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#miss may i season 5 part 30
miss-may-i · 17 hours
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Miss May I: Season 5 Part 30
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Farah: Good morning, Bella. I made coffee.
Isabella: Good morning. Where's Dad?
Farah: He left.
Isabella: Where'd he go? Is he coming back?
Farah: That doesn't matter.
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Isabella: Is that why you're getting divorced?
Farah: I don't want this to make you think anything less of your father.
Isabella: Honestly, this makes me think less of both of you.
Farah: Why don't you sit down so we can talk?
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Isabella: I guess I just don't get it. This makes me feel like everything I've always known about love and happiness is a lie.
Farah: We never lied to you. We've always loved you and your sister. This was a long time coming, Bella. We just didn't want to do it while you were little. Selling the house and having to split your time between your father and I. It's not good for a child.
Isabella: Wait, you and Dad are selling the house?
Farah: We have to. I can't afford this place on my own and your father and I won't be living together anymore.
Isabella: Then where does that leave me?
Farah: You're an adult now. You can come with me if you'd like, and I'm sure your father feels the same way. Or you could go off on your own. Have you ever thought about what you wanted to do with your life?
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Isabella: I guess I just never thought this day would come. I always thought I'd stay here until Richie graduated then we'd go off to live our own happily ever after.
Farah: But what about beside that? Take it from me, you need to know who you are outside of being a wife and a mother. You never thought this day would come, and neither did I: The day my girls were grown and time to leave the nest.
Isabella: Just 'cause we're older doesn't mean you and Dad have to get divorced.
Farah: I already told you, we're not doing this because of you.
Isabella: Then at least tell me why. What could Dad have possibly done that's so horrible to ruin our family?
Farah: *Sigh*
Farah: There's another woman. And there has been for a while.
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Isabella: Why does this keep happening? Does no one have a heart? Julie's dad cheated on Jade, Vivi's husband cheated on him, Noah cheated on Julie, Damian cheated on his girlfriend with Julie ... and now Dad? Why even marry someone and start a family with them if you don't even love them?
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Farah: I'm sorry baby.
Isabella: How can I ever trust a man to love me when it seems all everyone does is cheat?
Farah: You find the right man.
Isabella: How do I find out if he's the right man before it's too late?
Farah: ...
Farah: I wish I knew too.
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Family Tree
*A few poses by @bmit04*
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forzalando · 8 months
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Seeing Someone
Lando Norris x friend!reader (female reader)
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summary: Lando is finally ready to tell you how he feels when he overhears you say that you've started seeing someone - but overheard conversations aren't always what they seem. wc: 5.5k author's note: a few disclaimers: 1. let's all pretend that everyone has to spend a few weeks at MTC before the start of the season and they commute to/from London. 2. therapy and mental health help are so important - i purposefully left some things vague because people go to therapy for a variety of reasons and it should be normalized! i also didn't want things to get too heavy or potentially upset anyone by choosing to elaborate on something they relate to/hits a little too close to home. 3. this was inspired by a post i saw on my dash that said "when you said you were seeing someone i was hoping you meant a therapist". this originally started out more light-hearted, but the angst came out and i couldn't stop. feeling a little insecure about this one - thoughts and feelings in the comments/reblogs/my inbox would be so cherished and appreciated :) once again, special shoutout to @sof1shticated for being my beta reader. couldn't do this without you, Mel! warnings: mentions of reader going to therapy, mentions of reader drinking, a few curse words (i think), and angst! but there is a happy ending (even if it's a little open-ended)
Lando had searched the entirety of McLaren HQ at this point and started to worry – you were quite literally nowhere to be found. Usually, this wouldn’t phase him, since you were notorious for getting distracted or caught up in conversation with everyone you came across. You especially found ways to delay leaving MTC when you had to be there physically – the commute from HQ back to London each day was objectively the worst part of everyone coming together in the weeks leading up to each new season.
Today, however, the two of you had plans to get dinner at your favorite restaurant in London and you would never miss a chance to devour your favorite scallop risotto, cheese garlic bread, several glasses of wine, and a heaping mound of tiramisu for dessert.
He stopped speed-walking abruptly when he saw a familiar head of brown hair out of the corner of his eye.
“OSCAR,” Lando shouted, his speed-walk turning into a run. “Oscar, have you seen Y/N? She told me to meet at her office at 5:00pm but it’s 5:30pm and she is literally missing. She better have a good excuse, I hate being late.”
“Missing? Are you sure she’s not just caught up in a meeting? I saw her heading to Zak’s office around 4:45pm, did you check there?”
“Zak’s office, of course! The one place I didn’t check. Thanks, Osc, you’re the man.”
Oscar rolled his eyes – “Anytime, Lan. What are you running late for? Hot date?”
Lando didn’t miss the wiggle of Oscar’s eyebrows and slight smirk. It wasn’t a secret to the Australian that Lando had a crush on Y/N – although Lando had never confirmed or denied it, it was pretty obvious to anyone who spent more than 30 seconds around them.
“Ah, something like that,” Lando said nonchalantly, a bashful blush making its way to his cheeks.
“Good luck, mate!” Oscar threw a wave over his shoulder as he heard the retreating sound of Lando’s trainers smacking against the floor.
In truth, although you and Lando were just friends and Lando was terrified he may ruin that, he had plans to tell you about his feelings for you that night at dinner. It had been almost a year since you started working for McLaren, and almost a year of Lando pining after you in secret. He spent most days trying to convince himself he was content just being your friend, but he was determined to make 2024 his year. His first win, hopefully of many, maybe even WDC contender material, and finally plucking up the courage to be honest with you.
As Lando hurriedly approached Zak’s office, he could see that the door was slightly ajar and heard your voice trailing through the opening.
“I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me, Zak. And a massive thank you for approving the time off on such late notice.”
“Anytime, Y/N, you know you’re like family to me and everyone here. You sure you’re ok?”
“Yes, I’m seeing someone. It’s still new so I’m not set on him yet but I have a really good feeling about it, I’m really starting to wish I had called him sooner. He actually suggested the days off, I’m seeing him on Tuesday and hopefully things continue to go well.”
Lando’s heart dropped to his stomach – all week he had been thinking about tonight. How to tell you, how you might react, how nervous he was, and each day he grew even more anxious. He was panicking – what was he supposed to do? How could he sit across from you all night knowing that he’d missed his chance?
“That’s so good to hear,” Zak said earnestly. “Keep me updated and enjoy your days off.”
Lando could hear chairs scraping and scrambled to leave the scene before you walked out of Zak’s office to find him eavesdropping. He got about 50 feet down the hallway before he heard your voice from behind.
“Lan,” you shouted. “I’m so sorry, I’m totally late but I had to meet with Zak about something and his last meeting went way over.”
You jogged a little to catch up to him – a bright smile on your face that made his heart rate skyrocket and his palms grow sweaty. He couldn’t see you feeling like this. Not tonight, not when he could barely keep himself from telling you that he would be a much better boyfriend than whoever you were dating.
“We still on for dinner? I grabbed everything I needed from my office before I met with Zak so if we leave right this second and ignore the speed limit, they may seat us,” you bumped his shoulder as you joked.
Unable to help himself, only thinking about how hurt he was even though you’d done nothing wrong, Lando blurted out an excuse. “Actually, I was trying to find you to tell you I can’t make it.”
He tried not to react when he saw your face fall a little, but he told himself it was because you were disappointed about the last-minute change in plans and not that he wasn’t going.
“You should still go though,” he offered quickly. “I’m sure you have someone you could take with you!”
Your eyes spotted Oscar across the hallway and you smiled slightly – it had been a while since you had spent time with him and you knew he was having a rough week.
“Yeah, I have someone in mind,” you mused, focusing your eyes back on Lando. “Is everything ok? Are you not feeling well?”
“No, I’m fine, I just forgot I have plans.”
“Well, we had plans. You scheduled over me?”
“It’s a last-minute thing. Date thing. Last-minute date thing.”
“Oh,” you gasped. “Oh, that’s great!” You plastered a fake smile on your face – hoping that he was just as oblivious now as he apparently is to your feelings. “I hope you have a great time, she’s a lucky girl! I’ll see you on Wednesday, I’m taking a couple days off!”
Before he had a chance to say anything else, you sped off in search of Oscar to bribe him to accompany you to dinner. While you set off across the room, Lando smacked himself in the forehead and groaned.
“Why did you tell her it was a date, you idiot,” he mumbled to himself. Now, it was his turn to speed walk through McLaren HQ, but if he had turned around just for a moment, he would have caught you stopped in your tracks staring at him longingly as he walked away.
You shook your head and sighed, continuing your quest to find the younger McLaren driver and rope him into an evening filled with good food and, if you were being honest with yourself, probably a few tears.
A few moments later, you spotted floppy brown hair bouncing as Oscar walked toward the employee parking lot.
“Oscar!” You yelled after him, increasing your pace to catch up to him.
“Hey,” he said, confusion evident on his face, “I thought you were going out with Lando?”
“He’s got a date,” you blurted. “He has a date and he canceled on me and it’s fine. I am fine. But I want my scallop risotto and tiramisu so you’re coming with me.”
“Sure, Y/N, lead the way.”
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Oscar was, to put it extremely lightly, confused. Lando was completely enamored by you – anyone with eyes could see it. Oscar was wholly convinced that Lando was going to officially ask you out at dinner tonight, especially after the brief conversation they had while you were late to meet up with him.
Yet, here he was, sat across from you in a dimly lit room as you sipped on your third glass of wine and, with all the subtlety of a neon sign, wiped a tear from your lower lash line.
“It’s not that I’m not happy for him, I’m so happy for him. But canceling last minute is a dick move, right? It’s a dick move. I know I’m just his friend, sometimes I feel like just a colleague, but I’m not being dramatic, right?”
Oscar stared at you blankly – his eyes wide and a look of pure fear on his face. He considered himself good at most things, great at quite a few, but comforting a crying woman was bottom of the list of Oscar Piastri’s skills.
“It’s totally a dick move,” he nodded his head eagerly in agreement. “I just don’t get it – when I saw him earlier he was frantic trying to find you. I think he’d scoured the entirety of MTC, he was out of breath when I found him.”
“Well, at least he had the decency to find me and tell me in person that he planned on ditching me.”
“Yeah, but that’s just it, it didn’t seem like he was trying to find you to tell you that. He complained about being late and when I asked him if he had a hot date, he blushed.”
“He is literally on a hot date.”
“Ok, well, when I asked him I meant did he have a hot date specifically with you.”
You scoffed and set your glass down – as much as you loved Oscar and you knew he’d never judge you, if you had any more wine you’d end up sobbing and not just wiping stray tears away.
“As if! Lando has never once made a move on me even though I flirt, or at least try to flirt, with him any chance I get.”
“You flirt with Lando?”
“I made him a personalized Spotify playlist, had Stroopwafels overnighted to him from The Netherlands after Vegas, bought him a sweater for his birthday with a card that said ‘to match your eyes’, and I compliment him every time I see him.”
“That’s your idea of flirting?”
“Well, yes.”
“Y/N, that’s just being nice to people. You’re nice to everyone. Lando is not going to understand that you’re a little extra nice to him and that means you’re trying to woo him.”
You huffed and slumped in your seat, crossing your arms over your chest. “Ok, well, how would you flirt with Lando?”
“Did you seriously just ask me that question?”
“Yes because apparently you know all about flirting! And by the way, Logan thought I was coming onto him when I was just being nice so some people would consider my actions flirtatious.”
“That doesn’t count, Logan thinks Uber drivers are flirting with him when they say ‘have a nice day’.”
You and Oscar shared a laugh at the mention of your mutual friend – somehow an even more hopeless case than you in the world of romance.
Your laughs turned to giggles and eventually died down completely. A sigh climbed its way out of your throat, the sudden change in your mood evident to Oscar.
“It doesn’t matter anyway – he’s seeing someone so no more trying, and according to you failing, to flirt.”
“You don’t know how serious it is, maybe this was a first date and it’ll go horribly. He definitely doesn’t have a girlfriend if that’s what you’re worried about, he was just saying the other day that Lily and I make him feel painfully single. We can ask him about it on Monday!”
You frowned a bit and tried to recover, but Oscar noticed the way your face fell slightly. “I’m actually taking a few days off, I need some personal time. I won’t be back at MTC until Wednesday.”
“Is everything ok? You don’t have to tell me but if you need anything, you know I’m there for you, right?”
You smiled at Oscar – it was a rare thing to find such great friends in the people you worked with, but you got so incredibly lucky with the McLaren team, especially Lando and Oscar. “I know that, Osc. You’re a gem.”
With a nod of understanding, Oscar changed the subject to something more pleasant, and you enjoyed the rest of your evening with your friend.
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When Wednesday morning rolled around, you felt like your stomach might explode from nerves. You had resisted texting Lando over the past few days to ask about his date, you didn’t want to seem too eager and hoped it would come up naturally in conversation during the day. You hadn’t talked to Oscar much, though he’d texted you a few times to check in, but you wondered if he had talked to Lando at all and if he had details on how well Lando’s date went.
You arrived at MTC fairly early, hoping to get a head start on your day. Winter break was nearly over, and you were swamped with finalizing everything for the start of the 2024 season. It wasn’t until lunch that you saw Lando at all and he just so happened to be waiting in your office, sitting comfortably in your chair, while you were walking back from your latest meeting.
“Lando! What are you doing here?”
“I, uh,” he scrambled. “I was just…I don’t know really. I guess I wanted to see you, we haven’t talked in a few days since you’ve been out.”
“Well, we’ve both been busy. You could’ve texted me. How was your date?”
“It was good. Great. How about yours?”
You smiled remembering your evening with Oscar, assuming he had told Lando at some point that he had accompanied you. “Honestly so fun, we had the best time. I hope we get to do it again soon.”
Lando cringed – jealousy rearing its ugly head as he looked down at his feet before answering. “Same, I’ll probably go out with her again this weekend.”
“Good for you,” you gritted. “I’m glad you had fun. I actually have a million things to do so if there’s nothing important…”
“Yeah, yeah, sorry. Just wanted to see you. I guess we’ll catch up soon? Hope you enjoyed your days off.”
Mustering up a fake smile, you told him definitely, awkwardly standing as he rose from your desk and left your office. As soon as he was far enough away that he couldn’t hear you, you groaned. The tension between you and Lando was unbearable, though you didn’t understand why it seemed to mostly be coming from him. Before you had a chance to think any further, you could hear your phone buzzing from inside your bag and begrudgingly pulled it out to see a text from Oscar.
did you go on a date over the weekend?
no? why are you asking me that?
well then why did lando just sit across from me and say ‘did Y/N tell you anything about her date?’
he was just in my office, I asked him how his date went and he asked about ‘mine’. i assumed he was talking about Friday and that you told him i brought you?
i never told him, i guess he thought you brought a real date?
You paused before responding to Oscar, confusion evident on your face and in your lack of response. Before you could type out a reply, two more texts came in.
ok something is up because i just told him that i went with you on friday and he said “i know, i saw you in her insta story in the reflection of a wine glass, i’m talking about yesterday”
insane that he looked close enough to see me in your wine glass but not the point
i literally haven’t been on a date in two years
let me figure this out
You slid your phone back into your bag and pulled out your laptop – your Lando problems would have to wait until you were at least somewhat caught up after missing two days so close to the start of the season.
Meanwhile, at a conference room table in MTC, Oscar was confused. Which, as of late, was a common occurrence when it came to you and Lando.
“Mate,” Oscar addressed Lando, “if you’re not talking about Friday, what date did you ask Y/N about? She hasn’t been on a date in forever.”
“Well then he must have canceled on her because she was supposed to have plans yesterday, it’s why she took days off.”
“I don’t know the exact reason why she took days off but she told me on Friday that she was and didn’t seem too happy about it. Said it was personal reasons.”
“Going on a date is personal.”
“Not ‘take two days off of work’ personal! Where are you even getting this information?”
Lando looked away sheepishly, afraid to admit to Oscar that he had eavesdropped on a private conversation between you and Zak. With Oscar looking at him expectantly, and a bit like a pissed-off Mum, he blurted it out.
“I heard her talking to Zak! Last week on Friday, when I was looking for her, she was in his office and the door was cracked. She had asked him for a couple days off and talked about how she recently started seeing someone and was seeing him again on Tuesday aka yesterday.”
Now Oscar was really confused. You had cried over Lando publicly on Friday, and he knew you fairly well, which meant there was no way you would be crying over Lando and going out with someone else four days later.
“I think you need to just talk to her because I promise you, she is not seeing someone. Also, what do you care? You ditched her for a date on Friday.”
Oscar had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he watched Lando’s face fall.
“Lando, tell me you didn’t.”
“I might have.”
“Jesus, Lando, you heard 30 seconds of a conversation and decided to lie to her? Because what, your ego took a blow? Some caveman instinct?”
“No, I don’t know, honestly. It just slipped out! I had planned to ask her out for real and when I heard her say ‘I’m seeing someone’, I just didn’t know how to be around her. I couldn’t be around her that night.”
“You need to go talk to her. Apologize. Preferably, immediately.”
Lando jumped up from his seat and sighed. “You’re right. She might kill me, and she has every right to, but I have to talk to her and apologize to her. Wish me luck!”
Before Oscar could do what Lando had asked, Lando raced off towards your office, barely stopping himself from tripping over his own two feet.
Across MTC, you had just settled your mind and gotten into a groove of catching up on emails and making progress on deadlines. As soon as you thought to yourself that the day was going better than expected, your office door flung open and Lando Norris was standing stiff in your doorway.
“Lan, I told you that I’m busy. What is going on?” Annoyance was evident in your voice and Lando cringed knowing that this conversation was probably not going to be very pleasant.
“Why did you take time off?”
Your body straightened in shock, of all the things he could have asked you after bombarding you in your office, you wouldn’t have guessed he would pry into your personal life.
“That’s none of your business, Lando. If you were worried about me, you could have reached out, but I haven’t heard from you since you ditched me on Friday.”
Lando could see the hurt on your face, he could see it evident in your body language. He thought back to how you had looked upset immediately when he told you on Friday that he couldn’t go with you – when he told himself it had nothing to do with you wanting to spend time with him.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed. “I’m sorry for that, it wasn’t – I mean I didn’t, I didn’t want to not go. I just didn’t know what to do.”
“Ok, I’m totally lost. You didn’t know what to do about what, Lando?”
He steeled himself for your reaction – something he had learned by being your friend for the past year was that you held trust and truth in high regard. You didn’t like being lied to, and you didn’t like people trying to dig into your life or get information you weren’t willing to share.
“I heard you in Zak’s office. I wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, I swear, I was looking for you because you were late meeting me. Oscar told me you might be with Zak so I went there and the door was open. And I heard you. So I lied and told you that I couldn’t go to dinner, I don’t know why I said I had a date. All I could focus on was how hurt I was, I just couldn’t be around you and then I felt so stupid and terrible for lying so that’s why I didn’t text you at all.”
You were completely and utterly perplexed – you couldn’t even react with anger at the thought of Lando listening to a private conversation and outright lying to you. What could he have overheard that he was so upset about?
“Lando, I’m still confused. What did you hear? How did I hurt you?”
“No, no, you didn’t hurt me. You have no idea how I feel about you – I was going to tell you that night.” Lando was word-vomiting at this point, he never wanted you to find out this way but he couldn’t stop rambling. “I have had feelings for you for so long, and I finally decided that I was going to tell you even if I was convinced you don’t feel the same. And now I know you don’t because you’re seeing someone and – ”
You interrupted him sternly, allowing the anger you were feeling to come forth and shoving down your confusion. “I’m not dating anyone? Is that why you asked Oscar about my ‘date’? Where did you get that idea?”
“You told Zak that you’re seeing someone and that it’s new but things are going good. I heard you say you were seeing him again on Tuesday.”
Your eyes doubled in size – if you weren’t so pissed off, you might have found humor in this, but you felt heat rising to your cheeks and your stomach churned at the thought of divulging your personal struggles.
“Lando, I’m seeing a therapist,” you hissed.
He froze for a moment, then scrambled to shut your door which was still ajar from him barging in.
“A therapist? Are you okay? What’s going on, why didn’t you tell me that you’ve been struggling?”
“No, no, you don’t get to do this right now. You don’t get to make me less angry by being kind and caring.”
“I’m not doing it to make you less angry, Y/N, I genuinely – ”
“I don’t care, Lando! You eavesdropped on my private conversation, misunderstood the context of that conversation, and then you lied to me. You hurt me. And now, because you got your feelings hurt and did things you shouldn’t have done, I have to share something I wasn’t comfortable sharing with you just yet.”
Lando was speechless – you could see the remorse on his face, the tears threatening to spill from his eyes, but in that moment you wanted him to feel even worse than you were.
“And you want to know the worst part,” you cried. “I feel the same way about you. I cried to Oscar at dinner because I thought you were with someone else, that you would have rather been at dinner with a different girl.”
“Y/N, I’m so sorry. Can we please just go somewhere and talk? Really talk this out? I know I messed up, but this doesn’t have to change things or how we feel about each other.”
You wanted to, god, did you want to – you knew Lando hadn’t done any of this on purpose. You knew he didn’t have malicious intent and you knew how hurt he probably felt at the idea of you being with someone – it was exactly the way you felt when you thought the same about him.
“I think you should go, Lan”. Despite every part of you wanting to sit and talk, you knew that you needed some time to settle down.
“Ok,” he whispered. “When you’re ready,” he paused, swallowing the lump in his throat, “if you’re ever ready, you know where to find me.”
His posture made you feel sick as he left your office – Lando was always confident, shoulders back and head held high, but as you watched him through the glass walls surrounding you, he was hunched over. Dejected. You’d only ever seen him that way a few times – after he was torn apart by the media or after making a mistake during a race.
It hurt you to see him that way. But, he had also hurt you, and you needed time.
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It had been two weeks since “the incident” with Lando – that’s what Oscar started calling it and it stuck. Fight felt too strong, disagreement felt too weak, so it became something nameless. Undefined. Indeterminate. Exactly like what existed now between you and Lando.
Oscar and Lando were set to leave for Sakhir in a week and you wouldn’t see them again until you joined the team for the Australian GP. If you didn’t work things out with Lando before they left for testing, it would be well over a month without a resolution.
The thought made your eyes burn with tears – you were still upset but more than that you missed Lando. You didn’t even have to wonder if he felt the same because you’d seen him around MTC. He looked just as awful as you, if not worse, yet you couldn’t bring yourself to start a conversation.
You began packing up your things to leave the office, grateful beyond belief that it was a Friday and you’d have two days without seeing Lando’s familiar curls everywhere you turned. At least at home, you would only see them behind closed eyes and wouldn’t have to blink back tears.
A knock at your door startled you, but you assumed it was your team lead looking for your latest analytics report. At least there was one thing you could be happy about – the car data was phenomenal and all signs were pointing to an amazing season for McLaren.
You told whoever was knocking to come in, not looking up from your bag as you rifled through your files. “So sorry, Tom, I meant to bring this to you earlier but I – ”
A throat clearing cut you off, and you looked up to see Lando standing in your doorway with a bouquet of your favorite flowers and one of those cheesy “I’m sorry” balloons in his left hand. You almost giggled, but then you looked at his face and your heart dropped. Dark circles under red-rimmed eyes - he looked awful. 
“I know you said you’d reach out when you’re ready to talk, and I wanted to respect that and give you all the space you need. But, we’re both miserable. At least I think you’re miserable, I know I am. I miss you terribly. I miss my friend. And if that’s all you’ll ever be to me, I can respect that and I will cherish it because the past week has been the worst week of my life.”
“Lando, I – ”
“Please, please let me get all of this out. Please let me apologize.”
You smiled slightly, nodding your head for him to continue.
“I’m sorry for invading your privacy. It wasn’t on purpose but I should have left as soon as I heard you talking because I know how important trust is to you. I violated yours and I’m sorry. I’m sorry for lying to you. It doesn’t matter if I was hurt, I could’ve just said I wasn’t feeling well or asked you about what I overheard immediately. After apologizing for overhearing, of course. I’m sorry that it took Oscar talking sense into me for me to come to you in the first place. I’m sorry that I hurt you and I’m sorry that I behaved like a child instead of talking to you about my feelings. My actions made you feel forced to tell me something personal that you weren’t ready to share. I’m so sorry, and I hope you know that I’m here for you always.”
He let out a deep breath and you watched his shoulders relax slightly for the first time in two weeks. You knew he was sorry – you’d known how sorry he was immediately when he started explaining and apologizing the first time around, but you just weren’t ready to hear it yet.
“Thank you, Lan,” you whispered as you walked towards him and took his free hand in your own. “I know you’re sorry and I know that this was all a misunderstanding that just got out of hand.”
“I am also sorry for springing my feelings on you. I wanted to tell you properly, ask you out properly, but I couldn’t explain myself without telling you. I ruined everything, it was woefully unromantic.”
“Yeah, that was a bit shit, I didn’t get my big grand gesture or anything.”
Lando’s eyes grew wide, a hopeful gleam in them. “I mean, would you – is that something you would still want? I don’t want to pressure you and I don’t want to assume that you still feel the same.”
“I do,” you said softly. “But, I think we should work on really moving past this before we officially jump into anything more.”
“I completely agree. However, I do have a reservation for two in about forty minutes to make up for ditching you, if you’d like to join me? Otherwise, I’ll have to bring Oscar. He won’t stop talking about the cheese garlic bread.”
“No, Lando, you don’t understand. He ordered three baskets. I went home and typed an apology email to Zak for ruining his diet.”
You both erupted in giggles, leaning into each other for support and out of habit. It felt so good to laugh, the weight and stress of the past two weeks rolling off in waves as Lando’s shoulder bumped yours and you heard the unmistakable laughter that you’d come to love so much.
“Maybe we should bring him anyway,” you pondered. “He’s been an exceptionally good friend to us both the past couple of weeks.”
“He can come next time, I’d like you to myself for the evening. If that’s ok?”
“More than ok, Lan. I’ve really missed you.”
He leaned in quickly, kissing your cheek gently and then nuzzling his nose against your neck, inhaling the scent of the perfume he’d gifted you for your last birthday. “Not as much as I’ve missed you,” he objected, his eyes glimmering slightly. Wet eyelashes fluttered against your neck as he stayed tucked into your side for a few more moments.
“We’re going to be late,” you whispered, with a sincere lack of urgency.
“Can we go back to my hotel room instead? Watch a movie and order in? Jus’ wanna hold you.”
Your heart constricted – as much as you wanted to tease him and say he owed you a night out and your favorite meal, you wanted nothing more than to spend the night in Lando’s arms.
“Of course, Lan. I think I need that too.”
On the way to Lando’s car, you passed Oscar who gave you both a knowing smile and a short wave. If you asked him if he had been waiting for you guys to leave, he would deny it. He would deny being so invested in your reconciliation that he waited close to an hour after he could leave for the day to make sure you were both ok. He would also deny that he tracked both of you and when it dawned on him that you were skipping your dinner, he sped to that little Italian place and stole your reservation for an order (or two) of cheese garlic bread.
He couldn’t resist sending a poorly taken picture to the group chat with the three of you and you burst out laughing when you opened it.
“Lan, Oscar somehow stole our dinner res,” you giggled, turning your phone to show Lando an unmistakable basket of bread and a follow-up text with several heart emojis.
Lando held his phone up to snap a quick selfie of you two cuddled up in bed, him leaning in for the second time that evening to place a gentle kiss on your cheek. Almost immediately after it delivered, your phones lit up with another text from Oscar.
HOT DATE FR THIS TIME?
You and Lando looked at each other and smiled, the mutual understanding of where you stood with your feelings evident.
not quite yet, but soon :)
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helen-with-an-a · 5 months
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Out of Position
Hi. So, I'm not really sure I like this but hey-ho. I'm trying to write my masters dissertation so fics may be few and far between loll but I wanted to write something. Anyway, hope you enjoy.
Lucy Bronze x reader
Description: R has to play out of position for Barça
Word Count: 1.5k
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The season had been … tough, to say the least.
The start of the season was great, you were playing your favourite 6 or 8 positions. You were happy there – you were racking up assists, you had your name on score sheets more regularly. Things were really looking good for you. You were in the Starting XI regularly, slowly increasing the minutes to full matches every week. Your national team coaches had noticed your efforts to, soon earning that number 8 shirt at international level. Things were looking really, really good.
And then Mapi got injured. That was a blow to the team, no doubt. Her infectious energy was sorely missed during trainings, her technical prowess and defensive knowhow that were so integral to the team was difficult to replicate. But everyone was managing incredibly well. Slowly but surely, you were being played further away from where you were comfortable. And then Alexia was out again too. Another massive knock. Not just for the team, seeing the Captain out of commission was hard on everyone, but for you in particular. You were slowly being played further back on the pitch than you were entirely comfortable with. You weren’t a defender. You did your part, when necessary, but you weren’t a defender. You were never fully happy making those harsh tackles and committing essential fouls. Your main form of defence came from interceptions – your speed was something to be noted by all commentators. You were always the first onto a wayward ball. It was something you prided yourself on. It was something the whole team prided themselves on, none-so more than Lucy.
You didn’t know how it happened really, but by the away El Clásico, your picture was being displayed on screen in the no. 5 position. Who would have thought you would end up playing against Real Madrid as a centre-back? Especially when considering you started the season as an attacking midfield and borderline striker?
“I can’t do this.” You were full on panicking in the changing rooms. Your hands were gripping the bench so tightly your knuckles were turning white; your wide frantic eyes flittered nervously around the room; your skin was cold and clammy, your breathing erratic. You were on the verge of a panic attack.
“Sí, puedes, chica.” Patri soothed, running her hand in wide comforting circles along the length of your back. You had been fine during training, and most of the warmup but you had seen Moller Hansen give you, what you interpreted to be, a menacing glare, and something had snapped in you. “Amiga, you need to breathe” Patri reminded you, exaggerating her own breathing to try and prompt yours. It wasn’t working. Marta and Irene were with you, both looking on with some concern. “Ves a buscar la Lucy.” Patri ordered one of them, not taking her eyes off you. You had moved one hand from the bench to your thigh, your nails pressing harshly into the muscles, dragging unforgiving lines up and down.
Not 30 seconds after the door swung shut behind Marta, a very concerned Lucy appeared by your side, worry etched on her face.
“Can’t … do it,” you struggled to get the words out. Lucy’s heart shattered at your words. She had seen the hours you had put in, the number of dates you had rain checked to stay late with the defensive coaches, the frequent mornings when she had woken up, alone with your side of the bed cold with a note on your pillow telling her that coffee was in the machine, she just needed to press start and that you’d see her at training. If she didn’t know where you were, she would be concerned you were cheating on her. But no, you were in the gym at the crack of dawn, strengthening your muscles and pushing yourself to go beyond your previous limits. She was exhausted just looking at the work you were doing. But it wasn’t in vain. You looked so natural in the back line; anyone that didn’t know you would think you were comfortable. But no one saw these moments and sheer and raw terror that coursed through your veins moments before you stepped out of the changing rooms.
“You can, pretty girl. I promise you; you can do it.” Lucy said, gently crushing you to her chest. She was sad to admit that this was a common occurrence.
“Scared,” you croaked out. “let the team down.”
“No, my love, you will never let us down. I promise. You can never, ever let anyone down.” She cooed, her fingers dipping under your shirt to run her nails over your bare back. She pulled back after a few moments, waiting until your breathing evened out a little bit – her comforting smell washing over you and soothing your body more than any words could do. She cupped your face, gently running her thumb across your cheek. “I love you, so, so much. There are 10 other girls on that pitch, all of them believe in you. You wouldn’t be out there if the club didn’t think you could do this.” She said her words with such conviction. You took a deep breath and nodded – not believing her words, but the noise outside the changing room was growing louder, signalling that both teams were ready to go. You were still incredibly nervous, but you did have a job to do after all. You both left the changing room hand-in-hand, taking your customary places at the back of the line.
“Look at me, pretty girl.” She whispered in your ear as she caught you staring off into the distance. You turned to look at her, a slightly guilty look on your face as your bite your lip harshly. “I love you,” she said emphatically.
“I love you,” you said softly back, not as nervous as you were before, but definitely not good.
It was a tough match. Real Madrid had really stepped up their game since the last time you were out. It was a 1 – 1 all draw that was growing more precarious every minute. You had just 10 minutes left of the match and both sides were determined to break the stalemate.
 Madrid were on the attack, having been able to pick out weaknesses in Barça’s defence. Lucy had drifted too far from her position, letting Carmona utilise the space by making a speedy break for it. You were the furthest back in your team’s line up. Your muscles were aching, your face was red with effort, yet you had to win this ball back. You couldn’t let Cata take on Carmona and Caicedo all by herself. You ran. Hell, you practically flew down that flank, pushing yourself harder and faster than you ideally wanted to.
You knew exactly what Olga was going to do before she did it. Maybe it was your experience up front? Maybe it was all the hours you had spent reviewing footage of various players you would face in the league? But you abandoned your chase on Carmona, changing your momentum to catch up to Caicedo just at the right time. Cata had drifted to the right in anticipation of Olga’s strike, but you knew she wouldn’t attempt the shot – not when Caicedo was sitting wide open with a goalkeeper-less net in front of her. You threw your body into the header – it was easily the harshest one you had given all season – possibly your whole career. Your technique was perfect though as you caught only the ball, using your momentum to bounce the ball away from the goal before bouncing painfully on the ground. You quickly rushed to your feet, watching Cata take advantage of a very confused Caicedo and a disappointed Carmona to chase the ball and boot it out into the stands.
There was a moment of quiet – at least it was quiet for you – before the world came back into focus. Your heartbeat was in your ears, your chest rising and falling dramatically as you sucked in precious oxygen. Cata was the first to get her hands to you. She shook your shoulders almost violently, your head wobbled comically at the action.
“Tu nena preciosa,” she shouted, kisses raining down on your forehead. You felt head pats and light taps on your back as you made your way back into your position.
Finally, the full whistle went. Barça had won El Clásico yet again (although it was tougher than anyone cared to admit)
“You …” Lucy said as her warm arms wrapped you in a hug. “That was the best defending I have ever seen.” She smiled, clearly wanted to say and do more.
“I learned it from you,” you whispered as you squeezed back. “The flying header. A Lucy Bronze special,” you teased.
“And you said you couldn’t defend.” She scoffed. “I’m so proud of you.” She said, pressing kisses into your sweaty hairline. You blushed profusely but smiled, nonetheless. That was all you really wanted, to make Lucy proud. “I think this calls for a treat, don’t you?” She whispered seductively into your ear as she dragged you into the changing rooms, a sly smirk dancing on her lips.
Hope you enjoyed reading <3<3<3<3
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maharetscompound · 3 months
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IWTV S2 - Cast & Productions Interviews - Part One
This is a compilation of all cast and productions interviews during Interview with the Vampire Season Two.
(Disclaimer: If I've missed something or miscalculated, please just let me know.)
From April 29 2024 - July 3 2024.
There were 159 interviews published in this period.
I tried to only count original interviews with their initial publication. So if another publication quoted an interview that happened elsewhere, I don't count those separate interviews.
Interview Breakdown:
Jacob Anderson: 68 Sam Reid: 54 Delainey Hayles: 48 Assad Zaman: 43 Rolin Jones: 29 Eric Bogosian: 25 Mark Johnson: 12 Luke Brandon Field: 10 Roxane Duran: 6 Ben Daniels: 5 Mara LePere-Schloop: 2 Carol Cutshall: 2 Levin Akin: 2 Daniel Hart: 2 Hannah Moscovitch: 1 Emma Freeman: 1 Jonathan Ceniceroz: 1 Shane Munson: 1
The first half of the interviews are listed and linked below, from April 29 - June 8⬇️
The second half of the interviews are listed and linked here, from June 9 - July 3.
Pre-Premiere Interviews (April 29 – May 7)
April 29 – TV Guide – Interview with the Vampire Returns Once More, With Feeling - Rolin Jones, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Mark Johnson, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, Delainey Hayles, Ben Daniels and Levin Akin
April 29 – Pix 11 (Video) – Retelling 'Interview with the Vampire' with Jacob Anderson - Jacob Anderson
April 30 – TV Insider – Love Bites in ‘Interview With the Vampire’ -Rolin Jones, Mark Johnson, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, Delainey Hayles and Ben Daniels
April 30 – TV Insider– INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE team talks Paris, love triangles & all things Season 2 - Mark Johnson, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman and Delainey Hayles
May 1 – TV Guide – The Best Quotes From the Interview with the Vampire Cast We Couldn't Fit in Our Cover Story - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman and Ben Daniels
May 2 – TV Insider (Video)– Your Burning ‘IWTV’ Questions Answered by Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid & More - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Delainey Hayles and Assad Zaman
May 3 – Out – Queer love triangles, fierce looks & theater: Interview With the Vampire stars talk season 2 - Jacob Anderson, Assad Zaman and Delainey Hayles
May 4 – Tammy Reese Media (Videos)– Premiere Interviews - Sam Reid, Assad Zaman, Delainey Hayles, Luke Brandon Field, Eric Bogosian and Jacob Anderson
May 6 – Tribune News Service – TV Tinsel: Fangs breaking, nails popping off, eye lenses blinding -- actors describe the pains of shooting 'Vampire' Season 2 - Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman, Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson
May 7 – Screen Rant Plus (Video)– Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid & Delainey Hayles Tease Interview With The Vampire Season 2's Love Lines -Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid and Delainey Hayles
May 7 – Screen Rant Plus (Video)– Interview With The Vampire's Assad Zaman & Eric Bogosian Share Daniel & Armand Secrets In Season 2 - Assad Zaman and Eric Bogosian
May 7 – The Knockturnal (Videos)– Jacob Anderson, Delainey Hayles, Sam Reid & Cast Talk 'Interview with the Vampire' Season 2 -Jacob Anderson, Delainey Hayles, Sam Reid, Luke Brandon Field, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Levan Akin, Mark Johnson and Rolin Jones
Pre-Premiere Interviews (May 8 – May 11)
May 8 – Decider – ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Star Sam Reid Totally Gets Why We Love Lestat’s “I HEARD YOUR HEARTS DANCING!” Moment In Season 1 - Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson
May 8 – Tavis Smiley (Podcast)– Eric Bogosian joins Tavis Smiley -Eric Bogosian
May 8 – Wild Nights on the Prairie – Eric Bogosian "Barn Burner" -Eric Bogosian
May 8 – TV Insider (Video)– The Very Serious Cast of ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Plays a Very Silly Game - Assad Zaman, Jacob Anderson, Eric Bogosian, Sam Reid and Delainey Hayles
May 8 – Comic Book – Interview With the Vampire: Delainey Hayles Teases Claudia's Season 2 Journey - Delainey Hayles and Jacob Anderson
May 9 – People (Video) – People in 10 – Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid
May 10 – Decider – How ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Star Jacob Anderson Knew “Amazing” Delainey Hayles Was The Perfect Bailey Bass Replacement: “She’s Claudia!”
Delainey Hayles and Jacob Anderson
May 10 – Pop Culture Planet (Video)– Interview With The Vampire Cast Talks Favorite Season 2 Moments and Future Immortals Crossover – Jacob Anderson, Eric Bogosian, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Luke Brandon Field, Mark Johnson and Rolin Jones
May 10 – Rotten Tomatoes (Video)– The 'Interview With the Vampire' Cast on the Vampire Bond and Living Across Time Periods - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Mark Johnson and Rolin Jones
May 10 – Out – Interview With the Vampire returns for a 'grander' & gayer season 2 - Rolin Jones
May 10 – Out –  Here's what Interview with the Vampire star Jacob Anderson thought of all those 'Colored Only' memes - Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid
May 10 – Nerdist – ERIC BOGOSIAN ON DANIEL’S SEASON 2 RELATIONSHIP WITH ARMAND AND PLAYING COUPLES COUNSELOR ON INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE - Eric Bogosian
May 10 – Nerdist – DELAINEY HAYLES ON CLAUDIA BEING LOUIS’ SECOND CHOICE, MEETING MADELEINE, AND JOINING IN INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SEASON 2 - Delainey Hayles
May 10 – Vanity Fair – Anne Rice's Interview With the Vampire Returns for More Blood - Jacob Anderson
May 10 – TV Insider – ‘Interview With the Vampire’: Meet the New Claudia With Delainey Hayles - Delainey Hayles
Week of Episode 2x1 (May 12 – May 18)
May 12 – Popternative (Video) – Sam Reid talks about Season 2 of Interview with the Vampire on AMC and much more! – Sam Reid
May 12 – AP News (Video) – Jacob Anderson ‘anxious’ about ‘Interview with the Vampire’ season 2 - Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid
May 12 – Forbes –  Season Two Of ‘Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire’ Delves Further Into The World Of These ‘Complex Monsters’ - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Assad Zaman and Mark Johnson
May 12 – The Wrap – New Blood: Delainey Hayles Unpacks Claudia’s Evolution in ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Season 2 - Delainey Hayles
May 12 – Variety – ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Cast Break Down Season 2 Premiere, and the One Scene That Got Tons of Notes From AMC - Rolin Jones, Jacob Anderson, Delainey Hayles, Sam Reid and Assad Zaman
May 12 – TV Insider (Video) – ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Stars Break Down ‘Me & You’ Scene From Premiere - Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles and Jacob Anderson
May 12 – TV Line – Interview With the Vampire Trio Talks Claudia’s Recast, Lestat’s Haunting ‘Return’ and More in Bloody Premiere - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid and Delainey Hayles
May 12 – Entertainment Weekly – Interview With the Vampire stars break down fiery season 2 premiere ending - Jacob Anderson and Delainey Hayles
May 13 – BET – Jacob Anderson Dives Deep into the Darker, More Spectacular Season 2 of 'Interview with the Vampire' - Jacob Anderson
May 13 – Decider – Sam Reid Looked to Anne Rice for ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Season 2 Inspiration: “Louis is Always Haunted By Lestat” - Sam Reid
May 13 – TV Guide (Video) – Interview with the Vampire Stars on Playing Mind Games – Assad Zaman and Eric Bogosian
May 13 – Autumn Brown (Video) - Hannah Moscovitch
May 14 – Men’s Health –  Jacob Anderson Always Wants More Chaos - Jacob Anderson
May 14 – In Creative Company (Video) – Interview with the Vampire with Sam Reid & Jacob Anderson - Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid
May 15 – Publimetro – Jacob Anderson: “Es el libro el que dicta hacia dónde vamos” - Jacob Anderson
May 16 – Comic Book – Interview With the Vampire: Jacob Anderson Doesn't Think Louis is An Unreliable Narrator - Jacob Anderson
May 16 – Edge Media – The Queer Men with Fangs Are Back! 'Interview with the Vampire' Cast Spills the Blood - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles and Assad Zaman
May 16 – Blavity – MEET TWO OF THE MANY REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING AMC’S ‘INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE’ - Jacob Anderson and Delainey Hayles
May 16 – Dish Studio (Video) – Interview with the Vampire Season 2 on AMC+ DISH Studio exclusive interviews – Assad Zaman, Eric Bogosian, Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid and Delainey Hayles
May 17 – Gizmodo (Video) – How Has Louis Changed Since Season 1 of Interview With the Vampire? - Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid
May 17 – Out – Interview with the Vampire stars are bringing supernatural queer love back for season 2 - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid and Assad Zaman
Week of Episode 2x2 (May 19 – May 25)
May 19 – Newsweek – Jacob Anderson on the 'Darker' Season Two of 'Interview with the Vampire' - Jacob Anderson
May 19 – KTLA 5 (Video) – Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid preview Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire Season 2 – Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid
May 19 – Entertainment Weekly – Interview With the Vampire stars unpack that 'bloodthirsty' Théâtre des Vampires debut - Jacob Anderson and Delainey Hayles
May 19 – TV Insider – ‘Interview With the Vampire’: Ben Daniels Shares Santiago’s Takes on Louis, Lestat & More - Ben Daniels
May 20 – Decider – ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Star Jacob Anderson Confirms Louis and Armand are Giving “We Saw You Across the Bar” Energy: “It’s Totally That Vibe” - Jacob Anderson
May 20 – Wonderland – Assad Zaman - Assad Zaman
May 20 – The Wrap – ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Stars Eric Bogosian and Assad Zaman Unpack the Tension Between Daniel and Armand: ‘We Are Dancing’ - Eric Bogosian and Assad Zaman
May 20 – Salon –  "A thin veil": Why that "Interview with the Vampire" letter to Louis rings true to Anne Rice's style - Jonathan Ceniceroz & Shane Munson
May 20 – Autumn Brown (Video) – Dream Conversations with Delainey Hayles - Delainey Hayles
May 22 – AMC Talk – Jacob Anderson On Louis’ Gut Reaction To The Théâtre Des Vampires - Jacob Anderson
May 22 – The Parting Shot (Podcast) –  Jacob Anderson on the 'Darker' Season Two of 'Interview with the Vampire' – Jacob Anderson
May 22 – Pride (Video) – Interview with the Vampire star Assad Zaman DISHES on season two and all things Armand - Assad Zaman
May 23 – Bustle – Jacob Anderson Isn’t Playing on Interview with the Vampire - Jacob Anderson
May 23 – Pride – 'Interview with the Vampire' stars on how season two tackles identity and desire - Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid & Delainey Hayles
Week of Episode 2x3 (May 26 – June 1)
May 26 – Entertainment Weekly – Interview With the Vampire star Jacob Anderson on Louis' violent hookup: 'He's not okay' - Jacob Anderson
May 26 – Variety – How ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Used Sacreligious Statues, Projection Animation to Create the Théâtre des Vampires - Mara LePere-Schloop
May 26 – TV Insider – Why That Major ‘Interview With the Vampire’ Character Was Left out of Episode 3 - Rolin Jones and Sam Reid
May 26 – Salon – "I don't want to see some glittery vampire": Why Anne Rice's undead reigns in a post-"Twilight" era - Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson
May 27 – Autumn Brown (Video) – Artful Articulation with Assad Zaman - Assad Zaman
May 28 – TV Insider – ‘Interview With the Vampire’: Delainey Hayles on What Claudia Really Thinks of Louis & the Coven - Delainey Hayles
May 29 – La Vanguardia – “La serie es como echar gasolina a la experiencia humana y después prenderle fuego” - Rolin Jones
May 30 – Fox 7 Austin (Video) – 'Interview with the Vampire' star Assad Zaman in Austin - Assad Zaman
May 30 – Variety – Busy Producer Mark Johnson Builds the Anne Rice TV Universe for AMC Networks: ‘He’s Indefatigable’ - Mark Johnson
May 31 – Nerdist – SAM REID AND JACOB ANDERSON TALK LOUIS AND LESTAT IN INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE SEASON 2 - Sam Reid and Jacob Anderson
May 31 – The Root – Jacob Anderson on Season 2 of ‘Interview with the Vampire’ - Jacob Anderson
Week of Episode 2x4 (June 2 – June 8)
June 2 – TV Insider – ‘Interview With the Vampire’: Jacob Anderson Explains Those Final Dream-stat Scenes - Jacob Anderson
June 2 – Collider –  'Interview with the Vampire's Delainey Hayles on the "Heartbreak and Confusion" of That Big Fight - Delainey Hayles
June 2 – Screen Rant – Interview With The Vampire Season 2, Episode 4: Delainey Hayles On Losing Theater & Gaining Madeleine - Delainey Hayles
June 2 – Entertainment Weekly – Interview With the Vampire stars break down episode 4's 'tipping point' of the season - Assad Zaman, Jacob Anderson and Delainey Hayles
June 2 – IndieWire – Edith Piaf and Fred Astaire Provided ‘Interview with the Vampire’ with Season 2 Style Inspo - Carol Cutshall
June 2 – TV Fanatic – Interview with the Vampire Post-Mortem: Delainey Hayles Talks THAT Louis and Claudia Confrontation & 'Lovely' Fan Reception - Delainey Hayles
June 2 – Fangirlish – Post-Mortem: Delainey Hayles on Claudia Taking Center Stage - Delainey Hayles
June 2 – Comic Book – Interview With the Vampire: Delainey Hayles Talks Claudia's "Toxic" Relationship With Louis - Delainey Hayles
June 3 – Collider – 'Interview with the Vampire's Jacob Anderson & Sam Reid on the Sad but Satisfying Season 2 - Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles and Jacob Anderson
June 3 – Autumn Brown (Video) – After The End: A Post Mortem Chat with Mara LePere-Schloop - Mara LePere-Schloop
June 5 – TV Insider – ‘Interview With the Vampire’: Delainey Hayles Says ‘Trust Is Gone’ With Louis After Episode 4 - Delainey Hayles
June 3 – AMC Talk – Delainey Hayles On Claudia’s Pain & Delight In Season 2 - Delainey Hayles
June 6 – Tell-Tale TV – Why Assad Zaman’s First Scene as Armand Came Later in Season 2 - Assad Zaman and Rolin Jones
June 7 – Playbill – The Devil's Minion: How Assad Zaman Is Bringing The Théâtre des Vampires to Life in Interview With The Vampire - Assad Zaman
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uncleasad · 3 months
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top ten favorite hosie fics of all time, go
What a fun Ask! 🙏 Also, are you trying to kill me?! 😂
A few weeks ago, TheDarkestHour13 introduced the concept of Hope and Rafael keeping a list of “Landon’s Top 10 deaths” in Such Is Our Fate. I commented that that particular chapter (for reasons other than the deaths list) was a Top 10 chapter of the fic, though I also noted I didn’t have an actual list of my Top 10 chapters—there were approximately 120 chapters at that point. I also thought, in a related manner, that I didn’t have a “Top 10” list of Hosie fics…and perhaps that should have been my cue to start thinking about such a thing 😂
As of late June 2024 CE, there are nearly 2600 fics in the AO3 Hosie tag and I’ve been reading since the latter part of 2019…so I’ve probably read ½ to ⅔ of them…
I came up with 7 fics right away, but as I started to make links and such, I realized that 5 of those were incomplete (ongoing, but mostly either rarely updated or, practically speaking, abandoned); I don’t know what it says about me that my “top ten favorite hosie fics of all time” is full of fics that may never be finished.
But in terms of recommendations for reading, I know lots of folks will not want to start reading a work that hasn’t been updated in years and has a high likelihood of never being finished, no matter how amazing it is (or how much someone else liked it). And even for ones that are currently ongoing, it’s possible (though unlikely) that the author could do something crazy to make me hate the fic later on. So I thought I’d spin off all those works that were incomplete into a separate list and come up with 10 favorite finished fics…I could mamage that, right? As I started trying to do that…nope, that’s not done, either; that’s been abandoned 😳 oh, what about that fic? wow, how did I forget that one?! (Like I said, are you trying to kill me?! 😂)
So…to save my life (and to stop spending hours upon hours on this), the end result is about 30 fics all-told, completed and incomplete. (I further subdivided the incomplete fics into those that are updated at least once every few months and those that…aren’t 😢) They’re ordered roughly by time, with the earlier/older fics towards the tops of the lists and the more recent ones (mostly) towards the ends of the lists. Two of the fics on the “Completed” list had promised an epilogue that has never appeared, but you can read the entire story arc, so I think it’s fair to label them as complete.
So without further ado…
Completed:
it's a date (the only problem is it's fake) by avengerskye / @avengerskye
Coffee on Monday, Flowers on Friday by Redezzy
The Missing Piece by intribridsname 
slept next to her but I dreamt of you all summer long by hackingxbiochemist
what you got (cause I want it all) by ToriWritesStories / @toriwritesstories
summer lovin' had me a blast (wait, no, that's just the leaf-blower) by AdeleDazeem
Our Last Life by taengoo1 / @taengooxlove
I'll Never Give Up Hope by O_M_Jee
HM+JS by tellingtouch
Invisible String by luthorbae
Then why's it feel so good? by callipoicepole (Killing Eve AU)
This Is Your Home by Shadowmama55 / @shadowhuntermama
Shivers (A Lifetime of crimes, but the worst was loving you.) by ch8rlie
The Stages of Grief by endgamesonly
'tis the damn season. by wandererghost (complete, though promised epilogue still outstanding)
Lizzie Saltzman, Matchmaker by TheNutcase (complete, though promised epilogue still outstanding)
In-Progress – still updating regularly or at least every few months:
Such Is Our Fate by TheDarkestHour13 / @persevereforahappyending (updated every Friday)
The Power Field by Joho_meh
4 Years, 6 Months, 8 Days by Limon_Skittles
To Know My Heart The Best (You’d Have To Cut It Out My Chest) by mambaregz
Incomplete – rarely updated, on hiatus, or orphaned:
Dive bar on the east side by Bluejay720 (7 chapters to go)
summer rush by sabrinasfadingmoon / @sabrinasfadingmoon (incomplete)
im not gonna let you go so easily by allweseeislight (1 chapter to go 🤞)
'tis the damn season by blckmaqic, LizMikaelson (1 chapter to go 🤞)
Redemption by MysticSlurp (Red Dead Redemption AU, incomplete)
Sad Bedroom Eyes by EvilPenguinRika / @evilpenguinrika (on hiatus)
Hell Hath No Fury by ElegiesEulogizeMe (Ringer AU, 6 chapters to go)
the stages of waking by dandelionlighters / @dandelionlighters (incomplete)
let’s watch it all burn down together by iris_on_the_moon (zombie apocalypse; orphaned)
A number of the authors are no longer active in writing Hosie fics (not surprising in 2024, considering), but many of them (including the authors of the incomplete works I like) have substantial catalogs, so if you read and enjoy one of these, be sure check that author’s list of other works (and of course leave kudos and comments! 🙏)
If anyone would like to see other fics I’ve enjoyed, there’s the fic recommendation tag here on my tumblr that captures a few from the last couple of years, and I also have a few AO3 collections of specific themes/subjects:
Hosie Zombie Apocalypse (HosieZombieApocalypse)
Hosie Summertime Vibes (SummeryHosie)
Hosie Season 2 “What If?” (Hosie_Season_2_What_If)
(I really need to start one for post-S4 fics, because there are a lot of great ones and I’m starting to forget them already.)
Sorry I couldn’t get it down to 10, @tribridsireline 😂 But I hope everyone reading finds something new and exciting to read!
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beansprean · 2 years
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Masterpost
My Familiar's Ghost part 9
(ID in alt and under cut)
ID: 1a. Stu, Colin, and Nandor gathered around a security camera monitor, Stu sitting and the vampires leaning in around him. Stu explains, “Here’s the feed from the night your friend went missing.” Nandor jerked forward, panic crossing over his face as he shouts, “Feed?! I knew it, Rick ate poor Guillermo!” Colin replies without taking his eyes off the screen, “Camera feed, Nandor. He’s gonna show us the recording.” 1b. Film reel of the camera feed labeled “cam 2”. The first panel shows a low angle of the store distorted in black and white as Stu fast forwards, blurs of customers flitting across the screen. Stu narrates, “This is about 10pm…10:30…” Nandor coos, “Ooh, look at all the little peoples go!” The second panel goes still and in color, Nandor calling “Stop! There he is!” Sure enough, we see Guillermo walking down the aisle, black leather bag in hand, calling for Derek. In the third panel, Guillermo turns at the end of the aisle and walks past the edge of the camera’s view. Nandor asks from offscreen, “Where is he going?” 1c. Shot of the boys crowded around the monitor again, Nandor looking worried and wringing his hands together. Stu answers, “Stock room, looks like.” Colin asks, “No cameras in there?” and Stu responds “No, the focus is on loss prevention so it’s more important to cover the cash, doors, and shopping areas.” 1d. Stu continues from offscreen, “But we may be able to hear some of the audio if I…” He clicks through cameras quickly, the panel flashing on cam 3 then cam 4 before settling on cam 5, showing a different corner of the empty store closer to the stock room. We hear Guillermo’s staticky voice from nearby finish his sentence from the end of season 4: “nto a vampire.”
2a. Medium shot of the boys peering seriously at the camera monitor as the audio plays, Nandor still fiddling with his hands and looking concerned. The conversation is as follows. Derek: What? Listen, Guillermo, I appreciate this, but-. Guillermo: one-time offer, Derek! Or do you wanna keep living in a storage facility for the next hundred years? Derek: Hey, U-Store has very reasonable prices! Guillermo: Derek. Derek: Look. My life has kinda…sucked? Since I got turned? I mean, I was a loser before, but. Now I’ve got no family, no friends, shit job, a vitamin d deficiency that I can’t even take supplements for because they make me puke my guts out-. Guillermo: That’s not gonna be me. This has been my life for 13 years already. It’s all I’ve been working toward, and I deserve it. 2b. Colin and Stu both glance up at Nandor while Guillermo speaks, and Nandor looks away with a pout, embarrassed. Guillermo continues: I’ve been waiting all this time for someone to give me eternal life. It’s about time I take it for myself. And you’re gonna help me. Derek: Sigh… okay, I’m off in like, 20 minutes? If you wanna wait?
3a. After a black line break, we cut to Nandor and Colin leaving the store. Stu sees them out, leaning out the door to give them a tired wave. Colin, the back of his head and hand posed in a finger gun taking up the foreground, calls “See ya later, alligator!” Nandor turns back to say “Bye-bye, Stu!” then lifts his hand, glowing green, to try again at hypnotism, commanding “You will remember nothing if our visit.” Stu, unaffected, just says “Okay. Have a nice night.” Colin adds “Don’t forget to email me about that masterclass, we’ll talk shop!” 3b. Far shot of Colin and Nandor walking away from the gas station, both with big smiles. Colin says, “Nice guy,” and Nandor adds “Really cool guy.” /end ID
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nalyra-dreaming · 3 months
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Hey,
Feel free to ignore if not an interesting question! But before we get into the finale where I imagine many emotions may arise and there may be many new things to add, I wonder if you have any favourite moments from S2 so far and/or any things that have surprised you?
And anyone in comments or reblogs - I'd love to hear this from anyone!
If anyone's interested, for me here are some things I have loved:
Armand. Assad's Armand has been even more glorious than I could have imagined. Armand is my second favourite character in the books and I honestly did not think it was possible that Armand could be elevated even beyond how much I love book-Armand, but Assad has achieved that! Episode 4 and 5 especially I was just speechless afterwards how incredible Assad is.
DreamStat. I have absolutely adored DreamStat. I did not miss Lestat in episodes 1-5 AT ALL because I adored DreamStat so much and because even if the DreamStat in an episode was only 30 seconds, it was always 30 seconds of 100% emotion. I loved how they used DreamStat to convey feelings; to convey Louis' internal world and experience and subconscious, to covey Loustat's love and connection and to express vampiric longing and transgressive thoughts, feelings and emotions. Absolutely adored it. Ironically, the episodes I missed Lestat in most this season were E3, which he was in the most but I found Armands storytime-Lestat too unnerving... and obviously E6 as he wasn't in it bar 2 seconds!
Claudeleine. Oh my: Madeleine and Claudeleine were both written utterly perfectly. Madeleine, again, I feel so much more from than book-Madeleine and she was simply exquisite.
E5 - A Masterpiece.
The music. The piece that opened S2E1 - Imagine Never Being Able to Dream remains my favourite so far from this season (I haven't listened to the S2 score yet so there may be some new thing I love more in E8 I have yet to hear.) When I first watched E1 I was so moved by this piece I had to watch the first 10/15 minutes of the episode... it was at least 3 times over as I couldn't even focus on what Louis and Claudia were saying, I was so moved by the music.
I've been surprised they haven't resolved everything, or at least more things with memory. I thought memories would be (pretty much, if not entirely) resolved by the end of S2 and from S3 on that we'd be working in (relative) truths. I also thought the stuff with memory would be a lot more to do with Louis and Daniel uncovering their own true memories. For example I was surprised that some memory revisits were part of the trial as opposed to Louis' perspective. We did do some of that in E5 of course, but that felt only the beginning to me.
Hey!
I actually concur with a lot of what you listed here ;)
Especially Assad‘s Armand… and the memories-in-Dubai thing. I had expected it to be a lot more uncovering for Louis and Daniel as well, but I can see it why they didn’t. Still, as said before, I would have preferred a slightly different season setup (with more time to actually resolve things before it ends).
I do love that Claudia and Madeleine got a proper arc. You feel for them. I also love the OST and my personal favorite piece of it will come up still 😏 I did not think Loumand would go that dark, and I don’t think there’s much chance of reconciliation once it breaks in Dubai tbh. But… we’ll see. I loved DreamStat being Louis‘ inner voice and I also find e3 weird… I adore the harlequin Lestat though, even if only a fanfic 😅 Santiago was so much more than I had anticipated and I loved how they made the… labyrinthian… depths.. :) of coven life clear.
I did not like them doing Merrick in SF, and I have already written a few notes on it all for an after-the-season post. But we’ll see if they pick it up in the last ep.
So these are my thoughts (for now^^) - anyone want to chime in?;))
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gentlebeardsbarngrill · 6 months
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04/09/2024 Daily OFMD Recap
TLDR; Rachel House; Jes Tom; Kat Buchanan; GypsyTaylor; Big Gay Energy Podcast; Unicorn Day; Uproar; Watch Party Reminders; Fan Spotlights: OurDragMeansSlay; Cast Cards; TealOrange & Garlic Soup Prompt Week! Love Notes; Daily Darby/Today's Taika
== Rachel House ==
Rachel House's new directorial movie topped the charts in Taranaki!
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== Jes Tom ==
Gonna be in New York in May? Well Jes Tom and lot's over other asian comics will be performing at the 2024 Asian Comedy Fest! For tickets visit: asiancomedyfest.com. 2024 Asian Comedy Fest IG
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== Kay Buchanan ==
Kay Buchanan, one of the prop designers for OFMD s2 dumped a bunch of prop pics today for Izzy's leg! Src: Kay Buchanan IG
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== Unicorn Day! ==
Yesterday was National Unicorn! Some of our lovely crew put out some dedications For Our New Unicorn! Img Src: @blueberreads
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== More Uproar News! ==
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Uproar is coming to digital on April 30 so those of you who couldnt get in to a theatre to see it can purchase and download it at home!
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For those still interested in theatres-- if you happen to be nearby, @elby3000 was kind enough to note that theUproar opening date at Salem Cinema (Oregon) of April 12 at Blue Fox Entertainment may be in error. The theatre's website lists opening as April 19 (subject to change). Just in case you happy to be looking for one there!
== Watch Party Reminders! ==
== Flight Of the Conchords ==
Today we're on Season 1 Ep 5 and 6. Join OFMD Crew, and @iamadequate1 this week for Flight of the Conchords watch parties! You can watch each day at 4pm PT, 7 pm ET, 11pm BST! If you don't have access, feel free to join us on the #RhysDarbyFaction Discord server, you can hit me up for an invite.
Hashtags:
#FlagOfTheConchords
#OurFlagMeansDeath
== Taskmaster NZ ==
*Please Note*: @ineffablecollision was kind enough to let us know of some desyncing issues! Thanks friend!
"During the TMNZ watch party, depending on where you watch, you *will* get desynced! I don't know if TVNZ kept the ad break bumpers, but Ch4 has one missing (TMNZ has four ad breaks compared to TMUK's three, so they cut to fit), and YT has them cut altogether!"
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Series 1 continues Weds at 11am PT / 2 pm ET / 7 pm BST on any of the @saveofmdcrewmates socials.
#Quartermaster
#OurFlagMeansDeath
Taskmaster
== Fan Spotlight ==
= Big Gay Energy Podcast =
Our Big Gay Energy Podcast interviewed Gypsy Taylor and we learned some pretty amazing things. Some highlights:
Stede's cravat was fabric left over from his old couch
Ed kept the teal robe (the one he wears the morning after calypso) as a memory of Stede and then Taika kept the robe after the show.
Please check out the whole episode below!
Where to Watch Where to Listen
= Our Drag Means Slay =
Hey all! Are you in the Chicago area? Why not checkout Our Drag Means Slay on April 27! It's $25/ticket and doors open at 5:55pm! For Tickets
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= Teal Oranges & Garlic Soup Week! =
A new celebration week is coming up in June for all things Jim/Oluwande and Archie/Jim/Oluwande/Zheng (or any combo in between!) Prompts will be released on April 15th!
When: Sunday June 23 - Saturday June 29th! How: Create or Share - Fic, art, and other fan creations!
Please follow them on Tumblr! @garlicsoupweek You can visit: Linktr.ee Or follow them on Twitter!
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= Cast Cards =
Today's cast card is Jennifer Onyeiwu, one of the lovely pirates that asked Stede out for a drink in "Man On Fire". If we ever get a s3 I hope she comes back-- thanks @melvisik!
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== Love Notes ==
Hey lovelies. This weeks turning out to be a bit of a doozy. I hope you all are practicing some self care. It's been a lot lately. I have seen a lot of you mentioning re-watching the show, which I love. It feels like we are getting past the raw part of our grief into being able to celebrate it as a group again.
Be kind to yourselves lovelies, be kind to yourself and others. There's enough hate in this world that we don't need to add undo stress to others or especially ourselves.
Love you crew.
Img Src: @BethDrawsThings IG
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== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==
The theme today is, there are two wolves inside of me, both of these gifs represent them
Darby Gif Courtesy of @ofmd-ann
Taika Gif Courtesy of @gentlepanpirate
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dailydracart · 5 months
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What's this blog for?
My goal is to follow the "Dracula Daily" tag for the year 2024 and reblog story-relevant art. This means I want it to turn out almost like a picture book -- where there's one tag for every Dracula Daily date, and you can look through the fanart for each date.
I will also gradually be reblogging art from the previous years (but keeping it spoiler-free!) You'll find the art for each year under the tags "2024", "2023" and "2022", as well as in their respective date tags.
Click here to go directly to a date:
Pre-story | May 3 | May 4 | May 5 | May 7 | May 8 | May 9 | May 11 | May 12 | May 15 | May 16 | May 18 | May 19 | May 24 | May 25 | May 26 | May 28 | May 31
June 5 | June 17 | June 18 | June 24 | June 25 | June 29 | June 30
July 1 | July 8 | July 18 | July 19 | July 20 | July 22 | July 24 | July 26 | July 27 | July 28 | July 29 | July 30
Aug 1 | Aug 2 | Aug 3 | Aug 4 | Aug 6 | Aug 8 | Aug 9 | Aug 10 | Aug 11 | Aug 12 | Aug 13 | Aug 14 | Aug 15 | Aug 17 | Aug 18 | Aug 19 | Aug 20 | Aug 21 | Aug 23 | Aug 24 | Aug 25 | Aug 30 | Aug 31
Sep 1 | Sep 2 | Sep 3 | Sep 4 | Sep 5 | Sep 6 | Sep 7 | Sep 8 | Sep 9 | Sep 10 | Sep 11 | Sep 12 | Sep 13 | Sep 17 | Sep 18 | Sep19 | Sep 20 | Sep 21* | Sep 22 | Sep 23 | Sep 24 | Sep 25 | Sep 26 | Sep 27 | Sep 28 | Sep 29 | Sep 30
*Note: If you're listening to Re: Dracula, or reading the original book instead of the Dracula Daily e-mails, the events of September 21 are covered in the same entry as September 20! This is because Bram Stoker apparently overlooked that everything after Lucy's immediate death happens on the following day. The e-mails split events up as it should be, with two seperate days.
More Notes & FAQ unter the cut:
Reblog guidelines:
I try to keep it as story-relevant as possible.* This means that I won't reblog AU art, most character portraits with no further context, and similar things. Some of it may be a bit of a gray zone. For example: character portraits that feature a specific character who only appears in one or two entries, I will probably reblog for that entry. Character portraits of, let's say, Jonathan I won't reblog bc that's too unspecific, UNLESS there is something linking it - again - to a specific part of the book that's easy to pinpoint, like the very first days of his journey. *Note: "story-relevant" doesn't mean "100% text-accurate". Joke posts and art related more to the general impression of an entry that are not direct illustrations of a scene absolutely count!
Spoiler policy:
This blog will be spoiler-free for the 2024 season! Any art from the previous years that concerns a later date will only be posted when that date comes around. Please note: Sometimes a piece of art will allude to or foreshadow things that happen further on in the story, while definitely belonging to a date that has already happened! For these cases I will use the tag "spoilery content" - please blacklist that tag if you want to avoid possible spoilers completely! [Here's an example of what sort of things I'd consider to belong under that tag. Spoilery for Lucy's storyline so view under your own risk.]
What about things like collages, edits and moodboards?
I'm not opposed to reblogging them, too! They only need to be made specific enough so they can be attached to a specific entry. But since they're not my first priority when scanning the tags for pictures (my brain skips anything that's not a drawing almost on autopilot), I've likely missed them all. You're welcome to send something in that you think fits here!
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demons2003 · 2 years
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My Boys Chapters (Steve x Reader x Eddie)
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I've started this story on Wattpad and thought that I'd put it here as well.
This book will follow the events that occur in all seasons of Stranger Things. It will not be word for word at parts and will obviously have Y/n in the story. I will be trying to keep it somewhat the same but not gonna watch every episode again. 
This will be in Y/n pov but Steve and Eddie's povs will also be written to try to change it up. May also write in other povs but would only be for a little bit. In season 1 you are 16 years old, the same as Nancy. You are also related to Dustin, as you're cousins. 
As a big warning, this story will have violence, swearing, trauma, drug use, alcohol use, sexual harassment and panic attacks. I won't be putting on a warning for each chapter so this is the warning. For heavier topics like self-harm and abuse, I will be putting it in the chapter so you know if it'll be in the chapter you are about to read and don't need to stress about when it will come up in the story. (Let me know if there are warnings I have missed or warnings you'd like me to put at the start of chapters.)
If you have any questions or recommendations let me know, enjoy the story :)
Make sure to turn on notifications for when I updates each chapter
Description: You grow up with Steve Harrington as well as Eddie Munson. You three were inseparable and didn't go anywhere without the other two. But when high school began you saw that the three of you started to become distant, and cold towards each other almost. Steve gets all of these girls and Eddie becomes the 'Freak' of town. And you? The Queen of Hawkins with a bad attitude. It was an unlikely pairing, but it used to be your whole world. You are forced into being with these two again and old feelings are starting to resurface, but what happens when everything becomes difficult?
ao3 link
Season 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Season 2
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Season 2/3
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Season 3
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Season 3/4
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Season 4
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Ending 1 (Without Season 5)
Chapter
Season 5
Chapter
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hetalia-club · 4 months
Text
Got Bored And Made An Entire Hetalia Baseball League (HBL)
the league is meant to have fictitious and near impossible goals for regular humans to achieve. They are all scaled beside each other accounting for superhuman strength.
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~Italy's Stats~
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Batting Average Regular Season- .327 Projection- .330 Career- .327
Running Speed MPH- 25-30 (he fast as fuck boi) Hitting Power MPH- 70-85 (he bunts a lot) Regular Season Stolen Bases: 70 Career Stolen Bases: 700 (If he's on base he will attempt to steal every chance he gets. it's his thing. He’s very irritating for a pitcher to have on base)
(I had to give Italy something so he wouldn’t be over shadowed and I think speed is perfect as in canon he’s shown to run very quickly when he wants to. I do think speed is kind of perfect I imagine the announcers may give him the nickname ‘Ferrari’. Or something like that.)
Italy is a valuable player on the team, primarily due to his exceptional speed and base-running skills. While he may not have the power of some of his teammates, his ability to get on base and create scoring opportunities makes him an important contributor to the offense. His creativity and unpredictability add another dimension to his game, keeping opponents on their toes. However, Italy's laid-back demeanor can sometimes be a double-edged sword, as it may lead to occasional lapses in focus or intensity. You’ll notice his strike outs to walks are very high. That is because you DO NOT want to let him get on base. Pitching to him can sometimes take 10 minutes of drawing balls, strikes and the pitcher thinking about what to do. Having him on base is stressful for a pitcher, they are constantly looking over their shoulder waiting for him to steal, because he will, it’s a matter of when. He’s not even afraid to attempt to steal home base. Overall, Italy is a good player whose strengths outweigh his weaknesses, making him a valuable asset to any team.
Freedom Fighters - link to their team and positions
Other Players: (will update with link as they are added) America Russia Sweden England Ireland Iceland Canada Denmark Turkey France Scotland Greece Germany Japan Nyo!America Prussia China Nyo!England Spain Austria Italy Norway Romano Finland
Italy’s breakdown below >> (Chat GTP helped with this part because I'm not good at describing things or sports talk)((it also made me the lay out above I made the stats and it put them in MLB format for me & calculated batting average because math :/ ))
Considerations for Italy’s Stats:
Balanced Stat Distribution:
Regular Season:
Runs (R): 80, reflecting his speed and ability to score runs.
Hits (H): 170, indicating a high batting average due to his speed and ability to beat out infield hits.
Triples (3B): 10, Home Runs (HR)**: 5, showcasing his speed and ability to stretch hits into extra bases.
Stolen Bases (SB): Italy would have a high number of stolen bases, taking advantage of his speed on the basepaths.
Projected:
Increased runs, hits, and stolen bases to reflect continued growth and utilization of his speed.
Career:
Games Played (GP): 1500, reflecting a long career with occasional breaks or missed games. Runs (R): 900, Hits (H)**: 1800, reflecting his consistent ability to utilize his speed over his career.
Triples (3B): 100, showcasing his exceptional speed and ability to leg out triples.
Stolen Bases (SB): Italy would likely have a high career total of stolen bases, utilizing his speed throughout his career.
Summary:
Regular Season: Italy’s stats reflect his surprising speed and ability to impact games with his legs as well as his bat.
Projected: Continued improvement is expected as Italy refines his base-running skills and becomes more aggressive on the basepaths.
Career: Cumulative stats highlight Italy's consistent speed and ability to utilize it effectively throughout his career, making him a valuable asset on the basepaths and in the outfield.
Player Analysis: Italy
Character Traits:
Relaxed and Carefree: Italy's laid-back nature might suggest a casual approach to the game, but he can surprise with flashes of skill and determination.
Passionate and Spirited: Despite his relaxed demeanor, Italy can be passionate and spirited, especially in moments of excitement or competition. This could translate to bursts of energy and performance on the field.
Skilled and Creative: Italy's creativity and resourcefulness might lead to unorthodox plays and strategies, making him unpredictable but potentially effective.
Strengths:
Speed and Agility: Italy's greatest strength lies in his speed and agility. He is a fast runner and excels at stealing bases, putting pressure on the defense and creating scoring opportunities.
Batting Average: With good contact skills and the ability to beat out infield hits, Italy maintains a high batting average. He's skilled at getting on base and setting the table for his teammates.
Base Running: Italy's speed and instincts make him an excellent base runner. He's adept at taking extra bases on hits and advancing on wild pitches or passed balls, maximizing scoring chances for his team.
Creativity: Italy's creativity and resourcefulness make him unpredictable on the field. He's capable of making unorthodox plays that catch opponents off guard and turn the tide of the game.
Weaknesses:
Power: Italy lacks power in his hitting. While he can hit for a high average and utilize his speed, he doesn't contribute many extra-base hits or home runs.
Defense: His relaxed nature might lead to occasional lapses in focus or effort on defense. While he's not a liability, he's not known for exceptional defensive prowess either.
Intensity: Italy's laid-back attitude can sometimes translate to a lack of intensity or urgency on the field. In high-pressure situations, he may struggle to maintain focus and perform at his best.
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turtlycute · 4 months
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2024 Anime Watch List
May:
This post is part of my ongoing record for the new (to me) anime I watch in 2024. I'm excited to see what new shows and films I discover as this list grows through the year.
* indicates shows that are rewatches
The Prince of Tennis (2001-2005) episodes: 178 started: 4-27-24 finished: 5-14-24 rating: 9/10
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Aoashi (2022) episodes: 24 started: 5-14-24 finished: 5-17-24 rating: 8.5/10
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Haikyuu!!* (2014) episodes: 25 started: 5-17-24 finished: 5-20-24 rating: 9/10
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Haikyuu!! Season 2* (2015) episodes: 25 started: 5-21-24 finished: 5-25-24 rating: 9/10
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Haikyuu!! Karasuno High VS Shiratorizawa Academy* (2016) episodes: 10 started: 5-25-24 finished: 5-28-24 rating: 9/10
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Haikyuu!! To the Top* (2020) episodes: 25 started: 5-28-24 finished: 5-30-24 rating: 8/10
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Haikyu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle (2024) film watched: 5-31-24 rating: 8.5/10 note: I enjoyed the movie but it could have been paced a little slower in spots and I definitely was missing certain scenes that were edited out.
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Previous Months:
January Watch List
February Watch List
March Watch List
April Watch List
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imichelle-l-rigby · 10 months
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Reflections: Cillian Murphy’s Limited Edition
Season 3, episode 10
✨the last one 😢✨
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*I am a music prof (predominantly classical vocalist), and I LOVE listening to Cillian’s music choices! That being said, sometimes I won’t like a song simply because of a vocalist (it’s a professional hazard - sorry!) 👩‍🏫
** The following are my own observations/opinions. We may not agree, and that’s ok! That’s what makes music fun! 😊
*** I wouldn’t say I’m well-versed in Cillian’s music preferences, but I do enjoy them (for the most part). I always wind up adding to my own playlists after listening to Cillian’s recommendations.
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OMG IT’S THE LAST ONE!!!!
🎵Set 1 (Wandering Star - Undenied)
Wandering Star: such an interesting mix of “folksy” with urban sound effects
fun fact, I always accidentally mispronounce “Portishead”. Idk why I can’t learn, but there ya go!
Undenied: again, this is has a blend of soft and harsh sounds, but I like how it’s completely different from the first song. The timbres/qualities are different, so it’s a fun experiment in how far you can go with a musical idea.
🎤Talking Break
Last show 😭😭😭😭
“A total pleash”
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S BEEN 10 YEARS OF CILLIAN MUSIC?!?!
I love that he’s embraced the word “ain’t”
🎵Set 2 (Someday - When I Go Deaf)
Someday: ok but I’m loving the harmonies in this cover version 🥰
When I Go Deaf: ok, but the premise of going deaf - YES SIR I DO MIND!!! *PSA please take care of your hearing* regardless it’s a beautiful song about growing older and cherishing the moment and all that you have. That being said, I LOVE when the music goes from folk to rock 🤘😎
🎤Talking Break
Yes Cill - go for all the favorites! Love it!
FINALLY some more Bowie.
🎵Set 3 (I Can’t Give Everything Away - Fame)
I Can’t Give Everything Away: this is not the soundscape I think of when I think Bowie. And I like the disjointed melodic line in the title motif.
Fame: what a classic 😎 now even if I’m not the biggest fan of Bowie’s voice, even I listen to this a good deal because it’s just perfect.
🎤Talking Break
The way Cillian goes insane over “Fame” - the only version of fame I think he’ll ever like 😂😅
Yay!!! A John Lennon quote!!!!!!
🎵Set 4 (Perfect Day - I Want You)
Perfect Day: why does the tonality of this song refuse to be stably in a major key? 🤔 I don’t necessarily consider that a “perfect day” association - the way it keeps mixing major/minor refutes the “perfect” quality. I suppose it’s just a “wistful” thing, but still!
I Want You: YES I LOVE EARLY DYLAN!!! This is prob in my top 5 fave Dylan tracks. It’s so heartbreakingly beautiful, simple, and earnest.
Fun fact: “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” is my #1 Dylan song
🎤Talking Break:
Final reasonable question!!! 😢
I actually like this one - what song do you listen to on repeat?
Omg, of course he would listen to experimental loop music. 🤦‍♀️😅😂 ok, it’s official, he needs to join my music history class. 😂😂😂
🎵Set 5 (Jesus Going to Clean House - Ida)
Jesus Going to Clean House: ok, but can contemporary praise music be this groovy?? Please????
Let’s Go Swimming - Gulf Stream Dub: this sounds so water sports, and I have no idea why other than the name has convinced me this is music for the beach! 😅😅 the power of suggestion!
Ida: I can’t decide if it’s distorted accordion in the background, or a keytar or some other strange electronic instrument. I’ll have to do some research later!
🎤Talking Break
Exclusive ident - I shall miss you!
A poem!
No, Cillian, please make a dad joke!
Oh dear, I’m over 30. Let’s see how I respond to “forgetfulness”
… yeah. I agree 😬
An exclusive reading!
I really liked his thoughts on listening. Good selection!
🎵Set 6 (Coffee & TV)
Coffee & TV: I’ve said this before, but I find it odd that certain songs are produced in such a way that the vocals are subservient to the instrumental line. I think I hear this more in “alternative” sounding music. Maybe that’s a trend I’ve just never noticed!
🎤Talking Break
“Banal and unverified facts”
The way he says “palm trees” 😂 “pam trees”
🎵Set 7 (Saat Alfarah - Midnight)
Saat Alfarah: again, saxophones! Of course he loves this, and frankly, so do I! Idk what’s going on, but it’s got good vibes and it’s just fun! 😎
Midnight (ft. Raphael Saadiq): not my favorite, but it’s cool sounding, for sure. Also, when wearing my AirPods, the background pop sound almost seems like I can feel it reverberating through my skull. That’s weird.
🎤Talking Break
Irish music! Finally!
🎵Set 8 (Wishing Well - Satisfaction)
Wishing Well: it sounds all wishful/wistful, but the static buzzes definitely fight that.
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction: it’s a little mind-boggling because the vocals do NOT follow the beat established by the backing track. I assume they were recorded separately. I really hoped I would like this cover, but… nope! 🙅‍♀️
🎤Talking Break
“And that’s a cover version!” Indeed, Cillian. Indeed.
Last Yorkshire Man!
Wait… did he just not reveal his identity?! Did I miss something???
🎵Set 9 (Sweet Leaf of the North)
Sweet Leaf of the North: ummm… I must say I’ve never been that impressed about a leaf. 😅 I don’t love his voice, but the vibes are cute.
🎤Talking Break
A favorite band, and his kids agree!
🎵Set 10 (A Cold Freezin’ Night - Blackbox Life Recorder 2f)
A Cold Freezin’ Night: I can appreciate this as a quirky twist on “electronic sounds as music” + experimental music, and I even appreciate the interplay between siblings (as an older sister with a healthy rivalry with her brother 😂), BUT. not my favorite.
I’m glad he explained about the siblings beforehand, otherwise I would’ve been MAJORLY confused and concerned. 😅
Blackbox Life Recorder 21f: still following the “electronic sounds as music” theme, but less experimental 👍
🎤Talking Break
Yay new music!
🎵Set 11 (Lately - Blackpool Late Eighties)
Lately: I like this. Soulful, atmospheric, and groovy. Just a fun combo.
Blackpool Late Eighties: dude, what a build up!! It certainly keeps you wanting more!
🎤Talking Break
NO IT’S ENDING 😭😭😭😭😭
Aww, he “did have a little cry” over Nina’s song!
“Mind yourselves”
🎵Set 12 (Wholy Holy - Stars)
Wholy Holy: YES! YES YES YES YES YES!!! ✨favorite song of the episode✨
Stars: Nina. No, no you did not just GO OFF on the piano at the end there! Dang!! She is just too good! What a great way to end the show!
———————————————————————
YOU HAVE MADE IT TO THE END! CONGRATULATIONS! 🎊🎉
Thank you so much to all y’all who kept reading these - I hope you enjoyed it! It’s been a pleasure (although a significantly larger project than what I expected at first), but I definitely had fun!
Tag list:
@iammrsrogers @deliciousnutcomputer @mariamoonie @brownskinsugarplum76 @look-at-the-soul @kj-davis @neverroad @teapothollow @thepurplearmyposts @possessedmarshmallow
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watchmenanon · 2 years
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How Will Byers became the heart and soul of Stranger Things.
By Adam White
30 October 2017 • 5:00pm
Warning: this story contains Stranger Things 2 spoilers!
Last year, when the young cast of Stranger Things began to tour the world, making personal appearances and becoming the faces of fashion houses, one cast member seemed to be permanently excluded.
Millie Bobby Brown was a grenade of preternatural charm, and Gaten Matarazzo won hearts with his endearingly candid Instagram account, but there was always the feeling that there was one young star missing.
Maybe not as funny or as quirky-looking as the others, 13-year-old Noah Schnapp was principally recognised as the Stranger Things Kid people seemed to forget about. Part of this was by nature of the show itself, Schnapp’s character Will abducted and taken to an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down during the very first episode. It was his disappearance that kicked off the show’s irresistible mix of sci-fi mystery and whimsical nostalgia.
But Stranger Things 2 has seen Will take on a far bigger role, becoming the drummer behind many of the show’s most emotional beats. And it’s been an impressively manageable task for Schnapp, who may have only just become a teenager but who has given one of the most heartbreaking portrayals of post-traumatic stress disorder in recent memory. He’s quickly cemented himself as the heart and soul of Stranger Things itself.
Oddly, despite Schnapp’s relative lack of screentime in the first season, he was arguably the most experienced of the show’s young cast going in – having already played Tom Hanks’s son in the Steven Spielberg movie Bridge of Spies, and voiced Charlie Brown in 2015’s The Peanuts Movie. He somewhat adorably learned he was hired while attending summer camp, before being whisked away to meet his fellow cast members.
Unlike them, however, his haphazard appearances in the first season meant he didn’t have much time to strike up a bond – but they still made him feel at home.
“I was trapped in the Upside Down,” he told Dazed, “so I wasn’t in the same scenes as the others. I’d be going back to school and stuff, but every time I came back it was like a big reunion. I’d drive into the studio and they’d be there waiting for me, screaming. When we were all there together, though, we’d all have sleepovers and stuff.”
With most of his scenes in the first season consisting of looking terrified in pools of inter-dimensional gloop, it took until its second for Schnapp to properly come into his own. His most moving performance occurs in the season’s fourth episode, wherein he confides in harried mother Joyce (Winona Ryder), telling her the truth behind his recent out of body experiences.
Desperate to push the narrative that he’s no longer affected by his time in the Upside Down, he has kept secret the fact that he has been glimpsing monsters and nightmarish, apocalyptic visions. That is until it all comes crashing down over breakfast, where he hesitantly confesses.
Schnapp captures all of the shame and horror of keeping a secret from your loved ones, and the odd sensations of disgust and relief as it unspools in floods of tears. It’s an incredibly powerful moment between both actors, but Ryder’s magnetism is less of a surprise considering she’s been in movies for over three decades. For Schnapp, it’s a revelation.
As the season continues, and Will’s body is entirely taken over by the feelers of the Upside Down, Schnapp conjures a sinister adolescent intensity similar to that of Harvey Stephens, the young actor behind Damien in The Omen, or even Linda Blair from The Exorcist.
While at least a few members of the young Stranger Things cast seem to be stagnating in the show’s second season (looking at you, Mike and Eleven), Will’s development has been particularly nuanced and interesting this year.
It also helps that Will best personifies many of the show’s strongest takes on teenage trauma. While the majority of the Stranger Things kids are depicted as prototypical outcasts, they also sometimes feel annoyingly photogenic in their social marginalisation, as if they weren’t Hawkins High's biggest geeks, but rather the heroes of a particularly inspiring Coca-Cola commercial.
Rather, they are “Hollywood nerds”, the kinds of outsiders with cool, charity shop wardrobes who find themselves with tight, unbreakable friendships. Aside from a few moments in which conformist, retrograde bullies call them names, never has high school loserdom been so enviable. Those who have actually encountered teasing or isolation as a pre-teen, you’ll know it’s worlds away from the kind so often depicted in the series.
Will, on the other hand, with his bowl haircut and wan complexion, better embodies the sort of child typically left on the sidelines of a PE class or isolated from their peers. The sadness of it all carried by Schnapp’s incredibly expressive face.
Even in a group Will somewhat disappears. He is smaller than the other boys, yes, but he has also experienced trauma, both before and after his time in the Upside Down. Hints of his life before the events of the series indicate a child who has always struggled to interact with his peers, possibly because of a fractured relationship with his father, who halfheartedly attempted to forge a bond before giving up entirely.
His impressively ramshackle fort in the woods, which he dubbed Castle Byers, also signals a child of particular introversion, for whom withdrawal from the world is a luxury.
There’s also the ever-discussed subtext that Will is gay – a theory spun by Joyce’s early aside that his father abandoned him amid a litany of homophobic slurs.
An only-somewhat-fanciful essay in The Advocate last year proposed that both Will and beloved mom jeans pioneer Barb were so quickly pulled into the Upside Down because it acts like something of a metaphorical closet – a terrifying embodiment of the shame and persecution that would so often envelope queer teens growing up in small-town America during the mid-Eighties.
Schnapp has said that he hasn’t thought of any queer subtext when playing the character, but welcomes the different readings fans have had. While we aren’t yet privy to Will’s sexuality, the idea of his slowly coming to terms with it only increases the power of his obvious marginalisation – the feeling that he doesn’t quite belong in ways that are very different to the rest of his friends.
We don’t yet know where the rest of Will’s journey will take him, particularly as the show seems to have finally closed the book on his time in the Upside Down, but what’s guaranteed is that in Schnapp’s hands it’ll be convincing. And that the Duffer brothers, the geniuses behind the show, would be smart to capitalise on his talent.
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eggastential-biscuits · 2 months
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I've been listening to all of Folk Musician Noah Kahan's discography, here are my thoughts so far:
Stick Season is the most consistent album by far, released on October 14th 2022, the deluxe edition June 9th 2023, and Compilation album Forever February 9th 2024. Most of the songs lean more Country than Folk in my opinion, with the deluxe edition (We'll All Be Here Forever) expanding on the songs with 6 amazing tracks and tipping the scale more to folk for the overall genre of the album, and the compilation of collaborative singles released post We'll All Be Here Forever and original track Forever. This is by far the most popular of his albums in my opinion, with highlights being Stick Season New Perspective, Orange Juice, Halloween, Homesick, Your Needs My Needs, Call Your Mom, You're Gonna Go Far, The View Between Villages - Extended, and Forever. My only issue with the album is some songs (Strawberry Wine, All My Love, Growing Sideways, and Still) probably wouldn't get any play outside of a full album listen, but I don't hate any of them.
Cape Elisabeth is my favorite thing Noah Kahan has put out. Released on May 1st 2020, the ep is just 5 songs of sad folk music about missing people and times in your life, which was of the time and something I still feel, and instrumentally its runtime is full of solid guitar work that bounces in my head with the vocals. It's a slice of how lockdown reflection felt for 20 minutes that I put on for hours at a time.
I was/I am is... messy, released on September 17th 2021, it is the album I tend to skip most of the songs on. Past the intro all of the songs have either weak instrumentals/vocals/production or go on without any reason to for a minute extra, Caves being the most egregious in the ladder case, where it could've ended around 2:30 but kept going for another minute and a half, but the good songs are some of his best. Part of Me, Hollow, Bury Me, and Godlight are the album highlights, with honorable mention to Howling, and Fear of Water, but even the best of the batch still has the issues of the worst, generalizing to an extent, the vocals and production.
Having listened to all of Busyhead about an hour ago, it feels cathartic, like what I was/I am was trying to be. It's not flawless, but what I wanted from I was/I am, considering it sounds more like busyhead than any other of his work does.
Deuces, I'm gonna take a nap.
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thisisnotthenerd · 2 months
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destiny's children xp leveling
and here we have the last of the intrepid heroes seasons (so far). neverafter had a lot of very difficult combats, and it's interesting to see them in scale.
same stipulations as the last few of these:
xp for encounters is evenly divided six ways
monsters are either taken directly from the phb and other source materials or i calculate their CR based on dpr and other statistics
some opponents/encounters will have contextual multipliers--generally these are applied to account for the number of opponents, but may also account for other complicating factors such as environmental hazards, puzzles/traps, and the addition of other objectives to the battles.
as always, this is a combination of statistics and my own meta.
you can check out the previous analyses under the tag
#the perils of xp leveling
neverafter:
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as the horror/fairytales season, neverafter leans into boss-centered encounters or mob encounters for the most part, with a few smaller adversaries or environmental factors to harry along the way. it's closest to tuc in terms of combat composition, but runs a bit more monster-focused than tuc, which has more humanoid opponents.
no place for a prince or princess: an extremely deadly encounter. i suspect they were supposed to go to shoeberg before they hit this encounter because it's almost wildly overleveled for a level 1 party. it's technically boss-focused, given the fairy godmother's presence, but really runs like a mob encounter given the number of animated objects. everything has a 2x modifier.
fairy godmother: CR 5, for 3600 XP, as based on her spell usage.
transmuted furniture: CR 2, with 20 total, for 18000 XP. technically they didn't defeat all of them, but this reflects the difficulty of the encounter in general; it was a untenable situation that resulted in a tpk.
alphonse: CR 1/4, for 50 XP.
total XP count: 21700 XP, for 3616 each.
the curdled web: a bit easier than the previous encounter for multiple reasons: the party is higher level, there are fewer opponents, and the boss monster is lower level. everything has a 1.5x modifier for the web mechanics and the limitations on movement.
mini spiders: CR 1/2, with 16 total, for 2400 XP.
spiders: CR 1, with 5 total, for 1500 XP
little miss muffet: CR 4, for 1650 XP. slightly altered war spider build afaik
total XP count: 5550 XP, for 925 each
the baron of bricks: a big challenge. instead of a uniform modifier on the fight, i included the spoon and soup as a separate opponent to account for the release mechanics on the big bad wolf, and applied the modifier to the spoon/soup and mechsuit. the baron himself does not get a modifier; most of his power comes from the mechsuit and the spoon, which pib later takes control of.
spoon & soup: CR 10, with a 1.5x modifier for 8850 XP.
mechsuit: CR 10, with a 1.5x modifier for 8850 XP.
baron of bricks: CR 6, for 2300 XP
total XP count: 20000 XP, for 3333 XP each
terror on toy island: an insane fight. it starts as an encounter similar to the first fight with a spellcaster boss and low-mid level minions, but becomes a legendary encounter. i modified the terrible dogfish because they aren't actively trying to defeat it, but are just trying to get it out of the way. the sea witch didn't do anything significant and thus isn't accounted for.
the mer-king: CR 9, for 5000 XP, based on his use of insect plague and dominate person
merrow: CR 4, with 3 total, for 3300 XP.
il terribile pescecane: CR 30. absolutely a legendary creature. i applied a .25x modifier because they had some control over it and did not try to defeat it. 38750 XP
total XP count: 47050 XP, for 7841 each
leap of faith: this one was a theatre of the mind encounter as destiny's children escaped the snow queen's castle and is thus easier than the previous encounter, but the entire party is not facing these enemies.
cinderella: CR 9, for 5000 XP. based on her attacks i'd say she's ~ 18th level.
mürrisch, schläfrig & arzt: CR 5, with 3 total, for 5400 XP.
total XP count: 10400 XP, or 1733 each
in the land of giants: leans on the mob encounter side: instead of being the small heroes facing giant monsters, they are the giant monsters facing an army of tiny people. i had to individually count all of these tiny people; if there are any mistakes please let me know. this fight uses some of the mechanics from the finale of acoc, with jack as the commander, but instead of working by size, the units function as swarms.
jack the giant slayer: CR 10, for 5900 XP. i based this on his legendary actions and dpr.
tiny wizards: CR 2, with 8 total, for 3600 XP. i would have based them on pixies, but they have higher level spells, so i upped their CR.
tiny infantry units: CR 1, with 10 total, for 2000 XP. this count includes the tiny archers as well (ground only).
tiny cavalry units: CR 2, with 6 total, for 2700 XP. these are the warriors with polearms, so they have a higher CR.
trebuchets: CR 5, with 4 total, for 7200 XP. the biggest hazard.
alphonse: CR 1/4, for 50 XP. he does do more in this battle, but that's been folded into the cavalry. as himself? he's a CR 1/4.
bird rangers/archers: CR 2, with 8 total, for 3600 XP. this is all of the flying archers.
total XP count: 25050 XP, for 4175 each
the trials of the baba yaga: another theatre of the mind encounter, similar to fearful symmetry from fhsy. i just standardized their XP gain from this encounter. they do not fight the baba yaga, so they don't get XP from her.
trial illusions: CR 9, with 6 total, for 30000 XP.
total XP count: 30000 XP, for 5000 each
the ending of all things: an extremely challenging finale fight. they have the option to persuade the princesses and fairies to become allies if they don't want to fight them. initially i had a 1.5x modifier on the fight for the environmental hazards, but they benefit from multiple gained allies: the baba yaga, elody, scheherazade, aesop, the orange fairy, etc., so i dropped it. they do fight some of the people they get as allies, but not more than one round, and they functionally cancel out any damage they do. also the gander technically appears, but only as timothy finishes the ritual, so i'm not counting him.
snow white: CR 9, for 5000 XP. essentially a 18th level spellcaster
cinderella: CR 9, for 5000 XP. similar to keradin, an altered champion statblock
rapunzel: CR 5, for 1800 XP. we know she's based on roper stats, so it's just CR 5.
la bete: CR 5, for 1800 XP. I counted her as similar difficulty to rapunzel.
fairies: CR 5, with 7 total, for 12600 XP. honestly they were a bit ineffectual, in part because of the adventuring party spent objectifying them.
stepmother: CR 21, for 33000 XP. extremely difficult and bad.
authors' hand & ink: CR 21, for 33000 XP. about the same difficulty as the stepmother.
total XP count: 92200 XP, for 15366 each
overall XP count: 251950 XP, or 41991 each. just about enough to get them to 8th level, as they ended the season.
final comments:
as noted, neverafter has a big focus on boss monster fights and mob encounters, with few mid-level humanoid opponents. it fits with the horror of the season and the fact that they're facing corrupted fairytales.
by party comp they start off a bit more martially focused: ranger, bard, warlock, rogue, fighter, and barbarian. realistically, they have 2 full casters, 2 partial casters, and 2 martial characters. they don't multiclass much; ylfa and rosamund both dip into druid and rosamund picks up fighter as well.
tactics:
ylfa serves as their tank; no huge damage, but she often comes in clutch when they need to get people out dangerous situations.
pib and gerard are a melee pair, though pib has some range, and gerard grants pib extra attacks with commander's strike such that he can get bigger damage.
rosamund covers range--she's the second big damage dealer. she's the most optimized in terms of her build.
timothy mostly works with buffs on the party and occasional damage. he utilizes his book to call allies or trap opponents, and does a lot of persuasion checks.
pinocchio has magical range & damage & debuffs. he also grants rerolls via call of destiny. cricket serves as his familiar later on, and ends up being a combatant. by the end of the season, he does object animation for environment manipulation.
and that’s it for the intrepid heroes xp leveling! let me know if you’d like to see more of this series—i’m thinking about hitting some of the sidequests.
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