#moonlight watcher

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Sorika: Night Camouflage

Awakened Suit: Night Camouflage

You can find the original suit here.

[oceanofnikkis]

[ashuribbon]

He loves his kid!

[obernice]

GAAAAAAAH I'M GONE FOR A VERY LONG TIME……… I made sketches of Cookies from my AU. Let's give this universe a short and banal name "Fallout Cookie" to make it easier to mention this AU when talking. I will draw the ideas you suggested, but I do not promise that they will be full-fledged without lines. In any case - I will definitely draw everything (I hope). Maybe some character designs are temporary and will be changed, so this is not the final result!!

[derpaworld1000]

🍪 [ Cookie Doodle Page ] ✏️

Asked people on bird app for suggestions of cookies to doodle. They’re very silly.

[sunshinedottv]

Moonlight Jewel spends so much time and money on her resin printed dolls, only for them to come out looking absolutely soulless and very manufactured 😭 all of her projects nowadays lack any kind of spirit. It's very disappointing. Like she puts a lot of effort into something that looks so mid and then has the gall to very publicly complain about people not liking her work on her Instagram story. Idk what to tell you, they have a point 🤷

[talkingbl]

Thai BLs for the BL Newb

Everybody's making lists of Thai BLs they'd recommend to a person who has never watched one before and I'm not exempt.

For me, I'd want to know a little more about the person I'm recommending to, because that could change my list significantly. But, for just a general audience, I'd recommend BLs based on the following criteria:

High production value is a must. This includes good sound quality and original sound tracks. None of that royalty-free mess that runs rampant in the lower-tier companies.

Good-to-strong acting is also a must. No matter how good the story is going to get, people will drop Ep. 1 if the acting seems questionable.

Novel story. I chose "novel" rather than "complex" or subjective adjectives like "good" because 1) everyone's taste is different and 2) complex doesn't always mean better.

Consistent but not predictable pacing/storytelling. Even once a viewer is hooked, it is still easy to lose them/leave a bad taste in their mouth if the story doesn't maintain the momentum.

With these criteria in mind, I'd recommend the following Thai BLs--

Recommendations

Love of Siam (2007). The Love of Siam is one of the most engaging coming of age stories I have ever watched. It is gorgeously filmed and very much gives film festival, critically acclaimed, indie hit that is very suited to a global palette. It's not soap-y like most BLs tend to be and features 3/4 of my essential elements. While the story is not so novel in the sense that you've never seen a plot like it before, it is one of the best executed pieces of Thai media I have seen, and that eclipses the want for a "novel" or unique story.

And though some like to argue over whether it can be classified as a BL, I feel like if we can say shows like SKAM and Love Class have "BL storylines", then we can classify a story about two boys exploring their sexuality and love for one another as containing a BOYS LOVE element.

I Told Sunset About You (2020). This is like if The Love of Siam were a late 2010s-accurate series instead of a film. It has the exact same positives of The Love of Siam, but has even more experimental mise en scene and directing. It has a strong international appeal because of its distinctly non-soap-y (and consequently more cinematic) approach. I think folks who aren't used to the lakorn style can easily dive into this one.

Not Me (2021). Not Me is like a 2.5/4. It no doubt has a novel story and consistent storytelling, but there are noticeable gaps between the best actors in the show and the worst. Plus, the production value can be very inconsistent in that it reuses shots, the audio isn't always perfect, and sometimes you feel like you can see the effects instead of not noticing them.

Honorable Mentions

Moonlight Chicken (2023). This is another one with a more arthouse aesthetic. However, there are moments where the acting is questionable and the production value can be better. It also suffers from the fact that not every storyline is equally as consistent. Still, it is an incredibly strong showing from GMMTV, that I'd recommend to folks who are looking for a more grounded adult-centered story than the aforementioned recommendations.

Manner of Death (2020). This is another novel story with decent acting and high production value. I wouldn't recommend it off-rip because the story is a little confusing, and the acting quality isn't super consistent, but it does have the appeal of many series that seem to reach international audiences these days.

[death-rebirth-senshi]

What are my thoughts supposed to be exactly? Good for you.

I made a little video comparing an 80 dex character and my 40/40 dex/faith fighting dragonslayer armor because I was curious how the damage came out (buffed with darkmoon blade and magic grease the damage is almost exactly the same) and I continue to get kind of weird comments on it.

[torchtek]

Just call me Tango cuz yeah that’s me, but you can also call me Torchbearer, Torchy, or Halo. I am genderfluid (Any prns with a masc pref), Cupioromantic Ace, & AAPI 🇯🇵🇹🇼!

⚠️ WARNING: Ya boi can be kinda mean and snappy when stressed and uh fucking hell I’m almost always stressed nowadays. Interact with caution I guess? I always try my best to be nice but I'm admittedly not great and it's a bit of a struggle sometimes.

Tags:

#{🔥} torchy talks-> yapping tag #{🔥} openin fanmail -> answering asks #{🔥} a lil spicy -> opinion posts or just shit that would get me killed if any of my friends saw it (may end up having nsft. probably won't tho) #{🔥} barkin -> petre stuff #{🔥} cameras off -> venting or whatever #{🚨} martyr here -> martyn/matryr’s tag for his angsty bs #{🌙} moonlight watcher -> for when pearl inevitably hijacks the blog and has a gay crisis for the millionth time

-> I block if I'm on your DNI or just if I don't wanna see your blog for any number of reasons. Don't take it to seriously tbh. [Uh basically I don't have a DNI exactly I just kinda block when I feel like it]

[ohnonotnow]

my library

here's some of the best the hobbit/lotr fanfics I've read cuz they can be quite hard to find and I wanna help

will update the list as I read

Thorin

Smoke, iron and Thorin

Fire and Gold

Learning Khuzdul

Braid of Gold

Thorin being soft

The Beauty of Chance

Those Hands

Misunderstanding

The arrival

A king's crown

Covered In Steam

There's just inches in between us

Thorin after a long day of training with his nephews

In This Moment 

Agreement

Symphony of your life

Oh so quiet

Confession

Find Your Way Back

Fili

fili oneshots

Moonrise

The Most Unpleasant, Defective, and Abominable Incident

Stay with me

The Redeemer

Durin's Garage

Restless

Lost My Way

Kili

The book keeper

insecurities

The beauty and the Beast

getting back at Kili for teasing

My Treasure

Madly in love

It's in his kiss

Love Bites

Sway With Me

Wood Carvings

Softly. . .

Sweet like nectar

A Shot in the Dark

Beorn

Early Mornings

Beorn takes care of you when you're injured

Linger

Legolas

Watcher of Wanderers

The Innocence of Brutality

Blessing

Sensitive

Being best friends with Legolas

Hazy Memories

Spellbound

Thranduil

Bookworm

Relax

Best friends father

Fascination

Flower On My Skin

To Meet Under the Stars

Passenger Princess

Autumn Thunderstorm

I Could Love You With My Eyes Closed

Haldir

Gentle Dark

Lindir

My Heart Is In Your Hands

Moonlight

Just a Little Help

Warriors Great Tales

The Fountain

Return to Me

Èomer

Burnt Bread

A Helping Hand

Wildest Dreams

Falling In Love With A Librarian

SFW alphabet

Happiness

A Roll in the Hay

Blessing

Turning Points

More characters

various characters oneshots

Imagine: elves having highly sensitive ears and you finding out by accidently touching them.

Journey to Erebor

Hair braiding

Elves + Braiding

What Type of Kisser is Each LoTR Character?

The Hobbit Characters + Physical Affection (Suggestive Version)

A Headcanon For Each Member of Thorin’s Company

Cuddling With Thorin's Company

Imagine some of the elves of Middle Earth find out how easy it is to make you (a human staying in Rivendell) blush and become aroused.

The LOTR characters reacting to a modern reader

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Sorika: Moonlight Watcher

Designer's Reflection: Moonlight Watcher

Obtained: Moonlight Watcher event

Rarity: SSR

Attribute: Purple/Sexy

Awakened Suit: Night Camouflage

Story - transcripts from Designer's Reflection

Chapter 1 - Fluffy Biscuit

Chapter 2 - Strawberry Shortcakes

Chapter 3 - Candied Cherries

Chapter 4 - Honey Scones

Story - summarized

Sorika grew up in the slums, stealing to survive. But one day, after swiping some biscuits from a bakery, she got caught. The other slum kids rushed out to try and save her, but it was too late. But not all hope was lost - the sheriff recognized what Sorika was trying to do and adopted her.

The police chief had lost his own daughter years ago, so the two bonded quickly. He taught Sorika how to fight, defend herself, and distinguish right from wrong. All was well.

Until one night, when a woman ran to their home, begging for rescue from break-ins. The sheriff took off right away. But the rest of the police force appeared at the house, barging in and destroying everything. Apparently, they caught her father trying to break into a home and harass the family. So they killed him on the spot.

Sorika knew the truth, but the officers didn't care. They stole one of her father's precious heirlooms and arrested her, a slum girl they happily claimed to be an accomplice to crime.

Years later, that same heirloom was up for auction. Sorika waited for the right time to strike. Finally, she broke in. She created enough chaos that no one noticed her - except for one waiter, who claimed she was the Black Queen of legend come to punish sinners.

Sorika walked away with her father's treasure, but not before stopping by the old bakery once more.

Connections

-We've met one of Sorika's descendants in Love Nikki. Sofia loves being an actor and dancer, but as part of the Phantom Thief family, she needed to steal. So, an agent named Lisa pretended to steal the Star Sea dress to give cover for Sofia.

-Qin Yi also grew up in the slums, too. He recounts his poor childhood before joining the troupe in his Reflection for Pollia Mist Silk.

-It's no secret that Pigeon Kingdom is corrupt. Most of Mercury's Reflections from Pigeon, about Pigeon, or including his childhood display horrific abuse and hypocrisy.

Fun Facts

-All the chapters are named after desserts.

-"Biscuit" means "cookie" in Great Britain, and Shining Nikki's translations switch between American and British dialects. So any American wondering why there was "syrup on top" of the biscuit, that's why: it's a cookie, not a bread-roll.

-Sorika is best described as an anti-hero, kind of like Robin Hood: they both commit crimes and do bad things, but only for righteous reasons, like feeding the poor.

[jmliebert]

✿HALSIN HEADCANONS✿

his love language involves touch, a quiet yearning, and deep respect

soft touches

despite their size and strength, his hands are surprisingly delicate and warm; he's a healer after all. when he's massaging your sore neck, his eyes are focused, and his moves are skilful, leaving you melting under his caring touch

on the flip side Halsin finds deep joy in the tender act of having his hair played with, often gently humming or dozing off during this exchange

also he gives you a lot of tender kisses on your shoulder from behind, saying he loves you

yearning and worshipping

he loves to cherish you with his words, but I feel that at heart, Halsin is a silent watcher, always observing, always admiring. his eyes full of admiration, never cease to appreciate the beauty before him

there is no shame with him; he'd be truly devastated if you hid anything from him, as he adores your body, viewing it as a *nature gift*

with him, you're free to be yourself because he sees more than just your body. whether you are small or big in size, whether you have pubic hair or not, and regardless of your gender, he doesn't care about these

absolutely, one thing that genuinely matters to him is that you have a healthy body; it's something he sees and cares about

if you're a woman, he might be particularly drawn to wider hips. they seem to resonate with his druidic connection to nature and the cycle of life, evoking a sense of fertility that he finds appealing

the allure of nature sparks a fire within him. your naked body glistening in the river's, skin shining under the sun or moonlight, makes him easily aroused . in close embrace, his hot passion manifests, as you are feeling something hard and willing against your thigh...

sex

well, let me just say it that it's hard to make Halsin shy

he's into breeding and can play for a long time if you know what I mean

he couldn't get enough of you at times, restless whenever near you

he's strong, and this strength often manifests in bed. he enjoys experimenting with positions that require physical power, effortlessly lifting you as if you weighed nothing

also very open to trying new things, as long as both you and he are comfortable with it (mutual respect- remember?). would never force you to do something you don't like, he would hate to make you uncomfortable like this

if you were pregnant he would be aroused all the time seeing your swollen belly, symbol of your fertility

from time to time he takes you rough from behind

making a lot of noises, loud ones, almost animalistic. his head bowed and groaning straight into your ear, making your feral

if you were pregnant he would be aroused all the time seeing your swollen belly

after all, he enjoys having you in his arms, feeling the warmth of your sweaty skin against his, and he always wakes up before you ready for another round or sweet cuddles, bye :')

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

 you can find more of my works about halsin ♡here♡

[aresojeroso]

★Picnic date with the slasher boys!★

Includes: Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Thomas Hewitt and Ghost face (Billy and stu).

•Neutral pronouns

•Just Fluff!

•Headcanons, of course!

Enjoy!

Jason Voorhees.

★He was a little insecure about it, if you where going to like the place, the food, etc. I dare to say that he was even more nervous than insecure. What if rains instead of being a sunny day?

★He tried his best to be a date, a special moment for you two, sharing the silent treatment, in a soft moment while the birds make their music between the trees.

★The view of you, delicate even if you where strong, in the green of the grass... He could spend hours and hours watching you in the woods, where the spots of sunlight caress you skin so delicate like a whisper... In that moment he only wishes to be a good poet, brave enough to say what he feels when he watches you, make a letter for you, sunlight or moonlight, you where precious to him.

★Probably will bring a bouquet of flowers, his mom raised a gentleman, even if the flowers are from the wild. He thinks they're pretty like you.

Even if you aren't a fan of flowers, probably he will find something that is pretty and for your taste. Crow skulls? Leaves? Little rocks? Don't worry, he has that covered. He may seem busy all the time, but he's a great watcher, he will know somehow.

★Read a book for him, he loves your voice. He can lay in the blanket for the picnic and listen to you for hours. His breath softened, his body relaxed... A day only for you.

★Both of you probably lose the sense of time, you fell asleep and he probably was to hipnotized for you to notice that the sun just set, the orange tones everywhere...

★He couldn't believe that you could look even prettier. Maybe you're an angel!

★He loves you.

Thomas Hewitt

•A picnic? In this place? No, too much sun for you, he doesn't want you to have a sunburn.

•But your puppy eyes make him feel weak, even if his priority is to keep you save from everything...

•Then, something comes to his mind. Now he has a plan, so... He lets you know that is a yes, but not now, you'll have to wait.

•Days and days passed, you wondered what tommy was doing, Hoyt was always complaining about how Tommy wasn't working most of the time, then what he was doing? He promised...

•Until one day you find out why.

•He guided you after he appeared in the door of your bedroom, his eyes where full of energy, he couldn't wait to show you his answer.

•And he had a basket in his left arm.

•He offered to you his right arm, like a gentleman... Luda's Mae work!

•And then... He built a small place near to the trees in the farm, like a little cabin, but at the same time just a place with a ceiling, a clean floor, and a blanket above it so you can get a picnic date.

•He made it for you, just you.

•He loves you.

Ghostface. (Billy and Stu!)

★Billy automatically says no, Stu says a very yes. It doesn't surprise you, sometimes Billy is like a vampire, allergic to the sun...

★Stu gets ready, he's so happy to spend time with you out, in, even the space! He loves everything that means being with you!

★Billy at the very end surrenders to your happiness and the energy from Stu... (And maybe Stu got annoying asf trying to convince him.)

★Both of you, Stu and you, decided to go for a quiet place (maybe that will make Billy more happy with) so, the nearest wood is the best option and at the same time Stu is happy to be in a place full of bugs, leaves, green, greeeeen! Even if he's not such a fan of nature.

★Billy approves the choice, so practically you have green light.

★Road with Stu singing the music from the stereo, Billy with his (fake) face of boredom. And you just enjoying them being them.

★Billy puts everything, the blanket, the basket, even the fucking food, just to save your life... And his too. Stu it's not the best at cooking.

★Once set everything... Billy will lay there, lazily, and will ask you to tell your day, an experience or something. He just wants to hear you.

★Stu plays with you, even hide and seek. Both of you run everywhere, challenging Billy to join! He does after a while (he cant say no for you two, and he knows that... but he got a pride to protect),and he's very competitive.

★They love you.

•Are you sure that you want to go out with him? This was completely your idea, but he's not going to say no. He just doesn't care that much. Someone sees him? It's ok, he'll kill them anyways.

•Obviusly you have to dismiss him to not doing that, he agrees, but only because you offered a sort of sweets for the picnic. (Not because he can't say no toy your puppy eyes, of course not.)

•Internaly he's grateful that at the end you choose a place, still in haddofield, away from every posible person. You two alone, in a beautiful sunny day. (He's not a fan of heat an sun).

•He carries everything for the picnic, but you'll have to cook everything... At least he stoled some candies forma store.

•He takes off his mask.

•You two spend a quiet time in there, his just sit in the blanket, staring at you with his cold blue eyes... For him it's perfect, watching you for hours? It's his favorite hobby, he does all day. (But without you knowing it.)

•You don't know how, but after a while, he can't take off his hands from you. He's grabbing your little hand, your check, caressing your neck, your shoulder... Like if he was admiring a beautiful sculpture. (He's an artistic man, don't blame him)

•Then, while you both eat some delicious stuff (and probably diabetic for him) you enjoy his silence... That says more than a thousand of words.

•He loves you.

Hi there! I hope you enjoy this and feel free to ask something to write! If I had mistakes on my writing, forgive me! English it's not my native language, I'm Mexican! So, if your native language is Spanish too, feel free to ask something on that!

Love to y'all!

[mdianasims]

He has traveled around the worlds and collected many memories and keepsakes. He made many friends along the way while he did both mundane and epic heroic things. And in every town there was another lover (or two) to be left behind.

You all know we're talking about Icarus Ibarra, Iker for friends (and he has many - one cheerful introduction and you're BFFs). His recent adventures made him realise that it might be time to settle down. And that doesn't mean he won't be going from world to world anymore. He will, he'd just prefer to do it with that one special someone by his side. And what better way than to find that someone in style?

Watcher Studios Inc presents...

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN Deadline: Soon(ish) More info under the cut.

We probably don't really need to introduce our bachelor, but here's a quick recap:

Full name: Icarus Nicodemo Ibarra Reyes Age: 28 (young adult) Traits: Romantic, Music Lover, Bro, Active, High Metabolism Aspirations: Party Animal, Romantic Explorer Likes: Activities - Dancing, Fitness, Gardening Guitar, Handiness, Mixology, Photography, Snowboarding Colour - Blue, Green, Yellow Music - Alternative, Latin, Latin Pop, METAL, Singer Songwriter We're not sharing compatibility likes/dislikes or turn-on/turn-offs (TOTOs), because that would take the fun out of the challenge.

In case you're not entirely up to speed on Iker's previous adventures, you can find them here.

Still interested? Good. If you want to apply, these are the essentials:

Read the rest of this post carefully. If you still want to enter your Sim after reading, then comment that you want to submit a sim.

I've made another post that further specifies some choices you have. I'm asking you to prepare this before submitting your Sim. That will make it easier for me to play it out when it comes up in my game. I know it looks like a lot, but all you need to do is make a Sim, dress them nicely and make a few choices. Then I'll do the hard work.

This is The Grand Scheme. Save the link, it'll be handy when you create your Sim. And even if you do not intend to submit a contestant, I don't mind sharing my nefarious plans ;)

There's a maximum of 12 participants (and a minimum of 7 or it'll mess up the schedule), first come, first served. One of these spots has been reserved for @zosa95. Because, if I hadn't submitted Iker's sister Neia to Branson's Bachelor Challenge, I would not have had Iker. It seemed only fair to do this in return.

Practical considerations:

No CC (minor exceptions: x and x)

I have all packs except Batuu. As for CAS Kits, I only have Simtimates and Moonlight Chic.

You will need Growing Together and Lovestruck for the personality likes and TOTOs. If you do not have these packs, you can still participate. You just need to let me know how you want to fill these and I can set them for you once your Sim is in my game.

1. Requirements:

Age: Young adult (give a 'real life' age if you like, anything from 18 to 30 is acceptable).

Gender: Male or Female.

Pronouns: No custom pronouns that are intended to be silly (such as 'His Evil Highness' or 'Her Colourful Ladyship' or whatever you would use to refer to your favourite pet (or Sim)). This is basically to prevent me from making mistakes while posting. Too many different pronouns and it's gonna go wrong at some point. Please use something short (and easy to remember).

Sexual Orientation: Must be romantically attracted to and interested in woohoo with men (whatever else you check, is your choice).

Romantic Boundaries: Set them as you like, Iker's player trait should overrule it (if not, I'll set everything to no jealousy).

Occult: Human preferred. No Werewolves, Vampires or Aliens (Iker is still processing the Moonwood adventure, which also made him hate vampires. After StrangerVille, though unfounded, aliens are bit of a touchy subject too).

Traits: Bro and Unflirty are not allowed (there's a rule about bros, and unflirty will just make it incredibly hard for your Sim).

Likes/dislikes:

No more than 2 music likes (because those still dominate wants).

Decor and Fashion are optional (i.e.: Dream Home Decorator and High School Years are not required).

Conversation Topics and Sim Characteristics are required to be set.

TOTOs:

Way of Life and Characteristics are required to be set.

Romance styles: 2 turn ons and 1 turn off, the other 2 will be neutral (I'll do this for Iker too, for a more interesting experience).

Hair Colour: Black hair turn on is advised.

Outfit colour/Fashion categories are optional.

Your Sim can be CAS created or born in game, skills are allowed, there won't be skill based challenges. They can have additional self-discovery traits if you've played them. However: the romance skill and hidden woohoo skill are banned (Iker doesn't have those either, yet) and charisma is capped off at lvl 3.

Fame is not allowed - I'll just keep all Sims out of the spotlight.

2. Outfits:

There will be lots of themed parties, outings and dates, so I've got an entire outfit scheme set up. To give you a chance to express your Sim's personality through their outfit choices (and get creative with NoCC CAS).

First, look up the outfits on The Grand Scheme. Then choose one of the following:

Easy Street: Set your Sim's standard oufit for each category, copy it to all listed slots. Then adjust the two mandatory second outfits.

The Middle Road: Do as above, adjust any other oufits you like.

All the Way: Set all oufits as requested.

Know that not all of these outfits will be used if your Sim is eliminated early on. But hey, at least you'll get a nice NoCC lookbook from it! Another thing to keep in mind (though entirely optional), the show (mostly) takes place in Ciudad Enamorada and Oasis Springs in Spring and Summer. So, big fluffy sweaters might look a bit out of place. If you accidentally use an item from a Kit that I do not have, I will try to replace it with something similar. If you do not set outfits for the themed activities, I will dress your Sim as I see fit.

3. Dates:

For three of the dates, there's a choice to be made by the contestant. Look this up in The Grand Scheme and let me know through DM what your Sim would choose for their perfect date(s).

4. One Final Question:

In case your Sim is eliminated, should they:

be returned to you (I'll save your Sim after elimination and upload the tray files and send you a private link);

live on in my save file;

be deleted;

remain in limbo forever (I'll store the tray files somewhere)?

Not answering this question defaults in the last option.

I know this is a lot. I hope you are not deterred by it. I just want to do something interesting with the new date system. And then this massive plan formed and now I'm stuck with it.

Anyway you have at least until 21 September 2024 to submit your Sim. If you need more time, or I'm not ready with the preparations, that date may move to somewhere in October.

Let me know in the comments and/or through DM if you want to submit a Sim. I'll put your name on the list. If I've added your name to the list and you no longer can/want to submit a Sim, let me know. There might be someone else who can take your place.

If you have any additional questions, do let me know. (if you think I've made any weird typos, let me know as well. I've checked the post a several times, but something might still have slipped).

Thanks for reading and I hope you're as excited about this as I am!

[pencil-amateur]

The Heaviside Layer

Or, Cats and the Narrative Parallels of Steve and Cesare

After watching UP and re-listening to the Bigtop Burger soundtrack several times, I'm finally able to put into words while Steve and Cesare are obviously different in terms of personality, presentation, etc., when you consider their stories... they're more similar than you may initially realize.

(Watching the 1998 recording of Cats was also very important here. This will come back later.)

So first of all, what's the first thing that these two have in common, ownership of food trucks aside?

To put it the way Cesare does, they're freaks. They're weird. The only way they are able to fit in with others is by being the head of said themed food trucks, and making the uniforms their employees wear match them.

In other words, they are outsiders.

Even before the narrative begins, Steve and Cesare were shown to be cast aside by others. In "UP", Steve is banished from his home planet because he made a mistake at a crucial time, and the lyrics to Friends In Low Places reveal Cesare "wasn't missed or mourned" after he was killed.

They're both dead to the worlds they once knew.

But then...

"up, up, up, to the heaviside layer" - UP

"I was chosen for a second chance at life" - Friends in Low Places

For those of you unfamiliar with the musical Cats, the Heaviside Layer is the place a single Jellicle cat is chosen to go to at the Jellicle Ball each year to be reborn into a new life. Old Deuteronomy, the role Steve played, is the cat that chooses the one who will go to the Heaviside layer. However, Steve, along with Cesare, is more similar to the cat Old Deut ultimately picks.

I'm talking, of course, about Grizabella.

Grizabella is a former Jellicle cat who tries to rejoin the group, only to be rejected. Act II's opening number, "The Moments of Happiness", is sung by Old Deuteronomy (and was fumbled by poor Steve). It foreshadows Grizabella's last desperate cry for another chance in her big number, "Memory". The other cats accept her, and she is chosen to go to the Heaviside Layer and begin again.

So how does this relate to Steve and Cesare?

Both allude to having a new life, but are followed by their pasts. While Steve is happy with his food truck and his new friends, he is pursued by unknown authorities telling him he doesn't belong and can't belong. Along with being cast out from society millions of years ago, he's now been rejected from doing what he loves twice.

Cesare is almost the inverse. He talks up how he's got new friends (in low places), but he doesn't seem eager to stick around underground, and is vocally relieved that he won't have to be a watcher anymore. Despite being clearly very strange himself, his job is to imprison "freaks and weirdos"- and it might not be a stretch to say he's taken that to heart. Where Steve has no problem standing out, even going out to eat with his employees when they're out of makeup, Cesare insists his own employees make him look less conspicuous whenever he's with them. (Of course, this could be partially because he didn't want Steve to catch on to his plans, but I doubt Steve would have cared, since he had no idea Cesare even wanted to capture him.)

So how can this be resolved? Is there a way to truly begin again?

"Let your memory lead you/Open up, enter in If you find there the meaning of what happiness is/Then a new life will begin" - The Moments of Happiness

This part in "The Moments of Happiness" is sung not by Old Deut, but a cat in the ensemble named Jemima (and then sung again by the rest of the cats). The lyrics and melody are reprised in Grizabella's song, "Memory". She then adds some more.

"Memory, all alone in the moonlight I can smile at the old days/I was beautiful then I remember a time I knew what happiness was/Let the memory live again...

...Touch me, it's so easy to leave me All alone with the memory/Of my days in the sun If you touch me you'll understand what happiness is/Look, a new day has begun" - Memory

"Touch me" has both a literal and figurative meaning here. Throughout the musical, the Jellicle cats are noticeably physically affectionate with one another. They play with other cats while dancing, snuggle, and even greet each other by pressing their hands together. This makes it all the more jarring when the Jellicle cats refuse to touch Grizabella at the beginning- even the curious younger cats are held back from getting too close. It is a visual sign that they do not accept her. After Grizabella sings her song, one of the younger cats reaches out to her and touches her hand. None of the other cats make any attempt to stop her. Then, the Jellicle cats finally show Grizabella the affection they denied her before, letting her finally belong, and of course she becomes the Jellicle choice.

I think, just like Grizabella, what Steve and Cesare need is acceptance and a place to belong. This doesn't mean the whole world needs to say they're okay with clowns, or zombies, or general weird freaks who don't fit in. It doesn't even mean they have to give up the memories of how they got here, be they happy or sad. What they need is to be loved for who they are, and to live without being afraid to do so.

And I think the friends they have are a good place to start.