#he's pretty much poster boy actor fine actually

[buckera]

also I'm just generally sick of seeing an actor being shit on for not being attractive by -- whose standards?? cuz like, first of all no one's taste is a be-all and second of all, and this is the biggy, do you think that people you don't find attractive shouldn't be queer rep?

or do you think someone's attractiveness has something to do with their validity in their identity in any way, shape, or form?

[bookshelfdreams]

No, I do not see Ed that way at all. In fact I believe so hard in an uneducated Ed to subvert that very thought. My believing he's illiterate is based entirely on what is shown in canon (including his mother's thoughts on their lot in life) and my own knowledge of that period in history and how common illiteracy was. I also just love the idea of this poor, uneducated, abused brown boy growing up to become the most feared pirate in the world without any help. He doesn't need Izzy. He doesn't need Stede (as much as he wants him). He don't need no education, to quote Pink Floyd. He's still Blackbeard and he made himself what he is, ability to read or not.

I get the issue and I hate the way the person brought it up in that comment with a burning passion. But in my opinion canon does not disprove the possibility of him being uneducated. We can happily disagree on that point though.

anon, can I ask you a question? Why is it so important to you to defend that headcanon to me?

I never addressed you personally - that is, we don't have this conversation because I criticized anything you wrote or made. I have no way of knowing if you explored this in any kind of fanwork, and if so, to what aim. If you feel like you're not part of the pattern I criticized, then I wasn't talking to you. Why is your attachment to that headcanon so strong that someone criticizing a general tendency in fandom makes you feel personally attacked?

You can argue until the cows come home that actually, thinking Ed lacks basic life-skills* just proves his strength and resilience (which, yk. Is not as good an argument as you may think it is). Or that it's a disability headcanon and that makes it fine. Or it's all in the name of historical accuracy. Or whatever. Like, I agree with your basic interpretation of him, and idk how often you want to hear that I believe you when you say you're not ill-intentioned.

That still doesn't erase the fact that it's part of a larger pattern of racist interpretations of ofmd, and that there is no real proof in canon either way**.

idk what to tell you. If it's fundamental to your worldview that Ed is illiterate, go on believing that, I won't stop you. But I also won't stop thinking that it's telling so many people accept this without question, because it is.

*before you take offense: literacy definitely is a basic life skill to us, the audience. And it would be a major handicap for a captain to be completely illiterate, too. I get your arguments about historical context and illiterate historical figures; but Ed isn't an actor, and his story is told in a modern context, to a modern audience. Things like historical accuracy or realism are pretty low on ofmd's list of priorities, anyway.

**Actually, scratch that, on his wanted poster, listed among his crimes, are improper citation, plagiarism, and tax evasion. All of which require literacy. There's your proof #confirmed

[project1939]

100+ Films of 1952

Film number 112: I Dream of Jeanie 

Release date: June 15th, 1952 

Studio: Republic Pictures 

Genre: musical 

Director: Allan Dwan 

Producer: Herbert J. Yates 

Actors: Bill Shirley, Muriel Lawrence, Ray Middleton, Lynn Bari 

Plot Summary: An almost entirely fictional account of American composer Steven Foster’s life. As his music career takes off, he tries to marry a society girl named Inez... but is it her little sister Jeanie that truly loves him? 

My Rating (out of five stars): **¾ (with a warning- see below) 

When I saw this was a full color musical by Republic Pictures, I was very intrigued. Republic was one of the cheapest B movie studios in Hollywood, known mostly for westerns and serials on shoestring budgets. Why did they do a musical in color? Because Steven Foster’s music was in the Public Domain, and they didn’t have to pay a cent for it! Maybe because my expectations were very low, I thought the movie overall wasn’t too bad. It had tons of music, and the actors were all pretty good. However, there’s a huge caveat- Foster's early music was associated with pre-Civil War minstrel shows, so there is a long segment in the film of white entertainers performing in blackface. It was extremely difficult to watch, and most people today probably wouldn’t want to. Because of that, I would NOT recommend watching it. (I markered over the blackface characters on the poster above, considering this will be semi-publicly posted.)

The Good: 

The cast was quite good for a low budget film. I liked Eileen Christy as Jeanie- she was a fine actress with a nice voice and a cute look. Bill Shirley as Foster was also pretty charming and likeable.  

Lots and Lots of music! I wouldn't be surprised if more than 50% of the film was musical performances. Foster’s music is antiquated now but generally enjoyable, and it’s a big part of the early American cultural zeitgeist. The singers were all talented and easy to listen to, even if the performances were more pleasant than remarkable. 

The character of Edwin P. Christy, the famous minstrel leader. Ray Middleton’s portrayal brought life and humor to the film as a vain celebrity. His singing voice was especially good. 

The color looked nicer than I expected. It was something called Trucolor, which certainly wasn’t Technicolor, but it was decent. 

The film tried, emphasis tried, to have Foster pay homage to the debt he owed African American music. Most people today would shout “cultural appropriation” about much of his music, which is valid, and I appreciated that the film didn’t totally sweep that under the rug. 

The Bad: 

Blackface. It’s a terrible shameful part of American entertainment history that we can’t deny, but I never want to actually see it on screen. It was horrifying. 

There was definitely racism in other places, even when the filmmakers seemed to have good intentions. As an example, Foster was friendly with a little black boy, even giving up his savings to pay his hospital bill, but... the kid’s nickname was Chitlin for god’s sake. 

The story had almost no relation to the real Foster. The movie inexplicably took place in Cincinnati, where Foster never even lived. His life was portrayed as simple and relatively easy, when in real life he died at 37 of possible suicide. 

Some of the sets looked comically cheap. At one point there was a river with water that was freaking identical to the chocolate river in 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! 

The actress who played Inez was the weakest in the cast. Not only was her acting sub-par, her character was so awful she made me want to scream. 

When the movie is called I Dream of Jeanie and a main character is named Jeanie, there’s not exactly any suspense about whether or not she will end up with Steven Foster! 

[twistyprefect]

Neige x actor s/o? :D

{first RSA standalone!! wish me luck lmaooo- also i wrote him as like a bit manipulative under his normal personality, i hope that's ok!}

Neige x Actor!Reader HCs

Neige is so excited to work with you, having watched a lot of your work in short, more artsy films

he envies your work actually, as he wants to be seen as more than just a cutesy idol boy

when he first meets you, he expects to be able to easily charm you then learn your secret to getting good connections

the questions he has die on his tongue when he actually sees you in person

he knew you were beautiful from watching you on the screen, but he never realized just how much of that was due to your actual natural beauty

he nervously approaches you and introduces himself, internally screaming when he accidentally response "I know" to your own introduction

the two of you get into a pretty good work rhythm, with you offering to hold script reviews at your apartment

he accepts, happy to be welcomed into your private home; it means he can learn a lot more about you, after all

he takes note of any posters on your walls, your favorite drinks or snacks that you have, favorite clothing brands from what he can see

he tries to slowly worm his way into your life, meeting some of your friends and doing his best to charm them as well

eventually he confesses to you, even calling it 'love at first sight' from when he met you

when you accept, he grins and pulls you into a hug before immediately asking to post about it somewhere

he loves you, truly! he just also likes the attention he'll get from dating his popular costar

he's incredibly sweet though, keeping general track of your social media and planned projects so he can support you in them

he encourages you to chase your passions, and offers to help you whenever he can

pouts and gets a little jealous whenever you have to do romantic scenes with anyone that isn't him

just give him some attention and he'll be fine though!

[jaskierswolf]

Prompt: Geraskier modern au. Jaskier bringing Geralt home on holiday. They’re pretending to date so Jaskier’s parents won’t bombard him asking when he’ll find someone and when they’ll have grandkids. Maybe even a fake engagement? They’re both pining without even realizing and maybe a mistletoe kiss on Christmas Eve will open their eyes. (geraskier-trashh)

Dani <3 I always seem to vibe with your prompts! Once again this is 2.3k. I didn’t get the mistletoe in but... well. I’m pretty happy with it. Fake dating at Christmas!! 💖

Warnings: Some hurt/comfort feels, I’m pretty sure everyone cries at one point or another, lots of pining. ______________

Jaskier and Geralt stood in the doorway to Jaskier’s old childhood room. One single bed was pushed up against the wall, posters of Jaskier’s old favourite bands plastered around the room. Jaskier was gripping Geralt’s hand too tightly, having not let go from when he’d dragged Geralt upstairs to get away from the interrogation of his family. Geralt let out a long sigh and pulled them both into the room, dumping his rucksack on the ground in the corner.

“Ah, I. umm…. I seem to have miscalculated,” Jaskier stammered.

“No shit.”

“I thought, you know. Huge mansion!” He flung his arms out as if to make a point. “I didn’t expect that we’d have to… you know.”

“It didn’t occur to you that it might look strange if we don’t share?” Geralt asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jaskier huffed and put his hands on his hips, tossing his fringe from his eyes. Geralt was moving around the tiny room, his banged up bass case finding space next to Jaskier’s violin, his black hoody thrown over the old desk chair in the corner. Jaskier felt a tug at his heartstrings as he watched Geralt carve out a space for himself in Jaskier’s old bedroom, just like he’d carved out a Geralt sized space in Jaskier’s hearts oh so many years ago. Jaskier flexed his fingers and pulled his necklace pendant into his mouth, this was such a bad idea. What had he been thinking?

It was own bloody fault for lying to his parents for years behind Geralt’s back. It had just been so hard with their constant pressure to find a partner whilst he was pining helplessly over his best friend, so he’d lied and for five years he’d managed to find excuses for avoiding the family Christmas meet up. This year his luck had run out and he’d had to come clean to his friend. He’d thought Geralt was going to murder him at first, his face had gone bright red with rage and he’d not said a bloody word, which was just Geralt all over. Over a tense dinner of instant noodles and boxed wine, Geralt had muttered that he’d do it… and so, here they were.

“Yeah, well, I forgot.”

Geralt rolled his eyes. “You forgot? That you’d told your parents that we’ve been dating for five years?”

“Six years… Our anniversary was two weeks ago,” Jaskier muttered, shuffling awkwardly on his feet and giving Geralt a sheepish smile.

“Our anniversary? For fuck’s sake, Jask.”

“I’m sorry! I meant to tell them we’d broken up but—”

“But what?”

“—but they always seemed so happy that I wasn’t alone, and to be honest it was nice.”

Geralt scoffed. “Nice?”

“Yeah,” Jaskier sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I. I didn’t feel so alone.”

Geralt sighed and pulled him into a hug. Jaskier buried his face in Geralt’s chest and whined. “You’re my best friend, Jask.”

Jaskier closed his eyes, grateful that Geralt couldn’t see his face. He could feel the lump in his throat, a dull never-ending ache in his chest. Best friend. That’s what they were, he should be thankful that Geralt allowed him that much, but fuck he loved him so damn much. No matter how much Jaskier flirted with Geralt, called him cute little nicknames, and practically admitted his love for his friend on a daily basis… Geralt never saw him as anything more than a friend, but god he drove Jaskier mad. He was always so damned thoughtful all the time, cooking dinner when Jaskier was at work even though Jaskier could never return the favour, hence the instant noodles for dinner, or letting Jaskier choose the film when he’d had a bad anxiety day, which happened more often than he liked to admit.

Geralt was his best friend, he was the bestest friend that anyone could ask for so really Jaskier couldn’t complain. He was just… hopelessly in love.

He laughed and pulled back from the hug. “Don’t you mean boyfriend?” He waggled his eyebrows and bopped Geralt’s nose.

“Hmm, fine, but we have got to break up by next year.”

Jaskier’s hand flew to his heart, gasping as he totally pretended to be completely heartbroken. There wasn’t an ounce of reality in the way his heart literally felt like it was shattering in a million pieces. He scoffed, covering up the way his hands were shaking by tugging at the edge of his jumper. “Fine, but I get to dump you.”

“Nope, it’s your mess. I’m breaking up with you,” Geralt grumbled.

Jaskier put his hands on his hips and glared at Geralt. “As if you would break up with this arse!” He laughed and turned to wiggle his butt at Geralt.

“I’ve seen better.”

Jaskier gasped and turned to poke Geralt in the chest. “Take that back!”

“Not going to happen.”

“Geralt!” Jaskier flung himself dramatically into Geralt’s arms, Geralt caught him as he always did, and Jaskier pouted up at him. “You’re mean.”

“Are you boys fighting already?”

Jaskier squeaked as Geralt dropped him to the floor. His mother was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed in front of her chest, a smirk on her face. “No. No no no. Of course not, nope. Geralt?”

“No, Mrs Pankratz.” Geralt pulled him to his feet and Jaskier wrapped his arms around Geralt’s waist, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

“All good here, mother!”

“Dinner’s ready, hurry up.”

“We’ll be there in just a jiffy!” Jaskier sang as he leant into Geralt’s side. As his mother’s footsteps faded off down the hall he reached up to whisper in Geralt’s ear, “Showtime, darling.”

Geralt groaned. “Fuck.” ________________

Dinner wasn’t going too badly. Luckily Geralt and Jaskier had been best friends for most of their lives so there wasn’t much they didn’t know about each other. Honestly the only thing really missing from their friendship to make it more of a traditionally romantic one was the snogging. They went out of friend dates all the time, they lived together, and in all honesty they loved each other. Jaskier just made sure to double the use of pet names in front of his family, and he allowed himself to touch Geralt as much as he wanted, which was pretty much always. They held hands on top of the table, awkwardly eating one handed. Jaskier brought Geralt’s knuckles to his lips in between main and dessert, winking at his friend. It was so fucking easy to believe this was real. For two days he was getting everything he ever wanted. He was going to be heartbroken when this was over.

Geralt flushed and growled under his breath before kissing Jaskier’s cheek, much to delight of Jaskier’s parents.

“Julian, you know we won’t be offended if you want to kiss your boyfriend properly?”

Jaskier’s heart sank and he gripped Geralt’s hand tighter. They hadn’t discussed this. They really should have discussed this, but Jaskier had assumed two days without kissing in front of his parents would have been fine. Of course, his mother would decide to be cool. “Mother, really?” He groaned and hid his face in Geralt’s arm.

“You’ve been dating for six years, Julian. Your father had proposed by then when we were dating,” his mother sighed and smiled ever so sweetly at his father. “Don’t be shy, honey.”

“Mother!” Jaskier whined.

Geralt cleared his throat and Jaskier gazed up at his friend. There was a mischievous glint in Geralt’s eyes that Jaskier did not like the look of. He shook his head slowly at Geralt but it was too late. “Actually, Mrs Pankratz. I umm… I did have something to ask Jaskier,”

“Geralt…”

“The umm… well I wrapped it, but I guess now is as good as ever,” Geralt stood up and pulled Jaskier into the living room, ignoring his protests. Geralt pulled a small wrapped box from the tree, kneeling at Jaskier’s feet as he hand him the box.

Jaskier’s eyes went wide… what the actual fuck was happening? Jaskier thought back to his Christmas list. It was mostly nerdy shit and stuff for his instruments… nerdy shit. “Oh bollocks!” He yelled as he remembered a very specific piece of costume jewellery he’d asked for.

Was Geralt about to fake propose using the ring… like… the ring…  from Lord of the Rings? Oh god, he was going to die from embarrassment. Jaskier’s hands shook as he tore at the wrapping paper. The velvety box fell into his hands, the familiar Elvish inscription was pressed into the black velvet. He hid a laugh behind his hand as Geralt gently took the box and opened it. Jaskier barely heard the shrieks from his mother as Geralt winked at him.

“Jask, the last,” Geralt paused and scowled “six years of my life have been the happiest of my life.”

“Geralt,” Jaskier whined, his heart thumping in his chest despite the fact he knew it wasn’t real.

“I’m thankful that I finally stopped being afraid of what I felt, feel, for you, and umm, well asked you out,” Geralt licked his lips, he actually seemed nervous, which was utterly ridiculous. He was a better actor than Jaskier had anticipated. “Can’t imagine how different today would have been if I hadn’t made the choice that day, the choice to be brave instead of a coward.”

Jaskier couldn’t help but reach forward to cup Geralt’s cheek, his hand moving on its own accord. “You’re the bravest man I know.”

Geralt laughed bitterly. “Not always, but ah fuck, you distracted me.”

“Sorry?” Jaskier giggled. “Would it help if I said yes?”

“Yes,” Geralt grumbled.

Jaskier knelt down opposite Geralt. “Yes.”

And then they were kissing, because that was what you did when you got engaged, wasn’t it? Only they weren’t really engaged, they weren’t even dating. Tears streamed down Jaskier’s cheeks as he kissed his friend with all the feelings that he could never admit, holding Geralt’s face in his hands. They were both panting by the time they pulled apart. “I love you, dear heart.”

Geralt, to Jaskier’s surprise, was also crying. He smiled sadly back at Jaskier as he brushed the tears from Jaskier’s cheek. “I love you too, Jask.” And then he slipped the ring onto Jaskier’s finger.

Jaskier swallowed and bit back a sob. “Fuck.”

Geralt tilted his head and glanced towards the ceiling. Jaskier nodded, hugging his arms around his chest. “I think we need a moment alone,” Geralt muttered and scooped Jaskier up into his arms.

Jaskier mother, also crying because apparently Christmas Eve dinner was a disaster, nodded. “Take all the time you need, darlings."

Geralt nodded and Jaskier hummed pressing his face into Geralt’s neck, desperately trying not to lose his grip on reality. They weren’t engaged. The mantra ran through his head obsessively. One more day, they would exchange presents, maybe a standard kiss under the mistletoe and then by next year’s Christmas Geralt would have broken up with him, and Jaskier’s parents would be none the wiser that it had all been a ruse.

A ruse, an pretence, an act.

Only it wasn’t an act, not for him.

“Fucking shit balls,” He mumbled into Geralt’s shirt as his bedroom door was kicked open. Jaskier practically leapt from Geralt’s arms and into the mess of bedsheets, hiding from the love of his life and pseudo fiancé.

“Jaskier, I’m sorry. I took it too far.” Geralt mumbled, sitting down on the bed next to where Jaskier was curled into a ball.

“No,” Jaskier mumbled. “I just overreacted, I… ah fuck it. I wanted it to be real. I’m sorry!”

“You,” Geralt stammered. “You wanted it to be real?”

Jaskier laughed haughtily and threw off the covers, wiping his eyes and glaring at Geralt. “Of course I fucking did. I told my parents we were dating… for six fucking years!”

“And you never once mentioned any of this to me?”

Jaskier rolled his eyes. “Because I couldn’t lose you!”

“I didn’t want to lose you either.”

Jaskier’s eyes went wide as he gaped at Geralt. “Hang on what? What does that mean? Geralt? Please do not tell me that means what I think it means!”

“I love you,” Geralt whispered “always have.”

“No, no no no!” Jaskier whined as his head hit the headboard. “Fuck.”

“Sorry.”

Jaskier laughed, the disbelief and sheer happiness in his heart overwhelming him. “Oh my fucking god, Geralt!” Geralt growled and stood up but Jaskier caught his hand. “Don’t you see?”

“No, care to let me into the joke?”

“We could have been dating for years!” Jaskier cried and then slapped a hand over his mouth, not wanting his parents to hear their argument. “This,” he waved his left hand at Geralt. “could have been real?”

Geralt frowned, his gaze flickering between Jaskier’s hand and his eyes. He sighed and a faint smiled graced his lips. “Maybe we should try dating first? Proposing on the first date is a bit much.”

Jaskier laughed and pulled Geralt into another kiss, his tears ones of happiness this time. He stroked Geralt’s cheek as they pulled apart. “What about the second date?”

“Jask,” Geralt groaned.

“Ok, the third date,” He laughed and Geralt shut him up with another quick kiss.”

“Your turn to propose,” Geralt mumbled against his lips as Jaskier slipped his hand up Geralt’s shirt.

“I don’t think I can beat proposing with the ring, dearest,” He giggled as Geralt pushed him back against the mattress, his nose running along Jaskier’s jaw.

“You’ll think of something.”

Jaskier grinned as Geralt’s lips crashed against his. He would think of something, something spectacular, but for now he was too busy kissing his boyfriend, grand marriage proposals would have to wait until next Christmas. They could make it a tradition. ________________ Tag list: @alwenarin @slythnerd @davidtennan-t @flippinfricks @innocentcinnamonpun @marvagon @elliestormfound @geraskier-trashh @panerato @moonysourenza @artistsfuneral @hailhailsatan @wherethewordsare @havenoffandoms @bitchy-witchy-post-mortem @electricrituals @geralt-of-riviass @00qtee @kittynannygaming @stinastar @scribblesonmapleleaves @thecomfortofoldstorries @fontegagrilledcheese @anythinggoesfandoms @veritasrose @trickstermoose67 @nonegenderleftpain @ohheytheremiss @kueble @love-more-today-than-yesterday @kozkaboi @llamasdumpsterfire @skai6

[flowercrown-bard]

A new us will begin (12/ ?)

AO3

part 1   / part 2 / part 3  / part 4  / part 5 / part 6  / part 7 / part 8 / part 9 / part 10 / part 11 / part 13

word count: ~10k

content warnings: panic attack (caused by crowds), vague references to past character death, references to blood and injury

Three coppers.

Lark picked up the coins someone had tossed him from the cobblestones. Or maybe they had just dropped them accidentally and didn’t care enough to pick them back up. He wouldn’t be surprised, but he wasn’t about to complain. Coin was coin and the gods knew he needed it.

Three coppers.

They weighed barely anything and yet they sat heavy on his palm. Heavy and dull and not enough.

Just a couple of years ago, people had loved when he sung in the streets. They had been the one calling him the Lark of White Orchard and back then, they had been happy to toss him enough coins for his songs that he was able to get by, not exactly living a good life, but he had been doing fine all things considered. On days where coin had been sparse, when it had rained or Lark’s stomach had growled so loudly that even the passers-by could hear it over his singing, there had always been a kind elderly woman who missed her son enough, or a man who had always wanted a little brother, that they were willing to take in the starving eight-year-old that lived in the streets for a couple of days.

It hadn’t been good, but it had been good enough.

But pity had dwindled when Lark had gotten older. He had been prepared for that. Adults were expected to earn their own coin by doing more than just sing all day. He had known and he had tried making plans for how he might ask around if anyone needed a stable hand or help on a farm.

It hadn’t been a bad plan and it might have worked, if Lark hadn’t been dead wrong about one thing: People stopped being charitable long before he had reached adulthood and no one was stupid enough to hire a boy who was practically still a child and wouldn’t be able to do any sort of heavy lifting or other physical labour.

He had thought, he’d have at least another ten years to figure out how to get by, but life had given him only half of that before it had thrown him aside to fend for himself. Five years had been enough that he had gone from an adorable and somewhat beloved child who sang pretty songs and smiled brightly to a thirteen-year-old with cheekbones that prodded forth unbecomingly from lack of food and with a voice that was cracking just enough to ruin his songs.

People didn’t call him Lark anymore. Mostly, they didn’t refer to him at all, insignificant as he was to them. If they did however, they would mutter to themselves about the pest of the streets. They avoided eye contact and hastened past him before he could even open his mouth to ask for a little pity or sing for his supper. One time, a pretty handheld mirror had fallen out of a nice looking woman’s bag and Lark had picked it up to give it back to her. He didn’t have more time than it took to catch a glimpse at his sunken blue eyes in the mirror, before she had called him a thief, a magpie, and had yelled at him loudly enough that other people had come out to see what all the fuss was about. Lark had fled before they could decide that it was time to get rid of the boy who no one cared about anyway.

Still, he had to come back to his corner of the street to sing the next day and the day after that, until another year had passed. It was all he could do to earn coin, however little it was these days, and it was all he could do not to succumb to the desperation and hunger gnawing at him like a dog gnawed on bones.

While he sung, he could close his eyes and pretend he was somewhere else, someone else. He could dream that he was a viscount, rich and never lacking food or shelter. Or he could pretend that he was still a small child with chubby cheeks, singing lullabies with his mother. He could imagine what it would be like to make a friend that was more important to him than anything in the world and sing to them or that he had someone who’d teach him a song for once.

Most often, he let himself indulge in the most beautiful fantasy of them all: That he could be a bard, celebrated and always welcome. Then, inn keepers would be happy to accommodate him instead of bark at him to get out of their inns. People would ask him to sing for them, instead of throwing him dirty looks when his singing interrupted their conversations.  They would throw flowers and coins at his feet and he’d never have to go hungry again. People would smile at him. They would notice him and maybe if he were lucky, he could be important to someone. He could have someone who would take him in their arms, press a kiss on the crown of his head and tell him that they wanted him to stay with them forever. He wouldn’t have to worry about being alone, starving and cold from being outside for so long.

Not like he would today. His fist clenched around the three copper pieces and he shoved them in his pockets. Maybe if he was lucky, he’d get more tomorrow.

--

He didn’t. Of course he didn’t. By now, he should have known better than to get his hopes up about such things, but the small sliver of cruel hope never truly left him, even if he rarely ever got what he was hoping for.

But while coin was sparse, he did find out the reason why he had earned even less than normal: There was bigger and better entertainment coming to White Orchard. Lark watched from the shadows of an alley, as a woman with a hint of wrinkles around her eyes and faint streaks of grey weaving through her flaming red hair, hung up a poster announcing that a troupe of travelling actors was going to perform their best known plays in the weeks to come.

Lark’s stomach clenched, and not only from the hunger that was his constant and only companion. Dread and bitter disappointment grabbed his heart like an iron fist. No one was going to waste any time or coin on some boy singing pitifully when they could watch an actual play, done by professionals who were better at what they were doing than Lark ever could be. No matter how much of his soul he put in his signing, he was no competition to the players that had arrived.

His hands began to tremble as he clenched them into his stomach. It the near certainty that he would go hungry for however long those players would stay here.

It was a mixture of spite and curiosity that drove Lark to follow the redhead, always staying in the shadows or doing his best to blend in with other people milling about. If he wasn’t going to make any coin with his singing, then at least he should get to see the players perform and suss out if they were really good enough to warrant him being tossed to the side like that. He knew they would be. He wasn’t nearly good or important enough to think otherwise.

The red-haired woman led him to a marketplace, where a colourful wagon stood and a stage was being set up. Lark lingered there until the evening came and a crowd started to form.

He joined in the line of people buying tickets, his bitterness and fear making way for excitement with every moment he waited. He had never watched a play before, never been part of a crowd of people who just enjoyed themselves. His fingers fiddled with the hem of his shirt and he shifted from one foot to the other as his excitement built up, already imaging the wonders he was about to see.

He knew he shouldn’t spend his three coppers for something so trivial, but he couldn’t bring himself to turn around. Just this once he wanted to feel like someone normal, someone who could allow themselves an evening of fun and togetherness, even if he’d always know in the back of his mind, that he would pay dearly for his carelessness the next day when he’d have no coin left at all.

Still, he was sure it would be worth it. He knew it with all his heart.

His excitement was snuffed out like a candle in the wind, when he got closer to the woman selling the tickets and he heard how much they would cost.

One silver.

Lark’s heart dropped and his hand clenched around the three he was holding as the bitter realisation swept over him.

It wasn’t enough. He would get turned away and even this small moment of reprieve would be taken away from him.

Without thinking, Lark left the line, melting back into the shadow of the houses lining the marketplace and watching the woman selling the tickets with hawk’s eyes.

His heart was hammering in his chest and he knew even thinking about sneaking in without paying the entrance fee was wrong. It wasn’t fair to the performers – he of all people should know how important it was to pay entertainers - but he had to watch the play. He didn’t know why, but in this moment, it was more important than anything else.

A bigger group of people - a family with five children that he had seen pass by him and scoffing at him far too often – was permitted entrance and before Lark could think twice about what he was doing or start having doubts, he joined the group, pointedly casually, as if he belonged to them. It wasn’t hard to blend in. The parents were too distracted by the prospect of watching the play to count their children and Lark was small and frail enough to disappear between them and pretend to be one of them.

His blood was rushing in his ears and his mind was whirling with the panicked thought of They’re going to know. They will notice you and kick you out or throw you to the city guards for not paying the fee.

But nobody paid him any mind. Getting in unnoticed was as easy as it was wrong.

Once inside, Lark released a shaky breath and became one with the crowd, moving through it was if it was the most natural thing in the world.

A rush of excitement and pride swept over him and made him giddy, almost overshadowing the excitement he felt for the play.

When the red-haired actress finally came on stage, Lark’s breath caught in his throat and his heart began racing. His eyes were glued to the stage, unable to look away for even a second. This was it!

There was something about the story the actors played that spoke to him. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but as he watched the play, enraptured by the fast-paced fighting choreographies and the touching lines of dialogue that he felt he would be able to speak in time with the players if he had been able to open his mouth, he felt as if he belonged. There was something about the players, how easily they moved between scenes.

If one character was having a hard time, it was a near-certainty that they would make it out and find better times.

A strange sense of kinship and admiration welled up inside Lark, especially fir the pirate; charming, confident and criminal. Not caring about what anyone else thought of him and not needing anyone else’s help. Lark’s heart jumped in his throat as he watched the pirate weave his way in and out of danger like it was nothing, taking what he needed without having to feel bad for it. This pirate had no place in the world, so he made his own. The world was his home. That’s what he said and for him, saying made it so.

A yearning burst to life in Lark’s chest, his heart fluttering like a bird desperate to escape its cage. Lark had been in a cage his entire life. He sang and stayed in the same town, dwindling with every passing day until one day his wings would be too tired to fly.

But by the gods, he wanted to fly. He wanted to get out of here, wanted to build his own life, wanted to be free of the dependency on strangers’ goodwill and generosity that he knew he couldn’t count on anyway.

He wanted to be like that pirate.

He knew the story or the characters put on stage weren’t real, that he shouldn’t take life lessons from them, but for just a moment, he let himself believe that it could be real. It was that moment, that brief and fleeting second in which he dreamed about what his life could be, that changed the course of his destiny. He didn’t know how, yet, but he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that when the performance would end, he would be a different person.

The longer he watched, the stronger his certainty got. He watched the pirate with starry eyes, though something felt a little off about him. The actor portraying him wasn’t bad. In fact, when they pulled out their sword and spun around, making their long dark hair whip around their face, Lark couldn’t help but think that they knew exactly what they were doing. The fighting was impressive and the acting compelling, but there was this deep-rooted certainty in Lark that he would have been able to do it better.

And so he did.

That is, he didn’t join the troupe to become a better actor, naturally, neither did he become a better pirate – he lived nowhere near enough to the sea for that - but what he did instead was close enough. It started out small, just a little pickpocketing during the performance, while the audience was distracted.

Every coin he grabbed out of a purse with swift fingers, made his heartbeat spike up, but it also filled him with a never before known sense of pride. He was finally taking his life in his own hands! No longer would he rely on others to get by or have to endure their scoffs and insults.

With every coin he stole, he broke a bar of that cage entrapping him. He was going to fly like he had always been meant to do!

The play was not quite over yet, when he set his eyes on the wagon containing the props.

It was risky and probably not worth it, but Lark was filled with a euphoric recklessness. Quick as a flash, he darted into the wagon that was thankfully unoccupied at the moment and grabbed the first thing he could find. It was a prop dagger. Not the most valuable thing, but it felt right in Lark’s hand. A reminder for the day he decided to live. A promise that his life would be better than it had been until this point. A vow to never give up on his dreams.

His fingers tightened around the hilt and a grin spread across his lips.

Like a shadow, he left the marketplace, not knowing what the pirate’s fate would be. It didn’t matter, because for the first time, Lark’s own life was full of possibilities.

Maybe that woman had been right by calling him a thief. Perhaps he was a magpie, filling his pockets with other people’s possessions. Or maybe he was a lark that had been kept in a cage, going unheard for far too long until his voice was broken and his wings nearly clipped.

Either way, he was a bird ready to spread his wings and finally fly.

That night, he packed his meagre belongings, bought enough food to last him a couple of days and left White Orchard. His life was about to begin.

--

Leaving the town to be on his own was not as glamorous as Lark had imagined in his moment of foolish grandeur.

The next town was three day’s travel away for a strong man who was able to walk for a prolonged time. A boy with barely enough strength to carry his bag and walk for a mere couple of hours, would take much longer.

During the first two days, Lark learned what it meant to be outside a city’s safety. He had always thought that sleeping on the ground beneath bridges or in stables when innkeepers were kind enough to let him stay there for a night or two, was hard, but it was nothing compared to sleeping on the edge of the woods, never knowing whether the snapping of a twig came from bandits or a monster that would see him as easy prey.

Had he been a bard or a poet, he would have called it ironic that the first person he met after he decided to lead a life of lawlessness, was a bandit. As it was, he didn’t have the mind to find such words. He was terrified.

A rustling of leaves was all the warning Lark got, before a shadow leaped at him from behind a tree, giving him just enough time to let out a surprised yip and clutch the strap of his bag to his chest as if that could protect him. Before he knew what was happening, the hooded figure pressed their knife against his throat and bared their teeth.

“Your money,” the female voice hissed in his ear, pressing the blade closer to his throat. Lark blinked. She didn’t sound any older than him, certainly not like an adult or anyone Lark would have expected to attack travellers. “Give it to me and I’ll let you leave with your life.”

Lark didn’t know what possessed him, but he let out a barking laugh. “Really? Do I look like I have a anything of value? You flatter me.”

The girl’s eyes darted over his body, lingering on the shirt that hadn’t been washed in years and that was littered with holes.

She wavered, clearly not knowing how to proceed.

Lark cocked his head to the side. “You’re new to this, aren’t you?”

Even as the words left his lips, he knew they were about the stupidest thing he could say, but something about the girl didn’t sit right with him. Maybe it was the way she clutched the weapon a little too tightly or the way she looked just as bony and lost as Lark did.

The girl’s eyes flared up. “What’s it to you? I can still cut your throat.”

“I’d rather you wouldn’t do that.” He gave her a crooked smile and prayed that he was right about this. “And I don’t think you want to either.”

“Oh no? I wouldn’t be so sure that I wouldn’t hurt you if I were you.” Her voice went up in pitch and there was something in her eyes that didn’t sit right with Lark. A haunted look flashed through her eyes and the hand holding the knife trembled.

Carefully, Lark lifted his own hand and enclosed the girl’s wrist, gently. “Are you alright?”

“What kind of question is that? I’m threatening your life! You should be afraid of me!”

Her voice broke with the last word and something cracked in Lark’s chest.

“I’m not,” he said, though he had the distinct feeling that he very much should be afraid of people pointing weapons at him. Tentatively, he let go of her wrist again and held his hands up. “I don’t think you’ll hurt me and I’m not going to hurt you either.”

For a heartbeat she just stared at him, emotions battling in her face and Lark began to doubt he had made the right decision. If he had messed this up, then he hoped he would at least live to regret it.

Her eyes narrowed. Then, ever so slowly, she pulled the knife away, her hands falling to her sides and her shoulders slumping as if she had all energy had been drained from her. A puppet whose strings had been cut.

“Go,” she said quietly.

Lark hesitated. He was absolutely going to regret this. “How about we go together?”

She stiffened. “I’m not coming with you. I’m dangerous.”

“To me you look more scared than dangerous.” He gave her a tiny smile. “We don’t have to travel together, if you don’t want, but I’ve never had a friend before and I’ve never camped out in the woods on my own. I could really use someone who knows what they’re doing.”

She drew her brows together, but let out a wet laugh. “I don’t know what I’m doing either.”

“Perfect!” Lark’s hesitant smile turned into a beam. “Two clueless people are better than one. And like this, neither of us has to be embarrassed about not knowing how to do things.”

“You’re strange,” the girl said, but after another moment of hesitation, she nodded. “Fine. We can stay together. Just until morning. Then we go our separate ways.” Her face became hard, though somehow to Lark it looked like a poorly constructed mask. “And you won’t tell anyone you saw me.”

“I promise,” Lark said, his heart speeding up. A couple of hours wasn’t enough to form a friendship, he was sure, and yet this was the closest he had come to having a friend ever since he had been forced out on the streets and he was going to make the most of it. “Just until tomorrow.”

--

“I thought you didn’t know how to set up camp,” the girl said, pointing an accusatory finger at Lark and squinting her eyes suspiciously.

By now, she had pulled back her hood, revealing a face that made her appear a couple of years younger than Lark and blond hair that looked as if it had been hastily cut by someone who hadn’t known what they were doing. Not that Lark had much room to judge. But there was something about that haircut that almost stirred a memory in him. For some reason, a strange thought shot through his mind. He should have really asked me before chopping her hair short.

He shook his head to get rid of that nonsensical thought. Who even was he supposed to be? And he was pretty sure he had never met this girl in his life, so there was no reason why anyone should have asked him to help with her hair.

“I don’t.” Lark shrugged with pointed nonchalance, but his own skin crawled with unease as he let his eyes glide over the shelter he had somehow build out of branches without knowing what he was doing, as if he had done this a hundred times before to a point that his body just knew what to do without him thinking about it. “I swear I’ve never even been outside White Orchard.”

The girl narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, but then she mirrored Lark’s shrug. “I’m not complaining.” With a strained smile, she added quietly, “There are worse things to find out about your companion.”

Her tone made Lark shift with unease, but he nudged her in the ribs playfully, praying he wasn’t overstepping. “I absolutely agree. I could still find out that you’re snoring loudly.”

“Hey!” A twinkle entered the girl’s eyes. “Who says you’re not the one who will snore?”

Lark lifted his chin in defiance and spread his arms wide, not unlike he had seen one of the actors do. “I say so. Because I’ve been told that I have the most beautiful singing voice.” The most preposterous exaggeration he had ever made. “Everyone knows people who sing don’t snore.”

The girl snorted. “Sure. That’s definitely common knowledge and absolutely true.” The sarcasm was dripping from her voice and made Lark grin.

“How about a bet? I say you’ll be the one who will snore.”

Her lips twitched up. “You’re on.”

It was still too early to go to sleep just yet. Lark’s hands were constantly moving with nervousness, tapping out rhythms or twirling smaller sticks he tore off bushes.

He really didn’t want to mess this up. When he had decided to take his life in his own hand, the thought that he might not have to stay alone all the time, hadn’t even crossed his mind, and yet, as soon as this girl had shown even the smallest hint of interest in spending time with him, he had latched onto the hope of not being alone. He had wanted to be like that pirate, confident and independent, but even the pirate in the play had wanted friendship, hadn’t he? That had been the last piece of the play that Lark had caught before he had left the marketplace: The pirate begging the knight to be his friend.

Lark knew it was stupid, but already his mind was conjuring up images of having a travel companion, of sitting around a campfire laughing together or walking next to a horse, while his companion kept glancing down at him fondly.

It was an impossible fantasy, of course. But it was nice to let himself dream. It had been a dream, after all, that had gotten him the courage to get out of that miserable life he had been leading.

“What’s that song?”

He blinked, when the girl’s unexpected question interrupted his stray thoughts.

“Hm?” he asked intelligently.

“That song you’re humming,” she explained, gesturing vaguely at him. “It’s nice.”

“Oh.” Lark felt heat rise in his cheeks. “Ah, sorry. I didn’t notice I was singing.”

“No, no, don’t apologize,” she said hastily. “I really liked it. It’s been a while since anyone’s sung to me. My mother used to sing me lullabies, before – Nevermind. Your singing just reminded me of that.” She paused, her eyes going wide. “Not that you were singing to me. But. It sounded beautiful.”

Lark’s chest glowed and he couldn’t keep his smile off his chest, despite the no doubt heavy topic that the girl clearly didn’t want to talk about. “Thank you. I love singing, but most people don’t appreciate it. One time someone even threw some bread at me.”

The girl’s lips twitched. “That’s one way to get to food.”

“I sure thought about just singing as badly as I could, after that.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It didn’t work out.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I like listening to you.”

Lark lowered his head, carefully avoiding eye contact. “It’s worth a lot, actually.” He cleared his throat. “But speaking of food. I still got some. It was supposed to last me until I get to the next town, but we could share if you want?”

“I – really?” The girl’s eyes widened. “You barely know me. I held a bloody knife at your throat! Why would you share your food with me?”

Lark shrugged. “I guess I would like to get to know you. Maybe we could become friends?”

He knew he sounded pathetically desperate and he told himself his heart didn’t sink, when the girl shook her head.

“We can’t. I’m not good company.”

“Yes you are.” His smile turned lopsided. “At least that’s what I choose to believe until I find out if your snoring will rob me of my beauty sleep.”

She snorted. “We wouldn’t want that. Clearly you need it.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, tore out a handful of grass and attempted to throw it at her. She only laughed and in return tossed some leaves at him, equally unsuccessfully.

They continued this strange but not uncomfortable back and forth. Lark wasn’t sure how to talk to her, but it still felt good to have someone to talk to for once, even if she avoided speaking about herself to a point that she even refused to give as much as her name.

It didn’t matter. Lark didn’t know his real name either, after all, only the moniker he had been given by some strangers.

He felt an unexpected kinship to this girl with no name that had chosen to steal the coin she evidently needed but that had given up on that plan as soon as she had found something else she needed far more desperately. Company. The comfort of knowing she wasn’t alone.

Lark and the girl might have both needed to grow up to soon and were willing to steal if that was what kept them alive, but now, sitting on the forest floor, sharing bread and tentative stories, it became painfully obvious that they really just were children. Children who weren’t allowed to be such.

When they went to sleep beneath the shelter Lark had built, he made sure to keep enough distance between them, but the girl smiled at him as she whispered a “Goodnight.”

He returned it with a trembling voice. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had bid him goodnight.

“Our bet still stands, right?” The girl said with a sleepy grin, just before her eyelids dropped.

“It sure does. But we both know I’m going to win.”

--

Neither of them won. They both snored, waking each other up more than once.

Somehow neither of them minded, but when they got up in the morning, they both complained loudly about the other’s snoring, their teasing ending in laughter. It was possibly the first time in years since Lark truly laughed and judging from the way the girl brightened and seemed to carry herself lighter afterwards, it had been a long time since she had had reason to laugh too.

--

“So…” Lark said, after they had eaten a small breakfast, emptying nearly all of his provisions. “I guess it’s tomorrow, huh? We’ll split now.”

“Yeah,” the girl agreed, but made no move to turn away. “I guess so.”

They stood there for a moment in awkward silence, both avoiding the other’s eyes.

“Unless you want to –“ She said at the same time that Lark spoke up.

“If we went the same direction, we could –“

They gave each other shy looks that turned into grins. Neither of them finished their sentence, but they didn’t need to anyway. After they packed their few belongings, they took the same path, neither mentioning that they were going to stay together for a little while longer.

--

It didn't take long for Lark's stomach to start rumbling. He had learned to ignore hunger enough to go through the motions of what needed to be done, years ago, but after indulging the day before and this morning with breakfast, his body seemed to remember that it did, in fact, need food and shouldn't go ignored.

The only problem was that there was little to no food left. Rationally, he knew that he shouldn't have shared his provisions, but he had been so excited about having something to share for once, and even more importantly, having someone to share things with. When it came down to it, he wouldn't do it any differently if he got the chance to do it again.

Still Lark’s stomach protested and he fisted his hand in his shirt and pressed against his stomach, hoping it would distract him from the gnawing hunger.

It didn't work.

Next to him, the girl grew more agitated as well, throwing worried glances at him every time his stomach spoke up, even though she must be hungry as well.

Eventually, she tugged at his sleeves, making him stop.

"What's wrong?" he asked alarmed and half-turning to see if he had been too distracted to miss a monster or an actual bandit approaching.

"Nothing." she bit her lip, averting her eyes. "I just...Wait here. I'll be back."

Lark's brows furrowed. "What? Where are you going?"

His pulse spiked up, sudden fear seizing him. He didn't want to be alone again. He knew he couldn't call this girl he barely knew his friend, but he had hoped she would stay a little while longer.

"I'm going to get us some food."

His racing heart slowed down a little. "Oh. Good. I can come with -"

"No!" she cut him off so harshly that Lark nearly flinched back. "Don't follow me. I promise I'll be back. If you promise that you stay here."

Lark nodded dumbly and watched her disappear between the trees until he could neither see nor hear her anymore.

He waited for what felt like forever, tapping his foot nervously and humming a line of a lullaby to calm himself, always repeating in his mind that she had promised to come back, despite how it seemed she had just left him in the woods.

When he finally heard branches snap, he perked up, half expecting having to run away and half giddy with anticipation. He held his breath when the branches blocking his view were pushed to the side –

- and revealed the girl.

Involuntarily, he broke into a grin.

"I almost thought you had gotten lost," he said in greeting which she answered with an eye roll.

"Oh please, if one of us is going to get lost, it's going to be you, city boy."

Lark snorted. "You didn't think I was so useless out here when I made sure we wouldn't sleep without shelter yesterday," he teased.

"Well, I'm the one who knows how to hunt." She lifted her hand, drawing Lark's attention to the bloody rabbit he held in it.

His brows shot up. "How did you-"

"My mother taught me," she said in a strange tone that made it clear she wasn’t about to say any more about that.

Lark knew, it was rude to keep asking, but his curiosity won out.

"She was a hunter?"

An unreadable smile flickered across her face. "Something like that."

"Well," Lark said, putting as much cheer in his voice as he could, finally catching the hint that this was going to lead nowhere, "I'm glad she taught you. It's always nice having a companion who can hunt for food."

She hesitated, then her smile turned soft. "It's also nice to have a companion who sings."

--

After that, Lark made a point of singing for her, especially whenever she would come back from hunting looking tense and strangely nervous.

He knew it wasn't much he was giving her in return for the food, but his singing never failed to make her smile.

"You really are a nightingale," she said when he finished his song.

He grinned at her. "Not quite. I prefer Lark, actually. That's my name. In case you were wondering."

She titled her head to the side and assessed him. He didn't know what she was looking for but she must have found it, for she returned his smile.

"I'm Desanka."

She offered him her hand, a bit redundantly and far too formal or mature for either of them, but Lark took it eagerly, excitement bubbling up in him.

"So... Does that mean we're friends now?" he tried not to sound too hopeful, but failed miserably.

"I guess it does."

--

Lark never thought he'd be able to miss the suffocating narrowness of alleyways or the feeling of being trapped that city walls provided, but after only a couple of days making his way through the woods, he longed to feel something other than dirt and twigs beneath his feet. Uneven cobblestones weren't exactly a delight, but at this point he would have preferred anything to the tiny rocks that kept getting stuck in his shoes or the twigs that would snap in his face when Desanka brushed them aside carelessly - or perhaps she let them hit him fully consciously. Judging from the way her shoulders shook with laughter every time Lark cursed when he got hit, made him think the latter was true. He vowed to return the favour the next opportunity he got.

For now though, he kept complaining about the woods in any way he could.

So it was no wonder that when the trees finally parted and they stepped out of their shadows, Lark felt like he was escaping anew. Camping in the woods hadn't been half bad - in fact, it had felt strangely familiar in a way he couldn't explain - but he was ready to try and get enough coin together to afford sleeping in an actual bed for once.

He closed his eyes, tilting his head back to enjoy the rays of the sun warming his face and hummed a happy little melody.

He didn't exactly expect praise for the silly little tune he composed on the spot, but he hoped to at least find Desanka smiling at him when he opened his eyes again.

Instead, he found her twisting her hands together in agitation, her eyes darting between the city in the not so far distance and the trees behind them.

When their eyes met, she startled, but caught herself quickly, squaring her shoulders.

"I don’t think going there is a good idea," she said with a look that was more confident than her voice would have you believe. "We should stay away from cities."

Lark's brows shot up. "Why? Isn't this where we wanted to go this whole time?"

"I don't know. Yes?" She shifted her weight. "But now that we're here, I think we should just stay away."

"But... When we met you literally tried to steal my non-existent coin. What were you going to do with that if you didn't plan on going into town?"

"I don't know." She sounded more frustrated with every word. "It's not like I planned to run away from home."

Lark became quiet, studying her with knitted brows. His face softened and gently, he took one of her trembling hands in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You didn't?"

"No. I had to go." Her lip started quivering. "I never wanted to leave. But I don't think I can go back. Not just to my town," she added when Lark opened his mouth to speak. "But towns in general. I should stay away from people."

"You didn't stay away from me," Lark said gently.

She snorted. "I sure tried but you wouldn't stop trying to talk me into staying." A shaky grin stretched her lips. "And you were stupid enough not to be afraid of me pointing a knife at you, so I guess you'd not be afraid of - I guess you're safe to be around. It was nice having a friend."

Lark gave her hand a tiny squeeze which she returned shyly. He hesitated.

"You make it sound as if we're not friends anymore."

She winced. "I'm not going back to where people are. I can't. I won't."

She sounded determined, yet Lark couldn’t help but latch onto the fact that she had neither confirmed nor denied what he had said. The small flicker of hope in his chest was all he had, but maybe it was enough. Dreaming a little had never hurt anyone.

"I understand," he said slowly. "But we still need to buy some things. Not that I don't appreciate the rabbits you’re hunting, but we need more food. Better equipment too, if we want to make it out there."

Her head snapped up. "If we... You would stay with me in the wild?” Her wonder turned into an incredulous frown. “Are you stupid?"

He gave her a crooked grin. "I think we already agreed that I am." his tone became more serious. "But yes. Of course I want to stay with you. You're my friend."

"But I wont-"

"You don't have to," Lark reassured her. "I'll go into town alone, get everything we need and go straight back to you."

"What about sleeping in a real bed? You complained about the forest floor for days."

"I also complained about your snoring, but you weren't worried about that. It's alright. It’s just like when you go hunting, right? I promise to come back to you, if you promise to wait for me." 

After a second in which she only stared at him dumbfounded, she nodded. Before he could pull away, she tugged him closer and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug that Lark returned just as fiercely.

--

The town was big, bright and loud. After days in the wilderness and the excitement to get back to civilisation, Lark should have been happy to be here, but in actuality it was disorienting and overwhelming.

He made sure to stick too smaller alleys and places that weren’t bustling with noise. The problem with that was that there was nothing to be gained from that. Sooner or later, he’d have to go to where more people were. The little coin he had with him – his own and Desanka’s – wouldn’t be enough to buy half of the supplies they needed. He had to get more.

For a brief moment, he thought about singing again. His heart yearned to do it, but reality had been cruel and unforgiving. He was well aware that looking like he did, he could earn no more than a handful of coppers at the most, and that wouldn’t be enough and it would take him forever to get any coin at all like that.

Desanka was waiting for him. She was counting on him to come back with enough provisions that they wouldn’t have to worry too much about when they had to go back into town the next time.

Taking a deep breath, Lark steeled himself, before leaving the shadows and entering the marketplace. Immediately, the noise and colours hit him like a ship crashing into a cliff.

A small part of him told him that he should love this, should thrive in a place like this. The feeling that he belonged with people, that this should feel like coming home, grew with every second. But home had never been a good place for him and the only person he had ever felt true belonging with was his new friend.

A friend he needed to take care of now.

His heart was racing, but he made a point of looking as casual and harmless as he could. It wasn’t hard slipping his hand into other people’s pockets and transferring their coins to his own pockets. People kept bumping into him all on their own and didn’t care to even look at him.

Ugly guilt rose in him, but he had little choice in what he was doing. He did it to survive and for the girl waiting for him in the woods. A girl who had never wanted to be on her own but who was too scared to meet other people. A girl who was Lark’s first and only friend. He might not have known her for long, but he would protect her and make sure she was cared for as good as he could. If that meant swallowing his guilt and the unreasonable panic that dragged him under in this crowd, then so be it.

The first thing he bought in this new life he now led, was food that wouldn’t go bad any time soon, two cheap bedrolls and soap.

That should have been enough. He should take it and head out of there as fast as he could.

And yet he lingered, despite the unease making his hackles stand on end.

Right next to the stall with the soap, there was a display of toys, dolls and wooden animals. Before the stall, a bunch of children were gathered, some tugging at their parents’ sleeves, some trying out the toys or looking at them with shining eyes.

A strange longing drew Lark nearer. The only times he had ever had toys to play with, had been when he had been allowed to stay with a family for a couple of days, but as soon as he had become too much and he had to go back on the streets, he had been left with nothing.

That must be the reason why he was now looking at the toys with that strange sensation of needing to be there prickling at the back of his mind. And yet, he got the feeling that there was something else about this. He let his eyes sweep over the toys, ignoring the strange looks he got from the adults and searching for…he knew not what.

At least he hadn’t known, until he found it. His whole body jolted, when his eyes fell on the wooden wolf figure standing at the edge of the stall. The wood was light, nearly white and it jogged something in his memory that he couldn’t explain. He had never seen a wolf in his life – thank the gods for that! – but something told him unmistakably that he needed to have his white wolf.

Subconsciously, his hand went to the pocket in which he carried his coin. Even without looking at the price, he could tell he wouldn’t be able to afford the figure.

It didn’t matter. He shouldn’t waste coin on something trivial like this anyway. And yet his feet wouldn’t move. His whole body was frozen to the spot, all of his thoughts focussing on the white wolf.

“Mama,” a little girl next to him piped up, “I want that one! The wolf!”

Lark’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t think about what he was doing. He couldn’t. In a flash, his hand shot out, grabbing the figure with little subtlety or finesse. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that this was foolish, that he should put the figure back, that he was risking everything for a strange whim he couldn’t even explain.

“Boy!” The gruff voice of the vendor made his head snap back up. “I hope you can pay for that.”

Lark stiffened. “I- Well, I – “

The vendor’s eyes narrowed. He rounded his stall and came closer to Lark, towering above him even from a few feet apart.

Lark’s heart jumped to his throat and without meaning to, he took a step back.

The man’s face contorted to a grimace of disgust and fury.

“Pay for that or I’ll make you pay,” he snarled. When Lark didn’t reply, he took a menacing step closer. “Give it back and get the hell away, you filthy thief! We don’t want your kind here!”

We don’t want your kind here. We don’t want your kind here. We don’t want your kind here.

The sentence kept repeating in his mind, growing louder and louder until it roared like thunder in his head. He snapped his head around, looking for sympathy he knew he wouldn’t find.

The man was still a couple of steps away, but his shouting had attracted the attention of others. Some were turning away, leaving the scene with distrust in their eyes, but most of them turned towards Lark with disdain on their faces.

There were so many of them and they were coming closer, threatening and crushing him. The suffocating guilt and blinding panic turned into a searing pain in his stomach. He pressed his hand against it, almost expecting it to come away bloody despite no one having so much as touched him.

But they would. If he stayed here, they would hurt him. They would shout and throw rocks and get their pitchforks and they would kill him. He needed to get away! He needed –

Without hesitating a second longer, he turned and bolted. The angry shouts of the vendor and his thundering steps followed him, but Lark was running for his life, nothing on his mind but the need to get away.

He pushed through the crowd, skittered around corners, darted through streets, not even stopping to throw a look over his shoulder to see if he was still being followed. All he knew was that if he stopped, if he let himself get caught, he would die. He didn’t want to die! He didn’t want to be alone. He had to get back to his friend!

His breath came in pants. In his hand, he clutched the wolf so tightly that his knuckles turned white, as if the wolf could protect him.

He didn’t slow, until he passed the city gates and entered the protective shadow of the woods.

With a racing heart and burning lungs, he slumped against a tree. In his trembling hand, he held the wolf figure that had nearly cost him everything.

And yet, for some reason, he couldn’t find it in him to regret stealing it. He knew he shouldn’t have. It had been reckless and wrong, but having the wolf with him now soothed an ache in his chest he hadn’t been aware he had carried with him before. But why? What was so important about the wolf that he had been willing to risk his life and his freedom for it? Nothing could possibly be worth so much. Least of all some wolf.

He stayed like that, slumped over, trying to find reason to what he had done, until his heartbeat had calmed. He still was none the wiser. The urge that had overtaken his body at the sight of the white wolf was gone, having left him with no explanation for his actions.

It was only when a light drizzle started to fall from the sky that Lark found the strength to go further into the woods to where he had left Desanka. He rubbed his hands over his face, not sure if he was getting rid of the rain or if somehow unbeknownst to him tears had mixed with it.

It didn’t matter. He shouldn’t think about the panic that had seized him when those people had crowded him. He shouldn’t lose his mind trying to find reason for what he had done in an unthinking moment. Who was to say there even was a reason?

If there was, he shouldn’t care. He had gotten away with it and come tomorrow, they would leave this area to search for a better place to stay a while. For now, all that mattered was that he was safe and so was Desanka.

He found her sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree. Her head snapped up to him when he got closer, though Lark was sure he hadn’t made a sound she could have heard. Worry faded into relief on her face when she saw him and she sprang to her feet almost immediately.

“You’re alright!” In an uncharacteristically enthusiastic and affectionate manner, she ran towards Lark and threw her arms around him.

The way she held him tightly made Lark wonder if she had expected him to change his mind and not come back. He returned the hug with equal fervour.

“Of course I’m alright,” he lied, patting her head. When she didn’t reply, he pulled back a little. “I even got something for you.”

Her brows rose, but Lark was more surprised by his own words than she could have been. He hadn’t stolen the wolf for her. Everything in him screamed to keep the figure close, to not be parted from his wolf, but with a smile, he held it up for her.

Desanka’s eager eyes turned apprehensive when they darted from the figure to him. If Lark hadn’t known any better, he would have said she looked almost scared.

“Why would you give this to me?” She asked in a thick voice, something close to an accusation tinging her tone.

Lark’s fingers closed around the wolf instinctively and he drew back a little. “I-I’m sorry?” he stammered, unsure what exactly he was apologising for. “I just thought you might like it. We… don’t friends give each other gifts?”

Desanka’s throat bobbed nervously. “I… yes, I think they do.”

“You don’t have to take it if you don’t want to.” Lark’s free hand rubbed the back of his neck. “You just looked worried and I thought the wolf could be a protector for you? For when I’m away in town, I mean.”

A strange smile tilted the corners of her mouth upwards when she slowly reached out to take the figure. Lark already missed the weight of it in his hand, but his chest felt lighter when Desanka ran a finger over the smooth wood and her face brightened.

When she looked back up, her eyes were unexpectedly glassy.

“Thank you, Lark,” she said with a quivering voice. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Having seldom received gifts himself and having seen how desperate Desanka had been for a friend, Lark thought that he had a pretty good idea what the simple gift meant for her.

It was about as important to her, as her smile was to Lark when she later put the wolf figure between both of their bedrolls that night so it could watch over them both.

Lark still lay awake staring at the figure when Desanka had already fallen into a deep sleep. The wolf was right there. If he wanted to, he could just reach out and touch it. Yet somehow, the feeling that he needed to find his white wolf lingered.

--

Life was… it was hard to tell what it was. It wasn’t great exactly. Lark still didn’t have a roof over his head most nights and sometimes, when hunger gnawed at him and Desanka, he felt like he had never left the streets, despite months having passed since he had last been in that town he had called his home.

But it wasn’t bad either. Though Desanka refused to teach him how to hunt, she was able to find them something to eat on most days. If Lark was being honest with himself, he wouldn’t have wanted to know how to hunt anyway. The idea of using a knife to actually hurt a living being made his skin crawl and besides, with every time Desanka proved that she could provide for them and Lark praised her for it, she seemed to relax more and more until she was barely recognizable anymore as the girl who had tried to scare Lark away by saying she wasn’t good company and who was afraid that he would leave her without second thought.

Lark still went into towns, whenever he needed too. As much as he hated the shouting and shoving of crowds, it was a necessity. Meat and the few edible plants they found in the woods wouldn’t keep them alive.

Though it still sent a twinge of guilt through him, Lark continued picking pockets. He tried to stick to stealing from people he saw sneering at those they thought below them or vendors who raised their prices when they saw that the hungry costumers had no other choice but to buy from them.

Occasionally, though, when Lark was feeling especially brave or foolish, he still sang on street corners.

It was no surprise that no one paid him any mind. With his ragged clothes, the dirt smeared on his skin and his unkempt hair, he knew he wasn’t someone people wanted to listen to, even though months and years passed and the broken voice of the thirteen-year-old turned into the soft singing voice of a young man who put all of his passion and emotions into his songs.

He knew he was good. He – he hoped he was. Maybe he could have been in another life. A life in which he had been able to afford clothes that didn’t make people sneer at his appearance and stride past without giving him a chance to prove himself worthy of being listened to. In this other life – the one he still sometimes dreamed about, waking or not - he might have even become a real bard. He held onto this thought that should only belong to the dead of night, when he dreamed he were someone else, someone people welcomed in their midst, someone who could put his feelings into song and change the world with it.

But when he woke, the world would be the same as it always had been and so would Lark.

Still, with a yearning he didn’t understand, he looked at instruments in shop windows that were too expensive to buy and too noticeable to steal, even though his fingers itched to run over the smooth wood of a lute and pluck at its strings.

Just looking at the instruments or listening to real bards play them, made his heart clench and his fingers flex, as if mimicking the motions needed to elicit music from a lute.

It was a dream he knew he would never reach. Still, he sang, poured his whole heart into his songs, even though it gained him little more than an occasional coin flung his way, but even the people who granted him that much, didn’t stop to listen to him. He was invisible. Unimportant. A shadow not worth stopping for.

Lark tried to let the dirty looks and snide remarks he received slide off him, but it didn’t take long for Desanka to figure out just how much it hurt Lark that people reacted to his singing this badly.

In comfort, she carded her fingers through his hair while he sang to her. She let him talk about how he had the hint of a melody at the back of his mind that he wasn’t able to get to leave his mouth. Sometimes, she even tried to harmonise with him, though her voice was rough, reminding him more of barking at times, and broke when she sang to high or low.

Still it was better than anything Lark had had in years.

Desanka never left the woods. Even during the winter, she insisted on staying as far away from other people as she could. Lark knew that no matter how many gifts he recklessly got for her – small trinkets, unnecessarily fluffy pillows, a pasty that she had mentioned her father used to make for her – she wouldn’t be able to give him anything the like back. Lark didn’t expect her to, nor did he want her to go to places that she felt unsafe in just to get him gifts.

She didn’t need to do that, anyway. She was giving him something far more precious than any trinket or treat.

She listened to him. She saw him. She got to know him and still decided that he was worth liking.

Lark knew that objectively, his life wasn’t great. But he couldn’t bring himself to think that it was bad either.

The thing he knew for certain was, that it was unexpected.

He wasn’t like the pirate he had dreamed of becoming. Neither was he anywhere close to being that charming, nor did he possess the easy confidence that character had had.

But there was one thing that made Lark like the pirate he had admired: He had taken his life in his own hand and more than that, he had found the one thing the pirate had longed for. He had found a friend that he was willing to risk his life for.

[ddagent]

idk what sahd means but jb having only daughters modern au

yes I prompted all 3 of them no I have no regrets

Aaaah thank you so much for prompting! SAHD = stay at home dad. I did intend to write that version but felt it was too much like my Modern Lion Pride. So I decided to do this idea with twist. I hope you enjoy it!

“Do we really have to do this, Uncle?”

“I’m afraid so,” Tyrion said, adjusting Joanna’s collar before lamenting at the state of Catelyn; all grass stains and bloody knees. “Dearest niece, why don’t you go upstairs and get changed? Maybe into a nice—” 

It was at that point that Jaime intervened. He was already annoyed with his brother interrupting their carefully cultivated Sunday plans (chocolate crepes, two-aside in the garden, before a seafood barbecue) for this ridiculous video interview. But with the upcoming reboot of Harrenhal High, Tyrion had thought that a little extra press about Jaime and Brienne’s family would give them and the show a boost. 

Not that he or Brienne thought they needed more attention. They had received more than their fair share since he and the girls had joined Brienne on the red carpet for her latest feature. “Tyrion, Cat is fine.” He turned to his eldest. “You look great.” 

“The crew is here now, anyway.” 

Brienne’s hand slipped inside his left and squeezed; Jaime instantly biting back the comment that Tyrion was far too much like their father than he realised. Unlike Tyrion, Jaime was a good brother, which was why he, his wife of twenty years, and their three girls were lined up outside their Tarth home to meet with Melara Hetherspoon and her crew. She was petite and pretty, with curly dark hair and a smile that was as bloodthirsty as most entertainment reporters Jaime had met over the years. 

Instantly, the camera was rolling. “Jaime, good to see you.” She pressed her lips to his cheek in a kiss; pink lipstick staining his skin long after she’d moved away. “I don’t know whether you remember, but I had a three-episode guest arc on Harrenhal High.” 

“I do!” He said politely. His enthusiasm and blatant fib brought Elinor into stifled laughter; her eldest sister elbowing her in the ribs out of decorum. “You obviously know Brienne, as well.” 

No kiss this time. Not for his co-star, best friend, and wife. “Of course, Brienne, so lovely to see you again.” 

“And you.” 

“Shall we? I am dying to see where you’ve been keeping yourself all these years!” 

Together, the medley of Lannisters and press trundled into the large seafront property that Jaime and Brienne had bought shortly after Catelyn’s birth. The lounge area was fitted with panoramic windows that opened out onto the ocean; a stack of board games for their Sunday afternoon laid atop the coffee table. Melara’s camera crew got everything: from the rarely seen photographs of their small wedding to picture after picture of their girls.

A pot of tea and a plate of lemon curd biscuits were already laid out. The five of them sat in shot; ten-year-old Joanna burying herself into Jaime’s side while the other two girls sat with their mother. 

“Please, help yourself,” Jaime said, waiting until Melara had poured herself a cup of tea before helping himself to a biscuit. Elinor grabbed one, too; crumbs spraying down the front of her button-down. Behind the camera, Tyrion groaned. “They’re Brienne’s father’s secret recipe. Delicious but crumbly.”

But Melara wasn’t here for biscuits. “So. Jaime Lannister. Star of Harrenhal High. You were well-known for being a heartthrob back then. I can see somethings have not changed.” 

Jaime did not miss the amused looks exchanged between Elinor and Catelyn. He did, however, miss whatever look his wife was throwing him, although no doubt he would be informed of it later; teased mercilessly over his hunk status. “I was on the cover of a few teen magazines.”

“The front of Rose Magazine for eleven straight editions! I, uh, I still have eight of them.” Melara fiddled with her collar. “You played Jay Hill, the resident bad boy of Harrenhal High who was always flirting with Jeyne Rivers, the school’s most virtuous student.” 

Beside him, Catelyn snorted. “Gods, what a cliché.” 

“I mean, seriously!” Elinor scoffed, joining in her sister’s critique. “Who did you play, Mum? The top athlete who suffers from a trope-heavy literacy problem?” 

Brienne had, in fact, played Alys Storm: head of the girl’s football team and owner of an unrequited crush on drama geek Petyr Waters. Brienne’s own crush on Waters’ actor, Renly Baratheon, had been well-documented on set, and the writers had quickly moved on to pairing Jay and Alys in school shenanigans. They had played best friends on the show and in real life for four years. Alys had been Jay’s best woman when he had married Jeyne in a college special. 

“Talking about the show, do you ever see Catelyn Tully at all?” 

“Aunt Cat?” Joanna piped up, answering Melara’s question. “We see her on Dash once a week, and we visit her and Uncle Ned before Sevenmas.” 

Jaime grinned. “Cat was a great friend to Brienne and me. We actually named our eldest after her. She’s amazing; both Brienne and I are sad she won’t be joining us for the reboot.” 

“The reboot of Harrenhal High; such exciting news! Your return to television after being away for so, so long. Your last project was The Kingsguard, I believe.” 

Jaime stiffened. Joanna felt him freeze beside her and wrapped two arms around his middle; her blonde hair brushing his shoulder. Elinor squeezed his hand, although it was the other one that was damaged. A horrible accident, the press had called it. A terrible tragedy. In a split second, he had gone from the paparazzi getting shots of him with dates to them sneaking into his physical therapy sessions. All because of some cunts who didn’t care for being talked down to by the talent. 

“I don’t–I don’t really want to talk about The Kingsguard.” 

“But it was your last television project. Your last major project; the few screen credits you’ve racked up in the last twenty years have been from bit parts in dramatic movies or voiceover work. I mean, you were Jaime Lannister. And then you just disappeared.”

Catelyn shifted forward; both hands clutching her bare knees. “He still is Jaime Lannister.”

“Oh, Sweetling, I know, but you have to understand he was on top of the world! Any movie, any show, any girl. Then he just ups and disappears. Hells, no one even knew about you three until two moons ago!” 

Rather than grow upset, his daughters – lions, each and every one of them – went for the kill. 

“And that really upsets you, doesn’t it?”

“I mean, as a journalist—”

“—if you can call yourself a journalist; reporter may have been more accurate—”

“—the whole profession missed that Jaime Lannister not only was married but had not one—”

“—not two—”

“—but three of us!” finished Joanna, raising three fingers to the camera. “You must be really annoyed with yourself.” 

Before the lions could circle their prey any further, Brienne took charge of the interview. “We are really excited to be taking part in this reboot. We love the show, and we both felt, now that the girls are older, we could step back into the limelight. It can be so difficult with intrusive press. But not with you.” Brienne bared her teeth. “We welcomed you into our home to show you our family.”

Buoyed by the support of his wife and daughters, Jaime rose to his feet. “Come on, Melara. Why don’t we show you the rest of the house?” 

Tyrion, no doubt already on the phone with Melara’s producers, gave Jaime a supportive nod as they showed the camera crew round their home. They told stories of family dinners and baking exploits. Joanna showed Melara her dollhouse (well, doll castle) and all the Age of Dragon-era dresses she had sewn herself. Elinor went through the stack of books on her shelves and even allowed Melara to try out her hammock – and did not laugh when she fell out of it. Cat’s room was wallpapered with Tarth FC posters and a framed strip from the first team to allow women players. 

When it aired a week later, the segment about The Kingsguard was cut. There were, however, lots of shots of Jaime and Brienne and their girls looking like the picture-perfect family they really were. 

[kaypeace21]

Hey Kay! I was wondering... I'm thinking of writing a Byler fic. Is there anything that's missing from the current fic library that you think would be good to see, in terms of tropes, characterisation, things to explore, etc? I would also appreciate hearing from your followers. Just any ideas that people would like to see in a fic.

yeah sure ...

1)We need more povs from Mike’s perspective. (Almost all are from Will’s pov - let’s mix it up sometimes)

Mike in canon is the pinning-gay -(overly romantic) whipped one , but we never see it. And he’s pretty much never written this way! Mike in s3 has 6 drawings from Will on his wall  (he kept them up since s1-for years- despite replacing the poster on the same wall). Has even caressed extra drawings of Will’s that he’s kept in his binder.  In s1 wrote a whole story for Will about defeating a monster and giving the king it’s  7 heads (cause Will rolled a 7 when the demogorgan attacked him.) And as a Star Wars fan he had his own character be given a medal by the king (like how leia gave the medal to Han for his heroism.) He attacked people for insulting Will. Literally hates apologizing -but is quick to do so for Will . Boy ran in the pouring rain twice for Will- disobeying cops, the government, and his parents to do so. He initiates every byler moment (arm thing, hand touch, ‘best thing i’ve ever done’, ‘crazy together, right?’, always asking Will “what’s wrong?” or “are you ok?” etc). And was upset at Will dancing with a girl + insecure about Will replacing him -after he moves away.

-but 90% of byler fanfics (don’t get me wrong some are good) are from Will’s pinning perspective. Also do people realize Mike is clearly the more romantic/ emotional open of the 2 while Will is clearly the more emotionally closed off/aloof one?  He loves Mike too- but he’s def less obvious about his feelings- based on how he behaves. Will rarely opens up to people (Mike being an exception). But, it’s never written that way (usually it’s the opposite).  

2) as a gay women all the reductive stereotypes annoy me. it’s obvious when fic writers try to have the gay romance be modeled after het romance- and try to make one into the ‘girl’/ ‘guy’. Duffers don’t stereotype  Mike or Will but a lot of fanfiction writers do in order to make the gay romance resemble a straight one more (canon character traits, be dammed). Please, stop pushing heterosexual dynamics on gay and lesbian couples and trying to make one “the girl” and “the guy”. It’s very offensive and innaccurate.

Because he’s taller and most people head canon him as bi they make Mike a jock (despite in canon having horrible aim and not being able to run as fast as the rest of the gang). And Will (since most see him as gay) is weak/ sucks at sports compared to mike...despite knowing how to use a bat, shoot a gun, and being able to tear castle byers apart with his bare hands . Also nothing in canon shows Will likes to wear makeup and dress in drag (but it’s a constant thing that i’ve heard come up or heard others mention). It would be fine if he wanted to express himself in such a way. And if it only came up in an occasional fic it wouldn’t be a big deal. But it’s such a common theme that comes up (despite no canon evidence) that in most cases it just screams ‘straight writers trying to make Will into “the girl”’.  Not to mention the huge emphasis of their height difference (shows this too). It can get annoying calling him “short” & “petite” (a term used for women) when will isn’t even the shortest guy member- and now his actor is way taller than gaten (dustin) a bit taller (I think?) than caleb (Lucas) and barely shorter than finn (Mike’s actor). But writers even in future fics write him as short...ok? ya’ll really can’t let go of making Will “the girl.” Cause ya’ll incorrectly equate shortness to femminity. It’s tiring. Some writers straight up say he’s “pretty “, “feminine” or “looks like a girl” 🙄

3) it’s not byler if it’s unrequited- stop tagging it as such

4) more emphasis on Will’s passions(art, writing, horror movies). Maybe in his upbringing with Lonnie.And jon being a good bro to him. Will’s Mental health issues maybe ?

5) mike is a socially awkward, clumsy, unathletic, (caring) science/sci-fi /D&D loving nerd. In au whatever- but mike is not a bro-y jock, or a cool bad boy. 😂 plus , more writer mike would be nice to see

6) headcanon him all you want -but at this point it’s pretty obvious (to me at least) Mike never loved el,and was just lying/confused/ projecting Will on her. And El is/was also confused and never loved mike.   so it would be nicer to see that instead of Mike just ‘falling out of love’ with her. Mike is gay. people say in s3 Will saying “a day free of girls” is gay coded but everyone ignores Mike in s3 saying “BOYS ONLY”. same energy. writers even threw in a telemarketing joke so Mike says in s3 “El? no. sorry not interested.” And Mike has more rainbow refs than Will.  Boy is clearly gay not bi (way too much evidence to talk about here) .  They even  compare mileven to ted/karen who “never loved each other.”   The  writers make fun of mileven constantly and say over and over it’s not actually romantic - (if you choose to read just 1 link read this one  and get with the program) . plus, most Bi dudes  wouldn’t stop being attracted to a girl the more fem she gets (and only be attracted to her when she looks like a “guy”(specifically their guy friend).which yes the characters in s1 said over and over again that El looked like a “boy”/“will”.  And then they have him Makeout with her while putting up a  drawing of said male bff on the wall (cause now she looks less like him) and so he needs to look at said bro, to stomach the makeout seshes/ and in an effort to transfer said romantic feelings from guy friend to gf. Then push his gf’s hands off himself during the kisses- sing to stop kissing, and  kiss to mostly show off how straight he is. And without said pic- not kiss back and just keep his eyes open and not reciprocate. Nor would they have Mike equate het romance to something he thinks he has to do as a part of growing up . Bi dudes consider falling for a girl as simply romance not a foreign idea that has to be done cause there’s no other option and that’s ‘just what old people do’. Mike claims el is the only girl he’s ever had feelings for - but like dustin said mileven is “bullshit “ (stancy parallel -where nancy was not in love but faking it). So mike’s never been into a girl and is also into Will... so...

7) it’s the 80s they can’t just be open/ have pda in public (you could have gotten k*lled or beaten severely.) And most of their friends/fam would not take it well initially. (I think jon, Karen , and steve/robin would take it well... but not most of the crew.) although they’d all prob come around eventually . -Takes me out of a fic to have such historical revisionism when everyone is just totally fine with byler and they’re out to the public/strangers.

but that’s just me. What about you guys?

[currywaifu]

𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: the sims 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: settsu banri/reader 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: sfw 𝐰𝐜: 2.1k words

𝐚𝐧: banri and reader? using the Sims as an excuse to flirt? more likely than you think. been playing Sims 4, and I got a surge of inspiration at like 1 am. also, friends to lovers is one of my faves, goes hand in hand w/ many tropes (fake dating cough cough)

A laptop with no mouse, you’re such a pro-gamer.” Banri teases you, lifting the blankets slightly to let you settle in beside him. Fixing your position on the bed, you let out a laugh as he yelped from the skin contact.

“Your feet are fucking cold!”

You stick your tongue out at him, before turning on your laptop. “Then don’t make fun of my set-up, e-boy! You’re the one who wanted to game in bed.”

“I was expecting gacha-“

“I have event burnout,” you whine in protest, “I need a break from my eternal suffering, so we’re playing the Sims 4.”

Shuffling closer to you, his thighs now beside yours, he watches you load up an unfinished sim from your gallery. He snickers as he looks at the avatar closely.

“Oh, so we’re making each other then?” Banri asks, noting the various clothes that looked incredibly similar to stuff he actually owns. Clearly, you already got a head start. “My face looks kind of fucked though.”

Giggling, you turn to face him. “Obviously it’s hard to do your gorgeous, one of a kind face justice, have pity on my average sim-making skills.” You joked, observing Banri’s expression for a comeback. Whatever he throws at you, you’ll be prepared to throw back.

“Then I’ll let you look at my face as a reference, for as long as you want,” he replies, the quirk of his lips letting you know he had more to say. “Just like how you’re looking at me right now,” he continues, a little softer this time.

Caught off-guard, you force yourself to turn back to the bright blue screen as Banri’s sim lets out various sounds of Simlish non-sense. Did joining theatre make him even more smooth or something?

And here you thought you could avoid the feelings continuously sprouting in your chest. You supposed inviting the object of your affections over to your place didn’t help your case; with your friend spending more and more time as an actor, you secretly longed for and cherished the time you spent together.

Still, with how he grew and bloomed as a person it was hard not to catch feelings.

With a boyish grin set on his face, he found himself revelling in your cute embarrassment. “Made ya speechless?”

“Something like that,” you said half-heartedly.

You always found him attractive, bowl-cut, dumb animal print and all. Of course, as if you would ever tell him seriously lest his ego gets bigger. Yet when you were looking at a picture of him for reference, your thoughts weren’t ‘yeah my friend is attractive, what a good reference for this sim’.

Instead, it was more along the lines of, ‘I’d like to punch his mouth, with my mouth.’

Slightly concerned by your lacklustre response, Banri looks at your face for a sign of discomfort or anger. Lips slightly pouted, eyebrows somewhat furrowed, and eyes completely focused on the screen.

Wait, what were you doing?

“Yo what are you doing to my face! Stop stretching it out!” You were smiling again, so he wasn’t all that bothered by your petty retaliation really, plus it was nice to know he hadn’t said anything that was out of line with you.

“Fine, fine. I wanna get Banny’s face right.” You say.

Banri opens his mouth, then closes it, then lets out a huff of laughter. “You have a nickname for the sim now?” He was about to say more until one of your hands takes hold of his face.

Settsu Banri was not easily flustered, nor did his face turn red from small, insignificant touches. The tingling feeling rendered within him as your fingers brush against his skin, however, was present no matter how much he denied it.

This weird silence wasn’t really his thing, but if he spoke up now or teased you back, there was a chance you would stop. Why didn’t he want you to stop?

Your index finger traces his jawline, the pad briefly meeting his cheek before sliding upwards to the bridge of his nose. He didn’t close his eyes, but with your intense stare piercing through him, his gaze shifts towards somewhere, anywhere else.

The wall was a nice place to set his eyes on. Not so plain that his thoughts would wander but not so cluttered that he wouldn’t know where to start. There was a time when your room was littered with posters from different shows, games, bands- he could remember it pretty well, having made fun of you for it.

At the present a choice few posters still there, but now there was also the addition of photos of you and other people on the wall. Some were polaroids, others were pictures you printed out yourself and taped on.

From afar, he spots several photos with him in it- when you went thrift shopping together, the cultural festivals you dragged him to and the music festivals he visited with you. A part of him is pleased, smug even, to know that he’s important enough to you have his pictures up there.

He hadn’t really thought about it before, but when did the two of you get so close to hang out all the time? You had always been chill with him even when he was a delinquent, but after joining Mankai the two of you had grown closer.

“Oi, Banri. Look at this!”

Huh, when did you stop touching his face?

When Banri looked at the screen appraisingly, his sim version- Banny, you called him, looked a lot more like him. You even dressed him in clothes he would’ve chosen for himself.

“Like the animal print? Downloaded a bunch for you.”

He whistled, looking at the different outfits you chose. “You did pretty good, I guess. Could probably do better though.”

You scoff, looking a little doubtful. Sure, Banri excelled in many things, but making a good sim look-a-like isn’t a common talent, especially without any practice.

“Have you even played the Sims 4 before?”

Shrugging, Banri pulled the device onto his lap from yours. “2 and 3. Never touched 4, should be easy enough.”

He plays around with the options for a bit. After entering your name and gender, he looks through the possible aspirations and traits he could give your sim, which was easy enough. He briefly wondered if you would protest being given a mismatched trait, but when he hovers the cursor over one you don’t react at all. 

Calling out your name, he eyes you from his peripheral. This wasn’t the first time you spaced out today. One arm went in front of you as he waved his hand to catch your attention.

“You can… also,” you paused, chewing on your lip for a few seconds, “for reference. If you wanted.”

He whips his head to face you completely, looking a little shell-shocked.

‘If I wanted?’

He paused, figuring out how to phrase his response. Honestly, he probably didn’t need to- he already has your face mapped out and memorised in his brain at this point, but there was no way he was admitting that.

Besides, if you offered it wouldn’t be wrong wanting to accept.

“Not that I need it, but I’m just making sure, ya hear?” His voice was the same as always, not a sign of wavering to hint at his anticipation or nervousness. “Bet you just want my hands all over ya or something.” He said, doing his best to manage a playful tone but not quite making the cut.

If someone else had said it you would have felt called out, or at worst offended, but you knew he was merely slipping into the language he most felt comfortable using.

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Your voice came out a little shaky at the start, but thankfully he doesn’t out you for it. “Just don’t be weird about it.” There was no doubt in your mind that your cheeks were hotter than the sun, but you were curious about how it felt.

“No pressure,” Banri said, hoping his face is still the picture of nonchalance despite the erratic thumping of his heart in his chest defying it. “You can back out anytime.”

You don’t answer, steadily avoiding his gaze by observing the hand hovering near your face. It twitched.

The blanket shifts as Banri sits in a way where he could look at you properly, putting the laptop aside.

As soon as you felt his fingers come in contact with your face you immediately shut your eyes, unable to bear the embarrassment. A multitude of questions ran through your head, unable to concentrate on a single one.

Why did you offer? Why did he accept? You did the same, so why was it such a big deal if he touched your face? Why did you touch his face in the first place? Why were you so touch-starved? Why did he it feel so nice?

You hoped closing your eyes hid the self-consciousness and pleasure you felt at this moment, enjoying his knuckles glide against your skin.

Banri narrows his eyes, stomach twisting at how overwhelmingly adorable you looked and how soft you were. Hell, you were turning him all soft and sappy and disgusting but that was the least of his worries right now. At least your eyes were closed, he doesn’t have to put on a facade— that this was just a friendly thing, because if he was reading the signs right you were both venturing somewhere beyond that.

His thumbs press against your cheekbones, so featherlight the sensation might as well be from a ghost. You stay still, unable— or perhaps unwilling— to move, and as much as you try to hold it in your breaths grow more and more uneven the longer Banri’s hand lingers on your skin.

You wonder if this is as intimate for him as it was for you.

Your skin is warm and soft, he’s a little conscious if the callousness of his fingertips feels uncomfortable to you.

Even with the slight roughness, his fingers felt infinitely tender as they swept through your cheeks.

Following your cheekbone, he moves to your jaw, to your chin, and with his fingers up again to his forehead, learning the planes of your face. He’s had you memorised visually, but it wouldn’t hurt to familiarise himself with the feeling of you. Banri stretches out his fingers before fully cupping your face with his palms, swallowing when you lean your head into one of them.

“Do you know,” Banri hesitates, “what you’re doing to me?”

His courage wanes, he wants to say more but it’s so difficult sorting out the emotions overflowing within. His head hurts a bit from figuring out what to focus on, the anxiety and panic or the joy and euphoria. The only constant right now was you.

One hand falls to your arm, slowly sliding up and down while leaving goosebumps in its wake. The other continues to rest on the side of your face, thumb inching closer and closer. As the pad brushes against the corner of your lip, your eyes open wide and gaze directly at the familiar pools of blue.

The first thought that flies through your mind is that he’s close enough now to kiss you. Everything about him, the air around them, feels warm and humming with an energy you’ve never felt from anyone before— other than Banri.

“This isn’t easy for me,” Banri lets out a breath, both of you doing your best to not disturb the feeling in the room. His hair falling loose but his eyes never leave yours for a second. “I’ve never… Look, I like being around you. You matter to me. A lot.”

You can’t help the smile that makes its way on your face, the utter adoration, and fondness and love you had for him escaping all at once. With what little space you had between, you pressed your forehead against his.

“You matter to me too. A lot.” You muttered, repeating his confession, closing your eyes again before ever so gently pushing your lips to his.

You’ve imagined how it would be like to kiss Banri before, rough and a little harsh, but as you felt his hand through the baby hairs at the bottom of your head you were more than content at his gentle kissing.

Banri continues kissing you slowly, unsure if the sun had already set, but all that mattered was this moment.

want to order again?

[radishaur]

Sorry I already submitted this but then i realized i could submitt it this way. But whar if y/n has a celebrity crush( still dont care who) and zuko gets jealous

Hi! Firstly, I love your username. Secondly, I would love to do this! I’m going to assume that this is still in the ATLA universe. I hope you like it!

•••

Someone Famous (Zuko x Reader)

Warnings: None

Genre: Fluff

Part: 1/1

Summary: See Request

•••

“Isn’t he just the cutest? Ugh, it should be illegal to be that handsome,” you sighed, continuing to cook dinner with Katara.

Gossiping and having girl talk with Katara was something the two of you had done since the very first day you joined the Gaang. Toph was never one for that kind of thing and Suki wasn’t around for the majority of your travels, so you were a welcome addition.

“I know, right?!” Katara agreed, grinning widely, “And that was only the photo!”

Your conversation carried over into the other room where Zuko, Sokka, and Aang were all relaxing after training. Zuko felt a hint of jealousy hearing you swoon over some random guy but tried his best to hide it from the other boys. Aang seemed to miss it, but Sokka didn’t.

“Someone’s jealous,” he teased, elbowing the other teen in the side.

“No I’m not!” Zuko protested, shoving Sokka away and scowling at him.

“Jealous of what?” Aang asked innocently.

“Zuko’s eavesdropping on Katara and Y/N’s discussion in the kitchen. They’re swooning over some boy,” Sokka explaining, a cheeky grin on his face directed at Zuko.

“I’m not eavesdropping, Sokka. They’re just loud,” Zuko groaned, once again trying to defend himself.

Sokka rolled his eyes and laid back into the couch, ready to let the topic go and continue talking, but Aang seemed suddenly very interested in their conversation.

“I mean, it couldn’t hurt to listen. Maybe then you can get intel on what kind of boy’s Kata- I mean Y/N likes! ...Yea...,” Aang said, grinning sheepishly at his slip up.

Sokka sent an empty glare at Aang that still managed to make him cower, nevermind that he was the AVATAR, but conceded to eavesdrop with the other two.

All three boys sat silently, the sound of Katara and your’s talking filling the room easily. Zuko was right after all. You guys weren’t exactly quiet.

“And those eyes! Don’t get me started on those eyes,” Katara giggled.

“I know. It’s no wonder he’s famous,” you said, sending a sinking feeling in Zuko’s stomach.

This guy was famous? It was bad enough when he thought the person was some random nobody, but someone famous? How was he supposed to compete with that? He was just a banished prince with an ugly scar on his face.

Not even trying to hide his souring mood, Zuko dunk into the couch and crossed his arms. Aang and Sokka were still listening animatedly.

“Shuji has got to be one of my favorite celebrities. Not only is he a good performer, but I’ve heard he’s actually a good person,” you said.

Zuko remembered seeing a poster for a famous street dancer in the marketplace of Ember Island named Shuji. He was a performer from the colonies, using his fire bending and Earth Kingdom good looks to dance and to charm the hearts of his audience. To be honest, even Zuko had to admit he was handsome. He could never compete with him.

“He seems like such a genuine person. It’s hard to beat that combo. Handsome and kind. What a dream,” Katara swooned, a lovesick expression on her face.

Aang visibally deflated at her words, mirroring Zuko’s own crestfallen expression. Sokka seemed to notice the gloomy boys because he rolled his eyes and turned to face them.

“You guys, it’s just a celebrity crush. They don’t actually have feelings for him,” Sokka said concolingly.

Zuko just grunted and continued brooding. Aang seemed to be a little brighter at the encouragement but he still looked disappointed. Before either of the boys could respond, Katara’s question caught their attention.

“What’s your top 3 list of celebrity crushes?” she asked excitedly.

Zuko listened intently, trying to push down the feelings of jealousy he was experiencing about listening to you talk about other guys. Maybe if he listened he could figure out your type at least. Even if he never thought it would be him.

“Hmmm. Top three? That’s hard. I guess my #3 would be Shuji, my #2 would be Kichi, the actor from Omashu, and my number one would be...,” you paused, trying to think of who it could be.

Zuko was on the edge of his seat. So far, your type was Earth Kingdom boys which wasn’t anywhere close to him. He grabbed the cup of tea in front of him to hopefully calm him down and took a sip.

“Oh, I know! My #1 without a shadow of a doubt has to be the Blue Spirit!”

Zuko promptly choked on his drink, spitting it out as he began to cough out what got caught in his throat, his jealousy gone and replaced with shock. Aang was looking at him with wide eyed and a huge smile. Sokka began pounding on his back to help him clear his throat. Apparently the commotion caught your and Katara’s attention, because the two of you also ran into the room to see what was going on.

“Zuko, what happened?” you asked in concern.

Zuko was still too busy coughing to respond. Aang took that as his opportunity to answer for him.

“We were just listening to your guy’s conversation. Do you really like the Blue Spirit that much?” Aang asked, smiling innocently and ignoring the wild look of panic that crossed Zuko’s face.

You didn’t seem at all bothered by the question though, simply laughing and smiling back at him.

“I do, actually. I know that he’s had questionable ethics in the past, but he saved you from Zhao. That and I saw him once when we were in Ba Sing Se,” you admitted, the corner of your lip turning up slightly at the memory.

“You did?” Sokka asked in shock.

“I didn’t know that,” Katara said, feigning hurt at not being told the secret earlier.

“It didn’t seem that important to mention!” you argued, crossing your arms defensively.

“You’ve gotta tell us!” Aang said excitedly, bouncing in his seat.

“Well, I was just walking around the lower ring when I saw this lady getting robbed. It was getting kind of late, so it was kind of dark. I was going to jump in, but then he came out of the shadows and beat me to it. He gave the lady her belongings back before disappearing again,” you explained nonchalantly.

“He seems like a great guy,” Katara said with a small smile.

“I think so. I didn’t see him again after that, but I kept hearing stories of the Blue Spirit who would come out at night and save people from danger. Maybe they’re just rumors, but I know what I saw that night. Besides, I can respect a man who changes for the better like that. Like Zuko!” you exclaimed, turning to smile brightly at him.

It was then you noticed his face was a bright red and he was curling into himself on the couch. He averted his gaze as everyone turned to look at him, his embarrassment clear. You cocked your head to the side, not understanding what was going on at all.

“Zuko, buddy, what’s wrong with you?” Sokka asked, shaking Zuko slightly with a hand on his arm.

“I um...N-Nothing. I’m fine,” he forced out, still refusing to look at anyone but especially you.

Frowning, you made your way to the coffee table and sat down on it across from Zuko. It was pretty hard to ignore you from there, especially when your knees brushed his.

“You’re not fine. Spit it out. Why does the Blue Spirit make you so uncomfortable?” you insisted, leaning back against your arms.

Zuko flicked his gaze over to Aang who simply gave him a small thumbs up and a smile. He bit his lip before returning his gaze to you. You stared at him expectantly, but your gaze was free of judgement. He felt his heart flutter as he looked at you and decided to just admit it.

“It’s just that uh, well.... actually I’m the Blue Spirit.”

The room was silent for a moment as everyone processed the new information. You seemed the most shocked of them all and he felt his heart drop as he watched a million emotions flash across your face.

“It’s true,” Aang piped in, “I saw him when he rescued me. His mask fell off when he got hit in the face with an arrow.”

Silence once again filled the room and Zuko felt his heart sink. He was waiting silently for you to judge him and think differently of him for lying or pretending to be someone he wasn’t, but that never came. Instead, he felt you wrapping him in a warm embrace.

“That’s so cool!” you exclaimed, pulling back from your hug before asking eagerly, “Did you really save a a kid from falling out of a window or was that a rumor?”

He opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. Sokka snickered from beside him and began cracking some joke about how Zuko was broken now. None of it reached his ears though. He was too nosy looking at you in a mix of awe and apprehension. Maybe this was all a joke?

“You’re not mad?” he managed to ask quietly.

“Mad? Of course not! I just said you were my number one idol. Why would I be anything but excited?” you asked, clearly confused.

“Actually, you said he was your celebrity crush,” Aang corrected you, innocently oblivious to the embarrassment that caused you.

Your cheeks reddened as you turned to face Zuko with a sheepish smile.

“Right. I did say that.”

Zuko’s jealousy was long gone at that point. The two of you spent the rest of the night talking about his adventures as the Blue Spirit, from how he got the mask to how he ended up becoming a savior instead of a thief. Before the two of you noticed, it was the late hours of the night and both of you were getting tired.

“I should probably go to sleep. I have a long day of training with Aang tomorrow,” Zuko said, standing up awkwardly to leave.

“Yea, I should go too,” you said, standing up as well.

There was an awkward pause as the two of you simply looked at each other. It was like the world stopped and nothing else mattered but the other person. After a few more moment, it was you who broke the silence.

“Hey Zuko?” you asked quietly, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah?”

“Remember how I said you were my celebrity crush without really knowing it was you?”

“...Yes?”

“Well, I have something to confess.”

“What is it, Y/N?”

“You’re not just my celebrity crush. You’re also my actual crush.”

Zuko couldn’t stop a giddy smile from breaking out on his face. He began laughing which made you frown. You thought he was laughing at you, which made you want to take back everything you had just said and bury yourself in the ground.

“I like you too, Y/N. A lot,” Zuko admitted before you could say anything.

You smiled up at him, the full weight of his words lifting a weight off your shoulders. He actually liked you back. You actually liked him back. The two of you had the stupidest grins on your faces as you stood together.

Zuko let his hands curl around your waist and pulled you closer. You had no qualms about that, moving your arms to rest on his shoulders. Slowly, giving you time to back away if you wanted, he began to lean in to kiss you. You moved your head up to meet his and felt your lips melt into his.

If this was going to be the outcome everytime, perhaps you should talk about your celebrity crushes more often.

[kermitthequeer]

review: Color Rush

Disclaimer: This is my very own humble opinion. If you  agree with my review, I’m glad that I’ve found someone like-minded, if  you do not agree, that’s fine too. Every opinion is valid. Don’t hate me  for mine.

I do not speak any asian language and therefore I rely solely on subtitles. And we all know that they are not always flawless. So if I misread a situation or misunderstand something, feel free to inform me. Spoilers ahead!

Genre: BL

From: Korea

Known Actors:  /

Trigger Warnings: obsession, death, attempted suicide

Rating: 7.5/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ ☆    

Synopsis: Yeon Woo knows the world is full of colors but he has never seen them for himself, he’s only able see the world in shades of grey. At least until the day Yoo Han comes crashing into his world. And it turns out that they are mono and probe. Means that Yeon Woo is able to see colors, everytime Yoo Han takes off his mask. While all this is going on, his aunt Yi Rang searches desperately for her sister who went missing years ago.

Main Character(s): Choi Yeon Woo, Go Yoo Han

Side Character(s):  Jung Joo Haeng, Kim Min Jae, Yoo Yi Rang

Short Appereance: Yeon Woo’s mother & father, the school nurse

Main Couple(s): YeonWooxYooHan

Side Couple(s): /

My review:

I went into this show trying to keep my expectations low - well as low as I can keep them. This was my third korean BL, before that I watched Where Your Eyes Linger and Mr. Heart and I liked both of them. Oh boy, I wasn’t ready for the rabbit hole I was going down.

I always try to remain a somewhat objective side in my reviews, so that everyone can enjoy it, no matter if they actually liked the show or not. I will try my best to do it with this BL as well, but just know that it’s not easy for me. The last few days were a wild ride and thanks to the pandemic and the semi-lockdown that we have for weeks now, I am in no good place to get emotionally attached to characters or series. But here I am.

In this review there will be a few terms that some may not know or understand and before I have to repeat myself, here a little definition:

Mono: A mono, is a person that isn’t able to see colors, even though they have everything they needed to. Their brain just can���t decipher them for some reason. Only, when they look at the face of a special someone called “probe” they are able to see colors.

Probe: A probe is a person which can see all colors and by looking at their mono, with their whole face uncovered the monos can see colors.

Color Rush: It’s something the mono experiences every time, he looks at his probe. The frist few times are pretty heavy and the mono mostly faints, but at a while the effects wear off.

Decolorating: After some time (e.g. the mono isn’t looking at the face of the probe anymore, they seperate) they begin to lose the ability to see colors again. It depends on different factors (e.g. how many colors rushes did you have, how close are you with your probe, etc.) The more you “get used to” your probe the longer you can see colors.

Anyway, let’s begin.

Yeon Woo and Yoo Han

In the beginning of this story our main character, Yeon Woo, explains his view on this whole mono/probe thing. He himself is a mono and his mother was also a mono. The chance for a mono to meet his probe is extremely rare and most don’t think that they will ever meet their probe at all - and so does Yeon Woo.

The problem with the whole mono/probe thing is that many monos are getting really often obsessed with their probe and the colors that they are able to see. The fear of losing them is driving them insane and therefore some monos kidnap, hurt and kill their probe.

Yeon Woo stance to that: A mono should never meet his probe.

After beating up some guy who made fun of Yeon Woo for being a mono, he has to transfer schools again. On his way there he explains that he can actually see different shades of grey and that his mother teached him the ten differenct shades of the grey color palette.

Introduction of orange hoddie guy. He slept on his desk but now he wakes up (the teacher’s don’t even care to wake him up anymore, love that). And after he introduces himself as Yoo Han, he wants to make very clear (perhaps too clear) that Yeon Woo is “really pretty”.

He even gets up from his chair and follows Yeon Woo across the room, to tell him that again. In case he forgot over the course of a few minutes. But hey, we all need a friend who constantly reminds us that we are enough and beautiful, go Yoo Han!

Anyways, Yeon Woo is minding his own business and stares at a poster and after Yoo Han once again admired Yeon Woo’s beauty, Yoo Han takes of his mask, that he was wearing for some reason (Joo Haeng said that he tried to make it a new trend or smth).

We don’t know why he took it off. If he had trouble breathing, if he wanted to prove to Yeon Woo that he was also stunningly handsome or if he just felt like it.

And that’s when Yeon Woo experiences his first color rush. Overwhelmed by the it he faints. And for some reason, Yoo Han seems not scared at all but excited to be part of this adventure. And after taking Yeon Woo to the school nurse, he says something along the lines of: Oh his eyes are closed but his eyes are moving, that means that he is experiencing a color rush.

And the nurse, that probably doesn’t get paid enough, repsonds with: Yeah, maybe. I dunno, it’s my first time seeing this. Let me know if he rips out his eyeballs or dies or smth. I gotta go get some stuff. Bye.

Yeon Woo opens his eyes and is amazed by the colors that he is able to see. But loses the ability pretty quickly. And Yoo Han declares - in case Yeon Woo might have missed it - that he is in fact Yeon Woo’s probe.

Of course, Yeon Woo is really sad that he is back to the grey-ish palette of life again, but he stays strong and says that he does not want to do this again. He reminds Yoo Han that being a mono/probe is all fun and games until the mono get’s obsessed. Like, monos have kidnapped and killed their probes and apparently ate their flesh?

But Yoo Han couldn’t be more unbothered by that. And I don’t know if I should be impressed or worried because of that. After Yeon Woo explains his concerns to Yoo Han, the guy’s like: Ah.

Yoo Han is not only immune to fear and common sense, he is also very headstrong and is determent to teach Yeon Woo the colors. The question we all have in mind probably is:

Why is Yoo Han so eager to continue this dangerous relationship?

Well we get a great answer to that from Yoo Han himself: He likes Yeon Woo’s eye moevement while he experiences a color rush, so...yeah.

Great reason, let’s move on.

The next day of school, Yoo Han got a color palette to show Yeon Woo and to teach him the different colors. But since Yeon Woo doesn’t want to do a color rush again he pretents that he isn’t interested. Yeon Woo has enough of Yoo Han constantly being all up his ass with all this color rush thing, so he tries to leave. But Yoo Han tricks him. After Yoo Han recognizes that Yeon Woo isn’t giving in, he takes off his mask. Yeon Woo faints and wakes up in the nursing room.

This time, the nurse isn’t there. it’s probably her break or something. Before Yeon Woo can get really upset about Yoo Han’s trick, he sees the colors palette and all the colors on it. And the desire in him grows. But decolorating happens only a few seconds later.

And there’s where we see the first glance of desperation of Yeon Woo. He demands that Yoo Han takes off his mask, so he can see the colors again, but Yoo Han is a smart business man and so he wants something in return. He’s like: That was the preview, the free trial is over. From no on, you gotta pay.

And since Yeon Woo isn’t giving in, their ways part. And the story ends...if Yoo Han would actually respect boundaries. But he doesn’t so here we go.

Yoo Han tries again to lure Yeon Woo into agreeing to his deal. He shows him with the power of science and prism a rainbow and the nightview.

No matter how hard Yeon Woo tries to stay away from Yoo Han, Yoo Han pulls him back in.

Yoo Han says that this the last time, that he will give Yeon Woo a color rush for free. And Yeon Woo agrees, thinking that this will be his last time before telling Yoo Han that he will end this for good.

As the colors seem to fade away again, the desperation creeps up on Yeon Woo once again. He asks Yoo Han what he wants in return to keep doing this. And as we all know he wants to look at his face.

And to our big surprise, Yeon Woo finally agrees to Yoo Han’s deal. The next day, Yeon Woo regrets what he did, just like someone who drunk too much last night. He considers to avoid Yoo Han, but we all know how that works out.

So, Yoo Han has the great idea to scare Yeon Woo, by jumping in front of him and scream, which results in Yoo Han getting accidentally punched by Yeon Woo. They go the the nursing room and at that point I ask myself how they are doing in school, since they never seem to attend classes.

The nurse is probably still on her break or she just quit, who knows. We get the classic “I’ll treat your wound” scene. The inevitable happens, and after putting a little too much pressure on Yoo Han’s wound, Yoo Han flinches and the mask slides off his face. Another color rush.

Yeon Woo wakes up but can’t remember anything. Yoo Han explains that Yeon Woo cried his eyes out, but didn’t seem concious.

Yeon Woo apparently said that he needed the colors to see the headband (of his mother who disappeared and apparently wore the headband that day).The nurse comes in and seems not too happy about the fact that these two visit her at least once a week.

She says that this was totally normal and one of the phases a mono went through, while adjusting to one’s probe. The color rush would extend and he would not be able to remember afterwards. In that way his subconcious could surface.

And while Yeon Woo’s feelings are still all over the place, Yoo Han has set his priorities straight: So that he get’s used to the color rushes is a good sign, right?

Like, your man is sitting there crying his eyes out and you think about him adjusting to you? Dude, at least pretend that you care about his inner turmoil.

The nurse keeps up a professional facade and adds as polite as she can be: Don’t do it at school for the time being. Which basically translates to: Can you two give me a break for once? I haven’t worked this hard since 1986 and I’m 29.

On their way out, Yoo Han says: I’m happy that you are adjusting to it. Like he just wasn’t right next to Yeon Woo weeping like someone would rip his heart out. That’s when Yoo Han remembers that he has a heart and should use it once in a while and he adds: You scared me a little back there.

Yeah, me too, buddy. Me too.

While Yoo Han tries to have this converstaion, Yeon Woo is caught up in his thoughts. And I mean he has all reason to be upset. He is scared of what will come next. What if he get’s used to his probe and the colors? What comes after that? Obsession...kidnapping?

Because Yeon Woo hasn’t said anything, Yoo Han is scared that he might has forgotten how pretty he is, so Yoo Han has to remind him again. We love a supportive probe. But for real Yoo Han, we got it the first three times, I think he knows by now.

Yoo Han doesn’t think about any of this “obsession”-stuff at all, so he doesn’t get why Yeon Woo isn’t so thrilled about the whole thing. Outside, Yoo Han cuddles Yeon Woo from behind and says that he was actually worried earlier and they have to wait here because it’s raining.

We never get an explanation why that’s a problem. Maybe he forgot his umbrella and doesn’t want to get wet or wait there all on his own? Or Yoo Han hopes that he can show him a real rainbow this time? But wouldn’t it be a little careless to do another color rush shortly after what had happened?

Yeon Woo is again caught up in his thoughts. And we can feel how much he suffers already: [...] But when I felt a moment of happiness, I saw the happiness draining out from my view. Loss. Only having moments of happiness...that leave me all alone in a land of grey...terrifies me.

Long story short, Yeon Woo tries to run away, and after Yoo Han stops him and asks why he did that, he says: Because it just crossed my mind that I want to keep you forever.

HUGE RED FLAG my guy! Yoo Han RUN!

This might have been cute in other shows and all...because we tend to romantacize this “I can’t live without you” and “I never wat to lose you”...but we all know that it isn’t meant in a cute way. He wants to keep him. You know, like you would keep an object. A refrigerator or something like that. Not a human being.

The following day, Yoo Han is not in school and you got me there. I was really thinking that maybe my boy here would finally take a hint and leave. Yeon Woo thinks that it’s because of what he said to him yesterday, which would make sense. But we all know Yoo Han, with his death wish that he probably has and the distance that he keeps from comon sense.

So, of course he isn’t avoiding school, becaue his mono - that told him mulitple times that monos get obsessive and kidnap their probes - just now told him that he wanted to keep him. And it seems that Yoo Han is really wearing rose-colored glasses, because he isn’t able to see the red flags. Or maybe he has his own reasons why he wants to be near him...(yes I’m blatantly forshadowing here).

He later texts Yeon Woo and they make a trip to “have fun with colors”. This is the first time Yeon Woo doesn’t faint, while experiencing a color rush and they goof around and hold hands and are cute together. And Yeon Woo is thinking that he would want to keep these colors and the happy feeling forever, even if that would mean that he would have to hurt Yoo Han...true love right there, people.

Alas, this trip ends and Yeon Woo returns to his tense state, worrying that he might get more and more attached to his probe. He thanks Yoo Han for this trip and wants to go, but Yoo Han isn’t ready to let him go just yet.

So, they both return to Yeon Woo’s house, thinking that the aunt is still on her “business trip”. Shortly before Yeon Woo’s father died, he painted a picture of his mother, but he never got a “real” look at it with all its colors. Yoo Han agrees to help him see the picture with “all its colors”. After a brief breakdown and Yoo Han reassuring him that he is by his side and he will be the key to his colors, the door opens. Turns out the aunt is back! You didn’t see that coming, did you?

Yeon Woo and Yoo Han try their best to keep their mono/probe status a secret. And they are as good in hiding a secret as kids are, when they give you a totally normal drink that they definitely didn’t fill with salt or dirt or something and can’t stop giggling and begging you to take a big sip.

Yeon Woo tries to act normal, even though he sees his aunt in “full color” for the first time. And Yoo Han is over there smililing like: yep, I know exactly what’s going on right now, you can thank me later.

Yeon Woo walks Yoo Han to the bus station. On their way Yeon Woo is happy to let Yoo Han know that he can still see the colors. And Yoo Han gets all excited like: OMG! That means that your feelings for me let you slowly accept it. And Yeon Woo is like: Yeah, no definitely not. Feelings for you??

They arrive at the bus station and Yoo Han has to flex with his kind of impressive knowledge about colors.  After Yoo Han entered the bus, Yeon Woo’s decolerating.

Yeon Woo is again, desperately trying to cling onto the colors and has a minor breakdown. Thinking that without Yoo Han life is empty and lifeless and he’s just feels like an empty shell. And I’m here like...dude the ship is about to sail, get on board and leave as long as you can! You are already obsessed with him, please!

As he returns back to his aunt, she let’s him know that she ain’t stupid and knows that Yoo Han is his probe. Isn’t that obvious? The whole school probably knows already. I mean, look at them.

The aunt got all the brain cells and she’s like: You have to transfer schools and we have to move. Finally an adult being an adult and doing wise and good things. But oh no, it’s too late and Yeon Woo is determent to stay: “I will try my best to handle it. I’m different I’m not like other monos.” I can resist and rise above the urge.”

Huh..my dear, are we just pretending like you weren’t breaking down, because your life felt lifeless without him and you already think about keeping him? And now you are sitting there pretending you are all high and mighty and “different?” while you are obsession over the guy you met like a week ago? Lying to her saying that you can handle it and will rise above the urge, while you had a breakdown just FIVE MINUTES AGO? Mmk...

And the aunt is continuing asking the real questions: Are you not aware of the loss you’ll experience? How can you possibly handle that? And I’m like: YES! Please, help them! Go get him! But alas, my hopes crashed, because Yeon Woo starts to cry and no one can be mad at Yeon Woo when he cries. And so his aunt’s like: K, we stay.

And so these wise words were sadly too late. Yeon Woo is already in too deep. The next time he is in school, Yoo Han is not there. And he switched to full obsession mode. With a concerningly calmy voice he asks his friends: What if I kidnap Yoo Han? Like it was something totally normal to ask.

Joo Haeng tries to make this situation less weird and says: Hah..ha.. I mean, if you would kidnap him he probably would lock the door himself.

His other friend, Min Jae totally looks through this “jokes” and says: Do you really want to become a monster? That’s when Joo Haeng seems to understand that this wasn’t a joke at all. And his expression changes and you could slowly see the realisation:.haha..that’s a weird joke to make..okay..no one’s laughing..wait..you were joking right?

Yeon Woo falls more and more into the dark rabbit whole and buys a bunch off stuff that you would totally need to kidnap someone, but the seller is like: Teenagers these days. Guess, I’m minding my own business. Which I always aprove, but not in this case! Dude you live in a world with monos who go insane and kidnap their probes and you don’t wanna maybe...inform some authorities? Check his ID or call the police? Anything? No?

Espacially with so many cases popping up shouldn’t monos get asigned some therapist or counselor or someone who keeps an eye on them?

While Yeon Woo is researching how to tie a rope, his aunt comes in and asks him, if he is okay. Sweety, I love you, but he is CLEARLY NOT OKAY! She says that she can feel that something’s off. He reminds her off his mother, shortly before she brought home his father. Yeon Woo reassures her that he’s fine and not up to anything. And she just...  leaves.

Yoo Han returns to school because he missed Yeon Woo - probably the way Yeon Woo stares at him. Yoo Han notices the mark on Yeon Woo’s wrist (he tried to tie the rope around his wrist to learn it) and get’s worried. But not about himself, of course. Because why would you?

And Yeon Woo’s like: I wonder how this mark seems to him. Well I’m telling you, if he isn’t running away now, don’t worry too much about Yoo Han, because I think that he really has a death wish. He would probably tie his own rope, if you ask him nicely.

Yeon Woo reminds us that he was right all along. A mono and a probe shouldn’t meet. A mono will only hurt his probe, because he doesn’t want to lose, what the probe can show him.

So, yeah. What’s the lesson here, kids? When someone tells you that they are “not good for you” or “dangerous”, believe them. Because they are.

Despite Yeon Woo’s assumptions, Yoo Han can’t read minds and that’s why he has no clue what’s going on. Instead, he lists the different shades of brown. And oh boy did this show teach me about all the different shades of colors I didn’t know existed.

Yeon Woo is seemingly melting. The two look at a picture that Yeon Woo painted of his mother in grey colors. They talk a little about how Yeon Woo sees the world, when Yoo Han isn’t there.

Despite standing so close to his probe, Yeon Woo decolerates. This catches him totally off guard and he runs away. At home, he rambles on about how he becomes a monster and that this monster is coming for Yoo Han. And that there is only one way to keep Yoo Han safe. And he uses the rope and tries to hang himself.

He wakes up in a hospital. His aunt is with him and tells him that he was out for ten days. She adds, that she knew that something was up and what he was planing. Mmhm, yeah of course. That’s what I always say when I pretend that I saw a plot twist coming. I know your game Yi Rang.

The house is back on the market and no one knows where he is (well besides the two of them ig). We follow him for an unclear amount of time. He takes pills that are supposed to help him.

Even though Yeon Woo is sad that this means goodbye Yoo Han, he accepts it, thinking that this was the only way that things could get back to normal again. What a selfless man. Putting the well being of his love before his own happiness (well it’s also better for his sanity tbh).

And that’s how it all en- Oh, right. Yoo Han is not selfless and he doesn’t care about his own well being. That’s why one night, after Yeon Woo overanalyses his current situation, someone is standing outside of his window. And surprise: It’s Yoo Han.

He climbs through the window with such grace that I thought that this might be a dream. And Yeon Woo probably felt the same, because he says that this can’t be real and that this is probably only another hallucination. But Yoo Han takes off his mask to show him, that he’s real. He is here to rescue him..from the hospital, I guess. After Yeon Woo changed, they both run to a bus station and drive off into happiness aka to the ocean.

They are planning to go to the beach, because Yoo Han wants to show Yeon Woo the real color of the ocean, but they have to stay at a hotel overnight. While Yoo Han has to sleep on the floor, he opens a little bit up about why he is here and what happened.

And what basically happened is: Yeon Woo disappeared and because he didn’t want to lose him, this was the only solution he had in mind.

The next day they both chill at the beach and it’s time for Yoo Han to show off his color-knowledge again. So he lists all the different shades of blue - well the shades he can recall. And Yoo Han says that he memorizes them and the thought of Yeon Woo would make it easier for him to do it. What a man, honestly. Like, I struggle lately with studying and concentrating and seeing him putting up with all that work for, so he can pretend that he is the master of the color-universe for two minutes or less. That’s determination.

Yeon Woo calls his aunt to make sure that she doesn’t die of a heart attack, after her nephew also disappeared and the aunt says that Yoo Han has a really powerful family and that they will press charges against Yeon Woo for kidnapping Yoo Han, if they don’t come back. Yeon Woo is upset that Yoo Han’s parents are pressing charges against something he didn’t do (well I mean he probably did it multiple times in his head).

Yoo Han FINALLY tells him the whole truth. That he is no longer interested in becoming an idol and prefers to study and (more importantly) he tells him the REAL reason why he was so eager to have Yeon Woo around him.

And get ready you guys because this will blow your minds: He isn’t able to recognize faces. Faceblindness. BUT he is ablte to see Yeon Woo’s face. Which was the reason that he was so drawn to him. Everytime they would seperate, he wouldn’t be able to remember it. Only, when he saw him in front of him (espacially when he experienced a color rush) he was able to see it.

Just imagine how lucky they are? I mean, just imagine you can’t see faces and one day you can. But only one face and this one face belongs to Yeon Woo who is just gorgeous and has a beautiful and kind soul. It could’ve been any face that he was able to see. Same goes for Yeon Woo. His probe could’ve been anyone. To be this lucky just once in life..

Yeon Woo still worries that he might get even more obsessed over time and that he might harm Yoo Han one day. But Yoo Han is like: Dude, don’t you realize how super special we are? I can only see your face and you can only see colors with my face. I don’t care. I can see your face. You can see colors. We like each other.

And so they kiss and become boyfriends and return home.

A little time jump. Yeon Woo is preparing some food for Yoo Han and talks to his aunt who is not a fan of all of this but she supports him anyways. In school Yoo Han is talking to Min Jae who is giving him the code to the rooftop door of the school, so Yeon Woo and Yoo Han can have a little date. And everything is back to normal. The mother is still missing, Joo Haeng is still treated like the  least favorite child by Yoo Han. And Yeon Woo and Yoo Han still don’t attend classes.

Min Jae and Joo Haeng

Apparently Joo Haeng and Yoo Han are childhood best friends, even though Yoo Han seems to have a different definition of friends than I do. Yeon Woo meets the guys on his first day at school.

They are helping him, when he experiences a color rush. Min Jae is able to speak to his dead grandpa and gets visions form time to time. And the fact that Min Jae was able to predict the death of two students is just quickly talked about.

While Yeon Woo and Yoo Han have their moments we sometimes see Joo Haeng and Min Jae had their little “look at them being all cute and in love together” moments.

The aunt

Most of the time the aunt is away for “business trips” and Yeon Woo explains to us that she is actually looking for her sister. We never find out if she actually finds clues or why she is looking for her on an island.

Yeon Woo has many chances to tell his aunt that he has met his mono, but every time he chooses not to. Eventually she finds it out herself, after looking at Yeon Woo and Yoo Han for five minutes. And I mean, that was relatable.

When she walked in on Yeon Woo doing suspicous stuff, the only thing she says it: Don’t do anything stupid. Because that ever prevented something stupid from happening. Ma´am, if you think that he might be up to something stupid and you feel the need to point out that he shouldn’t do anything stupid why don’t you keep an eye on him???

In the end she is still a little careful about her nephew and the probe, but she accepts them being boyfriends, I guess.

Things I disliked

This show was wild ride. I even considered droping it, because I was not in the right mental state to watch a bad ending. But I made it through and I’m happy that I did. I love this show. But you know me. Nothing’s perfect.

Better built up to the drama. Even though the built up was pretty good, it would’ve been way better, if it did include the side characters more. So that the side characters could actually play an important/active role in this. Like the random nurse who was only there for exposition and only appeared when it was convenient, she could’ve seen Yeon Woo being all obsessed and talk to him or Yoo Han about it. And I mean, Min Jae was able to see visions and knew so much. He could’ve talked to Yoo Han about Yeon Woo “joking” that he would kidnap Yoo Han.

Too much plot for too little time. Most BL Kdramas have about the same length as a movie (circa 80 min.) which seems much, but really isn’t, compared to straigth Kdrama and the fact that it’s a series not a movie. It is espacially not enough, when you look at the heaviness of the plot. If you have a lighthearted and fluffy show, you don’t need to go too much into depth and make a 200 min. drama out of it. But Color Rush deals with so many heavy topics (obsession, suicide, loss). And the series is suffering because of that (so many questions left unanswered).

Like, the obvious one is that the mystery about the mother’s disappearence is never actually a plotline. The aunt runs off looking for her and Yeon Woo is sad because she’s gone but that’s it. I watched this show so many times and the more I watch it, the more questions I have... Did the mother also plan to kidnap the father? But they fell in love and got married before she could go psycho on him? Did she kill him? Is that why the mother disappeared? Did she run away because she just couldn’t live without him after he allegedly died?

And also an important questions: Why the hell, was Yoo Han so styled up in the last two episodes? He arrived with his hair styled and all dressed up like he just finished a photoshooting. Was that what was happening? Was that related to him being an idol trainee? Or was that the teenager in him trying to dress up for Yeon Woo like “well I don’t know if he is actually there but we haven’t seen in two weeks, so I gotta look breathtaking, you never know when you are going to meet the love of your life”. This is one of the questions that keep me up at night. I. Need. Answers.

I am dying to know the answer to these questions, but we have simply not enough information to guess what could’ve happened.

So yeah, they definitely have a time problem, which isn’t that uncommon for Korean BLs. Don’t get me wrong. A short serie can still be good, if it can carry the plot. It shouldn’t be too big or too heavy. But I will always prefer series that have 30+ min. per episode simply because as soon as I am invested in the episode it’s already over. Ten or fifteen minutes aren’t enough most of the time.

The ending seemed rushed, too. So many things were left unresolved. Like, Yeon Woo is still dangerous and even says that he only get’s more obsessed every day. And suddenly the parents and the aunt are totally okay that Yeon Woo and Yoo Han are together and hang out, even though they were so against it a few minutes ago. Something that could’ve been solved over time with more episodes and time.

More scenes that establish the characters and the friendship. In a short series it’s important that every scene drives the plot forward or at least establishes something important. That’s why Where Your Eyes Linger worked so well, the mains already knew each other, so you could immediately start with the plot and you didn’t need to waste time for them to meet and fall in love.

There is no room for filler or anything like that. I wish we would’ve seen more scenes with the whole friend group (all of them present) and more between Yoo Han and Yeon Woo without the color rush. Let them hang out afterwards to let them bond more. Because Yeon Woo says this very poetic thing at the end of the series: Am I obsessed with you becaue you are my probe, or am I obsessed with my probe because it’s you.

And as poetic as this sounds, it throws me off a little, since Yeon Woo and Yoo Han haven’t spent much time together to really get to know each other the answer that Yeon Woo is only obsessed with Yoo Han because of the mono/probe thing seems more believeable. The “am I obsessed with my probe because it’s you” implies that Yoo Han is special and means much to him as a person and that’s why Yeon Woo just HAs to fall for him. But they rarely spent time together that doesn’t focus on the color rush and the mono/probe part.

But then again, maybe it’s a choice to show that Yeon Woo isn’t aware that he and Yoo Han could be more than mono/probe? And that makes Yeon Woo think that he has no chance but to kidnap Yoo Han to be near him. Like, looking back, Yeon Woo never thought about it. His mother and his father (mono and probe) married, but him being in a relationship with Yoo Han still didn’t cross his mind once. He was like: We can’t see each other every day and went straight to well i don’t want to ever lose you so I gotta kidnap you.

Show more struggle. This show deals so much with internal struggle of Yeon Woo who realizes that he slowly get’s obsessed with his probe. And even though I really liked how they showed his struggle internally and externally to some extend, I wish they would’ve done more with that. I want him to have the rope ready in his backpack but not giving in to the to the urge. I want him daydreaming about kidnapping Yoo Han and really having a plan in mind.

No warning. Another thing that sort of bugged me a little was that Yeon Woo didn’t warn Yoo Han after the beginning. Just one scene were he’s like: “Dude, don’t you get it. I can’t be without you. I think about you constantly and the fear of losing the colors- of losing you is driving me insane. You need to keep your distance from now on. I can’t gurantee you that you will be safe with me and I can’t promise that I can actually resist the urge anymore.”

And then you could either seperate them or Yoo Han says smth like: “I know that feeling, I also think about you constantly and I miss you” and this just turns into a big miscomunnication/love confession-thing. Because Yoo Han really understands the feeling, since he is kind of obsessed with Yeon Woo too (because of his faceblindsness and the fact that he can only see Yeon Woo’s face) and Yeon Woo thinks that Yoo Han is not getting it and it’s a love declaration but it’s not - well it is but you get the drill.

Or, as I addressed earlier, Min Jae playing a bigger role and telling his friend that Yeon Woo is slowly going insane and thinks about kidknapping him.

And if all that doesn’t work out for some reason or it’s just...too much effort  make a parallel to the one scene between the talk of Yeon Woo and his aunt at the beginning: The aunt finds the stuff that Yeon Woo baught (or she just connects the dots sooner) and she wants to talk to him. “How can you handle it?” and this time Yeon Woo says “I don’t know what to do. I thought I could handle it, but I can’t.” and they work together to make a plan. And you can still have him go to the hospital and Yoo Han coming to the rescue.

All the time, I keep asking myself, why apparently no one felt the need to inform his aunt or maybe the probe about the situation? “Hey Yoo Han, Yeon Woo was really weird today. Talked about kidnapping you, please be careful.”

Like, I watch so many BL’s and at some point the parents or the ex-girlfriend or SOMEONE is always getting involved and tries to tear the couple apart. And for once, I would be okay with this plot device of the friends being cockblocks or the aunt threatening Yoo Han to stay away from Yeon Woo ESPACIALLY IF IT’S FOR HIS OWN GOOD DAMN SAFETY! But no.

That’s all the friends needed to do. You had one job, guys, one job.

Things I liked

The music. A banger. Listen to it on Spotify almost every day. Korean BLs just have on of the best music.

The chemistry. In a short series (espacially with short episodes) a good chemistry is fundamental so we can bond faster with the characters and the relationships. And in this show where the two leads are getting obsessed over each other, so here it’s espacially important so we can feel their deep desire for each other, if you want to call it that.

Yoo Han seemed a little emotionless and stiff at times, but IIRC he’s supposed to have a hard time with all these emotions, espacially with facial expressions, which makes sense.

The rainbow scene. One of my favorite scenes by far.

the handholding. We all know that it’s about the hands with the gays. It’s all about the hands.

the colors, the hole scene looked so beautiful shot with the dark background and the blue shirt of Yoo Han and the freaking rainbow.

Yeon Woo having fun, which is a rarity in this show.

We get another glimps of how fast Yeon Woo can go from uwu to -.-. The way he smashes Yoo Han against the wall...

The display of the power dynamic and how both of them try to get the upper hand. And looking back this scene shows that Yoo Han tries to contorl his own obsession by luring Yeon Woo into accepting the deal.

The iconic lines: The colors in this world are yours to enjoy...only when I let you see them. Which was an asshole move - but dare I say it - ...kinda savage.

The storyline. Loved it. Great idea. I want more of it. I’m a sucker for soulmates. I know some think that this series was problematic and had bad writing and I respect that, but I have to disagree. Sure, it’s not perfect and definitely not a masterpiece. But it’s good, imo. The forshadowing of Yoo Han and how he from day one was so facinated by Yeon Woo and his face, that nothing could bring him to his senses to freaking run. It was cute, fun and exciting to watch. I wouldn’t mind a second season to wind up some loose ends.

The beautiful editing. I loved the editing in this one! No unecessary slapstick sounds. No unecessary music that would play randomly. Just the color rush that showed you not only what Yeon Woo was seeing, but helped you to get a deeper understanding in what was going on. It was also used to help you relate to his situation more.

The power dynamic. In this show there is a constant power change. In the begining you think that a probe should be the one with power, right? Since they have the power to let their mono see colors and take them away from them. The monos want something from them and that gives them power. Probe > Mono

But you learn that monos get obsessed and can be extremely dangerous and therefore many probes should run from their mono. Giving the power to the monos. Mono > Probe

In this series, it at first seems like Yoo Han (the probe) holds the power since he is constantly trying to be around Yeon Woo and demostrates his power (the rainbow scene). Probe > Mono

But the more episodes you watch, you realize that Yeon Woo gets more and more obsessed, means that he is dangerous. He could hurt Yoo Han any time. So it seems that Yeon Woo was in power all along. Mono > Probe

BUT in the last episode Yoo Han explains that he can only see Yeon Woo’s face and as soon as they seperate he forgets his face. This would further proof that Yeon Woo has the upper hand here. BUT the thing is, they are sort of equals here. Yeon Woo has the “power” to let Yoo Han see his face and taking it away his face from Yoo Han. This means that in some way both hold kind of some power in their relationship making it somewhat equal, which is important. Yeon Woo = Yoo Han

And I think that’s beautiful. A relationship needs to consist of two equals. It can’t be healthy if one is always the one in charge and the other has no say in things.

The Color-Talks. I read a few post complaining that the series was wasting time by talking too much about colors. And I can kinda agree that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but in this show they did it for a reason. They could’ve cut it out, but it was important. The series is called Color Rush (look at the name, read it again, think about it, reread it, take it in and exhale it and now look in the mirror and answer the question: What is this show about?). Take I Told Sunset About You they also talk a lot about the chinese letters and what they mean and how you write them, would you consider that a waste of time? Maybe, but it’s not.

I’m actually glad that they didn’t cut it out. Just imagine one scene like this: “Oh there are many different shades of brown. There is chocolate, caramel, cinnamon [cut] and the last one is chestnut.” It would not only take away the flow but also feel somewhat half-assed and undermine the importance of this for Yeon Woo, who learns about the colors for the fist time. It means the world to him.

Also that they thought about the ten different shades of grey fits perfectly and seems well thought through. It makes perfect sense that people who are only able to see grey, would try to name the different shades.

It’s about the hands.

And this aren’t all of them. Do I have to say more?

That’s all I have to say about this series. Check out my other reviews.

My BL Review List: https://urmyquerencia.tumblr.com/post/627642344497364992/bl-reviews

- urmyquerencia

[lloydskywalkers]

afsdgfdhgj!! thank you sm, i’m so happy to hear that :’D that is...something i do very much need to work on actually, i’ve been trying to kick the talking-self-down habit for a while now, it’s just!! it’s tough, guys.

on a lighter note, i know exactly what trope you’re talking about and i’m an unapologetic sucker for it afdsgfdh. unfortunately this probably isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, but i got bit by the idea and it wouldn’t let me go, so here’s a somewhat-short (somewhat) fic about it!

Sometimes, the ninja forget they’re technically, kind-of-sort-of, famous. Like, not all the time, because some people are creepy and won’t leave them well enough alone, and some people are just…really enthusiastic…but for the most part, it is easy to forget sometimes, because out of gi they look pretty normal.

(Until Lloyd’s eyes start shuffling through colors like a sporadic traffic light, of course, but that doesn’t happen as much now.)

The point is, sometimes it’s easy to forget that they’re famous.

Sometimes, though — when movie posters the size of the Bounty are plastered all over the city because some wise guy thought making a film about them would be a great idea — it’s harder to forget.

“This feels like an invasion of privacy,” Cole mutters, crossing his arms as he sinks deeper into the theater seat.

“Oh, yeah,” Nya says. “Because trading cards and entire news documentaries with our full names and intimate dating life details were one thing, but a loosely-based movie is where we draw the line.”

“Intimate dating life my foot,” Lloyd scowls, clearly far from getting over that one article that managed to snag a picture of him and Harumi before…everything.

“Well — yeah, fair, but like—” Cole sputters. “They hired actors to play us. They’re gonna be recreating our lives and it’s — it’s weird, okay?”

“I dunno, I think it’s pretty cool,” Kai says, already on his third mouthful of popcorn, and the trailers have’t even started yet. “I mean, it can’t be worse than that play they put on, right?”

“Don’t jinx it,” Zane mutters darkly, his eyes flashing at the reminder.

“I’m with Kai,” Jay says, bouncing in his seat as he reaches for the popcorn. “I think it’s cool that people care enough about us to make a movie, you know? Like, did you see the budget for this thing?”

“Was it as high as the repair cost for the tower we blew up last week?” Lloyd says.

“Uh…maybe. I didn’t compare, exactly. But look, you can’t put a price on lives. A little collateral damage is worth it.”

“A little?” Zane says, his eyebrows shooting up.

“Eh, we helped clean it up,” Nya shrugs. “That counts.”

Jay points at her. “Thank you.”

“Still say it wasn’t my fault,” Kai grumbles, crossing his arms. Lloyd pokes him in the ribs, and Kai yelps, flinching away from him. “Not cool, not cool!”

“We’re definitely not going to make it through this movie without getting thrown out,” Cole groans into his hands. They’re already getting looks from the movie-goers around them, and their patience doesn’t look like it’s going to last very long.

“C’mon, have a little optimism,” Jay placates. “This is gonna be fun— hey, that’s my popcorn!”

“No way, lightning brain, I bought it, I hold it.”

“But you bought it with Nya’s money.”

“Which she stole from Lloyd’s sock drawer this morning, so that doesn’t count.”

“Wait, you stole my sock money?”

“Um…call it payback for stealing the last of the cookies last week.”

“How is that a fair trade, I only took one!”

“Yeah, one dozen—”

“Guys, please—”

“You’re one to talk, you stole all the—”

“Would you all shut up, it’s starting, and — I said shut up!”

******************

It takes a few threats of murder, and one or two threats of open power-use to the face, but they quiet down in time for the opening credits.

The movie begins peacefully enough, with an older man telling some ‘punk little kid’ as Kai describes him, a whole lot of ‘stereotypical sensei mumbo jumbo’ as Lloyd describes it, about himself. Which, to be fair, is pretty accurate to their lives, so they’re able to quietly munch on popcorn for the first few minutes, at least.

But then the plot starts.

“What do they mean, ‘uh oh’, to Lloyd Garmadon?” Kai frowns. “The city loves you.”

Lloyd shrugs, tossing a mouthful of popcorn back. “I dunno,” he says. “I mean, it is tough to be that kid.”

“Yeah, ‘cause he’s the worst shortie ever, like four feet tall,” Nya whispers to him. Lloyd elbows her in the side. Zane shushes them, just in time for the actual movie Lloyd to show up on the screen, in bed and receiving a call from—

Lloyd doubles over, choking on his popcorn.

“Luh-Lloyd?” Kai says, in delight. “Luh-Lloyd?!”

“Pajamas,” Lloyd wheezes, as Nya thumps his back. “Look at his pajamas, I gotta buy my dad those—”

The others are left to giggle their way through the interpretation of one of their greatest enemies snacking on cereal in printed pajamas, telling Lloyd he ‘must’ve butt-dialed him’. It’s hysterical until Garmadon forgets Lloyd’s birthday, and the Lloyd onscreen gets the signature Sad Puppy Eyes Lloyd Look on his face — which, props to the actor, he nailed it — and everyone looks to Lloyd in sympathy.

“That’s rough, buddy,” Jay pats his shoulder. Lloyd rolls his eyes.

“It’s not me,” he says, shrugging again. Really, his dad forgetting his birthday is like, incredibly tame, compared to hurling him through a prison wall or six.

Now, forgetting he existed, that stings. But also, like, this isn’t his dad, so. Eh. He doesn’t really care.

“Is that supposed to be Misako?”

Never mind. He cares now.

“Are you—” Kai plasters a hand over his mouth, muffling this next part. “—kidding me?!”

“Oh, she’s, uh…really present, huh,” Cole winces, as ‘Koko’ encourages her son about being himself, and other really nice stuff Lloyd would have super appreciated hearing when he was younger.

He opens his mouth again, and Nya takes the opportunity to stuff more popcorn in it. Lloyd chomps down angrily, glaring at the screen and grumbling under his breath.

“At least you’ve shown up at all,” Jay comforts him. Lloyd is very much not comforted. He just wants to get through the rest of the movie in peace, and shift the focus off of him as quick as possible.

Oh boy, is he disappointed.

Like, he gets a few minutes of relief as the others are introduced, but that’s all, really. Even if it is hilarious.

“Hello, fellow teen.”

Cole makes a sound like a dying balloon, and Jay almost coughs popcorn out of his nose. Zane just presses his lips into a flat line, his expression unreadable. “I do not…know how to feel about this.”

Jay and Kai are doubled-over on each other by now, choking on laughter. Cole, bless him, is doing his absolute best not to burst into giggles, while Nya and Lloyd have given up and are full-out cackling.

“Well,” Zane says, eyeing them with a gleam in his eye. “Perhaps I should start updating my database with ‘teen lingo’ then—”

“No!” they all chorus in unison, waving frantically at Zane, earning several dirty looks from the people around them as they do.

“You’re perfect the way you are, buddy,” Jay says hastily.

Kai, at least, seems pretty steadily in character—

“Aw, look, I almost snapped your spine.”

“That’s a Kai hug, for sure.”

—and Nya’s thrilled about having a motorcycle. Jay’s a tad indignant at his character’s stuttering, but Cole reminds him he has zero room to talk, so Jay shuts up in time for Cole to shrug at his own portrayal.

“I like that shirt,” he remarks. “And those headphones are cool.”

Then the reality of the scene they’re watching sinks in.

“Wait, why are we in school?” Zane blinks, confused.

“Why are they being so mean to you?” Cole exclaims at Lloyd, taken aback.

Lloyd makes a face at the cheerleaders on screen, jerking his shoulder up as if to say ‘like I know’. Which is kind of a lie, because he does know, the movie told them, but he’s not gonna get into that. Kai is already fuming in his seat beside him, growing steadily angrier by the second. “Who do they think they are,” he hisses. “I’ll show them a number one hit.”

Lloyd rips his eyes from the screen, watching Kai in mild alarm. “Kai, you know that’s not actually me, right?”

“—tear those kids a new one—”

Lloyd cringes at the looks they’re getting from the people around them, patting Kai’s arm. “Chill out, Kai, seriously. This is like, basic Darkley’s stuff, don’t worry. And I walked away from that fine.”

Wrong thing to say. Kai swivels on him, his eyes flashing. “Wait. This happened to you at Darkley’s? For real?”

“Um…” Lloyd sweats briefly, the sounds of Boo Lloyd! coming from the screen really not helping at all. “I mean, I was a brat. I brought a lot of it on myself.”

Kai looks like he’s going to combust. “I swear—”

“Kai,” Lloyd interrupts, trying to quell the storm. “It’s fine. Seriously. I mean, there was this one time that four guys way bigger than me ganged up and hung me from a roof by my hoodie all night, but it wasn’t that bad. I’m fine.”

Kai’s face turns thunderous, matching the roar of Garmadon finally coming into view onscreen. “Wasn’t that bad?” he says, incredulous, gaining them several shh’s, mainly from Nya. Kai ignores them. “Point me to those punks, Lloyd, I’ll strangle ‘em—”

“Kai.”

“Wha — oh. Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“That — that was different.”

“Uh-huh.”

“…you — you weren’t there all night.”

“I sure was.”

“Oh.”

“Mm-hm.”

“Um. Sor…rry?”

Fortunately, both are saved by Garmadon smashing his way on screen in a giant shark mech with a full-scale crustacean-themed army, to which the ninja kind of just…stare. That’s — that’s the best they can do with that one. That, and be thankful Garmadon himself isn’t here to see this.

“I mean, to be fair, I can see him appreciating a song entirely about himself,” Kai mutters, as the chorus continues to yell about Garmadon!. “And — wait, Lloyd, are you filming this?”

“Uh, yeah?” Lloyd says, re-adjusting the zoom feature on his phone. “Now hush, I wanna save this and make it my ringtone.”

******************

The mechs are, admittedly, cool. Their total lack of ability to do Spinjitzu, way less so.

“That’s so not how Spinjitzu works,” Nya scoffs, as Sensei Wu finally makes an appearance, just in time for Lloyd to request wind as an element, which brings on another bout of choking.

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Lloyd sighs. He then blinks rapidly. “Wait, where are our powers?”

“Nonexistent, apparently,” Zane murmurs. “Along with our common sense.”

“To be fair, that’s never been a reliable thing in the first place,” Jay points out.

The lack of common sense continues to be a trend throughout the movie, and by the time the ‘Ultimate Weapon’ comes up, things start to go downhill rather fast.

“Which, to continue to be fair, is also pretty in-character. This whole fight kinda is.”

The other ninja grumble in agreement as Lloyd runs off to confront his father alone despite all warning, and Lloyd begins to sink lower into his seat. He has a bad feeling he knows exactly where this is going, and sadly, he isn’t disappointed.

Well, for the most part.

“A cat?” Lloyd yelps, his eyes bugging out. “A giant cat?! How is that fair? All I ever get to fight is creepy part-reptile people who want to suck the power out of me, where do I sign up for this?”

“This is surreal,” Zane remarks, as Meowthra tears her merry way across the screen. The whole scene is a disaster, slo-mo destruction and everything, but it’s pretty much the standard fare they’re used to, so they really don’t bat much of an eye as the cat totally wrecks them.

“Nice to know we can’t catch a break in any universe,” Jay sighs sadly, as his mech is torn apart on screen.

“This movie is really beating the ‘don’t-challenge-dad-solo’ message over the head, huh,” Lloyd mutters, chin in his hand, having recovered from his brief bout of extreme-cat-heart-eyes.

Kai gives him a stink-eye. “Yeah, I wonder why.”

Understandably, the Lloyd onscreen is considerably upset at the apparent destruction of all his friends. The ninja are all incredibly curious as to where the movie is going to go next, though, since this Garmadon celebrates his victory by throwing a pretty sick party instead of building a skyscraper-sized stone Colossi of destruction and wrecking half the city.

“Kind of unfair,” Jay scowls, as the henchman do the conga onscreen. Nya’s got a smart comment to make back, but then the Lloyd onscreen reveals himself —

“In typical dramatic-Lloyd fashion, they got that right.”

“Oh, shut up.”

— and then proceeds to snap at the Garmadon onscreen, “I wish you weren’t my father.”

The theater goes remarkably quiet, as do the ninja. Cautiously, they turn to look at Lloyd, who is staring at the screen with a look on his face similar to if you’d shaken up a soda bottle really hard and were about to take the top off. Then—

“Oh, heck yeah, how’s that for karma, you over-powered conceited jerk of a dad,” Lloyd hisses viciously at the screen, punching his fist in the air. “He’s got the right idea, it’s my turn to start disowning family members. Screw ‘you’re not my son’, I’m gonna pull this one out next time and disown him—!”

“Lloyd,” Nya says, a bit nervously. “You know he’s, uh, he’s crying on screen now, right?”

“Yeah,” Lloyd spits.

“You, uh. You know you are too, right?”

“N-no.”

“Therapy,” Cole whispers to Zane. “So much therapy.”

“I’ve already booked us,” Zane murmurs back, sliding his phone back in his pocket. “If the office can simply manage not get blown for one more week this time, we might actually make it."

******************

While they do, however, manage to stay quiet for most of that scene — and isn’t Cole wildly impressed with them for that — the next scene kind of shoots that victory right into tiny little pieces.

“Why are we being so mean to you now?” Cole exclaims, flabbergasted, as the poor Lloyd onscreen looks seconds from tears, the rest of the team staring down at him with firm glares.

“Shh, this is getting dramatic,” Lloyd hushes him.

Nya gets a look on her face that promises murder, and Kai refuses point-blank to be shushed.

“What a bunch of jerks. We’d never do something like that, I’m going to have words with some people—”

“Jamanakai,” Lloyd just says, wearily. “Rooftop. All night.”

Kai deflates, sinking into his seat. “S’not the same,” he mutters, fiercely. “We never said all those mean things to you.”

Lloyd gently pats his arm. “There, there,” he says. “I know you didn’t mean it.”

“I never said it! It’s — it’s that imposter on screen, that’s who!”

“Kai, I know—”

Lloyd is interrupted by an unfortunately-timed declaration from the onscreen Jay.

“Now, we hate you.”

Lloyd blinks, almost surprised at the slight flare of hurt that sparks in his chest at that. Which is stupid, because these directors don’t know them, and that’s not really Jay, but hey, why not play into his worst fears, movie—

Then “Jay!” is hissed in scandalized unison, and Lloyd stuffs said worst fears back into box and tries not to snicker at the look on his brother’s face.

“It’s not me!” Jay defends desperately, waving his hands wildly. “That’s not me!”

“Deleting all data related to treating Lloyd as a friend.”

Jay is saved as everyone turns on Zane, who just buries his face in his hands. “Let it end,” he moans.

******************

Apart from being shocked that Sensei Wu is actually going with his ninja on their quest for the Ultimately Ultimate Weapon—

“It’s ultimate ultimate, did you miss that trip-inducing scene they explained it with?”

—they aren’t as surprised by things anymore after that, having caught on to the movie’s flow. It’s a little more slapstick than they’re used to, all bright colors and quick action, but it’s enjoyable to watch Garmadon and Sensei Wu snipe at each other, at least.

“Ten bucks says he survives just fine,” Cole says blandly, as Sensei Wu goes plummeting toward the river.

Not one of them take him up on that wager.

“Geez, they’re really roasting us for being morons in this, huh,” Jay observes, as their onscreen counterparts take the clearly-a-trap route, as per Garmadon’s advice.

Lloyd, who is still stewing about having his voice made fun of, bites out, “I think it’s pretty valid, for some of us.”

“Oh, suck it up already, Lloyd. Your voice changed anyways, get over it.”

“Are you saying I sounded ridiculous before?”

“Uh, no-o…?”

“Oh, there we go, getting humiliated again,” Nya sighs, as the ninja are cornered by Garmadon’s ex-generals. “I wonder why they didn’t give us our powers. You’d think they’d have capitalized on that, it’d look pretty cool.”

“Who knows. I’m still trying to figure out if my character’s love for music is a clever reference to me and my dad’s singing background, or just a shallow attempt to give me character at all,” Cole muses. They turn back to the movie just in time to wince in unison as the ninja onscreen flee, leaving Lloyd and Garmadon to be captured.

Kai is less than pleased with this development.

“Oh, so we’re just leaving Lloyd behind now? Who wrote this movie, I wanna talk.”

******************

By the time Garmadon’s teaching Lloyd how to throw bricks from a roof to some sappy soundtrack, then relocating his dislocated shoulder in a wild tone change, they’re mostly lost for words.

Also kind of enjoying the movie, though no one will admit it. The expressions are funny, and there are some lines that hit home. Sure, Lloyd spends a good ten minutes alternating between sputtering and gaping when Garmadon describes their family history, and only proceeds to get worse when everyone else receives powers and he gets a cute little tree branch, but it is fun to watch their onscreen counterparts run around to “I’ve Got the Power” playing cheerfully in the background. Plus, no one tries to ostracize Lloyd again, and it’s oddly satisfying to watch Garmadon get eaten by a giant cat, so by the time Lloyd’s trying to hide suspicious sniffling into the empty popcorn tub while his onscreen counterpart is giving Garmadon his big sappy speech about forgiveness, they might actually give the movie a decent rating.

Cole’s just happy they haven’t been thrown out yet, because they’ve really been pushing it this whole time. But finally, it seems like everyone’s settled down and is keeping perfectly quiet—

“What do you mean, he gets to keep the cat?”

Cole’s hopes and dreams go up in sad, despairing smoke.

“Wait, that’s what’s bothering you?” Nya blinks. “Not the whole, ‘this Lloyd gets his entire family back happy’ part, but the cat part?”

“Well yeah, I’m upset about the cat part!” Lloyd exclaims indignantly. “He gets a giant cat! The size of a skyscraper! What kind of raw deal did my grandfather cut me here, I didn’t even get to keep my dragon! This is so dumb, and — and oh look, now my dad’s all happy and stuff—”

Nya and Zane glance around in alarm. The movie-goers around them seem to be losing the last, lingering shreds of their patience, and Cole wisely decides that this might be a nice time to make an exit. The movie looks like it’s about over, anyways, and—

“—and what, they just have happy family dinners together now?!”

Yeah, they’re leaving.

******************

“Well, that was…enlightening,” Zane says blankly, as they exit the theater. He still looks tragically annoyed at the way the producers decided to portray him, but he’s mostly recovered by now. Probably because he torched his little movie poster on the way out, but who are they to judge.

“I think you mean infuriating,” Kai mutters, glaring at the theater as they leave it behind.

“I don’t know, it wasn’t so bad,” Nya says. “Like, they obviously decided to go for Lloyd’s very sensitive personal life as a focus point, so at least the rest of us got off alright.”

“Giant cat,” Lloyd mourns, clearly still more hung-up on that than Ninjago’s apparent obsession with his family drama.

“I just wanna try that lightning thing later,” Jay says. “Know any doors I can practice busting open dramatically?”

“Yeah, the door to the producer’s office,” Kai grumbles.

“Enough, guys,” Cole sighs. “It was a lot better than it could’ve been. Let’s just be happy the city still likes us enough to make us the heroes.”

They all nod at that, placated for now, at least. They fall into silence, carefully navigating their way home, until Jay breaks the quiet.  

“Your heroes on the wa-a-ay,” Jay murmurs. He’s met with five looks of equal disappointment. “What?” he shrugs. “It’s catchy.”

Cole rolls his eyes, and Kai scoffs. They fall back into silence for a beat, their footsteps the only sound on the street, then—

“Something-something save the da-a-ay,” Lloyd hums.

Jay beams, and Kai moans. Nya just grins. “Gonna something-something pla-a-ace—”

“That takes us higher!”

They dissolve into snickers, their mix of off-key singing echoing across the Ninjago City streets. Cole spares a sigh of despair at their attempt, but he can’t help grinning too. It is a catchy song, and, to be fair, for trying to capture their general team spirit, it comes pretty close.

A lot closer than half that movie did, he frowns. Though he does still want that shirt his counterpart wore.

“Hey,” Jay speaks up. “Let’s learn that Garmadon song next. We can sing it to him in battle.”

“Oh, now you’re talking.”

[daydreaming-away-reality]

Hearing Your Voice

Zen x Reader | ☁️ | 2.6k | Soulmate AU

You tapped your fingers on the desk, doing your best to stay quiet while in the study room. With the beautiful melody playing within your head, it was hard. Especially when the singer sounded like he had the voice of an angel. 

Doing your best in trying to study, you couldn’t help but breaking into a smile and pause when you recognized a tune of the song.

I heard him sing this yesterday too. 

Trying to study was hard. Not because the content was hard to grasp - no, you could have all the material down with a bit of reading and some flashcards - it was hard because you were always conflicted. Part of your brain would tell you school is important and as a university student, you had to work hard towards your future. The other part of your brain however, would be loudly screaming, hey, that song sounded familiar! We’ve heard that somewhere before, but where?! 

Most of the time, you were fine. You would just study with the music playing in your head. There were moments when your heart would chime in and remind you, we’re still looking for our soulmate, (Y/N). Then studying was a challenge.

The song you could hear in your head? That was your soulmate singing. Even though you grew up hearing the voice of your soulmate singing, you were never able to find them. 

Every few weeks, or months, your soulmate would have a couple of songs that he would be constantly singing. Kind of like the most popular songs of the season caught on loop by the radio stations. However, whatever songs your soulmate was singing was never these pop songs. 

You were a lucky one, you knew that much. 

You had friends who would be complaining about their soulmate’s choice in singing because it would be the overplayed pop songs. There was only so much one could take of the same song all the time after all.

On the other hand, shower singing stories were hilarious to hear about.

Moving back to your story...

Personally, you didn’t sing too much. Not unless you were certain no one but your soulmate was listening. Your soulmate probably heard you humming most of the time though. It was hard not to hum along to his beautiful singing.

Staring at your study notes, you shook your head.

This was going no where.

Just as you closed your notebook, someone tapped on your shoulder. Startling, you turned around and pulled down your - not plugged in - headphones.

“I had a feeling you weren’t studying,” Yoosung said, looking at you with an amused smile. “Listening to your soulmate again?”

You gave him your oops, you caught me smile. “Yeah. He’s always singing.”

Yoosung’s eyes darted around the room, then he leaned forward and asked, “You want to get out of here? Grab some food?”

You flashed him as thumbs up and packed up your stuff. Tailing after the blonde haired boy, you were greeted with actual sunlight for the first time in a few hours.

“It’s so bright out,” you whined, shading your eyes as they adjusted. 

Yoosung laughed. “Vitamin D is good for you! You’re going to be a troll like in LOLOL if you don’t see the light of day, (Y/N).”

You huffed, faking indignation. “I am not a troll! I’ll show you how a troll would beat you up if you call me that again.”

The boy shook his head quickly. Although he was ranked 2nd in game, he didn’t want the risk of losing his loot by being beat up. He worked hard to earn those super rare weapons.

Way back during first year courses, you had met and became friends with Yoosung through LOLOL. You weren’t obsessed with the game as much as he was, but you did well enough to rank within top ten with a bit of effort. Nowadays, getting through your courses was your priority. LOLOL was a fun break though, when you found the odd break.

“That’s what I thought.”

“You still play LOLOL?”

“Not as much as you - but yeah.” 

“We should team up sometime!”

You laughed. “Do you even study at all, Yoosung?”

“Sometimes!”

As the two of you stepped into the cafe near campus, Yoosung paused and turned to look at you.

“You said your soulmate is always singing right?” he asked.

You nodded, wondering where he was going with this. 

“Maybe he works in the music industry,” Yoosung mused. “Like, behind the scenes? As a producer?”

Hearing this, you paused and thought about it. Could that be a possibility?

“Maybe,” you murmured. “I’ll look into it.” 

Yoosung gave you an encouraging smile. “You’ll find him one of these days, (Y/N). Don’t worry about it.”

You hoped Yoosung was right about this. 

As you were walking back to your own apartment, a poster caught your eye.

Daydream: The Musical

Tickets now on sale!

The poster showed a shadowy figure surrounded by colourful nature and city scenes. Your eyes skimmed through the cast absentmindedly, as you didn’t recognize any names.

Starring: Julie Kim, Zen, Soobin Park...

Lingering in front of the poster, you decided that, it looked interesting. Pulling out your phone, you hastily took a picture so you could look further into the details of the musical later. 

“Dinner,” you recalled suddenly. You needed to eat but you also needed to study still. Well, can’t study on an empty stomach. Deciding to grab something light to snack on now and throw together some leftovers later tonight, you went in search of the local bread stand in your neighborhood.

Your eyes lit up when you spotted the vendor.

Excitedly moving towards them, you missed nearly colliding with the tall man in a hat walking the same way. Stumbling, you felt a strong, steady hand on your back, helping you regain your balance.

“Oh, sorry,” you squeaked out. “And thank you!”

How did you miss this guy? He was pretty tall and stood out - his features were really handsome too. Could he be a celebrity or something? He definitely had the looks for it. You were definitely not staring.

“Oh no, I’m sorry,” he replied. “Go ahead, ladies first.”

“T-thank you!”

You stepped up in front of the stall, knowing exactly what you were going to get. Hearing the man’s footsteps behind you, you decided to thank the kind stranger from saving you from an embarrassing fall.

“Two goldfish bread - separately wrapped, please!”

“Coming right up! Done classes for the day?” the owner asked.

You bobbed your head as you handed over the payment. “Yeah. Not done studying though.”

“Ah, must be rough. Good luck on that.”

“Thank you,” you chimed back. as you accepted the bread. Turning around, you held out one bag for the handsome stranger behind you. “And thank you for saving me from tripping earlier.”

“No, no, I couldn’t -”

“I insist!”

He accepted with a grateful smile. You swear, he sparkled in the light of the sunset.

“Thank you then.”

You returned his smile with your own before heading off.

Time to prepare for the upcoming exam.

Your week had flew by rather quickly. With exams and some other assignments being all crammed into such a short amount of time made you feel like you lost a few years on your life. 

Sometimes you wondered why anyone would choose to suffer.

Yet, here you were. And all you had to do was attend post secondary. 

Your soulmate seemed to be busy all week as well. The sound of his voice singing the same melodies over and over were in the back of your head the entire time. He had such a soothing voice that you were certain that he was the one who was keeping you sane.

Finally gifted with free time, you decided to make the most of it.

Browsing around on your phone, the picture of the musical poster caught your eye once more. Noticing the showings aligned with your newfound freedom, you decided - why not?

Searching up the link for the theater, you looked around the website and then bought a ticket. 

A sense of excitement and anticipation filled you. It’s been a while since you did anything fun. This would be a worthwhile experience.

Settling down into your seat at the theater, you couldn’t help but glance around. The place was relatively busy despite it being a weekday evening. Looking over the pamphlet that was given to you at the entrance, all the cast and crew were listed.

Your eyes skimmed over it, not recognizing any of the names except for the few you’ve seen on the promotional poster. Perhaps it would take a more theater experience before you would become familiar with any of them.

The lights began to dim and the chatter died down as music became to play. Ensuring your phone was silent, you made yourself comfortable. The moment the musical started, you were swept away in awe of the performance. 

Experiencing a musical live felt different from watching a movie. It was so much more... uplifting. You were absolutely enchanted by the musical. 

When the male lead became to sing his part however, that was when things felt strange to you. It felt like you were hearing an echo of their singing. None of the other actors and actresses had that effect. It took a moment, but then it dawned on you. You’ve heard this before, nights before.

It was your soulmate.

They must be singing this song too.

But when every note, pitch and pause matched the ones on stage, you had your suspicions. 

After intently watching the male lead sing though, you soon drew to a new conclusion.

That was your soulmate on stage. 

You continued to watch in silent surprise as your soulmate danced and sung their way across the stage. His red eyes had swept over you briefly in passing, but you could see the passion blazing. It was clear he loved his career. 

Once the musical ended with thunderous applause, you immediately pulled out your phone to do some research. Since you had chosen a seat near the middle front, you knew it would take a while before you’d be able to get out.

Doing a search for ‘Zen’, with the words ‘musical actor’ hastily typed afterwards, you soon found a plethora of information about your soulmate. Zen had a dedicated fan base that loved his every production - there was even a section about his unknown soulmate. An interview caught your eye. It was dated for a few months back, but a quote from your soulmate made you pause.

“I’m really focused on my career right now - it took a lot of work to get to where I am today, but I’m happy to be here.”

He was good looking, hard working and dedicated. You knew your soulmate would be perfect, but you never expected this. Zen was basically the ideal guy. 

Seeing the theater emptying out, you stood and walked out.

Sure, you had been super excited to meet your soulmate after spending late nights listening to singing, but after seeing this article, you had a feeling that he might need more time. 

Zen was a busy person with a lot going on in his life. With how popular he was now, you didn’t was to disrupt anything at the moment. You would give him the opportunity to seek you out when he was ready.

Zen had nearly faltered in his singing the first time when he had heard his soulmate humming along the tune he was singing. Listening to the tune and timing of the song, they were definitely doing it alongside with him.

He remembered his eyes searching the audience hopefully. Wondering who might his soulmate be. That first night... he wasn’t able to identify her.

Nor the second, third or fourth.

When he had heard her humming the second time he was performing, he was certain that his soulmate was in the audience and made the effort to come see him perform. She must have known who he was. 

Zen had lingered around after shows, hoping to see his soulmate. Hoping that she would reach out to introduce herself and he could become her knight in shining armor to sweep her off her feet. It never happened though.

Regardless, it made him happy to hear her humming alongside him when he performed. She was supporting him.

He knew he was a busy person. Perhaps his soulmate knew that and kept her distance. What she didn’t know though, was Zen was dying to meet her. 

He always wanted to make the effort to go find her, but never had much to go off on. His soulmate was a rare singer, so he never knew where to start.

Now that he knew though, he was constantly searching.

He noticed someone over the past few times with (H/C) hair that sat near the middle of the theater. The girl’s smile seemed to brighten when he showed up on stage. It was possible that she was another one of his fans, but at the last showing, she had tried very hard to step out of room quietly and his soulmate had stopped her soft humming at that moment too.

Zen felt certain about this. 

She had to be the one.

Having finished another showing for the day, Zen tried to slip out quickly to catch up to his soulmate. Making sure not to be rude, he thanked his co-stars, staff and director before taking off. She tended to linger around a little longer, being almost the last person out. There was a chance Zen could catch up to her and he was going to take it.

Catching a glimpse of (H/C) hair, he instinctively moved towards it. 

The figure seemed to have sensed him coming, because they turned around and (E/C) eyes met his.

Stopping only a few feet away from her, Zen could see the glimmer and recognition in her eyes as she looked up in awe at the musical actor. 

“Great performance again tonight,” you said softly.

Finally hearing your voice in real life washed away any doubts Zen might have had. 

It was you.

“Thank you,” he breathed out. He could feel his heart pounding with excitement. “It’s... really you.”

Seeing how lost for words he was, you decided to speak up.

“Hyun Ryu, right?” you asked. When he nodded, you broke into a smile. “I’m (Y/N) (L/N). Nice to finally meet you, soulmate.”

The biggest smile broke out on his face as he engulfed you into a hug. His tall stature didn’t bother him as he nuzzled into your neck. While you should have been startled, you weren’t. Knowing this was your soulmate, you felt safe being held in his arms. You relaxed and returned his hug. 

“(Y/N)... I’ve been waiting for you,” Zen murmured. He pulled back a bit to look at you. “I want to get to know you better. Would you like to grab something to eat together?”

“Sure!”

“Okay, I know this great goldfish bread place -”

The two of you stopped, a distant memory resurfacing. Zen grinned fondly at you.

“ - I’ll treat you this time, though, princess.” 

With all the lost time between the two of you, finally being together felt natural. Like finding an old friend and being able to catch up without any awkward moments. 

Your soulmate was your perfect match and with Zen you knew that you couldn’t be happier. Just as much as you loved to listen to him inside your head, hearing his voice in real life and getting to be by his side made life all the more wonderful.

The two of you finally found you happily ever after.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Give love one more chance; Gwilym Lee x reader

*Author’s note*

Hello everyone well I have yet another request that came from my wattpad account and this time the request is all about our lovely mini-Bri Gwilym Lee. Now as a warning THERE IS HEAVY MENTIONS OF CHEATING (not on Gwil’s part but it’s for the back story) and due to that there is angst but I PROMISE FLUFF IS THROUGHOUT MOST OF THIS STORY esp. once the ending comes around. So I hope you all enjoy this little fic and until the next update my darlings :)

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@psychosupernatural​

@waddles03​

@ixchel-9275​

@georgesgentlyweepingguitar​

@queendeakyy​

@geek-and-proud​

@simonedk​

@kairosfreddie​

__________________________________________________________

I was walking around the main stage set where they would be filming the most iconic scene ever, the Live Aid sequence. I was just in awe at how the stage designers were following everything by the book, from the brick wall patterns, to the posters that hung on them at the time, even some of the paint chipping away.

For those that are curious, the name’s (y/n) (l/n). I’ve been on the road with Queen ever since they started working alongside my best friend, Adam Lambert.  Yep, Adam and I go way back since middle school as a matter of fact.  We were both the awkward kids who no one really paid attention too and loved classic rock, esp. Queen.  When Adam told me he was planning to audition for American Idol, I just couldn’t let him go on alone.

I was his big supporter and went to every live performance cheering him from the sidelines, even helping his team organize and making sure he had everything he needed to his performances.  And even though he was a runner up, he was still a winner in my book.  Then when he came out to me as well as the world about his sexuality, that didn’t change my perspective of him.  I stuck by him because we were the Odd-kids through thick and thin.

Then by 2014 he met up once again with Queen a few years after performing with them back during his season of American Idol and that’s when they offered Adam to be the new leading man for their concerts and thus Queen+Adam Lambert was born.

And then just two years later, Queen officially began to project that was the film ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’  Adam had invited me along since he had a small little cameo to play and he said that I could potentially have a small role in the film too, but I turned to role down.  I just—never really fit well with a camera’s attention on me.

But here I am as support for Adam as well as Brian and Roger.  Those two men have really become role models and sorta like second dad’s to me in a way. When life got to stressful on the road; Brian always took me aside and the two of us would look at the SaveMe animal videos he had on his website, while Roger was the one with the good therapeutic music to listen to, he even got me into some bands that I never really had the chance to listen too.  Even his former solo band’s ‘The Cross’ music.

“Oh my god. This is beautiful.” It was then I bumped into someone’s back.

“Oh sorry my fault.” We both said at the same time but when I looked up to see just who it was that I had bumped into, I felt like I needed to do a double take because I swear to god I thought I was looking at Brian May at the time of Live Aid.

“Wow you’re gorgeous.” I thought I had said in my head but apparently my lips just had to voice it out loud to him. Embarrassingly I hid my face but I heard the Brian look-alike softly chuckle and he said.

“It’s fine love, I’m flattered, really. Guess I really look the part don’t I?”

“Yeah.” I nervously giggled.

“I’m Gwilym. And as you can probably tell by the wig, I’m playing Brian May in the film.”

“(Y/n). I’m uhh—Adam’s best friend.” God could this be any more humiliating.

“Oh so you’re the one Brian and Roger told us about. The clever roadie.”

“Well I wouldn’t call myself clever. They just flatter me because I work for them.”

“No, no, no. Brian especially talks about how you’ve been able to work on fixing all the AMPS that break down during rehearsal, or knowing when exactly his red special needs a tuning or new string set.” I blushed and that’s when he said, “Oh I’ve gone and rambled making you uncomfortable. I’m so sorry (y/n).”

“It’s fine Gwilym. So is this your first acting gig? Or have you been doing this for a while?”

“I guess you could call me a child actor. My first gig was in a show called Animal Ark, I think I was 13 years old when I auditioned for it. Then after getting my education I dived fully into the acting industry with a few television shows and a few movies. My recent big project was when I was in Midsomer murders, have you heard that show?”

“I think so. My dad was always into British tv more than American tv. Even though he was born in Minnesota.”

“I was only on for only 3 series before I went into some other projects.”

“Well I’d love to see the show sometime. And you said it was called midtown murders?”

“Midsomer, actually.”

“Oh right sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

And that’s kinda what we ended up doing.  We just sat there and talked right up until it was time to start filming.  I wished him good luck and as the actors got into place, I stood beside Roger, Brian’s daughter Emily and Peter “Phoebe” Freestone.  Shortly after the boys entered the stage much like Queen did 31 years Brian came up and sat down beside me and that’s when Rami, who was playing Freddie, set down at the piano and the guys all began to play the full Live Aid set.

As I looked at each of them I knew each of these guys had done their homework.  And seeing them in full costume and shtick, it was like I was actually there at the concert seeing them.  Of course my eyes were especially focused on Gwil who played Brian’s red special with such ease and finesse, it was like I was really watching Brian during the time of Live Aid.

Of course being a Queen fan, I couldn’t help but interact with each song they did, the double handclap for Radio Gaga and We will rock you, following along to the Aye-oh’s, headbanging to Hammer to fall, dancing to Crazy little thing called love, and swaying to We are the champions.

After doing several rehearsals, Dexter finally decided to film the guys for real this time.  And even though it was cold and the guys were probably exhausted, they still managed to perform the whole show once more with even more energy and enthusiasm when the cameras were really recording.  By the end of it all, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

When I finally came backstage after the guys and some of the crew congratulated them on a job well done, I don’t know why it happened but I couldn’t help but fling myself towards Gwilym and embrace him.

“Seems our Brian look-alike has found his little groupie.” Teased Rami using his Freddie voice.  At that point I backed away and released him.

“Sorry. I just—got a little excited. Seeing you four up there it was like—finally seeing all four members of Queen back together for the first time in a long time.”

“We’re glad you loved it (y/n).” Gwilym said with a soft smile that made butterflies tickle my stomach.

“So you said you love Queen? What’s your favorite song of theirs?” asked the John Deacon look alike, damn much like Gwil, he definitely looked like Deacy, I can see why the casting directors chose him, it was like he was his son or something.

“Oh god well don’t tell them this but it’s definitely Somebody to love.”

“I like her already. We match!” he raised his hand up for a high five which I complied to give him as he introduced himself as Joe Mazzello.

Pretty soon I knew the other two actor’s names, Ben Hardy who was playing Roger, and Rami Malek who was playing the legend himself Freddie Mercury.

*Brian’s POV*

As I watched our genius little roadie chat up with the actors playing us, my mind kept going back to that hug she gave my look-alike.

“I know you saw that right, I mean I maybe blind as a fucking bat but I know my eyes didn’t deceive me on what I just saw.” Roger said as he came up to me.

“Your eyes do not lie Rog. I saw what you saw.”

“You know our girl doesn’t just hug any random guy.”

“Yep. And that shy little gleam in her eyes, dare I say I think our mini-Deacy is in love with my look alike.”

“Not to say I’m happy for her, but I feel like she could’ve chose better.” Roger teased.

“Oh shut it you old tart, you’re just jealous she didn’t pick your actor.”

“Nothing against yours, cause bloody hell it’s like I’m looking at you 30 years ago over there.” I softly chuckle. Yeah they definitely casted the perfect actor to play me, and seeing Gwilym with the wig on its…..mind boggling (although I had to slightly adjust the wig a bit) but other than that he was perfect. “So, shall we go and confront her about it?”

“Now hold on Rog, you know how she gets when she’s being fully confronted. She’ll completely shut down. Let’s—wait it out. See what happens, and then we’ll see if this is something to discuss with her. But it’ll be on my terms.”

“You just wanna suck the joy out of everything.” I shook my head at Roger’s statement before turning back towards (y/n) and Gwilym.  Seeing the two of them talking and laughing with each other warmed my heart.  Because ever since we’ve met her, (y/n) has been the best roadie we’ve ever had.  She’s always on top of every sound and light equipment we’ve got, she knows how Adam likes his speakers to sound and she’s even clever enough to see when I need a new string set on my guitars or when Roger’s kit needs a tuning because of a loose screw that might’ve happened while unloading.

But for whatever reason she sometimes puts herself down, claiming that she’s not all what we’ve both told her she is. That she’d rather just remain invisible, and I can understand some of her pain because I’ve been there myself with my own self-doubt and insecurities.  So I hope that if her and Gwilym do somehow manage to form a relationship, he could probably help her see that she is more than she seems.

*My POV*

After a couple weeks of being on set, Gwil and I were definitely spending a lot of time together and every time we got the chance to hang out, we’d talk about our lives or love of Queen.

“So you and Adam Lambert really knew each other that long?” he asked me.

“Yep. It just happened one day during lunch, I was the new kid in town and I feared no one wanted to hang out with me so I ended up eating in the courtyard by myself when Adam, all donned up with his green dyed stripped bangs introduced himself and we’ve been friends ever since.”

“So he was even extravagant even back then.”

“Yep. Then when we found out we both had a love for Queen, he refused to let me out of his life afterwards, cause I was the only friend he had that liked or even knew who Queen were.”

“Wait are you serious?”

“Dead serious. It’s hard to find people to talk about classic rock with when all they cared about was the rap music or Britney Spears. Or spice girls.”

“Wow.”

“So how did you come to know Queen’s music?”

“You’ll have to thank my old brother. He had basically almost every single Queen record there was, one day I heard him play Bohemian Rhapsody and I was curious. And I guess you could say the rest is history.”

“Well then your brother gets an A+ from me for good music taste.”

“So how is it touring with Queen and Adam?”

“Well I’ve toured with Adam for so long it just feels like a normal hang out day for us. Once he got the offer to tour with Queen themselves it was like not only meeting my role models but they became family to us. Brian and I have a common love for animals, so much so that I’ve become a daily donor to his SaveMe organization.”

“Hey Gwilym. They’re ready to start filming.” One of the producers came up.

“Well that’s my cue, see you after?”

“You bet.” We stood up and I went ahead and sat down at one of the chairs and watched as the guys did the performance for a Japan concert.  I’ll admit even with the 70’s silk/satin angel shirt that he was wearing, he still looked pretty handsome and he sure was a brilliant guitarist if I do say so myself.

“I see what you’re doing.” Adam’s sing-song voice whispered in my ear.  I came out of my daze and whispered to him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh don’t play dumb with me dearie. I have eyes I’m not blind.” I shook my head and went back to paying attention to the guys now doing Brian’s song ’39.  I clapped along with the song and softly sung the words (cause out of every song Bri had written, this was definitely my #1 fav.)  When Dexter called cut, I suddenly felt myself being dragged away and soon found myself in a closet of sorts.

“Adam what the fuck is the matter with you?”

“Well would you rather talk about this out there where everyone can hear, potentially your secret lover too?” I immediately covered his mouth with my hand and I hissed at him as I shushed him.

“Shh! Shh! Speak louder why don’t you I don’t think they heard all the way from Glasgow!” I then retracted my hand in disgust as I felt him actually lick my palm. “Why must you do that?”

“Cause I know it annoys you.” He shrugged.

“You can be such an asshole sometimes Lambert.”

“Yeah but you always stick around me dearie.” He said smugly as he leaned up against the wall of the closet crossing his arms. “Now as I was saying back there, you’re really starting to get attached to Brian’s mini-him aren’t you?”

“No!” I snapped abruptly.  He quirked his brow at me before I cleared my throat and said. “No, we’re just friends is all Adam. In fact if you keep going down this path, I might just replace you with him.”

“That hurts (n/n), that really hurts.” He mocked in pain as he placed his hand over his heart and gave me the puppy dog pout. “But girl c’mon for realzies, what’s up with you?”

“Nothing is up, okay can you just drop it? Now if you’ll excuse me Gwilym and I are due for a coffee break.” I walked out of the closet and stormed out trying to get my mind off of what Adam was hinting.  As I was walking, I soon came up to Gwilym and when he saw me he smiled and I tried to calm my anger down as I approached him calmly.

“You okay (y/n)?”

“Yeah, yeah why would you say that?”

“Just—for a moment it looked like you were pissed at something.”

“Oh nothing you need to worry about, so you free for some coffee and catering? I know you’ve got a long day ahead of you, might not be a bad idea to have a good lunch.”

“Great because I had to skip breakfast when my alarm failed to wake me up this morning.”

“Well then we better hurry. We need food stat, can’t have one of the four Queen members perform on an empty belly.” We then raced over towards the catering and got us some food and coffee.

When we got it and was now walking through the studio where they were now setting up the Madison Square Garden set just opposite of where the Japan stage was earlier this morning.

“Wait so that actually happened?” asked Gwilym.

“He tries to deny it and blames it on the poor lighting the camera had but don’t be fooled. His son Rufus told me the whole story of how it happened.”

“I can’t believe he made his hair green.”

“His hair was already blonde as it was, he’s lucky it didn’t make his hair bleach blonde.”

“Well that’s not as funny as Joe thinking he’ll be able to wash out that perm he got.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa he thinks what now?”

“Yeah Joe thinks that in the next week or two it’s gonna grow out and go back to normal.”

“Oh my god Joey!” I laughed.

“Like just the other night we were all out in the pub the four of us and he was chatting away to a girl with his Yankees cap on. So I went up and flipped the hat off and said as I pointed to his hair ‘he’s got a perm’!” I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically.

“You are so bad.”

“Yeah. Bad wingman but good friend.” I continued laughing which turned into giggles.

“Ahh Joey, Joey, Joey, Joey.”

“GAHH SON OF A BITCH!!!” we both heard someone call out.

“Uh-oh.” I said as Gwil and I looked at each other and set out stuff aside on a nearby table before racing across the studio and I asked. “What happened?”

“Damn circuits in these lights shocked me and now I can barely feel my hand anymore.” Said one of the light engineers.

“Okay, okay here let me see it.” I walked up to him and held his hand in both of mine.  There was some slight swelling but I thankfully no serious burn marks. “Well good news is, is that there’s no serious burn marks. But it is swollen red. I suggest some ice and rest for the rest of the day. And get a medic to check out your reflexes in case the shock might’ve nulled your muscles.”

“But we need another light technician to help us raise these lights for the Madison Square Garden set.” Said a female volunteer.

“You’re looking at your spare one. Besides I’ve spent my whole life with Roger and Brian to know how they want MSG to look. Now, what’s your name?” I turned to the guy who got shocked.

“Arnold.”

“Arnold, go see a medic about your injury and take the rest of the day off. Anyone asks or has a problem with it, send them my way, okay?”

“Okay, thank you.” He said with a slight smile before heading out to the medics trailer.

“Okay now what exactly are we dealing with here?” I asked the seven other light technicians.

“Well we’re trying to make sure all these lights intersect with each other so that they can change colors like they do at the real MSG. Arnold was working on the main circuit board to work the code in when it backfired and you heard what happened as the result.”

“Okay well first things first it could’ve been prevented if he were wearing gloves, rookie mistake.” I then took out my gloves that I always keep on me in my back pocket and put them on. “Goggles.” I said as I extended my arm out and someone handed me some spare goggles.  Once I had them on I proceeded to work.

I called out for various equipment pieces like the 4 in 1 Podger rachet, a Leatherman supertool, and some batteries. Once I had the main board opened I began working on finding the loose circuit that probably caused Arnold’s shocking surprise because that needed to be fixed immediately.

Using a mini-flashlight I managed to find the area and found the problem.

“Okay I see the problem. Can someone hold the flashlight for me?”

“I got it.” Said one of the female volunteers as she came up and took the flashlight from me and I went right to work on the wires, making sure they were tucked in correctly and un exposed.  It took some time but by the end of it all, I punched the code that was needed for the lights to turn on.

“There, that should do it.” I said as I took my gloves off and removed my goggles.

“Okay boys raise her up!” called the main lighting technician and soon the lights were raised up.  Then using his phone, he activated the lights and they soon began shining into a red and blue pattern that would go along with the orange, yellow and green pattern.  The light technicians clapped and thanked me for the assistance and when I turned to Gwil, he just had this awed look on his face.

“Sorry you had to see that. Whenever I hear a technical problem I just gotta jump in.”

“Well I’m glad you did. I was amazed to see how you were able to work all that out.”

“Oh it’s not that hard. All I had to do was just tighten the circuits and then replace the batteries while also—oh there I go again. My tech ramblings again, sorry if I’m boring you Gwilym you don’t need to hear all that.”

“No, no, no it’s genius. I mean back when I was doing theater in secondary and university, I never really had a good grasp on the tech theater side of it even though I was trying my best.”

“Not everyone does. I was the only one who took the class seriously back in high school. Everyone else rather just look at their magazines or porno books. Don’t ask me how they snuck it in.”

“Wow, well thankfully they had you to take it seriously.”

“Uh-huh.” I said sadly as I looked down and rubbed my wrist nervously.

“(Y/n)?”

“Hmm?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Just—thinking back.”

“Anything you’d…..like to share? I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

“Thank Gwilym but I don’t wanna bore you with my life. C’mon let’s get back to our food before you’re needed on set again.” I said as I walked away and went back to my donuts and Cinnabons.  Gwil followed behind me and began to eat his celery and carrots as well as drinking his coffee, as we ate I tried my best to avoid eye contact with him up until I finished my things and tossed them in the bin before heading out.

Making an excuse that Bri and Rog had texted me saying that they wanted to talk about the lighting and sound for their next concert.

Later that night as everyone was packing up to do some of the outdoor scenes like Adam’s big cameo appearance, I found myself standing away from the set just staring up at the night sky.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I looked up to see Gwil coming by to sit beside me in the spare chair where Adam was just sitting at before he went to hair and makeup.

“Just—taking in the sky.” He looked up and he said.

“It’s a full moon out tonight.”

“Yep. The one time for a straight week where the tides are stronger and can sometimes have an effect on the human mind.”

“Quite the philosopher you are.”

“Well I did minor in it in college. My major was in electrical engineering.”

“So not only good with your hands but also a brilliant mind in philosophy as well. No wonder why Brian calls you the mini-Deacy.” I smiled briefly.

“The reason why I know about the full moon is because of him. He did give me a little lecture on astronomy. But I’d be lying if I didn’t have a fascination with space already. Just—never could understand the specific science talk it came with.”

“I hear yah. When I was a kid; my brother and I would go out to the backyard and we’d just look up at the stars and make as many pictures with them as we could. Sometimes we even stayed out all night. Worried my mum to no end.”

“I think it’d worry me too if my kids ended up staying outside in the cold night with no blankets or a tent to sleep in.” we turned to look at each other and once again Gwil had this awed look on his face, just like he did this afternoon. “What is it?”

“Nothing it’s just…..” he trailed off.

“Just what?”

“Your eyes.”

“M—my eyes?”

“They….they sparkle underneath the moonlight. Almost like they were two stars themselves.” I was speechless.  I felt my heart race and my face beginning to heat up.  I turned away probably blushing as red as an apple right now.  I felt Gwil’s hand gently go on top of mine, before intertwining them together which made me look up at him.  It was then I saw him lean closer towards me, his forehead pressing against mine while his nose gently brushed up against mine.

At this point I could hear my heart racing in my ears as the smell of his cologne sent me into a hypnotic state.  I felt his hand cup the side of my face as he faintly whispered.

“So beautiful.” But just before he could kiss me, Joe’s voice could be heard from a mile away.

“YO GWIL WHERE ARE YAH!? WE’RE ABOUT TO START FILMING!!!”

“If this is payback for the pub he’s so gonna get it.” I heard him mutter angrily.  He turned back towards me and he said, “Sorry love.”

“It’s okay.” I strained out. “Just, just, just, just go film your scenes for the night.” I said as I crossed my arms over me protectively and looked down.  I couldn’t look at him, I just couldn’t find the strength to do so.  I then heard him walk away and that’s when the tears started pouring down.

I took off running to the nearest place I could find.  I didn’t even bother to look and see what it was, all I wanted to know was that I could be alone and that I could cry to myself in peace.  I collapsed to the floor on my butt and tucked my legs up into my chest and began to softly cry.

I don’t know how long I was crying in wherever I was for but it was then I heard the door open and soon coming in was Adam and Rami.

“(Y/n)?” Adam said surprised.  I felt myself being torn down as I had finally been revealed. I must’ve came into the hair and makeup trailer and now that they were probably calling it quits, everyone would soon come in and see me crying my eyes out.

“(Y/n) you okay?” Rami asked.

“Hey uhh Rami could you give us a moment alone? Maybe guard the door so that no one comes in just yet?”

“Yeah, yeah sure thing.” I heard the door shut and that’s when I saw Adam sit down in front of me.  I looked up at him to see him in the truck driver get up with the full beard and long haired wig.

“You were right. Okay you wanna hear me say it Adam Lambert?! You were right! I’m in love with Gwilym Lee!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa okay. Okay. Calm down, calm down.” He said as he cautiously reached forward and gently gripped my arms in his hands. “I’m happy you finally came to terms with it dearie, that’s great news actually. But what’s got you so upset?”

“For Christ sake Adam tell me you didn’t forget about the bullying I had to endure all throughout middle and high school! And Jared!” at the mention of the boy’s name his eyes widened and he said.

“Okay hold on, wait just a damn second. Gwilym is nowhere near what that dick Jared was. I’ve seen the two of you together and he makes you happier way more than what Jared did.”

“Well Jared made me happy until he did what he did!” I looked down at my knees and continued lowly, “Oh Adam. I thought I could just keep up a friendship with Gwilym, but now I—” I trailed off as more sobs came up my throat as I choked out, “Now I…..I wish I never came here!” I then broke down once more.

I felt Adam sit close beside me before he wrapped his arms around me bringing me into his chest and kissing my forehead as he rubbed my back in soothing circles and stroked down my hair.

Once I calmed down after what felt like crying all night, Adam took me out of the trailer and already I could see a crowd of people including Gwil standing around asking all sorts of questions at seeing me.

“Guys please. No questions are necessary and please don’t ask me because I won’t answer them either. What was said in the trailer stays between (y/n) and me.” Adam made a clear statement before finally taking me away to find Brian or Roger.

When we finally came across Roger, he soon got protective and asked.

“What happened?”

“Roger could you just take (y/n) back to the hotel, I’ll explain later.”

“Alright, come with me lovie.” I was soon switched out from Adam’s arms to Roger’s and he guided me towards his car.  He helped me into the backseat where I could hide away while he drove us back to the hotel.

I was now in my room lying on my bed hiding under the blankets after just spending a long time under the hot water trying to get rid of the memories of Jared.

You see—I had met Jared during the first collaboration with Adam and Queen.  He was actually one of Brian’s roadies and helped set up all of Brian’s AMPS.  We had a common love for electronics and gradated with the same major even being an ocean apart.  We shortly began dating afterwards and were madly in love.

But when a serious accident caused him to take an early retirement from being on the road since the damage had been done to his lower back.  Which left me to go on the road with Queen and Adam, but we still kept in touch.

Fast forward to just a year ago after four years of dating, I began to wonder if there was gonna be a future with the two of us together.  So one day after we had gotten done with a tour, I get a text from Jared saying that the next night he wanted to meet me at the very restaurant where we had our first official date at.  Adam of course was thrilled thinking that a proposal was in the horizon so he helped me get dolled up the next morning (even with him being completely jetlagged) and I met Jared at our restaurant.

I was trembling with anxiety but also with joy. He took my hand, looked deep into my eyes and that’s when he dropped the bombshell, but it wasn’t what you’d think it was.  Jared had confessed to me in our restaurant where we had our first date, along with many others that he had been cheating on me.

But not just with one woman, not two, not three, but lots of women.  All in the entire span we had been dating.

I refused to listen to anything else he had to say as he tried to defend himself.  But no that’s not the worst part, the worst part of it was, was that the following day (after crying in Adam’s arms all day), Jared came to the stage where Queen and Adam were performing in London and tried to win me back. Saying that it was just a fluck and that he still loved me with all his heart.

He’d constantly tried to call or text me over 100 times a day.  The harassment went on for months till finally I had a restraining order put against him and if he should violate it in the state of England, he’d be arrested. To which he was and was sentenced to five years in jail for refusal to obey the restraining order as well as stalking (yeah he’d stalk me cross country during some of the tours and even snuck backstage and confronted me with arms open and tears rolling down his face).

Ever since then, I’d been afraid to love again because what if they end up being another Jared.  Charming, sweet, noble, funny and charismatic, but the second I turn my back he’d go and sleep with half the women in America. And then make me to be the bad guy because I couldn’t give them a chance to explain why he had to cheat.

I heard a knock at the door and I could only groan as my door soon opened and I felt three separate dips around my bed.

“Adam told us (y/n).” Brian’s voice said. I groaned and buried myself into my pillow.

“You know you’ll suffocate yourself if you do that.” Adam said.

“Better that than dealing with this bitch.” I groaned pitifully.

“C’mon (n/n), come out from under there and look at us.” Roger said. I shot up and glared at him and said.

“There, happy? Goodnight!” before I could collapse back down onto the bed, Adam held me up and trapped me in his arms as he said.

“Stay out here.”

“(Y/n). We know that—you know who really hurt you.” Brian started off.

“Hurt doesn’t even come close to how I felt the day he told me that. God never did I want to kill someone until that day.”

“I don’t blame you, none of us do.” Adam said as he rubbed my back. “But you can’t let what Jared did affect you for the rest of your life.”

“Think it’s already a little too late for that.”

“No it’s not. Because look at what you’ve accomplished since his arrest. The only guys you had a close connection with are me and the guys. Now you’ve become friends with Rami, Ben, Joe and Gwil. And what’s even greater is that you’ve come to accept that you’re starting to have feelings for Gwil.” Adam said.  I looked down and I said.

“How do I know it’ll work out? What if it’s like Jared all over again?”

“You’ll never know unless you go for it.” Roger said. I looked between the three of them but didn’t answer.

“The choice is up to you (y/n). Just make sure that whatever you do decide, you won’t regret it. And just listen to your heart. We’ll support you no matter what you choose.” Brian said as he placed a comforting hand to my shoulder.  I nodded and thanked the guys as they brought me into a group hug.

The next morning I came onto set for the last time (since Adam was done with his cameo, he was needed back at the studio to promote some of his solo stuff, and as his SM manager I needed to be there to spread the word) to confront Gwilym and finally let go of the past (if I could).

I walked around the set till I finally found the person I was searching for.  He was fiddling around with a mock Red special practicing before he would have to film the ‘We will rock you’ scene.  I took a deep breath in before exhaling out and walked towards him.

“Hey Gwil?” he looked up at me and said.

“(Y/n). You’re—you’re still here. I thought you and Adam already left?”

“No, not till tomorrow. I uhh—I wanted to talk to you. About……” I trailed off and that’s when he stood up setting the guitar down and finished my thought.

“About last night?” I nodded. He sighed heavily as he pressed his hands to his face, “I’m really sorry (y/n). I never meant to upset, I was impulsive and stupid to do that. Can we just forget what happened? I was way out of line.”

“Actually Gwilym I—I have something to confess. But can we talk somewhere privately?”

“Of course, we can talk in my trailer. If you’re comfortable with that.” I nodded and soon the two of us headed towards his trailer.

When we got there, he closed the door and I sat down on his sofa while he sat down at one of his chairs and said.

“Okay (y/n), what is it you need to confess?” my leg was bouncing up and down as I tried to formulate the words that I was about to tell him.  I felt the familiar sting of tears in my eyes.

“God I’m sorry.” I choked out.

“No, no, no never feel sorry about this. Please take your time.”

“Last night I—I wasn’t upset because of the, well the about to be kiss. In fact I—I wanted to kiss you too.”

“But.” He stated knowing that I had something else to add on.

“There’s a—reason why I’m so insecure about myself. And—why I haven’t been in a relationship.” I then proceeded to tell him everything.  From the bullies at school, to Jared’s story and how badly he had hurt me. Used me. Treated me like trash.  By the end of it all, Gwil was leaning up against his chair with a heavy expression.

“That son of a—bloody hell. (Y/n) I—I’m so, so sorry you had to go through that hell.”

“Brian, Roger and Adam made it easier on me. After his arrest they allowed me to take some time off from the rest of the tour that I was dealing with to decompress from all that stress. I thought I would never love someone ever again. Until……I met you.” I admitted the last part shyly.

“You—you love me?”

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same. I just—had to get it off my chest. So if I’ve made things awkward between us now, I’m sorry. We don’t have to see each other again.”

“(Y/n), (y/n) (y/n) (y/n) (y/n), (y/n).” Gwil came up and knelt in front of me and held my face in his hands. “Sorry you were starting to ramble on so much I could barely understand you.”

“Sorry. Adam always said I did that whenever I get to anxious. Bad trait of mine.”

“No worries love. Now to put your fears and anxiety aside, I want to tell you that I felt the same way about you. After spending these last few weeks together, I came to know the real you and not just through the stories from Brian and Roger. But now hearing this story, which I commend you for telling me. I know you didn’t have to tell me but you did. And I could go on and on about my feelings for you but to summarize it all up, if you’ll give me a chance. I’ll show you that not all men are like that selfish arsehole. I can be the man you deserve. The one who will treat you right, like you’re the only women left on Earth.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“The only girl I’ll love as much as you is my mum.” I smiled and pressed my forehead against Gwil’s and softly thanked him. “I promise (y/n). You’ll be my clever girl.”

“Think I like the sound of that.”

“Well you better get used to it, because there will be a lot of cute little nicknames in the future.”

“Just as long as you don’t give me any cheesy ones like bunny, or cupcake, or turtledove.”

“Spoil sport. And those were the first three I was thinking of.” I softly laughed as a true genuine smile came across my face. “And there’s that beautiful smile that makes me week at the knees. Next to your eyes, your smile is the brightest thing about you.”

“Gwil stop it you’re making me blush.” He softly chuckled before slowly leaning his lips towards mine and he gave me a soft kiss. When I felt that sudden bolt of electricity shoot up my spine, I knew that Gwil was definitely going to be different than Jared.  Even with that soft peck, there was so much passion and love in it that Jared never brought me.

I leaned forward and captured his lips once more, this time brushing my fingers through his short brown hair as I felt his arms slowly wrap further around me.

This was gonna be an adjustment in the days to come. After coming out of the relationship I had, I knew there would be some doubts in the future, especially with Gwil and I having separate careers always being a part from each other (me more than him) but I felt in my bones that when he made that promise earlier, he meant it.

And I was proven right that within 2 years shortly after the Bohemian Rhapsody premiere, I got a proposal right there at the red carpet.

[plainvanillapotato]

the 100 diaries S3 E1

quarantine diaries: june 20 2020

Season 3 episode 1: “Wanheda: Part 1″

chris? oof chris is dead

ok so this explains where the dead body went but where did these guys go??

murphy does not look good at all. he would do so poorly in quarantine. locked up murphy also reminds me of jess from breaking bad

what is going on. ummm 

too many people. thanos?? Dwight??

so they just did a time skip through john murphy?? they could have chose a more interesting character but also 86 days is nothing murphy. but i do i like how hes vlogging his experience tho. likes hes the shane dawson of the 100

oh my god! jaha is carrying murphy..lincoln and octavia who??? umm yes the ship is still strong even after the separation. 

what a way to start a season tho but like kinda in a bad way. murphy is not my favorite character so yeah this intro was not really for me.

ok so why was it closed in the first

looks like they’re sticking with the same intro :/

woah this is what i like to see! yes bellamy fight lincoln!!! reminds me of the sherlock home movie intro. 

ICE NATION?! are we going to meet Katara? 

look at kane with a beard talking about real peace lol ok kane with these writers i just know that this wont last

MONTY!! looking good in a uniform

jasper shaved his head?! awww maya

bellamy and this girl?? theyre just gonna throw in this ship with no build up?? bitch waht?? ok fine but im calling it rn i bet this girl dies just for bellamy’s character development cuz there’s literally no other point to having this girl. but i will admit it was cute that she gave him a book

i wonder how many takes the water bucket to the face jasper’s actor had to do

hey hey hey chill jasper dont do that to my boy monty

lol i love jaspers salute into slapping bellamy like was that in the script or did the actor just come up with that on his own either way it was good

on the contrary raven i think that prettyboy bellamy is too good for her/whatever her name is

woooooow jasper blames monty? come on bro it was mostly bellamy and clarke

really who gave octavia a horse? but also since when did she learn how to horse ride because she her as hell didnt learn that on the ark

arkadia?? because of the ark?? ok

look at jasper just being an emo boy with his earbuds in. but also is that an ipod shuffle??? is raven steve jobs now? or where the heck did jasper get it?

what was that look jasper had with raven? ....ship?

wait that arm touch while miller sings let me make love to you...monty and miller a ship? you know what i ship it! 

aww and look at bellamy with a smile kinda reminds me of this cat

this scene is just giving me all the feels!! i love it! 

i gotta say tho i still really dont like octavia. i hate her even more on a horse i just find it pretentious 

bellamy said screw protocol. love this chaotic energy. whatever the hell we want he said

but also bellamy said millers boyfriend?? waht?? so that like means that monty and miller might actually be come a thing tho right??? sorry not sorry that im literally shipping everyone with everyone

i dont like murphys hair now either. way too much gel

what a waste of an apple. that wasnt necessary at all murphy

we’re all kings said jaha. yes i like this attitude

stop it jaha. i dont think you can justice killing that many people

imo this is a very solid group even with octavia. like this is my favorite squad so far it has all my favorite characters bellamy, monty, miller, jasper, and raven (yeah thats right octavia is not my favorites list and neither is clarke)

the ice people with the white war paint remind me of that one racist movie that johnny depp was in 

woah there jasper pretty bold and reckless there

lmao bellamy yells hold your fire after shooting the first shot

umm okaY OCTAVIA. nice throw.

oo bellamy said monty youre with me. yes yes yes monty and bellamy are my dream duo

what a beautiful black panther...what the heck clarke. clarke really is a crazy bitch to hunt a black panther 

also i really hate her hair rn. like im getting such bad vibez but also clarke really became fluent in 3 months??? huh?? what is that about?

ooo the wristband. 

if raven couldnt get down from the horse how did she get up there in the first place??

clarke is wanheda the commander of death umm really this is what the grounders think of clarke

that is not a good picture of clarke its like flynn rider and his wanted posters

question: i thought only the warriors knew english so why does this merchant know english 

contraceptive implant removals??? calm down jackson that isnt a life or death procedure. but also damn these people really want to bring in new life into this crazy world?

side note where the hell is wick???

yeah abby fix yourself. preach raven

clarke and niylah... waht?? also the music choice for this scene was straight up weird. like watch the scene and tell me that it wasnt weird

octavia what is this?? octavia stop being salty bitch to lincoln. this is just such a weird dynamic. also octavia if youre gonna tell lincoln that “you can wear their jacket. but you’ll never be one of them” can you please fucking apply this about you really want to be a grounder. such a hypocrite

why does jaha need him? cuz it doesnt seem like murphy has an skill other than keeping himself alive

“pain hate envy those are the abcs of me”-murphy. who is this guy Eminem??

emori?? murphy is like i really dont want to go with jaha but i really into this girl shes the only person that doesnt hate me.

is that shaw mendes?? like is that really him because to be honest shawn mendes has a common face? i really dont know and i dont feel like looking it up. if it was a cameo then it was as weird as ed sheeran popping up in game of thrones

really octavia really. sleeping on the ground underneath the night sky?? bitch who do you think you are? you’ve been on the ground for less than a year and youre acting as if this grounder culture is all that you are. I also don’t like how she is trying to be more “grounder” than lincoln who literally grew up in that culture. idk guys i just get really weird vibes. 

oooo get’em jasper that music was annoying me too

side note: but also who the fuck taught these kids how to drive a car cuz its not like anyone on the ark knows how to?? i get that its easy to drive a car but honestly my real beef is that we dont see them learning how to drive cuz i think that it would be funny af...unless please tell me they have flashbacks to them learning how to drive. if not, we were robbed.

great job clarke way to get yourself caught

this is the weakest season opening for this show ever like i gotta say that i really dont like this direction of this season rn

[alcalavicci]

Finally typed up that one gen fic I mentioned before and do like since it’s so damn funny and I’m saving it here for posterity:

(Disclaimer- if this is yours and you don’t want it online, send me an ask and I’ll take it down)

My Brother, the Beauty Queen (by Kim Smith and Judi Toth)

“Tell me another story.”

Sam rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Katie, c’mon. I’ve already told you about Jimmy, Chad, Cam and Phillip. Isn’t that enough for one night?”

His sister grinned impishly. She may have been forty-one, but right now she looked about five. “Please?”

“A word of advice, Sam.” The words were muffled, with good reason. Katie’s husband Jim lay face down on the couch across the living room. His wife was sitting on him, administering a backrub. “Don’t argue, just tell her. Maybe then she’ll let us go to bed.”

“Katie.” The voice floated past Sam from the direction of the kitchen. “From what I understand, Sam ‘leaped’ nearly a hundred times. I don’t think we’re gonna run out of stories anytime soon.” Tom appeared in the doorway separating the two rooms, holding an open bottle of beer and yawning.

“Only one hundred? We’ll run out of them too soon! And I haven’t heard enough tonight. Come on, Sammy, just one more. Please?”

“You shouldn’t have given her my bedroom when I went in ‘Nam, Sam. It spoiled her.”

Jim raised his head from the pillow cradled in his arms. “You mean it wasn’t inborn? Ouch! Katie, stop! I’m sorry already! Jeez, I think you broke a rib.”

“It’s a good thing your brother-in-law is a doctor, then. He’ll fix you up after,” she emphasized, glaring at Sam, “he tells me a story.”

Seeing no way out, Sam sighed heavily. Okay. “Let’s see...”

“I have one.”

Everyone turned towards the voice coming from the patio door. They had almost forgotten Al was there, he’d been so quiet during the siblings’ conversation. Katie twisted around to look at him, eliciting a groan from her living seat. “Is it good?”

Al carefully studied the tip of his glowing cigar. “Well… I recall a time in 1958. June, I believe it was. In Georgia...”

There was no way anyone could’ve missed the effect Al’s words had on Sam. His eyes went very wide, and he began to fidget in his chair. “Um, hey, Katie. Did I tell you we found the tomb of Ptah-Hotep? I almost got killed on that leap.”

His sister looked at him for a moment, then deliberately turned back to Al. “Georgia, huh?”

“Uh huh. We were at this hotel...” Al paused to take a long drag on his cigar. “At a convention, of sorts.”

“Yes?” Katie prompted.

“Or how about the time I was a trapeze artist. You remember, Tom… remember how I’m scared of heights? Got over it then, let me tell you.” Sam paused to see if they were merciful. “Please let me tell you!”

Slow grins appeared on both of the other Becketts’ faces. “Go on, Al,” Tom said.

“Sam took the place of someone participating in...” He looked over at Sam, eyes narrowing. The younger man’s fidgeting grew more pronounced. “...A contest.”

“I was an actor,” Sam said desperately. “I played Hamlet. On a stage. In front of people. Nude.”

Katie raised an eyebrow, then held up a finger at him. “Hold that thought, bro’. Al?”

The older man’s eyes gleamed in a way that scared Sam. “Actually, it was more of a pageant.”

“You know, I just remembered. I promised Donna a backrub before she went to sleep. I’ll just go upstairs...”

A heavy hand pressed him back into the chair. Sam looked up into Tom’s grinning face. “Why, it would be rude to leave now, little brother. After all, the admiral listened to all of your stories. It’s only polite that you should sit here and listen to his.”

Sam covered his eyes. “Oh boy.”

Al walked into the living room. The man who, as a hologram never passed up the chance to take a bow he hadn’t earned, knew this stage was his. “To be precise, it was the ‘Deep South’ beauty pageant...”

“Time out,” Tom interrupted. “A pageant for men? In the fifties?”

Katie shook her head. “Tom, I think you’re missing a point here...”

Tom’s eyes widened. “You mean… Sam was a...”

“A woman,” Al nodded, matter-of-fact. “More than once, actually. But those are other stories.”

“And ones we’ll hear.” Tom leaned down, closer to Sam, and patted him on the shoulder. “I’m sure.”

Something that might have been a groan escaped from the lump that was once a proud Nobel Prize winner.

“This young lady, Darlene Monte, was quite a looker. Deserved to be in a beauty pageant. She also had the brains to go along with the looks. She went on to college with the money she won in the contest and become one of the first heart surgeons in the country.” Al paused for effect. “Beautiful. Graceful. And with a good chance of placing in the pageant… that is, until your brother leapt in.”

Katie wiggled in anticipation. “I’m likin’ this already.”

“He did bad enough in the swimsuit competition… but then there was the talent competition.”

Sam’s head popped up. “Wait a second! I did really well in the talent competition. In fact, I won because of the talent competition.”

“You won?” Tom asked disbelievingly. He shook his head in mock horror. “My brother, the beauty queen.”

Jim sat up, dislodging his wife. “Adding yet another title to your resume, Sam?”

“Et tu, Jim?” came the feeble response from the family genius.

“Getting back to this talent contest thing,” Katie said, rearranging herself on the couch. “What did he do?”

“I sang ‘Great Balls of Fire.’ The crowd loved it,” Sam said defensively.

All eyes turned to Al, who shrugged his shoulders. “He’s right. The crowd ate it up.”

Sam nodded his satisfaction at Al’s concession.

“’Course, that was the pageant. At the recital, he sang ‘Cuanto Le Gusta’… and he didn’t do as well.”

“So? I had never heard the song before. So what? I dropped it; I sang ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ and I won.” Sam ended with a firm nod of his head.

There was a pause. Everyone shifted expectantly, waiting for the punchline from Al. When none was forthcoming, Katie gave him a searching look. “This is a good story?”

The older man shrugged his shoulders. “Well, I guess it was his costume. You see, it was this red and gold flowered thing.” His hands began to wave over his body vaguely. “With this big hat thingy…” His arms moved in expanding circles in the air. “And it kept tipping...” Al comically leaned to his left then swayed to his right, still drawing circles in the air.

The only person left smiling in the room was Sam, obviously relieved to be spared an embarrassing moment. “I guess it’s about time that we started to turn in. I’ll tell you another story tomorrow, Katie.” The quantum physicist began to stretch in his chair.

“It’s really hard to describe...” Al began.

“That much is obvious,” Jim interjected.

“…so I guess I’ll have to show you.”

Sam stiffened. Somewhere behind him, he heard a trap door slam shut. “What?”

Al pulled a handlink out of his pocket and activated it.

“What do you mean, ‘show’?”

Ignoring him, Al spoke to the link. “Ziggy, access one of Dr. Beckett’s leaps. Monte, Darlene. 1958.” He turned to Katie and said confidentially, “He doesn’t know about the film.”

Sam stared at Al in shock. “What do you mean, ‘film’? The rehearsal wasn’t...”

Al just looked at him.

“Oh no. No!”

“Yes! Oh yes!” Katie crowed, clapping her hands. “This is definitely something I want to see.”

Tom plopped down next to her. “This will be an experience.”

Al began turning the television to face the trio on the couch more fully. “The film is a little grainy. But I think the quality is pretty good for something fifty years old. Anyway, you’ll get the picture. Pun intended.”

Sam shook his head. “He doesn’t really have any film. He’s just playing with me. This is a big joke. Really.”

In unison, everyone turned to Sam and smiled, then looked back to the TV. The black and white picture on the screen showed a medium-sized stage with a line of white curtains draped across the back. A young woman, dressed in a Carmen Miranda outfit, slowly appeared from behind the curtains, reluctance written all over her face. The slit in the front of her skirt opened almost all the way every time she took a step. Ineffectually tugging at it, she continued on stage, anxiously looked to her right and mumbled at thin air.

“So where’s Sam?” asked Tom.

Al smiled at the screen and answered, “That’s him, on stage now. I was standing right next to him, trying to get him to act more like he knew what he was doing. But of course, he couldn’t just trust me.”

The TV speakers began to play the Latin music and the young contestant nervously stepped forward and started to sing. One beat off.

“Cuanto le gusta, le gusta, le gusta, le gusta, le gusta, le gusta, le gusta.”

The dance that accompanied the song could, at best, be called unrehearsed. The performer swayed drunkenly on her heels, obviously not knowing whether to go right or left. Her top heavy hat teetered in the opposite direction of her hips, as if the fruit on top wanted to jump down and take over the dance. The presentation was not helped by the lady in question continually glancing right, as if searching for clues.

“What’ll we see there? Who will be there?” “Darlene” continued plodding through the song, seemingly unaware that she was just slightly off pitch. “What’ll be the big surprise?”

Jim and Tom laughed as she began to turn in circles like a puppy chasing after its tail.

“Oh, the poor girl!” Katie exclaimed.

“But it’s not a girl!” Tom worked out between guffaws. “It’s Sam, looking mighty fine. Say, nice legs, little brother!”

Sam was unable to take his eyes off the TV; it was simply too horribly fascinating. He remembered all too clearly the frustration and humiliation he had felt every time he leaped into a woman. He hadn’t realized he had projected his misery so obviously, though. No wonder his leaps as women had always been the hardest.

“Here’s where Sam really lost it. The song could’a been his, but he blew it.” Al’s gravelly voice projected amusement as the girl on the stage began a new line, by only singing the back-up singer’s lines.

“...We’re on our way… Pack up your bag… And if we stay… We won’t come back.”

Roars of laughter came from the sofa. It’s not often that an audience is witness to an act with one back-up singer and dancer, but no lead. Even Sam had to smile in concession at the absurd picture he had presented.

The television now showed the hapless beauty pageant positioning herself for the next round. “Thank you. That’ll be all for now,” came from off camera. Surprised, “Darlene” looked down. Realizing that meant she was free to go, she gratefully gathered her skirt in front of herself with one hand and her fruit-top in the other and beat as hasty a retreat as possible.

Tom looked over at Sam, who was trying to make himself look unconcerned. Still chuckling, the eldest Beckett shook his head at Sam. “You know, when your friends at Indiana State got you drunk and convinced you to go streaking, I thought we had just reached the pinnacle of your ‘wild ways.’ I mean, after all, you got drunk underage, exposed yourself and got expelled, all in one shot. But I never knew, little brother, that you liked to go stage-hopping in drag.”

“Before marrying Katie, I was told that the Beckett clan had some… eccentric members.” Jim grinned at Sam. “But I do wish I’d been warned about the cross-dressing. Is that something we’ll have to worry about in our kids?”

Katie stood and walked over to her brother. “Don’t be so hard on him, guys. After all, he did a wonderful thing. He helped that young woman become a doctor. And it is quite an accomplishment to win a beauty pageant.” She leaned down to look Sam straight in the eyes. “I do have one question, though.”

Warily, Sam gave her a short nod.

“How did you get your legs so smooth? Did you use a waxing system, or was it just shaving?” she asked earnestly.

The laughter began all over again, this time even louder.

Over Katie’s head, Sam met Al’s dark eyes. “A hologram,” he said loudly. “can’t be touched. Trying to reach for it, your hand passes right through. But you aren’t a hologram any more, Al.” The quantum physicist stood and began a menacing walk towards the admiral.

Katie interposed herself between the two men. “Now, Sam, we’re just having a little fun. You can’t blame Al for getting into the spirit of things. Sam?”

“Al, if you want me to, I’ll stop him.” Tom stood to his full six foot three inches. “I can still take on my little brother.”

Al stood his ground, waving away the offered help. “No, that’s okay. I’ll be fine.”

Sam stopped his advance just a few inches from the admiral. Frowning, he glared down at his friend. “Why aren’t you at least backing off? You backed off when I tried to throw a pie in your face when you were a hologram. What gives?”

Rocking on his heels, a smug grin on his face, Al said, “January 24, 1961. Andrews Air Force Base. Bobo.”

“Time for bed,” came the instant response from Sam. “Good night.”

Everyone stared in shock as the former time traveler practically flew out of the room. As the last of the thumping, taking steps two at a time, faded, three pairs of eyes looked back at Al.

“Al, tell me another story.”