#it was genius to have them show up as actors on a stage to tell the story of oz

[ninacarstairss]

btw there should have been an emotional breakdown warning included somewhere because i was prepared to cry at defying gravity, but i was not prepared to see idina menzel and kristin chenoweth show up on my screen to recite the origins of the wizard

[baxndaid]

human vox

x reader 📺⛽🎤

an ; request more vox pls i love him, most of this is just me yapping

The year was 1952 and you worked in the upcoming film and TV industry. While it was just a small job reading through scripts to find typos or getting coffee for the more important figures, it was a job nonetheless and you enjoyed it.

A new show had quickly skyrocketed in popularity since its debut, a game show where you would have to answer questions in order to win the, most likely branded, items. Something like a washing machine or a supply of toothpaste. If the producers felt generous that day however, the prizes would rise in value, the show once giving away a brand new sleek black Fiat 1900. While the simple yet new and exciting premise of the show might’ve drawn viewers in, the host of the show made them stay. He was charming and handsome, he always dressed the part with a dapper suit and his hair was always done perfectly. Whenever he spoke, it was like the whole stage brightened up a bit, at least, that’s what you thought. His stage name was Vox, you never really liked that name - too sharp and aggressive, you thought. His real name was Vince, and you liked it better, though you’d never tell him that. You hardly ever had any interactions with the man other than handing him the script that the sponsors wanted him to yap about. He was charming, and you liked him - unfortunately it was just a pipe dream. You didn’t bother chasing after him considering you were just a small time employee while he was the face of the whole show, thousands of American women had their eyes on him especially when they turned their black and white TVs on between 5-6PM.

Fortunately for you, the producers had caught a glimpse of you backstage and wanted to spice up the show a bit. It was getting boring, other than the host himself there was nobody else the audience could attach themselves to. So, naturally, the best idea would be to introduce a beautiful woman, who was smart and shy - the “role model” if you will. You fit the bill, and how could you say no? You would be beloved by every household for your wholesome nature, (and especially loved by all the men in unhappy marriages and liked looking at the young women on screen.) And if you won? you could keep the winnings.

And you would win, because the show was now rigged in your favor.

Simply put, they wanted to paint you as the underdog, the vulnerable lady who simply wanted a chance to make some money. So when you would answer every question, even the ridiculous ones, correctly, the audience would gasp in disbelief at your amazing hidden knowledge and then tune into the next episode to see more of you and Vox. The truth was, the only thing hidden was Vox sliding you the answers to each question onto your desk. It was genius, really, the producers seemed to love the idea and so did Vox. Anything for ratings. You were still a little apprehensive, but you couldn’t back down after already signing the contract.

After winning one episode and becoming around $10,000 richer, Vox strategically pulled you in for a hug and gave you a polite kiss on the cheek to congratulate you for your “victory” in front of the camera. He was an amazing actor, you thought as he said his goodbyes to the audience and the cameras stopped rolling. Maybe he should ditch this studio and try his luck in Hollywood.

Once the room was no longer focused on Vox, he turned to you, his smile less big and forced and a lot more casual, “That was your first taste of show business, how’d you find it? Pretty nifty eh?” He prodded you with his elbow gently.

“Yeah, it was um- different… to what I usually do.”

“Oh yeah, forgot you worked here prior.” He looked at you up and down as he pulled a cigarette and lighter out from his pocket, “Say, since you and I are going to be working with each other from now on, why don’t we blow this antsville and I’ll buy you a drink?”

As he waited for your answer he placed the cigarette in his mouth and lit it. You were surprised and albeit excited by his offer, but you decided not to go out drinking with a famous guy in the middle of the afternoon. Something something responsible adult.

"A drink? Oh, I don't know about that sir... It's rather late."

He scoffed and exhaled, a puff of smoke engulfed you as you coughed. "Don't be such a square." He looked at your face again whilst bringing the stick up to his lips once more, "And don't call me sir, makes me seem old. Call me Vince," He paused, "Or Vox, I don't really give a rats ass."

You nodded and took a small step away from him in a pathetic attempt to get away from the smoke. He smirked.

"I take it you don't smoke?"

You shook your head

"Look at you, I'm not surprised." He took another draw of his cigarette, "So, about that drink?"

You were going to be honest, you couldn't say no. He was so unbelievably pushy that it was practically impossible to turn him down without feeling like shit afterwards. He was THE Vox, America's beloved host! How dare you even think of saying no. So here you were, in his luxurious house, sat on his couch that probably cost more than your entire living room, and with a glass of expensive scotch in hand that he generously poured you.

He returned with his own glass and sat down next to you, laying his free arm behind your head. He took a sip, his gaze never leaving yours,

"You're a pretty thing, can't believe you haven't been casted already, or snatched up by some of the big dogs like Vogue." He said, a smile plastered on his face. "I think you and I will get along just fine."

_____

As he predicted, you and Vox did indeed get on well, normally chatting (gossiping) about who knows what in his dressing room after work. He had told you about his old job as a TV salesmen, and how he has this weird hatred for radios. Something about them being outdated and boring. You never understood. He learnt a lot about you too, your past relationships, your family, your favourite animals - you two grew close and he relished in the idea of getting even closer. The network had given you another job since you could only appear on Vox's show so many times. It was a higher paying job but not all that stressful since you now had someone to talk to about it.

The press had caught wind of your friendship and naturally began to speculate on it. You won his gameshow 3 times now, maybe you simply slept with him in order to get the answers? Maybe it was luck? Are you two truly just friends or are you dating? Or just putting on a show?

Vox loved it, he loved your flushed face whenever you'd read the title of a gossip paper involving you and your new friend, he loved touching you a little more intimately whenever you two were hanging out in public, and he especially enjoyed kissing your hand or cheek under the guise of being a gentleman in front of any fans that just so happened to meet them out and about. Luckily for you, these rumours went nowhere and remained as simple speculation. Did he want you? yes, he couldn't even deny it. You were funny and understanding, even when he wasn't in a good mood. You knew so much about him and he knew so much about you - the fact that you were gorgeous was just a plus. Additionally, you were fantastic for his public image; a darling little thing like you attached to his hip just fuelled his already massive ego since he loved showing you off. The only problem was - you were as dense as a brick. He often got a little frustrated since his flirtatious efforts were fruitless; you couldn't tell if he was being for real or just acting for publicities sake, so you opted on just ignoring his romantic (and sexual) remarks towards you.

And don't think for a second that you'll be getting a real soppy confession from him either. He would buy you expensive clothes and take you out to fancy dinners, he would hold your hand while you crossed the street together and he would cuss anybody out if they were pissing you off. His feelings for you would be confirmed by him sloppily kissing you on his desk one random afternoon after a few drinks and tears; maybe not the most romantic way to say "I love you" but it was close enough for him and close enough for you too.

[genericpuff]

You probably don't want to talk about 'Kaos' anymore so you don't need to respond to this, I just want to tell my thoughts

At first I thought that "Hades and Persephone love each other", "Demeter is a helicopter mom" and the famous "Hades is misunderstood and the least bad of his brothers" 🙄 good thing I was too shy to say those thoughts on the internet

Ironically, thanks to "Lore Olympus" I realized the altered perception that almost everyone has about this couple and poor Demeter (now she is my favorite goddess ♥️). The clearest example is that pretentious webcomic.

When I saw the HxP version of 'Kaos'... I liked it

I feel like it's because I don't really see them as Hades and Persephone, I just see an old couple who genuinely love, respect and support each other and not a bastardization that only exists to fulfill a twisted fantasy (*Cough* LO *cough*)

I've only seen up to the beginning of chapter 6, but so far I like this version of Hades, he's not a hypocrite who feels superior to Zeus, he genuinely cares about his family, he doesn't want Zeus' pride to destroy it and tries to warn him and that went very wrong 😞

Well, that's all I wanted to say, bye 👋

I actually don't mind talking about Kaos at all, it was a great watch!!!

I was a little sigh when Persephone was like "ACTUALLY I went down WILLINGLY" but I'm glad at least that so far that it was more so just a brief, inconsequential mention and nothing that seemed to imply toxicity between her and Demeter. That said, there's still clearly meant to be a second season (whether it gets renewed is a whole other issue) so I'm reeeeallly hoping it doesn't go "haha psych!" and pull the rug out from under me with Demeter slander, but we'll see.

Again, thankfully it wasn't too major of an inclusion that it doesn't ruin the overall presentation of H x P in the show, the casting is genius (I hadn't even realized at first the actor portraying Hades was David Thewlis until my husband pointed it out and that made me love him even more hahaha) and the dynamic between Persephone and Hades is very fun as they're both clearly on the same playing field in terms of age and life experience, Persephone never seems like she's just an accessory to Hades and if anything it's Persephone who's often having to run the show (but it doesn't ever put Hades down either, he's just overworked and tired and his wife is trying to make him do self-care aahah)

And yeah, I mentioned this in a previous unrelated ask but I really feel like there's too much focus around teenagers / young couples / May-December couples (i.e. "old guy x young girl") in a lot of romance these days so seeing Kaos' depiction of H x P as a middle-aged couple who are clearly in love but also have a lot of burdens between themselves and their responsibilities was very refreshing and needed. I know a lot of romances are centered around younger couples because then they can play on the whole dramatic, "whirlwind romance" trope, but people older than 40 can have great romance stories too! And frankly considering how many romances are centered around the "first love" couples who are just constantly making out / flirting / having sex / etc., it's weirdly fun to watch a couple who are clearly past that puppy love stage and are now just working together as a unit the way experienced couples would. The love has moved past the short-term excitement of kissing and sex and moved into the long-term strength of simply committing yourself to another person and tackling life's problems together.

That's not to say that young couples can't be depicted in that way, either, but again, a lot of it often gets thrown to the wayside in favor of the more "exciting" stuff like the "will they won't they" trope and the love triangles and moments of "firsts". Ironically, those moments of "firsts" aren't so special when every romantic couple in media is having them 💀😆

Sooo yeah! Hades and Persephone in Kaos are very fun and endearing to watch, they genuinely feel like two people committed to both each other and their responsibilities as rulers of the Underworld and it shows in both their actions and how they behave together while standing against Zeus. I really hope that it gets a second season, and that whatever is contained within doesn't fall into the same "Demeter was the villain" shtick. I don't see what's so difficult about having Persephone choose to go to the Underworld without it being at the expense of her mother, it's wild how so many stories can't seem to play to both sides of the myths.

[adridoesstuff]

Czech Schatten (explained for people who haven't seen Czech Elisabeth fully)

With the concert recording of Schatten I reposted gaining some traction a while ago, I felt like I needed to make this post because if you haven't seen this production in it's full iteration, I feel like you can't truly appreciate just how genius this staging is within it's full context. I'll separate this post into a few sections, so it's a bit more coherent

Content warning: the following post contains mentions of drug use

The characterizations of Smrt and Rudolf

I oftentimes like to call this production "what Schonbrunn Elisabeth could have been if the creative team weren't afraid of trying out new approaches" and I think the nuanced portrayal of Der Tod in this production is one of the most telling of that. The Tod of this production, Smrt, is unlike any other Tod I've ever seen.

A big difference between the Der Tod most of us are familiar with and Smrt is while Tod takes souls with kisses, Smrt kills merely on touch. And while written out, it might sound like a gimmick that will just hinder the actor during a performance by limiting his range of interactions, I feel like it did the exact opposite and only helped to flesh out Smrt as a character. Sure, some of us might not be a fan of Der Tod being portrayed as a physical supernatural entity, but this way, Smrt ended up a complex self-contradicting being, who despite not being a human had all the human capacity for feeling and who was consequently full of angst due to this, since there was no way for him to properly fulfill his deepest desires for human connection. Anything he touches gets destroyed, yet he must put on a front of indifference.

The characterization of Rudolf was also unlike any production before. I think what played a major part in that was the entire company and creative team doing extensive historical research into everything surrounding the show's characters and time period, so both of the show's Rudolves indeed felt more historical than all other Rudolves I've seen. I can't really put it into words, but there was just this feeling like the way they acted could have happened in the historical time period.

The Rudolf and Smrt relationship dynamic

A unique take on this relationship was that these two felt more like companions brought together by circumstance rather than a physiological pull. When they first meet, both Smrt and Rudolf are full of angst and yearning for a genuine human connection, which draws them together. Both of them have been abandoned by Elisabeth and they find solace in one another. Yet, despite this, despite them equally being fascinated and drawn towards the other, there's also this underlying fear and unsureness they both have.

Also, an important addition: in general, this production, from an outside perspective, very much favors an asexual reading on the source material, especially when it comes to the approach to Elisabeth herself and Smrt as well. The type of outward attraction Smrt shows for both Elisabeth and Rudolf is in no way outwardly sexual, but it's driven by the yearning for a companion, for being understood and for romantic attraction to some degree, but the most prominent is just the simple need for someone who just understands.

Rastlose Jahre

Another very creative choice this production did was making Rastlose Jahre a sort of foreword to Schatten. The two scenes flowed seamlessly into one another and by Rudolf getting included in the scene, we as viewers got more insight into him.

One touching idea the scene had was the way it showed the progression of time (since this single scene spans 18 years). The scene was staged with Franz sitting at his table downstage right and Elisabeth flitting around the stage in the back, followed by a giant entourage of ladies in waiting. During the first verse, little Rudolf appeared downstage left and tried waving at his mom, trying to catch her attention, but after she ignored him, he looked hopelessly into the audience and ran back into the wings. And a few moments later, adult Rudolf ran out in the same manner, showing just how quickly the time went by.

Adult Rudolf tries to catch his mother's attention and she still ignores him. He looks out into the audience again before he suddenly takes off his jacket, rolls up his sleeve, ties a tourniquet above his elbow and pulling out a syringe from his pocket, he injects the contents into his arm with pained gasps before throwing the syringe away. This is a reference to Rudolf IRL actually taking morphine as a drug and this staging cleverly incorporated the historical detail into the transition into Schatten. Rudolf ashamedly rolls his sleeve back down and puts his jacket back on. He tries calling out for his mother, but she once again ignores him (Michaela's Sisi didn't notice him at all, while Soňa's Sisi did notice him, but decided to run away rather than console and help him).

What happens during Schatten?

The lyric translation stays very close to the original, while adding some interesting spins to some sections (like Smrt saying that he promised to Rudolf to always be his guardian angel and that he will gladly stand by Rudolf's side).

Rudolf stumbles around the stage, still calling out for his mother, as the drugs take effect and Smrt appears at the back of the stage, holding a whip in his hand and cracking it. The hydraulic platform Smrt is standing on gets raised and a stucco decoration resembling a rearing horse can be seen to the side, making a hint at a carriage.

Rudolf is at first afraid of Smrt arriving, but by the first chorus, he gladly climbs up onto the carriage and lets Smrt lead the ride. But, after a while, he begs Smrt to slow down or stop the carriage and jumps back down.

Smrt sees Rudolf being dejected about how powerless he is when it comes to the political situation and making use of the whip, Smrt lifts Rudolf's chin up with it. But, to Smrt's surprise, Rudolf snatches the whip from Smrt's grasp and runs to the carriage, taking control of the ride himself. Smrt jumps up after him, seeing how Rudolf visibly can't manage the chaos of the situation.

Meanwhile, Rudolf is just trying to get a hand of having control over the carriage while evidently being delighted over actually having control over something for the first time in his life. Smrt tries reasoning with him and offers Rudolf a gun with the words "You can defend yourself".

Rudolf takes the gun, almost sobering at Smrt's words, while Smrt takes his whip back. Rudolf approaches the audience as the Death angels crowd around him and he raises up the gun to his head as he and Smrt sing the lyrics "We are only guests in this world, one must remember that". Rudolf looks almost ready to pull the trigger, but realizes what he was about to do and tears the gun away from his head at the last minute.

Smrt looks at him with a longing look of "I wish I could help you escape the pain now and spare you of any other suffering" before he exits. Rudolf looks after Smrt, both horrified over what he was about to do, but also somewhat contemplating following after him, before he turns back to the audience with tears in his eyes and once again clutching his arm over the spot where he injected the drug. He is left completely alone on the now empty stage, helplessly looking into the audience for any sort of hope he could find.

[twisted-sickfics]

Tough Day

a lot of content warnings in this one for angel-typical sexual content and violence so please skip this one if that’s not something you’re comfortable with! this still has lots of caretaking and comfort, there’s just also valentino so please beware!

content warnings: MDNI, emeto, language, valentino, violence and sexual content

~

Angel knew it would be a tough day when he woke up feeling like shit.

Well, to be more specific, his stomach feels like shit and his entire body aches all over. It doesn’t exactly take a genius to figure out that he’s probably coming down with something.

But he doesn’t have time to worry about that. Valentino needs him for a shoot and he’s not exactly going to take “I’m sick” as an excuse. He’s been higher and felt worse than this and completed shoots just fine. If he’s lucky, he doesn’t even remember them when he’s that out of it.

This is just…uncomfortable. Inconvenient. A fucking drag.

Getting to the set isn’t an issue but actually having to film? That’s another beast altogether. Having a bunch of dicks shoved in his mouth isn’t exactly the best idea when he’s already feeling like he could puke at any second. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like that’s the vibe Valentino wants to go for today.

Filming isn’t actually that bad, but it’s during the short break he’s allotted that things start to take a turn for the worse. He takes a drink of water and practically gags, feeling his stomach rebelling against the liquid he tried to introduce into his system.

“Angel, baby, we haven’t even played with your gag reflex today,” Valentino says, obviously having fun reveling in Angel’s misery. He just has to suck it up and take it, trying to fight back now would just be stupid. “Don’t tell me you’re losing your touch.”

“Not at all, Valentino,” Angel swears. “I’m fine.” The last thing he’s going to do is open up to Valentino and admit weakness. If anything, the creep would only want to exploit his misery even more.

Valentino looks at him intensely as though poring over every little detail of Angel’s body. It feels slimy. It feels violating. “Back to filming, then,” he commands and the stagehands and actors get into position. Angel follows suit.

It’s when he has a demon’s cock up his ass and his brain is being pounded out that the nausea gets worse. He lifts a hand to cover his mouth, but Valentino immediately yells, “Cut! Angel, what the Hell are you doing?! We need to hear you loud and clear!”

“Valentino, I—” He isn’t sure how he would have explained himself, but even fumbling over his words would have been better than doubling over and vomiting all over the bed. Which is exactly what happens. He hears the stage crew gasp and shout around him, pictures being snapped, and Valentino yelling at him.

It all gets fuzzy after that. Maybe it’s the fever he’s positive he has at this point or maybe it was all so awful that he blocked it out of his memory, but he doesn’t remember much of Valentino’s wrath, just being thrown out of the studio and yelled at by some stagehand to call a cab because the shoot is over.

That didn’t end very well.

Angel still has the cognizance to do exactly what that stagehand told him to do because he needs to get home now. He’s lucky a driver even lets him in the car with how rough he looks, but he manages not to throw up in the backseat for the entire ride. That’s a win in his book.

This late at night (or early in the morning), not many of the hotel’s employees are still awake. Alastor might be lurking around somewhere but that doesn’t really count. Husk is the only one up at this hour, but that’s about the only person Angel feels comfortable showing himself around while he looks and feels like this.

“Hey,” Angel greets, his tone noticeably less excitable than usual. “‘m not feelin’ great today, you got anythin’ other than booze here?” He hasn’t eaten or drunk anything since the previous day now and he knows he should at least get some non-alcoholic fluids into his system.

That…definitely wasn’t what Husk was expecting. He thought Angel would immediately ask for the strongest drink he could make, but for him to admit that he’s not feeling well? Husk decides to keep a close eye on him out of concern. “I’ve got coffee, milk, tea, and water,” he offers. “Take your pick.”

Angel’s stomach rolls at the thought of drinking anything other than plain water right now, so he opts for that. Husk eyes him for a moment longer than usual before handing him a glass of water. “How was work?”

“Terrible,” Angel admits. “I threw up all over the bed during the shoot and Valentino threw me outta there. Guess I ain’t getting paid this time.” There’s no way Valentino will pay him for screwing up. He’ll have to resort to other means to make ends meet for the month, then.

“What the fuck?!” Husk shouts, and he immediately lowers his voice because of the way Angel flinches. “That bastard did this to you? Because you got sick? The next time I see that guy, I’m gonna fucking kill him.”

“After today, I think I’d like that,” Angel says, taking a swig of his water like it’s alcohol and immediately regretting it. His stomach still isn’t feeling great. “Listen, I’m gonna head to my room now. You have any drugs I can take? Like, the actual medicine kind?”

He must be feeling worse than he’s letting on if he’s actually asking for medicine. Even now, he’s performing. “You head upstairs and I’ll meet you there. I’ll bring you some meds and some water.”

Angel looks like he’s about to say something for a moment, but stops himself. Instead, he nods and heads to his room. Husk knows the bitterness of the tea would probably upset his stomach even more, so he pours him a glass of water instead. He gets some nausea medicine and some fever reducers (just in case, the guy was looking a little worse-for-wear) and heads to Angel’s bedroom where he’s immediately greeted by the sound of retching from the bathroom.

“Angel?” Husk calls out, setting the glass of water and medicine on the nightstand and opening the door to the bathroom only to be greeted with Angel hunched over the toilet, expelling what little is left in his stomach. “Hey, ‘s okay. Just breathe.”

Angel gags, bringing up a small amount of stomach acid. “I feel like shit,” he moans, eyes streaming with tears from the strain of throwing up, his voice hoarse and raw.

“I know,” Husk sympathizes, “but you’re doing great. Just lemme know when you’re done and we can get you cleaned up.” He takes this opportunity to check his forehead for a fever and sure enough, he’s burning up.

It’s tough to see someone who’s usually so strong in Husk’s eyes barely able to keep themselves up in front of a toilet bowl, and he really feels for the guy. If he had any kind of power over Valentino, he would kick his ass into oblivion for working Angel to the bone while sick.

“Think I’m done,” Angel says, looking absolutely miserable. He looks like he might pass out, so Husk wants to get him to bed as soon as possible. Husk rips off a piece of toilet paper and uses that to clean around Angel’s mouth. It might just be the fever, but his face looks really red.

“Think you can stand up?” Husk asks. He’s surprised when Angel nods, attempting to stand up on his own, but he leans on Husk for support as he walks to bed.

For the first time that night, Husk sees Angel visibly relax and close his eyes. “No going to sleep yet, sweetheart,” he says, apologetic since he knows the only thing Angel must want to do right now is go to sleep. “I need you to take these.”

Angel swallows the pills with some water and sighs. “If I have to go into work tomorrow, I think I’ll actually die again. I feel like shit, Whiskers.” How honest. When he’s not feeling well, Angel tends to be a bit more truthful. Interesting.

“I know you do, Legs. Tell you what, you sleep in today and get some rest. If Valentino comes knocking, I’ll set Alastor on him. Sound good?”

“Mhm,” Angel mumbles affirmatively, but he’s already half-asleep and very out of it. He probably doesn’t know what he’s agreeing to, but there’s no way Husk is letting him go to work tomorrow when he’s this sick. He’s already thrown up twice and his fever felt pretty high. Whatever Valentino is going to do to him won’t be good.

Husk turns to leave when he feels a hand grip his wrist. “Wait…please stay…” Angel mumbles. How could Husk say no when he’s asked like that? He isn’t completely heartless. Just mostly heartless.

It doesn’t take long for Angel to fall asleep. He must have been exhausted, because it usually takes him much longer. Husk sits next to him, reading a book he’d been meaning to catch up on.

Husk flips through the pages of his book when Angel begins to stir again. He doesn’t appear to be awake but he looks distressed, as though he’s having a nightmare. Husk doesn’t wake him because he doesn’t want to disorient him even further, but a large small part of him feels badly seeing him like that.

Eventually, Angel wakes up with a gasp. “You’re alright, Legs,” Husk says, a steadying hand on his back. “You just had a nightmare. You’re in your room and you’re fine.”

He doesn’t feel fine, though. His stomach is in knots and he’s starting to sweat but he feels cold. He just dreamt about Valentino and he has to go to work the next day like this. There’s no way he can work like this! He’s going to get in so much trouble.

Husk can see Angel starting to work himself up even more, but he doesn’t know what to say to him to make it better. It’s only when Angel’s breaths start to morph into nauseous hiccups that Husk goes to get a trash can and places it under Angel’s mouth.

Angel starts to gag unproductively, bringing up strings of saliva. It isn’t a pretty sight, but Husk wants to be here for him. He has to. “It’s all right, Angel,” he says, “just let it out if you have to.”

Eventually, Angel finally does bring up a mouthful of bile and Husk winces. He hasn’t seen him this out of sorts in, well, ever. And he’s seen Angel in many different states.

It seems like that’s all he’s going to be able to bring up because the rest of his retches are dry and unproductive. Husk has to help him sit back in bed as he moves the trash can out of the way. “How’re you feeling?” he asks tentatively, though he has a feeling he already knows the answer.

“Like shit,” Angel says, as expected. “I think I threw up the medicine you made me take. Sorry ‘bout that.”

That’s when his phone starts blowing up. Husk is able to see the contact labeled “Valentino” on his phone, followed by several messages with some very aggressive language. He doesn’t miss the way Angel tenses up when a new text comes in.

“I-I should answer that,” he says, reaching for his phone before Husk snatches it out of his grasp.

“No way,” Husk says, “you’re not answering that asshole. I’ll take care of everything, promise. You deserve one day for yourself. Worst case scenario, tell that Valentino to shove a dick up his ass because you’re not going and that’s that.”

He’s worried he crossed some boundaries there, but Angel’s lips turn upward in a small smile. That’s enough to make Husk smile too. “Just get some rest, sweetheart.”

Husk isn’t stupid, he knows that means more work and possibly more punishment for Angel down the road. But for now, he’s in no state to show up for a shoot. Anything that comes later, they can handle. For now, he can just focus on resting and feeling better.

Angel doesn’t have to ask him to stay this time.

[masodemic]

[Eroica Musical Rant] The Case of the Missing Caesar Gabriel and the Character Assassination of Tyrian Persimmon

(Series masterlist)

When the Eroica Stage Show Twitter began announcing their casting choices, there was one in particular that shook an entire fandom: Tyrian Persimmon.

Or rather, it wasn’t so much about who played him, and more about the fact that he is played. Although Tyrian is the protagonist of El Halcon and Nanatsu no Umi, Nanatsu no Sora, by the time of Eroica, Tyrian is long dead and almost entirely forgotten, save for a very flattering portrait.

And that’s all Tyrian ever is in Eroica: a gorgeous painting, a MacGuffin. He, as a character, plays no role at all in this story. So why, for the love of Aoike, is there an actor playing Tyrian? For about a month leading up to the performance, my Eroica discord was confused and concerned as to wth they would use Tyrian for. Like is he going to pop out of the painting and sing? Are they trying to ride off the success of the Takarazuka Revue’s El Halcon?

After having watched the full show and spent sleepless nights contemplating, turns out the answer has to do with a character we’ve all sorta forgotten about as a fandom: Caesar Gabriel.

Caesar Gabriel

If you remember reading Eroica for the first time, you might remember that the first chapters were told from the perspective of and in relation to Caesar Gabriel – super-genius university professor at age 18, Art History expert, who's extremely frail, innocent and naïve. It was through Caesar that we as the audience were introduced to the fascinating specimen that is Dorian Red Gloria AKA Eroica. Who takes an interest in him, and whisks him away in a dramatic – illegal – fashion before letting him go, already hopelessly in love.

In the second chapter, Iron Klaus, it was due to Dorian’s effort to bargain and rescue Caesar from Klaus that they end up with a tank on their tail. Thus, beginning Dorian and Klaus' enemies-and-lovers relationship. Afterwards, Caesar is never seen or mentioned again.

So, although Caesar Gabriel might have been written purely as a functional character, his role is important in those chapters.

Caesar fills the role of the proxy through which Dorian is introduced in all of his … Gloria? By using a second-person point-of-view, Dorian first comes off as mysterious, unpredictable, and almost other-worldly. Audiences get to see Dorian’s IMPACT first, and it draws them in to this wildly charismatic character before diving into him in later chapters and arcs.

By removing a functional character, the musical has to compensate the plot-holes that the character filled. And they did that, by reviving Tyrian Persimmon from the painting. But hey before any Tyrian stan gets too excited, they gave him the personality of Caesar Gabriel. Let me tell you why this is bad.

First of all, because Caesar is the POV for the 1st chapter of the manga, it’s almost impossible to reconcile his absence. So, they skipped it. Which … fine, whatever. The big issue, though, comes up in Dorian’s plan to get the 2-in-1 painting.

In the second chapter, Iron Klaus, Dorian and Klaus meet for the first time and decide that they despise each other. Klaus refuses to sell Dorian The Man in Purple. So Dorian, being Dorian, decides that if he can’t obtain it the legal way, he has no qualm with obtaining it the illegal way. Sensing that Dorian might try something, Klaus orders tight-knit security to protect his family’s cultural treasure. Which Dorian and his gang manage to by-pass by mingling into the security unit and filling every room with sleeping gas. Eroica’s first heist is resounding a success.

However, Klaus still has “custody” of Caesar, and he calls Dorian to demand an exchange of “hostages,” to which Dorian gives his verbal agreement. On the day, though, tension is high, and Klaus begins suspecting the unknown guard stationed around the premise. Another guard rushes over and yells that the first one is Eroica, and in the commotion that ensues, the actual Eroica – revealed to have disguised as the second guard – grabs Caesar and speeds off in his red Lamborghini. Eroica’s second heist is a success – for now.

With the removal of Caesar, the plan becomes convoluted. In the musical, Dorian - using the strategy from the first heist - disguises himself as an art appraiser. With every agent out of sight, he fills the room with sleeping gas, which knocks Klaus out. Dorian, James and Bonham take the painting and drive away, feeling victorious.However, he quickly discovers that the painting is a fraud intended to trick him. Hence, Eroica’s first attempt is a failure.

He makes a U-turn - using the strategy from the second heist - disguises himself as a security guard, frames another as fake and steals the real painting right in front of Klaus and his agents. An extremely flimsy patchwork of the second heist, that also makes Klaus’s unit and instincts look slow and weak.

While in the manga, the structure of Iron Klaus is as follows:

Attack (1st heist) => bargain => attack (2nd heist) => to retaliation (tank)

In the musical, it goes like this:

Failed attack (1st attempt) => fix (2nd attempt) => lukewarm retaliation (tank)

There is no tension, no excitement, where it’s supposed to be a confrontation, where 2 characters are one-upping, mind-gaming, out-maneuvering each other. Now, it’s just a single over-complicated mess, because the 2 MacGuffins – Caesar and painting – have been reduced down to 1.

Towards the end of the manga chapter, Dorian willingly gives Klaus back the painting in exchange for Caesar’s well-being. But he steals the tank. The symbolic meaning of his actions can be read as Dorian being satisfied with Klaus’s self-expression. And to show his respect for one with a different viewpoint, he keeps the symbol of Klaus’s ideal beauty, while leaving Klaus his own.

Klaus certainly doesn’t view it as such, but like I said, different viewpoints. It’s a great note for 2 characters who have recently gotten tangled up into each other to part, promising much more to come. But in the musical, Dorian’s heist of the painting is, ultimately, a sadly failed plan, as Dorian is forced to give up on The Man in Purple. And although he does steal the tank, it seems less like a conscious action, and more like an attempt to provoke Klaus.

Tyrian Persimmon

So, in the Aoike Cinematic Universe, Tyrian Persimmon – or The Man in Purple – is Klaus’s ancestor who lived in the Elizabethan period. In Eroica though, he’s been loooooong dead, and it seems that not a lot is known about him. Although his painting is a MacGuffin, Tyrian himself doesn’t play any role, and if one only reads Eroica, it’s just a really nice painting, and that’s all it has to be. The interesting bit comes from a meta viewpoint.

If you have read El Halcon and Nanatsu no Umi Nanatsu no Sora, you would know, that Tyrian was a vile motherfucker. Murderer, rapist, traitor, and so ambitious he cares about nobody’s life but his own. Almost every character who crossed path with him died some kind of gruesome, unjust way. He’s irredeemably terrible even if entertaining. So, what’s the significance of this in the context of Eroica?

In Eroica, everyone fawns over Tyrian’s portrait like he was a god-sent beauty. It is even said that on first glance, Klaus might look like The Man in Purple but he lacks a certain “grace and charm,” attributes that could be considered heroic, or even angelic. The magnetic power of the portrait drew many of the conflicts in Eroica as characters seek to possess his image. But those who worship his beauty knows not the monster beneath the canvas. For an audience looking for meta-reading though, the fact that the portrait is still eliciting so much trouble is a reflection of Tyrian’s own life as the bane of existence. Even Klaus once wonders if they were being played like puppets in the sadistic theatre of The Man in Purple. This combined dramatic irony is severely damaged when the portrait is suddenly personified like a character.

And what’s worse is that, not only did they reanimate the portrait for the musical, they tried to give him a caricature Caesar Gabriel’s personality. This … vile, manipulative, murderous narcissist is now a bubbling, naïve and confused 18-year-old coddled child. It’s comical in the worst moments.

Like in the tense scene of the Autobahn chase, all my attention was directed to Tyrian trying to chase his hat which had flown off the vehicle, while trying to hold the portrait frame around his face. Or during, what I still maintain as the best scene in the entire musical, the cuddling in the tank scene, the budding bond between the two main characters are constantly distracted by Tyrian’s antics.

And to top it all off, they didn’t even give him his PUMPKIN PANTS!!

[rendy-a]

Not sure if you’re still taking requests for the Pet AU, but if you are- ^^;

What if Pomefiore had an owner who worked as a morgue technician? One day the owner brought them to their workplace (or even into morgue if they’re adventurous) for a ‘bring-your-pet-to-work-day’ thing and went, “Oh yeah, I work with dead bodies. Never brought it up cause it didn’t seem interesting.”

When I first saw this ask, I thought, ‘Well this is going to be a strange one!’ but after writing it...  It’s just surprising how well Pomefiore fits in with the idea of funerals.  Hats off to you Milky and your stroke of mad genius.

Not at all concerned.  Vil is a realist at his core and accepts death as just another part of life.  He sees your job as no stranger than someone who works in a maternity ward; they are just two extremes of the scale.

Do you need assistance?  Vil gets bored easily and wanders around to check up on your work.  Tch, that dress?  What, are they trying to make her look matronly?   No makeup?  Don’t be so insecure about gender norms, he needs some color on the cheek.  This isn’t the sort of makeover he is used to but if you insist, he’ll love to show you what he can do!

Vil also has a keen eye to stage dressings.  What else would you call a funeral?  He offers stern opinions to the funeral director on his choices of color and flowers.  This is their last stage after all, don’t they deserve to take their final bow in style?

You had known your pet also had a career as a model/actor, but it wasn’t until now that you felt his true potential was directing.  “Hang that banner higher!  It will get caught in the drafts if it is lower!” Vil’s voice booms out a command to your co-workers who are setting up the viewing room for the next occupant.  No one had given Vil permission to take over but when he started issuing “suggestions,” the staff had quickly obeyed; it was just the presence he had.

You smile apologetically to the woman sitting on the side of the room.  Her poofy eyes and blotchy makeup made it easy to identify her as a relative of the deceased.  “I hope we aren’t bothering you.  These are only suggestions, so be sure to tell us if something isn’t what you’d like.”  The teary-eyed woman shakes her head, “No, he is right.  Gran will be happy to have things all nice and proper like this.”  You are relieved that the family is taking this so well, but you think this may not be the best place to leave your outspoken pet at the moment. 

“Vil,” you call to grab his attention, “Lets go down below and tend to things there.  I think you’ve got this place on the right path already.”  Vil gives a dramatic sigh, expressing his disbelief that this sorry ragtag bunch could be on the right path but allows you to direct him to a door leading to the preparation room.  After all, the star of the show needs his touch as well.

He doesn’t say anything when you pull back the cloth covering the preserved form.  He just looks down upon the elderly woman with a slight frown.  Finally, he clicks his tongue and wanders over to the make-up cases.  You watch him curiously as you start cleaning up tools from the embalming, content to let Vil make the decisions on this one.  He returns with several jars and pallets of carefully selected makeup.  He talks to himself lightly as he brushes on the products, bringing life and light back to the pale form.  “That won’t do at all…Just a touch more rouge…potatoes have no sense of coordination and color…”

When he finally finishes, he looks down on the woman with a soft but sad smile.  You curiously travel to his side to admire his work.  The woman has a soft and flattering look; you thought it was both youthful and mature.  You smiled to see such a skillful job, wondering if you’d ever manage to get to that level of art one day.  You turn to Vil to complement him but notice he is still looking mournfully at the deceased.  “Feeling sad?” you ask him curiously.  He scoffs and looks away, “Not at all.  I’m sure there is nothing to be sad about.”  After a short pause, you pat him on the back comfortingly, “It was nicely done.  I’m sure they will all be pleased with it.  I think that is enough work for one day.  Let me take you out to a café for diner to thank you for your work.” 

Vil makes a hum in agreement.  As you leave the room, he pauses slightly and whispers almost to himself, “Enjoy your final bow.  I hope your limelight was all you dreamed of.”

Two words; jump scare.  By the time lunch rolls around, all your co-workers have mysteriously gone home sick.  Each gives you a dirty glare as they declare something just suddenly popped up.  You felt bad but what can you do?  Rook just has a way of sneaking up on…ACK!  When did Rook get behind you?  At least you are used to this.

When he disappears, you worry about when he might be up to.  You head upstairs and find him talking with grieving clients.  He seems to have a certain skill with getting the family of the deceased to open up about good memories and things they loved about them.  When he is finished talking to them, they seem to be in a better state of mind.

Do you need assistance writing an obituary for your loved one?  Rook is more than happy to assist!  Would you say your grandmother reminded you more of a bumble bee dancing among the blooms or a sliver of light creating a symphony of sparkle among the waves?  No?  Well, not to worry, Rook has other suggestions too.

The sound drifting down the stairs had gone ignored by you at first.  It was a common sound, so you had not really given it much heed.  It was only when you paused your work to wipe at your brow that you realized how unusual a sound it was for a funeral parlor, laughter. 

You climbed the steps warily, wondering what sort of strange sight would greet your arrival.  There was only one thing you felt certain of; your highly unusual pet Rook was bound to be the center of whatever situation awaited you.  You were, of course, right on the mark.  Rook sat at the end of a bench gesturing wildly as a group of men had gathered around him, enraptured by whatever story he was telling.  He seemed to reach the end of his story, pointing off to the side in emphasis of some point and the group smiled collectively.

“He would have too,” one man grins and shakes his head, “he was just like that.  No one could talk him out of a bad idea.”  Rook holds up his hands in mock surprise, “C’est vrai?”  Another man leaned in, “Always but afterwards, he loved to roll into the pub and tell the stories.  That rake always had some wild tale waiting.”  Another man interjects, “But only if you had a drink waiting to pay for it!”  The group ends that thought with another rolling laugh. 

You pause at the end of the room, feeling unsure if you should interrupt.  Rook turns toward you, always able to sense your presence.  At the movement, the group of men all notice you.  “Ah young’un, it’s quite the friendly pet you’ve got here.”  Another bearded man pats him on the back, “He’s been helping a bunch of old men send off their friend.”  A somber mood pushes its way into the group at the reminder of the deceased. 

Rook’s sharp eyes pick out the slight change in mood and he suddenly stands, “Let’s toff our hats to the man of the hour.  Our beautiful friend whose lively humor has inspired us so!  To Chester!”  Then he removes his hat with a flourish and raises it in a salute of sorts.  The men seem to find appeal in the gesture and shortly follow suit.  “To Chester!” they shout in a mix of both grief and merriment.   

You’d seen viewings go all sorts of ways in your time at the funeral parlor.  This joyful celebration of the mysterious Chester might end up being one of your favorites.  You smile politely at the group and then fondly at your pet.  You think to yourself, ‘Good boy, Rook.’

Did you think he’d be bothered by this?  Puh-leaze!  Before he was taken to the menagerie, he was a country boy!  He used to go with his Gran to the market to pick up fresh bacon, sausage, and other meat.  He’s seen dead things before. 

He gets bored with just sitting around.  Do you need help?  He would love to show you how strong he is by carrying your next…customer…to the table.  Need a big jug of chemicals brought over?  No problem.  A little thing like this isn’t going to bother him.

When the process is complete, Epel is disappointed you don’t accompany the deceased to the cemetery.  He was going to show-off his skills with farm tools by helping you dig the grave.  Seeing him pout in disappointment is just too much for your kind heart.  Maybe you can let him help you plant a rose bush or something later.

“You don’t have to help if you don’t want to,” you assure Epel for the fifth time, “I’m totally used to it, but I know it takes some time to adjust.  You can wait up here in the viewing room if you want.”  Epel starts to roll his eyes but then catches himself quickly, shooting you a guilty look.  “Ah, I mean, I’m sure I’ll be just fine, Master.” Epel replies demurely.  You chuckle to yourself, thinking how completely obvious he is. 

“Ok, well, I’ll be glad for your company then.  We hardly ever get complaints of ghosts either.”  At this, Epel snorts.  “If yer afraid of a lil’ spook, then its bettar if I stay close to ya!”  He gives you a wild grin, as if eager to throw hands at a ghost in your defense.  You try to hold in a smile and mostly succeed.  “Well then, I guess you better come with me.”  You lead him into the basement where you prepare bodies for cosmetic dressing. 

The first steps in the process are some of the most gruesome, involving draining fluids and applying chemicals for preservation.  It was not a pretty sight and one that had given you some troubles when you began your unique career.  True to his words, Epel seemed largely unbothered by the process.  He handed you tools and accepted things you passed to him with no averting of eyes or shrinking from the body.  In fact, he seemed rather interested in what you were doing.

“Curious?” you asked him.  He smiles at you shyly and you beckon him close.  You explain what you are doing and answer his questions.  When you are done, Epel is eager to help you with the heavy jobs.  He asks if he can help you shift the body from the table and onto the cart that will transfer them upstairs.  You feel a little unsure, but he is so adorably eager to help that you can’t refuse.  For such a small pet, he has a surprising strength.  You feel a small sigh of relief when the transfer finishes without incident. 

Your sigh doesn’t go unnoticed by Epel.  He bristles a little and tosses his head back, “Anything else you need done?  Ah ken handle fer more than that!”  You hate to disappoint your charming pet, so you do find him other odd jobs.  He always prefers it when there is something heavy or rough involved, seeming to have a general interest in getting dirty.  By the end of the day, Epel has organized your supply room and helped you shift some furniture. 

He’s had a long and tiring day and it is evidenced by the way he sits on a bench, waiting for you to finish saying goodbye to your colleagues.  His head drifts down and his eyes close softly before he jerks upright, eyes open to attention.  You smile at his efforts and ask politely if someone will offer you a ride home.  Your forethought is needed, as when you turn around, Epel has fallen entirely asleep.  There is only one task that requires you to use your muscles today; when you lift Epel up and carry him gently to the car and then into bed.  Sleep well, sweet prince, you’ve earned it today!

[i-want-my-iwtv]

hi there, the delusional anon again lol I'm really lighting candles hoping we can finally get the deleted scenes 🕯️

I really wanted to see Louis shooting Lestat and the whole scene they filmed with the first makeup, just out of curiosity. The Trial™, and the scene with louis in the church, killing the priest

and TC as the marquis is GENIUS !!!!!! The tvshow has already made so many references, I would like other actors to appear even for a second! Even the young fop actor (btw did you saw his interview on youtube with a fan?); and jokes aside, I have a lot of fun whenever someone says they would like to see Nicole Kidman in the show as Gabrielle, it's kind evil tbh BUT yet would be cool

I've already spent HOURS on your blog just looking at the deleted scenes, I don't understand why Warner Bros just doesn't release it

anyways, THANK YOU! love your blog 💕

I've already spent HOURS on your blog just looking at the deleted scenes, I don't understand why Warner Bros just doesn't release it anyways, THANK YOU! love your blog 💕

Aww thank you! 😍 That means a lot. I collected this stuff for ppl to enjoy, if Tumblr ever goes down and we lose this archive, I'll definitely be sad. It's too large for me to download 😂 So definitely save stuff for yourself.

Light your candles, Anon 🕯️, but don't hold your breath. Truly, if we were going to get deleted scenes from the '94 movie, the golden opportunities (the 10th and 20th anniversaries 😂) for that have passed. This year will be the 30th, can you believe it?? If anyone is connected to the powers that be, TELL PPL WE WANT THIS STUFF. I'm sure it exists somewhere.

I think those cut scenes could have been great, but I suspect, other than being cut for time, there were good reasons to cut them from a writing perspective.

They may have been too cheesy for what the movie was going for?

Or they might have slowed down the action or detracted from the story?

--- Louis doesn't shoot Lestat that night in the book; Lestat gets shot at the Theatre de Vampires (before it's called that) in the Vampire Lestat, so it's possible that it was filmed, and then cut from the IWTV '94 movie with the intention to include it properly in the sequel TVL (not that Lestat can't get shot twice! but still! Getting shot on stage in front of an audience rather than in a bedroom with no other witnesses is, debatably, more shocking).

I felt like there was a somewhat feverish pace with Lestat coming to Louis at his bedside, that scene went by pretty quickly, it made it more vibrant and precious. In the book, Louis had been in poor health and then ppl had bled him to try to "cure him of his madness," so Lestat really didn't have the luxury of waiting too much longer to turn him; Louis could have died 😭. And maybe the whole Louis-shooting-Lestat might've killed the mood Lestat was aiming for, which was seductively offering Louis the Dark Gift. Shooting Lestat might've been more than a little off-putting in that moment 😂 Do you really want to turn someone into your immortal companion after they've JUST SHOT YOU? It might not kill Lestat, but it would still hurt!

[^X]

I mean I LOVE Tom!Lestat, and this is one of the few BTS pics we have of the Trial scene (you can see the theatre crypts behind him 😭)... it's charming to me bc I love that movie, but it might have been cut bc in a way it's more painful to excise the whole trial. Like barely seeing the shark in JAWS. With no trial, it would mean that Louis and Claudia had absolutely no chance; it was all up to Santiago's (or Armand's) whim 😭 Lestat wasn't even there to try to advocate for either Louis or Claudia (or maybe he WAS there, but locked in a cell somewhere and unable to help them!).

and TC as the marquis is GENIUS !!!!!!

Right?? That could be amazing.

The tvshow has already made so many references, I would like other actors to appear even for a second!

I haven't heard of that happening... don't hold your breath there, either, I think they would have done it already if they intended to do so. My guess is that AMC really wants to do their own thing apart from the 1994 movie (other than rewriting a few scenes), so I don't think there will be any cameos in the future, but maybe I'm wrong!

Even the young fop actor (btw did you saw his interview on youtube with a fan?);

I didn't see the video, but I met that actor, Lee Scharfstein, IRL in NOLA in 2022, he was lovely!

and jokes aside, I have a lot of fun whenever someone says they would like to see Nicole Kidman in the show as Gabrielle, it's kind evil tbh BUT yet would be cool

That is kind of evil haha but Nicole has been a favorite of fanartists and roleplayers for years, that's not a hot take. If I had to choose Tom as the Marquis OR Nicole as Gabs... bc putting them together would be A LOT to ask... I think I'd prefer Tom, because of the deliciousness of having him play his own father... but we have a better chance of getting Nicole so I would LOOOOVE to have her as Gabs paired w/ Timothy Omundson as the Marquis.

Oh and BTW since you've read this far, I accepted the headcanon that the Marquis' name was Valere de Lioncourt, as per the legendary @gairid/ @vampchronfic 😭💕

[reluctantjoe]

Interview – A Midsummer Night’s Dream director Eleanor Rhode talks technology and Wonka star Mathew Baynton

Aiming to take the chill off this winter is the RSC’s new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Ahead of the opening this week, director Eleanor Rhode spoke to Gill Oliver about her take on the Dream and what it’s like working with Wonka star Mathew Baynton.

TECHNOLOGY combined with centuries-old stage illusions are making one of the Bard’s most captivating comedies even more magical.

The RSC’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which opened on Tuesday for an eight-week run, features Ghosts and Wonka star Mathew Baynton as Bottom.

Fresh from his roles as a murderous doctor in the Agatha Christie TV series Murder Is Easy, and an evil chocolatier in hit movie Wonka, Baynton has long been a hero to parents and kids everywhere thanks to his leading role in five series of hugely successful kids’ comedy TV sketch show Horrible Histories and later, its spin-off ‘Bill’, a panto-style take on Shakespeare’s early life.

Also in the cast are Nicholas Armfield as Demetrius, Sirine Saba as Titania and Rosie Sheehy as Puck.

The equally prestigious creative team line-up includes composer Will Gregory (one half of electronic music duo Goldfrapp), set designer Lucy Osborne and illusion direction and designer John Bulleid, feted for his work on Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the RSC’s The Magician’s Elephant.

Weaving all these star-studded strands together is director Eleanor Rhode, who describes Baynton as “an absolute genius” and the whole cast as “amazing”.

Ms Rhode made her directorial debut for the RSC in 2019 with a radical re-telling of King John – a production that was cut short due to Covid.

Now back to take on Midsummer’s Night Dream she’s happy to be back in Stratford.

“The company is wonderful, and everyone is working together brilliantly so it’s very exciting to be back up here - it’s a lovely place to work," she said.

She brings a fresh and confident vision to Shakespeare’s popular tale of four young lovers who, faced with the prospect of unhappy marriage flee the court of Athens and stumble into an enchanted forest.

Nearby, a group of amateur actors rehearse a play to celebrate an upcoming royal wedding and when the mortals cross paths with a warring fairy King and Queen, chaos erupts as the real and fairy worlds collide.

Ms Rhode explained: “The thing that’s always interested me more than a literal forest is leaning into the dream of a Midsummer’s Night Dream, so this is very much a dream space.

“The most exciting thing is finding that crossover between contemporary technology and stage illusions and stage tricks that are hundreds of years old, so expect to see a lot of those things combined.”

By the RSC’s standards the production is a short run but there are upsides to this.

“It means some of the people who would love to come and work up here but can’t commit to a year away from the other projects they’re doing, can come, have a really lovely time and be up here for 10-weeks - we wouldn’t necessarily be able to get them for longer, so that’s enormously gratifying,” she pointed out.

After this run, Ms Rhode, who has a decade's experience of directing, will spend time in developmental workshops before overseeing her second audio play for release on Audible.

She enjoys working in other mediums such as audio, and is excited by the potential that comes with the “pollination of ideas between lots of different disciplines”.

But unlike the RSC, the theatre industry overall tends to be extremely traditional and not geared-up for sweeping change.

She explained: “In terms of creating experiences which are live but also digital at the same time and which have a really broad reach in terms of the audiences, you’re engaging with people who aren’t traditional theatre goers and really broadening the scope of what live story telling can be.

“There’s a whole heap of possibilities and the lovely thing is that a lot of the technology is already there - the technology isn’t the thing - it’s actually the ability to craft brilliant storytelling entwined with the technology that’s sometimes quite scary.”

As for this production of Midsummer Night’s Dream, no one should worry about technology or stage illusions over-shadowing or interfering with the intimacy of live performance.

“You shouldn’t notice the technology and it shouldn’t feel like a standalone thing, in the same way that stage illusions shouldn’t – everything is entwined with the story,” she said.

“My hope is that it’s something the audience don’t really think about, they just enjoy it.”

She added: “This production is already looking beautiful but it should also be very surprising and, hopefully, keep the audience on their toes with all the amazing magic that’s going on in the show.

“Regardless of that, strip away all the technological and magical surprises and the play is the thing.

“It’s a brilliant show with brilliant actors in it - that’s the key thing."

[purplecatghostposts]

oh my god, i love your MH time travel idea. did you have any other ideas for it??

OH BOY DO I

(Referring to this!)

Warning, this may be… Incomprehensible. I just have a lot of ideas and they aren’t fully fleshed out so I’m just throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. Hope you like a wall full of spaghetti, Anon!

- While going back in time reverses the physical effects that Operator Sickness had, they all still carry the trauma of its effects and what happened during it, so while only Tim is experiencing symptoms (though currently managing them with his medication), they aren’t completely off scot-free.

- I imagine it takes them a minute to realize exactly how many people woke up with memories of the previous timeline. I feel like Brian would want to tell someone and that someone would end up being Tim and then they’d both realize they remembered and compare notes

- I HC Seth and Sarah as roommates so they immediately find out as well. Amy and Jessica too. Pretty much the only person that thinks they’re in this alone at first is Jay but fortunately that doesn’t last too long because maybe Brian starts trying to subtly figure out if anyone else has any memories by asking questions only someone who knew would know, and finally Tim, Jay, Brian, Seth, and Sarah all realize they’re on the same page.

- Imagine their shock and suspicion when they realize Alex is not. Further suspicion that only grows when Amy and Jessica show up meaning Alex is the only one who doesn’t remember. Maybe they try and test him to see if he’s faking it and if he’ll slip up.

- He doesn’t. Alex really doesn’t remember anything.

- There are… Lots of things to work out. Not just with where to go next but there’s still some animosity within the group and especially regarding the members of ToTheArk. Influenced by an otherworldly being or not, it’s still something they need to resolve. Not to mention, Amy points out that Alex was influenced too, an argument that keeps being brought up because nobody really knows what to think. Alex killed people, but how much of that was Alex and how much of it was something else entirely?

- Meanwhile, Alex just really wanted to work on his film but while he can location scout and work on the script all he wants, without actors, it’s not really gonna go anywhere, and his actors keep finding excuses to put it off.

- Alex has no idea what’s going on with everyone because Tim and Jay are polite at best and usually tense around him, Jessica keeps looking at him like she doesn’t know what to think, Brian can’t seem to make up his mind, Seth and Sarah flat out refuse to be in a room alone with him, even Amy is acting distant. He feels like he’s missing something but he doesn’t know what and nobody is telling him. All the conversations he catches sound like nonsense too so he’s pretty much completely in the dark too.

- Since Alex is out and about location scouting, he ends up catching the early stages of Operator Sickness. The next time he gets into a coughing fit in front of any of them, they freak out and Alex doesn’t get why.

- The arguments get worse. They can’t tell if Alex is doomed to repeat the cycle and if they need to take him out in order to prevent it, or if they can make sure he doesn’t turn out the same this time

- Being around Alex makes them all conflicted. Because this Alex is the Alex that they became friends with in the first place and they missed this version of him a lot but it’s one thing to miss it and another thing to get it back, especially considering a good chunk of them last remember dying because of him before waking up in the past. They don’t know if they can trust him, or if they’ll just get hurt all over again if they get attached

- Their distance from Alex causes a lot of internal issues for Alex himself. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out he’s the odd man out here, and the problem they have. He just doesn’t understand why and it’s frustrating but whenever he gets frustrated, it just drives them all further away and makes it worse. He doesn’t know what to do.

- Then maybe (still deciding on when), one day, Alex wakes up. And he remembers everything and understands better than ever. He doesn’t blame them. He didn’t help them at all in the end. But maybe he can now.

- In order to stop the sickness, it’s best to cut it off at the source. Alex doesn’t know what he can do against a monster like that but since it no longer has such a tight hold over him, he can do something this time. He has to do something. And if he dies trying? Then at the very least, it can’t use him against them anymore.

- While Alex does try to stand up to the Operator, it goes rather poorly. Fortunately, someone finds him unconscious somewhere (maybe Brian), drags him back to one of their apartments, and they have a talk when he wakes up. They’re still not the most comfortable around him but suffice to say, Alex regaining his memories and immediately choosing to attempt to fight the Operator proves that he’s not gonna repeat the same mistakes twice, solving that matter at the very least.

- Cue a whole lot of healing while attempting to figure out a way to get rid of a creature beyond their understanding

That’s about what I got! Again, just spitballed ideas, definitely needs some more fine tuning but it’s a start. Hope you enjoyed!

Also ty for the Ask, I love rambling about funny little AUs and it gives me all the more reason to :)

[sweetly-yours-and-mine]

I agree. Iris' story is quite sad at times and relatable. What I take from it is that she's unhappy and wants more. I think, to a degree, that we can all relate to wanting to be successful, loved, and remembered. That's just a bit of my takeaway from her.

This show introduced me to Rachel. I've never watched Mrs. Maisel. Her name sounded familiar, but I had no idea where she was from. One of the things I love about theatre is being introduced to actors and their work. She's quite lovely. I gave her and Oscar gifts the last time I saw the show at BAM. Last night, I told her and Oscar that they get better every time I see the show. Rachel and I had more of a conversation about it, and she asked if she could hug me after I told her that this was my fourth time seeing it and that I have four more shows lined up. You could just tell that she appreciated it, and I felt very lucky. I was the only one she took a picture with. I think that pissed some people off, but oh well.

I feel like every interaction I've had with Oscar, I've blacked out, and my brain remembers them all in a very different way. So, I'm grateful I have videos and pictures. That's my very long way of saying that I get you.

The atmosphere was different at BAM, but that didn't stop autograph hunters and people from doing too much at times. I don't blame them either. It's just unfortunate that it's so different because, as I said before, I wish everyone could have a more intimate and calm experience. I don't think people realize that they don't have to stay to sign things and take pictures with people. You aren't paying for that experience when you buy your ticket to the show. They could just go straight home if they wanted to afterward. Especially after that show because it is so emotionally grueling. They wouldn't do it if they didn't want to because they get nothing from it. There's no extra pay to go meet fans at stage door. They aren't obligated to do it. So, it's clear that their kindness is genuine.

Oh, I was confused the first time I saw it. Honestly, I don't think I'll fully understand all of it until I read it. I take something new from it every time I see it, and things click into place. Act 1 ending that way definitely would've had a different feeling to it. I sort of like that it ends on, not a light note, but something with some sort of comedic relief because I think it leaves the audience in a better place going into Act 2.

Yeah, I know what you mean. It's overwhelming to be in it.

I hope you do see it a second time! I'm definitely going. It's one of the only two weekend shows I'm doing. Everything else has been on weekdays!

Yes, experiences are important. I'm trying to do my best with my experiences to not compare them to others and stop living in the "What if?" mentality. Also, I agree. It's very nice to know that there are good people like them in the arts! - 🎭🌙

Oh sorry anon, I meant that specifically in regards to the drunk scene at the end of Act 2. But I feel that the rock bottom analogy applies to all of the play as well, though it ends on quite a hopeful note. This was my first introduction to Lorraine Hansberry and I am a forever fan now. She was a genius.

And your moment with Rachel? That is so sweet! They're both such humble people if your comments could affect them like that. And you can really just tell it from themselves, it's just apparent in the way they talk and move.

That's also another bad influence of celebrity-ness (ig? lol). Despite everything you're paying for the show, not the stage door experience, which is just a bonus. I feel really bad now too because Rachel's understudy is making her debut today and I wonder how many people are going to be disappointed that they won't get to see a TV star. The line between Hollywood and theatre rn is kinda blurred, no matter how hard it seems both Oscar and Rachel are trying to enforce it.

I find that reading plays in general do take up quite a lot of mental effort, since I have trouble imagining things in my head, but they also require less attention span ig? The basics of it is given to you on the page and you can easily interpret it the way you want. Usually during the semester, I find I'm reaching for plays more, because after a full day of classes I don't want to read dense paragraphs and try to sift through the meaning.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the times you go see it anon! It's such a strong play with strong cast and crew. I feel like I've been spoiled now because I don't want to see any local production back home, because our theatre scene is not nearly as good as New York's. I'm currently on the hunt for plane tickets, and I might end up actually going to see A Doll's House as well, because again, I loved the play when I read it in high school and I love Jessica Chastain as well!

[finelinevogue]

Imagine if you’d been dating Harry for ages and all the fans love you and him together cause you’re always super nice and love talking to the fans too (maybe you’re slightly famous like an actor or work in fashion or something?) and you’re kinda in the background when Harry is meeting fans before the show, offering to take photos and chatting with them all🥺

okay so let’s pretend hslot has a meet and greet before hand… that’s the dream right? ;

“Love, y’sure you’ll be alright?” Harry asked as you stood off to the side of the room, nearer the drinks and snacks bar stand.

“Yes, H. I’ll be fine!” You replied.

Harry was worried about leaving you alone, although still in the same room as him, when his fans came in for their meet and greet. There wasn’t masses of them, but still enough for if they wanted to gang up and shout at you, which you’ve insisted many times to Harry is a silly notion, that they could successfully do so. You were in the media industry, a photographer no less and you’d met Harry on the shoot for Another Man - having been his designated photographer for the day. He swore he loved you at first sight. Since that shoot you were constantly with each other and the fans fell in love with you more and more each day, however there were still the ones who despised you - that’s what, or rather whom, Harry was worried about tonight.

He looked so good tonight, you could barely focus on anything else. Harry was in his outfit for stage and he was wearing pink trousers, cream-white boots and a gilet style jacket made out of glittery tassels. He was so beautiful and his skin was glowing so gorgeously, from spending the last week or so in LA. You were coordinating with him and were wearing a pink blazer with matching pink pants and then a cream-white bralette underneath the jacket with the same cream-white boots as him. You both couldn’t look more like a couple if you tried. Lambert had taken so many photos of you both, happy that you’d managed to unexpectedly coordinate so well with each other.

It was a soulmate thing, you told him.

It was around 40 minutes until showtime now and the fans should be arriving any moment now, for their opportunity to get photos with their idol.

“Just don’t like leaving y’alone.” He sighed, wrapping his arms around your neck so he could hold you closer. Your arms rested on his inner arms, feeling the warmth of his skin so smoothly as he swayed you from side to side.

“Well i’ll be by the snacks if y’need to find me.” You laughed and so did he, making you feel better that he was feeling a bit better too.

“M’kay.” He said softly and leant down to give you a soft kiss to the lips, cupping you chin lightly so he could pull your further into him. He tasted so good and fresh and he felt so hot against you. He pulled away with much reluctance and smiled when he saw your strawberry-tasting lipstick now slightly smudged. “Did I mention how hot you look tonight?”

“Only a few times.” You smiled and bit your lip as his eyes gazed over you, soaking up every detail of you, your body and outfit. You knew you looked pretty damn good, because you felt so good too.

“Only a few? Well that’s not good enough, is it?” He asked rhetorically, straightening your blazer slightly so the collar wasn’t crooked.

“You can make up for it later.”

“Oh, i’ll make sure of it lovie.” Harry raised his eyebrows and kissed your cheek, before Jeff told him to go stand over by the wall where photos would be taken. He left you be, with a childish pout to his face, and did what he was told.

It was another minute before the fans piled into the room, being told to form an orderly queue within the lines they’d marked out. You took a water bottle and drank from it as the first girl walked up to Harry, the poor thing shaking like a leaf. You watched as Harry comforted her, hugging her only slightly. Everyone here was obligated to wear a mask and also be vaccinated with a negative test result. If you weren’t vaccinated you couldn’t meet Harry, regardless of whether your test was negative. There were very strict rules, but it was for the safety of everyone - including touring staff who were more vulnerable.

A few of the other girls did their solo photos, before asking for a group one too. They were all coordinating in their outfits, but just different colours so they made a rainbow. Harry thought it was genius and made positive comments on all their outfits. You could tell it had made their year, let alone their day.

Once the first group was done they were told they could refresh themselves with some snack, before they would be escorted to their seats because they were in their own pit area. You smiled with your eyes at the group of rainbow girls approaching the table, moving out of the way so that they could grab what they wanted.

“Y/N?” One of the girls asked, the one wearing lilac actually.

“Hi, hello!” You waved awkwardly, not sure whether this was going to be the confrontation Harry had warned you about.

“Can we get a photo?” They asked politely, which made your eyes widen. You’d never been asked for a fan photo before, even when out in public with Harry. You’d always preferred to stick to the shadows unless instructed otherwise, just because you hadn’t always appreciated how good you looked, but now you were feeling great so you didn’t have a problem with it.

“Sure, yeah.” You nodded as the girl brought her camera up to snap a few selfies with you. You smiled through your mask and stuck up a peace sign - just like Harry had taught you to do.

“Thank you so much. You look amazing, by the way.” They complimented your outfit.

“Thank you! So you do lot! You’re giving me heavy TPWK vibes.” You pointed to them and they laughed, agreeing that that is in fact what they were going for.

“Can I get a photo too, sorry?” The green girl asked and you had to admit that they probably looked the best, but maybe you were just biased because that wad your favourite colour because they reminded you of your boyfriend’s eyes.

“Don’t be sorry, ‘course y’can.” You smiled and they came to stand closer to you. You took a few selfies with them and then the blue one asked too. It wasn’t long before you’d taken selfies with the full rainbow. “Shall we have a group photo?”

“Oh my god yes please!” They all cheered at the same time and you called over one of Harry’s security guards to come take a picture for you.

You all huddled together, you in the middle of them. You were stood in between green and yellow, so your pink outfit sort of ruined the flow of colours but they didn’t seem to mind. They especially didn’t seem to mind when Harry sneaked up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and resting his chin on your head. He squeezed you tight and everyone’s faces were super happy when the next few photos were taken.

“What’re you playing at?” You asked him, taking your arms off the shoulders of the girls and turning your head around to face him since he wasn’t letting go of your waist.

“Was told to come tell you to stop being a bother so these lot can go and find their seats.” Harry smiled his cheeky grin, knowing that he phrased that in a less than pleasant way.

“A both—”

“Y/N was no bother at all.” Green girl came to your assistance, protecting you against Harry’s playful accusation.

“Yeah we asked to take the photos.” Red girl stepped in next, blushing when they realised that Harry was actually staring at them with a smile on his face.

“Alright. Just this one can be trouble sometimes.” Harry tickled your waist, which made you squirm and laugh.

“Oi i’m not trouble, y’prick.” You whacked him in offence, just joking and the fans could tell because they were all laughing at you two. You noticed that one or two of them were filming you both, or taking photos, and so you tilted your head back onto Harry’s shoulder as he held you tight - feeding the fans the content that they so desperately wanted.

“Thank you so much Y/N. I love you Harry. Thank you Harry.” They all spoke bc over each other as they were escorted out of the room and off to their seats, Harry being told he had ten minutes until stage.

Harry just held you tight, kissing you at every opportune moment until the sounds of Golden called him away.

[tooktheladdedgbtq]

....and the Oscar goes to.. | Tom Holland X Male!actor reader. 

A/N: this was just something I wrote because I got inspired I guess. Happy Pride everyone!

——————————————

You couldn’t decide whether time was slipping through your fingers too quickly or if this had been the longest night you’d ever experienced.

seconds slowed to a crawl while you tried to gather yourself before it was your turn to take the stage. You were nervous. Not about being at the oscars or presenting for the first time. Not even about being nominated for your leading role in the second installment of a critically acclaimed trilogy. No, you’d been used to these sorts of things, you’d been an actor since you were a very young kid. Starting on television before film, and you even got to hold the Emmy the show had won when you had just turned a teenager.

No, you were nervous about who exactly you’d be presenting to. Of the five nominees and potential winners, only one could cause such an intensive feeling in your chest. Only one could awaken a sense of dread that battled with a feeling of intensive happiness mixed with anticipation, and it was Tom.

You’d known each other for years and had come to fall in love. You’d met as young co-stars on set and eventually grew into an inseparable friendship that progressed into something far more. Neither of you were sure when the feelings started but it felt like they’d always been there and you weren’t exactly complaining.

Your blissfulness with Tom was beautiful but short lived. After almost a year of being official you both agreed to take a break from the relationship. Unbeknownst to Tom you were just agreeing to save face and hadn’t pried for an answer out of fear of being hurt. You just accepted that this was how things were now, and took a step back.

You’d still kept in contact with him. It was hard not to. He was still your best friend. But whether it was the business of work or something a little more awkward, distance grew between you both as the multi-hour long facetime calls and text threads became once-a-week check-ins to just make sure you were alive and okay.

Time had passed, and you didn’t have a clue what you could possibly say to him now. You certainly didn’t want to ruin his special night. But you’d missed him so much and felt like you would implode at the first sign that he’d be interested in getting back together with you. But you also didn’t want to seem desperate or needy if he’d moved on. You didn’t want to slip and say those three words again in the moment.

Father time showed you no mercy as the sand in his hourglass suddenly shifted from a slow-motion drip to a flood. The seconds you’d spent daydreaming of your past with Tom and pondering about the your potential future had passed and left you with little time to gather yourself before presenting. still you shook your hands, arms, and lastly shoulders, putting all your worries aside and waited for introduction from the host.

Before long you’d been counted in to walking on stage, and heard the host over the microphone. “Ladies and Gentlemen, to present the award and introduce the nominees for Best Supporting Actor, please welcome one of this year’s nominees and one of our generation’s greatest talents: Y/F/N Y/L/N.”

The applause erupts from the audience like a revved up engine as you took center but it was nothing compared to the standing ovation you’d receive later on that night when receiving your own award for Best Actor.

You were stood promptly center staged with the towering Oscar statue reflecting onto the black stage floor beneath your feet. Your outfit was alluring and would surely be the next hot topic which is rare for male stars. You looked like a million bucks. Everyone knew it, most of all, Tom.

You smile and wave as you approach the microphone, your teeth shining a blinding white, and wait for a hush from the crowd.

You chuckle lightly as a few hoots and hollers sound out as the cheers subside.

You eye the monitor across the room and start to read, your nerves dying down as your jokes land and laughter echoes around the room.

As you finish the introduction, clips start to show behind you to accompany the names of the nominees as the cameras catch a glimpse of each of their reactions.

You couldn’t help but notice how tough the competition was as each actor was called. Steven Yuen playing a detective in a thrilling murder mystery. John David Washington in a fictional film playing the world’s first black astronaut aiding in the discovery of lovecraftian horrors. Andrew Garfield for his role as a psychotic narcissist and genius businessman. Oscar Issac acting in a sci fi space opera asking questions of existentialism.

Finally, you had to withhold your smile as you called out the last name. He had returned to his Billy Elliot roots being nominated for his role in a astonishing musical romance film. “Tom Holland.” You’d been ecstatic when he’d told you about it as you’d always recommend he tried it again since it made him so happy in his younger years.

You spot him a few rows from the stage, making eye contact with him and wondering if he was thinking about you the way you had done with him earlier. You couldn’t help but notice him squirming in his chair and fidgeting with his hands. Selfishly asking yourself if this wasn’t just about the award but about having you present it to him.

Seeing you here after what felt like an eternity apart and your reunion potentially being the greatest achievement of both your careers. Making it the greatest night of your lives, that is, if you were still together. But you were still best friends. That’s what mattered. So you push your self centered thoughts aside and shoot him a small wave that he returns with a smile and thumbs up. letting you know he was okay and that you could continue as the camera pans back to you capturing your not so hidden giddiness.

This awarded some small oos and aahs from the crowd as your relationship with him had been a wholly celebrated one. especially among your marvel peers.

You’re handed an envelope and statue as the music ends and the applause dies down and you take one final glare into the camera before beginning to open the envelope.

“....and the Oscar goes to,” you take a peek at the crowd and see some of the nominees holding hands with loved ones. others plainly

awaiting your next words with bated breath. The anticipation shone on everyone’s faces. Even those that weren’t nominated. Your not-so-hidden grin giving away the answer mere milliseconds before his name escaped your lips. “Tom Holland!”

Tom shot up with a shared expression of shock and happiness on his face. Pecking his mother on the cheek as she wipes the tears of pride from her eyes. His best mate Harrison gives him a quick embrace and a pat on the back before he moves on to shake hands with the director and smile at everyone cheering him on as he gradually moves toward the stage still completely baffled at the victory.

As he walks towards you in his pink pastel colored suit and brown leather dress shoes you can’t help but swell with an overwhelming feeling of joy having been here to share this career defining moment with him. You thought about how far you’d both come to get here and almost started tearing up remembering all you’d been through together.

He skipped up the miniature steps and blanketed you with both arms. You didn’t want it to end as you hadn’t felt it in a while. You threw your arms around his neck and he tightens his hold around your torso. Before you could even process them, your blunt thoughts spill out as whispers.

“I’m so incredibly proud of you. you deserve this and so much more.” you hear a small chuckle escape him as he responds. “I am trying not to cry y’know mate?” a wolf whistle comes from the crowd as you apologize for being so sappy and before he can tell you off for it you hand him his award and shove him off toward the microphone.

As he takes center stage you stand off to the side to watch him give his acceptance speech. He pauses and takes a second to gather himself before he starts talking straight from his heart with nothing prepared.

“Um, Wow. I really can’t believe this is really happening and I probably still won’t believe it happened tomorrow. Just.. wow.” his words were filled with that charmingly British accent you’d come to love so much.

“First I would like to thank my mother, without whom of course, I would not be here. I would like to thank the academy and everyone who worked on this movie from the producers and camera men, make-up and costumes, to our wonderful writers, composer, back up dancers and vocalists, and of course my friends, my co-star and the director Damien Chazelle.” whom he gestures to sitting in the second row. “I share this with all of you and I can’t thank you enough for awarding me with the opportunity to create something I love so much.”

He thanks the other nominees before turns towards you to end his speech. you felt your heart in your hands when you saw his big brown puppy eyes dart in your direction with an intensive glare of admiration.

“last but most importantly, I want to thank the inspiration for all of the love songs I sung in the film and the reason I decided to take the role. The person standing here on my right.”

Your jaw drops and your eyes widen when his words hit you like a speeding semi. you realize that he’d just called you his muse in so many words. the inspiration behind the love songs in the film no less. Meaning that with every lovestruck note his character sung he was reminded of you. All that time spent worrying if the distance between you two would cause him to forget about you, or if he’d maybe moved on and found somebody else. But no such thing had happened. He was relating his character’s longing in the film to his longing for you this entire time and that made your heart do a backflip.

You blush and cover your still ajar mouth with your fist whilst trying not to pay attention to the crowd who’s attention was fully focused on you.

He takes a deep sigh before continuing. “Y/N you’re not only the reason I took this role, but you’re the reason I was able to play it with such sincerity. You’ve been a unwavering beacon of support throughout my career in general but here you really gave me the inspiration for something special. He faces the audience again as the all follow his words with whispers of how adorable you both were. “from reading lines together in the middle of the night, to keeping me company when i’m on the brink of a meltdown.” It was all true and it only made you miss you relationship more and you found it difficult to hold back your tears.

“Y/N is the kind of best friend everybody needs, the kind of partner everybody deserves, and the person I’m so incredibly lucky to have known for so long. ..and I still can’t believe he never figured out the lyrics were all about him, It was kind of obvious-” the audience laughed you’re so close to swooning as he turns toward you again. “But, with all my heart, I love you, Y/N. Always will.” you feel as if you’re floating.

He shifts to the crowd one last time to say a final thank you before you both walk off stage one arm around one another’s shoulders. You have a short but sweet conversation backstage with him where reassures you that everything he said on stage was true and completely unscripted. He wants to talk more but knows your category is coming soon so he asks for a later opportunity and you agree before returning to your seat in the crowd.

The rest of the night flew by with you winning the award for best actor and receiving the biggest applause of the night. Tom joined in the standing ovation. You thanked everybody involved in making the film, the academy, and squeezed a little joke directed towards Tom that garnered a shared laugh from both him and the audience. You were the last award of the night and after the celebrations it was time to return to your place, where Tom was waiting for you. Wanting to talk about everything that had happened not just tonight but everything leading up to it. He also hoped you’d kept a spot open in your heart for him to return to.

[zodiacrant]

💜Astro Notes💜

(All about Mutable signs)

(These may or may not apply to you, please keep an open mind and take it as entertainment rather than life changing facts. Please credit me if you’re going to use my work, or ask me beforehand.)

💜There’s no denying that this is the wack-a-doodle squad

💜Mutable Placements adjust and assimilate into other placements qualities and elements. This makes them hard to identify in a person, especially Rising.

💜Sagittarius Moons always have this underlying tone of sadness. My best friend in high school was a Sagittarius Moon and he would talk about anything and everything but real and serious things. His mother had cancer and passed away and he did not show emotion in his words or in his eyes. I don’t know why they feel like they always have to be happy and fun all the time.

💜Geminis are actually very stubborn but not with what they believe in but in what they do. Don’t tell them what to do or how to do it. And most definitely what they should and shouldn’t like.

💜Virgos and Pisces are opposites that clash by default. The ground level view of Virgo mixed with Pisces aerial view doesn’t go well. Not because of how they view things but because of their strict stance on how things are. One says 2+3=5, the other says no 1+4=5. The only time I saw those pairs get along is when they grew fond of their differences.

💜Sagittarius to me is the least Mutable Mutable sign. Even though they’re naturally curious and expansive, they have a habit of assuming and beating people to conclusions. This is why some people label them as know it all’s, cause while you’re talking they’re preparing an answer instead of listening to what you’re actually saying.

💜I believe I have said this in another post but I’ll say it again. Pisces placements are indicators of being either a genius or a complete bum.

💜Virgo Moons are high functioning emotional machines. No matter how much work they do or run around it, they’re very sensitive to every single thing.

💜Gemini is not as fun loving as people perceive them. Most that I have met were into taboo topics. As a Gemini Venus I would ask if you would like to be eaten by animals after death, with a smile 😊.

💜Virgo and Gemini represent the youthful and playful curiosity of Mutable signs. Both ruled by Mercury they represent childish and teen like thinking and view of the world. Wanting to try everything, do everything and everything having to be as perfect as they imagined. Jacks of all trades yet masters of none, they represent the novice and early stages of communication and learning.

💜Sagittarius and Pisces are the higher mind and what’s beyond the self. Ruled by Jupiter and Neptune, respectively, they represent religion, spirituality, the subconscious mind, and large scale worlds. They view the world as the teacher and/or the elder, passing down the knowledge they acquired along the way.

💜Mutable Mercuries can be very sneaky and manipulative.

💜Don’t underestimate Pisces. The preconceived notion that they’re some cute bubbly magical mermaid can be very far from the truth. People with Pisces placements, especially the Moon, are very interested in twisted and dark topics.

💜 Virgo/Pisces in North and South Node is the hardest life purpose to achieve. For Virgo N.Node your life purpose requires you to be level headed, swift, critical and do the right thing. With Pisces N.Node you have to elevate your mind, be insync with yourself, have an out of body view of the world, follow your instincts and do the good thing.

💜Most twins I know and are in my family are either Geminis or Virgos

💜Virgo Mars people blabber on when nervous. This apparently supposed to buy them some time to think but it just ends up making it worse.

💜I have noticed that Virgo and Sagittarius Suns and Moons get frequent migraines

💜Virgo in 8th is as kinky as Scorpio. Only they’re more of a bottom edging the top than the top edging the bottom

💜Mutable signs in their opposite’s planet creates constant confusion at best and delusion at worst. This can be seen alot with Sagittarius and Pisces Mercuries. No shade but y’all can really live in the world according to your mind, which can be far from reality. However, I did find many good actors with this placement which makes sense cause it’s conducive to the trade.

💜If you’ve known a Gemini long enough then you know not be surprised by their antics or what they’re going to say. I have found that they do and say things for reactions not because they’re seriously thinking of doing so.

💜Sagittarius on the other hand will do a dare just to prove they will do it.

💜Sagittarius in 4th house might run away from home

💜Pisces Venus is much more timid than you’d think. Virgo Venus, however, that is another level kind of “hoeing”

💜Mutable MC’s careers depend alot on who they know and always being on the go. They can’t be stagnant with their positions and require constant reinvention.

💜Pisces in 6th rarely get sick

💜Mutable Risings house patterns create, from what I read, a “cycle of completion”. They more than others have to focus on intrapersonal growth before going too far into their journey.

💜For a Mutable sign Virgo is not “mutable-like” but their quick adaptation and reactions to complex things is what makes them mutable.

💜Gemini Mars is the most energetic placement.

💜Sagittarius in 3rd and Gemini in 9th will have to unlearn almost everything they grew up learning. The opposite process from Gemini to Sagittarius where you keep on learning.

💜Mutable dominant people will forever have an existential crisis

💜Sagittarius Venus is the OG paradoxical queen

💜People with Sagittarius in 7th house, especially with Pluto residing there, will be hung up on “the one that got away”

[ragingbookdragon]

Raise Hell And High-Waters

Lanternfamily x Reader One-Shot

Word Count: 1.2K Warnings: Explicit Language

Author's Note: Based on the ask about Batman trying to adopt the little scrappy Lanternkid! Enjoy! -Thorne

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

Hal set the kid down on the couch in the lounge, setting their Justice League backpack beside them. They immediately busied themselves pulling out the game console, switching it on as they cocked their legs up on the cushions, slinking down until their chin was in their chest, head bent up against the arm of the sofa.

“You gonna be okay right here?” he inquired.

“Mhm,” they hummed, pressing the buttons until the music flowed through the speakers.

Hal nodded, then reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet; he flicked it open and tugged out some money, setting it in the cup holder of their backpack. “Here’s ten ones, okay? The vending machines are over there, get a snack and a drink if you want it.”

“Can I get a soda?”

“No sodas after eight.” He announced, like a parent, hands even cocked on his hips.

“Loser,” they griped, then looked at him. “Do they have flavored waters?”

“Any kind you can dream of kid,” he reached down and ruffled their hair. “Look, the meeting was last minute, and I wouldn’t’ve brought you if I could’ve found a babysitter in time.” He smiled halfheartedly. “I should only be gone an hour and a half, okay?”

They smiled. “Can we go to the movies after this?”

Hal’s face pinched. “Jesus kid, you really wanna see that midnight showing, don’t you?”

“Well, the child actor in the movie is like me,” they theorized. “Super smart way above their classmates’ levels.” Shooting them a bored stare, they said, “If you weren’t home-schooling me, I’d be a college graduate by now.”

He rolled his eyes and ruffled their hair again. “I gotta go. Don’t move,” he warned. “I’m serious. Stay right here.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” He gave them one last look, then hurried off down the hallway.

***

It’d been an hour or so before they’d heard any movement, but when they did, it was above their head, brushing over the back of the couch. Hal had told them the Watchtower was completely safe, so they didn’t immediately panic. Whoever or whatever it was, was friendly.

“What are you playing?” The person—a man by the low gravel of their voice—asked.

“The new Pokémon game,” they murmured. “It’s easy compared to the other games.”

“How far back through them have you played?”

They pursed their lips, thinking for a moment. “Uncle Barry had his Game Boy and the original Red and Blue still in their cases.” Holding up the console, they said, “Hal bought me the Switch and Pokémon Sword and Shield the other weekend.”

“How do you like the newest games compared to the oldest ones?”

“They’re easier, built for a fun rather than a competitive, skilled mode.” They grinned as they caught a Lucario. “I haven’t lost a single battle since I started playing last week. Honestly, the last Pokémon games that actually made me try were HeartGold and SoulSilver.” Letting out a bored, ‘pfft’, they added, “Every game after that is all about building up a dream team and completely obliterating every opponent.”

“What’s your dream team?” they asked.

“Aurorus, Charizard, Gardevoir, Greninja, Lapras, and Lucario.” They shrugged. “I substitute Lapras out for Talonflame or Yveltal from time to time.”

“How do you play?”

“Offensively. I build up my teams stats then just take things head on.”

“No moves that boost defense?”

“Players that focus on stat moves are losers. Play hard to win or don’t play at all,” they griped, finally turning to look at the mystery man. “You’re Batman.”

He peered at them through his white cowl. “I am.”

“Why do you know so much about Pokémon?” they inquired. “You’re awfully knowledgeable for a grown man who takes down supervillains.”

Nodding, he replied, “My third son loves the games. He’d probably get the crap knocked out of his team by yours.”

They grinned. “Lemme guess, he focuses on stat moves?”

“Mhm.”

“Loser,” they snorted.

Suddenly, Batman looked rather serious. “Why are you out here all alone?”

“Hal had a meeting and couldn’t find a babysitter. The other guys were busy too.”

“They take care of you as well?”

“Yeah. I stay with Hal or John when they’re on earth, Hal mostly. Kyle and Guy keep an eye on my when I’m on Oa.”

“You’ve been to Oa?”

“A few times. Weird place. Weirder aliens and people.”

“What about school?”

“Hal home-schools me.”

“How come?” he questioned, watching them trample another player.

“I’m really smart. Like Einstein genius smart.” They shrugged. “Hal said it’d be easier to avoid attention if we home-school me.”

“Do you like it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not growing up around kids your own age. You’re by yourself a lot.”

“I was on the streets before Kyle found me,” they retorted. “I’m used to being on my own. And besides, kids my age are annoying. They’re still stuck in the play stage of development and I’m in the ask really inquisitive questions and solve impossible physics problems stage.”

Batman chuckled. “You’re pretty smart then, yeah?”

“Yeah.” They shut off their Switch and shoved it in their backpack. “Hal and the others can’t keep up.”

Getting off the sofa, they wandered over to the vending machines, sure that Batman was following them. They tried to reach the number pad, but couldn’t, frowning as they turned to him and held their arms up.

“Help me.”

He bent down and lifted them, letting them press the buttons; when they were finished, he didn’t set them down, merely carried them as they opened the chip bag and snacked. They were apparently content to lean onto his shoulder, head tucked under his chin. Batman gently rocked them, as he walked around, and soon they felt their eyelids falling shut.

***

“—ere are they!”

They awoke to shouting, startled by the sound of Hal’s panicked and scared voice. Batman’s hand touched their side. “It’s okay.”

“Hal’s worried,” they murmured, eyes droopy, tone sleep laced.

“Kid!” Hal’s voice was close now, then they were being yanked out of Batman’s arms and into the Green Lantern’s, life practically squeezed out of them. “Holy shit, you scared the hell out of me.”

“They were fine,” Batman sighed. “I had them.”

“I’m not talking to you!” Hal griped. “You okay?”

“Can’t—breathe—” they gasped and immediately his arms loosened, letting them inhale deeply. “‘M fine.”

“Come on, I’ve got your backpack. Let’s go home.”

As they walked off, Batman’s voice reached them. “You need to enroll them in a school that’ll let them grow and mature with other kids their age.”

Hal spun, fire in his voice as he snapped, “Don’t tell me how to raise my kid.”

When they turned the corner and walked to the Zeta tubes, they asked, “Do you mean that?”

“Mean what?” Hal asked.

“That I’m your kid?”

Their voice sounded so far, so lost, so…afraid. Afraid of hope, afraid of love, afraid of another parent leaving them on the streets, turning their back on them like all the rest did before.

Hal pulled back so he could stare at them, and he took their small chin in his hand, affirming, “Absolutely.” His eyes were serious but still warm. “You’re my kid and you always will be. And if anyone, and I mean anyone, tried to take you from me…I’d raise hell and so would your uncles to keep you with us.”

Tears flooded their eyes and they sniffed, burying their face in Hal’s neck.

He smiled, gently petting the back of their head. “I love you, kid.”

[opuestocomplementario]

Love in The Air EP8: review and commentary

I watched the episode, and I have many things to say about a lot of what happened there. I thought about making more post relate especially to the some characters only but for now I wanted to rant about the episode a little, specifically about the structure of the episode. 

Structure of the episode

So, a 51 minutes long episode. Right? Legit, LEGIT, there’s 10 minutes of already seen scenes (ex. Payu and Rain in the race and kissing), then we have another 10 minutes of unnecessary scenes. How do I know they are unnecessary? I don’t, but I read the novel so I know some things that happen and also, I don't need to be a genius to know that half of it was comedy relief and didn’t give anything to the story. So, as much as I love how fast the episode was and the laughs I had, I don’t think the editing and the scenes presented were good. 

The NC scene is an example. The actors, incredible; the music, amazing; the lighting and the pace, a masterpiece. However, that scene is supposed to show and to tell us more than it did. I don’t know how exactly you can make a novel into a book or how much info you need to put together in scenes but, let’s be honest, that scene caused so much trouble because it wasn’t like in the novel.  The scene was supposed to show how amazed Prapai was with Sky knowing how to have sex. How this man was taken back by the innocent looking guy; it was supposed to show how they fought for dominance, and how conflicted they were both. In different senses, but conflicted at least. I wish they could have focused more on Pai expressions and movements. 

I just can’t enjoy the decision of putting the focus solely on Sky when it comes to mental and emotional stages, while the only thing we get from Prapai is his back, his suits and his minute-scenes with other characters. Like, yes, Sky is our main character, but the focus is on both of them as persons. Like I said with Rain and Payu. We need to see a change in both of them. Prapai is not the whole package like Payu; he doesn’t have anything to figure it out, he doesn’t know what he wants, and he should, hence, have more screen time. 

The thing about how both of them ended up having sex is also so problematic. I feel like these actores could be so good at showing that they are joking or being sarcastic but the crew is not giving them a chance to do it. This is something that happens too with Payu. I remember being quite upset at him for a while because I do in fact understand when people are being sarcastic or playful but having a serious face. Payu had too much of a serious face for anyone to realize it (specially Rain). But Sky and Pai thrive on irony and wordplay while having bitch faces and smiles. They actually understand each other in that scene, but while in the book Pai was supposed to be joking and taking back by Sky determination, in the series it looks like Pai is forcing himself on the kid. And this does not necessarily need to be shown in their inner monologues. There’s no need to hear the characters to pick this up. Just show their faces, make them work with their body, I DON’T FUCKING KNOW. JUST DON’T DO WHAT THEY DID. 

I don’t know why but I have a feeling they are trying to make Pai more of a badass than what he really is. Maybe trying to line up with Payu but it is not working. Pai is playful, more playful than Payu. Him having this serious aura around him is not really working for me. Fort's face is way too cute and has a beautiful smile that does not look good in a serious setting. I know he can do both, but really, he should have the expressions and the playful manners that he had while talking with Sky in his apartment, and not the serious one and the almost violent one that he had before the NC scenes. Am I making sense? Idk. I am having controversial thoughts. 

Another thing I said before: why the fuck are we seeing the same scenes of Payu and Rain? Why don’t we have one that actually lines up with the story in time? Why switch from Sky and Pai fucking to Payu and Rain kissing? I can not even start to try to make sense of it. It just doesn’t. 

I would also have liked it if they showed the race between Payu and Pai from previous episodes, instead of Pai alone. Or IDK, having more development in the conversation between Pai and Saifah. To make it look more like Pai was more troubled. If they showed a scene where Payu and Pai were racing and suddenly Payu wins against Pai they could make them talk about how Pai was distracted about something, and then they could talk about what Pai should do about it, and Payu could say he shouldn’t bother Sky if he is not serious. @ memindy I am taking job offers, hire me so I can fix this mess. Jk. 

The only thing I loved about the filming was every scene with Sky. Every shot made with him was an absolute masterpiece; the faces he made and what he said made so much sense. I like seeing him hurt and sad (affectionate obviously). His interactions with Rain were also good; I liked how they show their bond and how they care for each other. 

Also, the whole podcast thing about “today's topic: How to forget the one you want to forget". What was that? Why did they do that? What was the point? How can we make it never happen again? It was supposed to be an inner monologue? Of who? 

Random thought 1: I just realized Rain wasn’t the one who left Sky. Payu took Rain with him without checking if he was with someone. So, let’s all gather to fight the stupid whipped men instead of the poor young boys. 

Random thought 2: do you all realize that these two men decide to court these two poor boys and make their life impossible? Like, Pai and Payu are the whipped ones but Rain and Sky are the ones dealing with the consequences. They didn’t even ask for it; they were there looking pretty and suddenly they had to deal with mafia, kidnapping, kink discovery, courtership, and more. I don’t know who is supposed to be the lucky ones. 

Another thing is while I appreciate the interactions with the friend group and all, those scenes don’t do anything to Sky’s story. Except his weird conversation with Ple after he said how Rain was busy with Payu.

So the structure of the episode overall is a mess for me. We have short conversations, many characters introduced, many spaces (Sky university, Sky apartment, Pai work, Pai house, Pai gym, the racer training) and not enough depth in any of them. It feels like there is so much of telling but not enough of showing. 

Story/Characters

A lot of this is self explanatory from the items before. But anyway, I would say them again. So, we have him minding his business in the ilegal event. He caught the eye of this beautiful and hot man. Said man saves him from the guards and then takes him somewhere without people (this sounds like a horror movie but bear with me) and for a moment, a little moment, Sky allows himself to picture this man getting interested in him and wanting to talk to him (aka hit on him). This fantasy Sky made last until Pai opened his mouth and “jokes” about some kind payment. At this point, Sky gives up, again, on someone actually getting interested in him. Men always want one thing from him, and that’s why “they are all assholes” and the line after it is what broke me: “You are also an asshole”.  Sky liked Pai. Even on a superficial level, he was attracted to him. And he realize Pai wasn’t worth it. That’s the curse to him. I find this interesting because Sky, by not giving attention to Pai indirectly is saying Pai is not worth the fight. Pai is not worth the cry, the sadness, the fantasy. Because he ended up being like everyone else and Sky does not want to cry for everyone else. I might be freaking out but I really love when the popular guy needs to get the attention of the unpopular one, because that means he is proving his worth. He is taking himself for sure all the time until someone hits him with reality.

I have to praise Peat face expressions in those moments where we can see him actually enjoying some of Pai tactics, like the flowers, or the “I am going to pursue you”. He wants to, but he knows it is not serious. “Guys like him only want sex”. He really tries to not fall into that track of thought, the one where he allows himself to fantasize about a guy good enough who likes him so much that he would go through all of that just for him. To Pai it might look like a challenge, a conquest. But for Sky is also a challenge; he needs to remain true to himself so he doesn’t get hurt.

Back to Pai. Yes. He is an asshole. Like why do he said to Sky “you are cold” or something like that after fucking. Are you really trying to get his number or a kick in the balls? Pai is playful but doesn’t seems to know exactly when is good time for being it and an asshole with people most of the time. He can’t be taken seriously. I also feel like he doesn’t know what he looks like or loves, so he asks questions and tries to gather information from other people on how to act. THIS IS WAY I NEED HIM TO STAY AWAY FROM PAYU. Those two have 0 flirting skills or courtship. But as I said before, Sky is breaking the boxes Pai had about people; he doesn't know how to flirt or court because he is not the one who does that. However, I do like how he tries to start over with Sky in the final scene. Introducing themselves first, asking what interests them, is almost like normal flirting. Please, let this continue because at least he knows the basics. 

Random thought 3: What exactly is what caught Pai eyes on Sky? Like, yes, they fucked but they didn’t talk. What is the thought process of this man to get whipped after one night stand? Really asking, I want to know. Is a game? My guess it is. Having someone reject you is what makes Pai excited, but that excitement can only last for a while. He took 3 months to go and ask Rain for Sky number. What took him so long? 

Overall, I really like our main character Sky. I like him so much. I love how Peat potrays him; he has the whole package of being a insecure boy. There is a little thing that bothers me a little and is how they talk about him about being a confident one in sex. I don’t think he is confident in it and we should praise him much if we know his backstory. Is actually sad how he knows all of it, really.

Anyway, this was all the messy rant I had for the episode. <3