#mum and tory watch together!!

[bazingabitch2000]

Tori Spring and Michael Holden head canons:

Michael and Tori are both autistic, though they express it differently. Michael's traits appear more outwardly visible, while Tori’s are subtler, perhaps because Solitaire is narrated from her perspective. We see her tendencies through her internal thoughts, actions, and reflections, all filtered through her own lens. I also think Michael may have ADHD as well.

Michael and Tori are in a queerplatonic relationship. It is NOT a romantic or sexual relationship. Their kiss at the book's end feels out of place; their connection doesn’t need that romantic signal. Queerplatonic relationships like theirs are as valid and significant as romantic ones. Michael is Tori's person, and Tori is Michael's person. I think what they have is beautiful, and it shouldn't be meddled with.

Michael is one of the only people who is able to make Tori laugh - and I mean REALLY laugh. She doesn't hide her face so much when she laughs around him. Sometimes, she laughs in spite of him. She can't help but admit that he cracks her up. She secretly loves that. Michael also secretly loves that. Sometimes they'll spend hours laughing until their faces and tummies hurt, and one of them either decides to finally go home, or they both just fall asleep together.

Tori just borrows Michael's sweaters whenever. She gets looks from her mum, Charlie, and the others, and she knows what they think. She knows they think that her and Michael are together. She doesn't bother to correct them because it's too exhausting, and they'll never get it.

Tori is cold - always. No matter what time of year, or how many layers she's wearing, she is always cold and always complains about how cold it is. Michael is the opposite of this, and is always lovely and warm. He doesn't even have to wear loads of layers. He's always pretty warm. Michael teases Tori for the fact that she's always freezing cold.

Michael makes Tori watch films she's never watched, and once she does, she reluctantly admits that they're actually great films.

Once Tori watches a new film that Michael has recommended, she makes a playlist based on the film, or a favourite character of Michael's from that film.

Tori finds people who reject pop music as “too mainstream” insufferable. She can rant about it for so long that the room falls silent.

Michael is never surprised when he sees that Tori is online at like 2 am. He teases her about it, and begs her to try and go to sleep at a respectable hour, but she never gives in.

Tori refuses to speak with anyone at breakfast if she can avoid it. She makes a point of making sure she can eat breakfast alone in the kitchen or eat it in her room. Either way, her headphones are on as she listens to Coldplay or Radio Head. If someone interrupts her, she glares and reluctantly removes her headphones.

Sometimes, Tori dissociates while she's around her friends. She finds herself questioning whether everything going on around her is real. Whether it's actually happening. Her friends don't seem to notice.

Tori's closet is full of hoodies, while Michael has a growing collection of sweaters.

Tori drinks everything with a straw.

Michael likes to give Tori small doodles, drawings, and notes. Tori keeps all of them and looks at them every once in a while when she can't sleep.

Tori absolutely refuses to ever use the overhead light. She will avoid using it at ALL costs.

Tori gets very bad migraines a lot. They even make her lightheaded and on the brink of fainting. She shrugs it off or plays it off that she's fine around others, but Michael can usually tell. Michael brings paracetamol or ibuprofen always, just in case. He also reminds Tori to drink water.

Tori lives off buttered noodles/pasta, mac n' cheese, or nuggets and chips a lot of the time. She can't cook to save her life.

Sometimes Tori finds herself watching game shows like Tipping Point and The Chase. She genuinely enjoys watching them and tries to play along.

Tori refuses to buy a new phone until her current one is on it's last legs. She just can't comprehend why and how people will buy a new phone once a new model is out.

When she was younger, she would get in trouble for cutting her hair on her own with a scissors.

Tori almost always has a blanket with her in her house. She has plenty of blankets in her room. When she's in the living room, you can bet she has a blanket.

In school, Tori was either the one telling everyone to “shut up” or sitting silently by herself. She was never part of the noise.

Michael would feel bad if any of his teddies were left out, so he would sleep with all of them, or have some sort of rota/routine and sleep with a different one each night.

[sflow-er]

Assorted Heartstopper season 3 thoughts (spoilers!)

Charlie's mental health issues were handled really, really well and Joe Locke acted his heart out. Perhaps the recovery could've been shown in a little more detail, but the ep4 structure was a great solution for a show of this length. I also liked how they portrayed the impact on his loved ones (especially the toll on Nick and Tori).

As much as I missed Nick's mum throughout the season, making his aunt a psychiatrist and letting her advise him about Charlie was an excellent choice! It actually felt more realistic than if it had been Sarah.

So pleased to see more Tori this season, and the rewrite of her and Michael's first meeting was cute! I do wish they had broken away from the comics timeline though, because the fast-forward to him casually hanging at their house felt very abrupt. I would've preferred a closer portrayal of her depression and them gradually getting closer this season, with their actual relationship saved for later.

Hence, I am actually glad they saved the ace reveal for S4. We saw too little of Tori and Michael's relationship or her confusion around it to relate to her aceness yet. If she had randomly come out to Charlie on the Ferris wheel, it would have just felt like lip service and a nod to the fans who knew her story from Solitaire (which is not canon in the show). I get why people feel like she was straightwashed, but there is zero chance of Alice Oseman of all people eradicating ace rep, and I genuinely feel that this was the better choice.

That being said, Michael was perfect and the casting was spot on!

As for the aspec rep we already got, Isaac's arc this season was amazingly well done! Even if his experience doesn't resonate with me on a personal level, it was relatable as hell in the show. It's also a great reminder that we are watching an ongoing show. S2 was Isaac figuring out his own identity, S3 was him living it and communicating it to others - and based on the camerawork in the scene where people wondered about Tori and Michael, S4 may be Isaac helping someone else figure out their own identity.

Another memorable thing for me was Elle's radio interview - the sheer absurdity of a trans teen being asked to respond to bad faith talking points from some adult TERF. The host both-sidesing it and unwittingly exposing her to vitriol if the interview had aired. Holy shit how appalled I was on her behalf - and how sadly realistic it felt... I hope the parents and random adults who watch this highly popular show take note.

Is it horribly middle-aged of me to say the teachers are still my favourite couple? I loved the glimpses we got of them together and the flashback to little Youssef made me tear up. More of them in the final season please and thank you!

My main criticism is that the season felt too heavily packed. There are so many characters now, and Alice and the writers want to give them all at least some kind of arc in each season. The result is that many of those arcs feel a bit rushed, and even as someone who usually fixates on side characters, I'm struggling to invest in all of them at once. Especially while the main characters and the more prominent side characters are going through very heavy stuff. So yeah, I would have preferred a tighter focus and more narrative breathing space.

All in all though, I really enjoyed this season and am looking forward to the next (presumably last) one!

[ivypendragon2]

My hot takes about cobra kai as (I hope) a not biased viewer:

- Everyone is kind of exaggerating everything that happened between Mijagi Do and Tory. People are looking way too much into it saying things like “Daniel clearly wanted Sam to win” “They should have gone straight to Tory when she left” “they betrayed her”, etc. First of all, none of these people were saying shit when Daniel and Johnny left Robby with Kreese (who ten minutes before tried to kill Johnny AGAIN), but apart from that, this show clearly doesn’t believe in going after this kids when they are upset. Second, they needed Tory to feel alone for the plot…there is nothing much to it, this show is not a masterpiece they are doing what they can with what they have. Then, saying Robby should have gone after Tory, like Devon or Johnny or Sam. Would I have loved that? Yes, but if that were the case we would NOT HAVE A PLOT and idk, she just lost her mum what is Robby supposed to tell her? How can he comfort her? How would YOU comfort a person that has never let anyone help her o comfort her? Tory has showed more than one time that she pushes people away when they try to help her, and even if she was getting better, this season is about the main characters repeating their bullshit again (ejem Johnny and Daniel). And apart from that, he is a 17 year old boy, Devon is even younger, I wouldn’t know what to say either. Some people want and need space too, you know? And Tory had a brother, maybe they thought she was going to him. I try to understand all the characters, not just the victim.

- “Daniel only wanted Sam to win” yes, we have seen during all season Daniel showing a clear preference for Sam (even positioning her above the boys which is…debatable because her technique is beautiful and precise but she is not as agile as the rest) and yes, it was kind of insufferable because he didn’t even put Tory in the list and she is a BEAST. But, as a matter of fact, I don’t think him stopping the fight had anything to do with that. He just saw Tory as a little girl who just her mum, a little girl who probably hadn’t slept or eaten well in days. And he also watched her been more brutal with his daughter, which Tory once left in the hospital with stitches too. And everyone keeps saying “Johnny was right! Let her fight with anger!” But one, that’s his daughter in the mat, and second, please remind me how things go when this kids fight with anger and pain. The school fight? Miguel falling? The spikes bracelet? Dimitris arm? Kenny and Anthony? Robby vs Keeny? The apartment fight? Tell me, is it really worth it? These kids getting seriously hurt? To me, it’s not. They should have tried to find another way.

- Hawk vs Dimitri? Everyone saying Dimitri is a traitor makes me LAUGH because you all don’t like it when things turn around, huh? Dimitri didn’t even left a scratch on Hawk, he did was cobra kai has been doing since S1 (use their weaknesses against them). But when Hawk injured Robby you all said it was part of the tournament, that it wasn’t a big deal. When Miguel used that injure against him, it’s justified. I could keep on with that, but I will just let it there. I was waiting for Dimitri to finally do something for himself.

- Miguel’s fanboys are the worst. Crying about Miguel not winning 😭 baby Miguel has won time after time Robby earned this fair and square. His technique is awesome, his agility, his kicks, and the actor literally did all of this for his character. If you can’t respect it for Robby, at least do it for Tanner.

- why is everyone thinking Tory will be with Kwon? You really think Tory will just straight forget what Kim did to her? You really think she just will be all friendly buddy with them? She needs them and they need her, that’s all. And Tory clearly loves Robby, it’s not so hard to understand, they are building everything for them to end up together like they did with Miguel and Sam last season.

- Daniel was INSUFFERABLE WITH MIJAGI LET THAT MAN REST IN PEACE.

- Why is everyone making it look like Miguel being in the wait list is the end of the world? Doesn’t that happen to most kids in the USA? And if they are short on money…get a job? Like I did? Like most of us do? I love Miguel, I really do, but they are making it look way worse than it actually is. He is smart and dedicated, if standford says no, well keep going.

- Hawk being nerfed is full plot.

- people really think a focused Miguel can win easily against a focused Robby? We have seen since s1 that focus is Robby’s main problem but when he focus…he was literally smirking while fighting Miguel man he is a force to be reckoned with.

- Someone needs to explain to me why Johnny hasn’t kicked Daniel in the face yet.

[cut-the-camera]

Halloween with Charlie Spring

CHARLIE SPRING X MALE READER

You two have been planning it together for weeks, he managed to convince his mum to let you come over for halloween so you had the whole night planned

He would constantly be sending you pictures of costume ideas or decorations or Tiktok's of things you could bake or films you could plan

In the weeks leading up to halloween the two of you would go on various 'autumn themed dates' whether that's pumpkin picking, corn mazes, apple picking, haunted houses, pumpkin carving, scary film nights, walks in the woods, baking etc (you'd be like those cringy 'couple goals' instagram accounts)

He gets very particular about the decorations, the two of you very much adopt the 'I tell you where to put things and you put the there' or else he gets very frustrated

He has the clever and creative ideas and you make it happen, whether that's hanging up ghosts or stringing up lights

His dad and Tori enjoy themselves watching him boss you around

The two of you might take Oliver and your younger sibling if you have one trick or treating. You'd both find your best last minute costumes and happily escort them from house to house collecting sweets and little toys and chocolates. (You'd both beam if any of the houses allowed you to take some sweets too)

The two of you cuddle up under blankets watching scary/halloween films, with flinching and snuggling closer into each other when things get too scary

You'd both talk about your future together and your dreams of taking your own kids trick or treating and what cute costumes you'd dress them up in

At the end of the night you would take any left over trick or treat sweet up to your room and continue the movie night there

HALLOWEEN PARTY

If he wasn't invited to a party that you went to you would desperately want to bring him with you. He may decline this offer because he doesn't want to crash your friends party

He'd stalk keep up to date with how the party's going through your instagram story (getting only a little bit jealous)

If you did go together, you two would be the kings of gender bent couple costumes whether it's Romeo and Juliet, devil and angel, barbie and ken etc. (this would be after the two of you complain at length about their being very little option for same sex couple costumes)

Before you left you would be excitedly getting ready in your rooms, helping each other with your make up and costumes, taking countless selfies and pictures of each other to post on your stories and social media. A picture of the two of you kissing in a cute couple costume would inevitably become one of your phone backgrounds/lockscreens

If the whole group went, Darcy and Tao would beg you allllll to do a group costume. Whether that's men in black, heathers power rangers, ninja turtles etc

I can't imagine you'd stray far from each other at a party, sticking by each others side and ending up cuddling on the sofa or outside looking up at the fireworks or stars

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

REQUESTS

[blurbspeak]

more heartstopper headcanons!! someone stop me!! (you can’t)

(tw mentions of mental health things)

- charlie lives a bit of clutter. so it’s canon that charlie loves collecting things, but i feel like he would be a maximalist in terms of loving things to be on display. photos all over the walls, fav jumpers on a rack so they’re all visible, jewellery or hair or skin products out on the table type of person. not messy, just a ‘like it where i can see it’ person

- tara gives me insomniac vibes. idk if it’s the folklore poster or what but i feel like she is a night owl by nature, but also her lack of sleep goes further into maybe overthinking, or just general daydreaming

- i have this idea that the first time nick experiences a panic attack, he literally has no idea what it is. idk how or when or where it would happen, but if charlie was there, nick would be like “omg what is going on i can’t breathe i���m gonna be sick wtf” and charlie would 100% step up and be like “look you’re defo having a panic attack just breathe with me you’re gonna be ok!!” (can someone talented write a fic pls)

- as upsetting as it is, i think darcy doesn’t cut her mum out of her life even though she is a bully to her. i feel like she would come out to her eventually, and her mum would be awful about it, but darcy would still keep in touch even if it’s minimal (christmas and birthday cards and such) even though she doesn’t really want to

- tori is 100% a dan and phil fan. probs charlie and ollie too actually. they all get pizza and curly fries together and watch dan and phil videos in the living room when their parents are away

[prongsmydeer]

Ayesha Livbelogs Heartstopper S3

I was so thrown off by the first shot of the season being Tori, LOL, I'm used to the school corridor openings

I've missed Nick and Charlie's little 'hi's, they are always so sweet

"I'm gonna cook us a candlelit dinner." "With what cooking skills?" "With the power of romance!" HAHA, I wish that would help me cook too, Tao

"Living with you is like a dream." That's a very optimistic approach to getting kicked out of your house, Darcy

Charlie said: Beach days are not immune to my Dark Imaginings

"Do you have some on?" "No, I don't really burn, I just tan." Charlie said, wearing a full cardigan to the beach. However, everyone gets UV damage, put on some sunscreen

Nick menacingly apply sunscreen to Charlie is my love language, actually:

"We've only been dating for like three weeks but [whistles] it's been a whirlwind." HAHAH I love Tao telling anyone who will listen he's dating Elle

"Girls stick together." "I don't care, I hate gender." Love that for Darcy

Awwww, Isaac coming out to Charlie. I love that so much

I enjoy that every time Charlie goes to his Dark Imaginings Place, Nick is like, "Hey, have you tried curing your mental illness with a leetle kiss on the lips"

"When someone you love's in trouble, you'll do anything to help 'em." Tara and Nick are truly on parallel romantic journeys. It's tough being a support person for someone enduring trauma

OH NOOOO Charlie thinks talking about something is code for "Time to exchange 'I love you's" and Nick think it's code for "Time to talk about your eating disorder!"

Perhaps at the beach, with friends, right before leaving for three weeks was not the best choice of venue for this conversation, Nick

I hope Darcy's gran's nice, because Darcy's mum sucks

Tao's cooking struggle aside, I love how colour-coordinated this shot is, the walls and the lamp, Tao's apron, Yan's shirt, the accents of Elle's dress, they're really leaning into the pink and teal:

"We can have a romantic candlelit Dominos." It'd work on me, Elle

Charlie, sitting in Nick's bedroom where there are literally like 10 photos of him on the wall: I wonder if he loves me back

Charlie telling Nick he loves him through the bathroom door. That's one way to overcome your nerves!

Poor Nick, running through the street shirtless and shoeless. That's love!

"You're still damp." "You're the one who said I love you for the first time when I was in the shower." Charlie's never gone live this down. The grandkids will hear about this

"I saw you peeping at me on the beach." "I was not peeping." It's okay, it's... it's allowed! We're in love!" "So in love that you're gonna walk to my house with no shoes on?" I repeat, that's love

Nick's aunt is HAYLEY ATWELL? Both funny bc they keep watching Marvel movies, and because they love to use a really amazing actress for a short cameo. Olivia Coleman for mum, Hayley Atwell for aunt, Nick's family is incredible

Oh, I appreciate that we've brought back the happy fantasy sequence as well:

"Can you please not undermine me like that in front of him?" The vibes of Charlie's mum have never sat well with me

Can I make a confession? Mr. Ayaji and Mr. Farouk (Nathan and Youssef) are my favourite romantic plotline on this show

Oh, I see a sex warning on the season! Who's fucking on screen!

"You did so well." "Exams mean nothing." Tori proving it's a Spring family trait to be incapable of receiving compliments

If Charlie's eating has extended the point where he can't even be in a Nando's, I think he needs help

"You need a nice poster of a handsome boy up there." "I'm a lesbian, gran." "Your dad never told me that. You need a pretty girl up there, then." This seems like a good sign for Gran <3

"I'm worried. I love you." Oh Tori, I think you should be worried

"I never sat still and posed for them. I wish... I wish I'd sat still. I wish I'd sat still, and I wish I'd posed." There's something about Tao's line that makes me want to cry. It describes grief really well

Thank God for Isaac, Charlie needs his support right now

Gjjgjgjhh at Tori being a tumblr girlie. Relatable!

The "Do I Have An Eating Disorder Quiz" is not as fun as the "Am I Gay Quiz" but I admittedly I've also taken both

It's really good for Charlie to admit he has a problem, to vocalize it to Nick, but I understand it's hard when the people you live with make it hard to trust them. Heartstopper always cuts too close to the bone

"He needs help from a doctor or a therapist. Someone that understands eating disorders and knows how to treat them." I am so, so glad that Nick has Aunt Diane, Hot Hayley Atwell Aunt and Qualified Psychiatrist

I don't know if I've ever cried while watching Heartstopper before, but this episode did get me

"The sixth form boys get to wear trousers, so why can't I?" "You look so... you." I'm becoming more and more certain Darcy is going on a gender arc. We love a nonbinary lesbian

"So we're dating?" "We've been seeing each other all summer, so I hope we are." I love Nathan and Youssef 💘💘💘💘 And also Coach Singh, who completes the gay teachers alliance

I am SHOCKED no one's ever caught Charlie and Nick making out in this supply closet, it's like the third time! Also, unrealistic, blocked, it's too spacious for a school storage place

"This isn't Mr. Ajayi's hippy class, you're representing Farouk right now." Neg your boyfriend to convince students it's platonic

OH MY GOD. NICK'S POSTCARD OF CONCERN IS THE SWEETEST AND SADDESST THING I'VE EVER SEEN

Does Charlie gripping his shoulder have implications that it's the site of his self-harm?

"I'm so alone." "Okay, what are we? Your imaginary friends?" I've missed Charlie's cheeky remarks

Fascinated by Tao's instagram bio being, "Was shorter in a past life." What on earth does that mean??

CACKLING at Charlie walking in on the teacher romance. HA

"I have a lot of rules... It doesn't matter, it's stupid." "Uh, what happens if you break the rules?" Mr. Ajayi is such a good teacher

I know it's important to address, but I do feel like the eating disorder is like, the main plot of the season so far, which does make the show harder to watch

"Yeah, I read a book where there was an aromantic character, and then I thought about what happened with us in Paris and stuff." I do find it funny that they feel the need to justify why (or why or not) people know the term aromantic. Why can't people just know!

[Looking at Sahar and Imogen] "Seems a bit gay to me." Me too, Darcy

"You've just not been a very good friend lately, Tao. All you care about is your relationship." "Well, if you're so sad about being single, what happened to James?" There's a lot to unpack here. Firstly, I don't think it's necessarily fair of Isaac to criticize how people engage with their friends, when he also brings a book to like 95% of his interactions. I get it might be a comfort thing, but I would personally feel like that friend wasn't engaged with me if during every one of our hang-outs they were reading. So like, complaining that Tao cares too much about his girlfriend when he's still there, spending time with you, seems harsh. HOWEVER, dick move from Tao, who already told you he didn't like James back

"I guess I just like the idea of having a cool boyfriend, but when we were actually together, he was pretty boring." Maybe it's too early to call comphet, but have you heard of the lesbian masterdoc, Imogen?

"None of you are helping, but thanks." HAHAH rude, Isaac

"You got angry at Charlie for doing the exact same thing we've doing." Elle's got you there, Tao

"You all make it seem like being in a relationship is the most perfect, magical thing that anyone could hope for." Charlie and Nick, homophobically bullied to the point of self-harm and in consistent mental agony over someone they love having an eating disorder: What up

"What about the ones who don't fall in love with any gender? Do you think they're okay just being on their own?" "I don't think they're on their own. they've got loads of friends." Nick Nelson, man of my heart

"When I first realized I liked Charlie, I cried at an 'Am I Gay?' Quiz." We've all been there, Nick

Nick really said: For my birthday, I'd like to confront your parents about your eating disorder

And Charlie said: Fair play, it's your birthday!

Very, very proud of Charlie (and Nick) for asking for help

So grateful for the next episode cutting to Nick's dog, I am emotionally exhausted by everything so far

"I can't believe it's been two months." I thought for a second I'd missed something but I guess they're just referring to inpatient rehab

"Everyone can journal, Nicholas. It helps you process your emotions. If I didn't journal every day, I'd literally have a breakdown. "Alright, you don't have to give me the whole pitch again." Tara and Nick's friendship is the saving grace of this season

NOT THEM SPEEDRUNNING THE ESCALATION OF EATING DISORDER SYMPTOMS THROUGH A MONTAGE. Crazy storytelling choice, but, honestly, helpful as a viewer

This montage has convinced me that Nick really, really needs to be seeing a therapist also

You know, all this said, this probably has really endeared Nick to Charlie's parents. Getting him to come to them for help

Nick is the CUTEST Captain America, perfect Halloween costume choice

Nick's reaction to Sahar and Imogen kissing is SO FUNNY. This is the opposite of how it was when he saw Tara and Darcy kiss. Instead of Bisexual Comfort, it's Gay Horror

(I did also get a cuter screenshot of the kiss the second time I tried, but it didn't fit the vibes of Nick's expression HAHAH)

Nick every time he sees a sapphic party kiss: I think I have learned something

I love that Tara and Darcy have fulfilled the Shrek and Fiona costume threat they made last season

Tao comforting Nick while he cries at the party. Sometimes love is hugging your crying, tipsy friends on the floor

"Can't I play the mentall illness card now?" "No, the S-word rule still applies to the mentally ill." I love that they can banter about the OCD and anorexia diagnosis

"I hope that when you get back, you don't feel like you have to lie to us anymore." If there's an autism quiz, I think Isaac should take it

I do absolutely adore the home video Tao made for Charlie

Olivia Colman must've been quite busy, because I do think Nick's mum would be a cornerstone of support for him in this

"I hope I get good mental health." "I hope I get a mum who can regulate her emotions." A tall order, my friends

"Can you just shut the fuck up?" GOOD FOR NICK, GET REKT DAVID

Charlie apologizing for abandoning Tori but still leaving anyway is both perserving his peace and such a brother move. <3 Oh, family!

Also, love that they were like, 'we realize it's been a tough season, here's a second, smaller dog'

"I never imagined finding a boyfriend and... and feeling so safe with him that I'd even think about, like, taking my clothes off in front of him." I did figure they were gonna talk about dysphoria and sex with Elle

I'm glad they're finally having a bigger party where no one's crying or experiencing an identity crisis or being kicked out by their mum

"I don't want to be just an experiment to you. Especially when you know you're the reason I realized I was bi in the first place." Oh, the Sahar and Imogen lore deepens

Looks like Charlie immediately spoke Tori finding someone she cares about into existence

Hahahahah the fireworks are a metaphor for whatever Elle and Tao are up to in the bedroom

I also didn't notice until rewatching it, but I do think their headmaster announcer is Stephen Fry. They love a starpowered cameo

Honestly, I think it's nice they're talking about sex. With how frequently Charlie and Nick are on top of each other, I thought it'd come sooner (no pun intended)

[Elle, lighthearted, joking] "Hey, be careful. We'll have another vomit situation." "Just need a night off from everything." Does Tara have an alcohol issue? Bc they've had her say this twice now while holding a drink

"Is he Tori's boyfriend?" "She won't confirm whether they're dating or not." Feels fitting

HAHAHAHA NOT ANTHONY BAILEY BEING THE INTERNET FAMOUS HISTORIAN. BOOKED AND BUSY, BABY! I'D SUBSCRIBE TO HIM TOO

Again, I did figure with an ep title like Body, Elle's radio interview was not going to be kind, but hoo boy

"You'll be hearing from me." YOU GET HER, ELLE'S MUM!

I know that's not at all what they're intending, but if they have sex right now, it will seem like Jonathan Bailey was so hot, they were compelled to have sex about it

What a bizarre season. It's half eating disorder, half sex

I don't know what Charlie just texted Nick, but I hope that it was "i'm ready to have sex" because that would be a VERY funny thing to do to Nick in class

"I should've expected it." Oh Elle, my sweet girl 😭😭😭😭😭

"Do you want to talk about it?" [Elle sighs, shakes head] "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" Tao has become SO GOOD at talking feelings since dating Elle

The cut to Baby Farouk in the classroom when they ask Charlie to apply for Head Boy. Gay teen representation DOES heal your inner child

"Good luck, I hope you do get to have your sex sleepover." Me too, Michael, Tori's Maybe Boyfriend

"You don't have to be the strong one all the time. I learned that the hard way." I'm glad Tara's in a better place now

"I just don't think I would've had the courage to explore being nonbinary if it weren't for you. I mean, I probably would've gotten around to it eventually, but you made it feel so easy....and joyful." Tara and Darcy's relationship is also soooo nice. I love everyone's relationship

HAHAHAH Charlie's Dad looking on to Charlie encouragingly as he asks his mum about staying over. Dad's on board with the sex sleepover

Charlie has decided to ask for forgiveness instead, since permission didn't go that well

The janky projector teetering on a pile of pillows is taking me out, it's so true to life. Also, couple nominated for best jawlines. ALSO ALSO. Making a fanvideo of your loved one is V SWEET

"I'm just scared you won't get it." "But I'll try, I'll always try." THEY 💗

"But when you're not around, I um... I don't know. I guess I feel a bit lost." I'm sooooo glad Nick is finally asking for support 💟

We finally got an answer to who was going to have sex on screen! It was Nick and Charlie, which is reasonable, as they are the protagonists. Not that Tara and Darcy and Elle and Tao didn't, but it was a little less explicit as this time we saw clothes flying. I also like that they acknowledged sex isn't just penetration

I appreciate that Charlie kept his shirt on for sex. King of Knowing His Own Comfort Zones

"She was never very nice to me. She was controlling, and sometimes..." Charlie's Mum said: My parenting style is a product of generational trauma

"I would feel much less worried about you if you waited a few more weeks, just til your GSCE's are over. Can that be our compromise?" Charlie, wearing Nick's clothes after they just had sex: Sure!

"Girls and boys can just be friends." True, however, Imogen did try to get Nick to wear a Halloween couple's costume with her while Charlie was away. So. She's got some stuff going on

"I don't think I've ever liked a boy, actually." YEAHHHH IMOGEN DISCOVERING HER IDENTITY! It was comphet!

HAHAHAH I wonder what this pharmacist assumes about Nick, buying condoms and lube with three girls

"I just don't think I think tell you enough how important you are to me." I love Charlie being soppy with his pals

"What's this song even about, Sahar?" "That's personal." "I thought it was about Imogen." HAHAHAHA Tao

Nick upon learning there's one (1) gay rugby player at Leeds: I am applying to this university forthwith

"I'm afraid of being away from him. I don't know who I am without him." Oh, Nick

I looove Charlie looking at himself in the mirror and seeing the animations but not in a Dark Imaginings way. Body neutrality 💓

"I just figured we should have a conversation about, but now... I wish I hadn't sad anything." [Charlie, gently] "Do you want me to go and find her?" [Michael nods] Baby Brother, Relationship Rescuer

"I wish I was like you. You're... hopeful. You try." That is the moral of Charlie's story

I love that you can see Charlie growing more confident as he plays music for the crowd

I think the Michael and Tori dynamic and Isaac's face is suggesting it's a queerplatonic situation, which admittedly is a term I don't fully feel I understand, but good for them

They've really done well to work around Olivia Colman's absence thoroughout this season, but it is hilarious that Nick and Charlie have had so much alone time in his house

I love the return to the end of season cuddle:

[icetobes]

my favourite bits and things i noticed when watching heartstopper 🍂

9th time watching notes but most are my first reaction opinions too

this is from april 28 2022 in my notes app but i wanted to put it here because i keep going back to read all my notes i wanna hear other peoples notes ahh !! (it’s long i’m sorry)

EPISODE 1

- the first time they look at eachother, charlie sees nick is attractive.

- as much as i hate b*n h*pe, “you’re so cute” charlie’s smile after

- nick and charlie literally just saying “hi” to eachother everyday even tho they hardly know eachother or have never interacted

- the smiley face on charlie’s hand stays there until the next day

- tao buying elles drink because he forgets she’s not hanging out with them

- charlie staring at nick “golden

- retriever”

- just them in the bathroom while nick washed pen off him, charlie didn’t NEED to be there but he was

- “… and likes being with me” - charlie to tori when she asks what type of guy hed like

episode 1

> “i like being with you” - nick,

episode 6

- nick when he looks at charlie

- *asks about charlie playing the drums* “that’s so cool” he’s so ahh

- isaacs face or snicker when tao says something funny

- “ where is your can do attitude” “oh she left, long ago”

- rugby lads cheering when he catches the ball

- charlie getting along with most of the rugby lads eventually

- 1 2 3 squeeze

- tao and elle looking at everyone after school wondering where the other is

- nicks concern watching charlie go to the music block instead of leaving

- nick following just to check he was okay, he didn’t even know if something was actually up he just wanted to know he was okay

- “you say sorry a lot” “don’t”

- nick smiling at thank you x

EPISODE 2

- nick literally stalking charlie’s insta

- the way they both can’t decide what the fuck to text eachother

- nick making sure charlie is really okay

- “but i am your friend and i do care”

- charlie actually telling someone about everything

- nick upset for charlie and angry at ben for what he did

- “please don’t ever talk to him again” PROTECTIVE

- ❤️

- nicks smile at the ❤️ then the realisation of “fuck im smiling at this”

- elles teacher is so sweet

- “bisexual people exist” charlie you’ll never guess what

- art teachers and art classrooms being safety - relatable

- elle painting on her pencil case !! she’s just like me ahh

- “monster munch” DARCY MY BELOVED

- “chin length or above rule” thinks about taos hair

- “best gal pals”

- “you should come round my house and hang out with me meet her”

- charlie checking his hair

- “you look… it looks great” no he looks great ? right…

- nick “you’re just good at everything” babe you like him

- charlie wearing nicks jumper that’s definitely too big “that one looks fine”

- THE SNOW ALL OF THE SNOW SCENES AHHHH

- lying on the floor together

- nick taking pictures of them both

- them just talking

- nicks mum “you seem more yourself around him” and nick hiding an excited/happy face “do i?”

- nick wanting to hang out again

- tao watching the boys play rugby because charlie plays now

- “we’ve been hanging out non stop”

- “he’s been acting a little bit flirty sometimes” homies

- “nick likes a girl” literally where bitch ?

- tao protective bestie ily

- “her names tara jones” charlie i have something to tell you

- nick shouting charlie just to wave at him

- “i wanna believe in romance” me too isaac me too

- “straightest person i’ve ever seen” i don’t think elle has seen straight people before…

- the group hug

- darcy and tara giggling “do you have a boyfriend” “yes i have a girlfriend” “oh whoops”

- “what, what’s up” he just leans closer he wants to be a good friend ahhhhh

- THEYRE LESBIANS !

- hanging out at charlie’s whoooooo

- the drums. the way nick looks at charlie, the way charlie holds nicks hands, they’re sitting so close

- charlie fell asleep watching a film

- the way nick looks at him, the wanting to hold his hand

- the spark animations when their hands are close

- they both didn’t want nick to leave

- “you look so cuddly like that” THE HUG

- *leaves in bi panic”

- nick looking at insta again

- why am i like this

- he’s just looking at their pictures together

- “am i gay” it’s funny because i did the same. the feeling of probably knowing but wanting confirmation from literally anything

EPISODE 3

- the conversion therapy and homophobia pages, the “if this is me my life is gonna change so much”

- imogen my beloved idk why people hate you, you’re just living your life

- the hearts on her head are so cute

- they’re talking about girls, and he’s like “but charlie tho”

- “do you wanna go to harry’s party… with me” WITH HIM, go together

- “IM SCREAMING AJDBSJSBSISBF” me too

- isaac completely ignoring the messsges lmao

- “ive been looking for you”

- the way they just stand in the middle not moving

- “she loves you more than me” do all parents like their kids friends more than their own kids lmao

- “well it’s not old times anymore” she’s so cute

- “i don’t think he’s there to see harry to be honest” true

- tara coming out to nick is so special to me

- “he’s probably my best friend right now”

- “that’s homophobic harry”

- “and i really don’t like you” HAHAHAH L FOR HARRY

- taos bedroom is my favourite, the polaroids on the wall are so cute

- tao and elle holding hands ahh

- nick frantically searching for charlie mans is down bad

- charlie sticking up for himself to ben

- tao and elle deep chat :D

- imogen’s dancing is so cute

- i actually like her she just has a boy crush

- “i’m gonna go find my friend” nick lmao

- nick being proud at harrys party when he sees darcy and tara kissing , also having a moment of realisation that he wants that for himself

- the subtle pride flag overlay on tara and darcy

- he looks so relieved to find charlie

- “ben?” he’s so concerned

- “i’m so proud” HAND HOLDING

- theyre still holding hands

- “wanna race”

- running through the corridor feels romantic and i don’t know why

- “you just going to assume they’re a she” he’s so inclusive

- charlie’s realisation that nick may not be straight

- nicks questioning his identity rn, it’s crisis time

- S H O E S

- their fingers touching

- “would you kiss me”

- “yeah” fuck

- they both look so unsure but ready and i just can’t

- properly holding hands

- they just lean in again

- the flower animations are so cute

- nick panicking when harry calls for him

- bAnTuH i hate him

- nick going back for charlie and he’s not there

- charlie’s dad telling him it’s okay “i’ve got you” he’s the best

- he ran. in the rain. to talk in person

EPISODE 4

- idiot endearing

- nicks smile at charlie in his pyjamas

- charlie blurting out everything’s while nick stands there like “bitch”

- NICKS HURT FACE “i shouldn’t have kisses you”

- the way he holds his face and they kiss again

- they’re both confusing eachother

- “full on gay-crisis” same

- the hug. they just hug and they look safe

- charlie smiling at him

- he just cries

- secret

- the borrowing the umbrella

- charlie just runs out in his pyjamas

- “did i forget something” yeah a kiss

- nicks so happy

- imogen messing with his hair is so cute

- his hair sicking up on the side bro please fix it

- <imogen3

- they’re so happy looking at eachother they look like their hearts are about to explode

- tara and darcy kiss

- “there’s a boy in there waiting for you”

- hand holding under the table

- “you’re nothing like him”

- “a lot of gay people are good at sports charlie” comic teacher reference

- charlie really trying to tackle

- “maybe you’re a lesbian and you have no idea” protect these children

- “i’m not like homophobic, im an ally” she’s so funny

- “it’s not even like they’re dating” “unless they are “ isaac you’re so right

- nicks so nice he hangs around with the wrong people im sad

- “i won’t say anything about us” nick looks kinda sad

- charlie and elle

- darcy and charlie friendship

- she just guessed

- “nothing but my gay intuition”

- nick looking kinda sad about not telling people

- isaacs giggle in the background

- nick wanting to help and not looks suspicious

- he goes to check on him

- you got mud on your face, he’s so cute

- the pink tint and leaves

- isaac just knows

- he looks really confused ahh

EPISODE 5

- isaac flipping the board lmao

- tao and elle pillow fight

- i assumed he was coming anyway

- “you don’t have to” “no i am” about charlie’s present

- nick sticking up for them

- “you came” “of course i did”

- nick not questioning anything about elle

- the fact they all suck at bowling apart from nick and elle is my favourite

- they went to hug but didn’t

- nick won

- “you have strong rugby arms”

- “i thought you liked me arms”

- F L I R T I N G

- “tao, tao no it’s his birthday” she doesn’t want charlie upset ahh

- nick paying

- “i’ll ask so accept a can of coke, if your paying” the way he said it is so funny

- nick hearing the argument

- bi lighting

- “hes, hes, hes my… friend” nick looks so sad

- he wants to be out so bad but he doesn’t even know as what yet

- the. hug

- nick and tao talking is so awkward lmao

- tao and elle running to machines

- nick trying to get donut teddies

- “i didn’t know how to say no… and then her dog died” charlie why are you smiling

- “i wish i’d known then what i know now”

- the stickers and the photo ahh charlie’s smile

- “i really like you” “you like me” “wasn’t that obvious”

- WAWLT

- “i wanna kiss you so bad right now” “okay”

- this scene is just so incredibly cute

- tao and elle playing games together

- isaac on the coin machines is so relatable

- charlie and nick racing

- “you wanna get slushies” “god yes”

- the stars for elles realisation she really likes tao, the game noises too

- the talk with imogen

- “do you ever feel like you’re only doing things just because everyone else is”

- he is so special to me

- they’re besties now i decided that

- “you’re proper thick about girls sometimes” harry guess what he’s daring a boy

EPISODE 6

- “best lgbt movies”

- the fact he’s watched mamma mia 4 times this year already says something lmao

- the realisation from the film

- “girlfriends 🏳️‍🌈” they’re cute

- “i think i have a crush on tao” bestie tell him

- “i think you hurt his feelings” “good” lmao

- tara reading the mean comments is so sad

- tara and darcy just sitting together is my favourite

- “sit and gossip with your friends” bestie

- anti-homophobia cheese

- nick and charlie lying on the blanket together

- the subtle hand hold

- “it’s a good suggestion”

- nick sitting up looking like he’s about to cry

- charlie still not wanting to force nick to spend time with him

- NICK TELLING TARA ! HE LOOKS SO RELIEVED

- darcy actually scaring tara lmao

- nick waving at charlie he looks so proud of his bf

- “we’ve found another one” another queer lets goo

- “im waiting for your mum actually”

- D O U B L E D A T E

- milkshakes whooo

- “kissing you was one of the things that made me realise i don’t like kissing guys” “happy to help”

- it feels good to have told someone he wants to be public so badly

- “i didn’t realise you were in a committed relationship” tori

- s i p

- nick catching charlie staring

- “i told her we’re going out”

- TACKLE HUG

- “that’s amazing” “you’re amazing”

- “i wanted to tell them”

- the way nick rolls them over

- “i’ve never been on a date” “me neither… wanna go on one”

- happy charlie stims

- darcys bedroom is my favourite

- “we are such meddling gays”

- “you’re just here for the milkshakes then” i would too

- a second round

- bubble gum i’d definitely not a crime charlie

- chocolate is also good tho

- “we can share, we are on a date” he’s so cute

- “we should go on a date just us”

- charlie nervous rambling

- “we should”

- “what do you mean” darcy is so cute i can’t

- “sort of no boys allowed conversation”

- “we though it would be fun to go on a triple date”

- “you and charlie”

- “charlie im SO happy for you”

- isaac definitely guessed

- elle and tao sharing headphones

- “i really love you” “i love you too” they’re so cute

- charlie letting nick play the drums again ahh

- telling charlie about his bisexual research “i think that might be me”

- tHe DoOr… oopsie

- darcys stickers on her phone

- “talk to me” the way they can just talk to eachother

- “i just wanna live my life” “we can do that” THEM AND ALWAYS THEM

- “you seem gay enough to me”

- it’s like hide and seek

- homophobiaaaa

- something about how nick crashes through the door…

- HAND HOLDING

- “you know i can’t run l relatable

- “thanks boy i kissed one time” “no problem girl i kissed one time” besties

- nick looks so proud of charlie

- the hearts when elle looks at tao

EPISODE 7

- “older sister magic”

- tori just knew

- charlie telling tori ahhhh

- you know you know

- charlie’s dad is a hero he just is

- HUGS

- they look so safe together

- “you kind of are a gay nerd” “shut up rugby lad” flirting

- they look so sad when they see ben and harry

- c h a r

- “uh, wow that just slipped out”

- “it’s cute” “now im never calling you it again” teasing

- L they jumped

- H A N D H O L D I N G

- their pinkies locked

- “you’re a dork”

- interlocked h a n d h o l d i n g

- “nicks not even my type” HE LOOKED SO SAD

- he ran after himmmmmmmm

- “im used it it” NICK LOOKS SO SAD FOR HIM

- charlie’s dad to the rescue

- nick back to F I G H T

- nick defending his bf

- h o t

- “probably used to it by now”

- s l u r throws up

- BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF HIM

- GET HIMMM

- “he just used a really bad word”

- “charlie’s a really special friend isn’t he” SHE KNOWS

- “yeah he is” he really is

- not tired playing rn

- charlie ignoring his alarm

- “you clearly didn’t get hugged much as a child” im dead

- charlie is so concerned noo

- they both look so sad

- “you shouldn’t have to be” (used to it)

- he’s so angry about the boys bullying charlie

- “you’re not allowed to say the s word

- nicks head on charlie’s shoulder, my head in my hands

- any other way sobs

- charlie’s lunch… flashes of volume 3

- “is there something actually going on between nick and charlie” uh oh

- everyone but tao knows

- tao noooo

- charlie’s draft messsges break my heart

- the way tao stands on the stairs gets me every time

- nick looks so sad when charlie’s talking about how things are his fault

- the way they both instantly knew it would be tao

- the lads booing nick for breaking up the fight

EPISODE 8

- he tried to apologise

- man’s angry banging on the drums

- tori best big sister ever

- “both my fault by the way” charlie nooo

- charlie telling tori about ben

- “maybe i do just ruin peoples lives, and it would be better if i didn’t exist” CHARLIE BABY NO

- “you’re not ruining my life” they just sit and hug ahh

- nick wants to have lunch together

- he said nooo

- nick sitting with tao cause he thought charlie would be there

- tao and nick talks >>>>>>

- nicks concerned about charlie

- darcys “fake injury to get out of this” relatable

- surely nobody is actually this excited about sports daycinematic

- setup lmao

- charlie still avoiding nick my heart hurts

- “i haven’t signed up for an event” bestie same

- “there aren’t any sports day events on in the art block” that’s sad

- “don’t let anyone make you disappear”

- charlie switching bibs, running for him

- he apologised

- charlie winning lets go bestie

- he stuck up for himself

- charlie and tao besties again

- tara and darcys kiss

- go isaac !

- charlie holding isaacs book for him

- the butterflies for taos realisation he likes elle

- nicks face when he can’t find charlie

- charlie sitting with isaac besties

- when he sees charlie

- the flower animations

- walking to him

- HES RUNNING

- go get him

- HAND HOLDING

- IN

- PUBLIC

- imogen’s smile

- isaac isn’t phased lmao

- “i don’t wanna break up”

- “my life is way better because i met you”

- “kindest, most thoughtful, caring and amazing in the whole world”

- “i want us to be together”

- “you’re my favourite person”

- “i need you to believe me”

- “i believe you”

- K I S S

- they’re so cute

- they’re on their date

- ALICE CAMEO

- he’s so happy they’re at the beach

- hands on the face when they kiss is my favourite

- THE PHOTOBOOTH

- he teases throwing him off

- “what if i came out” baby

- “im definitely bisexual” bi king ily

- platonic bffs lmao

- “i wanna tell the people who matter”

- “oh my god i like you so much, and i love liking you”

- “I LIKE CHARLIE SPRING INAROMANTICWAYNOTJUSTAFRIENDWAY”

- they’re literally perfect

- his shoes are wet wtf

- he carried him all the way back

- charlie lying on nicks chest is so cute

- he’s home

- thinks about telling her

- he’s ahhhh

- “you know charlie’s my best friend”

- “he’s my boyfriend, charlie’s my boyfriend” he said it

- his mums reaction is my favourite

- she’s so sweet

- “it’s called bisexuality” sir

- he’s crying

- THE MONTAGE KILLS ME

- THEYRE ADORABLE

- CRYING

- SOBBING

- FAVES

- WHEN IS IT MY TURN TO BE HAPPY

- “we’re gonna tell people”

- HAPPINESS

- they deserve all the happiness ever and nothing bad

EXTRAS / THROUGHOUT

- nick wearing his blue jumper more when he sees charlie after charlie wears it at his house

- [gay panic]

- taos insults are the best

- nellie always lying on nicks bed with him

- the way nick sits with his arms crossed

- darcys rainbow tie dye jumper is EVERYTHING

[sundaynightlive]

My Live Heartstopper 2 Reactions

Right so this is an EXTREMELY long post and I know nobody cares but it helped me get all my emotions out in a healthy way instead of punching walls so that’s a plus 👍🏻. MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS, so be warned, aight? Some of my reactions are genuinely funny—wish I had filmed myself because oh boy.

(TW: Eating disorders and homophobia. Also: Chaos, spoilers, and unhealthy fangirling).

Episode 1

Oh my god I’m literally more nervous for this than I was for my tattoo I’m gonna cry

HI ❤️

Charlie you better eat that cereal why are you just holding it.

The soundtrack is already banging holy balls.

THIS SCENE IS SO CUTE OH MY GOSH.

AGGRESSIVE KISSING OH MY GOD THAT WAS CRAZY THE PASSION I—

They’re so happy. I’m so happy they’re happy. And the smile every time they greet each other. And they’re BESTIES which is SO REAL.

THE UPSIDE-DOWN KISS SHOT WAS MAGICAL—

Ooh I missed the little sparkles of Heartstopper

Need this tattooed on my body fr.

Elle is gorgeous. Elle is gorgeous. Elle is gorgeous and I love her. She’s gorgeous. Oh my gosh my sapphic heart wants her so bad.

That was weird. Oop—that product placement is as a tiny bit goofy? Was the product placement? I’ve only read one book.

No she fancies Ben—I already can see it coming. No NO NO NO NO IMOGEN NO.

Oh I can feel the stress. I have to look up what this test is I guess because I can FEEL the stress—NEVERMIND I KNOW WHAT THE STRESS IS—

This is an incredible scene. Oh my FUCKING god.

This teacher is really doing the most for no reason.

I NEED YOU.

Of course Harry’s out here saying some slightly misogynistic shit out the gate.

Elle and Tao will be magical together I already know.

YES OH MY GOD THEY GET DOODLES TOO?????? YESSSSSSS.

Bro is this product placement or is it in the comics. It must be in the comics and I just don’t know about it lmao. Because otherwise this product placement is WILD.

UH OH NO UH OH STOP PLEASE I CAN’T—alright it’s fine. Everything’s fine. Deep breaths. Whew all good.

As a partially-closeted gay person that was a lot for me.

I love Tori and her actress so much (is actress still a real term??? I feel like it’s not).

This is cute huh.

I love Imogen. I love Imogen. She’s so cute.

SHE’S AN ALLY IM PISSING—

God Elle is gorgeous in every scene.

Tao’s hair isn’t even bad idk what everybody was saying in the first season it’s goofy but it’s not the worst haircut in the world.

THAT WAS SO INTENSE. THEY HAVE CRAZY CHEMISTRY WHAT????!?????

Isaac always reading is such a vibe he just likes to be in the room with everyone and it’s so me.

You got this Nick. I love you and I believe in you.

Woah Tao. Simmer down babe.

YOU GOT THIS! YOU GOT IT! They are so supportive it’s so wonderful this is so sweet fuck me.

THAT WAS SO GOOD.

“I’m sorry I don’t actually know how to react,” IS A PERFECT REACTION FUCK.

Oh balls I KNEW IT.

They’re girls together. I love watching girlhood between queer people. This show is everything.

Hands ✨

I wish I had this many friends.

HI LEAVES HOW ARE YOU—AHHHHHHHH KISSES YES. This is kind of a lot for being in front of everyone.

Darcy is so real.

Not the hanky panky.

BRING ON THE BROTHER. This is the bullshit fuckery im excited for I want nick to DESTROY HIS HOMOPHOBIC BROTHER. Verbally, of course.

Episode 2

Why is everyone struggling? I kind of hate this trope so much my grades did not slip when I got in a secret homosexual relationship I was literally valedictorian I promise it’s not that distracting.

Bros being so mean wtf.

Woah I have never seen Charlie looking so much like Joe.

Mum’s sassy woah.

DAVID. BRING ON THE BROTHER. FIST FIIIIIIIGHT.

Sorry I’m just excited.

Kit Connor is so pretty.

I FORGOT CHARLIE’S A DRUMMER THAT’S SO RANDOM AND COOL.

Not the WHAT with the blank expression.

Wait that is so cute #meandmygf when both our parents are psycho conservatives #starcrossedlovers

❤️

Ben and Imogen is such a fucking no I feel sick. I am literally sick.

I know all these extras are so freaking excited to be here—I love them all.

Who tf says ‘eve’ in a text?

Ben’s weird ass look lmao.

This is goofy and I love it. Fuck off Ben stop with that state.

Dude Mr. Farouk needs to chill so hard.

SHUT THE FUCK UP BEN. GET HIM NICK. SICK EM. EAT SHIT.

Broooo why would you put them in a room together are you frickin serious?????

NICK YOU ARE NOTHING LIKE HIM I hate Ben so much I what a perfect perfect perfect gray-area villain

David what are you even talking about rn.

God they are good together are you kidding? They casted so perfectly I’ve never been more in love with a couple in my life. They are phenomenal actors because idk how they could be like this and not be in love.

The SOUNDTRACK ARE YOU KIDDING

“I think Nellie loves him” NO YOU

The queer extras are my favorite in the whole world.

NON-BINARY PERSON oh my god hi me too

God she’s perfect here. To be fair she’s just generally perfect. THE THREE OF THEM ARE PERFECT.

What a lovely conversation for this show to have, so simple and so chill and so real.

Oh Tao. I love you I wish I could give you a hug, poor dude.

If Ben fucks up Nick’s math exam istg—

Oh Imogen—I’m so sorry sweetheart.

Oh shit fuck this feels like such unnecessary stress I hate hate hate hate hate this—NO BRO RAISE YOUR HAND AND TELL HER—

Bro if he’s in trouble I’m gonna lose it I will literally be so sad.

Elle is stunning.

Elle he likes you oh my god ELLE HE LIKES YOU.

Gosh she’s tall too I love tall women.

Bro what marvel movie were they watching ????? Hello ????? Also—David is still here isn’t he?

NELLIE IS PERFECT.

No no no no no no no no no bro I’m gonna be physically ill.

PUNCH THAT MF IN THE FACE holy FUCK.

Oh my god this is so sad, but also definitely the conflict I’m here for and not this schoolwork shit. I hate schoolwork conflicts.

It’s not your fault Charlie I’m so sorry.

God Mom he needs you right now are you serious?????

We all know damn well you did not eat at Nick’s.

To be so fair this is exactly what happened to me and my gf when we started telling people it just became a mess.

Oh god the voice memo was perfect Nick. That was such a perfect way to get your sincerity across. Wow I LOVE that.

CUT YOUR HAIR OUT OF JEALOUSY TAO !!!

That’s half a joke.

But I would do it (I’m crazy and petty).

Cantonese is very soft or maybe it was just the way she said it but my ears liked it.

I deadass thought she was gonna be right behind him lmao.

Episode 3

IKEA??????? Boy.

Aw nice boys. Thank you.

The way Otis just looked back like bro are you serious—

Damn it he almost had it shit.

Charlie and Joe are ebbing and flowing and I love that he’s like 15-dimensional it’s so nice and natural I love Joe he is so talented.

YAY SHE IS SO NICE ARE YOU SERIOUS???? SHE HAS A WIFE. My girlfriend did women’s rugby gayest sport in the world. I literally just jumped up and down this show is so good fuck.

HER LITTLE GIGGLE SDFGHJKL

Tao not on the school computer wtf.

I’m like actually stressed about Charlie’s paper and Nick’s math I remember being stressed and fucked up by these things and I do not like the coursework issues as pieces of plot it really gets me—not to say it’s the show’s fault. I think that’s just because school killed me.

Oh Tara and Darcy.

I am in fear. I am currently in very much fear.

Ben looks like such an ass fr.

DARCY’S SARCASM IM PISSING—

HE IS SO SWEET ABSOLUTELY SO SWEET. HOLY PISS AND SHIT THIS IS PERFECT. AND HIS HAAAAAAIR. OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING.

THAT WAS ADORABLE.

They are very good together.

The 1975???? Slay?????

I LOVE TORI. IM PISSING.

“Look after him. Or you die.”

The most unrealistic thing about this show is that people don’t know they’re together when they’re always standing so fucking close together and glancing at each others’ mouths.

Now why is that popcorn so big.

Bro Elle looks perfect all the time I would also be awkwardly silent next to her.

Oh Tara.

Joe and Nick look SO GOOD in these outfits.

Elle definitely put her hand there on purpose so he’d grab it.

BRO WHAT IS GOING ON THIS IS PAINFUL.

I take it back Nick should’ve been wearing different pants.

Oh no this is literally my nightmare.

Bro Harry putting his arm around Nick like nothing’s wrong and the panic that must be flooding through Nick’s veins is so FUCKING REAL I have been in situations so similar to this and if he comes out now I will never forgive Alice because this is a horrific time for this.

I am uncomfortable with the energy we have created in the studio today.

Oh Tao I love you I’m so sorry. God he is so me. God what a nice hug. I feel so bad for him. Holy fuck.

And CHARLIE god this is my nightmare.

Oh Nick too.

EVERYONE IS SAD AND I AM SAD.

Oh baby oh my god.

Charlie is a literal angel AND SO IS NICK’S MOM.

YOU DON’T OWE THEM ANYTHING. THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL FUCKING MESSAGE.

Oh Charlie my heart aches for you.

Episode 4

Charlie why wouldn’t you sit next to each other???? Charlie???? What is this madness?????

Tao’s hair is slaying.

Mr. Farouk is crazy.

Paris is gonna fix everything I see.

Okay Nick and Tao getting together makes my heart absolutely so full.

NICK’S DAD IS FRENCH??????? Bro I need to read these don’t I?

Aw Mr. Farouk’s little smile.

Darcy is fantastic at changing the subject I wish I had the skill.

Bro Ben’s whole role this season is glaring I’m pissing myself giggling about it.

Bro read the ROOM of COURSE they wanted to share.

Um why is their room so tiny????

Even their hands look perfect together god DAMN.

WAIT Tao that was so fucking sweet.

NO THIS IS THE HICKEY SCENE. THIS IS THE HICKEY SCENE. OH MY GOD IS THIS THE HICKEY SCENE?

Incredible like delivery Kizzy FUCK I loved that.

Also it was not the hickey scene.

Ben looks so unenthused with Imogen at all times and I’m pissed about it.

Jesus that was rude Ben. Fuck you.

This is so weird but I wanna know what order they shot these scenes in bc the whole bus scene Farouk kept being all smiley towards Ajayi but now he’s like super unimpressed with him and it’s not tracking but honestly that’s kind of sweet and almost like foreshadowing I love it.

Tao. Looks. So. Good.

ELLE’S BOOTS ARE FIRE ARE YOU SERIOUS?????

Charlie just grab his hand there’s literally no one around.

NICK BEING FLUENT IN FRENCH IS SO GOOD AND IMPRESSIVE DOES CHARLIE KNOW?????

Also Kit Connor speaking French is just ahhhhhh

TARA’S A DANCER??? ME TOO. ME TOO ME TOO ME TOO.

Darcy is so my girlfriend. Don’t worry Tara she’ll come around I promise. My girlfriend didn’t say I love you back to me for months babe. It’s just hard for some people.

Charlie…

God Paris is beautiful.

Straight people are so goofy thinking relationships mean you stop being friends.

BRO THIS SONG GOES CRAZY????

Okay the yelling was so funny.

They’re perfect together for real.

The BUTTERFLIES???? THE BUTTERFLIES????

I actually love Imogen so much. Ben needs to get his greasy hands off her fr.

Darcy’s non-binary shirt is everything. Thank you Heartstopper, thank you Kizzy.

WHY IS CHARLIE BY BEN???? WHO ALLOWED THIS?????

NO. NO NO NO. NO.

Okay. Deadass, I wish I had recorded myself—The whole conversation just went down, and I sat there with my hand shaking around my face, and when HARRY went “There’s no reason to call her a bitch” I fucking LOST MY MIND because you know it’s bad when HARRY SAYS SOMETHING OBJECTIVELY CORRECT. I deadass SCREAMED.

Oh Imogen so wrong but also so cute about it anyway.

Tao and Nick talking makes my heart so happy I want them to be besties.

This is so sweet. Fuck.

Is Nick’s dad a factor here? Because I’m stressed.

I love when my gf hugs me like that.

“Giant Rugby idiot”

Wait this is wild oh my god?????

Real talk—when my gf gets that close to me and is kissing my neck I do not silently stare at the ceiling but I get it we’re innocent and sweet in this house.

Bro the hickey reveal is SO GOOD.

Episode 5

Oh his dad is ghosting him fuck.

Soundtrack going off again

Also unrealistic—giving a hickey without knowing how? You have to suck SO HARD bro—

I’m fully laughing my ass off.

TAO’S EYES I—

I just screamed “OH MY GOD THIS SHOT IS INCREDIBLE THIS IS ART” at the top of my lungs and the neighbors definitely heard but BLURRY BEN SITTING IN BETWEEN MATCHING NICK AND CHARLIE WHEN HE LEARNS ABOUT THE HICKY???? 10/10 cinema. Give it an Oscar right now.

That’s the biggest croissant I have ever seen.

BEN BLURRY IN THE BACKGROUND OF THESE SHOTS IS JUST SO—

Joe Locke is gorgeous I can’t. He’s like literally a sculpture.

SHUT UP HARRY.

Oh my fucking god.

“I don’t give a rats ass rudeboy, grow up” is the single greatest like in all of Heartstopper and I will tattoo it on my body.

What is Nick’s outfit? Why do they keep giving him ridiculous pants?

Tao and Elle are a fucking gorgeous couple.

GO OFF ISAAC. GO OFF.

Kizzy and Corinna are just ah just god just I want them both just AH.

THAT FRAME OF BEN AND NICK IS FUNNIER THAN THE ONE THAT WENT VIRAL.

I hate Ben. I am going to cry.

I’m scared Charlie’s going to pass out. Imagine he just falls off the tower lmao what a twist one of them literally dies 😭😭

HARRY! HARRY! HARRY! Good job Isaac.

Okay he JUST called are you serious?

Tao’s fits are fucking fire bro.

SO ARE YOU CHARLIE. SO ARE YOU.

Doing a friend lock instead of a boyfriend one is so real.

I’m really freaked about the end of the season. I feel like I know the storm that’s coming and I don’t know if I can take it.

Nick being able to talk to anyone about everything is the best trope of this entire show. He is truly a saint (Santa Claus type beat lmfao)

No Charlie eat please. I’m begging you. You deserve love and food. I love him. I love this show.

Kizzy is so handsome.

Things are falling apart. I am falling apart. This is bad. This is real bad.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO ENJOY ELLE AND TAO WHEN I KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE???????

Yeah okay I’m enjoying it I LOVE THEM!!!!

THE BUTTERFLIES.

Beautiful artist couple.

I wanna understand. He wants. To. Understand. MY PARENTS DIDN’T EVEN— AHHHAGDJAHANDHEJAB he’s a saint.

Nick is about to make me uncontrollably sob.

He was so close to I love you fr.

I hate Nick’s outfit so much.

Charlie finding out he speaks French has me KICKING MY FUCKING FEET AND GIGGLING.

Gets in trouble, “Run!” *runs towards the person getting them in trouble*

They look so genuinely perfect together it’s insane. The casting for this shit is fucking crazy.

Goated soundtrack.

Why does Nick have to be dressed like this though like I get it but I completely do not get it.

I’m uncomfy.

Oh god. He doesn’t know me. This is getting way, WAY to real now.

I just belly laughed at Tao sheepishly shuffling out of the bathroom and going, “I have something to share.”

Okay this is adorable I wish I had friends in high school (or ever)

WAIT OH MY GOD—I was upset they got busted by I AM NOT EVEN REMOTELY UPSET ANYMORE.

This is fucking perfect.

This show does not fail to save me. It saved me with the first season and it’s saving me a second time now.

Isaac in the bookstore is so me.

Oh yes YES YES YES!

The pride street. I’m fucking sobbing.

The hand shot?!?!? THE HAND SHOT?!?!

I really need Tara and Darcy to talk.

Oh no this is not what I want I really do not want this I really don’t like that there is alc here in this situation.

Ben is here??? What???

Everyone and their brother has a crush on Charlie and like I totally get it but also he is so OBLIVIOUS.

LUCY DACUS???? FUUUUUUUUUUCK.

Also the ace/aro representation is so good I fuckin love you Isaac.

“No.”

Okay let me be so real, Harry is an ass but Ben assaulted Charlie and he gets to be here???? Like not that I want Harry to be around either but????? Like?????

WHO INVITED BEN?!?!?

TAO’S SCARY ASS CRAWL I CAN’T—

YES. YES NICK. FUCK IM CRASHING.

Darcy why tho.

They are such good actors it’s so hard to remember they aren’t actually in love.

Not to be delulu but they are so Merlin/Arthur core.

I thought they were about to have an “oh shit I’m about to get turned on” moment but it didn’t go that way.

ONE BED TROPE. YASSSSSS. YASSSS. GAY TEACHERS. YASSSS.

WHAT IS THAT MELODYYYY??????

They sleep like me and my gf do, always switching positions. Got that’s so real. I’m fucking obsessed.

Peach comforter cute as hell.

Good song. Heard it on the soundtrack before.

Holy BALLS JOE LOCKE IS BEAUTIFUL.

YES ELLE! YES ELLE!

TAO PICKING UP HIS MOTHER SUPREMACY

“My summer is for sleeping.” Tori is me.

Ben. Actually piss off. There will be no accidental adultery in this show. I’m manifesting.

Oh Darcy. The purple clouds are amazing detail but Oh Darcy.

Tell him. Tell him. Tell him.

Tell him.

Tell him.

You promised. Tell him.

CONAN GRAY? IN MY CITY?

PHYSICALLY GASPED AT ELLE.

Yes. Yes Isaac yes. Fuck. I love you Isaac. YOU ARE FREE FROM EVERYONE ELSE’S PICTURE OF LIFE. YOU’RE AMAZING. FUCK.

MORE CONAN?

Yes Tao. He’s fucking supportive. I can see it in his face.

THE PAINTING???? THE ART ROOM?????

TAO THAt IS SO FUCKING MATURE.

My parents will never accept me either but I’m not a goddamn predator asshole.

This is fucking RAW. Oh my GOD. God, Charlie that was fucking powerful and perfect. Me too. I feel it. I felt you. AND HE STEPPED AWAY FROM THE RAINBOW HE COULD HAVE GONE IN AND SEEN.

FUCK.

Fuck you David. I already know you’re about to do some DUMB SHIT.

Bro did they not warn Charlie’s parents?????

GO OFF TORI.

Oh my god GO OFF NICK???? GO OFF???? HOLY FUCK????

He’s not a very good dad, is he?

I like Nick’s pink shirt.

I love Tori so fucking much. Oh my GOD.

Your brother’s a prick.

Oh Nick. Oh NICK. Oh Nick.

Darcy, baby. Fuck.

(Good ass soundtrack tho)

Episode 8

I’m so stressed about Charlie. Please no storm.

Okay this time the soundtrack jumped in a little too strong????

SWITCH! SWITCH!

NICK’S OUTFIT IS FIRE (it’s just the jumper but still)

ALLY! ALLY! (Except they’re both gay lmfao)

WINGWOMAN! That’s the word.

Tell him. Tell him. Tell him.

Fuck. I’m gonna sob.

YES THEY’RE CONNECTING.

Me neither.

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK.

Noooo Charlie nooooo it’s not gonna be like that. Charlie I’m so sorry. Fuck fuck fuck.

FOLKLORE POSTER??? YES??

GOD ELLE IS GORGEOUS. AND I LOVE HER PARENTS.

CHARLIE LOOKS FANTASTIC WTFFFFFFF.

Isaac with the book I love it.

God Seven’s gonna play about Darcy. Seven’s gonna fucking play about Darcy.

MLM WLW SOLIDARITY

YASSSS GET IT QUEEN!!!!

I FUCKING LOVE TAO’S LITTLE HEARTS?????

AND ELLE HAS THEM OHHHHH MY GOD.

lmao Tori.

Harry 🫠🫠🫠🫠

YES GAY TEACHERS.

Imogen is literally gay lmfao.

YAS ISAAC GOT LEAVES FUCK YES FUCK YES I’m sobbing I love queer joy I’m gonna fall apart

The way VERY OBVIOUSLY QUEER extras are the ones gossiping and stressing Charlie out 😭😭😭

No. No. No.

Fuck that woman so hard oh my god.

TINY NICK.

Me too Darcy. I love you. THEY ARE PERFECT. THEY ARE PERFECT. They are me 😭😭 this is so personal to me.

SEVEN! SEVEN! SEVEN! ITS SO SAPPHIC! ITS SO THEM!

These people have got to know they are making something so FUCKING special for queer people. This is my next tattoo for sure.

Queer joy.

THEY LOOK MARRIED!!! THEY LOOK MARRIED!!!!?

THIS IS SO DOMESTIC.

Please talk to him.

Do not fight right now I swear to god.

You don’t have to be perfect with me.

Oh Charlie oh my god. Nick’s fuckiNG TEARS—I just.

This scene. Is. Perfect. Fuck.

THE WHISPERING. THE FUCKING WHISPERING. THE BROKEN ASS WHISPERING.

FOREHEAD KISSES????? IN THIS ECONOMY??????

That blue looks GOOD on him.

The storm was a light rain that spilled the rivers over, but it was fun to walk in and the mud made nice pies, and everything was alright, because they made them together.

this SONG????????

BANGING MY HEAD AGAINSST A WALL.

In conclusion, I will be getting a heartstopper tattoo at my nearest convenience. I’ll be sure to post it.

Also, here’s a cookie for lasting this long 🍪

[purpleplaid17]

Jess Watches // Tues 19 Mar // Day 174 Synopses & Favourite Scenes & Poll

Call the Midwife 7x02

As Lucille settles into her duties, she faces prejudice from a patient's mother, while Sister Winifred opens her mothercraft classes up to fathers, and the Turners meet their new au pair.

In January my friend gave birth in her car just outside the maternity ward. Literally just outside the building. They rang multiple times but couldn't get through, so she had to birth her without medical help. How is maternity care better in '62 than in 2024? Get the Tories out before the NHS crumbles.

Loudermilk (with mum) 1x05 There's a New Kid in Town

A new member (Tom) joins the group who isn't all he appears to be. Cutter takes Tom under his wing to make sure his charge stays clean and sober, no matter what it takes. Loudermilk and Allison butt heads over her taste in music.

My sister is definitely like Allison with a shit taste in music lol. I would never steal her records though. They could be recycled as coasters or something. :p Also, how does Cutter's behaviour not raise red flags when it comes to being a sponsor?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (rw) 3x14 Bad Girls

Faith convinces Buffy to live on the wild side, with fatal consequences.

Want (carnally)

Take (carnally)

Have (carnally)

Chicken Nugget Ep 2

Sun-man and Baek-joong try to track down the man who delivered the machine. They soon learn about a scientist who may know about the machine's origins.

The story he told the cop about imagining his daughter was an energy drink and that twisting the bottle open was akin to snapping her neck. That's fucked up, dude. But the scene where a little girl took a bite of a chicken nugget had me rolling. They were so distraught and everyone around them was so confused lmaooo.

Amphibia 1x02 Cane Crazy/ Flood, Sweat and Tears

When Anne breaks Hop Pop's favorite cane, she and her friends set out to replace it. When Anne's bedroom floods, she and Sprig must bunk together.

Anne being adopted by the Plantar family. The sibling energy was too real with the line between love and hate at times being very thin lol. But ultimately realizing they are stronger together. <3

[andthebubbles]

heartstopper 2x05-08 (yeah i decided to finish watching it tonight)

heartstopper 2x05

uhhh so nick and charlie just ran off from the louvre without telling the teachers? hahahahahaaha

darcy!!! grrrrr

as much as i don't care for tao and elle's storyline, it was nice when they finally (? i can't remember if they kissed before this) fucking kissed

ben continues to be annoying

not much to say, really

onwarddddd

heartstopper 2x06

sooo the teacher thing is kinda awkward bc like... just... offering to share a single bed like sorta outta nowhere? skjfngkfjg okay well whatever

yay nick finally said it/came out

darcyyyy <3

why the hell was ben at the party and why was he let in when harry wasn't, i thought everyone hated him, and it's not like he seemed to have any friends at the party anyway, he was just standing around and then he made a fuss in the truth or dare game

truth or dare btw when it involves peer pressure like that sucks

i like tao and elle a lot better now that they're together. they're really cute. esp when they kicked charlie out of the toilet even though he needed to pee lol

i know i said the teacher thing was a bit weird but i meant, more like how it seems to be beginning... you'd think two adults who work together would do it a bit more carefully in case it goes pear-shaped?? also i kinda like mr farouk when he hasn't got a stick up his arse lol, and ajayi is fine ofc

aaah nearly forgot to mention: nick's dad is a fucking dickkkk. absent fathers make me so mad

kinda feeling for isaac here. i also don't like kissing people, it's gross, and people put suchhh importance on kissing... is it meant to feel good or...? all it is is just saliva-ey and wet and gross and sometimes you can even smell the saliva which is ew

heartstopper 2x07

okay before i forget to say it, omg why didn't charlie block ben ages ago on insta

i had already seen charlie's speech to ben on tumblr a few days ago so it didn't get me as pumped (it was very good though) but

NICK'S speech at the dinner table SKSJDNFKNGKFJGN THAT got me pumped (for two broad reasons: 1. yeah why care/who gives a fuck when your dad doesn't give a fuck about you, 2. re your dad seeing you twice a year or some shit like that... so i have an aunt who lives in one country, and her husband lives in the neighbouring country, and they probably only see each other like twice a year, and they're not divorced, and like, what the FUCK are you guys doing; my mum told me she used to (or still does) get really sad about it, so, you know, that thing with nick and his dad really hit hard, even though it's not affecting me personally; i'm just so mad at that dickhead uncle)

also i love tori so much, i so wanted her to stab her fork straight down on david's arm instead of just using her fingers. and then i wanted her to play some major prank on david when she was in the bathroom, like how matilda changed her dad's ... hair product thing into bleach

darcy aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah (yeah my mum makes a fuss if i wanna wear a suit too :( ) (she looks gorgeous in a suit btw)

isaac is really going through it huh... like, the bit at the mall/shopping area

(btw so... the UK has sixth form-specific schools? heccc)

heartstopper 2x08

that last scene with nick and charlie!! jdkjgnfkjgkjk

and tara and darcy!!! i felt sorry for tara when she was at the prom but then you also know that darcy's going through some serious shit and... yeah. her home life is awful!! where did she go that night after the prom? i hope tara's parents let her stay over foreverrrr

is tori aroace as well? if we is... could we just have an ace person in s3 if there's an s3...

i detecttt imogen/sahar lol

[lavendershazy]

You don't even have to watch RWRB!! (I mean, still recommended, but for this purpose specifically lol. It can drive the point home indeed tho too.)

In the Heartstopper show itself, you can watching Charlie monologue about his own bullying, and how he wants Nick to have the chance to not only find his own identity and comfort in it, but to come out to people on his own terms, even if that sidelines that they both want to scream how much they love being together from every rooftop they can find! He specifically checks in on Nick purposefully to make sure he's not feeling pressured to come out to people like his family or the rugby bros because of those people's behavior.

We get a queer elder (bitchin' rugby lesbian queen) telling him he doesn't owe it to people to tell them, along with his mum, too - and we see his mum, Charlie, and Tori, along with the friend groups, willing to be a support system in action as he picks and chooses which situations he does in fact come out in. We see, in action, at least one family in which it would not be safe for the queer member to be out - through Darcy's mum, including the ominous animations on the house, not to get too deep into her unsettling talk with Tara - and Ben's description of his life, though we don't see his family members, and obviously we aren't primed to sympathize too much with him because of his own actions.

We observe - and maybe have forgotten? - that, for all the attempted protection of not actually being out at first, Nick quickly discovered that just being near Charlie, being friendly to him, welcoming his presence, earns him a spot among the bullied, even from people who are otherwise cheering for him as their rugby king. He had just barely started having his sexuality crisis and he had people bombarding him with hate about himself, his friend, and other people important to him in different ways, some of them trying to pretend it was okay if they acted like it was all 'jokes' (which, no, is not how bigotry works).

Heartstopper has a few heavier, drawn-out coming out scenes, some more casual coming out scenes, and some figuring out scenes, spread across the seasons and characters. In these scenes, as well as in a good number (really, all, but many include dialogue as well physical confirmation) of the kissing and physical affection scenes, consent is distinctly emphasized. (Season One included, before the aforementioned shitshow of violated consent in Kit Connor's case.)

And IDK, I'm not too big on fandom gatekeeping or whatever the kids are calling it these days, but if you can watch a show and read a series about love and care and friendship and self-discovery and consent and come away from that convinced that someone involved in the show who hasn't explicitly publicly stated their sexuality absolutely has to do that because you want them to be explicitly out......go to a doctor for your main character syndrome, idk, that's a you problem.

Once again I’d like to just reiterate this: Kit Connor didn’t deserve what those fans did to him. He did not owe you his coming out, as you didn’t know him. Actually, he doesn’t owe anyone that information. Idk how many ppl are watching red white and Royal blue and know what they did to Kit Connor, and still not getting it.

[imagitory]

D-Views: The Princess and the Frog (with guest input!)

Hi everybody! Welcome to another installment of D-Views, my on-going written review series focused around the works of the Walt Disney Company, as well as occasionally films made by other studios that were influenced by Disney’s works! For reviews for Disney films like Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, and Treasure Planet or non-Disney films like Anastasia, The Nutcracker Prince, or The Prince of Egypt, please consult my “Disney reviews” tag!

I’m super excited about today’s subject -- not only is its heroine my favorite Disney princess, but I also won’t be watching the movie alone! My darling mum, who has in the past helped me review Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, has graciously agreed to co-review this with me! We hope that you will join us on this magical adventure through the Louisiana bayou as we review...The Princess and the Frog!

In the early 2000′s, the Walt Disney Company -- especially its animation department -- was in trouble. Of all of the films done in the so-called “Experimental Era,” the only animated film that had made Disney a real profit was 2002′s Lilo and Stitch. The others, even if they did manage to receive favorable reviews, were all financial disappointments. The Emperor’s New Groove was fourth at the box office opening weekend behind movies like What Women Want and How the Grinch Stole Christmas and only grossed about 169 million dollars in theaters worldwide after costing 100 million to make. Brother Bear even now boasts a rather sad 37% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. And even if Atlantis: The Lost Empire hadn’t received such lukewarm reviews and been accused of plagiarizing several other movies (most notably Nadia: The Secret of the Blue Water, Stargate, and, as I’ve discussed previously, Castle in the Sky), it wouldn’t have changed the fact that it was released the same year as Dreamworks’ green monster hit Shrek. But no Experimental Era film did as badly as the last one -- Home on the Range -- which after its release in 2004 was so badly received both by critics and at the box office that it prompted Disney to write down the production costs and announce the closing of its 2D animation department for good.

But it didn’t close for good. In 2006, the new president and chief creative officer of the company, Ed Cadmill and John Lasseter, reversed the decision. The 2D animation department had one last chance to turn their dark destiny around, and in 2009, as Disney did after World War II with Cinderella and in the late 80′s with The Little Mermaid, it pinned its hopes on a beautiful, goodhearted princess.

The Princess and the Frog in some ways was Disney’s attempt to return to their Disney Renaissance roots. Its directors -- John Musker and Ron Clements -- had previously directed The Little Mermaid and Aladdin among others. The reinvented fairy tale story features magic, a theatrical villain, a prince, animal sidekicks, romance, and Broadway-musical-style songs. Even the advertising highlighted how much it wanted to remind millennial audiences of the films they grew up with, putting a spotlight on the music and beautiful hand-drawn animation, rather than the “adult,” meta humor that Dreamworks had used to advertise its films and Disney later used to advertise its next Disney princess movie, Tangled. Some production details leaked to the public, such as the title of “The Frog Princess,” the main character’s original name, and her profession as a chambermaid, also were edited upon receiving backlash, and still others (such as the use of voodoo in the plot and our black princess’s prince not being black) were just left as is. Despite all of the negative press that swirled around the project, there was also a lot of promise that Disney fans noted too, such as Dreamgirls supporting actress Anika Noni Rose being cast as Tiana, Pixar composer Randy Newman being chosen to write the film’s score and songs, and Oprah Winfrey being brought on both as a technical consultant and the voice of Tiana’s mother Eudora.

The marketing decision to focus more on nostalgic millennial adults rather than the new Generation Z is what I feel largely contributed to The Princess and the Frog not being the blockbuster Disney was hoping for. As much as I wholeheartedly believe that animation is not and has never been a children’s medium, the attitude that lingered around the public consciousness in the late 2000′s and sadly even today is that animation -- most importantly, 2D animation -- is for kids, and without the kids being just as excited to watch the film as their nostalgic parents, uncles, aunts, and older siblings, The Princess and the Frog was fighting an uphill battle, even if it was produced by a marketing monster like Disney. Even though the movie was handicapped by this bad marketing choice, however, I would still argue that The Princess and the Frog was a success. Even with that bad marketing choice, the racism-themed controversies that had swirled around its production, and the release of James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar a week later weighing it down, Tiana costumes were selling out everywhere prior to Halloween that year. The movie still was #1 at the box office opening weekend, an honor not held by a Disney animated movie since Lilo and Stitch. It still made $104.4 million and was the fifth highest grossing film that year. It still earned pretty favorable reviews, earning an 85% at Rotten Tomatoes.

Sadly, because The Princess and the Frog wasn’t the big blockbuster that The Little Mermaid had been, Disney turned its focus more toward its 3D projects, and after the release of Winnie the Pooh in 2011 (the same weekend as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 -- COME ON, DISNEY, WERE YOU EVEN TRYING TO GIVE THIS FILM A CHANCE??), the 2D department did close its doors after all, and the studio went in a new direction with the release of Tangled. It’s a choice I lament Disney making, for as much as I’ve enjoyed most of the 3D entries to the Disney Revival, there was something so utterly magical about seeing The Princess and the Frog’s premiere at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank with my mother back in 2009. 2D animation is a beautiful art form, and it’s frustrating that Disney has turned its back on it so thoroughly after it got Disney to where it is now. The Princess and the Frog could’ve been the Great Mouse Detective to another 2D film that could’ve been a Little Mermaid and proved once again that 2D animation is for everyone, not just for kids, just as Little Mermaid did. But instead, the film that was the Revival version of The Little Mermaid was Disney’s first 3D princess film, Tangled -- and not to diss Tangled as a film, but it saddens me that it succeeded largely by playing to the public’s ignorant attitude that 3D animation is more “adult” than 2D animation and that the way to communicate that your animated movie is “for adults too” in your trailers is through using snarky meta humor rather than through artistry and complex themes.

With all this background out of the way...laissez le beau temps rouler! Let’s start the film!

Anika’s singing voice starting our film out is just a perfect introduction. Its pure, unassuming tone just ripples with sincerity as we are led into our introductory scene for our main character Tiana, her mother Eudora, and her absolutely hysterical best friend, Charlotte “Lottie” La Bouff. As we leave the La Bouff manor, we also see a touch of the “Lady and the Tramp influence” that Musker and Clements added to the production in the background design. Just by transitioning from the well-kept, affluent neighborhood in the dimming sunlight to the more run-down areas of town at night, we get a perfect, complete sense of the environment that our heroine lives in, all without any dialogue. And yet, as Mum pointed out, even the rundown areas are full of warmth and charm. Just like in Lady and the Tramp, they never look scary or shady, simply modest and maybe a little worn. On the note of charm, as well, I absolutely friggin’ adore Tiana’s dad, James. Considering how big of a role he has in the story, it’s really good that we see how big of an impact he had on his daughter through his good, hard-working attitude and love for his family and neighborhood despite not having much screen-time.

Once the “Walt Disney Pictures” banner floats by, we finally meet Tiana as an adult. As mentioned earlier, Tiana is my favorite Disney princess. Part of the reason why comes back to the fact that Tiana’s movie came out right before I started my first job (ironically enough at a restaurant in Disney World) and she inspired me to give 120% everyday, but the other reason Tiana speaks to me so much is because she reminds me quite a bit of Mum! Like my mother, Tiana is a very warmhearted, logical, and hardworking person who never sits on her laurels and is always ready to fix a problem, and it was really cool to see a Disney princess with the same kind of organized mind and stubborn work ethic that I saw in my mum growing up. That feeling I had watching Tiana’s story is one of the things that inspired me to write my Disney crossover story TrueMagic, where I wrote a character directly inspired by Mum. On top of all that, I realize that Tiana speaks a lot of the millennial and gen Z experience, having to save up a lot of money at two dead-end minimum wage jobs just to try to get ahead in a world where the cards are stacked against her. We even see her sleeping in the room she grew up in, meaning she’s still living at home as an adult to make ends meet!! Isn’t that relatable!!

I have heard others critique Randy Newman’s music, but in my opinion the score and songs developed for this movie perfectly set the mood of 1920′s New Orleans. The opening number “Down in New Orleans” is really well-paced with the medley of scenes introducing Tiana’s usual work day, Dr. Facilier’s vindictiveness and desire for Eli La Bouff’s wealth, Naveen’s playboy attitude, and Charlotte’s instant attraction to the newly arrived Prince. Of the songs, I’d personally cite Tiana’s “Almost There” and Facilier’s “Friends on the Other Side” as the strongest links, with “Gonna Take You There” as the weakest, but even if you don’t end up finding the songs catchy, I don’t think anyone can deny how well it suits the film’s setting.

Now admittedly, one critique you could give the film is its idealized, whitewashed view of historical race relations. Let’s be honest: in the 1920′s, a rich cotton baron like Eli La Bouff would not have visited a cafe on Tiana’s side of town and he would not let his precious daughter engage with Tiana as an adult either. As much as there were people who didn’t follow the common attitude that black Americans were somehow “inferior” to white Americans, if you didn’t follow that attitude, you couldn’t have expected to be very financially successful or influential in such a racist society, as Mr. La Bouff is. On top of that, Tiana would not only be facing passive prejudice when trying to open her own restaurant, like the kind the Fenner brothers express about her “background” -- she would also be likely facing active discrimination and potentially violence. As much as this film doesn’t truly represent the way things were back then, however, I would argue that the decision in the end benefits the picture, which clearly is supposed to be a fairy tale. This is a story where a girl kisses a frog, becomes one herself, meets an alligator who plays the blues and a firefly in love with a star, and both fights against and alongside people who practice voodoo. It may have a historical backdrop, kind of like Pocahontas and The Great Mouse Detective do, but it is still a fantasy. There are other films that aim to teach us about how things really were back then, so why can’t we have one where a young black American lives her own fairy tale in the iconic Crescent City? Plus, in Mum’s words, an integral part of this story is the pure, unlikely friendship between Charlotte and Tiana, which would have been close to impossible in a completely historical setting. To my memory, it’s actually one of the few times we see a close friendship between two female contemporaries in a Disney princess movie -- the closest we’d had previously were relationships like Aurora with the three fairies (which was more of a familial relationship) and Belle and Mrs. Potts (which...yeah, big generation gap). Even in films that came later, we have Elsa and Anna, but they’re sisters, not just friends. And Tiana having a friend like Charlotte ends up being pivotal in her eventual triumph.

Speaking of Charlotte and her friendship with Tiana, something I love about her is that she doesn’t just give Tiana the money she needs to open her own restaurant. Instead, because she knows Tiana has pride and wouldn’t just accept the money for nothing, Charlotte finds a reason for her to give her the money she needs by assigning her the task of making beignets for the ball she and her father are hosting. It’s something that reminds me a bit of my mum and her best friend, who also comes from a wealthy family -- like Charlotte, my mum’s best friend likes spending money on my mum, but has always known that she can’t buy my mum’s friendship. Both she and Charlotte know that you can only be a friend through expressing sincere caring, which is the mark of a true friend.

Ever since The Princess and the Frog first came out, “Almost There” has been my work mantra, and every time I hear it, I just am full of drive and excitement. The animation for this sequence -- animated by senior Disney icon Eric Goldberg, who previously worked on the Rhapsody in Blue segment in Fantasia 2000 and was the supervising animator for the Genie in Aladdin -- is also pitch perfect, incorporating both Al Hiershfeld-inspired designs and an Art Deco vibe to envelope us in Tiana’s fantasy. It’s one of the kind of artistic risks that Disney used to do more often, like the Pink Elephants sequence in Dumbo, the fairy’s gift sequences in Sleeping Beauty, and the Zero to Hero sequence in Hercules, and you just don’t see this sort of highly stylized song sequence in most of Disney’s newer films. The only one that comes to mind is the “You’re Welcome” sequence in Moana, which ironically enough also featured Eric Goldberg drawing all of Maui’s “Mini-Maui” tattoos! Those sorts of stylized musical numbers is something I’d love to see more of in the Disney Revival, because it gives the film in question such character and can bring an already great song to new heights.

Naveen is a character who I could’ve very easily disliked upon first meeting him. Obnoxious, selfish, and/or vain characters -- such as Lightning McQueen from Cars or even Kuzco from The Emperor’s New Groove -- really tend to rub me the wrong way, unless there is something in the character at the very beginning that makes me want to see them improve themselves. Fortunately our main prince is saved for me because we see that along with his vain, shallow, playboy attitude, he also expresses a great love of music and living life to the fullest. He doesn’t ignore his responsibilities as a prince just to be rebellious or lazy, but because he is so in love with New Orleans and its culture. He isn’t an angry or willfully condescending person: he immediately starts dancing with regular New Orleans citizens and is enthralled with the moves of a tiny street entertainer. And just as Tiana represents the millennial experience through working multiple jobs just to make ends meet, Naveen expresses a different kind of millennial experience -- that of being so sheltered by one’s privilege that, once you’re on your own, you’re incapable of sustaining the life style you’ve become accustomed to and are led by society to believe you should be able to achieve. At this point, it’s still easy to feel sorry for Lawrence, Naveen’s resident “Peter Pettigrew-look-alike” manservant, though that impulse quickly disappears after we see his interactions with our villain, Dr. Facilier. Speaking of which...

Just as Tiana is my favorite Disney princess, Dr. Facilier is my favorite Disney villain. Voiced by Keith David, the man who previously gave life to Goliath in Disney’s Gargoyles, the so-called “Shadowman” is -- in Mum’s words -- just “deliciously evil.” His voice drips with cold charisma, dipping into rich bass tones but never sounding groggy or lacking in energy, and the animation -- done by Bruce W. Smith, supervising animator for Oscar Proud from the Disney Channel show The Proud Family -- just fits David’s line-reads like a glove. Although Lawrence briefly provokes Facilier, effectively foreshadowing his true viciousness, the witch doctor largely puts on a theatrical persona that entices even the most jaded viewers in with his song “Friends on the Other Side.” Mum brought up the wonderful comparison to Oogie Boogie in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, and just like Oogie Boogie, Facilier’s number feels very unscripted and spontaneous, and yet it’s still conniving. Even though the song is jazzy and oddly conversational, there’s this dangerous, sinister darkness echoing in the background, not just in the echoing voices of the Friends on the Other Side but in the lyrics with multiple meanings (”when I look into your future, it’s the green that I’ve seen”). Along with the theatricality, however, Facilier doesn’t forget to also be very intimidating as a villain -- the scene where he turns Naveen into a frog gets quite scary in its imagery.

Just as everything seems to have come up roses for her, Tiana is suddenly about to lose the restaurant of her dreams for good. But there is still hope -- or, at least...there’s a frog. Or a prince. A frog pri -- you get the point. Interestingly Naveen, while a frog, reminded Mum and me of two very different characters. Mum immediately thought of Aladdin, thanks to his charming, smiling expressions, while I immediately thought of another frog seeking a kiss from a beautiful girl: Jean-Bob from The Swan Princess. I personally think the second of those is a coincidence, given that Jean-Bob and Naveen really don’t have much in common excluding a flamboyant accent, but Aladdin’s influence on Naveen’s character animation is pretty reasonable. After all, Flynn Rider’s design was also influenced by previous Disney princes.

Not having seen this movie in a while, I’d forgotten about the “frog hunters” sequence in the middle of the movie until it came on screen. I know that Tiana and Naveen had to face multiple dangers before they reached Mama Odie, not just for dramatic storytelling but also to help cement their budding relationship...but I’m sorry, the characters of the frog hunters are just...uncomfortable. The stereotypical portrayal just comes across as very mean-spirited, especially when compared to the great respect for New Orleans culture in the rest of the movie. The scene does give Tiana and Naveen good character development, though, so it’s a flaw I can overlook to enjoy the rest of the movie.

Usually I don’t enjoy Disney “sidekick” characters as much as I do more developed main or side characters, but I will grant that as sidekicks go, Louis the alligator and especially Ray the firefly are among the better ones. Louis is kind of there for humor more than to advance the plot at all, which is a shame, but Ray becomes both ridiculously charming and central to the film’s theme of love when we see his romantic side in his song “Ma Belle Evangeline.” This song has special significance to Mum and me, all because of Mum’s little Russian Blue/Short-Hair kitty, Evangeline, or Eva for short. When Eva and her sister Ella (full name Cinderella) were being driven home from the pound, the two cats were absolutely beside themselves, crying and yowling the whole way. The only thing that quieted them was me singing songs to them, including songs based on their names -- Cinderella’s opening theme (”Cinderella, you’re as lovely as your name”) for Ella, and “Ma Belle Evangeline” for Eva. Even now, Eva knows that that song is her song, and she always relaxes whenever she hears it. The song sequence in the film also beautifully reflects Tiana and Naveen’s budding relationship, which has already affected them enough that they are starting to take influence from each other. Tiana has started to open up and have some fun, while Naveen is more able to acknowledge his shortcomings and takes more responsibility. They even see eye to eye enough that they stop Louis from telling Ray that Evangeline is a star, not a firefly. Tiana/Naveen is my Disney OTP mainly because of that influence that they have on each other. Both of them are such beautifully flawed characters, but they both also teach and encourage each other to be better people than they would have been on their own.

Tiana and Naveen learn that if they want to turn human again, they need help from Charlotte, who will be “princess” of the Mardi Gras Parade until midnight that night. Unfortunately, when Tiana finds Charlotte, she finds her about to marry who she thinks is Naveen on a float in the parade. Admittedly I kind of wonder why Tiana didn’t consider that it might not be Naveen, as earlier she saw a human Naveen dancing with Charlotte before meeting frog!Naveen and so should know there’s an imposter, but I suppose it’s just story convention, to have this kind of a pre-climax misunderstanding. It’s the same reason why Naveen is locked in a box on the float where he can interrupt the wedding, rather than being stowed away more securely somewhere else, or why Charlotte didn’t turn into a frog too after not being able to turn Tiana and Naveen back.

At long last, our climax arrives. After Dr. Facilier “lays Ray low” in a scene that makes both Mum and me cry out in grief, he corners Tiana in the graveyard, enticing her with the dream she’s worked so hard for in the hopes of getting the medallion that would allow Lawrence to impersonate Naveen and Facilier to steal the La Bouff fortune. But because of all of the character development Tiana’s gone through, she remembers what’s really important -- the people she loves -- and she outdoes the Shadowman, condemning him to be yanked down into the underworld by his so-called “Friends” for all time. The growth Tia’s gone through also gives her the strength and courage needed to put her dream aside and tell Naveen about her feelings for him. And because she’s a true friend, Charlotte shows no hint of bitterness about missing out on her “happily ever after” with Naveen -- instead she immediately is supportive of her friend and tries to fight for her happiness, to the extent that she looks over the moon when Tiana and Naveen get married as humans. Even Ray, who Mum wishes desperately had been able to make it, achieves happiness by finally becoming a star beside his beloved Evangeline. As our film comes to an end with a reprise of “Down in New Orleans,” we’re left with a sense of triumph and optimism...two things that embody our newly crowned princess beautifully.

The Princess and the Frog is a movie that, in Mum’s and my opinion, should receive much more appreciation that it has. Financially speaking, it only did about as well as The Great Mouse Detective and Lilo and Stitch in theaters, but it still has left a lasting impact. I still see plenty of little girls dressing as Tiana in the parks, and I still hear about young black women and girls who have found validation and comfort in the first African American Disney princess. Even I, who share a complexion with white bread, find Tiana an engaging, brilliant role model in today’s world -- in Mum’s words, she embraces the idea of success being half inspiration and half perspiration, but she also learns the virtue in disregarding the chase for success when it comes at the cost of your values. She learns how to love, how to grow, and how to change, while also encouraging the best from those around her. The Princess and the Frog also features what I would argue is the best Disney animated villain since the Disney Renaissance, a soundtrack that embraces its setting to the Nth degree, and a prince who grows just as much as his love interest does while they are together. It’s not a perfect film, but no film is, and Mum and I hope that like other Disney films that didn’t make much money on their initial theatrical releases, we as a Disney fanbase can make this movie a cult classic and give it the love it fought so hard to earn and so rightfully deserves. Look how it lights up the screen -- ma belle Princess and the Frog!

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

I know very little about UK politics, so I just wanted to ask: why are the conservatives losing so heavily? Is it because of the oil prices? I have been really hoping someone would do something about that so that the poor don't get even poorer.

Partly that, yes - the cost of living crisis is hitting hard, especially in impoverished areas. But it's also Partygate. I think a lot of people - the Tories included - thought that would go away, but the thing is, it's going to be remembered because... people's mums died. Like, when you think back to the pandemic, for an extremely non-trivial number of people, that's when their mum died. Or their dad, or nan, or neighbour, or friend, or a whole bunch of people. It wasn't a normal time.

So when they think about Tories having Wine Time Fridays, they aren't thinking the usual "Fucking bellends". They're thinking of how, at the time, they themselves had to watch their mum's funeral on a video link, or were fined £12,000 for going around their brother's garden so they could be together on the day they buried her even while standing two metres apart. This is not a par for the course political scandal. It's not even a "one rule for us, another for them" outrage.

It's people's mums dying, and being forced to grieve alone. And no one is forgetting that in a hurry.

[spinninwiththestars]

Hello everyone, much like most of the LGBT community around the world, I’ve devoured the beautiful show HEARTSTOPPER. I’ve at least cried one a day since watching the first time and I feel like I need to vent them all out and I hope you enjoy reading.

Both Kit Connor AND Joe Locke’s outstanding performances in these eight hours of perfect television. Wow. Not only did they standout on individual fronts:

Kit’s accurate portrayal of a teenager coming to understand his sexuality, to his gentle and loving portrayal of healthy masculinity. Not only did he make a beautiful character even more beautiful, he made an icon.

Joe’s vulnerable portrayal of a boy who is unashamed of his sexuality but doesn’t wish any animosity or pain on Nick who was still figuring out his feelings and sexuality. His also quiet but powerful portrayal of a boy who has an eating disorder (which will be explored in the inevitable second season) and his painful exposure to homophobia, gaslighting and bullying.

BUT TOGETHER ON-SCREEN, wow. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a couple be portrayed so authentically and beautifully. To hear stories that they got along so well and would often playfully fight with each other/kit threaten to drop joe into the ocean/off his lap, it just makes the relationship as rich as what Alice Oseman intended. It was just such a natural and loving relationship and I can’t wait to see them grow with their characters.

And the supporting cast - amazing! I have to list them all - William Gao (Tao), Yasmin Finney (Elle), Corinna Brown (Tara), Kizzy Edgell (Darcy), Fisayo Akinade (Mr. Ajayi), Cormac Hyde-Corrin (Harry), Jenny Walser (Tori), Sebastian Croft (Ben), Rhea Norwood (Imogen), Tobie Donovan (Isaac) and the incomparable Olivia Colman as Nick’s darling mum, Sarah. They ALL and I MEAN ALL OF THEM shine in their own ways.

HEARTSTOPPER is a welcome and loving addition to the world. Netflix would be absolutely insane and idiotic if they dared cancelled this show. It’s a gnawing thought that’s been on my mind since I watched this show (especially with Netflix’s recent troubles) and to those with similar thoughts, let me try and make you feel better:

The show debuted to 14.55 million hours after three days. In comparison, Young Royals debuted to roughly ~9 million hours and it got a second season renewal.

The cast and Alice Oseman are gaining a lot more traction. Kit Connor almost now has 2 million Instagram followers, Joe Locke almost has 1.5 million. Alice Oseman’s follower count has risen as well. The official Heartstopper Instagram account is also nearing 1 million followers. As of April 30, it is currently ranked No.5 on the Global Netflix TV Show list, and it is in the top 10 of roughly 50 countries around the world.

The show has been trending across Tumblr, TikTok and Twitter the past week.

Netflix has been swooning and raving about the show across their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If it’s just a marketing ploy and then they cancel it BOY will Netflix face an uproar. And with Netflix needing a win, HEARTSTOPPER has essentially given it to them.

It sits highly with critics and audiences. It holds 100% Certified Fresh, 98% Audience on Rotten Tomatoes, it sits at 9.0/10 and at #83 on the Top 250 Shows on IMDb and holds Universal Acclaim status on Metacritic.

I have to remind myself constantly right now that HEARTSTOPPER is only just beginning there are no logical signs that this show is going anywhere yet and I hope people will continue to discover the show and fall in love with it. Regardless of whether you’re LGBTQ+ or straight there is much to love and admire here. It’s funny, it’s cute and it is unafraid of exploring darker themes in a healthy and authentic way. Don’t sleep on it, take it all in, read all the graphic novels and then take the show all in again.

[phoebusmalfoy]

Phoebus didn’t have time to react, to yell out for help. Instead he felt the familiar discomfort of side-apparition. He was nearly sick, barely holding it together as he registered the sight of his grandmother. He didn’t move, only his eyes watched her casting her charms. How could he begin to tell her she was who he was looking for in the first place, how he’d just left the love of his life all but fighting for her life as she underwent a change no one anticipated, that his only proper friend was there too, only hoping he wasn’t killed by the worse of the two factions currently after him.

He watched her plan to send for his mum, and a chill broke him from his stillness, in fact he began shivering. He wasn’t ready for this, why was he so stupid? How could he think he’d be able to talk to his grandmother and find a way put of this alive? Was he really this daft—?

Then she hugged him and he broke.

His shoulders shook with his quiet sobs, hugging her back tightly, he hadn’t known how badly he’d needed that until now. All the crazy things that happened in the last few days coming at him in waves, all the information he’d learned overwhelming him. Though it was a struggle, he managed to hold himself together as Vittoria released him from her embrace.

“I—“ he tried, before another soft sob escaped him “Tori please—please understand, I can’t d-do this without her.” He choked out, gulping down the emotions threatening to spill out of him.

Her command to not run away made him let out a short, mad, laugh as she shook him; “Run!? I-I was looking for you!” He wiped his face with his sleeve as another shaking, humourless chuckle left him. needing to take a deep breath but not able to. “Im so sorry, she wasnt okay…there was…there was so much going on. She—well, she wasnt well after her father. And then she and i told each other—well that we loved each other—and Theodore and I needed to take her to hospital because—well now she’s got this other thing—and—oh nan I dont know where to begin…”

The Fallout ....

It had been days since they'd last seen Phoebus, they had been unable to find him, just waiting for news of him for so long. Anything could have happened. What if they couldn't find him? What if they did but they were too late?

Bella and Lucius were all but out of their minds, as was Axe. Her and Bella had wanted to keep Phoebus's disappearing act from Lucius and her husband, but as the hours passed they'd had to tell them what had transpired. Vittoria had done her best to placate them all to tell them all that she was sure he was fine but the more she said it the more she doubted herself.

The hours had turned into days and the days passed with no word from him, slowly they had all had to face the possibility that they may have lost him.

Vittoria's head was swimming with thoughts as she walked through the hospital in search of Phoebus. What if it was now him she found in a hospital bed? What if she found his lifeless body? She couldn't bear this any longer, it was torture.

She'd already checked the hospital when he first went missing but at the time he and the girl were nowhere to be found.

She didn't know what she'd do were she to actually find her reckless grandson. Part of her wanted to throttle him, the other just wanted to hold him tightly. She could only hope he was safe, hiding somewhere, and the Dark Lord hadn't actually set his daughter out to trap her grandson in some awful plot to kill him.

Then another awful thought crossed her mind, what if he had done as his father had done all those years ago? When she and Axe had forbidden him from seeing Bella ever again? He had said she was like family to him, clearly he was besotted, whether that was genuine or because of the girls Vela powers remained to be seen. Vela's could easily drive a man to killing himself - what about a young impressionable man like her Grandson, her Phoebus?

No! A shiver ran down her spine. No, she couldn't think upon it, she couldn't bear it, she shook her head, willing the thoughts to dissipate.

She had asked the hospital to inform her if they heard anything about Phoebus, or the girl.

Finally she had been contacted and informed that the girl was now here after being admitted, no one was to be told and it was being keep very hush hush, but being the owner of the hospital did indeed have some perks.

Just as she'd suspected, Theodore had arranged to bring the girl in. Vittoria was just making her way towards the girls room when she saw a tuft of thick brown curl hair out of the corner of her eye, her heart sunk it couldn't be? She whipped around to see that it was indeed her feckless grandson.

She couldn't deny the relief that washed over her to see him alive, seemingly unhurt. She rushed over, making her way to him, though she couldn't be seen with him, not like this, not here: she was too well known. So she walked behind him silently, making sure not to alert him, she waited until he was completely alone and no one was looking before she grabbed him, turning and apperating them both away with a pop before anyone noticed.

Vittoria took them to one her many apartments, she'd had it long before she married Axe. Her father gave it to her as a present for her seventh birthday, to help her build her property portfolio, she'd always cherished it deeply because it was the first thing she'd properly owned. That being said, she also knew it would be the last place any one else would look for her and for now, she wanted to be alone with Phoebus. Before her wilful Grandson could escape or pop off once more she was around him casting every charm she could muster. Making sure no one could come in - nor out of the property until she decided they could.

She clicked her fingers and summoned her most trusted elf,

"Go and tell Mistress Malfoy that I have Phoebus, tell her he is alive, he is safe and that I will send for her when I am ready, you are not to bring anyone here nor tell anyone where we are. You are not allowed back until I summon you, I forbid it, do you understand?"

"Yes Mistress." The elf squeaked and popped from sight.

Finally, she threw her arms around her Grandson and hugged him, truly so grateful to know that he was alive, "I am so so happy you're ok, well, alive, you certainly don't look ok." she held him tightly for a long while, before pushing him back to arms length and shaking him,

"How could you be so stupid, oh my darling boy what have you done?" She sighed defeatedly, releasing him. "Don't even think of running, you don't know where we are, and you are trapped with me, until I say otherwise. Do I make myself clear Phoebus?" She said to him sternly, raising her eyebrow at him.

[ghostofbambifanfiction]

Part 1 of ?????

Started writing this fic a while ago and then lost faith in it. Should I continue? Feel bad for not posting much lately so I thought I'd share this. Read on and weigh in.

COME OUT TONIGHT

NO

You don't have to fucking shout?

Said the pot to the kettle?

Oh you grandmother The caps were an accidental by-product of voice-to-text Blame Siri if you're going to blame anyone

You have a Samsung Galaxy S20.

HAD. It got smashed. Worst luck. Listen, come out with me tonight.

Urghhhhhhhhhhhhhh I'm tired!

https://www.boots.com/wellness/vitaminsandsupplements/vitamins-supplements-shop-by-ingredient/echinacea

Hah (indifferent)

Just come out with me! Isaac has to go see some godawful student performance of the Antigone in wherever the fuck Chichester is and it's Sirius's flatmate's birthday party so I have to go and I don't know any of his weird mates

You don't HAVE to go.

Have to/want to Semantics

I'm not in a birthday party mood. I'm having a stressful week. My arse has been tense since Tuesday.

I will wade into the deep and massage your arse if I have to, just come It's a swank pad in Belgravia! I bet they'll have all sorts of expensive nibbles!

I read that as expensive nipples.

Those too!

Partying it up with the children of wealthy Tories. Sounds super fun.

Just come out with me, for fuck I'll pick you up at 7 and we can steal their silverware if it's boring as the grave

URGH I'll go but I'm NOT dressing up!

You don't have to dress up!

FINE!

*

take the drawings down please i'm begging you i'm actually begging you

Nah mate

siriusssssssss pleeeeeease

Nah

PLEASE

Nah

PLEASE ffs it's MY birthday!!!! there are going to be PEOPLE there! standing around! AT EYE LEVEL

I don't see what the problem is.

EVERYONE will see what the problem is! they literally will not be able to IGNORE what the problem is!

Sounds like a recipe for lively discussion to me tbh

that is NOT what i want people talking about at my birthday!

If I take them down, I'll have to take all the nails out and that'll leave nail marks all over the walls. It would be unsightly.

MORE UNSIGHTLY THAN YOUR DICK, SIRIUS?

My dick is bewitching.

DIE

*

She walks in expecting to find herself the infiltrator of a Made in Chelsea/Royal Ascot/Henley Regatta netherworld, filled with a gaggle of giggling, SW-postcode socialites wielding suspiciously powder-edged Harrods Amex cards in the place of horses and boats, but that's not what actually greets her on the other side of the lacquered front door.

What greets her is really quite ordinary.

Aside from the naked drawings of Kingsley's mate, which aren't.

Otherwise, the whole affair is pretty relaxed. People her age are clustered in their small groups, swigging beers. There's a table of oven-heated party foods, salty snacks and rapidly depleting ramekins of guac. She spies more band shirts than there are dress shirts. There's a round of Fortnite in full swing on the TV.

It's all just...startlingly normal. A normal birthday party.

And that's sort of embarrassing, really.

Where are all the visible Tory toffs, she wonders? Where is the braying laughter? The Eton alumni reunion? The glimpse of hunting-happy tweed and shotgun barrels as a coat cupboard door swings shut? Where's the indelible air of sneering superiority, of "we're richer and more privileged and better than you, so fuck the NHS and death to foxes!" that she'd been expecting? There's a fucking Henry Hoover in the corner of the hall, for Christ's sake. Lily came here to smile through her teeth at them all, to listen to the champagne problems privilege that bubbled from their lips and tell herself that she was the one who knew better, who thought better. Her plain white tee and skinny jeans and scuff-toed, high-top trainers were supposed to be a statement, a subtle setting-apart, but she's not even the most underdressed person in the room.

She pre-judged a house full of people. What's that about?

There's a lesson to be found in this. Perhaps.

*

James covered all of the dicks in Paw Patrol stickers that he bought from the newsagent on his way home from his mum's, but Sirius peeled them all off while he was taking a soothing lavender bath, so what's the bloody point in birthdays anyway?

It's early in the evening, and he's wedged—against his will—between the dining room bar and Shane Ruttle, who has just pointed at one of the many lamentable dicks and asked, "Is this one of yours?" which James kind of wants to thump him for. It's bad enough that he looks like a madman who stuffed his house with naked drawings of his brother, now people are actually assuming that he drew the damn things, even though most of the compositions are appallingly far beneath his skill level. He's a professional illustrator, for the love of god, and Shane is really standing before him like the posturing prick he is, asking him if he's the one who drew Sirius with one arm disproportionately longer than the other.

He knows that he should cheer up.

It is his birthday. There is cake.

Good cake, too, not the kind that gets buried in too-thick fondant that he has to pick off before he can eat what's underneath.

The problem is, there's also a party, and his friends are his friends, Peter and Sirius included, and Peter and Sirius can both get drunk much faster than James can. When Peter and Sirius get drunk, serious injuries tend to follow, Remus tends to fuck off in a flash and James tends to be the one who calls for an ambulance or mothers them back to health—physical, mental or otherwise. He has just turned twenty-six, and these repeated, drunkenly dramatic medical emergency scenes are starting to wear a little thin.

Can't a man get comfortably drunk and have a laugh at his own birthday party?

No, he can't, because Peter's already halfway to trashed, wobbling unsteadily towards the French doors that lead to the terrace, wearing that look on his face that says I'm definitely going to vomit or maybe even shit myself like I did on that one night we all spent in Munich with the Belgian handball team and the creepy tour guide who couldn't keep his sleazy hands to himself. For the sake of sparing the lawn such a punishment, James hastily removes himself from Shane, grabs Peter by the collar, shoves him in the direction of the downstairs loo and retreats to the safety of the living room, where there are, at least, no naked drawings of Sirius gracing the walls.

Most of the people in here are transfixed by Saffy Stephens, who is down to the last three in her Fortnite game and cursing like a sailor, but there are a small pile of birthday cards on the end table where James and Sirius normally keep their keys. He perches on the sofa arm, sets his half-drunk beer bottle on the carpet, pushes his dark, disheveled hair away from his forehead and begins leafing through them. It's a necessity when one lives with Sirius, who thinks nothing of swiping gift cards when the mood strikes him and he's had enough to drink.

They're mostly from his female friends, and all pretty standard, until he reaches the middle of the pile and finds a card bearing a picture of a moustached tabby and the caption: Have a Purr-fect Birthday!

The inscription inside is written in a lovely, swirling hand.

To Jasper/Jack/Jason/maybe Ja Rule?/J-something idk

(see above: everything I've learned about you from the friend* I came here with, verbatim)

(*who can't remember your name)

Happy Birthday! Thank you for (not) specifically inviting me, a stranger, to your party to celebrate this momentous event in your life. Please enjoy this festive card/social nicety/convention from me to you. My friend brought rum which you may prefer.

I'll be around. Not that you'll know.

LE

James lowers the card and twists on the sofa arm at once, eyes darting around the room in search of its author, as if they might be laying in wait to watch him read it and see how he reacts. Nobody appears to have ducked behind the couch, however, so the situation merits further scrutiny.

Obviously, he needs to meet this person.

A mystery! At his birthday party!

He perks right up after that.

*

She's coming out of the downstairs loo when a short, blonde man in a garish Hawaiian shirt barrels past her and pukes all over the chequerboard tiled floor, narrowly missing her jeans.

"Oh no," he moans into his wet hands. "Oh no—"

"There there, mate," says Lily consolingly, never one to judge somebody for getting drunk early at a party. She pats him on the back before squeezing past him and rejoining Kingsley, who is standing in one of this meandering Georgian house's many hallways, chatting to a bloke in a houndstooth sweater vest and holding two glasses of something very, very sparkly that she must try at once.

"It's like...it's like everything and nothing at the same time," Houndstooth Bloke is saying when Lily draws close, gesturing to a huge canvas painting of a rain-soaked fairground at night.

"Is it?" Kingsley asks.

"Mmm. Very." Houndstooth shakes his shoulders like he's slipping out of a robe. "Meant to be esoteric, I suppose."

That sounds suspiciously like pretentious bullshit to Lily, who doesn't find the concept of a merry looking fairground all that difficult to absorb. Kingsley knows more about the art world than she does, but he must agree with her assessment because he grunts and shoves her glass into her hand when she stops beside him, and more roughly than she deserves, as if she's the one who landed him in this mess of a conversation to begin with.

Trust him to find himself stuck with the only dick (not etched by a 4B Steadtler graphite pencil) in the building, and trust her to be stuck with the person who got himself stuck with King.

"What are we talking about?" she asks brightly, just to fuck with him.

"Drink your champagne, there's a good little hen," King mutters, his teeth clenched together, hallway lights bouncing off the smoothly waxed dome of his bald head.

"We've been discussing this piece." Houndstooth nods to the painting, but his limpid eyes narrow on Lily's face. "Christ, you're very redheaded, aren't you?"

It's decided. She'll wait 'til Houndstooth is drunk and trip him up with Henry Hoover's hose.

"Ergo soulless, yes," she agrees.

"And you...enjoy that?" he asks, as if being redheaded is her profession.

"Very much, thanks."

"Hmmp. Well. I came here with Saffron," he announces, pronouncing it Sef-ron. As if Lily is supposed to know who that is. "Platonically, of course. Actually, we're some sort of cousins, I think. What do you think the artist is trying to convey?"

He's very pointedly asking her, so Lily blinks at the painting, her eyes on the outstretched arm of a child on the carousel.

"I like the pretty colours," she decides aloud.

"Right," says Houndstooth, "but that's not—"

"And the lights, too. The lights are really pretty."

"But—"

"I love funfairs, actually," she brightly continues, finding a strange satisfaction in playing dumb in front of Houndstooth and his overbleached fade. Although she does really like the colours. "Haven't been to one in years!"

"Yes, good, whatever, but what is the artist trying to convey?"

"What artist?" comes a voice from behind them.

Lily glances over her shoulder and finds herself looking up at the man whose penis she's spent the past thirty minutes avoiding eye contact with, though he is taller, better proportioned and infinitely more beautiful than any of those crudely drawn depictions could possibly convey. He is also beplumed and bejewelled like a pirate, wearing a sumptuous velvet jacket over a loose white shirt, numerous rings on his fingers and an assortment of silver chains around his slender neck, while his grey eyes and elegantly high-set cheekbones are framed by a tumble of black hair that genuinely looks like silk.

The man is so beautiful, in fact, that Lily immediately wonders why he's been taking sketches home from the life drawing class that he and Kingsley pose for—hence their acquaintance and Lily's presence at this party—when nothing she's seen tonight has done him any justice.

Most happily, his penis is tucked safely out of sight.

"Alright, Sirius?" says King.

"Alright, Marvel?" Sirius claps a hand to the taller man's massive shoulder. Kingley's muscles bulge in a way that cannot be hidden by modern habiliments. "What are we talking about?"

"Not much." Houndstooth looks put out by the arrival of yet another person. "We were just mesmerised by this piece."

Lily refrains from gesturing to the painting with both hands and a "ta-dah!" choosing instead to sip her champagne.

It's very good champagne. Mmm. Yes.

"Oh, yeah, it's really something," Sirius agrees. He brushes past Kingsley and runs a finger over the illegible squiggle of a signature on the canvas. His nails are beautifully manicured. "Local guy, young up-and-comer. I assume you've heard of Algernon?" he asks Houndstooth, fixing him with a steely-eyed stare.

"Er, yes." Houndstooth's gaze slides from Sirius to the painting. "I know him."

Sirius's eyebrows lift. "Know him personally?"

"Well—"

"That's so weird, I heard he never speaks to people."

Houndstooth chews on the inside of his cheek, weighing up the challenge. "How…funny."

"Funny?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just, I know I've spoken to him before, and since you've bought his painting I assumed that you'd have—"

"That is funny, actually," Sirius interrupts, "because the artist is my brother, and Algernon is the name of his cat."

Kingsley has been tugging on his earring and almost rips it out of his ear as his body convulses, champagne spraying from his nostrils, while an alarming red flush sweeps across Houndstooth's face and he begins to sputter on his own self-importance. Sirius has clearly decided that he's done with all of that noise, however, because he turns back to Lily instead, looking her up and down with great and sudden interest.

"Who's this then?" he asks Kingsley, cocking his head to one side. "James's present?"

The champagne glass swings down and Lily fixes him with a deadpan stare. "Excuse me?"

Sirius slants a grin at Kingsley, a quick flash of teeth. "This one's queenly, isn't she?"

Kingsley wipes his nose with the back of his hand and laughs again. "Hardly."

"This is Primark, mate," Lily retorts, tugging on her t-shirt.

"Queenliness is a state of mind," says Sirius, "not a state of wardrobe."

"You had me marked down as a prostitute not ten seconds ago."

"Oh, that. I was only joking," he sighs, and grips her arm at the elbow, his long fingers cool against her skin. "But still, you're far too attractive to stand here talking to this clown. Come with me and I'll find you someone better."

*

James's friends are useless.

And drunk. Useless and drunk—or sort of drunk, in Saffy's case. Remus is certainly already pissed, but Remus is on meds so often that he drinks but once in a blue moon. One cocktail is usually enough to set him off, and he's been hard at the gin since he turned up with Peter at six.

"I don't know anyone with those initials," Saffy declares, once she has read, examined and even sniffed the birthday card for clues. "Except for Lisa Edelstein."

"Who's Lisa Edelstein?"

"Cuddy from House," says Remus, lowering the negroni from which he has been drinking deeply.

James pulls a face. "What the fuck is a Cuddy?"

"Oh, actually, it could mean le?" Remus suggests.

"Yes!" Saffy points at him like he might be onto something. "Like the French word for the?"

"Exactly, like—"

"It doesn't mean that!" James interrupts, unwilling to allow such profanity in his home. "That doesn't make sense, why would somebody sign their name as the?"

"Now you're asking me to explain how French people think?" says Saffy derisively, adjusting her bra strap beneath that burnt orange waistcoat she loves, the one that makes her look like she's directing a pornographic movie in the 70s when she pairs it with her tortoiseshell-framed aviators. It clashes wildly with her electric blue buzz-cut. "Am nooooo drunk enough for that."

"They could be one of those one word moniker pop stars, I suppose," Remus pipes up, smiling slyly. "You know, like Madonna?"

They think James doesn't realise that they're taking the piss out of him, but neither of them are sober enough to attempt their gambit with any kind of subtlety or grace.

"You know that's actually her real Christian name?" says Saffy.

Remus turns towards her with interest. "What, Madonna?"

"Yeah!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Saffy repeats. "I thought it couldn't possibly be her real name because, I mean, Madonna, yeah? But then I looked it up and apparently that's the name her mummy gave her, just goes to show—"

"I'm sorry," James interrupts, "but is Madonna relevant to this conversation?"

"Yes, always," says Saffy.

"She's an international pop megastar," Remus seconds.

James stares at his friend incredulously. "Drinking really chips away at your wit, y'know?"

"Does it?" Remus grins lazily and jiggles his cocktail in the air. "Oh, well, I'm negronly joking."

Saffy does a spit-take without the spit and clings helplessly to Remus's shoulder as she laughs, knees buckling, bangles tinkling, but James fights his own urge to start snickering.

"It's not that funny," he lies, and Remus eyes him with an alarmingly teacher-like shrewdness, despite the tellingly intoxicated flush that has crept into his thin, freckled face.

James's love of puns is tragically well known.

"You didn't get it." Remus points at his drink. His speech is starting to slur. "This is a negroni, what I said was—"

"Yeah, I got that part, I just—"

"Jesus fuck, look at her!" Saffy suddenly hisses, staggering sideways into Remus and sending him into the wall in a flurry of giggles—Remus giggling?—her voice hushed and urgent. "Who the hell is that?!"

James does look, following the direction of Saffy's gaze. Sirius has just entered the living room, casually clutching the elbow of a……

……goddess.

An actual. Like. Goddess.

A goddess. In James's house. In his living room. In the place where he eats his chocolate boulder cereal and rewatches Scrubs (even season 9, which is hilarious, and very unfairly disparaged by Joe Public) on Saturday mornings.

She's a goddess. A real one, and cleverly disguised as a mortal, sure, with her slouchy white t-shirt and her big hoop earrings and her light blue jeans that are torn at the knees, wearing her shoulder-length red hair half up, half down and slightly messy, but that doesn't hide what she is.

"Oh my god," he murmurs. His heart is pounding all of a sudden, which is so...utterly bloody stupid, but Saffy's right, bloody look at her, Jesus fuck.

"Surely she can't be with Sirius?" Saffy murmurs back.

"No, she—" He watches Sirius lean down to mutter something in the redhead's ear. A ghost of a laugh flits across her beautiful face. "She's not his—he isn't—"

"D'you think—"

"No, I—"

"Good," says Saffy firmly. She lets go of Remus and rises, lengthening her spine. It is a battle stance of some sort, presumably. "Because I saw her first."

"No!" James cries, wounded, and the redhead shoots him a curious look with a pair of eyes that are startlingly emerald green, even from all the bloody way over here. He spins to face Saffy and lowers his voice, face burning. "It's my house!"

"What are you arguing here, ownership rights?"

"No but it—it's my birthday!" James retorts, jabbing at his own chest. "And, actually, and—"

"It's in the bloody post!"

"—you didn't get me a present!" he finishes in triumph, not that he knows what he's arguing for, because the likelihood is that his tongue will glue itself to the roof of his mouth if he even dares to look in her direction one more time. "Plus I set you up with Vanya Petrich, with whom, as I recall, you enjoyed four years—"

"Stop throwing that in my face!"

"—four blissful years—"

"Is it my fault that you've never fancied any girl I've set you up with?!"

"—promised me an Easter ham for setting you up with her and I never got it—"

"So now you'll trade a woman for a ham?" Saffy accuses, though her face is too lit up, her brown eyes too crinkled at the corners—she's having fun with this and she isn't going to fool him and she knows it. "That's so low, even—"

"Don't start with that," James scathingly cuts in. "You offered me Sean Connery's autograph for Bonnie Grogan's number—"

"Which you never gave me!"

"Because you forged the bloody signature!"

"And now she's bloody married!"

"Yeah, well, Isabella wouldn't give me a counterfeit present, would she?" he retorts, and Saffy lets her shoulders drop, smirking. "This is pointless, Saf, we can't—"

"She's just left with Sirius," Remus informs them, and burps.