#guest muse: lady gotham

[arobinwithoutbatman]

What can be said about Gotham City?

It's located off the coast of New Jersey. Like it's neighboring state of New York, it was originally settled by the Norse in the mid seventeenth century and then later the British before The Colonies joined together to gain independence from Britain in the eighteenth century. There are five founding families that are still active today; The Cobblepots, The Arkhams, The Kanes, The Elliots and the Waynes. They had an unofficial sister city, Bludhaven, across the Bay on the mainland US on New Jersey's coast. The reputation for crime was frankly ridiculous. Even with the Wayne family's attempts these last few generations to throw money at as many projects, charities and programs as possible. And that generosity was shared by Bruce Wayne's adopted and unofficially fostered sons. Like many cities in the US, Gotham had several costumed protectors; vigilantes rather than heroes as the police weren't fond of them despite the attempts to work with law enforcement and public opinion was constantly swaying back and forth.

A dreary rainy city, hardly ever any sunshine and with loud dangerous nights and equally unique residents. The rogues notwithstanding, the average civilian had a lot of perspective to give. The rich called Gotham "A jewel in the Bay" whilst anyone who had spent any time on the streets with not even a shop awning for shelter would talk about the shadows felt different at night. Safer. Like a mother's touch. Whoever you asked from whatever walk of life, all shared the sentiment that this city was theirs and despite the regular and ridiculous kinds of awful, they were staying. Everyone knew the signs, everyone knew how to survive; a city of stubborn survivors who bore the rot of their city with a weird sense of pride. Or perhaps it was more like that they didn't try to hide it or disguise it like most of the country.

Whatever the case, people were defensive of their city and in return, the city was protective of them. Unless, of course, you angered her. While shadows protected the homeless and defenceless, cobblestones would trip up traffikers and mobsters. And when day came, She was still around. Perhaps lurking in the shadows of alleyways or hiding in the sewers or underground. Not that the people knew that the old adage of cities having a heart or a soul was very true, at least in their dreary stubborn city's case.

[tracidant]

The Muse has been active the last few days. 🙂

Writing prompt: the batfamily adopts multiple guinea pigs

Damian called an emergency Robin meeting.

"Father says I'm only allowed to have 1 guinea pig, but there are 5 total in the litter, so each of you must adopt one, so we can rescue the whole group. Before you start whining, Drake..."

"I didn't say a thing!"

Damian glared at Tim. "I shall take care of them, feed them, and clean the cages. All you have to do is say they're yours and play with them occasionally. I've already chosen tentative names, but if you wish to name yours yourself, I have a list of acceptable names from which you can choose. I have folders for each of you on proper guinea pig care, plus a picture of the ones I've chosen for you. Are there any questions?"

"Little D, what if someone doesn't want a guinea pig? Most of us don't even live here at the Manor. I don't even live in Gotham!"

Damian reached behind him and pulled out a folder. He handed it to Dick. "Grayson, this is the one I chose for you. She matches Haley's color perfectly, and I've chosen the name Mary for her to honor your mother."

Dick sighed. "Ok then. I guess Haley has a sister now."

Damian nodded at his oldest brother before turning to an excited Stephanie. "Brown, before you ask, yes. You may name yours Waffles. I have more dignified names on the list, but if I picked one of those, you would just give it a ridiculous nickname anyway. It's a boy, by the way." He handed Stephanie her folder.

"Sweet! I got a piggie named Waffles!" She opened her folder. "Oh yay! He's even got crazy hair!"

"Todd. Put your hand down. Yours is female, and you may NOT call her Pig. Creativity won't kill you. Speaking of what will, Crowbar is not an acceptable name either."

"Ouch, kid! Maybe I won't take one then."

"And maybe I have new evidence of a certain mysterious food poisoning incident at Blackgate that occurred at the same time you were a guest there a few years ago."

Jason and Damian stared at each other for a few moments.

Jason blinked first. "Fine. So what's my new pet's name?"

"Well, I know you've been rewatching 'Game of Thrones' recently, and your love of warrior women is no secret, so yours is Lady Brienne. I do have a list of other names..."

"Nah, Brienne is perfect."

"Excellent choice, Todd. Here's your folder."

"Drake, I've given a great deal of thought to the name of your guinea pig. It's a male, by the way, and I've decided on Peter Parker."

Tim was a bit taken aback and a bit suspicious too. "You named mine after Spider-Man? That's actually pretty cool. But why?"

"He reminds me of you. He's really one of the most powerful Avengers, yet he'll gladly step back to being the 'friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man' when needed. You didn't think twice about stepping back into the Robin role when I was gone, because you knew that's where you were needed."

"Wow. Thank you, Damian. I didn't realize you saw me that way." Damian nodded and handed Tim his folder.

"I'm not a child anymore, Drake. I can admit that others are better at things than I am."

"So what's your piggie's name, Damian?"

"Her name is Mademoiselle Marie, Brown. She was a leader in the French Resistance..."

"Wait, isn't that Alfred's baby mama's name?"

"Correct. Although I wouldn't refer to her by that term around Pennyworth."

A week later, the Robins got together again to put together the giant habitats for their new pets. (The empty bedroom next to Damian's was taken over for the newest members of the family.) There were two main sections, so the males and females could be kept apart, with a divider that could be removed for supervised interactions. Both sections had several water bottles, feeding stations, tubes, wheels, and sleeping areas.

Bruce and Alfred were watching the scene from the hallway.

"I know this was just Damian's way of getting all five of those guinea pigs, despite me telling him he could only have one, but at least they're working together."

"I've noticed Master Damian has been much more agreeable towards Master Timothy as well. They're actually working on a case together willingly. Perhaps five guinea pigs are a small price to pay, Master Bruce."

"Yeah, but Duke and Cassandra will be back next week, and I heard Damian mention something about a bonded pair of rabbits at the shelter."

The two men sighed. "Well, we do have plenty of extra rooms, I suppose."

[crimsonspade]

Ambushed with Apathy Year 8, Gotham City

He’d just gotten his helmet off and tossed his cape across his bed. It had been a long night, and dawn was just starting to break through Gotham’s perpetual cloud cover. He was really looking forward to a lukewarm shower and maybe four hours of sleep before he had to report into WayneChem for work.

Just as he was reaching up to undo his bow tie he heard a click behind him. Spinning around and into a defensive position, hand ready to grab one of his many knives, he saw an intruder in his apartment.

If one was so inclined, she could be described as breathtakingly beautiful. Smooth dark hair, dark skin, dark eyes that flicked over him as if he were a worm beneath her leather boot. Good thing Hood wasn’t inclined so he could just mentally describe her as looking full of herself.

“Who,” Hood started to ask, only to be interrupted by her accented voice.

“So you are the one distracting my beloved.” She did a pointedly slow appraisal of him and then around his crappy apartment. “What a joke.”

Hood straightened up in affront. Ok so maybe his place could be cleaner. And he could organize his many, many article clippings of Batman covering the walls. But he wasn’t exactly expecting company tonight...or ever. Who did this woman think she was, that she could break into his place and judge him like some queen?

“Pardon me, Your Highness, but what do you think you’re doing here?” He waved a hand to indicate his abode, slipping the knife from his sleeve into his palm at the same time, just in case.

“I am Talia Al Ghul. I came to see for myself why my beloved has declined a return into the fold of the League of Shadows. You are the Red Hood, a chain keeping him here. You are very underwhelming.” Talia flocked her hair over her shoulder, turning to browse his collection of Batman merchandise, “And tacky.”

Hood narrowed his eyes, he’d heard of the Shadows...Who was she talking about him chaining to Gotham? Wait, she couldn’t possibly mean- “Batman? Bats was in the League? I don’t believe you.”

She gave him an arrogant smirk over her shoulder, picking up the silver batarang he’d had mounted on one of his shelves. “Where did you think he learned how to utilize the darkness?”

Her attention returned to looking at his collection and Hood found that he didn’t have any evidence to contradict her. From what he knew of Bats’ training, he traveled the world and learned from multiple teachers. But he rarely went any further into it than that...

“Alright. Say I believe you. You’re trying to...what. Threaten me to try and get Batsy back? Lady, you might just belong in Gotham, because that’s insane.” Deciding to go along with this for now, Hood walked over to his dresser to continue his plans for the next few hours. Looks like it’d just be peppered with thinly veiled hostile conversation. Twirling his knife he placed it down and started undoing his cufflinks.

“I’ve looked into you, Hood. You barely exist. You are holding him back from his full potential, potential the Shadows can help him accomplish, changing the world, not just this derelict City.” Talia toyed with the batarang, flipping it between her fingers. Hood eyed her and silently wished she’d cut her hands.

“I’m his partner, and that ‘derelict City’ is our home and probably the biggest thing Bats cares about.”

“Then perhaps the City also needs to go.” Talia mused, turning on her heel to face Hood once more. Her sharp eyes followed his every movement, looking for a threat. He noted with irritation that she’d yet to put down his batarang prize.

“There’s a fast-track to getting on Batsy’s bad side. Go ahead, I’ll eat popcorn and watch as he stops you.”

“Not even Batman can stop the League of Shadows.” Talia declared with a tilt of her head. Hood raised a brow.

“If you really believe that then why are you trying so hard to get him to join you?” He asked with a smirk. The glare she shot him might’ve been threatening to any other person. Hood just barely restrained a chuckle and let out a soft huff instead.

“You don’t like me. I’m not thrilled about you either. But I’m not the one going anywhere in Bat’s life, so suck it up buttercup.” Hood said as he slid his suit jacket off his shoulders. With practiced movements he took out the various knives kept in the lining and sleeves, laying them out on his dresser.

Talia watched in growing offense as he proceeded to turn his back, leveraging one leg up onto his dresser to get at the ankle knife kept there which joined the others in the pile. Her scowl deepened as Hood took out the light chain whip from the small of his back and set it next to his pile of knives.

“You dare disarm before one who announces her intent to be your enemy?”

“Hey, before you barged in I was planning on taking a shower. Besides, you’re not going to kill me, Highness.” Hood replied without facing her, emptying his pockets of his mini smoke bombs and flash grenades. He felt the air shift behind him, as Talia closed the ten feet between them and pulled his shoulder so they were face to face with his back pressing painfully into his dresser.

The prickle of cold steel against his bare throat would’ve given him goosebumps if he hadn’t expected it. Talia stood barely inches from his face, pressing her pilfered batarang to his throat until it was just barely not cutting skin.

“What’s stopping me from slitting your throat right here and being done with you?” She hissed with a furious look in her eyes.

For the first time that evening, Hood gave a broad smile, stretching his scars until it hurt.

“You could,” He admitted, his smile not dimming in the slightest as he nodded and a line of blood appeared as he moved against the blade against his throat, “But you won’t be getting out of this apartment without my little pen knife here going three inches into your liver, causing you to bleed out in, ohhh, less than three minutes?”

Without moving a muscle, she looked down. Hood flexed his hand around the knife in question to make his point, heh, clear. He’d kept one knife up his sleeve, and now the tip was digging into her side, just one little jab and it would do exactly as he said.

“You are a vigilante, you follow my beloved’s foolish ideal of not causing death, you are bluffing.” She insisted, bringing her eyes to lock again with his.

“Oh am I, sugarplum? Well, if you think that, then maybe you should roll these dice and see just which one of us is bluffing.” Hood raised his brows, eyes wide and smiled even wider. It caused her to draw back, even just a fraction.

The glow of his green eyes this close was...unsettling.

With exaggerated slowness, and without breaking eye contact, Talia removed the batarang she held to his neck. Hood lowered the tip of his knife at the same time.

“You are less than nothing. He will grow bored of you.” Who was she trying to convince? Him or herself? Hood snorted.

“Which one of us is the entertainer here, Your Highness? I’m the co-star every opening night, while you’re barely a featured guest.”

Retreating towards the window, Talia turned to go. Hood growled, bringing his arm and knife back up, “Ah, ah, ah. Forgetting something, Your Highness?” She looked back and wordlessly Hood used his knife to indicate the batarang she still had in her hand. “Get your own.”

Suddenly slicing through the air next his head, the batarang lodged itself into the wall behind him, bisecting one of his articles of Bats fighting Penguin in Metropolis. Dang, now he’d have to ask for a reprint.

“I am still not impressed.” Talia stated with a glare. Hood doesn’t roll his eyes despite feeling the urge.

“The feelin’s mutual, cupcake. Get. Out.” He bites out, patience thoroughly used up.

Maintaining eye contact, she goes. Hood doesn’t blink until he is looking out at the rising sun and finds no trace of her. Only then does he allow his shoulders to slump and let out a tired sigh.

On second thought, he’d skip the shower. Collapsing onto his bed sounded wonderful.

[flying-nightwing]

Decorum (1/3)

Oh hey! With the recent marvel abominations (read: endg*me) I have turned to DC for some comfort and I was not disappointed. So here’s my first attempt at writing something of the DC universe. So uh, enjoy the fruit of my procrastination. Pls like, reblog, comment, lemme know what you think.

Part 2

Pairing: Dick Grayson x Reader, eventually Jason Todd x Reader

Number of words: 2569

Warnings: lots of angst, arranged marriage, rich people lol, few swear words, mentions of cheating.

Summary: Being married to Dick Grayson is not as glamorous as everyone else in Gotham would think, especially since you both hate each other. But unbeknownst to him, his absence does have consequences.

The limo was silent. It always was, aside from the casual buzzing of Dick’s cell phone every three minutes or so. It was always the same story, you’d get ready in silence, in your seperate rooms, then meet in the vehicule already. The ride would be quiet, devoid of eye contact, or god forbid, remarks on the other’s effort on their evening attire. Yours was always the best, thought forward and flawless. Dick’s was pretty much the same every time, with the exception of a minor variant not to be caught dead in the same outfit twice. 

Imagine the blow to the Wayne’s reputation if he did. 

Then, you would pull out the smiles for the cameras the split second before the limo door opened. He would get out first and offer you his arm, beaming like he actually liked you. You would walk the red carpet at his arms, as if he allowed them outside of the public eye. You would mingle with the high society of Gotham and rave about how great was the fundraising, and how great was Bruce Wayne. How great was the company going with your father’s investments, and just how great life was with your husband. The women would tell you all about how your couple was such a match in heaven, but the jealousy behind their eyes would be a little too obvious. After all, you did secure Dick Grayson as your husband. The Boy Wonder, the Golden Boy, Gotham’s favourite son. 

Yeah, isn’t life great.

And at the end of the night, after empty-smiling so much it hurt, you would climb back into the limo, take your seat as far as each other as possible, and return to your normal routine of avoiding each other. You knew he blamed you for forcing this union on you, even though you were the only one to voice your disagreement on it. Wayne Industries had suffered a blow after a prolonged absence from Bruce--one of them, anyway--and your father had so generously offered to help with the bailout. It came to a condition, however, one that would cost both you and Dick your freedom. But isn’t it just was the high society does, what they’ve always done? Personal feelings don’t matter, only money and reputation do. And Bruce, well, Bruce really needed that bailout for some reason. You were surprised, usually he had a tendency not to ask for help and do it himself.

There must have been some interest he had to protect at all cost.

You found out what put him against a wall a year later, at the same time you discovered that not all of Dick’s night escapades were dedicated to seeing Barbara. You had understood soon enough after your marriage that Dick would always be Dick, and set an accord with him that as long as his affair didn’t reach the public, you would turn a blind eye to it. But the bruises and haunting look in his eyes--whenever you could catch them--told an alternative narrative. You weren’t dumb, you put two and two together, with him and Bruce’s similar disappearing patterns. All this time spent in silence left a lot of space to observe, and observe you did. 

And your theory was that he knew the second you discovered. The shift in both of your attitudes was unspoken, as everything else was, but it was there, visibly and prominent. At first he would send you questioning glances when he thought you weren’t paying attention, as he was trying to figure out why you hadn’t lashed out, or as to when exactly you would sell him out to the police. Then, he stopped sneaking back in at the early hours of the morning, him and Bruce even sometimes discussed vigilante matters with you at ear range. Hushered, but not hidden. He even let you tend to his wounds that one time, no question asked from either of you. It was the closest you got to him before he shut you out again.

“What did I do this time?” 

His sighing voice snapped you out of your thoughts, and your eyes trailed from the window to him. You were back in the limo after the gala, and oh, he had spoken. Unusual thing for him to do, but his accusatory tone was anything but. You met his eyes half a second, then went back to looking outside. You couldn’t see anything in the darkness, but it was better than looking at him.

“You weren’t subtle” You hummed, and you felt the shift in his attitude. He knew as well as you did what you were talking about. “I can take a lot of shit you do, but I won’t let you publicly humiliate me”

“Come on” He scoffed dismissively. “It’s not like I went over there and made out with her”

“Those people are vultures” Your tone turned harsh as you looked back at him. “You’re lucky nobody noticed you straight up ogling at Barbara this time, or the scandal would already be out”

“Ah, yes. Your precious reputation” He rolled his eyes. “God forbid anyone taint it”

“Not just mine, but yours and Bruce as well” You raised your chin in defiance. You didn’t care if you were being an asshole to him, you weren’t the one acting like one in the relationship, if there was any. “Remember that if I leave, I leave with the money”

“Aren’t you tired of making that threat every times?” He asked sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest defensively. “You could at least come up with a new one”

“I could, it’s not for the lack of source material” You mused, and he tensed. “But I won’t. And you know why?”

He didn’t answer as the car came to a halt.

“Because I think of myself as a decent person, and despite how you’re behaving toward me, I will never stoop so low as to attack your dignity” You spoke firmly, quickly. You barely noticed Dick recoiling in his seat; never you had been so direct, so dry with him. You pushed the door open, and paused. “You better start managing yourself, because I’m done trying”

With that, you slammed the door and left him stunned in the car.

---------

“Mr. Grayson could not join us tonight?”

You turned around and smiled at Mr. Fowley, one of the generous donator to the Wayne foundation. They always asked about him, and you got pretty good at coming up with different excuses every time to justify his absence.

“Unfortunately, he and Mr. Wayne had to attend to a very important board meeting regarding the passing down of Wayne Industries assets when the time comes” You answered easily. It had become a second nature to you to cover for him ever since you said I do. “He was very sorry not to be able to attend”

He wasn’t. 

“That’s unfortunate indeed” He sighed. “I wished to give him my gratitude for solving the mystery of my lost paintings”

Dick had solved the disappearance of one of the most impressive private collections of original Monets in North America. And obviously, it only made him more popular. But you had to give it to him, he was a fantastic detective with a flair for finding what others couldn’t. 

“Then I will make sure to pass your praises along to him when I see him later” You nodded. “Thank you for being here tonight, Mr.Fowley. I hope you enjoy the night”

He had been the fourth guest to ask you about Dick. At the beginning of your marriage, it made you incredibly angry, but now you just accepted it, what else could you do? He would never be a presence you could count on, and you learned to deal with it. So when the gala ended, you were once again left to close the place alone. The cleaning crew would take care of the bigger mess tomorrow, but you were still responsible of the keys. 

It seemed like forever until you reached the garage. Your car was the last one, obviously, since you decided to drive yourself. It had been your wedding gift from Bruce, a one in the world car that made head turns wherever you went. And after that almost fiasco, you needed to do some damage control and remind the high people of Gotham of the status quo. You truly ever rode the limo if Dick was there, anyway. You climbed in and started the engine, leaving the place tired and slightly annoyed.

However, halfway home, your engine decided to turn off, making you pull over on the side of the road. The car slowly rolled to a stop, seemingly having shut down completely. Not even your headlights responded, and it made you worried. No smoke was coming out of the hood, no strange odour reached your nose either. With a huff and your annoyance growing, you waited fifteen minutes and tried again to start the car.

Nothing.

You looked outside, seeing nothing around in the darkness. You tried to call for a taxi, but none of them were any close to your area. Or it would have taken at least two hours, as the lady on the other end of the phone so kindly told you so. You were left with one option, and it didn’t make you happy. But you knew nothing about car mechanic, so you did not have a choice. You reached for your phone and stared at it, deliberating if you really needed to call him. But reason got the best of you, so you swiped your phone open, went to your contact list and pressed Dick’s name. It hadn’t rung twice that it sent you straight to the voicemail. He had declined your call. You tried to call again, then again. The fourth time, it rang, and rang, until you reached the voicemail again. He hadn’t declined it this time, he only ignored it. You rubbed the bridge of your nose and sighed at the cold, impersonal robotic voice on the other end.

You have reached the voicemail of: Dick Grayson. Please leave a message after the dial tone. 

“Dick, uh, it’s me. My car has broken down on the road 49, about twenty minutes drive from the mansion. I tried a taxi but I’m literally in the middle of nowhere. Could you pick me up? … Call me when you get this”

And you hung up. You waited fifteen minutes, checking your phone more often than you cared to admit. It was getting cold without heating, and he still didn’t call you back. It was too early for patrol, so he wasn’t gone yet. He was probably with Barbara, as usual. He had probably shut down his phone so it wouldn’t disturb them, he was probably pissed at you too.

Asshole.

You got annoyed, so you changed strategy and called someone else. If Dick wasn’t going to answer the god damn phone, a different Wayne would. You scrolled down your contacts and found Jason’s name. You didn’t hesitate as you launched the call, and he picked up at the third ring. 

“Best looking Wayne son on the phone, how can I help you?”

“Jason” You chuckled at his humour. At least someone was having a better night than you. “I was wondering if you could come pick me up. My car broke down in the middle of nowhere and Dick won’t answer his phone”

“Ah, living up to his name once again I see” He hummed. He was also aware of Dick’s second type of night time activity. “I am so sorry, I’m actually out of town taking care of… Something. Isn’t Daddy Dearest around? Or Alfred?”

“Justice League matters” You sighed. “Only Dick can reach him during those meetings. And Alfred’s with Bruce”

“I can try and call someone” He suggested. “I have a few people that owe me favors”

“Thank you Jay, but uh, I think I’ll walk” You nodded to yourself. You knew the road well enough to make your way home. “It’s not that far”

“I do not agree with that but I can’t stop you either--hold on” His voice hitched, followed by a grunt that wasn’t his. It sounded like he was punching a guy, but you didn’t ask. It was Jason doing Jason stuff. You waited patiently, occasionally hearing glass and wood break. Nothing out of the ordinary, if you were honest. It didn’t freak you out anymore. “Listen, I-- oh fucker! I gotta go, but call me when you get home, okay?”

“Will do” You couldn’t help the small smile on your lips. Jason had always been the best, in his own weird way to cheer you up. “Thanks Jason”

“You’re welcome” He huffed. “Be careful”

He ended the call after that, probably off to finish his important business. You shook your head and put on your coat and scarf, grabbing your purse and your keys. You got out, locked the doors and began walking on the side of the deserted road. You picked your phone again and dialed Dick’s number once again, waiting for the inevitable voicemail.

“Dick. It’s me again. Don’t bother coming, I’m walking home. Hope you have fun tonight”

You hung up and shoved the phone in your pocket, along with your hands to warm them up. You walked at a brisk pace, remaining aware of your surroundings at all time. You didn’t live as a Wayne without knowing the basics of self defence, and that became much more clearer as to why once you found out about the vigilante thing. Both Bruce and Jason had made sure you weren’t totally defenceless, despite the fact that you had no affinity for combat like them. You didn’t fit, only your money did. 

Perhaps it was why Dick had always disliked you.

But that basic training was enough to make you notice something wasn’t right. Only your footstep on the gravel echoed into the night, but you had that nagging feeling that you weren’t alone. You looked behind your shoulder, but nothing was there still. You kept going, but your hand reached for your phone in your pocket. With your senses focused on your surroundings, your fingers found Dick’s contact, and you waited for the voicemail again.

“Dick, I think I’m being followed. Please call me if you get this”

Then you hung up again. The feeling only grew as your pace quickened, your eyesight now only focused forward. You didn’t have the guts to look behind you. You tried to call a few other time, hanging up before it got to the voicemail. You were terrified, you had to grab Dick’s attention even if he would be pissed at you for blowing up his phone. 

“Come on, come on” You muttered to yourself as he still didn’t pick up. Then, the sound of rocks crushing behind you made your heartbeat stop for a second. Someone was definitely following you. You pressed the call button one more time as you started running. Footsteps took after you, and you knew you were done for.

You have reached the voicemail of: Dick Grayson. Please leave a message after the dial tone. 

“Someone’s behind me” You said in a hurry as they got closer and closer. “They’re gaining on me and--”

The sound of your phone hitting the ground ended your voicemail.

[stardancerluv]

A Dark and Stormy Night

Prequel to Creative Fervor

Part 2 of 2

Summary : You went out with your friends to celebrate the birthday of one of them. What you didn’t expect was fallling hard for one of the owner of the chic The Black Mask Club in Gotham.

Arthor’s Note: revised and updated!

HANDSOME YOUNG MAKEUP MOGUL OPENS NIGHTCLUB, the article announced in large bold print. The article floated down to you from where you sat at your drafting table. You were focused coming up with some pieces for the famous Bruce Wayne. You had dived hard into your work after you the partying you had done over the weekend.

You put your pencil down, grabbing it. “What is this?”

Your friend’s face popped up from behind the table. She giggled. “It’s your boyfriend.”

“Hahaha,” you gave some forced laughs. You had to admit he did look good in the close up and in the other shot standing in the middle of his night club. “Yeah, yeah...my boyfriend.” You rolled your eyes. You could still see the blonde hanging off him. You really don’t know why it irked you so much, but it did.

“Had to clip the article for you.” She smiled.

“Hey, Jareth and I are grabbing lunch. Join us?”

You stretched, sighing. “Sure. I could use a bite.”

*****

“Jareth Stapleton, my dear friend who designs for the rich and famous.” You couldn’t help but praise and coo at him as you shared a hug at the restaurant. You and him and always had a playful rivalry over who you would design for next in Gotham.

“Yeah,” He said dryly. “All except him! I can’t believe you got the yummy Bruce Wayne.”

You shrugged, as you sat down. “I still don’t know how I got him as a client.” You nervously tucked some purple hair behind your ear.

*****

Roman, had to have a lunch with Bruce Wayne. To be nice, he decided it would be a good idea to go. Maybe he would tell his friends to go to his club. Bruce was beyond boring. Always a goodie goodie. He was as vapid as the papers portrayed him.

When they were kids he was, and now even more so. Roman, tried to lose himself in his menu.

“Why look who it is?” He heard Bruce’s voice perk up.

Roman did not look out from behind his menu. “Who?” Annoyed, he didn’t want to rub elbows with any of Bruce’s friends. He just wanted their money.

“It’s the mfurniture designer I hired. She is a genius.” Roman, finally glanced at Bruce. A huge smile was splashed across his face. “Let me introduce you two. She is a much better girl than that Circe girl you tried to date.”

“We dated, Bruce.” He sighed, she had cheated and humiliated him. Never again. “What makes you think I want to date someone who works for you?” Roman grumbled. “I don’t date the help.”

Bruce, tugged his arm. “Aw, come on, Romy. Don’t be a snob. She’s a nice girl and very pretty.”

He sighed. “Do I have to?” He rolled his eyes. Anyone Bruce found attractive were less than standard for him. “Alright.” He finally put the menu down. Getting up, he smoothed his suit jacket and put on a polite face.

*****

You watched as Jareth began bouncing in his chair. “Y/N, your client is coming our way!”

“Who?” You looked and bit back a gasp. What caught your eye was the man behind Bruce Wayne. Despite how good Roman looked...a look of utter boredom looked as if it had just been splashed across his face. You hoped it wasn’t because of you being here. You bit your bottom lip.

Your other friend nudged you. “And her boyfriend is behind him.” She hissed.

“Yeah my boyfriend.” You rolled your eyes, sighing but you smiled and stood up.

“Bruce!” You exclaimed, happily. “It is so funny running into you like this!” You gave each other a friendly, warm hug.

“Y/N, what a pleasure!” He turned and made a grand gesture. “Roman my dear friend, meet the lady who is personally designing something for me.”

You flushed, you were always surprised when someone would compliment you. Pulling back from Bruce, your heart fluttered as Roman finally walked up. He looked so sharp.

“Hello, Roman.”

*****

Roman, was taken aback, it was you! His spirits immediately lifted. He had a second chance at seeing you, this time he was not going to let you get away. “Hello, Y/N.” Maybe he could ask you why you disappeared the other night, he mused.

Confusion wrinkled Bruce’s brow. “You two know each other?”

“She was a guest in my club this weekend.” Roman, quickly added.

“I was celebrating my friend,” You gestured to your friend who was still sitting. “Jessica’s birthday.”

“Oh, how quite nice.” Bruce paused. “Did you end up going to Luxy Star?”

“Yes we had gone there and then we went from there.” You continued. “to The Black Mask Club. It was quite the place, Bruce. Amazing, actually.”

“You liked it better then Luxy Star?” Bruce asked, a small pout on his lips.

“Oh yeah, Roman knows how to treat guests and the place was unbelievable. I loved it.” You smiled at him.

“Y/N you are too kind.” Roman, finally said. He finally took all of you in. You were not dressed up as you had for the weekend. But you were still quite beautiful to look at. The bohemian blouse was cute, artsy even...and the jeans and heals were cute. Like the other night, the sight of you sped up his heart. You continued to intrigue him.

It was nice to discover that the business you had mentioned was you designing furniture. That was interesting. He would have to find out more.

“Why don’t we all eat together?” Bruce suggested.

Roman, spoke up. “As much as I would love to have lunch with Y/N.” He looked at you alone, he didn’t care for the others. “Bruce, I am sure Y/N doesn’t want to eat with her boss.” He relunctantly added, he hoped you didn’t him up on it.

“I don’t mind. I was just going to have some soup anyway. I need to get back to work.” You shrugged. He couldn’t tell how you were feeling. “I still have lots of work to do for you, Bruce.” You added quickly. You did look sad, he mused.

“Nonsense, you need to eat.”

Roman, sat down and sipped at the coffee the waitress finally brought over. He wanted to talk to you. There was so much to say but what. Your friends were annoying and he couldn’t seem to get a word in, everyone’s attention was on Bruce.

*****

After sometime, you finally excused yourself. Roman was ignoring you at best, you couldn’t put your finger on why all of this upset you but it did.

You excused yourself but no one noticed.

“Y/N, where are you going?” A gloved hand grabbed your elbow.

Before you could turn, you heard a squeaky louder voice. You turned to his and the squeaky one.

“Roman!” Turning, you saw a girl with a pigtails stopping him.

“Yes?” His hand slipped from your elbow and he turned towards the other girl.

“Yeah..yeah..be there tomorrow.” He said absently.

“Did I get the job?” He recognized her as one of the two new pastry chefs that applied to work at the club. Looking, back at you he saw you alhad turned to walk away.

Excusing himself tore after you, practically throwing open the door. He looked up and down the sidewalk. Just then, he saw a fluff of your purple ponytail and the taxi zoomed off.

“Fuck.” You were gone. Taking out his phone, he called for his driver.

******

As charming as Bruce was sitting that close to Roman kind of hurt. You didn’t understand It. It was a fast and hard crush, but he was probably dating that blonde. She fit his image better then you did. You could never be that glamourous.

You should be able to just shrug it off. But you just couldn’t, you kept on seeing how that blonde just threw her arms around him, you wished you could do that.

Excusing, yourself making up some kind of reason you left. He seemed to not even notice.

While the cab weaved in and out of traffic, a single tear fell from your eyes. You were being so silly.

As you got back to your drafting table you saw the newspaper article, your friend had brought. His features were so defined, it made your heart flutter, but enough was enough. You were so silly. You took it and ripped it up and tossed it into the bin beside you. Then you got back to work.

@spn-obession @grandimagines @vintagemichelle91 @zodiyack @emyliabernstein @top-rumbelle-fan @shantellorraine @xxinvisiblexx @pooshnulooshnu @speedypartyducksuitcase @blondekel77 @saphic-susperia @drarrylov3r @i-cant-hear-you16 @deadlymistress24 @yesqueenofthelight

[iphoenixrising]

Master List Update

I...didn’t even realize how much crap I’ve written since the last one >.< Also didn’t realize what a pain in the ass it was to click on when you’re on mobile. Here’s one that’s a little easier, I hope.

AO3: Fracture (fanart!); Distractions, Forward Momentum (Avengers)

Tumblr

Poison-Basil’s Art:

*iPhoenixrising (my wonderfully talented artist/writer babe literally made my spirit animal)

*Fracture Chapter 1: It’s Tim asleep on the bathroom floor where Dick and Jay find him (God, it’s amazing >.<)

Fracture Chapter 29: The intense almost between Dick and Red

BABE MADE ME A WHIRLYBIRD

 *No Home for Dead Birds: (Eventual Conner/Bart/Tim maybe)

This is the amalgamation of comments from Fracture. A whole what if Tim didn’t forgive them and go back? Au. It’s right after the epic planning of Red Robin to keep Ra’s al Ghul from killing everyone Batman loves from the Red Robin series. Just a little bit of a twist on how the story would go if Tim didn’t stay.

Chapter I 

Chapter II

 Drabble

 Chapter III

Chapter IV 

Chapter V 

Chapter VI 

Chapter VII 

Chapter VIII 

Chapter IX

Chapter X p1 

Chapter X p2 

Kon’s Drabble 

Warning for mentions of suicide

NHDB What-If

The Red Hood 

Dick Grayson

The Last Titan Standing 

Redux (NSFW)

Tumblr Ask: Tim/Kon/Bart; warning for abuse of TTK, super-powers, and literally making Tim scream. All kinds of NSFW.

Chapter XI

What’s In a Name?

*Night Call (Tim/Jay Stripper Verse AU): 

Based on an Ask. Just your standard Bouncer!Jay working at a strip club where Super CEO Tim Drake secretly moonlights when the stress of his life gets a little hard to handle and stripping gives him freedom. Of course, there’s probably identity porn and a little bit of smut.

Part 1 

Part 2 (NSFW) 

Final Part: 3 

*DC AOB Attempt (Omega Tim/ Alpha Dick/ Alpha Jay by request):

This was seriously a try at the whole Omegaverse thing. I write it on it occasionally when I get asks and whatnot. Premise: Tim is making his way back to the Bats after a little hiatus after he lost the Robin mantle and brought back B from time.  He’s in Gotham being part of the crew when his suppressants might have…worn off and the scent of a male Omega in heat makes the Bats a little more than concerned. To make matters worse, he gets a little more than he bargained for when Dick follows him back to Titan’s Tower to take care of his pack’s Omega.

Smut ensues. 

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6: The Demon’s Head: (Warnings: Tim/Ra’s non-con but the journey and subsequent revenge are oh so sweet.)

 Part 7: Probably Finale with @satire-please

Ask from Tumblr: The Heat Fallout: (I wrote a follow-up to this…but it’s terrible and sweet, and I just never posted it >.<)

Ask from Tumblr: Two Alphas in Rut and one cute Omega (Very NSFW)

(Ask from Tumblr: Pregnancy Scare) 

(Ask from Tumblr: Bonding and Shit)

*Marvel AOB Attempt (Omega Tony/ Alpha Bucky/ Alpha Steve):  

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

*Night Sky (Possible future to the Fracture Verse, Tim/Dami) 

Ask

Drabble

Part 1

Part 2

 Part 3

Finale ( Warnings for things like Robinpiles and NSFW; that said, I’m absurdly proud of this smut)

Destroyed (a multiverse conglomeration of Bad Ass!Tim in a world where the Insurgents took over the planet):

Part 1

Part 2  (NSFW)

Part 3

Justice is Blind AU (Blind!Tim):

Part I 

Part II

Drabble

Ask fic

Part V

Drabble (beware of Superbats)

Angsty stuff that kind of goes together? (Before NHDB, this is the ‘Tim isn’t forgiving your ass’ realm from my brain pan): 

Clean

Drabble

Realize

Meeting

Mistake

Forward Momentum Things

(MCU Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes; eventual Steve/Bucky/Tony) 

Forward Momentum Drabble 

Coffee

Observation 

Dr!Tim:

Dr!Tim au: How it all Began  

Follow-Up Drabble

Dr!Tim Drabbles: The Mentor (with Tony Stark); The Suit (shameless Jay/Dick loving him in a suit); Med School (how he Met Steph, etc)

Dick Grayson’s acrobatic talent (surprise, it’s smut)

Dr!Tim Drabbles: Stephanie Brown and Batgirl

Dr!Tim Drabble: The Joker (I really enjoy playing around with the baddies sometimes and the Joker was an interesting character)

Playing around with Submissive Dr!Tim

Dr!Tim Safewords out Ask;  Follow-up: Drabble: Sub-Drop

Dr!Tim: London Bridge is Falling Down (Bad ass Tim and a little hurt/comfort at the end)

Missing Scene from “London Bridge” (cute and a little angsty with Hurt Dr.!Tim and the L-word)

Post London Bridge Ask (guest starring Tony Stark)

Meet and Greet

Cute Dr. Tim taking care of overwrought Dick Ask: (The muse for Jason died a hard death >.<  comments that make me sad do that tho)

Scary things:

Subdue (Tim/Ra’s non-con; be careful if you read this, tagged for triggers)

Fooled You Tim/Ra’s Valentine’s Day thing

Follower Posts!

100 Followers! Night Sky Drabble with Tim and Older! Dami; Sleeping Tim Drabble; MCU Steve/Bucky/Tony drabble Hurt/Comfort; Cross-over au! Where Dick and Jay admit their feelings to Tim; NHDB depressing drabble (Dick/Tim);  

200 Followers! Tumblr Ask about Tim having scars from his childhood rather than as a vigilante; Justice is Blind Drabble: Tim and Lady Shiva; NHDB Prompt, sad Dick/Tim; Sick!Tony ask; Sad Ask: Red Robin Posthumous Award

300 Followers!: AOB Drabbles: The Pack (Cass and Fear Toxin) and Mating Bite; Body Swap: The Follow-Up (which I wasn’t really happy with but oh well); Fracture What-If Continuation for Anon; Dr!Tim Drabbles: Jay/Tim Fluff and Smut

400 Followers! : Dr. Tim: The Birthday Present, Robin’s Redemption (such a play on them both), Cross-Over AU! (Marvel Universe and Tim gets a second chance at being Robin), The Suit (shameless Dick/Tim)

Future au!

Part I: Pre-Fracture Tim and a little bit of time travel. How is going to take the “Night Sky” verse? (An attempt at making Fracture go full circle)

Part II: Continuation of lost Future Bats, mentions of Superbats, and attempts at coddling.

Bat Prompts and Drabbles:

Hard Fracture What-If (featuring BatDad and intense feelings; what if B had picked up Red after the Insurgents Battle and brought him back to the Cave right then and there? Watch your feels)

Space Salvagers AU (Jay/Tim)             

Soulmate thing: Robins

Bodyswap (Dick & Tim); Body Swap: The Fallout                         

Concussion Confessions

The night the Flying Graysons Died      

Of Owfucks and Accents

De-Aged Jay (based on fanart)

Fam Stuff (Bats)                                    

Dick/Tim/Dami: 

Drabble 1

Drabble 2

Drabble 3

Drabble 4

Time Travel Ask I, Drabble Continuation  (Fracture Verse)          

Dick/Jay/Tim Fluff: Tim being Tim Ask                             

Graduation (maybe Fracture Verse)

Stalker Photos                                       

Holidays: Cute Holiday Cheer, Sad What-Could-Have-Happened Prompt based off this

Angst: A NHDB kind of Verse, 'What if Dick didn't catch Tim when he fell through the window' Prompt (aftermath of Character Death), Dark!Jay and Tim: Silence (Character Death)

Jason v. the Pit and then I saw this

Hilarity ensues

Jay/Tim Praise Kink

Tim is going to keep kicking ass

Worth the Wait (for Travelallover’s birthday): Based on Robin #10

“I’ve already forgiven you, but I won’t make the same mistake twice” Ask (Dick Grayson & Tim Drake)

 Kid!Tim fics:

Window Seat

Kid!Tim is discovered

Old Fracture Drabbles: Superbats What-If

Convergence: Bringing together all the Tims. (Just an idea I played around with: Dr!Tim, Fracture Tim, Destroyed Tim, Justice is Blind Tim, and Detective Comics Tim)

Firefly Cross-Over for Tim Drake Week (Jason is Mal; Dick is Inara; Tim is Simon; Cass is Tam; Steph is Wash; Roy is Zoe, etc)

Injury/Healing for Tim Drake week (hilarity ensues; Tim is thwarted by Dick’s Sixth Sense)

Heavy in Your Arms Part I;   Heavy in Your Arms Part II  Jason Todd angst; Based off the song with the same title by Florence and the Machine

Crossover: Avengers/Bats

Tim stays in the MCU 

And goes out as Robin                     

Tony Stark being a bro

Early NSFW (Please be advised): 

Need (first in the DCU)

Prompt:  “ Here’s a nice image for you. Jason has Tim bent over the counter...” (I was so new to Tumblr, I just threw it up as quote LOL)

Voltron: (They all stink, please see @satire-please for better stuff)

Team Dynamics

Left Behind

Waking

You Not the Lion

Miraculous Ladybug

Play : Shameless Adrien/Ladybug, MariChat, and Adrinette (if only I covered LadyNoir. Damn) with fake identity porn and hetero smut.

 Non-Fiction stuff (I guess?)

Writing

Writing Choices

A little bit about Jason Todd’s mouth (just some ramblings about how his accent kind of evolved

[damijon-supersons]

Waltzing with a Wayne: A Super Sons Fic

Synopsis: Jon just wanted to have a Christmas party with Damian. But he gets way more than he signed up for when Damian invites him to the Wayne Foundation Holiday Gala. Jon feels out of place and he can’t get a single moment alone with Damian.

 Author’s notes: Hi HI! I wanted to do a damijon fic in time for Christmas, but I was fresh out of good ideas, and originally I had this way longer epic story planned with them on a mission on a mountain trying to save some captive children….but yeah that didn’t work out so well cuz my ideas ran out.

But then in a single day, I had this cool idea for a party and yeah, now it’s this fic! I hope you like it! Tell me what you think! And most of all, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

“Hey, Damian, we should have, like, a Christmas Party!”

“What for? Pennyworth makes a fine Christmas dinner on his own…”

“It’s different when it’s a party! It’ll be more fun with more people to hang out with!”

Jon winced. The memory of asking Damian to have a little Christmas party with him replayed in his head as he stared out into the sea of black suits and velvet gowns, lit with a subtle golden sheen from the ornate chandeliers fifty feet above on the ceiling.

“More people…” Jon muttered under his breath. This was definitely not what he’d had in mind.

The day before, he’d gotten a crisp, gold embroidered envelope with an invite to a special “Yuletide Gala” hosted by the Wayne Foundation. Now that he was at the event himself, he guessed that “yuletide” and “gala” meant “ridiculously-rich-people-party”.  It was being held at the Wayne Tower penthouse, all the way at the top floor of the 28-storey office block, which featured hanging gardens and a view of the city reserved for people with ‘Wayne’ as their last name, or people whose money belonged to Bruce Wayne. There seemed to be more than a hundred of Gotham’s wealthiest and most influential present, all in their best white ties, tuxedos, and evening gowns. Almost none of them were kids his age, and the few that were looked snobby with upturned noses and just shrunken versions of their parents’ clothes.

“Come along now, kiddo,” Clark prodded him gently from behind. “It won’t do for us to stay at the door.”

“Sorry, dad,” Jon replied sheepishly. “It’s just that…this place…it seems a bit much.” Jon gestured to the tall crystal double-doors, and the interior beyond it. The ballroom was covered with a rich crimson carpet and featured a magnificent and imposing grand staircase in the center, which supposedly led to “private lounges”—whatever those were—and the  outside rooftop garden park  that surrounded the entire storey . The roof was partly composed of thick glass panels that offered a view of the stars. There were several wall mounted fountains silently churning foamy water, and the southwest corner of the penthouse housed a violin quartet who played one generic fancy-sounding background music pieces, complete with sound equipment that looked more expensive than the violinists’ combined net worth.

Jon felt positively underdressed. He’d only worn a rented black coat and tie, and he didn’t even have proper dress shoes so he’d just worn his sneakers. His parents Lois and Clark, meanwhile, looked respectable, but nowhere near the level of posh that the other guests enjoyed.

“I know it looks intimidating, Jon,” Lois said as they were escorted by one of the ushers. “Going to your first high-society party always is. But this is old hat for me and your dad. I suppose being the Daily Planet’s best reporters has its perks.”

“And that has nothing to do with you and dad being best friends with Mister Wayne and Selina?” Jon asked with a smirk.

“Well…that, too,” Clark grinned.

“I thought parties were more…cheerful,” Jon lamented. “All everyone’s doing is standing and talking and laughing like they’re on a timer.”

“Well…this is only one way adults can host a party…” Clark began, but he was saved from having to explain the finer aspects of adulting when Alfred Pennyworth intercepted them, garbed in his head butler attire. The younger usher that had been escorting the Kents cowered more than bowed as he left them in Alfred’s care.

“Master Clark and Lady Lane,” Alfred bowed gracefully.

“Merry Christmas, Alfred,” Clark greeted as Lois gave the old butler a quick hug.

“And the same to you.” Alfred smiled and then gestured to the head table, which was distinctly larger than the others and enjoyed its very own debris field of paparazzi. “Master Wayne would like to have you at his table, if you please. I’ll escort Jon to where the other youths are.”

Jon appreciated how Alfred tactfully called them youths than “kids” or “children”. While he was still technically a child, being called that was extremely patronizing. Damian hated being patronized, and Jon could easily sympathize with the sentiment. It totally wasn’t because he was picking up Damian’s quirks. Probably.

“Finally, boyscout junior’s here!” Beast Boy cried out. Alfred dropped Jon off at a table where all the Teen Titans, plus Maya, were seated.

“I was beginning to fear you weren’t going to come,” Starfire said as she kissed Jon amiably on the cheek, much to his chagrin.

Jon greeted his friends in turn. All of them were dressed in their finest evening dresses, even Beast Boy, whose overall bearing was anything but formal. He explained that the Titans had these clothes in reserve for any celebratory after-villain-beatdown-and-town-saving parties of the formal sort and were supplied by Damian himself.

“So, uh,” Jon began as he looked around, “Where is Damian?”

“He’s off making nice to some of his dad’s business associates. He likes introducing himself as ‘Mr. Wayne’s heir’,” Kid Flash explained with barely suppressed laughter.

“Wow,” Jon winced. “Damian’s…on a really different level, huh? All I wanted was to give him my present…” he gestured sadly to the wrapped gift bag he was clutching with his right hand.

“Let me guess, little brother invited you here, and you thought it’s just gonna be us instead of this big gala?” Maya mused, and Jon nodded solemnly. “Well he’s not getting away with him leaving us out here to dry while he plays billionaire junior. Gimme a sec…” Maya smirked before disappearing into the crowd.

“She’s good,” Aqualad said after Maya had left. “Raven and I were trying to talk her into joining the Titans before you came along.”

“That’s awesome!” Jon beamed. “She’s really good in a fight and she can turn invisible and…” Jon frowned at the thought. “Hang on, how are people not noticing you guys being here? Especially you, Gar! You’re green!”

“I know! Don’t I look beautiful?” Beast Boy claimed with gusto, which made the rest of the Titans laugh.

“Don’t worry, Jon,” Raven assured him. “Although we’re here because Damian invited us, the guests and the paparazzi assume we’re here as honorary guests because we’ve saved Wayne Enterprise properties from destruction a few times before.”

“Oh,” Jon replied absently.

“Besides,” Kid Flash chimed in, “Heroes or not, we’re still just teenagers. These old farts won’t really care about us…unless we know anything about ‘taxable dividend payments under the new tax reform measure’.” Jon and the Titans burst out laughing because Kid Flash had used a faux upper-class tone with exaggerated vowels.

“Do you?” Starfire asked.

“No. But I’m good at eavesdropping while getting food from the buffet table,” Kid Flash admitted, prompting the Titans to laugh again.

“You’re welcome to stay with us here while waiting for Damian,” Raven said. Then she closed her eyes in a melodramatic way as if sensing something in the air, and said, “Speak of the devil…”

Maya had returned with her arm around Damian. The latter looked like he’d been unceremoniously dragged in from the other end of the enormous hall. Despite looking frazzled, he looked extremely…classy. Damian was sharply dressed, with a bespoke smoky gray tailcoat, formal trousers and shiny black leather shoes. His hair was stylishly parted at the side with just the right length of bangs framing his forehead to look unnaturally handsome. He flashed the group a smile that they were sure was carefully practiced in front of a mirror—or Alfred.

“Good evening, Titans,” Damian greeted. “I hope the party is to your liking.”

Like clockwork, the three boys –Beast Boy, Aqualad, and Kid Flash—straightened up and adopted hilariously posh accents without skipping a beat.

“Why thank you, your grace. The evening has been splendid,” began Aqualad.

“Verily so, good sir. The tea has been marvelous, and the company grand.” added Kid Flash.

“Cheerio, jolly good fellow! Hath thou beheld the Queen's undergarments?” asked Beast Boy with utmost seriousness.

The table positively erupted in laughter. Surprisingly, the loudest was Raven, and Starfire and Aqualad spent the better part of two minutes calming her down. This earned them reproachful looks from the other adults in the vicinity, who seemed to question why the Wayne heir would keep such loud company.

The corners of Damian’s lips curled as if he just barely contained a smile. “Right. Well, you’re clearly having the time of your life. Merry Christmas. Now, I still have a few people to…”

“Wait, Damian!” Jon pleaded. “C’mon, can’t you stay here? You invited us after all…”

Without even waiting for Jon to take his next breath, Damian put an arm around Jon’s shoulder and pulled him close. The sudden contact caught Jon unaware as he lost his balance and ended up leaning on Damian, with his cheek pressed up against Damian’s face. He felt his blood rush to his head at the speed of light. Damian’s skin was so soft and smooth, and he smelled of spring flowers and freshly mowed grass—a very fragrant and expensive cologne, he wagered.

“I know, Jon,” Damian began, seemingly oblivious to the steadily overheating boy he’d just squeezed against his cheek, “I want you guys to have a good time. But I really need to get on with these introductions, otherwise, my father’s other guests will think I’m snubbing them, which would imply he’s a bad father for not raising me to be respectful and etcetera and all that… I’ll rejoin you as soon as I’m done.”

Just then, Dick Grayson approached them and waved. “Hey, guys! Glad you could make it! Kori, you look stunning!”

“You say that to all your girls, Dick,” Starfire said with a plaintive smile and a piercingly honest glare.

Dick paused. Starfire had stated it as a fact, and not as a rhetorical thing that would be open for good-natured denial. Dick settled for awkward laughter.

“Right, haha…say, can I borrow Damian for a sec? I promised the director of Gotham Prep a handshake from the little Mr. Wayne here…”

Damian’s eye twitched at the height joke and let go of Jon. The younger boy failed to steady himself after the surprise one-armed hug, prompting Maya to catch him before he stumbled.

“Well, duty calls.” Damian bowed dramatically. “Oh, one more thing—don’t take any drink that Todd offers you. It’ll be spiked with enough alcohol to render you flammable.” With that, he left with Grayson. Beast Boy meanwhile, smartly shunted his half-full wine glass as far away from him as possible.

Once Damian was swallowed by the crowd, Maya waved a hand in front of Jon’s face. It took a few seconds for Jon to understand that he was supposed to nod.

“Now, that, was cruel,” Kid Flash said as he shook his head.

“Poor boy,” Aqualad agreed as he patted Jon on the shoulder. “Why don’t you go and get yourself some food, huh? The buffet table is over there.”

“R-right,” Jon said, still in a daze. “I’ll go do that, then.”

After Jon had left, the Teen Titans gave each other knowing looks.

“Man, even for Damian, that was a low blow,” Aqualad said gravely.

“Damian did that on purpose, no doubt about it,” Beast Boy whistled. “Does he know what he does to the poor kid?”

An awkward silence lingered among them, with Maya struggling to ask a hundred questions with her baffled expression.

Finally, Starfire spoke up.

“I am raising mine to thirty-five dollars.”

“That’s fair,” Kid flash said. “I’ll put it on the record then. Anyone else want to raise?”

“Whoa, wait, what’s this all about?” Maya asked with a raised brow.

“We all have this ongoing bet on when Jon’s gonna confess to Damian about this huge crush he has for him,” Raven offered with a small smile. “The boys are betting it’ll be six months, but Kori and I are betting it’ll be before the year ends.”

“Don’t worry, Maya, it’s just for fun!” Beast Boy scratched his head apologetically. “All of us guys have thirty bucks each on the pot.”

Maya flashed him a shrewd look. “It won’t be very fun for you, Beast Boy.”

“Why’s that?” Beast Boy’s face fell.

Maya fished out a twenty from her purse and handed it over to a very stunned Kid Flash.

“I’m just saying you better be ready to get cleaned out because I’ve known these boys for longer, and my money is on them getting together before the year ends.” The girls cheered.

“Well, boys, I think we’re in for a tough bet,” Aqualad sighed.

  Superman’s super-hearing had the uncanny ability to hear people’s heartbeats. Jon’s dad was so adept at using the skill, though, that he’d actually taken to memorizing the heartbeats of the people closest to him, such as Lois, Jon, and Batman, so that should they be in danger, he could instantly locate them. Jon himself hadn’t really gotten the hang of that memorized heartbeat thing, but he had been trying.

There was one heartbeat he had tried to memorize—it sounded calm and stoic, but solid and strong, the kind of rhythm you’d expect from a trained hunter that was ready to strike at any moment. Every thump, thump, thump reverberated in Jon’s ear, and he’d been familiarizing himself with its more subtle properties, like its timbre and frequency. It was only the heartbeat of the tiniest Wayne child, after all—the one that had been ever-present in Jon’s thoughts for what seemed like forever. And so, after a protracted amount of time straining his ears and scrunching up his face like he was having indigestion—and then finally asking Alfred—Jon found Damian alone on a garden balcony staring out at the cityscape below.

Without looking behind, Damian patted a spot on the marble terrace beside him, and Jon took it as an invitation. Damian propped his head up with his hands, and his elbows were leaning on the polished stone surface of the railing. The view from 28th storey of Wayne Tower boasted a spectacular kaleidoscope of Gotham lit by all manner of lights, and topped by a dark blue sky with innumerable glinting stars.

Jon was awestruck by the sight.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Damian asked.

“What?” Jon asked back in confusion.

“The city. The lights. That’s what my father always says.” Damian breathed a heavy sigh. His breath fogged up in the winter evening air. “It’s beautiful, but the lights hide the dark corners. There’s always something foul beneath the beauty, and it’s our job to clean it all up.”

“You sound awfully moody today,” Jon remarked. He gazed longingly at Damian’s languid face, but the latter didn’t return the eye contact.

“Just thinking,” Damian decided after a while. “The past few days, the Bat Family has been ramping up patrols. Just today, the police airwaves had zero crime alerts. Sure, it’s also Christmas, but imagine that—one day of no crime.”

“We need more days like that,” Jon said earnestly. “And we’ll definitely make it happen.”

 Damian turned to look at him. He was either smiling, or giving Jon a half-smirk. “Great minds do think alike.”

“And your mind is so great, is it?” Jon teased and punched Damian lightly on the shoulder.

“If I said it wasn’t, then you’d know I’m the evil clone and you’ll have my permission to laser my face off,” Damian offered as he playfully kicked Jon’s foot.

“That’s too bad— I like your face.” Jon said off-handedly. His face flushed three seconds after when he’d realized what his words sounded like, “Uh, I mean…uh, that sounded better in my head…”

Damian’s smile turned to honest laughter in a matter of seconds. Jon only realized it just then, but he’d never really heard Damian laugh in a good way. Before, it’d always been mocking, or teasing, or rueful…but now Damian sounded genuinely happy.

“You’re bad at this,” Damian chuckled.

“Bad at what?” Jon asked nervously, worried that he was doing something seriously wrong.

Damian said nothing, as he kept his smile. He seemed to be sizing Jon up. The quartet below seemed to be performing their best piece, judging by how quiet the audience went as they either sipped their wine to enjoy the music or else step onto the dance floor with their significant others. The violin quartet themselves played with renewed vigor, as if they were determined to redeem themselves after a lackluster night.

“’La vie en rose’,” Damian mused as he tilted his head toward the music below. “First sung by Edith Piaf in the original French. It’s a seminal nuptial ballad.”

“I…have absolutely no idea what half the things you said meant,” Jon chuckled in defeat.

“That, and with many other things,” Damian smirked. “That’s why I’m going to start teaching you.”

“Teaching me what?”

“Everything,” Damian answered confidently. “Starting with your basic ballroom waltz.” He suddenly grasped Jon’s hand in his own, and raised it. He put his other hand on Jon’s back. “Put your other hand on my shoulder,” he instructed.

“Damian, w—why are you doing this?” Jon asked frantically as he clumsily did as he was told. His cheeks were turning a rich shade of red.

Damian guided Jon’s feet so that they were spaced apart and looked him in the eye, the smile never leaving his face. “How many years have we been partners, now? The day will come when we’ll have to go to a party like this together. And we’ll have to dance, just like this. Now’s the best time to teach you.”

“But…with me? I’m a b—“

“You’re my partner—and the only one I’d do this with,” Damian replied firmly but gently.

“But I can’t dance!” Jon gasped as Damian led him through the footwork. His steps were awkward and he managed to step on Damian’s toes every other time.

“It’s easy if you calm down and follow my lead…”

“Damian, please…I don’t want to embarrass you in front of anyone…” Jon pleaded.

“Shhh…” Damian cooed as he placed a finger on Jon’s lips. He leaned in close so that he could whisper in Jon’s ear. “No one else is here. Just you and me. Focus on me. Right now, we’re the only ones in the world that matter. Now…one, two, three…one, two, three…”

It suddenly made so much sense to Jon. The soothing music and the flow of the dance, Damian’s silky voice and warm breath on his neck. With one, two, three, awkward steps, and again, and again, Jon’s world found a pattern that he could understand. His eyes never left Damian’s, and he found himself enjoying every rotation, the rhythmic cadence of the violins syncing with his steps and with his heartbeat. Even when he closed his eyes to bask in Damian’s closeness, and as his lips were met with a moist warm sensation—the heat of a trusted friend making a lifelong promise—the dance went on, and on, and on.

The stars bore witness to a young hero, who simply wore a rented suit and red sneakers, learning how to dance with his feet, his lips, and his heart. And down below among the throng of black coats, three teenage boys lost the rest of their week’s food allowance.

[induro-a]

𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐍

[cynthiajayusa]

OUTshine Film Fest is Back with its 20th Miami Edition

Film lovers, rejoice! In most places in the U.S., you’d be lucky to have even one local LGBT film festival. But here in South Florida, we’ve got two.

A few years ago, the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival merged with the Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and last year the two fests were rechristened as OUTshine. But while the organizations merged, the events themselves did not. OUTshine Film Festival produces two major cinematic events every year: a Miami festival each spring, and one in Fort Lauderdale in the fall.

Perhaps at OUTshine’s Fort Lauderdale edition last October you caught the biopics Tom of Finland or Battle of the Sexes (with Emma Stone as Billie Jean King, and Steve Carell); or the critically acclaimed French paean to the ACT UP years, 120 Beats Per Minute; or one (or both) of the sexy coming-out-and-coming-of-age features Beach Rats and God’s Own Country. Then, no doubt, you focused your attention on the Oscar race from November until the Gay Super Bowl (the Academy Awards broadcast) last month.

Well, now it’s April, and Hollywood is taking its l-o-n-g, annual break from awards-caliber films, so your local cineplex is featuring The Rock battling giant mutant alligators with the help of giant mutant apes (or is it the other way around?), that bomb of a Tomb Raider re-boot (Don’t worry, we still love you, Alicia Vikander!), and Pacific Rim-jobs.

Well, OUTshine’s got your back, cinéastes! Its 20th Miami edition is here this week and next to entertain you, touch you, challenge you, give you a refresher course in LGBT history, and provide the perfect date-night activity for that new crush you want to impress.

The Miami festival boasts dozens of films: features, foreign flix, comedies, tearjerkers, documentaries, and several full slates of shorts — plus panels, an awards brunch, and, of course, parties, parties, parties!

You can bone up on all the important festival details below. Then check out our Hotspots Hot Picks to help you select a film — or two or three. For the full lineup of films, panels and parties, go to outshinefilm.com.

OUTShine Film Festival Miami

Festival dates April 20–29

Regular screening tix Advance ($11 members/$13 guests) and day-of tix ($12 members/$14 guests) are available at outshinefilm.com or 877-766-8156. (Prices shown do not include ticketing fee.)

Special-event tix Tickets for Opening Night, the Centerpiece Film, Closing Night, Ladies Night, Men’s Spotlight and the Award Brunch are also available at outshinefilm.com or 877-766-8156. Prices range from $30 to $70 (plus ticketing fee).

Rush tix 10 minutes before any sold-out show, a very limited number of unclaimed and unused tix may be made available ($15 regular screening/$25 special events; cash only). First come, first served!

Venues All screenings are held at the Regal South Beach (1120 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach) except for the Opening Night Film, which is at the Scottish Rite Temple (471 NW 3rd St, Miami). Panels and parties are held at various locations; for details: outshinefilm.com/events.

OUTshine Miami: Hotspots’ Hot Picks

THE GALA SCREENINGS

My Big Gay Italian Wedding (Puoi Baciare lo Sposo, Italy)

Opening Film Fri Apr 20, 8pm

Antonio and Paolo live happily together in Berlin and are finally getting married. They decide to celebrate in the small village in Italy where Antonio grew up. While his mother immediately supports his intentions, her husband Roberto, the town’s mayor, is not pleased. Paulo, whose conservative mother hasn’t spoken to him since he came out to her, must get her to the wedding as a condition of the marriage. Throw in a couple of wacky roommates and the aisle to the altar is paved with hilarity, hijinks and lots of love!

The Marriage (Martesa, Kosovo)

Centerpiece Film Wed Apr 25, 7pm

In a rare gay-themed film from Kosovo, Anita and Bekim are adding the final touches to their big wedding day which is only two weeks away. Despite expecting news about Anita’s parents, declared missing since the 1999 Kosovar War, and having to deal with Bekim’s controlling family, the couple seems to manage all the preparations. But when Nol, Bekim’s secret gay lover, returns unexpectedly from abroad, the situation becomes complicated, especially since Bekim realizes that a spark still exists.

1985

Closing Film Sat Apr 28, 7:30pm

Shot in luscious black and white, 1985 follows Adrian (Cory Michael Smith, Gotham), a closeted young man returning to his Texas hometown for Christmas during the first wave of the AIDS crisis. Burdened with an unspeakable tragedy in New York, Adrian reconnects with his younger brother and estranged childhood friend as he struggles to divulge his dire circumstances to his religious parents (Virginia Madsen and Michael Chiklis).

TRANS TALES

Transformer

Sun Apr 22, 3pm

From self-proclaimed white-trash kid to decorated U.S. Marine to bodybuilder to world record powerlifter, Matt Kroczaleski now faces his most daunting challenge: becoming a woman. In the summer of 2015, Matt was publicly outed as being transgender. She was abandoned by sponsors and her parents and banned from competition. Now as Janae, she must find her place in society, unable to lose the muscle she once so desperately gained and living between an alpha male and a gentle woman. Will Janae’s transformation bring her the peace she’s looking for?

Beyond the Opposite Sex

Sat Apr 28, 12:45pm Free Community Screening

In this follow-up to Showtime’s 2004 documentaries The Opposite Sex: Jaime’s Story and The Opposite Sex: Rene’s Story, we learn how the lives of Jaime (male-to-female) and Rene (female-to-male) have changed over the past thirteen years.

PLUS Matt Bomer stars as transsexual neighbor Freda in the unlikely L.A. love story Anything. (Sat Apr 21, 5:15pm)

COMING OF AGE AND COMING OUT

My Best Friend (Mi Mejor Amigo, Argentina)

Sat Apr 21, 7pm

Lorenzo lives in rural Patagonia. He’s a quiet teenager, a good student, curious, and more skilled in music and literature than sports. When Lorenzo’s father decides the family will temporarily take in his best friend’s son, Caito, Lorenzo is intrigued by this tough guy from Buenos Aires. As the boys’ friendship evolves toward something deeper, Caito reveals a secret that changes everything.

A Moment in the Reeds (Finland/UK)

Mon Apr 23, 6:45pm

Having moved to Paris for university, Leevi returns to his native Finland for the summer to help his estranged father renovate the family lake house. Tareq, a recent asylum seeker from Syria, has been hired to help. When Leevi’s father must return to town, the two young men establish a connection… and spend a few days discovering one another.

Mario (Swiss)

Sat Apr 21, 9:15pm North American Premiere

Star soccer player Mario has fallen in love for the first time. The object of his affection is Leon, the team’s new striker. When their teammates discover the budding relationship, rumors begin to spread beyond the locker room. Mario fears the professional soccer career he’s dreamed of is in jeopardy. Will he risk it all for the only man he has truly loved?

Postcards from London

Fri Apr 27, 6:45pm

Buff and beautiful teenager Jim (Harris Dickinson, Beach Rats) moves from the London suburbs to Soho where he falls in with a gang of unusual high-class male escorts — The Raconteurs — who specialize in intelligent post-coital conversation. From shy novice to sought-after escort and eventually artist’s muse, Jim would be the toast of the town if it wasn’t for his annoying affliction — Stendhal Syndrome — a rare condition that causes him to hallucinate and faint.

F-F-F-F-FASHION

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco

Thu Apr 26, 6:45pm

Mentored by Karl Lagerfeld, friends with Grace Jones, roommate to model Jerry Hall, fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez was the toast of the NYC and Paris fashion scenes in the 1970s. His colorful work, inspired by street life, people of color, and a particular take on transgressive sexuality, took the then-sedate world of fashion illustration by storm. This revealing documentary by Douglas Crump is a heady cocktail of fashion, glamour, and disco that’s impossible to resist.

McQueen

Sat Apr 28, 3pm

Alexander McQueen’s rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale. An unremarkable working-class boy, he harnessed his demons to become a global fashion brand and one of the most iconic artists of the century. How did this punk rebel conquer the silver-spoon world of Paris haute couture, and why, at the height of acclaim, did he shockingly put an end to it all?  McQueen is an intimate revelation of a radical and mesmerizing genius.

QUEER HISTORY

Cherry Grove Stories

Wed Apr 25, 9pm North American Premiere

In an era when it was illegal for two men to hold hands in public, the pristine beachfront hamlet of Cherry Grove on Fire Island, NY was a safe haven for gays who were often targeted for arrest and prosecution. Michael Fisher’s oral history of the enclave uncovers long-hidden secrets and exposes little known stories that are more relevant than ever today.

To a More Perfect Union: U.S. v. Windsor

Sun Apr 22, 2:30pm

A story of love, marriage and the fight for equality, this inspiring doc chronicles two unlikely heroes — octogenarian widow Edie Windsor and her attorney, Roberta Kaplan — on a quest for justice that would lead all the way to the Supreme Court.

PLUS: Queerama weaves together fantastic archival images and a soundtrack by John Grant and Hercules & Love Affair to lyrically portray a century of persecution, liberation and pride. (Sat Apr 21, 9:45pm)

DRAG

Alaska Is a Drag

Sun Apr 22, 7pm

Tough, but diva fabulous, Leo is an aspiring drag superstar stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska. He and his twin sister are trapped in the monotony of fist fights and fish guts and spend their days figuring out how to escape to a better place. Out of necessity, Leo learns to fight back, which catches the attention of the local boxing coach. When a new boy moves to town and wants to be his sparring partner, Leo must face the real reason he’s stuck in Alaska.

SHOW BIZ

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Sun Apr 22, 4:45pm

This cinema-vérité feature, an alternate pre-Stonewall history of Hollywood from director Matt Tyrnauer (Valentino: The Last Emperor), reveals the deliciously scandalous story of Scotty Bowers, a handsome WWII marine who landed in Hollywood after the war and became confidante, aide de camp and lover to many of Hollywood’s greatest stars. An unsung Hollywood legend, Bowers would cater to the sexual appetites of celebrities, straight and gay, for decades.

Still Waiting in the Wings

Sat Apr 28, 5pm

Follow the trials and triumphs of actors waiting tables in Times Square as their dreams of Broadway stardom meet the harsh reality of slinging hash under fluorescent lights. With cameos from: Nick Adams, Ed Asner, Carole Cook, Lee Meriwether, Patricia Richardson, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Sally Struthers, Bruce Vilanch, and Cindy Williams.

PLUS: Every Act of Life tells the story of Terrence McNally, one of the world’s most renowned and risk-taking playwrights. (Sun Apr 29, 5:15pm)

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FLIX

Nobleman (in Hindi)

Wed Apr 25, 9:15pm World Premiere

Struggling with adolescence and sexuality, 15-year-old Shay is terrorized by a gang of bullies in his posh boarding school. Shay and best friend Pia are the studious theater kids. Arjun and Baadal are the jocks and bullies. Events take a sinister turn when Shay walks in on Arjun, Baadal, and their cronies on a debauched night, unleashing a chain of events that leads to tragic consequences. Based on The Merchant of Venice!

Last Days in Havana (Cuba)

Fri Apr 27, 9:15pm

Two mid-forties friends are neighbors: Miguel, a dishwasher who dreams of settling in New York waits for a visa that never seems to arrive, and Diego, a gay man with AIDS who is determined to enjoy every single day of his life from his bed. This odd couple is surrounded by an oddball set of characters from all walks of life.

SAPPHIC STORIES

Daddy Issues

Tue Apr 24, 7pm

Maya, a talented, queer artist, is desperate to attend art school in Italy but lacks the funds to do so. Instead, she spends her days escaping into her drawings and social media, where she pines for the enigmatic Jasmine, an aspiring designer in an emotionally charged, co-dependent relationship with her neurotic sugar daddy. All three become implicitly connected, though none of them realize it, and their respective relationships blossom. Daddy Issues is for the misfits, the dreamers, the lovers, and the loners in all of us.

Disobedience

Fri Apr 27, 7pm

Sebastián Lelio’s (A Fantastic Woman) mesmerizing film follows Ronit (Rachel Weisz), a New York photographer who returns home to mourn her father’s death in the community that shunned her decades earlier for an attraction to a female childhood friend (Rachel McAdams). Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.

Kiss Me (Embrasse Moi, France)

Sat Apr 21, 7:30pm

Océanerosemarie’s life is full of energy and friends, but mainly of ex-girlfriends: 76, to be exact — but who’s counting! Things change when she meets Cécile. Can Océanerosemarie grow up enough to win the heart of this very special woman?

FAMILY DANCING

Anchor & Hope (Spain)

Sat Apr 28, 5:15pm

Eva and Kat enjoy a carefree existence on their houseboat on a London canal. After the death of their beloved pet, Eva’s dream of becoming a mother is reignited. Kat just wants to get a new cat, but when her best friend Roger visits from Barcelona, they decide in a moment of drunkenness that he can be Eva’s sperm donor. Anchor and Hope is a fresh and funny rom-com with a twist.

Funny Story

Sun Apr 22, 7:15pm

After years of being a neglectful father, a womanizing TV star unknowingly crashes his estranged daughter’s same-sex destination wedding. This delightfully dark comedy takes us on a California coastal road trip full of dreams, love, disillusionment, and tequila-fueled karaoke.

In Between Seasons (South Korea)

Mon Apr 23, 9pm North American Premiere

Though a mother has a close bond with the high-school-age son she is raising alone, she doesn’t realize he is gay, and only finds out after he is critically injured in a car accident. When Mom takes out her confusion and anger on her son’s close friend, the young man deals with the situation more calmly and with greater wisdom than she does. Brought to vivid emotional life by an excellent cast, the film confronts Korean homophobia and depicts a mother-son relationship with searing clarity.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/04/19/outshine-film-fest-is-back-with-its-20th-miami-edition/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2018/04/outshine-film-fest-is-back-with-its.html

[demitgibbs]

OUTshine Film Fest is Back with its 20th Miami Edition

Film lovers, rejoice! In most places in the U.S., you’d be lucky to have even one local LGBT film festival. But here in South Florida, we’ve got two.

A few years ago, the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival merged with the Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and last year the two fests were rechristened as OUTshine. But while the organizations merged, the events themselves did not. OUTshine Film Festival produces two major cinematic events every year: a Miami festival each spring, and one in Fort Lauderdale in the fall.

Perhaps at OUTshine’s Fort Lauderdale edition last October you caught the biopics Tom of Finland or Battle of the Sexes (with Emma Stone as Billie Jean King, and Steve Carell); or the critically acclaimed French paean to the ACT UP years, 120 Beats Per Minute; or one (or both) of the sexy coming-out-and-coming-of-age features Beach Rats and God’s Own Country. Then, no doubt, you focused your attention on the Oscar race from November until the Gay Super Bowl (the Academy Awards broadcast) last month.

Well, now it’s April, and Hollywood is taking its l-o-n-g, annual break from awards-caliber films, so your local cineplex is featuring The Rock battling giant mutant alligators with the help of giant mutant apes (or is it the other way around?), that bomb of a Tomb Raider re-boot (Don’t worry, we still love you, Alicia Vikander!), and Pacific Rim-jobs.

Well, OUTshine’s got your back, cinéastes! Its 20th Miami edition is here this week and next to entertain you, touch you, challenge you, give you a refresher course in LGBT history, and provide the perfect date-night activity for that new crush you want to impress.

The Miami festival boasts dozens of films: features, foreign flix, comedies, tearjerkers, documentaries, and several full slates of shorts — plus panels, an awards brunch, and, of course, parties, parties, parties!

You can bone up on all the important festival details below. Then check out our Hotspots Hot Picks to help you select a film — or two or three. For the full lineup of films, panels and parties, go to outshinefilm.com.

OUTShine Film Festival Miami

Festival dates April 20–29

Regular screening tix Advance ($11 members/$13 guests) and day-of tix ($12 members/$14 guests) are available at outshinefilm.com or 877-766-8156. (Prices shown do not include ticketing fee.)

Special-event tix Tickets for Opening Night, the Centerpiece Film, Closing Night, Ladies Night, Men’s Spotlight and the Award Brunch are also available at outshinefilm.com or 877-766-8156. Prices range from $30 to $70 (plus ticketing fee).

Rush tix 10 minutes before any sold-out show, a very limited number of unclaimed and unused tix may be made available ($15 regular screening/$25 special events; cash only). First come, first served!

Venues All screenings are held at the Regal South Beach (1120 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach) except for the Opening Night Film, which is at the Scottish Rite Temple (471 NW 3rd St, Miami). Panels and parties are held at various locations; for details: outshinefilm.com/events.

OUTshine Miami: Hotspots’ Hot Picks

THE GALA SCREENINGS

My Big Gay Italian Wedding (Puoi Baciare lo Sposo, Italy)

Opening Film Fri Apr 20, 8pm

Antonio and Paolo live happily together in Berlin and are finally getting married. They decide to celebrate in the small village in Italy where Antonio grew up. While his mother immediately supports his intentions, her husband Roberto, the town’s mayor, is not pleased. Paulo, whose conservative mother hasn’t spoken to him since he came out to her, must get her to the wedding as a condition of the marriage. Throw in a couple of wacky roommates and the aisle to the altar is paved with hilarity, hijinks and lots of love!

The Marriage (Martesa, Kosovo)

Centerpiece Film Wed Apr 25, 7pm

In a rare gay-themed film from Kosovo, Anita and Bekim are adding the final touches to their big wedding day which is only two weeks away. Despite expecting news about Anita’s parents, declared missing since the 1999 Kosovar War, and having to deal with Bekim’s controlling family, the couple seems to manage all the preparations. But when Nol, Bekim’s secret gay lover, returns unexpectedly from abroad, the situation becomes complicated, especially since Bekim realizes that a spark still exists.

1985

Closing Film Sat Apr 28, 7:30pm

Shot in luscious black and white, 1985 follows Adrian (Cory Michael Smith, Gotham), a closeted young man returning to his Texas hometown for Christmas during the first wave of the AIDS crisis. Burdened with an unspeakable tragedy in New York, Adrian reconnects with his younger brother and estranged childhood friend as he struggles to divulge his dire circumstances to his religious parents (Virginia Madsen and Michael Chiklis).

TRANS TALES

Transformer

Sun Apr 22, 3pm

From self-proclaimed white-trash kid to decorated U.S. Marine to bodybuilder to world record powerlifter, Matt Kroczaleski now faces his most daunting challenge: becoming a woman. In the summer of 2015, Matt was publicly outed as being transgender. She was abandoned by sponsors and her parents and banned from competition. Now as Janae, she must find her place in society, unable to lose the muscle she once so desperately gained and living between an alpha male and a gentle woman. Will Janae’s transformation bring her the peace she’s looking for?

Beyond the Opposite Sex

Sat Apr 28, 12:45pm Free Community Screening

In this follow-up to Showtime’s 2004 documentaries The Opposite Sex: Jaime’s Story and The Opposite Sex: Rene’s Story, we learn how the lives of Jaime (male-to-female) and Rene (female-to-male) have changed over the past thirteen years.

PLUS Matt Bomer stars as transsexual neighbor Freda in the unlikely L.A. love story Anything. (Sat Apr 21, 5:15pm)

COMING OF AGE AND COMING OUT

My Best Friend (Mi Mejor Amigo, Argentina)

Sat Apr 21, 7pm

Lorenzo lives in rural Patagonia. He’s a quiet teenager, a good student, curious, and more skilled in music and literature than sports. When Lorenzo’s father decides the family will temporarily take in his best friend’s son, Caito, Lorenzo is intrigued by this tough guy from Buenos Aires. As the boys’ friendship evolves toward something deeper, Caito reveals a secret that changes everything.

A Moment in the Reeds (Finland/UK)

Mon Apr 23, 6:45pm

Having moved to Paris for university, Leevi returns to his native Finland for the summer to help his estranged father renovate the family lake house. Tareq, a recent asylum seeker from Syria, has been hired to help. When Leevi’s father must return to town, the two young men establish a connection… and spend a few days discovering one another.

Mario (Swiss)

Sat Apr 21, 9:15pm North American Premiere

Star soccer player Mario has fallen in love for the first time. The object of his affection is Leon, the team’s new striker. When their teammates discover the budding relationship, rumors begin to spread beyond the locker room. Mario fears the professional soccer career he’s dreamed of is in jeopardy. Will he risk it all for the only man he has truly loved?

Postcards from London

Fri Apr 27, 6:45pm

Buff and beautiful teenager Jim (Harris Dickinson, Beach Rats) moves from the London suburbs to Soho where he falls in with a gang of unusual high-class male escorts — The Raconteurs — who specialize in intelligent post-coital conversation. From shy novice to sought-after escort and eventually artist’s muse, Jim would be the toast of the town if it wasn’t for his annoying affliction — Stendhal Syndrome — a rare condition that causes him to hallucinate and faint.

F-F-F-F-FASHION

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco

Thu Apr 26, 6:45pm

Mentored by Karl Lagerfeld, friends with Grace Jones, roommate to model Jerry Hall, fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez was the toast of the NYC and Paris fashion scenes in the 1970s. His colorful work, inspired by street life, people of color, and a particular take on transgressive sexuality, took the then-sedate world of fashion illustration by storm. This revealing documentary by Douglas Crump is a heady cocktail of fashion, glamour, and disco that’s impossible to resist.

McQueen

Sat Apr 28, 3pm

Alexander McQueen’s rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale. An unremarkable working-class boy, he harnessed his demons to become a global fashion brand and one of the most iconic artists of the century. How did this punk rebel conquer the silver-spoon world of Paris haute couture, and why, at the height of acclaim, did he shockingly put an end to it all?  McQueen is an intimate revelation of a radical and mesmerizing genius.

QUEER HISTORY

Cherry Grove Stories

Wed Apr 25, 9pm North American Premiere

In an era when it was illegal for two men to hold hands in public, the pristine beachfront hamlet of Cherry Grove on Fire Island, NY was a safe haven for gays who were often targeted for arrest and prosecution. Michael Fisher’s oral history of the enclave uncovers long-hidden secrets and exposes little known stories that are more relevant than ever today.

To a More Perfect Union: U.S. v. Windsor

Sun Apr 22, 2:30pm

A story of love, marriage and the fight for equality, this inspiring doc chronicles two unlikely heroes — octogenarian widow Edie Windsor and her attorney, Roberta Kaplan — on a quest for justice that would lead all the way to the Supreme Court.

PLUS: Queerama weaves together fantastic archival images and a soundtrack by John Grant and Hercules & Love Affair to lyrically portray a century of persecution, liberation and pride. (Sat Apr 21, 9:45pm)

DRAG

Alaska Is a Drag

Sun Apr 22, 7pm

Tough, but diva fabulous, Leo is an aspiring drag superstar stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska. He and his twin sister are trapped in the monotony of fist fights and fish guts and spend their days figuring out how to escape to a better place. Out of necessity, Leo learns to fight back, which catches the attention of the local boxing coach. When a new boy moves to town and wants to be his sparring partner, Leo must face the real reason he’s stuck in Alaska.

SHOW BIZ

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Sun Apr 22, 4:45pm

This cinema-vérité feature, an alternate pre-Stonewall history of Hollywood from director Matt Tyrnauer (Valentino: The Last Emperor), reveals the deliciously scandalous story of Scotty Bowers, a handsome WWII marine who landed in Hollywood after the war and became confidante, aide de camp and lover to many of Hollywood’s greatest stars. An unsung Hollywood legend, Bowers would cater to the sexual appetites of celebrities, straight and gay, for decades.

Still Waiting in the Wings

Sat Apr 28, 5pm

Follow the trials and triumphs of actors waiting tables in Times Square as their dreams of Broadway stardom meet the harsh reality of slinging hash under fluorescent lights. With cameos from: Nick Adams, Ed Asner, Carole Cook, Lee Meriwether, Patricia Richardson, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Sally Struthers, Bruce Vilanch, and Cindy Williams.

PLUS: Every Act of Life tells the story of Terrence McNally, one of the world’s most renowned and risk-taking playwrights. (Sun Apr 29, 5:15pm)

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FLIX

Nobleman (in Hindi)

Wed Apr 25, 9:15pm World Premiere

Struggling with adolescence and sexuality, 15-year-old Shay is terrorized by a gang of bullies in his posh boarding school. Shay and best friend Pia are the studious theater kids. Arjun and Baadal are the jocks and bullies. Events take a sinister turn when Shay walks in on Arjun, Baadal, and their cronies on a debauched night, unleashing a chain of events that leads to tragic consequences. Based on The Merchant of Venice!

Last Days in Havana (Cuba)

Fri Apr 27, 9:15pm

Two mid-forties friends are neighbors: Miguel, a dishwasher who dreams of settling in New York waits for a visa that never seems to arrive, and Diego, a gay man with AIDS who is determined to enjoy every single day of his life from his bed. This odd couple is surrounded by an oddball set of characters from all walks of life.

SAPPHIC STORIES

Daddy Issues

Tue Apr 24, 7pm

Maya, a talented, queer artist, is desperate to attend art school in Italy but lacks the funds to do so. Instead, she spends her days escaping into her drawings and social media, where she pines for the enigmatic Jasmine, an aspiring designer in an emotionally charged, co-dependent relationship with her neurotic sugar daddy. All three become implicitly connected, though none of them realize it, and their respective relationships blossom. Daddy Issues is for the misfits, the dreamers, the lovers, and the loners in all of us.

Disobedience

Fri Apr 27, 7pm

Sebastián Lelio’s (A Fantastic Woman) mesmerizing film follows Ronit (Rachel Weisz), a New York photographer who returns home to mourn her father’s death in the community that shunned her decades earlier for an attraction to a female childhood friend (Rachel McAdams). Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.

Kiss Me (Embrasse Moi, France)

Sat Apr 21, 7:30pm

Océanerosemarie’s life is full of energy and friends, but mainly of ex-girlfriends: 76, to be exact — but who’s counting! Things change when she meets Cécile. Can Océanerosemarie grow up enough to win the heart of this very special woman?

FAMILY DANCING

Anchor & Hope (Spain)

Sat Apr 28, 5:15pm

Eva and Kat enjoy a carefree existence on their houseboat on a London canal. After the death of their beloved pet, Eva’s dream of becoming a mother is reignited. Kat just wants to get a new cat, but when her best friend Roger visits from Barcelona, they decide in a moment of drunkenness that he can be Eva’s sperm donor. Anchor and Hope is a fresh and funny rom-com with a twist.

Funny Story

Sun Apr 22, 7:15pm

After years of being a neglectful father, a womanizing TV star unknowingly crashes his estranged daughter’s same-sex destination wedding. This delightfully dark comedy takes us on a California coastal road trip full of dreams, love, disillusionment, and tequila-fueled karaoke.

In Between Seasons (South Korea)

Mon Apr 23, 9pm North American Premiere

Though a mother has a close bond with the high-school-age son she is raising alone, she doesn’t realize he is gay, and only finds out after he is critically injured in a car accident. When Mom takes out her confusion and anger on her son’s close friend, the young man deals with the situation more calmly and with greater wisdom than she does. Brought to vivid emotional life by an excellent cast, the film confronts Korean homophobia and depicts a mother-son relationship with searing clarity.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/04/19/outshine-film-fest-is-back-with-its-20th-miami-edition/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/173095320255

[hotspotsmagazine]

OUTshine Film Fest is Back with its 20th Miami Edition

Film lovers, rejoice! In most places in the U.S., you’d be lucky to have even one local LGBT film festival. But here in South Florida, we’ve got two.

A few years ago, the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival merged with the Fort Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and last year the two fests were rechristened as OUTshine. But while the organizations merged, the events themselves did not. OUTshine Film Festival produces two major cinematic events every year: a Miami festival each spring, and one in Fort Lauderdale in the fall.

Perhaps at OUTshine’s Fort Lauderdale edition last October you caught the biopics Tom of Finland or Battle of the Sexes (with Emma Stone as Billie Jean King, and Steve Carell); or the critically acclaimed French paean to the ACT UP years, 120 Beats Per Minute; or one (or both) of the sexy coming-out-and-coming-of-age features Beach Rats and God’s Own Country. Then, no doubt, you focused your attention on the Oscar race from November until the Gay Super Bowl (the Academy Awards broadcast) last month.

Well, now it’s April, and Hollywood is taking its l-o-n-g, annual break from awards-caliber films, so your local cineplex is featuring The Rock battling giant mutant alligators with the help of giant mutant apes (or is it the other way around?), that bomb of a Tomb Raider re-boot (Don’t worry, we still love you, Alicia Vikander!), and Pacific Rim-jobs.

Well, OUTshine’s got your back, cinéastes! Its 20th Miami edition is here this week and next to entertain you, touch you, challenge you, give you a refresher course in LGBT history, and provide the perfect date-night activity for that new crush you want to impress.

The Miami festival boasts dozens of films: features, foreign flix, comedies, tearjerkers, documentaries, and several full slates of shorts — plus panels, an awards brunch, and, of course, parties, parties, parties!

You can bone up on all the important festival details below. Then check out our Hotspots Hot Picks to help you select a film — or two or three. For the full lineup of films, panels and parties, go to outshinefilm.com.

OUTShine Film Festival Miami

Festival dates April 20–29

Regular screening tix Advance ($11 members/$13 guests) and day-of tix ($12 members/$14 guests) are available at outshinefilm.com or 877-766-8156. (Prices shown do not include ticketing fee.)

Special-event tix Tickets for Opening Night, the Centerpiece Film, Closing Night, Ladies Night, Men’s Spotlight and the Award Brunch are also available at outshinefilm.com or 877-766-8156. Prices range from $30 to $70 (plus ticketing fee).

Rush tix 10 minutes before any sold-out show, a very limited number of unclaimed and unused tix may be made available ($15 regular screening/$25 special events; cash only). First come, first served!

Venues All screenings are held at the Regal South Beach (1120 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach) except for the Opening Night Film, which is at the Scottish Rite Temple (471 NW 3rd St, Miami). Panels and parties are held at various locations; for details: outshinefilm.com/events.

OUTshine Miami: Hotspots’ Hot Picks

THE GALA SCREENINGS

My Big Gay Italian Wedding (Puoi Baciare lo Sposo, Italy)

Opening Film Fri Apr 20, 8pm

Antonio and Paolo live happily together in Berlin and are finally getting married. They decide to celebrate in the small village in Italy where Antonio grew up. While his mother immediately supports his intentions, her husband Roberto, the town’s mayor, is not pleased. Paulo, whose conservative mother hasn’t spoken to him since he came out to her, must get her to the wedding as a condition of the marriage. Throw in a couple of wacky roommates and the aisle to the altar is paved with hilarity, hijinks and lots of love!

The Marriage (Martesa, Kosovo)

Centerpiece Film Wed Apr 25, 7pm

In a rare gay-themed film from Kosovo, Anita and Bekim are adding the final touches to their big wedding day which is only two weeks away. Despite expecting news about Anita’s parents, declared missing since the 1999 Kosovar War, and having to deal with Bekim’s controlling family, the couple seems to manage all the preparations. But when Nol, Bekim’s secret gay lover, returns unexpectedly from abroad, the situation becomes complicated, especially since Bekim realizes that a spark still exists.

1985

Closing Film Sat Apr 28, 7:30pm

Shot in luscious black and white, 1985 follows Adrian (Cory Michael Smith, Gotham), a closeted young man returning to his Texas hometown for Christmas during the first wave of the AIDS crisis. Burdened with an unspeakable tragedy in New York, Adrian reconnects with his younger brother and estranged childhood friend as he struggles to divulge his dire circumstances to his religious parents (Virginia Madsen and Michael Chiklis).

TRANS TALES

Transformer

Sun Apr 22, 3pm

From self-proclaimed white-trash kid to decorated U.S. Marine to bodybuilder to world record powerlifter, Matt Kroczaleski now faces his most daunting challenge: becoming a woman. In the summer of 2015, Matt was publicly outed as being transgender. She was abandoned by sponsors and her parents and banned from competition. Now as Janae, she must find her place in society, unable to lose the muscle she once so desperately gained and living between an alpha male and a gentle woman. Will Janae’s transformation bring her the peace she’s looking for?

Beyond the Opposite Sex

Sat Apr 28, 12:45pm Free Community Screening

In this follow-up to Showtime’s 2004 documentaries The Opposite Sex: Jaime’s Story and The Opposite Sex: Rene’s Story, we learn how the lives of Jaime (male-to-female) and Rene (female-to-male) have changed over the past thirteen years.

PLUS Matt Bomer stars as transsexual neighbor Freda in the unlikely L.A. love story Anything. (Sat Apr 21, 5:15pm)

COMING OF AGE AND COMING OUT

My Best Friend (Mi Mejor Amigo, Argentina)

Sat Apr 21, 7pm

Lorenzo lives in rural Patagonia. He’s a quiet teenager, a good student, curious, and more skilled in music and literature than sports. When Lorenzo’s father decides the family will temporarily take in his best friend’s son, Caito, Lorenzo is intrigued by this tough guy from Buenos Aires. As the boys’ friendship evolves toward something deeper, Caito reveals a secret that changes everything.

A Moment in the Reeds (Finland/UK)

Mon Apr 23, 6:45pm

Having moved to Paris for university, Leevi returns to his native Finland for the summer to help his estranged father renovate the family lake house. Tareq, a recent asylum seeker from Syria, has been hired to help. When Leevi’s father must return to town, the two young men establish a connection… and spend a few days discovering one another.

Mario (Swiss)

Sat Apr 21, 9:15pm North American Premiere

Star soccer player Mario has fallen in love for the first time. The object of his affection is Leon, the team’s new striker. When their teammates discover the budding relationship, rumors begin to spread beyond the locker room. Mario fears the professional soccer career he’s dreamed of is in jeopardy. Will he risk it all for the only man he has truly loved?

Postcards from London

Fri Apr 27, 6:45pm

Buff and beautiful teenager Jim (Harris Dickinson, Beach Rats) moves from the London suburbs to Soho where he falls in with a gang of unusual high-class male escorts — The Raconteurs — who specialize in intelligent post-coital conversation. From shy novice to sought-after escort and eventually artist’s muse, Jim would be the toast of the town if it wasn’t for his annoying affliction — Stendhal Syndrome — a rare condition that causes him to hallucinate and faint.

F-F-F-F-FASHION

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco

Thu Apr 26, 6:45pm

Mentored by Karl Lagerfeld, friends with Grace Jones, roommate to model Jerry Hall, fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez was the toast of the NYC and Paris fashion scenes in the 1970s. His colorful work, inspired by street life, people of color, and a particular take on transgressive sexuality, took the then-sedate world of fashion illustration by storm. This revealing documentary by Douglas Crump is a heady cocktail of fashion, glamour, and disco that’s impossible to resist.

McQueen

Sat Apr 28, 3pm

Alexander McQueen’s rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale. An unremarkable working-class boy, he harnessed his demons to become a global fashion brand and one of the most iconic artists of the century. How did this punk rebel conquer the silver-spoon world of Paris haute couture, and why, at the height of acclaim, did he shockingly put an end to it all?  McQueen is an intimate revelation of a radical and mesmerizing genius.

QUEER HISTORY

Cherry Grove Stories

Wed Apr 25, 9pm North American Premiere

In an era when it was illegal for two men to hold hands in public, the pristine beachfront hamlet of Cherry Grove on Fire Island, NY was a safe haven for gays who were often targeted for arrest and prosecution. Michael Fisher’s oral history of the enclave uncovers long-hidden secrets and exposes little known stories that are more relevant than ever today.

To a More Perfect Union: U.S. v. Windsor

Sun Apr 22, 2:30pm

A story of love, marriage and the fight for equality, this inspiring doc chronicles two unlikely heroes — octogenarian widow Edie Windsor and her attorney, Roberta Kaplan — on a quest for justice that would lead all the way to the Supreme Court.

PLUS: Queerama weaves together fantastic archival images and a soundtrack by John Grant and Hercules & Love Affair to lyrically portray a century of persecution, liberation and pride. (Sat Apr 21, 9:45pm)

DRAG

Alaska Is a Drag

Sun Apr 22, 7pm

Tough, but diva fabulous, Leo is an aspiring drag superstar stuck working in a fish cannery in Alaska. He and his twin sister are trapped in the monotony of fist fights and fish guts and spend their days figuring out how to escape to a better place. Out of necessity, Leo learns to fight back, which catches the attention of the local boxing coach. When a new boy moves to town and wants to be his sparring partner, Leo must face the real reason he’s stuck in Alaska.

SHOW BIZ

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

Sun Apr 22, 4:45pm

This cinema-vérité feature, an alternate pre-Stonewall history of Hollywood from director Matt Tyrnauer (Valentino: The Last Emperor), reveals the deliciously scandalous story of Scotty Bowers, a handsome WWII marine who landed in Hollywood after the war and became confidante, aide de camp and lover to many of Hollywood’s greatest stars. An unsung Hollywood legend, Bowers would cater to the sexual appetites of celebrities, straight and gay, for decades.

Still Waiting in the Wings

Sat Apr 28, 5pm

Follow the trials and triumphs of actors waiting tables in Times Square as their dreams of Broadway stardom meet the harsh reality of slinging hash under fluorescent lights. With cameos from: Nick Adams, Ed Asner, Carole Cook, Lee Meriwether, Patricia Richardson, Chita Rivera, Seth Rudetsky, Sally Struthers, Bruce Vilanch, and Cindy Williams.

PLUS: Every Act of Life tells the story of Terrence McNally, one of the world’s most renowned and risk-taking playwrights. (Sun Apr 29, 5:15pm)

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FLIX

Nobleman (in Hindi)

Wed Apr 25, 9:15pm World Premiere

Struggling with adolescence and sexuality, 15-year-old Shay is terrorized by a gang of bullies in his posh boarding school. Shay and best friend Pia are the studious theater kids. Arjun and Baadal are the jocks and bullies. Events take a sinister turn when Shay walks in on Arjun, Baadal, and their cronies on a debauched night, unleashing a chain of events that leads to tragic consequences. Based on The Merchant of Venice!

Last Days in Havana (Cuba)

Fri Apr 27, 9:15pm

Two mid-forties friends are neighbors: Miguel, a dishwasher who dreams of settling in New York waits for a visa that never seems to arrive, and Diego, a gay man with AIDS who is determined to enjoy every single day of his life from his bed. This odd couple is surrounded by an oddball set of characters from all walks of life.

SAPPHIC STORIES

Daddy Issues

Tue Apr 24, 7pm

Maya, a talented, queer artist, is desperate to attend art school in Italy but lacks the funds to do so. Instead, she spends her days escaping into her drawings and social media, where she pines for the enigmatic Jasmine, an aspiring designer in an emotionally charged, co-dependent relationship with her neurotic sugar daddy. All three become implicitly connected, though none of them realize it, and their respective relationships blossom. Daddy Issues is for the misfits, the dreamers, the lovers, and the loners in all of us.

Disobedience

Fri Apr 27, 7pm

Sebastián Lelio’s (A Fantastic Woman) mesmerizing film follows Ronit (Rachel Weisz), a New York photographer who returns home to mourn her father’s death in the community that shunned her decades earlier for an attraction to a female childhood friend (Rachel McAdams). Once back, their passions reignite as they explore the boundaries of faith and sexuality.

Kiss Me (Embrasse Moi, France)

Sat Apr 21, 7:30pm

Océanerosemarie’s life is full of energy and friends, but mainly of ex-girlfriends: 76, to be exact — but who’s counting! Things change when she meets Cécile. Can Océanerosemarie grow up enough to win the heart of this very special woman?

FAMILY DANCING

Anchor & Hope (Spain)

Sat Apr 28, 5:15pm

Eva and Kat enjoy a carefree existence on their houseboat on a London canal. After the death of their beloved pet, Eva’s dream of becoming a mother is reignited. Kat just wants to get a new cat, but when her best friend Roger visits from Barcelona, they decide in a moment of drunkenness that he can be Eva’s sperm donor. Anchor and Hope is a fresh and funny rom-com with a twist.

Funny Story

Sun Apr 22, 7:15pm

After years of being a neglectful father, a womanizing TV star unknowingly crashes his estranged daughter’s same-sex destination wedding. This delightfully dark comedy takes us on a California coastal road trip full of dreams, love, disillusionment, and tequila-fueled karaoke.

In Between Seasons (South Korea)

Mon Apr 23, 9pm North American Premiere

Though a mother has a close bond with the high-school-age son she is raising alone, she doesn’t realize he is gay, and only finds out after he is critically injured in a car accident. When Mom takes out her confusion and anger on her son’s close friend, the young man deals with the situation more calmly and with greater wisdom than she does. Brought to vivid emotional life by an excellent cast, the film confronts Korean homophobia and depicts a mother-son relationship with searing clarity.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/04/19/outshine-film-fest-is-back-with-its-20th-miami-edition/

[riseofthebelieversrp-blog]

Hello, Storytellers~

Summer's in full swing! (Which is great, but up here it's kinda chilly. What gives?!) It's sunny, it's warm, it's beach season and we couldn't be happier! Summer is the season of high energy and high muse - which means lots of plotting, lots of writing! But don't forget to go outside for the occasional ten seconds of fresh air. <3

Welcome to our blog’s first newsletter! From hereon in, we’ll be submitting it every month on the first. Keep an eye out!

THE WELCOME WAGON

We're welcoming a total six new candidates this month! Say hello if you see them in the cbox! March, as brought by Shade! She's looking at the Obsidian King~ Cam, who has expressed interest in Dorothy! Gen, looking at the Merry Men of Robin Hood! Leopard, who totally slipped in under the radar - if you see this one, nab them and say hi! Rosary, a friend of Nico's! Shelby, who found us through an ad on tumblr! Last minute Zira, an old friend of Carma's, who's dragging York along with her!

IN THE WORKS

We're looking at fae, Egyptians and fairytales this month! Be sure and take a look at these apps, and stay tuned to see them complete~

March's Rauvelore ap Ievos

Gengar's Iollas Dacan

Hakuna's Osiris

Shelby's Maddie Hathaway

Nico's Alice Liddell

Though there's not yet an app, Rosary has a character named Lucy Seeker in the works! Wonder what she's all about!

ENTERING THE STAGE

We had a whole slew of characters joining us in May, including a grand total three canines, a feline, a few immortals and a Night Mare.

Ocean's Cafe Noir

Skel's Averin Lucida

Bass Invader's Pestilence

Spotteh's Gregorio Pantaleon

Momo's Pippa McBride

Micken's Ranger

Reed's Cerberus

Moulder's Pretty Boy

Lloydy's Asheton Hollins

Lulu's Jack Dawson

WANTED CHARACTERS

Of all the Big Five, a couple are still in need of filling! Those are North, the Guardian of Wonder, and Sandman, the Guardian of Dreams. Further, we'd like to take a moment to remind people of the Wanted Ads out there~ If you're musing on a character idea, take a look at the Wanted Ads out there to see if there are any roles your idea can fill! Don't hesitate to poke people and see if they're willing to be flexible on what they've got!

SITE UPDATES

It's Summer Skin time! As before, you have the option to choose between a DAY skin and a NIGHT skin. Go to your User Control Panel, and on the left-hand side, look for skin preferences! You should see SUMMER DAY and SUMMER NIGHT available. Special thanks go to Ionahi of tumblr, who we commissioned for the artwork in both skins! Tumblr Features: Starting this month we are opening up a new thread for Wanted Ad features! Those of you who would like a wanted ad featured on our tumblr page, post in that thread with the requested information! A single member can request a specific wanted ad once a month. That same member can request different wanted ads once every week. Guides: The community has done it again, giving us two new guides to pore over! First we have Shade's Guide to the Fae, formatted in a google doc, and second, Momo gave us the Land of Sweets from the Nutcracker. NPC Character Gudielines: Staff is going to be slightly revising the role that NPC characters are able to take! This shouldn't affect anyone currently, it will simply help to give a more distinctive boundary between "full character" and "NPC character", as we don't currently have much to distinguish them.

THE STORY SO FAR

The Starlit Masquerade is underway! So far most of the guests have arrived in some fashion; some have partnered off for a dance, while the rest are simply chatting it up in....what we can only hope is civil discussion. But soon, they will be joined by their most gracious host, with words on the Guardians! I wonder what all will be said - and how might that information be used by less savoury sorts? Could the Anti-Guardians be gleaning information from their enemies, even now?

SPOTLIGHTS

Momo's Poesy: If you've heard anything about the power struggle in New York's gang community, this girl's at the center of it. The gang scene has been severely shaken up ever since Poesy decided to dig her claws into it; she's clever, she's crazy, and she's on her way to the top. Moulder's Volker: This is a man who's lived a long life haunted by his family's curse. Male members of the family are possessed, through each generation, by a demon of sorts known as Oor, who turns the host into a sociopathic cannibal. With a son of his own, he's looking for a way to free himself of the curse before it passes on to his child.

GOSSIP INSIDER

Know the tricky thing about masks and code names? All the good gossip is speculation until everything is revealed! That said, the gossip rags are soaking up spilled tea everywhere! Let's wring 'em out and see what we can find out~ A masked lady in blue and silver was asked to dance by a dashing man in green - are those robes? Who wears robes in this day and age? And who taught this man to dance? He's crushed the lady's delicate toes! Wow, did you see the gown on that woman with the horned mask? The one with the emeralds and gold? Whew, she looks like she belongs in the Palace, that's for sure! But it also looks like she'd found her place with Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome over there~ Now there's an energetic duo on the dance floor! She's clad in gold and he in white, but if you squint a bit... I think - maybe - one of them is glowing? Perhaps it's just a trick of the many lights... Yeah, that's it. Couldn't possibly be...? Could it? Overheard in the Amber Room: two ladies discussing how overwhelming the party is! They're not wrong; the party is being held in one of the grandest locales in Russia, is being hosted by a being that hasn't been seen in several years, and no one knows who anyone is! It's the very definition of the word, but fear not, ladies - everything will be okay. Just enjoy the party~ Overprotective Chaperone Alert!! Hyperion has found himself in the company of two unchaperoned young women and is, apparently, very upset about this! So much so, in fact, that when one of the dates finally appeared, he was very curt with him. There's still one date missing and he seems to be silently fuming about this. WHAT KIND OF STRANGE DOG IS THAT?! It's not like any dog we've ever seen, folks, and I'm willing to bet that it's not a real dog! Honestly, we're still wondering how it even got in and to whom it belongs, but the guy in red seems to know it... Speaking of the guy in red... RABASTAN! That's his name! Yeah, he was overheard saying some rather rude things to a lady - granted, her words weren't terribly ladylike - but that was seriously uncalled for! And it just goes to show that words hurt - but fear not, Rasalas! A fellow lady is there to show solidarity and to give advice and comfort. Just let Gemma take care of you, it'll be okay~ Looks like the champagne wasn't enough for some! Arcturus set out to steal some wine and succeeded! Now, with stronger drinks in hands, he and several others in the Cameron Gallery are discussing the other guests in broader terms. People come to the balconies for fresh air and a reprieve, but they tend to leave in pairs - according to one set of loose lips. Several couples have been spotted, but the one that intrigues me the most is the man in the cape and his dazzling lady in blue. She seems tense... wonder why... HOLY MASQUERADE, BATMAN! Gotham City's Dark Knight has been spotted talking to a pirate lass, a pretty lady in yellow, and a gentleman who... ALMOST... got a date! In any case, I hope Batman has an eye on the two gentlemen in the corner; they are lowkey competing with him for the title of 'Most Likely to Brood at a Fancy Party'. And, thus the curtains close on the Starlit Masquerade Gossip Corner~ We shall now resume with our regular programming. There would appear to be an unattended child running around in Burgess with a bag way too big for him. Fortunately, a nice ol' dad is here to help him out. Hey, who said that you have to be a Guardian to have fun? Ginger's throwing her own shindig, and she's got all the really cool people there. Booze and soft drinks around! Seriously, who let Douglas take anyone for a tour around the Moon Clipper? At least Thoth seems to be serious about it... Avast, it's a meeting of pirate folk! Or...well, a former pirate and a cabin boy....girl. Wonder what the Jolly Roger wants with Asheton? Oh jeez, Jamie's gotten himself into the clutches of a rising power in the gang world. And who's there to save the day but one of Ryder's own gang members? Yeah, it's a bit of a hairy mess. Let's hope our belief-less boy comes out okay! Who's that sniffing around the fae world? Why, it's a handsome skeleton~ He's caught the eye of an equally curious hot mom. No, a real hot mom, as in she's on actual fire. It seems our favourite light sprite doesn't understand that wraiths don't like bright glowing girls. She just wants to make a friend, Sab, have a heart! Maidie's in a mess! A mess whose name is Hydra. Whatever dastardly plans does the snake man have for her?! Will she make it out alive?! Ever wonder what training a ditzy light sprite might look like? Well, Deit's about to find out... Tars needs to seriously stop getting caught unawares. It's happened with the wrong person now...wonder if Taer plans to tattle? The friendly mom routine is winding to a close~ Kary is about to learn the true nature of the Beldam. And it's a real shame, too; they were getting along so well. Oor seems to believe he can strike a bargain with the Nightmare King. Could he have anything in his favour, or is it a lost cause? Snow is beginning to uncover the mysteries that lie beneath Roman's mask....just how much will he share? Apparently mouth to mouth isn't an expression of romance in these two cultures; Emil and Sabellius have instead become a strange pair of friends. Or that's the idea, anyway. It's a bird! It's a plane! ...Actually a bird isn't far off, but Daniel's being a superhero again and Kay's left to wonder....huh? Stand aside Emil, there's a new dad for Maidie in town, and his name is Niulang! Well there's no lions or tigers or bears, but there sure is a wolf, and Frollo hates wolves. What's that? She's also a woman? Oh, now he hates her more. Burn the witch, am I right? It seems like the Aquarians are about to get themselves into a bit of a pickle...there's danger on the horizon, and only one of them seems to be aware. Ever wondered why the Guardians think how they do? Pandora's asked the Guardian Expert, Pitch, to explain! Wait.... Hold on, hold on! There's a gunfight by the lake, between two Guardians. Both of you, calm down! You're on the same side! What's this? Childhood friends?! West is about to learn a shocking truth about her sweet friend Pippa. The Lady of the Lake stands before the ruins that brought about the existence of the Stromkarlen. Is there any dark magic here to be revealed? Damn, what a view! Douglas sure knows how to treat a lady to a nice spectacle. I guess there are some perks to living on the moon, eh? An evil scientist and an evil potionmaster have finally met! Only one seems to be even remotely pleased about it.