I don't bite." Endrian huffed until he realized what he said. I remembered my first time "meeting" him and I knew that he can and will try to bite. There was a moment of awkward silence between us, Endrian looking away from me. Eventually, I cleared my throat and grabbed a sandwich to eat. I haven't eaten any snacks earlier as instructed, so I was pretty hungry.

"So, Endrian, what do you like to do for fun?" I inquired, taking a bite out of my roast beef sandwich. The lettuce was crisp and the tomato was juicy, blending well with the provolone cheese and small hint of mayo. I took another bite and gave a genuine smile as I enjoyed the food.

"Er, I like to work on my bike. Mechanical work is what I've always been good at. Cars, motorcycles, any kind of engine really. I also like to enjoy a beer every once in a while. And I. . ." Endrian trailed off, his cheeks turning a little pink. His gaze was still trained on the view ahead. The town was just turning on their lights in preparation for the darkness. It was a beautiful sight, but I wished that he would be a little more engaging.

Endrian pulled a ham sandwich out from a plastic bag and began to eat, letting his sentence end there. We fell into an awkward silence again as we ate, making me fidget in my seat. I stared ahead at the scene before us as well, trying to think about what to say next.

Before I could speak up, he went ahead and broke the silence. "What about you? What do you like to do for fun?"

"Oh, well, I like to practice and study magic. I also like to watch documentaries. I love nature documentaries the most, but any kind of documentary is good to me except for the ones that report false information and propaganda. Cooking shows are also something that I like." I answered, a bit glad that he was trying to keep the conversation going. However, as I talked, it seemed like he wasn't paying that much attention. It looked like he had his head in the clouds.

"Endrian? Is something wrong?" I finally asked. I would understand if he wanted to cut the date short due to how uncomfortable and awkward it seemed to be for both of us. But, I was a little too afraid to mention it first. I wanted to know what he thought.

"What? Oh, sorry. I was just thinking. . ." He trailed off once again. His tone wasn't as harsh as usual. In fact, it was actually pretty vulnerable sounding.

"What are you thinking about if I may ask?"

Endrian didn't say anything for quite a while. He just laid down on the blanket, facing the sky that began to show off some stars. I decided to lay down on my back with him, enjoying the view. The sound of crickets began to become more apparent and the sky was turning from a lavish pink to a royal purple to a midnight blue, stars dancing in the blue.

A sigh came from him and he spoke up. "Anise? Why am I cursed? I know that you don't know yet. I'm just thinking out loud here. Out of everyone in town, why me? Who did I piss off so bad that they forced me to stay here? I remember feeding on a person in this town and then in the next moment, I could never leave."

"Do you remember who you were. . . feeding on?" I struggled to ask my question, knowing that by "feeding" he meant sucking the blood out of someone. Who knew if he drank enough to let them die in the street or not. No matter how I looked at it, it didn't seem like a delicate or graceful act.

He shrugged. "Some lady. I can barely remember her face. All I know is that she tasted sweet like caramel. In fact. . ."

Endrian sat up a bit and leaned down closer to me, his face inches away from my neck. I froze, afraid that he was going to try to bite me. Instead, though, I heard a couple of sniffs and he lied back down in his own space. "You smell kinda like her. Sweet like caramel."

I didn't really know what to say about that. Instead, I just tried to relax again. Yet another silence fell over us both, but this time it was much more thoughtful. It was a stretch, but could the same woman that cursed the others so far be the same person that cursed Endrian? I also reflected back to what Danton said, a witch speaking with my grandmother and cursing zir. I wondered if my grandmother had any records of this other witch within her books.

"This is just a theory, but I think that you, Danton, Cassius, and Beofur were all cursed by the same witch. If that's the case, then you ended up feeding on a witch who then cursed you to this town after she came to again." I briefly explained. He didn't say anything, but I could see his brow quirk up for a moment.

". . . Yeah, I guess that would make sense. A witch would definitely be able to do something about me feeding off the people here. Funny thing is that ever since then, I haven't had the desire to feed on anyone until you showed up." He confessed like it was a perfectly natural thing to say.

I didn't respond to his comment, again, unsure of what to say. I then suddenly heard a loud rumble coming from his stomach. He sat up quickly and popped open the container of fruit, tossing a grape into his mouth. "Sorry. Ever since you arrived at the house, it's been hard to keep my appetite and desires in check."

"D-Desires?" I repeated, thinking that he could have probably used a much better word than that.

"Well, in addition to just hating you before, you also smell sweet as I have said. It's been hard to not try to feed. Why else do you think I kept avoiding you before?" He seriously asked.

"I-I just thought that you hated me. . ." I answered honestly. I didn't think that I could be blamed for my answer either. While we have reconciled since the last time we had some alone time, I still thought that a part of him hated me enough to avoid me.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I don't hate you that much, you know? What made you think that I hated you that much?"

I sat up and gave him an incredulous look. "B-Because you avoided me and sn-snapped at me all the time. . ."

It looked like he was about to snap at me until he froze and shook his head, looking down into his lap. ". . . I'm sorry. I don't hate you. I'm just. . . taking out all my frustrations out on you and trying to protect you from me."

"If anything, I should think that you hate me. After all, I came close to biting your neck before even officially meeting, I've done nothing but snap at you and even avoiding you despite talking on this cliff last time. But you. . . you kept trying to be nice to me. You keep trying to give me a chance. Why?" He questioned, turning his head to face me.

Despite how dark it was getting, I could see his red eyes glow through the darkness. They were intense like he was staring right into my soul. "I-I think everyone deserves a chance. I understand that you were frustrated and took it out on me. But, I don't blame you for it. I think I would be angry too if I was in your shoes."

"There you go again, being understanding." He actually chuckled and shook his head. His gaze returned to the stars and he ate another piece of fruit. I reached over and picked out an apple slice, enjoying its cotton candy sweetness.

"Anise?"

"Yes, Endrian?" I responded.

"This. . . This is going to sound selfish, but do you mind if I drink just a bit of your blood? This sandwich and fruit aren't cutting it for me, especially since you're around." He sincerely asked. I bit my lower lip and brought my knees up to my chest, thinking about it seriously. I knew I had trouble saying no to people. This was one of those times.

"J-Just a bit. . ." I finally replied. Endrian slowly scooted closer to me, his body heat radiating and warming me up through my coat. I closed my eyes and exposed some of my neck for him. The feeling of his warm breath hit my skin sent a shiver along my spine. I could feel and hear my heartbeat race within my chest. The last time we were this close was when he tried to bite me the first time. The only difference between then and now was that he had my consent.

Sharp teeth grazed against my skin, causing me to jump. I clenched my fists and waited for them to puncture through my skin. However, it never came. I suddenly felt a heavy weight resting against my shoulder and a sigh hit my neck. "I can't do it. . ."

I opened my eyes and got the full picture of what was happening. Endrian was resting his head on my shoulder, still sitting close to me. We sat like that for a moment, feeling more comfortable than we probably should've felt. The weight was comforting to me. I wanted him to feel that same sense of comfort. So, hesitatingly, I put a hand on his back and patted.

"It's okay. . ." I comforted, unsure of what I was comforting him about. I felt him tense up for a second before relaxing further into me. He then sat up and began to back all the food, tossing me a piece of the chocolate bar.

"Here. Let's call it a night, yeah?"

I nodded and took a bite of the piece, letting the rich chocolate melt on my tongue. After helping him back everything up, we loaded it back onto the motorcycle and hopped on before speeding away back home. Again, he took the long and slow route back home.

We pulled into the garage at a reasonable hour. Unlike my other dates that ran pretty late, this one was actually pretty short. Like he was reading my mind, Endrian mentioned it. "Sorry that the date was pretty short. I'm not good at this sort of thing. The next one will be longer though."

"The next one?"

"Yeah, if that's okay with you?" He confirmed. I found it actually pretty sweet how he wanted my permission now. He was noticeably more considerate than before. I gave him a nod and a bright smile.

"I don't mind a second date. Just write a day on the calendar whenever you are ready. Thank you for taking me on a date tonight. Despite it being short, I felt like I did get to know you better and I feel like more things are cleared up." I confessed, feeling a little heat on my cheeks.

He gave a curt nod and began to take up the picnic basket from the back. While he tried to hide it, I could see a faint blush on his own cheeks. "Yeah. . . Well, I guess I'll see you around, Anise."

And with that, I headed inside the house and to my room. He may not look it or act like it sometimes, but Endrian was pretty considerate. Or at least he was changing for the better.

________________________________________________________________ Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12

[jojosthetic-boogaloo]

ur moodboards r so pretty!! i was wondering if i could get one w/ a matchup? i'm a 21 y/o 5'7" bi girl, gemini and an infp. my interests include writing (kinda edgy tbh) poetry n drawing. i'm v into vulture culture, specifically bone collecting and wet specimens. i love animals, esp ferrets (i have 6 lol). i love listening to music, mostly heavy or obscure bands. i'm not v assertive and i'm a big daydreamer. ppl say i have a rather dry/dark sense of humor. thank u and good luck w the new blog!!

Darling, for sure! And thank you so much!! I hate to admit that flattery will in fact get you anywhere ahh dang it ily

For your matchup! This is like, bit obvious ‘kay, but let me make it special aight yuh, cue funky goth music! 

((Also, I went with the assumption that ferret owners walk them?? I hope that’s okay and not too bizarre?? As a dog owner I am sorry if I messed that up hhh)

Translation: “Be my silver lining, help me make things better, darling.”

Leone Abbacchio!

At first glance, Abbacchio just really dug your style. The way you presented yourself was exactly according to his liking, extremely tasteful, he thought to himself. Still, having a platonic crush on your style didn’t move him to come up to speak to you out of the blue, what for anyways? Not like he was about to ruin some quite scrumptious girl’s day with his weird ramblings.

What a surprise though. Next time he spotted you in public it was by chance, and also amusingly entertaining. Were you really walking around with 4 ferrets on a leash? What was better, as he walked closer to you was, did you also carry two more ferrets on your tote-bag? He chuckled as he finally was close enough to you and spoke. “Excuse me miss, I couldn’t help but stare.” He started, earning a raised eyebrow from you, was this dude a creep or something? You tightened the leash quietly towards you, ready to lift your tiny children into the bag and run if needed.

“Oh, yeah?” You replied, on your guard, giving him a full scan with your eyes. Tall, well built, solemn looking, very nice lips and lipstick, nice hair, nice clothing style. Okay, visually, he had a pass, you had yet to see if he was a decent person. “Yeah.” He started, feeling the analytic gaze coming from you in his figure. He came in too strong probably. “I mean, it’s not every day you see a beautiful lady walking around with... six. Six ferrets in the street.” He had paused mid-sentence to count your pets. That, that earned positive points on his favor, he was cute, he got a pass.

“That’d be a beautiful girl for you, I’m not that old, sir.” You retorted, a small smile on your lips for you didn't mean no harm, and he understood that by replying with a smile on his face as well. “Ouch, okay, touché.” You both chuckled, then Leone presented himself, extending a polite hand your way. “I’m Leone, Leone Abbacchio, pleased to meet you miss.” He started, his lips together in a polite, amused smile. You thought it through for a second, realizing just how handsome this man was, timidly raising your hand to shake his. “Y/N’s the name, the pleasure is... mine, Leone.” He found that reaction interesting, contrary to the previous one, regaling you with a tender smile that barely showed you his perfect pearly whites.

“Well, Y/N, would you maybe... like to go for a drink?” He suggested, taking all his chances right there. How long had it been since he last went out with a girl for his own personal interest? He feared he’d forgotten how to act. Then came your answer, that actually put him at ease quite easily. “I’d love to, but I have to leave this babies back home first.” You started, then adjusting your tote-bag and reaching inside the pocket of your pants you took out your phone, unlocking it with practiced easiness. “Mind giving me your number so we can meet up some other time though?” He grinned, nodding and giving you a short “hm” as a response. 

You’d decided to meet up at the local music store, upon his request. Apparently, he wanted to buy a new album from his favorite band for his collection, and you didn’t comply, since you also were happy to check out on some new tunes. 

Watch him pleasantly surprised when he gets there and finds that both; you’re already there, even if he did get there a bit early, and also you were eyeing quite thoroughly the section he most liked to search through. “Hello there Y/N, anything catch your eye?”

As much as you’d liked to blurt out “You.”, you swallowed when you turned around and saw this wonderful eye candy ask about your music preference. 

After walking around the store for a while, casually chatting about the CDs both you and him pointed at or grabbed before placing them back in place you’d learned that you shared music tastes! Would he get any better than this? You thought, and simultaneously, so did he about you.

You decided to go for that drink you promised the previous day, he ordered some tea, and you did much the same. He refrained from drinking beer due to having problems with it in the past, he commented. You felt bad, so that’s why you chose the same thing, a small act of solidarity.

Through the afternoon, you’d been talking about books you’d read, sometimes coinciding on your reads, most the time Abbacchio recommending you books he’d loved, and so on.

It got interesting when you mentioned you also wrote some poetry sometimes. He asked if he could someday see your writings, and as much flustered as you got upon just thinking about it, you decided upon saying “We’ll see.”

When the night came, you’d realized you’d spent too much time in there, now a long 30 minute walk awaited you back home and, quite honestly, you weren’t exactly giddy and excited about it. 

“Don’t worry, bella, I’ll drive you home.” Great! You were rather nervous to get in the car of a man you’d quite prematurely met, but something deep in your gut told yourself to trust in him. And you did well, he opened the passenger seat’s door for you in a most outdated gentlemanly manner and turned around to sit down on the driver’s seat himself, revving up the engine and starting your way back home. You gave him the directions in a quiet tone, the music on the radio calmly playing while he let you guide, eyes focused on the road ahead and the wind gently swaying his hair backwards from his half open window. 

You took some time to quietly observe his features. The moonlight did him justice, he looked handsome during daylight, but this was another thing entirely. You realized you’d gotten a small crush on him at this point, sighing and staring at the road ahead. Not aware he’d noticed your staring and was now biting the inside of his cheek where you couldn’t see his embarrassment.

When you got home, your stomach sunk. You felt just how much you didn’t want him to leave just yet. And so, when you undid your belt and were about to turn for the door after a quiet “thank you”, you decided on turning back once more, only to notice he’d leaned over onto your seat and his face was mere inches away from yours, staring back at you with quiet surprise and wonder.

He swallowed, timidly speaking up after clearing his throat, not moving an inch. “You were about to... forget your bag in the back seat...” He stated, and you did notice your bag was being held in the hand that invaded your seat by its handles.

You slowly leaned in, and it happened, you pressed your lips to his, and he pressed back against you in return, raising his hand to your cheek and letting the bag softly drop into the car’s floor. 

When you broke off the kiss, you bit your lip. You were both adults, there was no harm in asking, right? “Uhm... would you want to... come in?” He chuckled and leaned back into the driver’s seat, moving the gear lever while still looking at you with a smirk on his lips. “Sure bella, let me park first and I’ll be there in a minute.”

So he spent the night with you. Next morning, you woke up with a small paper note next to you in bed, right where he’d laid previously and it read, in utmost fancy calligraphy “Went for breakfast, that was wonderful. - Leone”.

You threw yourself back into the mattress again, giddily waving the paper around as your kicked your legs like a teenage girl in love. You loved this man, he was amazing, so thoughtful, so kind and charming. He made you feel safe, and that’s what you most cherished. Sooner than later, you heard the doorbell ring, and promptly threw a shirt on you along with some undergarments to find a handsome silver haired man standing at your door with coffee and pastries.

After meeting up a few more times in this fashion, you’d gotten to the point you just had to ask. Perched on his form on your sofa as you watched a documentary on pagan rituals he seemed to be rather interested on, you rested your head between his shoulder and his chest and timidly asked, playing with his hand that rested on your thigh. “Leone, what are we?” 

He seemed to stay silent for longer than comfortable. But when you looked up, seeing him arch his brow in confusion and turn to look at you for a brief moment before turning his gaze back to the screen. He threw an arm around your shoulder and squeezed you close, resting his temple on top of your head tenderly as he seemed to try and find his words without missing much of the show.

“I thought we were dating already?” He nonchalantly replied, which made your chest tighten and a sharp breath inflate your chest. You let it out and gave a small nod onto his chest, placing a soft kiss on it and turning your  gaze to the TV once more, feeling him run his hand up and down your forearm in a comforting motion. “I’m glad we are then.” He chuckled and shook his head, but added nothing else, the smile never leaving his lips. 

[beckettsthoughts]

hey! please do all of the end of year asks that you havent had the chance for yet!

Thank you so much, anon! It’s ten to midnight and I finally got around to posting this, I really appreciate you asking

Favourite musical artist / group you started listening to this year?

I legit don’t know, I honestly can’t think of one. This is weirding me out, actually. I’ll add something later if I think of one.

Movie of the year?

Thor: Ragnarok, by a long shot. I adored how they switched up the tone compared to previous instalments in the Thor series and picked up on some of the more fun elements that had proven successful in Guardians of the Galaxy. It really paid off and it allowed Hemsworth’s natural humour to shine through the same way it had in the Avengers films, and also I really enjoyed the character development given to the Hulk (and, related, Bruce Banner).

Not to mention, I will forever be biased towards films that give Loki a little bit of spotlight. Still praying for an Agent of Asgard series, naturally.

Admittedly, I haven’t seen many films this year. I don’t think I saw anything that wasn’t a superhero film, as well. I saw Spiderman: Homecoming, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and, in a switch of allegiance for a few minutes, the amazing Wonder Woman. Like, seriously amazing. That’s the obvious runner up to Thor: Ragnarok for my favourite, both for it’s amazing portrayal of women and the absolutely stunning design involved. Love Gal Gadot, as well.

Episode of TV or webisode that defined the year for you?

You may, by this point, have the feeling that I don’t watch much TV. You would probably be right, there.

However, I have watched a few things this year. Some documentaries, some cartoons, and a couple of traditional dramas. However, my favourite episode that “defined the year for me” was probably the first episode of Stranger Things’ second series. I was sceptical about how they would pick up from a series that ended with a very well-rounded, if ambiguous, finale. However, my expectations were quickly surpassed when the opening episode introduced some interesting new characters, gave some secondary characters the spotlight and build fantastically well on the eerie, foreboding tone of the first series. None of the new characters felt out of place, which had also been a concern of mine going in, and aside from the one episode I didn’t like, the opening of the second series was a perfect setup for what was yet to come.

Favourite actor of the year?

Uh, this is hard. I don’t tend to focus too much on actors or know that much about them, but if I had to choose on my vague impressions alone I’d probably say Gal Gadot. Not only did she do a genuinely amazing job in Wonder Woman, but she seems like a nice person altogether.

Talk about a new friend you made this year

Though I knew him before this year, I think the new friend I’m most enthusiastic about to talk about is Alex. I definitely got to know him a lot better and he’s really cool, and also just a really chill person to talk to. We share an understanding in the way that I do with all my friends, but it’s just been really nice feeling that understanding build over the last year. Even now we’re both at uni, in fact even moreso now we’re both at uni. Yeah, he’s a cool guy and he deserves this spotlight, I think.

How was your birthday this year?

It was really good! I had class on my actual birthday, not that it was a bad thing in the slightest because I really enjoy my lessons and seminars, though I went to go see the Christmas lights get turned on straight afterwards. That weekend, though, my mum came over to visit and we went to Brighton for a day and we saw a comedy Sherlock Holmes play in my favourite cozy little theatre.

Favourite book you read this year?

It’s a short story, but relevant nonetheless: The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas. It’s pretty much got no plotline but it asks so many questions in a really eloquent and thoughtful way. Yeah. Just, go read it. It won’t take you a long time, but it will make you think and it’s a story I have a lot of respect for.

What’s a bad habit you picked up this year?

Uh, I don’t know, actually. I’ll come back and add this later, if I think of one.

A memorable meal this year?

Christmas Eve! My mum gave me the go-ahead to invite my partner to dinner with my family and my step-dad’s family and it was honestly just one of my favourite days from this whole holiday. I love being able to chill at home with my favourite dude and now my family understand he’s basically invited to most family events by proxy. Basically, I love him a lot. Like a heck of a lot.

Favourite place you visited this year?

Paris! It will forever be one of my favourite places to go, and I’m so glad I got to hang around the botanical gardens like a goth nerd.

Did you keep any New Year’s Resolutions?

My main resolution this year was to actively work on improving myself as a person. This meant learning how to regulate my emotions, learning how interact with others better and how to build strong relationships, how to react when things went wrong. It involved accepting myself for who I am without giving in to false limitations, and it meant giving myself the space to enjoy myself without feeling guilty for constantly wasting time.

[daesungindistress]

1) Different anon here, but there's also that humiliating punishment he was made to endure by standing outside naked. Don't think that can be explained by cultural differences since his neighbour was shocked and tried to help him. After telling that story at D-na, he kinda laughed it off and said he was drained of energy now and wanted to go home. In BB pre-debut documentary, he told a story of being quite young, complaining about some side dishes and his dad punished him by not allowing him to

eat for 3 days. I’m sorry, but so much of what Daesung has revealed over the years about his upbringing is disturbing and sad. It’s what has made me think that his humility and tendency to be easily scared/startled probably didn’t stem from the best circumstances. Also concerns me that he recently revealed that he thinks he would be a strict father bc of how he was brought up - I hope that doesn’t include the kind of pain and humiliation that was inflicted upon him as a child.

Thanks for writing. I’m just gonna go ahead and put my entire reply under a cut, to save dashes everywhere.

I’m glad you mentioned cultural differences. Because I was talking to another tumblr user some time ago about Daesung’s punishment where he was made to stand outside naked, and as much as it pains me to think about, I just couldn’t bring myself to condemn his father for it and, say, start screaming abuse. I definitely don’t like it and do find it disturbing, but even so, I can’t help wondering… though it seems extreme to me, could this perhaps be a matter of perspective? (Although, yes, his neighbor’s reaction might be a big red flag.)

Asian parents are notoriously strict. For example: one of my good friends is Chinese, born and raised in China until moving to the US at 10 years old, and based on some stories she’s shared with me… sometimes things are just… different over there. Right, China is not Korea, but still. Somehow, about a month ago, while with a group of friends, we all got to talking about our parents’ varying levels of strictness with us growing up. She told us of a time she almost got caught in a lie in high school for a fairly minor thing; said her life “flashed before her eyes,” and went on to explain how that’s not just an expression, that it really, truly felt that way. This was coming from someone not easily rattled.

At the risk of getting long-winded, let me explain that last bit. Back in college (which is where we met and became roommates), while visiting her parents for the weekend, their house was burglarized. She was there alone and the men who broke in tied her up and left her on the bed while they took what they could. She said one of them peeked under her skirt and asked how old she was, but otherwise left her alone (she told them she was… I don’t remember the exact age, but made herself out to be a minor, which she most definitely was not. Smart though). We met up at a pizza joint a few days later so she could tell me about it, and I’ll never forget sitting there across the table from her like, “…WHAT?!” I asked her if she was okay, surprised by her nonchalance over it all, and she just shrugged and said, well, yeah, and as far as I can tell it’s never really bothered her since.

Anyway… this is why that recent comment she made about how she feared her parents in her formative years really surprised me, knowing that she’s not easily shaken, and makes me a bit less inclined to think too hard on Daesung’s accounts of how his own parents chose to “scold” him (using his word). FWIW, my friend and her parents have a good relationship today; she meets them for lunch/dinner from time to time and speaks well of them… although she did say that if she were to live with her parents again she would still have a curfew– at 28 years old!

Look, I don’t like it either, these stories Daesung is sharing with us about how his father disciplined him as a child. I would never condone sending any child outside naked to humiliate them for some wrong committed. In a scenario like that I absolutely would have been the neighbor covering him up and ushering him inside. “Beating” him daily, whatever that means, also sounds bad for sure… though I’d like to know exactly what was meant by that since “beat” may have been the fan’s word for it, not Daesung’s. Semantics are important. (And keep in mind he’s speaking in Japanese, not his mother tongue; it’s possible something was lost in translation: from Korean->Japanese->English.) Lastly, while I understand sending a child to bed without dinner for being a picky eater, withholding meals for 3 days is way overdoing it (thanks for sharing, I hadn’t heard that). God, and to think I just reblogged a post a few days ago about how Daesung is “always looking forward to eating”… The thought of him suffering from hunger, of all things, hits me really hard. :(

Also like you, this is giving me second thoughts about how readily he submits to authority. Being well-mannered and respectful isn’t a bad thing at all, quite the contrary! But it’s terribly sad to think that this might have come about as a result of his father quite literally beating it into him. And how he scares when something comes at him suddenly… I’ve known people (my childhood best friend) who were easily startled seemingly for no particular reason, and I’ve always assumed Daesung’s case was the same, but after hearing these snippets I can’t help wondering. It is disturbing. It is sad.

However… the fact that he’s sharing these things so openly, on stage in front of hundreds (is that right? I don’t know how many are attending these smaller shows) gives me this nagging suspicion that these kinds of punishments might not be all that out of the ordinary where he’s from (coming back around to cultural differences). It’s possible that he’s doing so with the expectation that the fans in the audience, being almost entirely Japanese, are going to nod along with a kind of “been there, done that” mentality.After all, this is Daesung, who prefers to keep his thoughts and worries to himself and goes out of his way to avoid burdening others with his problems. D na Show is supposed to be a fun environment; I struggle to picture him revealing these things if he thought they would shock and appall, or deemed them too serious for such a setting. So for now I’m sort of… reading, frowning, filing it away, and moving on.

That said, I too am just a little concerned about his comments regarding being a “strict” father; it depends on what he means by that. It’s incredibly difficult for me to imagine him doling out such punishments, but if it’s how he was raised and it’s all he knows… maybe it’s not too far-fetched. At the same time, it’s not really any of my business how he chooses to raise his future kids. Anyway, that other tumblr user I talked with about this, she said something that I thought was beautiful and sad and hopeful all at once, and even though I still hesitate to use the term abuse I’d like to repeat her words here: “The abuse doesn’t always repeat itself. Sometimes it just chips away at love and trust.”

I know this has been all over the place so I’m gonna wrap it up, but if there’s one positive thing to come of this, it’s seeing Daesung’s courage and resilience made evident like never before. The fact that he was able to essentially defy his father’s wishes, not just risking his disapproval but actively working against it, now knowing more about how authoritative and intimidating he could be… Becoming a successful idol/singer in spite of doubts (his own, his father’s, and those of everyone else who didn’t think he had what it took)… is, I think, a testament to just how strong a person he really is.

(Editing to add: anyone who grew up in an Asian household, please feel free to write me to help shed some light on whether Daesung’s comments about his upbringing seem culturally “normal” or not. I’d hate to find that I’m being totally ignorant about this.)

[gta-5-cheats]

Oscars 2018: When and How to Watch Online, and All Other Questions Answered

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Oscars 2018: When and How to Watch Online, and All Other Questions Answered

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It’s almost time for Oscars 2018. A year and a few days since the infamous envelope fiasco that led to La La Land being temporarily crowned Best Picture instead of actual winner Moonlight, Hollywood’s biggest self-congratulatory event – formally known as the 90th Academy Awards – will return to the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. We’re pretty sure that whoever presents the Best Picture award at Oscars 2018 will get in a jab about last year’s embarrassing and hilarious moment.

While everyone from Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot to first-time nominee Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig will be at the Oscars, most of us will have to be content with our positions in front of the television. To help you prepare for the big night, we answer all the questions you (probably) have.

What’s the date and time for Oscars 2018?

The 2018 Oscars are taking place this Sunday, March 4. Things will kick off with the red carpet arrivals starting 3:30pm PT/ 6:30pm ET in the US, with the actual awards ceremony beginning at 5pm PT/ 8pm ET.

In India, the live telecast of the 90th Academy Awards will begin on Monday, March 5 at 5:30am IST for an hour of the red carpet, followed by the awards ceremony starting at 6:30am IST.

For everyone else around the world, here’s a handy link for the start of the Oscars 2018 awards ceremony. Subtract an hour or more if you like watching the red carpet arrivals.

The Oscars 2017 stage during Best Picture, before it all went wrong Photo Credit: Image Group LA/A.M.P.A.S.

  How can I watch Oscars 2018 online?

In the US, the 2018 Oscars will be broadcast on ABC. Of course, you can also stream the 90th Academy Awards on the ABC website or the ABC app, if your TV provider is supported.

In India, the 2018 Oscars will be simulcast on Star Movies, Star Movies HD, and Star Movies Select HD, just as they were last year. You can also choose to stream the 2018 Oscars in India on Hotstar. If you don’t wish to get up early on Monday, you can catch a repeat telecast at 8:30pm IST.

Viewers in the UK will need Sky Cinema to watch the 2018 Oscars on TV. Coverage starts at Monday midnight local time, followed by the ceremony at 1am. To stream the event, you’ll need Now TV and the Sky Cinema Pass.

Oscars 2018 Nominations List for the Best Picture – and Where to Watch Them Online

Over in Canada, CTV will air the 2018 Oscars starting 5pm PT/8pm ET. You can also stream the ceremony on CTV.ca and the CTV Go app. Down in Australia, Channel Nine will start the broadcast at 12pm local time, while Sky Network has the rights in New Zealand.

For the other 200 countries, refer to the official Academy guide on how to watch the 2018 Oscars around the world.

Who’s hosting Oscars 2018?

Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is back as host, becoming the first person to host back-to-back ceremonies since Billy Crystal in 1997-98. Though there’s no blame on his end for Envelopegate, he didn’t hold back from being cheeky about it: “If you think we screwed up the ending this year, wait until you see what we have planned for the 90th anniversary show.”

Expect him to insert some jabs about last year’s blunder into his monologue, while also commenting on the #MeToo-related Time’s Up social movement that has swept the 2018 awards season since the Golden Globes.

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Oscars 2018 nominee Kumail Nanjiani (L) sporting a Time’s Up pin at the 24th Annual SAG Awards, seen next to his wife Emily V. Gordon (R), and producer Judd Apatow (middle) Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris

  What should I know about the Best Picture nominees at Oscars 2018?

Like last year, there are a total of nine films in the running for the biggest award of the night. The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy drama about a mute janitor and a fish-man, leads the pack with 13 nominations. Christopher Nolan’s WWII film Dunkirk is second with eight.

We felt this question was really important, so we went ahead and dedicated an entire piece to this year’s Best Picture nominees. It even includes ways on how you watch all nine movies – go check it out.

Are there any other Oscars 2018 nominations I should know about? Yes, in fact. The nominees for the 90th Academy Awards have broken several records, including many firsts and some for longevity. Logan, the final film for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, became the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Rachel Morrison is now the first woman to be nominated for Best Cinematography, for her work on Netflix’s Mudbound.

Both Meryl Streep and composer John Williams broke their own records, garnering the 21st and 51st Oscar nomination for The Post and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, respectively. Christopher Plummer is the oldest actor (aged 88) to be nominated for his role in All the Money in the World, while Agnès Varda (aged 89) is now the oldest person nominated for a competitive Oscar, for her documentary Faces Places.

Kobe Bryant became the first NBA player to get an Oscar nomination, for his animated short film Dear Basketball. Dee Rees, director of Mudbound, is the first queer black woman nominated for writing, while Yance Ford – director on Netflix doc Strong Island – is the first openly transgender director nominee.

Saoirse Ronan and fellow nominees during the Oscars 2018 Nominee Luncheon Photo Credit: Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S.

  Awards are boring. Who’s performing at Oscars 2018?

If you feel that way, you’ll be glad to know that all five nominees for Best Original Song will perform live during the 90th Academy Awards. That includes Sufjan Stevens with Mystery of Love from Call Me by Your Name; Gael García Bernal, Miguel, and Natalia Lafourcade for Coco’s Remember Me; Andra Day and Common with Stand Up for Something from Marshall; Mary J. Blige with Mighty River from Mudbound; and Keala Settle with This is Me from The Greatest Showman.

I want to live-tweet the Oscars. Is there an official hashtag? Yes, indeed. If you type #Oscars on Twitter, an Oscars statuette will appear next to the hashtag. And this being the 90th anniversary of the Oscars, the statuette will also appear with #Oscars90.

I haven’t seen a single nominee. What can I tweet to sound knowledgeable? Four big categories have clear front-runners: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) for Best Actor, Frances McDormand (Three Billboards) for Best Actress, Allison Janney (I, Tonya) for Best Supporting Actress, and Coco for Best Animated Feature. If they win, make a ‘knew-it’ comment, and use adjectives like powerful (Oldman), raw and fierce (McDormand), ferocious and unflinching (Janney), and sweet, heartfelt and warm (Coco).

The winners of three other categories aren’t so obvious. Sam Rockwell has won more Best Supporting Actor awards in last two months, but the backlash against Three Billboards for trying to redeem a racist cop means the Oscar could go to Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project). In the Best Director race, Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) has the upper hand, with Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) the weaker candidate.

That leaves Best Picture, the most important award of all. All signs point towards a close two-horse race between The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. We’ll have to wait till Sunday (or Monday, depending on where you live) to find out who takes home the last Oscar of the night.

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[thejewofkansas]

My 2016 Film Awards: Golden Globes Style

Split into Drama and Musical/Comedy because I can.

Nominees in bold type were nominated for the (actual) Golden Globe. Nominees marked with an asterisk won.

Drama:

Picture:

Elle*

Jackie

Fences

Christine

Nocturnal Animals

All **** films. But that’s it for the **** Dramas. There were only 11 **** films this year, and three were documentaries. The #6 Drama is A Monster Calls. The Globes didn’t nominate any of my choices for Picture - Drama (though the films they nominated were mostly quite good), but they gave Elle Best Foreign Film, redeeming them a modicum in my eyes.

Director:

Pablo Larrain, Jackie

Paul Verhoeven, Elle

Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals

Ben Wheatley, High-Rise

One could argue High-Rise is really more of a dark comedy, in which case my #5 would be Karyn Kusama for The Invitation.

Actor:

Denzel Washington, Fences

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea*

John Hawkes, Too Late

Logan Lerman, Indignation

Joel Edgerton, Loving

Actress:

Natalie Portman, Jackie

Rebecca Hall, Christine

Isabelle Huppert, Elle*

Min-hee Kim, The Handmaiden

Oona Laurence, Lamb

Portman, Hall, and Huppert are in a virtual three-way tie. Huppert would be a #1 in most years, and was a wholly deserving winner.

Supporting Actor:

Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

Stephen Henderson, Fences

Jared Harris, Certain Women

Ashton Sanders, Moonlight

Mykelti Williamson, Fences

The actual Globe went to Shannon’s co-star, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who’s my #18 overall and my #15 in Drama. Luckily, the Oscars nominated Shannon instead, though he lost to Mahershala Ali for Moonlight, who’s my #9 in Drama and my #11 overall.

I’m really disappointed that, with all the accolades given to Denzel Washington and Viola Davis, Henderson and Williamson got no major notice.

Supporting Actress:

Viola Davis, Fences*

Naomie Harris, Moonlight

Jena Malone, The Neon Demon

Sarah Gadon, Indignation

Tae-ri Kim, The Handmaiden

I’m so glad I was able to make room for Kim here.

Ensemble:

Fences

Moonlight

Indignation

Elle

Manchester by the Sea

Original Screenplay:

Hell or High Water

Manchester by the Sea

Under the Shadow

The Invitation

Equity

A strong top two (including the Oscar winner), but it drops off massively after that. If I counted Paterson as a Drama, it would be my #3.

Adapted Screenplay:

Elle

Indignation

Nocturnal Animals

Fences

The Handmaiden

A much, much stronger overall list. I’m still shocked Nocturnal Animals didn’t get an Oscar nomination.

Factually-Based Screenplay:

Jackie

Christine

Neruda

Loving

Miss Hokusai

Miss Hokusai might really belong in Adapted Screenplay instead; I’ve gone back and forth on the matter, though I’ll probably leave it here until I get a chance to rewatch it. If you remove it, my #5 is Lion.

Musical/Comedy:

Picture:

The Lobster

Finding Dory

Don’t Think Twice

Moana

Sing Street

At least Sing Street managed a nomination (though they failed to nominate it for anything else). It’s really strange to me that The Lobster got snubbed here despite being nominated for Best Actor.

Director:

Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster

Daniels, Swiss Army Man

Damien Chazelle, La La Land*

John Carney, Sing Street

Stephen Frears, Florence Foster Jenkins

Chazelle also won the Oscar, of course. I’ve made it clear elsewhere that I’m not a fan of La La Land, but that’s more because of the script than the actual filmmaking on display. He still wouldn’t have been my choice, but he’s not a terrible one.

Actor:

Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins

Michael Shannon, Elvis & Nixon

Adam Driver, Paterson

Colin Farrell, The Lobster

Rolf Lassgard, A Man Called Ove

I’m on the fence as to whether Paterson should be considered a Drama or a Comedy. I personally lean more towards the latter, but one could make a case either way. If Driver comes off the list, then my #5 is Ryan Gosling in La La Land, who of course won the Globe.

Actress:

Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

Hailee Steineld, The Edge of Seventeen

Annette Bening, 20th Century Women

Emma Stone, La La Land*

Sandra Huller, Toni Erdmann

As you can see, the Globes actually did really well with this category, even if I don’t agree with their winner (let alone the fact that she won the Oscar - she’s my #12 overall and I rank her 5th among the nominees). The 5th Globe nominee was Lily Collins for Rules Don’t Apply, who is my #24 overall and my #10 in Musical/Comedy.

Supporting Actor:

Daniel Radcliffe, Swiss Army Man

Woody Harrelson, The Edge of Seventeen

Jack Reynor, Sing Street

Tom Bennett, Love & Friendship

Dan Fogler, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

If you don’t think Fantastic Beasts qualifies as a Comedy, my #5 would be Makis Papadimitriou in Chevalier. 

The Globes nominated Simon Helberg for Florence Foster Jenkins, but at best he’d be 7th or 8th on this list.

Supporting Actress:

Rachel Weisz, The Lobster

Angourie Rice, The Nice Guys

Goldshifteh Fahrani, Paterson

Lucy Boynton, Sing Street

Alison Sudol, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

As noted above, Paterson and Fantastic Beasts might be considered Dramas by some, in which case my #4 and #5 would be Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning, both from 20th Century Women.

I initially listed Weisz as a lead, but rewatching the film, she’s definitely a supporting character. If I counted her as a lead, she might still win, but it would be close.

Ensemble:

Don’t Think Twice

Sing Street

The Lobster

Florence Foster Jenkins

Chevalier

Original Screenplay:

The Lobster

Don’t Think Twice

Sing Street

Zootopia

Swiss Army Man

The Academy at least had the good taste to nominate The Lobster. The Globes not only didn’t nominate it, but they gave their award (they only have one screenplay category) to La La Land, which has a dreadful script.

Adapted Screenplay:

Finding Dory

A Man Called Ove

Love & Friendship

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

The Jungle Book

If you think The Jungle Book should count as a Drama instead (it would be a stretch, but I could see it), my #5 would be Ghostbusters.

The Drama and Comedy writing categories mirror each other neatly. The Original Drama screenplays are fairly weak and the Original Comedy screenplays are excellent. But the Adapted Drama screenplays are great and the Adapted Comedy screenplays are comparatively weak.

Factually-Based Screenplay:

Florence Foster Jenkins

Elvis & Nixon

Born to Be Blue

War Dogs

A weak list, the only category out of all of these which doesn’t have 5 nominees. Francofonia is the only other film on my list that could even remotely qualify, and it’s really a Drama. Miles Ahead is the only other film this year that would comfortably fit, but I thought the script was fairly lacking.

I’d just like to note how glad I am that Sing Street made a strong overall showing (6 nominations in total). It’s a lovely film.

[gta-5-cheats]

Oscars 2018: When and How to Watch, and All Other Questions Answered

New Post has been published on http://secondcovers.com/oscars-2018-when-and-how-to-watch-and-all-other-questions-answered/

Oscars 2018: When and How to Watch, and All Other Questions Answered

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The Oscars are back. A year and a few days since the infamous envelope fiasco that led to La La Land being temporarily crowned Best Picture instead of actual winner Moonlight, Hollywood’s biggest self-congratulatory event – formally known as the 90th Academy Awards – will return to the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday. We’re pretty sure that whoever presents the Best Picture award at Oscars 2018 will get in a jab about last year’s embarrassing and hilarious moment.

While everyone from Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot to first-time nominee Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig will be at the Oscars, most of us will have to be content with our positions in front of the television. To help you prepare for the big night, we answer all the questions you (probably) have.

What’s the date and time for Oscars 2018?

The 2018 Oscars are taking place this Sunday, March 4. Things will kick off with the red carpet arrivals starting 3:30pm PT/ 6:30pm ET in the US, with the actual awards ceremony beginning at 5pm PT/ 8pm ET.

In India, the live telecast of the 90th Academy Awards will begin on Monday, March 5 at 5:30am IST for an hour of the red carpet, followed by the awards ceremony starting at 6:30am IST.

For everyone else around the world, here’s a handy link for the start of the Oscars 2018 awards ceremony. Subtract an hour or more if you like watching the red carpet arrivals.

The Oscars 2017 stage during Best Picture, before it all went wrong Photo Credit: Image Group LA/A.M.P.A.S.

How can I watch Oscars 2018 online?

In the US, the 2018 Oscars will be broadcast on ABC. Of course, you can also stream the 90th Academy Awards on the ABC website or the ABC app, if your TV provider is supported.

In India, the 2018 Oscars will be simulcast on Star Movies, Star Movies HD, and Star Movies Select HD, just as they were last year. You can also choose to stream the 2018 Oscars in India on Hotstar. If you don’t wish to get up early on Monday, you can catch a repeat telecast at 8:30pm IST.

Viewers in the UK will need Sky Cinema to watch the 2018 Oscars on TV. Coverage starts at Monday midnight local time, followed by the ceremony at 1am. To stream the event, you’ll need Now TV and the Sky Cinema Pass.

Over in Canada, CTV will air the 2018 Oscars starting 5pm PT/8pm ET. You can also stream the ceremony on CTV.ca and the CTV Go app. Down in Australia, Channel Nine will start the broadcast at 12pm local time, while Sky Network has the rights in New Zealand.

For the other 200 countries, refer to the official Academy guide on how to watch the 2018 Oscars around the world.

Who’s hosting Oscars 2018? Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is back as host, becoming the first person to host back-to-back ceremonies since Billy Crystal in 1997-98. Though there’s no blame on his end for Envelopegate, he didn’t hold back from being cheeky about it: “If you think we screwed up the ending this year, wait until you see what we have planned for the 90th anniversary show.”

Expect him to insert some jabs about last year’s blunder into his monologue, while also commenting on the #MeToo-related Time’s Up social movement that has swept the 2018 awards season since the Golden Globes.

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Kumail Nanjiani (L) sporting a Time’s Up pin at the 24th Annual SAG Awards, seen next to his wife Emily V. Gordon (R), and producer Judd Apatow (middle) Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris

What should I know about the Best Picture nominees at Oscars 2018? Like last year, there are a total of nine films in the running for the biggest award of the night. The Shape of Water, Guillermo del Toro’s fantasy drama about a mute janitor and a fish-man, leads the pack with 13 nominations. Christopher Nolan’s WWII film Dunkirk is second with eight.

We felt this question was really important, so we went ahead and dedicated an entire piece to this year’s Best Picture nominees. It even includes ways on how you watch all nine movies – go check it out.

Are there any other Oscars 2018 nominations I should know about? Yes, in fact. The nominees for the 90th Academy Awards have broken several records, including many firsts and some for longevity. Logan, the final film for Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, became the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Rachel Morrison is now the first woman to be nominated for Best Cinematography, for her work on Netflix’s Mudbound.

Both Meryl Streep and composer John Williams broke their own records, garnering the 21st and 51st Oscar nomination for The Post and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, respectively. Christopher Plummer is the oldest actor (aged 88) to be nominated for his role in All the Money in the World, while Agnès Varda (aged 89) is now the oldest person nominated for a competitive Oscar, for her documentary Faces Places.

Kobe Bryant became the first NBA player to get an Oscar nomination, for his animated short film Dear Basketball. Dee Rees, director of Mudbound, is the first queer black woman nominated for writing, while Yance Ford – director on Netflix doc Strong Island – is the first openly transgender director nominee.

Saoirse Ronan and fellow nominees during the Oscar Nominee Luncheon Photo Credit: Matt Petit/A.M.P.A.S.

Awards are boring. Who’s performing at Oscars 2018? If you feel that way, you’ll be glad to know that all five nominees for Best Original Song will perform live during the 90th Academy Awards. That includes Sufjan Stevens with Mystery of Love from Call Me by Your Name; Gael García Bernal, Miguel, and Natalia Lafourcade for Coco’s Remember Me; Andra Day and Common with Stand Up for Something from Marshall; Mary J. Blige with Mighty River from Mudbound; and Keala Settle with This is Me from The Greatest Showman.

I want to live-tweet the Oscars. Is there an official hashtag? Yes, indeed. If you type #Oscars on Twitter, an Oscars statuette will appear next to the hashtag. And this being the 90th anniversary of the Oscars, the statuette will also appear with #Oscars90.

I haven’t seen a single nominee. What can I tweet to sound knowledgeable? Four big categories have clear front-runners: Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) for Best Actor, Frances McDormand (Three Billboards) for Best Actress, Allison Janney (I, Tonya) for Best Supporting Actress, and Coco for Best Animated Feature. If they win, make a ‘knew-it’ comment, and use adjectives like powerful (Oldman), raw and fierce (McDormand), ferocious and unflinching (Janney), and sweet, heartfelt and warm (Coco).

The winners of three other categories aren’t so obvious. Sam Rockwell has won more Best Supporting Actor awards in last two months, but the backlash against Three Billboards for trying to redeem a racist cop means the Oscar could go to Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project). In the Best Director race, Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) has the upper hand, with Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) the weaker candidate.

That leaves Best Picture, the most important award of all. All signs point towards a close two-horse race between The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. We’ll have to wait till Sunday (or Monday, depending on where you live) to find out who takes home the last Oscar of the night.

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