#noir city magazine

[filmnoirfoundation]

The NOIR CITY 2023 Annual is now available to purchase on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3XGN58U

The best of the best from the Film Noir Foundation's 2023 NOIR CITY Magazines, is here—essays, profiles, interviews, and appreciations of classic and modern noir films from today's top writers. This year's contributors are Imogen Sara Smith, Danilo Castro, Rachel Walther, Jake Hinkson, Vince Keenan, Steve Kronenberg, John Wranovics, Jeremy Arnold, Peter Tonguette, Wallace Stroby, Andy Wolverton, Thomas Burchfield, Ben Terrall, and Eddie Muller. Book layout and design by Michael Kronenberg. And, as with any purchase from the FNF, when you buy the NOIR CITY Annual 16, you'll be helping fund the non-profit foundation's film restoration efforts.

[filmnoirfoundation]

She graced the cover of NOIR CITY Magazine’s “Women in Noir” issue. You can buy a digital back issue here. FNF prez and NOIR ALLEY host Eddie Muller wrote the article on Harrison’s exceptional career, “Murder She Made”.

Your dollars go towards our restoration efforts.

Producer and screenwriter Joan Harrison

[visuac]

cherry waves

[fuzz-hound]

I have a question for any prospective City planning students or anyone with a passing interest in it:

What are the worst design decisions you could have when planning a city from the ground up? the antithesis of human-friendly architecture?

I'm talking borderline code violation stuff. Cruel and unusual punishment type shit.

I ask because I have this idea for a noir story that takes place in the worst city in the world. I have an Idea about what that place looks like, but I don't know any design elements for urban environments that are objectively incorrect that would be incorporated into the city.

I would greatly appreciate any response!

[screamingeyepress]

It’s Noirvember, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a great noir story! How to Stihl Rubies by Dr. Richard A. Olson is out now. Dive in if you’re a fan of dark and gritty tales.

[rockethorse]

Stocking Stuffer 1/5: A Bajillion Random Painting Recolours

Happy Holidays to all! While I'm proud that last year I finally managed to achieve a longtime goal of sharing a full TS2 Advent Calendar, I'm simply not gonna be able to pull it off this year. Nonetheless, the holidlay spirit has encouraged me to finish up and share a couple of things before the end of the year! I'll be sharing five little gifts over the next few arbitrary days. First up: A BUNCH of Maxis painting recolours.

One recolour each of A/B/C Stroke (yes, I still enjoy playing with these as three separate paintings) using vintage matchbook covers designed by Saul Bass for The Ohio Match Company.

Two recolours +frames for Abstrutionism; "Poppy Cake" by Adolf Fényes (1910), and then this edit of Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth (1948) to include Bella Goth (the original Tumblr poster has deactivated).

A recolour of Anonymous Masterpiece with these two digital paintings by user chestnutroan featuring their farmer Sim and his two alien daughters.

One recolour of the Arghist Soldier with "Friday Nights" by Deborah DeWit (2006), perfect for your novel-enthusiast Sims' reading nook.

One recolour of City Skyline with a fruit & veg painting by Twitter user snail_soup (you can buy a real print of this too if you like it!)

One recolour of the Fourth Element wall scroll with "From Stardust to Stardust - Raccoon" by user ArtOfMienda.

Four Vegetables recoloured with four deliciously juicy tomato paintings by artist Leah Gardner.

Geometry 101 recoloured with a beautiful palette knife painting by Lynn Boggess.

Two recolours of Grilled Cheese (you all know what Grilled Cheese looks like, c'mon); one vintage ad for Hollywood Diet bread which I cleaned/redrew to remove text/graphics, and then "Cloud Rows" by Ivan Eyre (2004).

In The Beginning (+frame) recoloured with "Little Thief" by Courtney / Trash Kitty Art (also available as an affordable IRL print).

Kitten vs. Yarn (+frame) recoloured with this goache painting by user ieafy.

"Until Tonight" by Mark Grantham (2019) slapped on Lady On Red.

Two recolours of Living Room; "Midwestern Summer Fun" by user ink-the-artist (you may wanna zoom in for a surprise), then "Girl On A Swing" (2000) by Andrew Macara.

One recolour of Marketing Print with the Beatles as drawn by other Beatles. I don't remember who drew who because I'm actually not much of a Beatles fan but I thought these sketches were really darling.

In Memory of Johnny Gnome (+frame) recoloured with a piece by Emma Roulette.

A recolour of My First Holiday with art from Twitter user heikala_art.

On Pointed Toes (+frame) recoloured with this digital painting by Twitter user catwheezie.

I fell in love with this Guinness ad so I tweaked it from the photo to fit on the Route 66 poster, then made an accompanying Simlish option.

A single Scruffles recolour (+frame) with this adorable cow illustration by Twitter user poodlewool.

Four recolours of the Sim Noir pop art print; three pieces by Al Parker I found through this Tweet (with some English removed) and then an edit of the original painting to look passingly familiar...

Two recolours (+frames) of Snoozing Enemies; "The Cat on the Pillow" by Adolf von Becker, and "Sleeping Sasha" by Lena Rivo.

Stiller Life (+frame) recoloured with this oil painting of McDonalds by artist Noah Verrier.

Two recolours (+frames) of Stumped Hound; "Shadow" by Tianyi Zhou and "cat falling off table" by user anasauruss.

The Muse recoloured with this Juxtapoz magazine cover by artist Josh Courlas.

And lastly, three recolours of Untitled (the Bella Goth pop art painting) with works by Hiroshi Nagai.

Download All Paintings @ SFS

[missbabyjay]

I Could Never Leave You Behind - Pedro Pascal x Reader

ANGST & FLUFF

MASTERLIST - CHECK OUT MY PAGE FOR MORE!

I'm just messing around with some random prompts, trying to improve my writing and step outside of my comfort zone! Hope you enjoy :)

Warnings/Content: Mature, Angst, Fluff, A little bit of spice, Alcohol

Summary: Your thoughts get the best of you, leaving you feeling confused... when all of a sudden Pedro arrives home earlier than planned.

Word Count: 1.5 K

Feel free to send me requests! I am writing for Pedro, Agent Whiskey, Javi Gutierrez, and Bill Hader hehe

. . .

The warm, evening wind tickled your skin as you sat comfortably nuzzled in the corner of the loveseat that was placed on your balcony, facing the warm and mellow sunset as the day said goodbye. You were treating yourself to a glass of chilled pinot noir; your favourite. As you brought the delicate, crystal clear glass to your hungry lips you fiddled with the soft, plush blanket that wrapped around you - wishing the blanket would be replaced with your partner’s loving embrace.

As you continued to watch the sun die out behind the horizon you couldn’t help your mind from wandering. It had been a couple of months since you last saw Pedro - he was finishing up the filming for The Last Of Us, far away from you in Canada.

You knew what you were in for when you began seeing Pedro; he was constantly looking for new ways to branch out in his career, whether it was a new movie or an ongoing series he was already a part of. As much as you tried to understand, you couldn’t fully grasp the life of an actor. You were normal, for lack of a better word. You worked as an assistant for a local magazine in New York City. Sure, you lived what one could say was a “bustling NYC lifestyle”, but you weren’t a celebrity. You worked a regular schedule, and always had time for your personal life outside of your career. That was the big difference between the two of you.

You were longing for the touch of Pedro’s large hands on your body, caressing your soft skin while his lustful eyes soaked in your presence. The touch of his lips on yours… then your neck, lingering to your collarbone, trailing downwards… 

Suddenly you were snapped out of your daze when your phone vibrated in your lap - indicating you were receiving a text. You sighed, using your free hand to gently toss over your phone so that you were facing the bright screen contrasting with the dusk of the night that had fallen over you. 

Pedro: Mi Amor, I will be coming home in a few days. I can’t wait to see your beautiful face. I love you

You: Sounds good baby, I love you too.

Your eyes were locked with the words placed across your phone’s screen. You loved Pedro so much, but you were reaching a point of uncertainty. Constantly being away from each other for long periods of time was beginning to take a toll on your mental health. You knew you had the strength within you to overcome these feelings, but at this moment in time you couldn’t seem to find it. You were aching for him to be home, long enough for the two of you to enjoy what you thought would be a regular, domestic life. 

You downed the remainder of your ruby red wine, quickly reaching for the sleek bottle to fill your glass again. The sun had completely set at this point, and you were accompanied by small, glowing lights you had placed on the railing of the balcony. You tried to clear your mind by scrolling on social media - catching up on celebrity gossip and trending tik-toks. Eventually the evening air chilled and you figured it would be time to make your way inside.

“9:05” read the clock on your phone screen. “Time for bed I guess,” you mumbled to yourself.

You gathered the lush blanket, tossing it over your shoulder, then grabbed the nearly empty wine bottle that sat in front of you. As you made your way inside you realised the effects of the liquids you had consumed seemed to have not hit you until you stood. You rubbed your temple, and then placed the blanket on the couch. You proceeded to the kitchen to grab yourself some water and a few Advil - hoping this would cure the hangover you were bound to have in the morning. As you were pouring the cold and transparent liquid into your tumbler cup you heard the door for your apartment open. “What the fuck?” you thought to yourself, until you were met with the voice of Pedro, “Mi amor!”. You set down the glass and hurried to see Pedro placing his luggage against the wall, tossing his shoes to the side.

“What are you doing here? We were just texting, you said you weren’t going to be home for a few days?” you said, looking at pedro with a confused look. The amount of wine you had drenched your system did not make this moment any more believable, “Am I really that drunk?” you thought to yourself.

“I wanted to surprise you baby,” he exclaimed as he approached you with open arms, eager to feel your body in his arms. But to Pedro’s surprise you broke down in tears.

An overwhelming feeling washed over you, leaving you to lose all control of your emotions. Your vision became blurred as tears took over your eyes, your heart rate rose to an extreme level indicating you were experiencing a panic attack. Your body froze, and you were unable to move leaving you locked in the moment. 

Pedro rushed to you, encapsulating you within his large arms. “Woah, baby, what’s going on?” he said as he caressed your head, rubbing his thumb against your cheek. You melted into him, not being able to put together a sentence. He let you unleash your feelings until you were able to control yourself, pulling away from him when you were capable. 

You grabbed Pedro’s hand, leading him to the couch. The man felt an immense amount of confusion, unable to connect any dots. His mind began racing at a speed that matched the racing thoughts controlling your mind at the moment; the both of you feeling overwhelmed. 

“I don’t know if I can do this P,” you began, seeing his face instantly drop.

“What do you mean you can’t do this? Do you mean you and I?” His voice was trembling, and he began to feel heat gathering in his chest. He had no clue where this came from.

“Not seeing you for months is so painful. I crave your presence. Texts and calls aren’t enough. I feel like you don’t have time for me, but I don’t want to stop you from the successful career you have built for yourself,” you said between gasps, slowly gathering yourself more and more.

Pedro grabbed both of your hands, and locked eyes with you. You could see the fear plastered on his face - this was not what he was expecting to come home to. “Mi amor, I don’t know where this is coming from. We have been living like this for over a year now… have you felt this way the entire time?”

You shrugged, leaving Pedro in a puddle of turmoil. You couldn’t put your finger on the reason why you suddenly felt these feelings - and you hated the state you were putting Pedro in.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have even brought this up. This was stupid. The last few months have been tough here at home and I am just overthinking things. I feel like I don’t deserve to be with someone who lives the lifestyle you live,” you mumbled, looking down and shaking your head in hopes of your thoughts disappearing.

Pedro took one of his hands and placed it on your cheek, before he spoke he kept his eye contact with you - giving you a gentle, yet sad smile, “Baby, you deserve everything you want. I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you. You are so understanding and supportive… I can’t imagine living without you, mi corazon.”

His pet names for you always sent shivers down your spine, leaving you in a pile of mush. Just hearing his reassurance allowed the tension in your body to be released, and although you still felt a sliver of those negative feelings, you wanted to do everything and anything for that man. 

You reached forward to lock your lips with Pedro’s. The warmth of your alcohol ridden cheeks radiating on to him, causing him to feel weak. Wrapping your arms around his neck you closed in the space between the two of you; this was the first time you had touched in what felt like a thousand trips around the sun. You soaked in his scent, and the feeling of his arms wrapped around you. The kiss quickly became heated; Pablo slowly led you to lay on the coach as laid overtop of you. 

Pedro released his lips from yours, gently placing his forehead on yours, “I promise you are worth everything to me, princesa. My life would be incomplete without you… as well as quiet,” he chuckled, “And why would I want that?” he finished with a cheeky smile. You giggled, and pulled him back towards your lips.

Relationships are a tough thing to navigate, but the passion that burned between the two of you was irreversible at this point. You would rather manoeuvre the ups and downs of life with Pedro at your side, even if that didn’t mean he was always physically there.

Tags: @purplerain85

[h00nerz]

spots on!

THIRTY-EIGHT / i should have known

prev | masterlist | next

warnings: mentions of violence/murder, mention of cheating kinda, that’s it afaik

word count: 4.5k (sorry)

THE LAST FEW DAYS HAD BEEN A WHIRLWIND OF EMOTIONS. Not only were you still trying to decide how to proceed on your Chat Noir issue, you were also battling a never ending wave of anxiety. 

You had never been invited to a fancy event before—and definitely not a fashion event. You still couldn’t believe you had gotten an invitation to the Choi Designs launch party. For the last few weeks you had known about it, you’d spent every second you weren’t thinking about Chat Noir trying to plan the perfect outfit. You needed to prove you knew a thing or two about fashion before you attempted to network with the other attendees. 

The fashion world was extremely daunting, but you were confident in your abilities. Even though yes, you were wracked with nerves, you also knew you would be able to pull out on top alright. Design was in your blood, and today was the day you would get to prove that. 

Today was not going to be about Yeonjun, or Chat Noir, or any man for that matter. 

“Okay, Jeongin just texted me to tell me he, Gyu and Heeseung are on their way.” Sieun announced as she walked into your room. After lots of convincing, you had finally agreed to let Heeseung drive the five of you to the event, so long as he dropped you off a block away. Apparently Beomgyu had gotten the okay from Yeonjun to take Jeongin and Heeseung, so now you were all going. 

You nodded, while you smoothed your hands over the bottom of your dress. You had decided on a mini dress inspired by vintage Chanel you made recently, and a long black ribbon tied around your neck that trailed down your back. To top it all off, you wore your most expensive pair of black heels, courtesy of Choi Designs themselves. It was elegant, but also cute. 

“Ahh, Y/N! You look so good!” Sieun sang, running up to hug you from behind. You giggled and looked away to try to hide your embarrassment. “You’re going to knock the socks off of everyone there!” 

“Yeah, I hope so.” You said quietly, your eyes trained on yourself in the mirror. “Sie… Can you tell me that I’m a good designer? That I’m going to make it? I’m just really nervous.” It was an embarrassing thing to ask her, but she was your closest friend. If anyone was going to ease your nerves, it was Sieun. 

She smiled at you through the mirror, then gently spun you around to face her. “Y/N. I’m not just saying this because you asked me to. You are seriously one of the most talented people I know. I mean, you designed your own Ladybug suit, and you designed this gorgeous dress… You’re going to get offered internships to all of the best fashion companies in this city.” 

Her hands gripped onto you tightly, and you could feel your nerves slowly melting away. “Just… If you end up becoming a rich and famous designer, you can’t forget about me, okay? We still need to start our magazine together one day.” With that, she pulled you in for a tight hug, burying her face in your neck. 

You hugged her back, smiling into her long, blonde hair. “Thank you. And don’t worry, I don’t think I could ever forget you.” 

A loud, horrible noise filled the space outside your apartment, and unfortunately you recognized that song. “Jesus, Hee has got to get a new horn for that thing.” Sieun muttered, pulling away from the hug with a quiet sniffle. 

You giggled. “He needs to get a whole new car is what he really needs.” 

The two of you left your apartment, and wandered down to the street to see that Heeseung had actually parked semi-normally (his front tire was up on the curb). Even more surprising, it looked like he had taken Dongshik through a car wash. 

“Ladies!” Heeseung greeted you, sticking his head out the car window. “You both look great, especially you, Sieun. Y/N, you look okay.” 

As Jeongin pulled open the van door, you frowned. “So, we don’t both look great?” 

Heeseung hummed. “I guess not. Just Sieun.” 

You rolled your eyes. His attempt at flirting was pathetic, really.

As you got into the van, Jeongin stared at you with wide eyes. “Wow, Y/N. You look pretty. I mean, not pretty pretty. Nice, I mean. You look nice. Just normal. I haven’t ever considered you attractive. That would be weird. You’re my friend.” He started to ramble. 

“Why are you acting like a freak?” You asked, sitting down next to Beomgyu in the backseat. 

“I’m not! Stop looking at me!” Jeongin cried out, and turned to rest his head against his window. 

Beomgyu nudged you. “Did you make that dress?” He asked. 

You nodded. “Yep. Just finished it a few nights ago.” 

“Cool. It looks really nice. Like something Yeonjun’s dad would make.” He told you encouragingly, and you couldn’t help flushing at the comment. 

“Thank you, Gyu. That means a lot coming from someone who barely knows anything about fashion.”

He frowned. “Hey! What’s that even supposed to mean?” 

“It’s not a bad thing! It just means if you think it’s good, then maybe it is good!” You insisted, grabbing onto his arm to reassure him. 

He glared at you, but still smiled. “Don’t worry. Yeonjun’s dad will offer you a job on the spot. We all know it’s true.”

“Yeah, he would be crazy not to.” Jeongin added.

God, you hoped so.

IT TOOK YOU A WHOLE TWO SECONDS TO SPOT HIM. Even though he was just in a sleek, black suit, and seemed to blend in with the crowd, he still managed to stick out like a sore thumb. No matter how hard you were trying to move on from him, you would always be able to pick him out even in a crowd of a million people. 

There was just something about Choi Yeonjun that would forever draw you to him. 

You were standing by the entrance of the event with your friends, getting a good look at all the guests. You recognized quite a few designers, as well as some models and journalists. The guest list was as if someone had taken all of your favorite inspirations, and sent them all invitations. Intimidated wasn't a big enough word to describe how you were feeling. 

And then you saw him. He was talking to some people, laughing as though he didn’t have a single care in the world. His dark hair was slicked back, with a few strands strategically pulled out to fall in front of his eyes. He clearly wasn’t wearing a shirt under his suit jacket, as his bare chest was exposed all the way to the third button. Choi Yeonjun looked beautiful. 

For a second, you felt the river of your feelings beating against the dam you’d built to hold them back, creating cracks and threatening to break through. But, then you saw her. Choi Yena, with her arm looped around his own, looking up at him with eyes full of adoration. 

The river started to still. 

“Y/N? Are you okay?” Sieun asked, appearing at your side. She looped her arm through yours, the same way Yena had to Yeonjun. 

You glanced over at her, and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.” When she didn’t seem convinced, you flashed her the most genuine smile you could muster up. 

“Come on, let’s go say hi to people!” Beomgyu shouted, squishing in between you and Sieun to throw his arms around the two of you. 

Just as you were about to ask what people?, he started leading you in the direction of the last person you wanted to talk to. “What? No, Beomgyu. I don’t wanna talk to him.” You said quickly. You tried your best to stop him, but your heels were making that a bit difficult. 

“Come on, just for two seconds! And his dad is over there, you wanna talk to him, right?” He whined into your ear. He was right, unfortunately. You were most looking forward to talking to Mr. Choi, and he was standing near Yeonjun and his girlfriend. You supposed this was the best time to introduce yourself. 

“Hey! Jun!” Yeonjun’s attention to whatever conversation he was in was lost when Beomgyu called out his name, and that was when his dark eyes landed on you for the first time that day. You should have looked away, and avoided his gaze, but you couldn’t. You were like a moth, and Yeonjun’s eyes were made up of flames. There was also something so familiar in them, something so…

A thought appeared in your head. A terrible, almost invasive thought. It couldn’t be true, though. That would be crazy, insane even. It would mean you were an absolute idiot. Worst of all, it would mean…

Your fingers drifted up to your lips, and you found yourself avoiding looking at Yeonjun. 

“Oh, babe! Are these your friends?” A feminine voice cooed, and you felt yourself grow nauseous.

“Y-Yeah, some of them. Yena, this is Beomgyu, Sieun, Heeseung, Jeongin, and…” He paused, swallowing hard. “…Y/N.” 

“Oh, Y/N! She’s the designer, right?” Yena practically gushed, and you nodded weakly. “Did you design that dress? It’s seriously gorgeous, I need one of those! It’s gorgeous, right, Yeonjun?” You glanced up to see Yeonjun staring at you, his eyes still widened like he had seen a ghost.

“Yeah. Gorgeous.” He replied, without ever looking down at the dress. 

You glanced away, hoping to find some sort of way to escape this conversation. By this point, you were sure your embarrassment was becoming visible, and if you stood there any longer, you thought your head might end up exploding. 

“You know, Y/N actually designed both Chat Noir and Ladybug’s suits.” Sieun randomly decided to inform the couple, and you practically snapped your neck to stare at her incredulously. 

Yeonjun, who had just taken a sip of his champagne glass, started choking. 

“Wow, really? I mean, I had heard about Chat Noir, but I didn’t know she did Ladybug’s too.” Yena continued the conversation casually, her gloved hand gently patting Yeonjun’s back as he coughed into a napkin. 

“Most people don’t.” You said through gritted teeth. 

Yeonjun finished coughing after a minute, and flashed you all an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I don’t know what just happened. Um, Y/N, I didn’t know you knew Ladybug.” He tilted his head at you curiously. 

“Oh. Umm, no, I wouldn’t say I know her. It was actually Sieun who set it all up! Yes, Sieun! You know, she’s good friends with Ladybug, so when she mentioned needing a new suit, Sieun recommended me!” You were impressed by how quickly you made up the lie, and Yeonjun seemed convinced enough as he nodded slowly. 

Beomgyu, Heeseung and Jeongin had seemingly checked out of the conversation a long time ago, and you noticed a slight redness to their eyes as they took turns investigating a centerpiece. You couldn’t believe you had let Heeseung drive you there when he had obviously smoked something. 

You glanced around the crowd of people, until your eyes finally fell on the person you wanted to talk to: Mr. Choi. And luckily for you, it looked like he was about to wrap up his conversation, which meant there was an opening for you. 

“Um, it’s been really nice meeting you, Yena, but I’m hoping to go get a word in with Mr. Choi, so I’m going to head over.” You gave the girl a polite smile, and were starting to walk away when you felt her grab your wrist. 

“Wait! You should have Yeonjun go and introduce you! It’s his dad, after all!” She suggested, an almost crazed smile playing on her lips. 

“What a good idea!” Sieun added in. You sent her a you-told-me-you-would-keep-me-away-from-him glare, but she feigned innocence as she grinned at Yena. 

You awkwardly glanced up at Yeonjun, who seemed just as unnerved about the idea as you. “Oh, I’m not sure—I mean, if you want me to, that’s fine, but—if you’d rather go alone—“

“Nonsense! Of course she wants you to go with her, babe!” Yena practically shoved him in your direction. 

The last thing you wanted was to introduce yourself to one of your icons, and make yourself look like a fool due to your crush on his son. The darned haired boy looked down at you, smiling apologetically. And in that moment, it hit you:

You’re totally not over Yeonjun.

“Um, then, shall we?” He asked. 

“O-Okay.” You stammered out. 

You shot Sieun one last glare as you and Yeonjun started to walk off in the direction of his father, and then the two of you were alone together. As you walked, you had to keep your arms folded across your stomach, too scared of the possibility of your hand brushing against his. You couldn’t believe yourself. Just a few days earlier, you were making out with Chat Noir on your sofa, and here you were, freaking out over the same crush you thought you were through with. 

A small part of you wished the cat man was there. He had always been good at relaxing your nerves. 

“I’m sorry about Yena. She can be a little… Pushy sometimes.” Yeonjun randomly spoke up. 

You laughed. “Yeah, I can see that.” 

He laughed as well, and if you could bottle up the sound of his laughter and keep it forever, you would. For a minute, the space between the two of you grew quiet, and even though the thought of talking to him terrified you, you also hated the silence. 

“Yeonjun?” You called out his name quietly, and he looked down at you with curious eyes. You swallowed hard, your hands becoming clammy. “I—you don’t have to do this. I don’t want…” Your voice trailed off as you tried to find the right words. 

“You don’t want…?”

“I don’t want you to think I’m only friends with you so I can get close to your dad.” You finally said. 

The space became quiet again. 

He sucked in a breath. “So, we’re friends?” He asked, a hint of doubt in his voice, and you felt yourself start to panic. 

“Oh! I mean, I think we’re friends, but if you don’t consider us friends, then that’s okay. I don’t want to overstep and be weird or anything, I just thought—“

“Y/N, relax.” You watched as he rested one of his hands on your shoulder, your eyes growing wide. “I think we’re friends. It’s just nice to hear it from you.” He spoke quietly, and you felt your face become warm. 

When you finally gained the courage to look up, you were surprised to see how close the two of you were now. His dark eyes were gazing into your own, flickering between them as though he was looking for something. Then, they dipped down to look at your lips. 

“Yeonjun! Y/N! Yeonjun quickly retracted his hand when a voice called out to the two of you, and you turned around to see Kai running up to the two of you. “It’s Beomgyu! He’s in the bathroom, throwing up, and he keeps asking for you guys!” 

You furrowed your eyebrows, looking over at Yeonjun to exchange a confused look with him. That didn’t exactly sound like Beomgyu. But, there was really no reason you could think of that Kai would be lying to you, so you let out a sigh. “Okay, take us to him.”

IN HINDSIGHT, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN KAI WAS MAKING THINGS UP. But, it seemed like being in Yeonjun’s proximity was enough to cloud your judgment, like his presence was intoxicating to you or something. You weren’t thinking very clearly as you trailed behind Kai towards the bathrooms, instead you were mostly focusing on how good Yeonjun’s suit made his back look. 

You were a bit confused when you made it to the room Kai was claiming to be the bathroom, and found not only all of your friends, but most of Yeonjun’s as well. 

“He’s in there!” Sieun exclaimed dramatically, pointing a finger at the door. “One second he was fine, talking to Jeongin and Heeseung about the tablecloths being used, and the next, he said he felt like his stomach was going to explode, and he ran into the bathroom!”

“Okay, but why does he want us?” Yeonjun asked. 

“I don’t know, he said he wanted his two closest friends!”

You looked over at Sieun, looking for any sign of a lie in her face, but saw nothing. Either she was a really great liar, or something was actually wrong with Beomgyu. You let out a frustrated sigh, looking down at your white dress. 

“I swear to god, if he gets vomit all over this dress, you’re all paying for it.” You snapped, making sure to point at Soobin specifically. 

With that, you opened the door, Yeonjun standing close behind you. But, when you peered inside the room, it was very obviously not a bathroom. Instead, it looked more like some kind of supply closet. There were some folded chairs lined against the wall, and some shelves that looked like they held some cleaning supplies. 

“This isn’t a bathroom…? Where’s Gyu--?”

Before there was even time for the question to leave your lips, Yeonjun was stumbling into you as though someone had shoved him from behind, forcing the two of you into the room. 

“Sorry, guys!” You heard Beomgyu yell, before the door was slammed shut in your face and locked.

You couldn’t believe it. Your stupid friends who knew you were trying to get over Yeonjun decided to lock you into a room with him! Apparently you were friends with a group of sick and twisted individuals. An angry growl ripped through your throat, and the next thing you knew, you started pounding your fist against the door.

“Choi-Fucking-Beomgyu, you open this fucking door right now!” You screamed, and swore you could hear his muffled giggles from the other side of the door. You tried slamming your fist against the thick wooden door a few times, but one particular strike caused you to hiss in pain and forced you to stop. 

“Shit, are you okay?” Yeonjun asked quickly, rushing over and cradling your hand gently. 

You nodded. You were still seething with rage at the fact you were cooped up in here with him, but could feel it slowly dissipating. “I’m so sorry. My friends--our friends are so dumb. I-I don’t even know why they would lock us up in here together.” You muttered, glancing over at the door. That was a lie, you definitely knew why they would do that.

Yeonjun let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, I have a few ideas.” 

“What do you mean?” You asked, looking up at him suspiciously. Did he know about your crush on him? Had Beomgyu told him? Oh, you were totally going to beat the shit out of him when you got out of there.

“Oh… Nothing…” He let go of your hand, and instead reached up to rub the back of his neck awkwardly. 

You nodded slowly, and leaned back against the wall. He was pressed against the one opposite of you, taking an interest in his dress shoes that he lazily clicked together. You weren’t sure what your friends were trying to accomplish, since there was no way you were going to confess to Yeonjun any time soon, especially not in some supply closet at his father’s party. 

Speaking of his father, he cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I know you wanted to meet my dad, and some of the other people here.” He spoke quietly.

You shrugged, pressing your lips together. “It’s fine. I guess I can always meet them some other time, right?” You smiled at him weakly, and he nodded. “I still have time… I think.” 

“You’re going to be fine, Y/N. You know, I meet a lot of young designers who come and do work for my dad and whatnot, and I don’t think any of them hold a candle to you.” 

You met his gaze with wide eyes. “Really?” You asked. 

Suddenly, you were hit with a wave of deja vu. This was exactly like your conversation you’d had with Chat Noir a few days ago, where he was comforting you about the exact guy you were talking to now. The guy who you thought had never really noticed you before. But, also the guy with a girlfriend. You had almost forgotten all about her, which you felt like made you a horrible person. 

“Um, Yena, she’s nice.” You said. 

“Yena. Yeah, she is. She’s very nice.”

The atmosphere had become so awkward, you wanted to scream. 

“About Yena… I’m not sure why I’m telling you this, but--”

Once again, just when the conversation was starting to get somewhere, you were interrupted by the feeling of your phone buzzing. You held up a finger, indicating for Yeonjun to pause, and dug your phone out of your small bag to see a text from Sieun. 

so… lol we messed up and the lock on the door is broken…

and

please don’t hate me

someone at the party just got akumatized

You gaped at your phone with wide eyes. “Shit…” You mumbled on your breath, wandering over to the door to give the handle a wiggle. You weren’t sure why you were expecting anything to happen. You were about to just transform into Ladybug right there, then remembered that Yeonjun was stuck in the room with you. “Shit!”

“What is it?” The man in question queried. 

You let out a frustrated sigh. “Um… Our friends broke the door… And apparently someone got Akumatized out there.” 

Yeonjun’s dark eyes widened. “Are you serious?” He demanded, and you nodded feverishly. 

“Yes!” You groaned. Then, an idea struck you. “Wait! I think I know somebody who can help! Hold on…” You opened up the Twitter app, thumb darting around to open up your direct messages. 

“Wait, it’s okay! I’ll get my dad to send someone over and fix the door!” Yeonjun tried to assure you, but you ignored him, opening up your messages with Chat Noir. 

s.o.s i’m locked in a room at this party and someone got akumatized 

You sent him the message, and less than ten seconds after you sent it, you heard Yeonjun’s phone go off. 

Oh.

The room became silent, as the two of you stared at the phone in his hands. Just to test it out, you sent another message, and his phone went off again. 

Oh.

“Y/N, I can explain--”

Your head was spinning. Of course, the possibility of Yeonjun being Chat Noir had crossed your mind a few times before, but you had never actually seriously considered that it could be true. The possibility of your annoying partner being the boy you had been crushing on for years? Yeah, okay. It sounded like some sort of sick joke. Truthfully, Yeonjun was the last person you had realistically thought could be Chat Noir. Or, maybe you’d just been so in denial about the possibility, you had missed all the signs. 

The universe was playing a sick joke on you. 

“So… You’re telling me… You are Chat Noir?” You whispered. 

There was no use in denying it. Instead, he nodded slowly. 

You felt dizzy. “But—you—“ It felt like the air was being stolen from your lungs, so you decided to pause for a moment, leaning up against the door for support. 

He said nothing. Instead, he stared at you with wide eyes, like he was carefully surveying you for each and every reaction you were having. 

“Have you just been playing me this whole time?” You whispered. He sucked in a breath, like he was ready to start denying it, but you jumped to cut him off. “Because I thought you liked me, really liked me, but you have a whole girlfriend. Oh God, and she’s so sweet, does she know you’re Chat Noir? Does she know you’ve been coming to my apartment at night to see me?” 

“No! No, it’s not like that! Yena and I aren’t even really dating!” He assured you quickly, speeding across the room to pull your hands into his own. 

As he did so, you gazed down, imagining his gloved hands being the ones to hold you. He wasn’t dating Yena. Well, that was good to know. Still, it didn’t make the situation any better. It didn’t change the fact that Choi Yeonjun was Chat Noir, and you had no clue. 

 “I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner. I was too blinded by my crush on you, I should have been able to figure this out sooner.” 

Yeonjun paled. “You have a crush on me?” 

“Yes, you idiot!” You exclaimed, snatching your hands away from him. “I have for a long time, and everyone knows except for you, apparently! But that’s not the point, the point is, I should have known!” 

“How could you have known?” He was trying to comfort you, but instead it was just ushering a confession out of you, those little words that would change everything between the two of you more than it already had. “Honestly, Y/N, the thought of telling you crossed my mind, but… Ladybug would have killed me.” 

“I should have figured it out because I am Ladybug!” 

The words slipped through your lips before you had the chance to think them over and stop yourself. Your hands darted up to your mouth to cover it, as though it would be able to take it back. 

It couldn’t. 

Yeonjun looked like he was about to tip over and pass out. 

There was a creaking sound behind you, and you slowly turned to see the door to the supply closet being peeled open by a cringing Soobin. The rest of your friends were gathered around, peering at the two of you with wide, curious eyes. 

You had a sneaking feeling that the door was never broken, and there was never an Akuma. Your friends had made it all up to get you and Yeonjun to confess your alternate identities to each other. Oh, you were going to kill them all. 

“So… Did you guys talk?” Jeongin asked, flashing his cute bread smile at you as if it might make you forget what they did. 

It did not, in fact, make you forget. No, you were so consumed with rage, you wouldn’t be surprised if you got Akumatized right then and there. Not even Jeongin’s sweet smile could calm you down now. 

Before you were able to stop yourself, an angry scream ripped through your throat, and you launched yourself at your so-called “friends”. 

Discussing your true identities with Yeonjun could wait. Now, your top priority was going to be murdering all of your stupid friends. 

authors note: so… yeah… it happened 😅😅 surprise!!! i wonder how they are going to react now that they know this….

tag list: (closed) @therealhyunjingf @jakeshands @impureperhaps @mazeinthemoon @tyunlatte @loveliii @exohclipse @17szn @txtbrainrot @bubblytaetae @serafilms @iirene304 @snowfalltxt @choistick @lost-leopard-beanie @taekwondoes @captivq @aestheticsluut @suburbiataehyung @cecedrake2217 @omiomipepperoni @ttyunz @stellz581 @cher-bears @tyunner @eggomi @rikismiel @vianna99 @certainyouthpeanut @cookiehaos @90sni-ki @http-gyu @iad0ru @viagumi @reverbtunes @fatoompie @ka143 @sserafimez @hoonjjun @ahnneyong @cutiespaghetti @wonioml @emohazuzworld @taylvvrr @cowsmicwu

[rad-roche]

now that the time-sensitive picture is done, i can get back to what i was doing: running a fallout 2d20 campaign for friends slash sick bastards who have been very patiently waiting. we're doing it in the commonwealth since it's what a lot of the rulebook focuses on, this is my first campaign, and i accidentally wrote an au through two noir fics which they're all very familiar with

very broad overview: the gang successfully cleared vault 108, accidentally passed a local hardened gangster's initiation ritual, and are taking their ill-gotten gains to diamond city. we do it every other week, which gives me plenty of time to get my notes in order

the diorama is complete, too! i change it up after every significant combat encounter

nobody has found one yet, but i hide a to-scale pinup magazine in every one of these. there's no prize, beyond the miniscule pictures of breasts, but that's it's own joy

[coffeebanana]

Ladynoir + "He hadn't looked at her like that in years."

Thanks for the ask!!! So kajsfbkjf this is from months ago, and I want you to know that literally my first thought upon reading this prompt was "oh. that's so good". So good that I had to put it aside 4 months apparently 😂. But it's my goal this month to empty out my ask box, and better late than never!! (If I remember correctly was the ask game was to send a pairing and one sentence and I was supposed to write the next 5? But I don't know moderation so this will be more than 5 ahaha.) *** He hadn't looked at her like that in years. Like she was infallible. Like he'd follow her to the ends of the Earth, fully knowing the planet was round and he was really promising eternity. Like maybe, despite everything, he still loved her. (Like he hadn't betrayed her.) But a pair of sparkling eyes didn't make up for the last two years. They didn't make up for the oceans of tears she'd cried, and they couldn't slow the river of turmoil roaring through the city streets, where their cries of joy had once graced the skies. The time for forgiveness was over. Chat Noir didn't seem to have gotten the memo.

Ladybug clenched her fists at her sides as a gust of wind tore past them. The top of Montparnasse Tower had seemed a neutral place to meet when she'd first suggested it, but now...she followed his gaze across the roof, her stomach churning when she remembered one of the first times they'd stood up here. Well, maybe "remembered" was the wrong word. She'd seen the picture more times than she could count--on the Ladyblog, on billboards, in magazines--but now more than ever, she couldn't for the life of her figure out what had prompted her to kiss him.

Tonight, his words cut into her attempts at speculation.

"You came," he said. Even now, his voice was a warmth that battled the wind and wrapped itself around her for a brief moment of time. A moment of calm.

The icy wind burned her cheeks when his words fell away. "I said I would," she replied shortly. "I'm not the one who breaks promises."

His expression faltered at that, but she looked away before she could fully register it. She wasn't falling for his tricks.

She especially wasn't falling for his next words.

"I'm sorry." He took a small step closer, and she took a larger one back. "You're sorry?" She laughed, the bitterness she'd swallowed for years finally bursting free. "For what, exactly? For abandoning me? For joining the Shadow Moth?"

For breaking my heart? Chat bowed his head. "For everything. I never wanted to hurt you, my la--" "I'm not your lady," she interrupted, ignoring the part of her that still very much wanted to be. The part of her that had played through scenarios just like this one in her dreams.

(In those dreams, she always took him back. She took his face in her hands, and he ran his fingers through her hair oh so carefully. His claws scratched lightly against her scalp. His touch sent shivers down her spine. In those dreams, she could never figure out what exactly he tasted like, but his lips didn't leave much else to the imagination.) "I know that," he said. "But I...you have to understand, I never wanted this. It wasn't my choice, Ladybug."

She snorted. "Right. And I'm just supposed to believe that?"

"No." He shook his head sadly. "I brought proof."

He took another step closer, and this time Ladybug didn't move away--she was so tired of fleeing. She did however raise her yo-yo defensively as he reached into his pocket, but all he pulled out was a silver ring.

She eyed it warily. "What's that?" "An Amok," he whispered, his voice almost lost to the howl of the wind. "Mine."

[fashionbooksmilano]

Valparaiso

Photographies Serge Larrain, Texte Pablo Neruda

conception de l'ouvrage Agnès Sire avec la participation de Xavier Barral 

Éditions Hazan, Paris 1991, 58 pages, 38 photographies noir & blanc pleine page dont certaines en double page , broché, couv. à rabat sur papier recyclé, 16,5x23,5cm, ISBN 2 850 25 2581

euro 800,00

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

Le fotografie realizzate da Sergio Larrain nel porto cileno di Valparaiso tra gli anni 50 e gli anni 60 e pubblicate in questo ricercatissimo e prezioso documento solo nel 1991. Accompagnato da un testo di Pablo Neruda

Valparaiso, published by Editions Hazan in 1991 is another of the major works that is nearly impossible to find. This beautifully produced title contains most of the photographs of his home country that we may be familiar with. Started in 1957 while traveling with Pablo Neruda for Du Magazine (published in 1965), it was a project that Larrain would work on for several years. As reflected in the earlier vagabond street children series he originally established his voice with, Larrain challenges the edges of his frames creating new and dynamic compositions. Often choosing vantage points that mimic the viewpoints of the stray dogs that appear in the photos, Larrain wanders and observes the life of this port city. Things get interesting at night when the bars are full of sailors, dancers and desire. Ref in Martin Parr & Gerry Badger, The Photobook, vol. II, p.102

05/01/24

[filmnoirfoundation]

The print issue of NOIR CITY magazine is now available for purchase at Amazon: https://bit.ly/4dpFVx0

[omniversecomicsguide]

⚠️Quick Review!⚠️

BAT-MAN: FIRST KNIGHT #1

Dan Jurgens, Mike Perkins & Mike Spicer take us to an Elseworlds-style trip back to 1939 - the year Batman made his debut - for a noir pulp tale from DC’s mature readers Black Label imprint. Completely unlike any Dan Jurgens story you’ve read before, this all harks back to the Bat’s earliest days (and earliest costume!). And it’s all brought to you with style and grit by the two Mikes! This is one incredible looking book and, despite knowing how much work Mike Perkins has put into it, I’m really hoping we take more trips back here after First Knight is over!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5

Official synopsis:

“The year is 1939. The world, still reeling from the horrors of the First World War, is on the brink of tipping into an even more gruesome conflict, as fascism is on the march-and gathering strength in America’s darkest corners. Against this backdrop, a series of violent murders has begun in Gotham, and the recent emergence of the mysterious vigilante known as The Bat-Man has the power brokers of the city living in fear of institutional collapse. All of the evidence in the murder investigation defies logic: the perpetrators are all men who died in the electric chair. But when the Bat- Man comes face to face with one of these sickening anomalies, he barely escapes with his life-throwing into question his ability to survive in a world that is brutally evolving around him! Legendary writer Dan Jurgens and superstar artist Mike Perkins return to the earliest days of the Dark Knight, retelling one of his most infamous cases through an acutely modern lens, depicting a world paralyzed by anxiety and a desperate populace crying out for release!”

52 pages

Magazine format

DC Comics

2024

[visuac]

 retro-pastiche

[lesbiancolumbo]

@ the person who sent me an anon like a month ago about going to LA for a work trip and wanting some old hollywood locations.... the most recent noir city magazine (which i get digitally) has a great article with film noir LA locations, complete with addresses and stuff, so if you want me to send this your way DM me

[landboundstar]

From Ghoulies And Ghosties part 1

Started a story. Let's see if I can get it done by Halloween.

John Constantine gets hired by Thomas and Martha Wayne to find the problem bothering their son. Difficulties will ensue.

Swearing in this chapter.

I came back from a walk to grab chips and curry and walked back into my own office.

And the beginning of an old detective movie.

Honestly, with some of my enemies, being trapped in a movie is not out of the question. So I will clarify.

I walked into my office, not a literal movie.

I just felt like I should be hearing a bloody sax playing in the background in black and white when I walked back into my office and saw who was standing there.

The woman stood, a long dark coat covering her dress, playing with a string of pearls at her throat, with her husband's arm around her shoulder.

"Well, hello." I crossed to the chair behind my desk, pulling the extra salt packets out of my pockets as I munched on a chip. "Why don't you have a seat?"

I didn't ask their names, but I didn't need to.

I had seen their pictures before.

The woman actually blushed a little as she sat down in the chair across from me.

"Mr. Constantine, I've heard our son talk about your skills."

I raised my eyebrow at that, but she continued talking.

"It wasn't to me, of course. But he speaks well of your preparedness, your detective work, and your magical talents."

I did wonder just what she had overheard and who it had been to. Because it had been nowhere I had ever heard him.

"Our son's in trouble. And I'm worried that, this time, it might break him. We want to hire you to help him find the problem and solve it." The man spoke.

They were sincere, bless them.

Just one problem.

"You know, as one of your son's friends, I hate to tell you but your son is a grown ass adult who does not like asking for help? In fact, he's known to be a bit paranoid about it at work."

I slid my hands towards the salt packets.

The man placed two pictures and a banded stack of hundred dollar bills on the table. "I am aware of the difficulties of protecting one of your fellow Justice League members. But I want my son to be safe. Just don't tell him. We don't want to upset him."

Damn it. 

If he had pulled the rich asshole, "I paid you so do your job" card, I'd have turned him down. But, the fact that he still cared, that he wanted to hire me rather than take shortcuts, the fact that they still listened and watched out for him.

I looked at his wife, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

And, bloody hell, it really was a stereotypical noir film opening.

I fell for the pretty lady.

I took the case.

After they left, I stared at the picture on the table. The one was your typical celebrity media photo that gets plastered on every paper, magazine, and tabloid. The other was a picture of one of the Justice League on a mission.

"Fuck." I said as I thought how I was going to manage to do my job in fucking Gotham City.