#saw so much cool art of her performance

[delborovic]

I am not immune to Knight Chappell Roan❤️‍🔥

[419jhat]

Steve becomes an actor. Eddie reacts to his movies while nursing his crush.

***

That Time He Got Naked

Steve had always been a good performer. Eddie watched him in school, putting on the face of a disaffected cool guy who was above everything around him. And he watched him put on a face of bravery for the kids when the end of the world was at their fingertips. When Steve got his first role, Eddie figured it made sense. He hadn't exactly been trained in acting, but he had a pretty face and the ability to do what he was told on a set.

When he got his second role, Eddie didn't pay much attention. Local art movies by Robin's college friends weren't that interesting to watch, in his opinion. But the third role was when it became a thing. That's when it started turning into a big deal. And before they knew it, a year later, Steve was in a real movie. A movie they could see in theaters and rent at family video. A movie people had actually heard of. The kind of movie everyone sat down to watch in support of their famous friend. Even if it was a just small role.

So, at the first available showing where the entire party could get together, Eddie found himself squished between Dustin and Nancy, watching Steve gasp and moan like it was his first time.

And Eddie's face was on fire.

Dustin had pulled his hoodie over his eyes.

Nancy was sitting straight as a telephone pole.

Jonathan leaned over and asked her, “Was he really like that?” Which made her smack him on the arm and tell him to shut up.

Eddie could barely pay attention. He was too busy wondering, as he stared at Steve's bare ass taking up half the screen, if Steve had been hitting the gym to tone up just for this scene because-

He needed to stop thinking about it before he made it even more awkward for everyone.

When Steve called him a week later, he could barely talk without stuttering like a fool.

“So, what did you think? Maria said I was really convincing but she was in the scene with me. She kind of has to say that,” Steve said.

Eddie thought that the sight of Steve's ass had been imprinted on the back of his eyelids, because it was all he saw when he closed his eyes to sleep at night.

“It was good,” Eddie said awkwardly.

“That sex scene was so embarrassing. People keep asking me if it was hot. There is nothing hot about standing around your coworkers in a flesh colored jockstrap.”

“Mm-hmm,” Eddie said, trying not to imagine a scenario where Steve was his coworker, and that was his uniform.

That Time He Died

The next time they met up to watch a Steve movie, nobody had warned Eddie about its contents. Or, maybe they did and he'd ignored it because he didn't want to think about the little mole on the small of Steve's back that he'd discovered last time they watched a Steve movie.

Either way, Eddie was completely unprepared to watch Steve gasping for air while being beaten to death in an alley.

“Ugh, I can't watch this,” Robin muttered when it became clear what was happening. She ran out of the theater a few moments later when the scene didn't end quickly enough.

Lucas was on Eddie's other side, cringing with each brutal punch. Steve was letting out pathetic, wet whimpers, his face literally crunching under the main actor's fists.

Eddie knew it was fake. The blood was kind of excessive and there was just no way you could rearrange someone's face like that with your bare hands. But watching Steve's eyes go glassy made Eddie feel sick.

He got up too.

He found Robin standing next to a water fountain, just staring at it.

“Thirsty, Buckley?”

She jumped.

“Oh. No,” she said, stuffing her hands in the pickets of her jacket. “I just dream about that kind of stuff a lot.”

Eddie nodded. “I get it. It's different when we've seen him hurt before.”

Behind them, the theater door swung open. Dustin paused when he saw them, and then propped it open with his foot. The rest of the party followed.

“I guess we're leaving early, huh?” Nancy asked.

Everyone nodded.

“Nobody tells Steve,” Robin warned.

When Steve called him the next day, he kept his mouth shut.

“You were terrifying,” Eddie said.

“You sure? I think I was supposed to be more pathetic than anything else.”

“I mean, that too. But it was super gory, so I think the whole theater was freaked out.”

“Neat,” Steve said. “You know, I'm going to be in Chicago this weekend. We should hang out!”

“I'd love that!” Eddie said too quickly.

Steve laughed and asked, “maybe you can show me around?”

“Yeah, you can stay at my place!” Eddie said.

And then he looked around his apartment and cringed. “On second thought, you can get a hotel if you don't want to deal with the mess.”

“I love the mess. It's you,” Steve said.

Eddie wasn't sure if he was supposed to be offended or not.

That Time He Cried

The next movie wasn't much better. This time, Eddie came prepared. This time, Steve didn't get naked or die. What he hadn't anticipated was that there were other terrible things that could happen, like watching the man he'd held a crush on for years now scream and sob because he lost the will to live after his wife died.

Eddie honestly didn't know that Steve could sound like that. The anguish in his voice at the funeral scene, the pain in his eyes. It was raw, and difficult to face.

There wasn't a dry tear in their row.

“I do not like this one,” El whispered to Eddie.

“Why is he always miserable in these movies?” Max muttered. She had her shoulders up to her ears and her arms crossed, like she could hold the tears back if she wound herself up tight enough.

“Well. He seemed pretty happy in the first one,” Eddie said.

Max punched him in the shoulder.

Steve's phone call came that evening.

“Dude, I think you broke everyone's hearts. I didn't even know you could cry like that,” Eddie said.

Steve huffed a laugh into the receiver. “My agent told me to think of something sad.”

“What did you think of?” Eddie asked. He instantly wanted to smack himself in the forehead. Why would Steve share that with him? To his shock, Steve hummed, like he was thinking.

“I thought about how I felt when we thought Max was dead,” he said quietly. “Obviously, it's not like that between us. She's basically my sister at this point. But…it was the first time I'd ever lost someone but cared about. Someone I was supposed to protect.”

Eddie's heart melted into a million pieces.

“Steve. I think you should invite her to visit you. She loves you too,” he said softly.

“Yeah,” Steve said slowly, “the only thing is that Dustin would lose his shit if she visited first.”

“Oh, don't worry, I'll keep him distracted for you,” Eddie said.

“With Dragons and Dickwads?” Steve asked.

“You know it.”

That Time He Proposed

Eventually, Steve broke his curse of misery and managed to get a lead role in a rom com. Eddie hated it more than anything else. Watching him fall in love with the human equivalent of a shallow puddle pissed Eddie off more than anything else had in a long time. Steve's pretty eyes, staring at her. Steve, so visibly in love with someone who didn't deserve him. Steve, doing stupid shit to make her take him back when he hadn't done anything wrong in Eddie’s completely unbiased opinion.

It made Eddie want to tear his hair out.

The real cherry on top was Steve proposing to her at the end, because of-fucking-course the movie ended that way. That kind of heteronormative love at first sight, get married and have kids bullshit the media always pandered to, drove him up the wall. Steve did all the work. He set up a cheesy outdoor surprise at the beach and dropped to one knee while everyone in the background of the scene clapped like a bunch of lemmings.

“This is so fucking stupid,” Eddie said.

“Tell me about it,” Mike said.

“God, I hate romance movies," Eddie said.

“They always suck,” Mike agreed.

“Steve would never do that! He doesn't like big grand gestures!” Eddie said.

“What?” Mike asked.

“He's a very private person!”

“Eddie…that's not Steve. That's Chris. Steve’s character,” Erica said.

“I- I know that. I'm just saying,” Eddie sputtered.

“Can you all shut the fuck up?” Max hissed.

Steve called him a week later, and by then, Eddie had forgotten all about it up until Steve started waxing poetic about how romantic it all was. Ugh.

“Wait, I thought you didn't like that kind of stuff,” Eddie interrupted.

“Oh. No, I don't. But in the context of the movie, it was supposed to be.”

“So…what kind of romance do you like?” Eddie asked casually.

“Gonna surprise me with something, Munson?” Steve asked.

“Wha- no, I just-” Eddie stuttered.

Steve interrupted him with a laugh. Then, he suddenly asked, in a sinfully soft voice, “when are you going to visit me?”

Eddie's heart skipped a beat.

“Uh, I don't know. Tattooing doesn't pay for a California vacation yet,” he said nervously.

“You could move out here,” Steve said. “There's a ton of people wanting tattoos in LA.”

“I don't know if all that sun would agree with me,” Eddie joked.

“Youcouldmoveinwithme,” Steve blurted out.

“Hmm?” Eddie asked, twisting the phone cord around his thumb.

“You could move in with me,” Steve said.

Eddie nearly dropped the phone. He sat up straight and looked at his hands like they couldn't tell him what he'd really heard, because there was no way Steve was being serious.

“Eddie?” Steve asked.

“I'm here. Good one, Steve,” he said with a forced laugh, “like you'd want me messing up your place. Anyway, got anything else going on?”

Steve didn't reply for a moment. When he did, he told him about some party he'd gone to. And Eddie forgot about the offer completely.

That Time He Was a Villain

Thankfully, Steve's next film was wildly different from the others. This time he was the bad guy. Eddie found it kind of thrilling to watch him parade around with the confidence of an unapologetic piece of shit. The way he led the main characters around like he had them on a leash, the way he looked when he was in charge. It made Eddie's pathetic little heart shiver.

Steve made a sexy villain.

Unfortunately for Eddie, nobody else seemed to agree. As they left the theater, all the kids were grumbling under their breath.

“I thought he was cool in that role,” Eddie said.

“He was such an asshole!” Dustin said.

“I can't believe he was so mean to Miranda! He didn't have to be such a bad husband!” Max said.

“It was the look in his eyes. Like he thought it was all fun,” Erica said with disgust.

“Once a douche, always a douche,” Mike muttered.

Nancy lifted an eyebrow. “You guys know that it was just a character, right? Steve didn't actually endorse any of that stuff.”

“He chose the role,” Dustin muttered. “I hope Hollywood isn't ruining him.”

Eddie was pretty sure they just missed him.

Steve called him three days later.

“Do you think I'm turning into an asshole?” he asked without saying hello.

“Dustin’s just being stupid,” Eddie said.

“He says I'm regressing back into my high school days!”

“That's dramatic,” Eddie said with a laugh, “he didn't even know you in high school.”

“Exactly!”

“I thought you were cool in your latest movie,” Eddie said.

“What?”

“I mean, you are a bit of an ass, but it shows your skill.”

“Wait, is that what this is about? I thought I missed his birthday or something!”

“Oh, no. They just don't like seeing you play the bad guy.”

“Oh my God, that is so fucking-”

That Time He Fell In Love With A Man

Eddie didn't know what was coming next. Steve had been in a wide variety of roles at this point, so when he sat down in the theater with a bucket of popcorn, he did not expect to witness the crush of his life, holder of his soul, dream of all dreams, to be making out with another man.

Eddie nearly threw his popcorn at the screen out of sheer shock.

“Buckley, did you know about this!?” he hissed to Robin.

“Yeah, I thought it was really brave,” she said softly.

“What do you mean? Because he's straight?”

Robin slowly turned to look at Eddie with an eyebrow lifted.

“...what?” she asked.

Eddie wasn't paying attention. He turned back to watch. It was beautiful. It was nothing like what he'd expected. Explicit love between two men, on screen for the world to see. He didn't even have it in himself to get jealous. For the first time, Eddie couldn't see Steve. He saw the story. He could see himself in the way Steve's character looked at his lover. The way they hid their feelings for each other in public. The film ended with Steve's character passing away in a car accident. It made Eddie cry. Eddie hadn't cried in a theater in years.

He left the building feeling raw.

The others were raving about the film, talking about how it would push Steve's career to the next level. No comments about it being weird or gross.

“Robin, why would he choose that role?” Eddie asked quietly.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I mean, did he do it for Will or something?”

Robin turned to Eddie with her hands on her hips, looking very much like Steve with the level of judgement in her eyes.

“Eddie…when you said Steve was straight. Were you being serious?”

Eddie just blinked at her. “Of course I was. He is straight.”

“Are you stupid?” she asked. Eddie opened his mouth to reply, but she didn't let him. “Where have you been the last few years? Has that apartment of yours been lined with lead?”

“What-”

“Eddie, he calls you almost every week!”

“He calls everyone-”

“He stays at your place when he's in town!”

“It's cheaper-”

“He is a successful actor! He has no reason to stay in your apartment, which is always covered in dirty clothes!”

“Hey, I try to keep it-”

“Last time I was there, your underwear was hanging on the bathroom doorknob!”

“Listen, I told you I can explain that-”

“Eddie, he asked if you wanted to move in with him!”

Eddie opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. Now that he thought about it, he did recall Steve joking about that. But it had just been a joke. Right?

“I thought he was being nice?” Eddie offered.

“Oh my god, you are so stupid,” Robin said.

“Wait, so let me get this right. Steve isn't straight. And he's interested in me!?”

Robin punched him in the shoulder. “Go call him, you dumbass.”

Eddie turned and ran all the way home without even saying goodbye. By the time he made it to his phone, he was gasping for air after running up three flights of stairs. And for the first time in years, he called Steve after watching his movie.

“Hello?”

Eddie could only gasp for air.

“...listen if this is some kind of prank-”

“No! Wait! It's me!” Eddie gasped.

“Eddie?” Steve asked.

“I saw your new movie,” Eddie said, brushing his hands out of his face with a shaking hand, “why didn't you ever tell me?”

Steve was silent for a moment.

“Tell you what?” he finally asked.

“That you like men!”

“I'm sorry?” Steve asked, sounding shocked.

Eddie's face was on fire. Had he somehow completely misunderstood Robin's point? Should he have stayed beyond to make sure?

“Eddie, did you not know that?” Steve asked.

“What! Of course, I didn't! If I had known that I would have-” Eddie cut himself off, too embarrassed to even say it.

“You would have what?” Steve goaded.

“It doesn't matter,” Eddie mumbled.

“No, I think it does,” Steve said.

“It's not a big deal,” Eddie said.

“I think it is,” Steve said.

Eddie bit his bottom lip, letting his feelings fester inside him until they finally exploded in the form of him shouting, “I would have asked you out!”

“And I would have said yes,” Steve said instantly.

“Really?” Eddie asked softly.

“I mean…I've been crazy about you for years,” Steve said.

“Why didn't you say anything!? Do you know how crazy you drove me last time you stayed here? You can't hold a man in bed like that and not expect him to fall in love!”

“I- uh, thought you didn't feel the same,” Steve said, sounding embarrassed. Eddie closed his eyes and sighed. Robin was right. He was so stupid.

“Steve, I feel the same and I want to ask you to be with me for the foreseeable future,” Eddie said boldly.

“The foreseeable future? Not just a date?” Steve asked.

“I am well past wanting a single date, to be honest.”

“Oh wow. Well, I've been looking for a boyfriend,” Steve said.

“I might even surprise you with something romantic,” Eddie said with a smile.

[awhoreintheory]

Circus Boy

Directly inspired by @erinwantstowrite 's art!!! post

Request from awesome amazing cool Anon

Over the years, circuses have lost their spark.

Dick would know�� he’d literally grown up in one. Back then, the circus was a symphony of effort and artistry. Weeks, sometimes months, were spent perfecting routines. Performances were designed to dazzle, to inspire awe, no matter the country or culture of the audience. The comedy sketches weren’t just filler— they were genuinely funny, capable of drawing laughter even from the most reluctant parent dragged along by an excited child. Every act had a rhythm, a purpose, and above all, passion. The performers took pride in their craft, and the audience responded in kind, feeding off the energy, cheering and clapping until their hands were raw and their throats sore. 

Now? Now they were dull. Predictable routines recycled ad nauseam. Costumes that looked like they were bought in bulk from a clearance rack. Tents and stages slapped together with the barest effort to resemble grandeur. The magic, the joy—the soul of it all—had been replaced with a singular, glaring goal: profit. No one cared if the audience laughed, gasped, or even paid attention, so long as they paid their entrance fees.

But recently, whispers of something different had started making waves in Gotham: a circus gaining a reputation for being... well, different.

Dick’s curiosity was piqued. He hadn’t planned to go, at first. But the memories of his youth, of what the circus used to mean, stirred within him. Before he knew it, he’d wrangled (read: blackmailed) together as much of the family as he could to go see it. Which, wasn’t a whole lot considering quite a few were out of state currently, but it was enough to make him smile.

“Why must I come along? I do not see the point,” Damian groused, arms folded tightly across his chest as the group approached the circus grounds. Despite his protests, he made no move to make a stealthy exit.

“You’re coming because it’ll be good for you,” Dick said, ruffling Damian’s hair just to annoy him. Damian promptly swatted his hand away, glaring daggers at his adoptive brother.

“You don’t even know if it’ll be good,” Tim chimed in, hands shoved into his jacket pockets. “What if this thing is as boring as all the other ones you’ve complained about?”

“Then we’ll all get funnel cake and call it a night,” Stephanie said brightly, making it clear where her true excitement lay. “I’m in it for the food, anyway.”

Dick pouted. “You didn’t have to say the quiet part out loud!” 

“Don’t underestimate funnel cake,” Duke added with a smirk. “It might be the only thing saving this trip if the show’s a flop.”

Dick rolled his eyes, but his grin didn’t waver. “You’re all so cynical. Just... trust me, okay? I have a feeling about this one.”

Sure, a lot of the decorations seemed cheap thus far, but Dick can’t blame them. They’re clearly low budget, with only two shows a week, versus the seven to ten a week Dick was used to. The difference was the genuine passion and excitement in the eyes of the performers. And they were just doing pre-show stunts on the street to rouse excitement! 

Tim hummed thoughtfully. “This place has been gaining rapid popularity,” he said, the subtle edge in his tone making it clear he was already analyzing every detail. Dick saw his fingers twitch as if to take a picture. 

Dick glanced over at him but didn’t comment. He recognized that tone— Tim was in detective mode, quietly piecing together threads no one else could see yet. He did, however, take the opportunity at his siblings' distraction to subtly herd them in the direction of the tents, eager to get a good front-row seat. Damian noticed, but he didn’t do much more than roll his eyes.

Steph, however, rolled her eyes dramatically. At Tim, not Dick. “Can you just enjoy one thing without looking for a criminal conspiracy, Tim?”

Tim matched her with a roll of his own eyes, the two slipping into a bickering match that’d put an old married couple to shame if they weren’t so aggressively gay. Meanwhile, Dick let his attention wander to the stage, studying the equipment with the practiced eye of someone who’d lived this life.

Suspended high above was the trapeze rig, its bars wrapped in worn leather, the steel cables taut and secured to thick iron frames. The safety net below, while a little faded, looked sturdy enough to do its job. Not brand-new, but serviceable.

To one side, a highwire stretched across a dizzying height, its slim cable shimmering faintly under the tent lights. The rigging showed some signs of age— slightly dulled bolts and scuffed counterweights—but nothing that made Dick worry. It would hold, even if the daredevil walking it would need nerves of steel.

A teeterboard sat center stage on the ground, its spring mechanism ready to launch performers into flips and vaults. Nearby, a stack of brightly painted crates and barrels hinted at comedic skits. Clowns would probably tumble over them with exaggerated flair, while a sturdy seesaw-like prop suggested slapstick gags involving plenty of unintentional (and intentional) falls.

The whole setup had a charming scrappiness to it. The equipment could use a little TLC, sure, but Dick had no doubt it would hold up under pressure. He could tell the performers had put their trust in it, and that meant something.

For a moment, Dick felt a flicker of nostalgia. The way the crew moved, the crisp efficiency with which they handled the gear— it reminded him of home, of the way his parents had always treated the stage with reverence, as though it were sacred ground.

“Do you see how high that wire is?” Duke muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and apprehension as he followed Dick’s gaze.

“I see it,” Dick replied softly, his heart tightening. He couldn’t help but wonder who had the guts to walk that cable, let alone pull off any stunts on it. He’d definitely have to stick around and chat them up, maybe have a little friendly competition. 

“Awe, man,” Duke sighed, visibly disappointed. “Guess we weren’t excited enough.”

Turns out “early” wasn’t early enough because the seating area was packed. The whole first three rows were aggressively claimed, forcing the group to settle for seats in the middle of the fourth row.

Steph and Duke promptly excused themselves to grab popcorn—or, more accurately, for Steph to scout for funnel cake. Dick had to respect the consistency.

Damian glanced at Dick, then at Tim with a withering look. “Drake, cease your ramblings. They sour my mood.”

Tim blinked, clearly taken aback. “Wait, just me? Steph was talking way more!”

Steph, who had been halfway out of earshot, whirled around with mock offense. “Excuse me? I wasn’t the one turning this into an episode of ‘True Crime: Circus Edition.’” 

“Yeah, because you’re too busy planning how to steal funnel cake from children,” Tim shot back, crossing his arms. Damian’s eyebrow twitched. Dick wondered why peace was but a mere illusion. 

“Oh, please,” Steph quipped. “You’d be the kid I steal it from, Drake.”

Before Tim could come up with a retort, and Damian became a convicted felon, the lights dimmed, cutting their bickering short. A hush fell over the crowd as the familiar low hum of a drumroll began to build.

The ringmaster strode into the center of the stage, clad in a dazzling coat of crimson and gold that shimmered under the spotlight. If you looked any closer than that, you’d see how tacky and cheap it was. His booming voice carried effortlessly across the tent.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Welcome to a night of wonder, daring, and delight!” the ringmaster announced, his voice ringing through the tent as the steady drumroll built the tension. “Prepare yourselves for the extraordinary, the astonishing, the absolutely unbelievable! The show begins... now!”

The drumroll reached its peak, and with a dramatic flourish, the spotlight swept upward to reveal the first performer perched high above the stage. A man in a sparkling gold costume waved grandly to the crowd before swinging onto the trapeze. The audience clapped politely as he performed a few rudimentary tricks— basic flips and graceful swings that showcased control but lacked flair.

Two more performers joined him, each clad in similar glittering costumes. They moved with confidence, transitioning through formations and passing between trapezes, but the moves were predictable and lacked the edge Dick was hoping to see. Certainly, nothing that would make this rinky-dink circus as popular as it got so quickly. 

Tim leaned toward Dick, his tone flat. “You dragged us here for this?”

“Underwhelming,” Damian muttered, his expression neutral but his tone sharp.

Dick didn’t respond immediately, though he couldn’t disagree. The tricks were technically fine— safe, practiced, polished— but there was no spark, no passion. No magic. He resigned to going home disappointed and also to the inevitable flaming via siblings. 

But then, just as one of the performers finished an awkward landing on the platform, the ringmaster’s voice boomed again.

“And now, prepare yourselves for the prodigy of the skies, the one and only Amazing Arach-Kid!”

The spotlight shifted upward again, revealing a much smaller figure poised on a separate platform, high above the others. It was a boy— young and wiry, dressed in sleek crimson and black, his face obscured by a half-mask (not dissimilar to their domino masks, actually) that glimmered faintly in the light. For a moment, the crowd was silent, uncertain what to expect.

Without warning, the boy leaped.

The gasp from the audience was audible as the kid— Arach-Kid?— launched himself into a dramatic triple flip, his body twisting gracefully through the air before he caught the trapeze with flawless precision. The crowd erupted into applause, the energy in the tent shifting instantly.

He didn’t stop there. Swinging with a force that sent his trapeze soaring higher than any of the others had dared, he released at the peak of his arc and spun into a double somersault. Instead of catching the next trapeze, he landed neatly in the arms of one of the adult performers, who looked genuinely startled by the boy’s precision. He grinned, waving excitedly at the audience as they roared with applause. 

From there, the routine transformed. Arach-Kid became the centerpiece of the act, seamlessly incorporating daring flips, twists, and transitions between trapezes. He was passed between the adults with perfect timing, their previous mediocrity eclipsed by his sheer skill and energy.

“Whoa,” Duke murmured, leaning forward in his seat. “He’s... good.”

“Who is that kid?” Tim asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“Better than the rest of them combined,” Damian said bluntly, though his tone carried the faintest hint of approval.

The boy ended his routine with a jaw-dropping quadruple somersault, catching the final trapeze one-handed and hanging upside down with effortless control. Gasps and cheers erupted from the audience, their applause thunderous as he let himself swing for a moment, letting the crowd bask in his daring. Then, with a fluid motion, he swung back, releasing the trapeze bar for one final flourish.

Dick leaned forward, his breath catching as the kid’s body twisted into the unmistakable maneuver— the signature move of the Flying Graysons.

The crowd roared as he executed the technique perfectly, his form flawless, his timing impeccable. He landed with a clean dismount, arms raised triumphantly, and offered the crowd a playful bow before darting off to the wings. Even with the stage empty, shouts and applause echoed for a long time after the boy left. 

For a moment, Dick couldn’t move. His stomach churned as memories of his parents on that same trapeze flooded his mind. No one else knew that move. No one could. His parents had created it, and Dick had learned it from them. It was their legacy— his legacy.

So how, in the name of all that made sense, did this random kid just pull it off perfectly?

The lights shifted again, smoothly transitioning to the next act: a somewhat clumsy but undeniably entertaining tightrope routine. One performer started with a wobbling walk, arms flailing for comedic effect. Another joined, balancing precariously with a broomstick for support. The final performer added a unicycle to the mix, pedaling shakily across the thin wire as the audience laughed and clapped in delight.

It was… objectively funny.

But Dick barely noticed. His good mood had evaporated, replaced by a heavy knot of unease in his chest. At this point, they must have a hive mind with how they immediately filed out of the tent without a single word exchanged. 

“That was—” Tim started, breaking the tense silence.

“Dick,” Steph interrupted, her voice low, “did he just—?”

“That was your move,” Tim finished firmly, his eyes locked on Dick’s.

“It’s not possible,” Duke added, glancing at the now-empty trapeze rig. “Right? It’s your family’s thing. There’s no way some random kid from Gotham knows it.”

“I am more concerned with how he knows it,” Damian said, his voice cutting. His eyes darted to Dick. “This is your domain, Richard. You must have answers.”

Dick didn’t respond right away. He couldn’t. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his breathing shallow. In disbelief, he muttered, “I don’t.”

Steph frowned. “Okay, well... what do we do? Do we just ignore the fact that some kid pulled off your impossible secret family move?”

“No,” Dick said sharply, his voice colder than any of them expected. “We don’t ignore it. We find out who he is, how he learned it, and what the hell is going on.”

Tim’s brow furrowed. “Do you think someone’s trying to get your attention? Like, deliberately?”

Dick shook his head, though his face betrayed his uncertainty. “I don’t know. Maybe. I mean, it’s... it’s possible, but...” He exhaled through his nose, frustrated. “I need answers. This isn’t something you just pick up on YouTube.”

The group left the small but packed circus, their earlier excitement replaced by a shared tension. The cool night air did little to clear their heads as they walked in a tight huddle, glancing over their shoulders as if the boy would materialize out of the crowd.

“Something’s not right,” Tim said, breaking the silence.

“Obviously,” Damian muttered.

“I mean it,” Tim snapped. “Moves like that— you don’t just do them. It takes years to learn without a teacher.” He glanced at Dick. “You’re sure no one outside your family knew it? Like, absolutely sure?”

“Positive,” Dick said firmly. “The only people who knew it are gone. Except me.” His voice dropped as he added, “Or at least, they’re supposed to be.”

The group exchanged uneasy looks, about both the situation and Dick’s reaction to it. It takes quite a bit to rattle him, so to see him, well, rattled was weird. Beyond weird. It was downright wrong. 

“Either way,” Duke said cautiously, “we’re going to figure this out. Right?”

“Oh, we will,” Dick said, his voice grim. “We don’t leave things like this unanswered.”

As they disappeared into the Gotham night, paranoia settled over them like a second skin. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t going to stay a mystery for long. 

[rosenclaws]

Sugar and Spice || Baker!Logan x Reader

summary: Logan has found work as a baker for a nice but cranky woman named Zelda. He never expected to find his place doing something like baking and he really never expected to find himself growing a crush on one of his customers.

warnings: fluff, some suggestive comments here and there

a/n: baker logan is here! I really hope it lives up to the hype because I was kinda unhappy with some of it whle writing. It tried to fix it so I hope its enjoyable <3

art in the banner done by @cherrybonbonss

Time can't move any slower apparently. Logan sighs as he leans against the counter, waiting for Zelda to get back from her errands. Logan had no business taking orders in the front of the bakery. He doesn't do customer service. Ever.

In fact the only reason he's here is because of Zelda. She owns the bakery he's currently working at. He doesn't know how that nice old lady saw someone like him and decided he'd be the perfect fit but she did and he will forever be grateful. She joked that she only hired him because he could reach the high shelves and lift the big bags of sugar but she saw beneath his tough outer shell.

It was a small bakery. Logan and Zelda being the only employees really. He would come in every day and make the bread and pastries while she came in a little later to run the front. She taught him everything. All her old tricks and recipe's were past down to Logan as she's grown too old to be waking up and performing such intense labor.

That worked for Logan. Turns out he had quite the knack for this whole baking thing. Not so much the decorating part but luckily most of the decorated items didn't have to be pretty. He stayed in the back and he was happy that way. But today Zelda had to go home early and Logan was stuck in the front. He had his back to the door, flipping through some magazine that Zelda had left when he hears a soft voice calling for his help.

"Hi, are you guys still open?" Logan turns around to see you standing there, a slightly nervous look on your face as you play with the strap of your bag.

As cliché as it sounds, Logan could feel the air being sucked from his lungs. His heart pounding in his chest as he meets your eyes. He can't remember the last time he felt this way. He doesn't believe in all the soulmate love at first sight crap that exists in those movies that Wade loves to watch but he can't deny the flutter in his stomach as you flash a pretty smile. His palms growing sweaty as he tries to shake the feeling off. He stands up a little straighter, tossing the magazine to the side to give you his full attention.

"Yes we're open, how can I help you?" Logan leans on the counter as you observe the different pastries in the display case.

"I'm not sure what to get, everything looks so good." You say shyly.

You've passed by this place every day for the past week. Catching glimpses of the handsome man in front of you but never building up the courage to actually walk in. Until today that is, it took a small self pep talk but you walked in dead set on having an actual conversation with the man. You saw his nametag, Logan. What a nice name.

"Well if you have any questions I made everything in there." Logan says.

"Seriously? That's so cool." Logan just shrugs, to him he's just doing his job.

"What's your favorite?" You ask. Logan thinks for a moment before reaching into the case and pulling out a chocolate muffin.

"These, I always add more chocolate chips than I'm supposed to." He unwraps the muffin and hands it to you. Your eyes lighting up as you take a bite of it.

"Oh my god, this is the best thing I've ever tasted." You groan as you taste the deliciously warm muffin.

"You flatter me sweetheart," Logan flirts. He can hear your heart beating faster in your chest. You pull out your wallet ready to pay but Logan stops you.

"It's on the house." He says, pushing another muffin that he had wrapped up in a box towards you.

"Are you sure?" You feel guilty not paying for two muffins but Logan just nods.

"Special deal we got going on." He says, not elaborating any further. If you had asked about the special deal he doesn't know what he'd actually say. If he thinks you're attractive you get free pastries? You take the muffins and place them in your bag.

"Thank you Logan." You shift on your feet, not wanting to say goodbye yet.

"We're debuting some new cupcakes tomorrow, if you want to stop by I'll let you have first pick." Logan blurts out.

"Sounds yummy, I'll be there. Same time work okay?" You ask.

"Perfect, see you tomorrow." Logan says with a wink, taking pride in the way your heart skips.

You wave goodbye and hurry out of the store, trying to stay calm and not melt into a puddle just yet. Logan sighs once you leave, running his hands through his hair as he realizes he has to make up some cupcake flavor now. They don't even sell cupcakes here but fuck he couldn't help himself. He had to see you again. He heads to the back and starts rummaging through the ingredients, seeing if there was anything he could use to make cupcakes. He's so wrapped up in his search that he doesn't hear Zelda come back through the doors.

"What on earth are you doing?" She scolds, seeing Logan pushing around inventory like a mad man.

"Nothing." Logan mumbles. She just looks at him with an unamused look on her face, clearly not buying it.

"You got any cupcake recipes in that old brain of yours?" He asks making her scoff.

"Old? That's rich coming from you." She teases. Still she walks over to her office and rummages through some papers. Pulling out an old strawberry cupcake recipe. Logan reaches out for it but she pulls it back.

"Why the sudden interest in cupcakes Logan?" She asks, a subtle smirk on her lips.

Reluctantly Logan spills the reason. Zelda just laughs, handing him the recipe and telling him not to fuck it up. The flirting only works if he can actually make good cupcakes. Despite her teasing Zelda finds it absolutely adorable. It reminds her of her husband. Stubborn, grumpy, clueless, but loving. She watches as he carefully reads over the recipe, making sure he understands every step. Not wanting to mess anything up.

"Ah young love, how cute." She says, pinching his cheeks. Logan bats her hand away gently.

"Oh shut up."

"Quit staring at the clock you look like a sad puppy." Zelda scolds.

Logan just scoffs and rolls his eyes. He does not look like a sad puppy. He's just. Watching the door a little more than usual.

"They'll be here, don't know who could resist the charm of a recovering alcoholic baker."

"Don't you have a hip replacement to go to or something?" Logan shoots back. Zelda huffs and ruffles his hair making Logan laugh. The door chimes and Logan straightens up. Smiling when he sees you walking towards him. Zelda notices his immediate change and smirks, leaving the front to let Logan flirt.

"Hey there sweetheart, you came back."

"Well you promised cupcakes so." Plus you wanted to see Logan again. Logan opens up the case and hands you a strawberry cupcake. Before he can say anything else you hand him a ten. "I will pay for this one, no buts." You slide it towards him and he reluctantly takes it.

"Fine, but just this once." He puts the 10 in the register, watching you take a bite of the cupcake out of the corner of his eye.

"How is it?"

"Fucking great." You don't know how he does it.

"You have a gift or something Logan. Seriously you're amazing." You gush.

For the first time in a while Logan feels his face run hot. He's not used to being praised for anything. This whole, creating over destroying thing was new to him. So to have you honestly tell him he's amazing. Well it just makes him a little nervous.

"Ah it's nothing sweetheart, just testing out old recipes." He lies right through his teeth. But the smile on your face makes it all worth it.

"Well, whenever you decide to debut anything new let me know because I'll be first in line." You say with a smile.

An idea pops into Logan's head. He knows its a bad idea, the amount of work he's about to have to do is going to double. But to see you again it would be worth it.

"We're actually debuting a new treat each week, you know to keep things interesting." He hears Zelda snort laugh from the back and turns to glare at her. She was just eating this up. You gently fold the cupcake wrapper and place it in the trash.

"I'll see you next week then, I'm excited to see what you create." Logan watches as you leave, a smile on his face.

"A new item every week? Good luck with that." Zelda gently whacks Logan on the back of his head. He frowns and rubs the back of his head.

"I can do it, besides it will keep things interesting." He says, trying to justify his reasoning.

"Why can't you just be a normal person and ask them out?" Zelda asks making Logan roll his eyes.

"Oh Shut up."

True to both of your words you show up at the same time every week and Logan has a new delicious treat waiting for you every time. Much to your dismay he refuses to let you pay for any of it. He says its because he made too many or because the batch was off so its not good enough to sell but you have a feeling that he's lying. This goes on for a while.

At least two months of this flirty back and forth yet neither of you will make the first move. It was driving Zelda crazy. Young love is cute but she's sick of watching the two of you make puppy dog eyes and stare longingly and not doing a damn thing about it. She decides its time to take matters into her own hands.

"Logan dear, can you go start the dough for tomorrow. We have a large order I need help prepping." She says sweetly.

Logan hesitates to leave when you're standing at the counter but you tell him to go, you don't want to distract him from his job. Once Logan leaves Zelda turns to you, smiling that sweet old lady smile that no one can resist.

"You know dear, I'm offering baking classes soon and since you're always here, I was wondering if you'd be interested! First class is free." Zelda reaches her hand out and gently takes yours. How could you say no to such a sweet lady?

"I would love to, that sounds like a lot of fun." Her eyes light up and she squeezes your hand.

"Perfect! It starts at 7pm tomorrow night." She writes down the information and hands it to you. She can see you searching for Logan for just a second before saying goodbye. Once you leave she smirks, time for the second part of her plan.

"Logan. I need your help. I hired a new baker to help with the store and I need you to train them." Logan groans, that's the last thing he wants to do.

"Fuck no, I don't teach." He grumbles.

"You have such a dirty mouth you know that son?" She says with the shake of her head.

"Just this once, my back has been killing me and my doctor said I need to take better care of myself." The guilt trip seems to work on Logan as he just sighs.

"Fine. But you owe me." He teases.

"Tomorrow at 7pm. Just show them the ropes is all."

"Yeah yeah, now stop bothering me and let me get back to work." As Logan goes back to kneading dough Zelda just smiles, knowing that her plan is bound to work and she could finally end the mutual pining from both of you.

As you enter the store at 7 you look around for Zelda, it feels weird being here after hours. Like you were trespassing. You see the lights on in the kitchen and slowly make your way over there. Though when you poke your head in you don't see Zelda.

"Logan?" He looks up and his eyes widen in shock.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" "Zelda told me she's starting baking classes...to meet her here at 7..." You suddenly feel very nervous. To be here alone with Logan. Logan sighs, leaning against the counter he starts to piece together what's happened.

"She told me we had a new hire that I had to train." You tilt your head to the side.

"Oh? I wonder why she'd tell us such different things." Logan knows why. She's trying to set him up.

He could tell you to go home and then scold Zelda later. But you came all this way and if he's honest getting the chance to spend some alone time with you isn't a bad idea.

"Because she likes to meddle." Logan says with a huff.

"I can go, you seem busy." You don't want to force Logan to stay here if he doesn't want to but he stops you from leaving.

"Don't worry, I can show you a few things if you want." He offers.

"I can show you how to make those cupcakes you practically devoured last week." He teases. You scoff as you put your bag down.

"I did not devour them. I just. Ate multiple because they were very yummy. If anything that's your fault mister." You say as you poke his chest. You can't help but feel how firm it is.

"Oh my fault? Sorry for being good at my job sweetheart." Logan jokes, he pulls out the recipe for the cupcakes and hands it to you. Time seems to fly by as the two of you practice making them. He lets you do most of the work, hovering around you and helping when you get stuck.

"No no, you don't want to whisk like that. You want to go more side to side." He tells you. The cupcakes are in the oven and now he's teaching you how to make homemade frosting.

"Like this?" You ask as you try to do what he says.

"No, more like this." Your breath hitches as Logan stands behind you.

His big arms wrapping around to guide your hand. One resting on the bowl right next to yours and the other one gently grabbing your hand. He guides your hand in the right movement but you can barely pay attention to what he's saying. To focused on his chest against your back and his warm hands on top of yours.

"That make sense?" He says and you nod mindlessly.

"Yep!" You squeak out. He can feel your heart racing, worry starting to cloud his mind. Is he overstepping? Do you even want this? Slowly he lets go, letting you whisk on your own.

"Actually, do you think you could show me again?" You ask. Heart pounding as Logan slowly nods his head. His arms wrapping around you once again.

"You sure you need me to? You're getting the hang of it already." His hands gently slide over yours. Resting his rough hands on your soft ones. It feels like heaven.

"Logan..." Your voice trails off as you debate asking him the question that's been fluttering around in your head for the past month.

"Yeah?" He asks, just as nervous as you seem to be. Slowly you turn around to face him, his hands now resting on the counter behind you, caging you in.

"You got something on your face." You mumble, reaching up to wipe away the bit of flour.

He grabs your wrist. Keeping it close to his face as he stares deep into your eyes. Like magnetic attraction the two of you slowly start to lean in closer to each other. Words unsaid but the feelings are there. The moment your lips touch is magical for lack of a better word.

His lips are just as soft as you thought they were. He tastes like sugar. Logan lets go of your wrist to wrap his arms around your waist, hoisting you up onto the counter so he can kiss you deeper. Your legs wrapping around his waist as you run your fingers through his hair. With a low groan he breaks the kiss. Panting as he moves his lips down your jaw to your neck. His hands are covered in flour and he's getting it everywhere but fuck you could care less.

"Shit, I've been wanting to do that since I first laid eyes on you sweetheart." Logan purrs as he pulls you closer to him.

"Me too." You pant as you grab onto his shirt. He leans in for another kiss but he suddenly stops. He sniffs the air before scrambling away from you and running to the oven.

"Fuck!" He pulls out the tray of now burnt cupcakes. The two of you had completely lost track of time.

"Oops..." You say as you wave the smoke away from your face. With a sigh Logan dumps the cupcakes into the trash.

"Sorry sweetheart, so much for a baking lesson." He sighs as he starts to clean up the mess left on the counter.

"That's okay, maybe I could come back for another lesson?" You ask, putting on your best flirty eyes. Logan looks over at you and smirks.

"I could do that, but maybe you should come by my place for them instead. It's more...intimate." He offers, he places his hand on your back and pulls you closer to him. You place your hands on his chest and smile.

"I could make that work, anything to learn the secrets of the best baker in town." You run your hands down his chest, feeling his abs through the thin fabric of his shirt.

"Oh I can show you a lot of things sweetheart." Logan purrs, nipping at your ear.

"Come by my place this Saturday at 6 for your first lesson." Logan hands you a slip of paper, jotting down his number and his address.

"Do you need help cleaning up?"

"Nah, I got it. Don't worry your pretty head about it." He says with a wink. You lean in and kiss his cheek, dusting some of the flour that was on his face.

"See you Saturday Logan." He watches with a dopey smile on his face as you walk out of the store. Smirking when he sees the flour handprints on your back. As he starts clean up he hears the phone ring.

"The hell?" He grumbles as he goes over and picks up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Are you two together yet? Did you finally get her number?" Zeldas voice comes through the call and Logan rolls his eyes.

"Oh shut up," Logan says, though she can tell he's smiling through the damn phone.

"Make sure to thank me at the wedding Logan." She taunts and Logan just shakes his head. Admitting she was right might be hard for Logan but her little plan did work. He really does owe a lot to that old lady.

"By the way, don't forget I have cameras in the kitchen. Don't even think about getting all down and dirty in my shop."

[solxamber]

Hello! I saw that you said it was fine to request still, so if it's alright I'll give you my thoughts/promt if it's fine by you.

Also wanted to say i love you're fanfics! Super entertaining and well written so i was wondering if you could write one that's Vil x mermaid! Reader (romantic) the prompt is-

Vil has been slowly falling in love with the reader; not just by her beauty but her personality the two have these little meet ups where she sings/the two talk endlessly and just enjoy eachothers company, but what I'm getting with this,is that Vil would take time to process his feelings but eventually he gets there and confesses. Maybe it could be a friends x lovers?

whatever you want to do with this idea is cool beans, I just really want to see what you come up with!! Alright,that's all much love ♡♡

Vil Schoenheit x Mermaid! Reader

the idea is so big brained!!! I hope you like it <3

Vil has always appreciated beauty. He lives and breathes it—the art of refinement, the craft of elegance. But lately, beauty has taken on a new form for him, and it looks suspiciously like you. He can’t pinpoint exactly when it started, but he knows it’s tied to those secret meetups you two share by the shoreline.

You’re a mermaid, and you make a point to remind him of that every time he mentions something about the "unbearable" human world. You always roll your eyes dramatically, your tail shimmering in the moonlight as you laugh at his over-the-top complaints about fashion disasters, inferior skincare routines, or the latest scandal in the entertainment industry.

"You humans are so fragile," you often tease, resting your chin on your hand as you float lazily in the water. "Honestly, Vil, it’s a wonder you haven’t all crumbled under the weight of your own drama."

He gives you a sharp look every time, but there’s always a trace of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. "And yet, here you are, meeting up with one of these fragile humans every week."

"I didn’t say you weren’t entertaining," you retort with a sly grin. "It’s like watching a soap opera, except with more skincare tips."

Vil chuckles, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair, which somehow manages to stay flawless even in the salty sea breeze. "You’d be lost without my advice. I’ve seen your seaweed face masks."

You pretend to gasp, putting a hand to your chest. "Seaweed is a perfectly valid skincare ingredient! In fact, it’s far superior to that toxic concoction you call moisturizer."

"Seaweed smells like the bottom of the ocean."

"And you don’t?"

That’s how it always goes—banter, teasing, comfortable silences filled with the soft crashing of waves, and eventually, music. You sing sometimes, when the mood strikes you. It’s never anything planned; it just happens. Vil always listens, captivated, because your voice is something he can't quite describe. It's raw, but pure, untouched by the expectations of the stage or the pressures of fame.

Sometimes he sings back, though he pretends he’s only doing it because you insist. "Come on, Vil. Just a few bars. You know you want to."

"I am a professional," he says, crossing his arms. "I don’t perform on a whim."

But you know how to coax him, and soon enough, he’s harmonizing with your lilting melody, his smooth, controlled voice intertwining with yours in a way that makes the night feel magical.

It’s been months of these little meetings, and Vil has never been quite sure what to make of you. You’re beautiful, of course—stunning, really—but that’s not what has him coming back to the shore every week.

It’s the way you make him feel completely at ease, the way you challenge him without being mean-spirited, the way you listen to him vent about things you couldn’t care less about yet still offer thoughtful responses.

And then there’s that laugh of yours—sharp, like the crack of a wave against the rocks, but warm enough to make him feel lighter every time he hears it.

He’s always valued control—over his image, his career, his emotions—but with you, he’s found himself slipping. He realizes, with some discomfort, that he’s been looking forward to these meetings a little too much. It’s not just the singing or the banter anymore. It’s... you.

That thought bothers him, because Vil Schoenheit does not get "distracted." He doesn’t fall for anyone. At least, not like this.

But here he is, walking down to the beach again, heart beating faster than usual as he anticipates seeing you. Tonight, though, something feels different. Maybe it’s the way the moon is hanging lower than usual, casting everything in a silvery glow, or maybe it’s the fact that Vil can’t deny his feelings anymore.

You’re already waiting for him when he arrives, sitting on a rock with your tail swishing lazily in the water. "Late again, Mr. Superstar?" you call out teasingly.

"I’m fashionably late, thank you," Vil replies, though there’s a softness in his voice. He takes a seat on the sand, smoothing out his coat with practiced precision before looking at you.

"You’re slipping," you say, eyeing him critically. "Usually, you’d have a comeback ready. What’s the matter? One of your beauty products finally backfired?"

Vil snorts softly, shaking his head. "No, though if it did, you’d be the first to hear about it." He looks out at the horizon, his expression thoughtful. "I’ve just been... thinking."

"Uh-oh," you say, folding your arms over your chest. "That sounds dangerous. What about?"

He hesitates for a moment, unsure of how to approach this. Vil has always been calculated, measured in everything he does. Confessing his feelings, though? That’s not something he’s prepared for. He glances at you, and suddenly, the words start spilling out before he can stop them.

"You know, for someone who claims not to care about humans, you certainly seem to enjoy spending time with me."

You raise an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the shift in tone. "Are you fishing for compliments, Vil? Because I don’t need to stroke your ego any more than it already is."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "No, it’s just... You’re always teasing me about humans, about my world, but you keep coming back. Why?"

You tilt your head, considering his question for a moment before replying. "Because you’re interesting, Vil. You’re not like the others I’ve met. Most humans get caught up in themselves, but you... you’ve got a spark. You’re genuine, even when you’re being all high-and-mighty. And, well, it’s not like I’ve got a lot of options for good conversation under the sea."

Vil’s heart skips a beat at your words, and he finds himself smiling despite the nerves building up inside him. "I see. So I’m just your entertainment, then?"

"Oh, definitely," you say, grinning. "But you’re also... more than that."

Vil blinks, his breath catching slightly. "More?"

You nod, your expression softening. "You’re someone I look forward to seeing. I like being around you, Vil. You make me feel... seen. And I’m not just talking about my looks. It’s like you actually care about me as a person, not just a pretty face."

He swallows, his chest tightening as he listens to your words. This is it. He can’t hold it in any longer. "I do care," he says quietly, his voice trembling ever so slightly. "More than you know."

You look at him, your teasing expression fading as you sense the weight behind his words. "Vil...?"

He takes a deep breath, steeling himself. "I think... I think I’m falling for you."

There. He said it. And now his heart is racing, his palms are sweating, and for the first time in what feels like forever, Vil Schoenheit is unsure of himself. He braces for your reaction, half expecting you to laugh it off or tease him like you always do.

But you don’t. Instead, you blink at him, your mouth opening and closing as you process his confession. "You... what?"

Vil clears his throat, forcing himself to meet your gaze. "I’m in love with you," he repeats, more confidently this time. "I’ve been falling for you for a while now, and I didn’t want to admit it, but... I can’t keep it to myself anymore."

There’s a moment of stunned silence before you break into a wide smile. "Vil, you absolute idiot."

He recoils slightly. "I beg your pardon?"

You laugh, shaking your head in disbelief. "I’ve been waiting for you to say something for months now! I thought I was going to have to spell it out for you."

Vil blinks, taken aback. "You... you knew?"

"I didn’t know know," you admit, "but I had a feeling. You’re not exactly subtle, Vil."

He stares at you, a mixture of relief and embarrassment flooding his system. "Why didn’t you say anything, then?"

"Because I wanted to see how long it would take for you to figure it out yourself," you say with a smirk, leaning forward slightly. "I didn’t think it’d take this long, though."

Vil narrows his eyes, though there’s no malice in his expression. "You’re insufferable."

"And yet, you love me," you tease, reaching out to cup his cheek gently. "What does that say about you?"

He huffs, though his heart is fluttering in his chest at your touch. "That I have terrible taste."

You laugh again, the sound bright and infectious, and before Vil can say anything else, you pull him in for a kiss. It’s soft, gentle, and Vil feels like his entire world is melting away in that moment. The taste of saltwater lingers on your lips, and for the first time in a long time, Vil isn’t worried about appearances or perfection. He’s just... happy.

When you finally pull away, both of you are smiling like fools. "So," you say, your voice teasing, "does this mean we’re a thing now?"

Vil rolls his eyes, though he can’t stop the grin spreading across his face. "I suppose it does."

"Good," you say, leaning in to kiss him again. "Because I’m not letting you back out of this one, Mr. Superstar."

Vil chuckles against your lips, his hand sliding to the back of your neck to pull you even closer. "Oh, trust me," he murmurs, his voice low and smooth, "I have no intention of backing out. But I do expect you to stop wearing those dreadful seaweed masks."

You gasp dramatically, pulling back just far enough to look him in the eye. "Excuse you! Seaweed is nature’s skincare miracle, Vil. Just because it’s not wrapped in fancy packaging doesn’t mean it’s ineffective."

He raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, his lips curling into a playful smirk. "Perhaps, but you’ll have to let me introduce you to something a little more refined. If we’re going to be a couple, I simply can’t allow my significant other to use subpar beauty products."

"Oh, is that so?" you ask, amusement twinkling in your eyes. "I didn’t realize I was dating a beauty tyrant."

"It’s for your own good," he says with mock seriousness, though there’s a warmth behind his gaze that betrays his affection. "Think of it as part of your glow-up. You’ll thank me later."

You can’t help but laugh, your heart swelling with affection for the man in front of you. It’s strange, really—how quickly this has all come together, yet how natural it feels. You never would’ve guessed that your casual banter and late-night talks would lead to this, but now that it’s happening, you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Vil reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, his touch gentle but purposeful. "You know," he says softly, his usual sharp tone melting into something softer, "I’ve never met anyone quite like you."

You smile at him, feeling the warmth of his words settle into your chest. "I could say the same about you, Vil. You’re not as scary as people think, you know."

He chuckles, shaking his head slightly. "That’s a well-maintained persona, I’ll have you know. Can’t let people think I’m soft."

"Oh, but you are," you tease, poking him lightly in the chest. "At least with me."

He scoffs lightly, though there’s no real bite behind it. "I’ll deny it if you tell anyone."

You laugh, resting your forehead against his as you savor the closeness between you. For the first time in what feels like forever, you feel completely at peace, as if everything has fallen into place. Vil, with all his elegance, wit, and sharpness, has somehow become the person you’ve come to care about more than you ever thought possible. And now, as he holds you close, you know that you wouldn’t trade this for the world.

"I’m glad it’s you," you whisper, pressing a light kiss to his cheek. "I never thought I’d fall for a perfectionist with an ego the size of the sun, but here we are."

He lets out a soft, genuine laugh, his arms wrapping around you more securely. "I never thought I’d fall for someone who argues with me over skincare, but I suppose life has a sense of humor."

"Looks like we’re both in for a wild ride, then," you say with a grin.

Vil hums in agreement, his hand gently stroking your hair. "As long as it’s with you, I think I can handle it."

You smile, feeling your heart soar at his words. There’s a certain magic to this moment—a kind of fairy tale that feels like it’s been written just for the two of you. And as you sit there, wrapped up in each other’s warmth, you can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this is the start of something truly beautiful.

"Well then," you say, pulling back slightly to look him in the eye, "looks like you’re stuck with me, Schoenheit."

"Forever, I hope," he says softly, before pulling you in for another kiss—this one longer, deeper, filled with the promise of something lasting.

And in that moment, with the moon shining overhead and the waves lapping gently against the shore, you know that whatever comes next, you’ll face it together..

Masterlist

[dr-spectre]

I wanna say one final thing about the Marina stuff that went down.

Seeing all the cool fan art that has sprouted due to what has been going on and people sharing their love and passion for Marina is absolutely incredible and reminds me of the importance of the character.

Marina as a character speaks to such a wide range of people and i think it's incredibly sweet and powerful stuff. This character and the culture she embodies is important to a ton of people and as a community, we should NEVER... EVERRRRR forget that!!!!

Marina is my second favourite Idol, i find a lot of relatablity in her despite my appearance looking absolutely NOTHING like her. It feels amazing to know that there is a HEAVILY autistic coded character out there who i can find some comfort in. Not the same kind of comfort as Callie, but different.

I really do love Marina, and I wish my brain would hyper focus on her instead of the magenta squid woman...

I hope we can move past this and learn how to treat people who look different from you much MUCH better. Although the Splatoon community can be very accepting of others and is genuinely one of the more kinder communities out there, it still has a really awful and down right racist side to it, that makes me sick to my stomach.

The stuff i saw about the situation involving Marina and her VA really pissed me off, and i felt so incredibly disappointed. I want this community to do better, and i want minorities to feel safe and comfortable here. It's not fucking fair man.

It's insane to me that the series that's an allegory for racism is full of racist individuals who freak out over seeing a person that isn't white and straight... UGHHHH! It makes so angry, SO. ANGRY. God forbid a woman has a darker tone of skin...

We got 4 idols based on Japanese culture and its different aspects in terms of Idol popstars, a Brazilian singer, an Indian performer, and a black octopus woman. Being racist and defending the act of white washing in a series full of diversity and representation is such vile shit and there is no place for you here, or anywhere else for that matter.

Im not even talking about the person who made that pale skin Marina art, they have said sorry and will focus on improving themselves, only time will tell if they do. But, the people who defended them and then got mad at others who crictised something as important as a character's skin tone... Fucking despicable behaviour.

I really wanna believe in good and hope that the Splatoon community can really grow from this and actually fully embody the messages the games have shown us. But so far, it seems like some of y'all haven't got the message drilled in your fucking heads.

If you freak out over two dark skinned fictional women like these girls right here, then I'm genuinely worried about how you act towards real-life women of colour.

Do better. Seriously. Get better at how you perceive others and really reflect on yourself and what you say towards people who look different than you.

[le-fruit-de-la-passion]

I ran here after your response to that musical!reader headcanon and the mention of Jekyll and Hyde has me SWOONING.

I saw a local production where the woman playing Lucy went out into the audience during "Bring On The Men" and flirted with people, she even sat down on her friend's lap!

What if musical!reader did that to Viktor 🤭

OH MY G O D THATS SO COOL???

Viktor would DIE. Like actually just pass way. Stop breathing and ascend to the next plane of existence. Glorious Evolution TM.

Viktor is usually very appreciative of music. It's similar to mathematics, in many ways, equations of numbers and notes put together for a new and unique sounding result. He does enjoy theater as well from time to time: it requires a lot of practice, experience, trial and error... by that logic, musical theater should be an art form just as objectively interesting in his eyes.

If what you're doing on stage right now is musical theater, though, he's having a VERY hard time staying objective about it.

It's nothing short of dirty. From the corset that hugs your waist and reveals way too much of your generous chest, to the way you're spreading your legs invitingly for the entire audience to see, everything about you screams sex. He's absolutely transfixed, incapable of looking away from the way your hands touch your own body to the beat of the invisible orchestra.

He's only pulled away from the moment when some students a few seats away start loudly whistling and whooping for your attention, like this is a strip club and not a college play.

THAT'S when he starts to get mad.

He's suddenly very aware of the fact that there's about a hundred other people in the room, students and faculty members, watching the same performance he is. How many of them will imagine you in their bed tonight? How many of them are imagining you in their lap right now?

The smile on your lips speak louder than a thousand words: you're enjoying this, the thrill of the stage, the eyes undressing you while you sing your pretty little song about getting fucked by nameless strangers. Even worse, he's certain you're taking pleasure in knowing he's got front row seats for it, that you've effectively got him powerless and chained down while you're giving a show he should be the only one witnessing.

You've flipped over your roles as student and teacher, and now, he's the one who has to sit silently and drink every word from your lips. It's devilishly clever.

He would be genuinely impressed if he wasn't burying his nails into his cane with one hand and trying to cover the tent in his dress pants with the other.

The projector suddenly moves; it follows you as you're going down the few stairs from the stage to the floor, heels sharp against the concrete floor.

So lets bring on the men

And let the fun begin

Your eyes finally meet his. They're filled with bright sparkles from the stage lights, teasing and provoking. Tauntingly asking if he's ready for what's next, when you both know he doesn't have a say in the matter. The show must go on.

'Ah, shit' is the only thing that comes across his mind before you sit on his lap, the spotlight blinding him.

A little touch of sin

Why wait another minute?

Your movements are calculated and precise, applying just enough pressure on his clothed cock for you to feel how hard he is, without granting him any relief. The audience cheers; he thinks he's having an aneurism.

You bat your mascara heavy eyelashes at him, abandoning the play for a triumphant instant. 'See?' he can almost hear you say. 'I knew I'd get your attention eventually. What's your next move, professor?'

Oh, he is going to make you regret this.

[wintersoulwitch]

Stage/Fright changes and tweaks Act 2

Act 1 notes in this post

Following on from my initial Stage/Fright report after my first viewing and the post on changes/things I noticed the second time around, here are some things I picked up on my last visit on 01/03/25 where I watched both the matinee and the evening show because: A. I was able to get some cheap tickets B. I am insane

La Terreur de l’Asile

I think I forgot to mention before, but there is a really cool bit of projection at the start of this scene where we see a shadowy figure on the sheet at the back of the stage hacking into a body and pulling out intestines and stuff. It's a bit like the theatre of fear/art of fuckery bit in Our Flag Means Death with the sausages, you know what I mean?

People have said that there's a hare in a jar during this scene. I kept my eyes out for it but couldn't see it. BUT there was a head in a jar that made me think of Steve's head in the Psychoville Halloween Special (but not of Reece's Dead Line head - I think cos this head in a jar didn't have eyes) AND more excitingly (for me, at least) there's a little phrenology bust just like Blake has in The Trolley Problem!

Reece has really leaned into the physical comedy as Hugo. Again I think this is because he's more relaxed about the show, is taking it less seriously (just in comparison to the previews, obviously he takes his work and his craft very seriously hi reece) and has been trying things out throughout the run.

So now when he greets Suzette with "Good morning, good morning, good morning" he moves across the stage with an exaggerated stepping motion with his elbows up and his hands thrown out and his fingers spread and curled like little claws.

And during the snippet of The Elements Song... before he would point at the jars in time with the music, and did a bit of jigging at the very end, but now he has a full on dance routine.

Also! His wig has changed a little. Below is the press night photo of the old wig. The one he wears now is much more styled, with the mallen streak all coiffed and curled. No photos of that, obviously (💔), but you can get the idea from this fanart

The lighting has changed a bit again, with more highlights when the cast play up the expressionist/overacting moments, thunder and lightning etc. Another lighting change since previews is the swirly whirly hypnosis projection over Reece when Hugo is being hypnotised by Dr. Goudron.

The leg sawing bit has been tweaked a bit, too. Now there is more fake blood and the whole thing is more grisly. Reece and Steve really show off the lep stump so that the audience can see the gristle and fake blood in the prosthetics. Lots of gasps and groans from the audience during this section!

I feel like the delivery of "No, I'm afraid that won't be possible" when Suzette says she wants to put her clothes back on is a bit softer/gentler than it used to be? During my first watch that felt like a really shocking moment - proper To Have and To Hold-style mask drop. I noticed on both shows I saw on 01/03/25 that it was a more subtle lead up - maybe because the nurse is still on stage at this point, maybe to make it more impactful when Goudron confesses to abusing Suzette's sister? Speaking of which, this whole bit is more played for laughs, whereas the first two performances were more leaning into the horror. So now when Goudron talks about giving Suzette's sister a "special injection" Steve is, like, fingering the air and everyone laughs. When Goudron says "When I saw my wife's ring on your finger..." there's a dramatic organ chord and a spotlight on Suzette as she flings up her arm to display the ring, and when Suzette picks up the hydrochloric acid and threatens to "disfigure my own face" there's another dramatic organ chord and a spotlight on Goudron throwing shapes to match the one on Suzette. So all of this breaks the reality of the scene and leads the audience to laugh more. And Steve delivering the line about "one does not need to admire the mantelpiece when one is poking the fire" while his hands move to undo his trousers gets a big laugh as well. I've read/listened to plenty of interviews where R&S talk about building and breaking tension so I feel like this must have been a conscious choice - maybe they felt the tension needed to be broken/undercut in this section? Or maybe they always intended it to be played for laughs but the audience wasn't getting their vision and so they've adjusted things?

Company Rehearsals 

When the set is dismantled and the LED screen rises up, there was a logo for Duncan MacLean Projections in the corner. This is the real projection company that is working on Stage/Fright - and was also the projectionist for the League of Gentlemen Live Again tour. But instead of the usual stag head logo, the screen shows a silhouette of a hare!

Becky Bainbridge as Lisa as Madame Goudron's Headless Ghost plays up her part a bit more, doing some physical comedy staggering around and limp wristedly flapping her arms when Marcus praises her performance. (Also - did I mention the portrait of Madame Goudron is a projection and at one point shows her head coming off and spurting up blood? That definitely didn't happen the first show I saw because Marcus the director praises Lisa for "good timing on the head plop" and I remember thinking: "What head plop?" I think some of the lights/projections weren't quite ready in time for the first previews because that's an element that has changed quite a bit and really elevates the show)

There's more antagonism between Vince (Steve's character) and Jack (Bhav's character, who plays the nameless Warden). When Jack starts talking about his character, Steve is doing some great eye rolling and head shaking in the background. And when he says he's been doing some research he throws his arms up and takes a step forward and Marcus holds his arm out to stop him coming any closer and says "Stay back!" When Jack is talking about his character's back story etc Marcus and Vince exchange looks.

The fake trepanning scene has changed a wee bit. First of all - the acting is even more over the top than before. "The cuckoo in your brain needs to be set free my dear!" is delivered by Steve holding his hands up like a surgeon wearing gloves (know what I mean?) and sounds almost robotic. During the rehearsal, Marcus mouths along with the actors' lines. Maggie puts a helmet on Suzette/Sherrie's head and there's fake blood trickling down her wig (there's a lot more fake blood in the show now than there was during previews!) So now it makes a lot more sense when Marcus thinks Sherrie could actually be dead... Instead of just being slumped in the chair like she's zoned out, she's got blood on her hair and could conceivably have a metal spike in her brain.

The section where Steve breaks character and starts talking about Daniel Day Lewis seeing the ghost of his dead father during a production of Hamlet has had some tweaks too. Now the cast seem to respond to Steve before he even says that line - Anna/Maggie delivers her joke about shocking the audience after seeing the bar prices after a pause and a look of concern in Steve's direction. Almost like Steve is supposed to say a line here and she's covering for him.

The first time I saw the show the cast were glancing at each other a bit during Steve talking about Hamlet and there was a vibe of "uhh, what's going on?" whereas now they've amped up the sad/concerned looks. It really struck me, especially as Miranda/Sherrie's face is projected up on the big screen during this section. And Reece/Toby is looking down at his shoes like he's really awkward and doesn't know what to do. (BTW it's definitely not because I "know the twist" now - this is stuff that has changed since my second viewing, and it really stood out to me because it made this whole section even more emotionally impactful)

The hug is a lot more lingering as well. And when Steve pulls back Reece-as-Toby can't meet his eyes. Ooof and augh.

Sherrie’s Audition Tape/Backstage Camera 

Marcus’ death scene has been tweaked/extended. Before, Abby stared up at the box where Bloody Belle was standing while Marcus was stroking her arms, looking like she was maybe in some sort of trance. Now there is audio played of Bloody Belle whispering "Abby..." before she breaks his neck.

It feels like Marcus's death is a bit less quick and clean than before - more choking, with Marcus being forcefully pushed up onto his tiptoes as Abby clasps his neck with both hands. And instead of Abby looking up at the box and whispering "thank you" before the jumpscare scream and lights out, there's a longer sequence where the light on the steadicam flickers in the same way as the ghost light. Abby picks up the steadicam and turns round in a circle, shining the light out into the audience. (I'm guessing that Reece and Toby swap places while the light is blinding the audience - note to self, try and pay attention to the body on the stage next time) The camera turns on and films the people sitting in the stalls, then blinks out and the image is replaced by all the empty seats. Very spooky! I thiiiiink this was already in place during my second viewing? Can't quite remember. But something that has changed is that when the camera swings back round to the stage it now shows THE SCREAMING FACE OF BLOODY BELLE.

The Fake Curtain Call

The cast's sad expressions were something that really got to me when I saw these curtain call photos from 20/02/25. Especially Miranda 💔💔💔 And, yeah, as they did earlier they have leaned into the grief aspect during Steve's speech. Which I do kinda appreciate and I've sort of struggled to put this into words properly but my own first viewing of Stage/Fright was coloured by mourning and I found it a bit distressing how everyone was laughing at the thought of Reece having died before the show opened and yeah yeah yeah I know it's a joke and we're meant to find it funny and Steve playing it straight just adds to the humour and I'm not knocking anyone who does find it funny and it's very much a me problem and repeated viewings have desensitised me somewhat so it's not like it prevents me from enjoying the show or anything, I'm just... I dunno... feel a bit alone in this reaction and maybe I'm actually not?

The Final Song and Dance

There’s a much longer gap after the fake curtain call. The house lights stay up for longer and the audience chuckles and shuffles awkwardly before the voiceover of Steve complaining about his mic belt and talking to the rest of the cast is played. I also think Steve comes back on stage a lot later than he used to? Because the first time I saw it I remember thinking that I could see that his mouth wasn't moving even though audio of his voice was playing. And now it feels like the curtain is almost touching the stage by the time he comes on, like you can barely see his legs and shoes.  

Not too much has changed since the things I noted in my second viewing report on the 25/01/25 show. The timing of the "maybe every ghost story is just a love story" line was slightly different between the matinee and evening shows (in terms of playing around with pauses). The only thing that I really noticed was Steve leaning into the comedy of the "I'm not sure I wanna be stuck in limbo watching Jason Manford do me every night." The first shows I saw he stressed the word me: Watching Jason Manford do me every night. Now he stresses the word do: Watching Jason Manford do me every night. And instead of going straight into Reece's "fucking little Toby" line there is a pause for laughter while Steve looks out into the audience with a slightly pained frown.

During the heavenly version of Tears of Laughter, the cast look up at the rafters after Anna sings "It's almost time to bring the curtain down" and take an abrupt step back. (Question: Can heavenly backing dancers still be killed by falling lighting rigs?) (Another Question: Did Paul Chuckle appreciate the "to me, to you" line in Tears of Laughter?)

Don't think I've written much detail about the final song and dance routine before, so here's some stuff...

The first few lines are sung/spoken by Bhav, Anna, Miranda and Gaby while R&S are offstage

The cast have big white ostrich feather fans which they arrange in a cirle and dramatically fling out as if they're going to reveal someone standing behind them and a spotlight appears to show... no one. The cast look behind themselves, confused, and then R&S appear from other side of the stage (one last big misdirection! They can't help themselves!)

The boys have loosened up even more in the song and dance routine. Again, I think this is just the result of getting more relaxed and comfortable as the run has gone on. Other people have talked about the sheer joy you can see radiating off Reece during the dance routine, and, god, I know I'm repeating myself but it's just so so lovely to see him doing foot taps and little flourishes with his hands and the way he dances with his top hat. And how wonderful that they get to end the show on such a high.

Bloody Belle joins them for the final curtain call which I'm sure didn't happen when I first saw the show. Becky is really gettimg into the dancing as well 😆

BTW Choreography was done by Nicola Keen who choreographed the original Tears of Laughter dance for the BCDR episode and her son posted some really cute pics from press night on Instagram

Thanks everyone who commented/reblogged the last one, it means so much to know that there are people who appreciate my archiving efforts and don't see me as a total pest🖤🖤🖤

For more tidbits, browse the Stage/Fright tag on my blog and check out the list of celebrity guests which is updated after every performance!

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Gale Sondergaard (The Cat and the Canary, The Mark of Zorro)—She is so deliciously sinister in the Cat and the Canary it’s hilarious and ridiculous and she’s so gorgeous too! Incredible performance

Joan Crawford (Dancing Lady, Mildred Pierce, The Women)— God, where do I start!!! Her face is so UNIQUE and compelling and stands out so much. I love her thick brows and high cheekbones. She has a school-marmy hardness too her that makes her a little scary and therefore sexy. Her low thick voice also does it for me. Despite being an unusual looking woman with an unusual face, she never loses her glamour. Just a gorgeous talented actress, AND she was some sort of gay!!!

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Joan Crawford propaganda:

I just love women that are very mean.

she was a smoke show in every decade, from the 20s to the 60s.

The classic matronly beauty with amazing eyebrows

of course there's a space for MILF joan but i want to just take a second and say she was so cute in her early movies (like grand hotel and the women)! those parts often get forgotten but her stardom shines in them just as much as in her older #queen #icon roles

Misremembered for wire hanger hatred, this original screen queen mastered the art of the comeback and refused to let Hollywood toss her aside as she aged. The term “auteur” is usually revered for directors or writer-directors, but most critics have one actor they’ll give that title to as well: Crawford—anyone who knows classic movies already has a “Crawford picture” in their head. She knew how to style herself and promote herself. She made herself a star and kept herself fixated in the Hollywood firmament. What’s hotter than knowing just how hot you are?

(don’t think about Mommie Dearest right now) Joan was known for being super nice to all the like crew of the movies she worked on and she’d get everyone gifts. Joan would hold movie nights at her house and knit at the back of her home theater. Joan was sooo obsessed with other women including Greta Garbo, whos dressing room she would obsessively and purposefully walk by. She said that while working on Grand Hotel, Garbo grabbed her face and “if there ever was a time in my life where I would’ve been a lesbian, that was it.” But like Joan also probably did sleep with women including Barbara Stanwyck. Joan was so obsessed with Bette Davis, screening multiple movies of hers in a day at her watch party, constantly trying to spend time with her or do a movie together, insisting on the dressing room next to hers at Warners and sending her daily gifts… etc. Once Bette said that sex was gods joke to humanity and Joan said “I think the joke is on her.” Joan fucked a lot. Joan got caught publicly fucking a man and sent a letter to the woman who saw them basically saying “I bet it excited you” and the woman was like you know what. It did. Joan was best friends with a gay man. Joan was an actually genuinely good actress even though people mocked her a lot for being like cheap and stupid (partially because she never finished school because her family was broke). Joan was so insane and so cool that’s all.

[allpromarlo]

i love avenstelle because of the complete contrast between their personalities. lemme explain

this is based on how i see (saw?) them both during the main penacony storyline and in interactions past that, so if anything is off it’s prob bc it’s been a while since i played it (and bc i don’t have aventurine so i can’t exactly listen to his lines)

anyways i think aventurine as a person is very much a performer. he puts on an act around everybody he meets; that’s how he keeps control, by pretending like he’s always a step ahead of whoever he’s talking to at the moment. business partners, but i presume also colleagues and people he considers his friends. he might be more open towards them but generally, he keeps up a very strong veneer that’s almost impossible to break (acheron’s line abt him basically confirms this; he’s got a strong facade but a weak soul).

and then there’s stelle, who’s never been anything other than honest her entire life (or at least since she woke up on herta space station). she doesn’t hesitate to tell people what she thinks, good or bad, and while she retains a high degree of emotional intelligence (argue with a WALL) she’s still just naturally inclined to be raw and honest with the people she meets. it’s not like she’s doing it on purpose, either—it’s just the way she is.

so what happens when you combine a man who’s become a master at putting up a front, and a woman who’s honest to a fault? you get a lot of unintentionally vulnerable moments between them.

i recently saw art by @chell-min (fantastic artist btw go check them out) where they have a bit of an awkward moment due to aventurine’s assumption that stelle only keeps him around bc of his riches/his gift giving. he plays it off as something natural, something he can laugh about, and it’s clear this is his way of trying to stay in control of the situation—but when stelle looks at him in confusion and disbelief and asks “you think i don’t want you around?” he freezes.

and like. yes. of course aventurine would think she only tolerates him for the things he can do with his money. of course he believes that she must think their relationship is pure business. he doesn’t take into consideration that she might actually want him around for him and not just his degree of “usefulness”, but when she answers, he’s confronted with that idea for the first time. stelle’s complete honesty and lack of filter makes him stop in his tracks, because someone just implied the direct opposite of what he’s been deluding himself into thinking his whole life.

and i think this is exactly the type of relationship they have initially. while all the gifts and trips to wherever are cool, i think the first leg of their relationship would be mostly stelle completely unraveling aventurine’s facade. there’s moments she backs off on her approach (i.e. they’re in public or in another situation that can’t use much awkwardness, which is always what follows when things like that happen) and there’s moments where she lets the filter go poof and watches aventurine grapple with the fact that someone truly, honestly and without shame, loves him. not for business, not for fun or casual, nothing. just him. him, and all his flaws and hidden doors. poor dude can hardly handle it, which is probably also why it gets to a point where he sort of just breaks down and either tells her about some of the many many things that plague him, or he lets her hold him in her arms while he feels her tremendous body heat (that he’s come to adore) and comes to terms with the fact that this beautiful, honest, unfiltered woman is just as badly in love with him as he is with her.

anyways idk what possessed me to write this but i’m just setting it free onto the world ok byeee

[lies]

Being a recap of my just-concluded trip to NYC. After a cut because I’m sure it will end up being stupid long.

The partner in crime and I went for a bunch of reasons. But the original reason was because a dear friend was putting together a weekend centered on a couple of events: Audra McDonald’s appearance in the musical Gypsy, and the performance of Jake Heggie’s opera Moby Dick. And we hadn’t seen the dear friend and his husband (henceforth David and Alan) in a year and a half, and they’re pretty much our favorite people in the world.

Our Gypsy tickets were for Friday, and the opera was on Saturday. We flew from LA on Thursday and flew home yesterday (Tuesday), so that gave us four days to be tourists. We filled in the schedule by seeing a performance of Oh, Mary (with Betty Gilpin as Mary Todd Lincoln) on Sunday and the first preview of Glengarry Glen Ross (with Bob Odenkirk, Michael McKean, Bill Burr, and Kieran Culkin) on Monday. During the days we went to museums (the Metropolitan Museum on Friday and the Museum of Modern Art on Saturday). There was a big dinner for the eight of us going to Gypsy before the show on Friday at a cool French restaurant called Cafe Un Deux Trois, and for the same group before the opera at one of a chain of Peruvian restaurants called Pio Pio on Saturday. On Sunday our same group (more or less) had brunch with Jake Heggie (Moby Dick’s composer) at a friend’s penthouse apartment, and we also went by ourselves a couple of times to our favorite restaurant in New York, Tratoria Dell Arte.

On the trip home I played a mental game with myself: if I had to eliminate one of the four performances we saw, such that I wouldn’t have seen it, which would it have been? And then so on until just one remained, the one that I would have chosen if I could only have experienced one of them. Not as a ranking of artistic merit or anything like that. Just subjectively, in what order would I give them up?

The first I would have eliminated was Glengarry Glen Ross. It was in a big theater (The Palace) and our seats were way up in the balcony, so that was probably a factor in it not hitting as hard. And this was the first preview performance, and the Broadway debut for a few of the big names, so there may have been some roughness around the edges due to that. Kieran Culkin had had his billing upgraded based on his Oscar win a few weeks ago, and there was some Beatlemania-style screaming for him when he first appeared and during his bows at the end. He was legitimately great, as was Bob Odenkirk; in each case they infused their performances with elements of characters I’d loved on TV (in Succession and in Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul, respectively). I didn’t know the story, not having seen the movie or the play before. David Mamet’s (the playwright’s) politics have become problematic in recent years, which isn’t fair to hold against the play, but maybe that was a factor in my having a harder time engaging with it. And it’s an older story, and while the themes are certainly relevant today there’s also that thing about art: it moves on. On balance it was a wonderful experience and I’m glad I saw it, but if I’m having to pick that’s the first one to go.

Next on the chopping block would be Gypsy. Which is kind of shocking for me to realize. It was a great show, and seeing it from up close in the center of the orchestra was intense, especially during the performance of “Mama’s Turn” at the end, when Audra let out all the stops. The way she reacted in-character to the huge ovation she got, hearing it in her head and drinking it in without engaging directly with the audience, in effect making us part of the performance, was something I’ll never forget.

Next up would be Moby Dick. I’ve only seen a handful of operas, but this one was beautiful. I’d never been to the Met before, so just walking past the fountain like Loretta in Moonstruck and gawking at the chandeliers made me kind of giddy. The staging was jaw-dropping and gorgeous, and it was incredibly cool how they blended surreal, abstract elements to evoke the sea, the ship, and the events of the story. The music was wonderful, the exploration of the themes and relationships in the libretto, and way it was realized in Jake’s music. Melville’s novel was rich, and weird, and complicated, and in hindsight opera feels like the perfect medium to convey that. It was a long opera, and there’s a side of me that wants it to have been shorter. But I don’t think that would have worked as well, and as with my experience reading Moby Dick years ago, it would have robbed the ending of its impact.

Last up, the performance you have to claw from my cold, dead hands, was Oh, Mary. It was at the Lyceum Theater, which is the same place I saw my surprise-favorite on our last trip to New York, Grey House. I just want to live in that crazy, madcap world. It was so incredibly fun. I can’t describe it. It just has to be experienced.

On a side note, the best food of the trip wasn’t at a restaurant. It was at the brunch with Jake at Carl and Tony’s apartment on Sunday. That event was great; hearing David and Jake and Carl (who all went to school together in the UCLA music department in the 1980s, which is where the partner in crime knows them from) reminiscing about their time together at school and their early music-industry jobs was fun. And it was interesting, if sad, to talk about current events, and have folks mentioning their dual citizenship and their plans to leave the country if they have to. But the conversation was mostly upbeat. Jake talked about the next opera he’s hoping to write, which I don’t think I’m at liberty to share, and isn’t necessarily going to happen (the rights are complicated). But if it does happen I can just say that a certain Shipwrecked megafan is going to be beside herself, and probably will be first in line at the premiere.

But the food! The brunch was prepared by Tony, one of the two hosts. I don’t know details about his professional background; I think he was a programmer/web developer at one point, but these days he apparently is a private chef for someone famous. But oh my god. It basically was like seeing Oh, Mary: I can’t describe it. It just had to be experienced.

Oh, almost forgot: the subway. I’d never taken the New York subway before, but on this trip I got it down, and am looking forward to putting my hard-won knowledge (take the uptown train, dummy) to good use on my next visit.

[silver-hwaberry]

ONE: i can see you...

Warnings: bullying, implied eating disorder and mentions of controlled eating but no details

Word count: 4.6k

⭑2016⭑

Yeonghwa let out a heavy sigh as she plopped into her usual seat at the back of the classroom. The School of Performing Arts Seoul was both a blessing and a curse for Yeonghwa, being the youngest member of the popular 5 member K-pop girl group Moonlight. Not only was she the maknae of the group, she was also the main dancer and lead rapper but also a vocalist too, and had been dubbed ‘Koreas princess’ by the media too.

As she gazes around the room, she could feel the weight of the judgemental stares and hushed whispers following her every move. Despite her fame, high school was still a daily struggle for Yeonghwa. Even though she had debuted two years earlier and found success, she was still only 17 years old and had to attend high school in Korea. Her hectic schedule often kept her from attending class on a regular basis and made it difficult for her to keep up with her studies compared to her peers. She was also the only member of her group who was still in school.

The pressure of being a popular idol while also trying to maintain her education was overwhelming. However, it was a requirement set by her parents when they allowed her to move from Yeosu-si to Seoul at the age of 13 to become a trainee. "Don't forget about your education," they told her, and she was determined to make them proud by excelling in both areas.

As she pulls out her textbooks, she feels the weight of dozens of eyes on her.

"Did you see her performance last night?"

“What was she even wearing? It was hideous!”

“Her ass is way too big to be wearing that skirt last night! It would have looked much better on Jinni instead.”

“No way, Haneul would have rocked that outfit! Don’t know why they give it to her!”

“Probably because she would have had a tantrum at someone else being centre of attention. Little Miss Attention Seeking once again!”

"They need to kick her out of the band, Areum is a much better dancer and she can actually rap too.”

The murmurs swirl around her, a constant reminder that she didn't belong here. Her phone buzzes, and she discreetly checks it under her desk. It was a message from Haneul, their leader:

"Meeting with the manager after school. New variety show opportunity for you."

Yeonghwa's stomach clenches. Another commitment to juggle. Another reason she'll fall behind in class. But she knew better than to complain. This was the life she'd chosen, the dream she'd fought so hard for. She'd make it work somehow. She always did.

Yeonghwa puts her phone away and keeps her head down, trying to focus on the lesson ahead. Just as the teacher was about to begin, the classroom door slides open suddenly causing everyone to look over.

"Sorry I'm late!" A tall boy with a kind smile rushes in, bowing apologetically to the teacher.

"You must be the new student transferring into my class," the teacher responds.

"That's me!" The boy grins, clearly excited to be joining the class.

The teacher awkwardly turns to address the class, struggling to remember the boy's name. "This young man will now be joining our class. Let's all make sure to give him a warm welcome."

"He's so good-looking!" Yeonghwa hears from the girl sitting in front of her.

“You can sit over there, beside Aria!” the teacher points at the empty seat beside her

Yeonghwa feels her chest tighten as some quiet laughs are heard around the room. She hated people calling her by her stage name. As he makes his way to his seat, his eyes meet Yeonghwas. Instead of the usual judgement or disdain she was used to, she saw warmth.

The boy slides into the empty desk beside her. "Hi," he whispers, offering a friendly grin. "You're Yeonghwa, right?"

Yeonghwa nods cautiously, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But his smile only widens. "Cool! It is nice to meet you! I’m Yunho!"

She blinks, caught off guard by Yunho's friendly demeanour. She opens her mouth to respond, but the teacher's sharp voice cuts through the air.

"Yunho, Aria, is there something you'd like to share with the class?"

"No, sir," Yunho replies smoothly. "Just introducing myself to Yeonghwa."

The teacher narrows his eyes. "Well, do it on your own time. Now, if everyone can get their textbooks out we will begin with..."

“Oh I don’t have a book for this class yet.” Yunho whisper quietly.

Yeonghwa slowly slides her textbook towards the centre of their shared desks, allowing Yunho to read from it as he thanks her. As the lesson continues, Yeonghwa can't help but glance over at Yunho every now and then. She is both curious about him and apprehensive, wondering if he will make a snide comment or try to take a covert photo of her like everyone else does.

In the middle of class, a wadded up paper lands on her desk. She carefully unfolds it, fully anticipating yet another mean joke directed at her. It had become commonplace for notes to be tossed onto her desk, teasing and mocking her. However, when she opened this one, she was surprised to find a drawing of their teacher with exaggeratedly large ears and the caption: "Do you think he could pick up satellite signals with those? Or is it just me?"

Yeonghwa tries to suppress a giggle as the teacher gives her a stern glance. Yunho shoots her a sly wink, and she feels a flutter in her heart. As the class progresses, Yeonghwa finds herself surprisingly interested and engaged. Having Yunho by her side seems to protect her from the usual judgemental whispers and glares of her classmates.

While the teacher has his back turned, Yunho leans in closer to Yeonghwa. "Do you think his ears are more like a satellite dish or an elephant's?" he whispers.

Yeonghwa stifles a laughter and responds, "Definitely a satellite. I bet he can pick up signals from other planets."

Yunho feigns seriousness as his eyes widen. "That would explain a lot." before laughing lightly.

Just then, the teacher spun around, eyeing them suspiciously. Yeonghwa quickly pretends to be engrossed in her textbook, while Yunho adopts an expression of angelic innocence that was so over-the-top it nearly made her snort.

As soon as the coast was clear, Yunho scribbles another note and slides it her way. This time, it was a rough sketch of the teacher with antennae sprouting from his ears, captioned: "Houston, we have a problem."

Yeonghwa couldn't help it - a giggle escapes before she could clamp her hand over her mouth. The teacher's head snaps up, his gaze zeroing in on her like a heat-seeking missile.

"Aria, is there something amusing about the Pythagorean theorem?"

Yunho jumps in before she could stammer out a response. "Actually, sir, I was just asking Yeonghwa if she could explain it to me later. Math isn't my strong suit."

The teacher's eyebrows shot up. "Well, that's... commendable. But please save your study plans for after class."

As he turns back to the board, Yeonghwa shot Yunho a grateful look. He winks back, then mouths, "Nice save, right?"

She rolls her eyes, but couldn't quite hide her smile. For the first time in ages, she actually felt like a normal high school student. It was... nice.

As the lunch bell rang, the two girls sitting in front of him immediately turned to face him. Their curious gazes were met with a polite smile from Yunho.

"So Yunho, how are you finding SOPA?" one of them asked, leaning in with a smile.

"It's only my first day, but I'm enjoying it so far," he responded confidently. Beside him, Yeonghwa hurriedly gathered her belongings, her head bent low.

“Some students are more skilled than others,” the other girl remarks. Yunho picks up on her tone and notices the glance she directs towards Yeonghwa. “We can show you who they are.”

Yunho's eyes shift towards Yeonghwa, noticing her tense posture and how she has pulled her long hair to cover her face as she looks down. She seems to have retreated within herself, just as she was when he first joined her this morning. Gone is the playful and open demeanour she had displayed with him moments ago. He couldn't help but notice the looks their classmates had been giving her during their lessons as well and it dawned on him that this was a regular occurrence for her.

Yunho responds firmly, "Thank you for the offer, but I think I can manage on my own. Actually, I've already made up my mind about 2 of them." His eyes narrow slightly as he looks at them

The two girls exchange glances, visibly surprised by Yunho's response.

"Oh really?" the first girl asks with a sugary smile, though her eyes betray her true feelings. "And what have you decided?"

"That they're exactly the type of people I avoid," Yunho says cheerfully as he gathers his books. "You know the kind - they think they're better than everyone else because they talk behind people's backs. Jealousy really is an ugly thing."

Yeonghwa's head snaps up, her eyes wide. A few students nearby, who were clearly listening in, suddenly find something else to focus on.

"Excuse me?" the second girl splutters, her cheeks turning red. "You can't just say that! We don't even know you!"

"And thank god for that," Yunho retorts, getting to his feet. He turns to Yeonghwa. "Come on, let's get out of here."

The two girls storm off in a huff as Yeonghwa stares at Yunho, trying to process what just happened as all the students begin filtering out the classroom, Yunho and Yeonghwa gather their things and are the last to leave.

“Are you alright?” Yunho asks, his tone filled with concern as he worries that he may have crossed a line.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she says, grateful but also feeling guilty.

“I did it because I can’t stand people who act like they’re better than others when they really aren’t,” he replies with sincerity. “And because I really did not like the way they were speaking to you and looking at you.” he adds feeling a slight blush creep on his cheeks

“Thank you for standing up for me,” Yeonghwa says shyly. “And for not calling me Aria either.”

"Well, Aria is just your stage name, right? Here at school, I figured it was better to use your real name, Yeonghwa."

Yeonghwa nods gratefully, glad that he understands the difference. “Yes, I prefer Yeonghwa, especially in this setting. But most people keep calling me Aria and it drives me crazy!” Which Yeonghwa knew was exactly their intentions when they call her it.

Yunho nods in understanding and leans in, speaking quietly. "Can I ask a question? Does the teacher always look like he's sucking on a lemon, or is that just for my benefit?"

Yeonghwa lets out a loud laugh and tries to hide her amusement behind her hand. "No, that's just his normal expression. I don't think he knows how to smile."

Yunho grins and adds, "I'll remember to include that in my 'SOPA Survival Guide.' Right after 'Avoid the cafeteria food at all costs.'"

"That's not even the worst part," Yeonghwa groans. "Trust me, bring your own lunch if you don't want to glow in the dark."

“Well, that works out perfectly because I have no intention of having lunch here anyway,” he chuckles.

“Why’s that?” Yeonghwa asks with curiosity

"My friend attends a nearby school and I prefer to join him for lunch." he explains as they descend the stairs. "He's a slow eater and feels self-conscious about it, so I like to keep him company."

"Oh," Yeonghwa smiles, "That's really kind of you."

“And what about yourself? What do you usually do for lunch?” he asks.

Yeonghwa shifts her gaze towards the floor. "Um.. I actually don't eat lunch at the moment."

Yunho stops in his tracks and turns to face Yeonghwa. "Why?" he asks, furrowing his brow.

“Comeback is in 3 weeks so.. you know, need to make sure everything fits and looks good.” she replies with a small shrug.

Yunho's expression changes to one of disbelief as he processes her words. "Let me get this straight. You're starving yourself just to fit into some ridiculous outfit?"

Yeonghwa fidgets with the strap of her bag. "It's not like that. It's just... you know, part of the job."

"That's bullshit," Yunho says firmly, his voice low but full of conviction. "No job description should require you to harm your own body."

Yeonghwa raises her head, surprised by his bluntness. "You don't get it. In this industry-"

"In this industry, they see you as a commodity instead of a person," Yunho interrupts. He runs a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "I understand the pressure and expectations. But starving yourself? That's fucked up."

Yeonghwa bites her lip, unsure of how to respond. Part of her wants to defend herself, but another part is relieved that someone is acknowledging the truth. "I do eat, just not as much as most people. And it is only for comeback season, after that I go back to eating normally!"

Yunho rolls his eyes. "That's not healthy! As a trainee, I know my company makes sure we are well-fed and taken care of. Yours should be doing the same for you too!”

Yeonghwa is surprised. "You're a trainee?"

Yunho nods, his expression softening. "Yes, at KQ," he confirms. "Okay, new plan. You're coming to lunch with me and my friend."

"What? No, I couldn't possibly-" Yeonghwa starts to protest.

"Yes, you can," he insists firmly. "I won't make you eat if you don't want to. But just come hang out with us for a bit and get away from this place. And I think you'll really like my friend Mingi too!"

“Yunho, I am not allowed to leave the building until my manager picks me up.” she anxiously bites her lower lip, “Or go anywhere without him either.”

Yunho's eyebrows raise in surprise. "Seriously? Are you Rapunzel or something? This is a school, not a prison."

Yeonghwa sighs. "More like a gilded cage."

"Well, consider me your dashing rescuer," Yunho grins, then immediately winces. "Shit, that sounded way less cheesy in my head."

"My knight in shining armour," Yeonghwa deadpans, though there's a small smile on her face.

Yunho leans in and looks around secretively. "Okay, here's the plan. We create a diversion. Smoke bombs might work, or maybe we could train a monkey—"

"A monkey?" Yeonghwa laughs and shakes her head. "As tempting as your primate-powered jailbreak sounds, I really can't risk it. My company would flip their shit if they found out, not to mention Haneul would probably have an a stroke!"

"Yeah, my leader would probably do the same. Hongjoong's head always looks like it's about to pop off, and there aren't many of us training," Yunho chuckles.

“How many is there so far?” she asks with curiosity

“Only four - Hongjoong, Mingi, San, and myself. San joined us fairly recently.” Yunho answers. “There is someone we are trying to poach from another company as well that others are wanting. Hongjoong wants him badly so hopefully we will have a new person soon too.”

“Mingi? The friend you’re meeting for lunch?” Yeonghwa clarifies.

"That's him! We met years ago at a dance academy, and then we both ended up auditioning for the same company without even knowing it. It was fate," he laughs before frowning and tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Okay, new plan 2.0. We'll bring lunch to you. I'll text Mingi and-"

"No!" Yeonghwa's eyes widen in panic. "You can't do that. If anyone sees..."

"Don't worry," Yunho reassures her, holding up his hands. "We'll be stealthy. Like ninjas. Or really clumsy spies."

Yeonghwa hesitates, her lips caught between a smile and worry. "I don't know..."

"Come on," Yunho nudged her playfully. "Live a little. What's the worst that could happen?"

"You want me to give you a list of all the worst things that could happen with that plan?" Yeonghwa arches an eyebrow.

"Point taken," Yunho concedes. "But consider this: free food."

“I honestly can’t anyway because of last nights performance I wasn’t able to finish my homework for our next class so I am on my way to the library.” she says, “But go have lunch with your friend and we can maybe have a ninja picnic another day.”

Yunho sighs dramatically causing Yeonghwa to giggle lightly. "Well, if you change your mind about our super-secret ninja lunch, just give me the signal."

"The signal?" Yeonghwa raises an eyebrow.

"You know, like..." Yunho proceeds to do an elaborate series of hand gestures that look more like a drunk person swatting at invisible flies than any sort of coherent communication.

Yeonghwa bursts out laughing. "What the hell was that supposed to be?"

"Ninja sign language, obviously," Yunho replies with a perfectly straight face. "Don't tell me they didn't teach you that in idol school."

Yeonghwa lets out a scoffing laugh. "I must have skipped that class," she remarks. "I was most likely occupied with perfecting my polite smile and wave, trying not to look like I'm having a fit."

"Ah, crucial life skills," Yunho nods sagely. "Well, I'd better go before I'm late. Can't have my friend thinking I've been abducted by the SOPA aliens."

As he turns to leave, Yeonghwa is hit with a pang of emotion. Is it regret? Longing? She pushes the feeling aside. "Hey, Yunho?"

Yunho stops and turns back with a dramatic flair. "Yes, Yeonghwa the Magnificent?"

She can't help but giggle at his silliness. "You're such a goofball!"

"It's part of my charm," Yunho grins. "But seriously, what's on your mind?"

Yeonghwa hesitates, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. "I just wanted to say thank you. You’ve treated me like a normal person instead of some alien life form or a walking photo op."

"I can see you,” Yunho's face softens into a genuine smile. “…for you! No one else.” Yeonghwa feels her stomach flip lightly at his words, “Beside, I’m pretty sure you’re way too short to be an alien!” and a cheeky grin emerges

"Excuse me?" Yeonghwa gasps in mock offence. "I'll have you know I'm perfectly average height."

"For a hobbit, maybe," Yunho teases.

"Oh, that's rich coming from you, Godzilla," Yeonghwa retorts, surprising herself with how easy this banter feels.

Yunho clutches his chest dramatically. "Ouch! Wounded by the tiny terror!"

"Keep it up and I'll aim lower next time," Yeonghwa threatens, but there's no heat in it.

"Noted," Yunho chuckles. “I’ll see you back in class after lunch and I’ll bring you a little something too!” With a final wave, he disappears down the hallway, leaving Yeonghwa with an unfamiliar feeling of warmth in her chest. She shook her head, trying to clear it. She had homework to do, after all. No time for... whatever this was.

But as she made her way to the library, she couldn't help wonder what it might be like to have a friend like Yunho. Someone who saw her as Kim Yeonghwa, not Aria from Moonlight. Someone who made her laugh instead of want to disappear.

She sighs, pushing the thought away. It was a nice fantasy, but that's all it was. Fantasy. Reality was school, homework, diets, gruelling rehearsals, performing and the constant pressure to be perfect 24/7. That was her world, and no amount of ninja sign language was going to change that.

Right?

But… for the first time in months, Yeonghwa felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she had found a friend in this sea of isolation.

⭑2020⭑

Yeonghwa quickly scans the audience and her fellow idols sitting beside her. The award show is in full swing now, with some awards already handed out and performances from various bands. Moonlight is scheduled to perform second to last, so she and her four bandmates - Jinni, Areum, Misty, and their leader Haneul - have some time to enjoy the show before preparing for their performance. She notices numerous fans filming with their phones focused on her and her fellow idols. Making sure to acknowledge as many as she can, Yeonghwa waves at the cameras, particularly those with her name or the group's name on banners.

She turns her head to the right and locks eyes with someone. Her gaze immediately drops, avoiding those all-too-familiar big brown eyes that have been making her heart flutter since she first saw them four years ago - Yunho.

She knew he would be here with his band Ateez; it was announced weeks ago when the lineup was revealed. But she never expected to end up sitting next to him with only Hongjoong and Haneul between them.

It had been 4 years since that day in the school hallway, when they shared ninja sign language and laughter that brightened her world. But so much had changed since then. They both graduated, Yunho debuted with Ateez, and their careers took them in different directions. What followed that first day was a beautiful friendship that blossomed into something deeper - but now, Yeonghwa is to blame for the fact that there is nothing left between them.

Nearly 2 years has passed since the last time she saw him face to face, the last time she ever spoke to him and it was bad. She said hurtful things, trying to push him away and protect him as he prepared for his debut. Though they never officially labelled themselves as a couple, their feelings for each other were undeniable. Walking away from him was one of the most difficult choices Yeonghwa ever made, but deep down she knew it was for the best for both of them

She can't resist stealing another glance at him. He's focused on the stage now, but when Seonghwa leans over and whispers something in his ear, he bursts out laughing. He looks even more handsome than before, with his boyish features now fully matured into those of a man. Yeonghwa liked how their stylist had picked each of their outfits, but Yunhos was perfect for him. They all looked so much more grown up since the last time she saw them all face to face.

A tap on her shoulder startles her from her thoughts. It's Misty, her best friend in the group. "Your staring is going to be trending on SNS if you don’t stop," she whispers with a smirk.

Yeonghwa feels her face heat up. "I wasn't staring."

Misty rolls her eyes. "Just like you weren't staring at MAMA, or KBS Song Festival, or-"

"I get it," Yeonghwa hisses, sinking lower in her seat. “It is just weird being THIS close to him. At least at the other award shows he was sat at the opposite side, far away from me!”

Misty was well aware of the past between Yunho and Yeonghwa; after all, it was Misty who had Yeonghwa had confided in her about it all at the time. She could only imagine how difficult this must have been for Yeonghwa.

Misty's expression softens. "Have you ever thought about talking to him? Clearing the air? I think if he knew the real reason you did what you did, he would understand."

Yeonghwa shakes her head firmly. "No, that's out of the question. It's been two years, Misty. He's probably moved on by now. And after what I said to him, I'm sure he hates me. As he should."

"You don't know that," Misty argues gently. "Maybe he-"

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, ATEEZ!"

The announcement cuts through their conversation, and Yeonghwa's head snaps up. She watches, heart pounding, as Yunho and his group take the stage. Their performance is electric, full of the passion and energy that has made them one of the hottest new groups in K-pop. But Yeonghwa can't take her eyes off Yunho.

In high school, she had always been impressed by his innate dancing skills. He had taught her so much about it back then, but now he moves with a newfound confidence and fluidity that leaves her speechless. His voice, deeper and more mature than it was in their school days, sends tingles down her spine. For a fleeting moment, their gazes lock across the bustling venue, and Yeonghwa is completely captivated, unable to catch her breath.

The performance ends, and ATEEZ heads back to their seats. Yeonghwa avoids looking at Yunho as he walks by, but she can sense his presence like a magnetic force. Memories of their time together flood her mind - the laughter, the secret moments, the way he made her feel alive and real beyond her stage persona - it all rushes back with intense clarity, as if it just happened yesterday.

She remembers the last day she ever spoke to him, the way his face crumpled when she told him she didn't love him. It was the biggest lie she'd ever told, but she convinced herself it was for the best. They had just graduated from SOPA by weeks, Moonlight were about to embark on another world tour, one that would take her away from Korea for 4 months, he was deep into preparations for his debut which included a one month trip to LA to do in depth training in dance and vocals, and she couldn't bear the thought of holding him back or being a scandal that could ruin his career before it even began.

So she walked away, ignoring the shattering of her own heart with each step. She threw herself into her work, into being the perfect idol, the perfect Aria. But late at night, when the stage lights dimmed and the screams of the fans faded, she allowed herself to remember. To miss him.

Now, standing face to face with him again, it's like a wound she thought had healed has been torn open once more. His voice echoes in her mind from that fateful day, loud and clear over the blaring music in the arena.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

"Yeonghwa, please. I love you!"

"I don't love you. So just leave me alone." With those words, Yeonghwa turns and walks out of Yunho's dorm room, startled when she sees Mingi's cold stare from the hallway. He had overheard their conversation.

“When did you become such a cold heartless bitch?” he asks

Yeonghwa takes a deep breath, his words cutting her deep but she knows she deserves him for the hurt she’s just inflicted on his best friend.

“Maybe it is who I’ve always been.” she says, she knows she needs to keep up the cold facade with Mingi too to make sure none of them come to her again

“I warned him not to trust an idol when he told me about you. Told him they were mostly selfish and out for themselves but he insisted you were different,” Mingi says, walking closer to her. “Then I met you and thought the same. You seemed genuine - funny, kind, and genuinely cared for him. Well, it turns out you were just a gifted manipulator. You fooled all of us.”

Yeonghwa remains silent, her heart heavy with guilty and regret. Mingi’s words sting, but she knows she can’t defend herself right now. She needs to let him believe the words he is saying about her.

"It's probably best if you leave now," Hongjoong's harsh voice comes from behind Mingi as the sound of Yunho's sobs grows louder.

Yeonghwa grabs her bag and walks out their dorm. Her heart shattering into a million pieces with every step.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

Yeonghwa glances over at him, and catches him laughing with his other members. She starts to look away, but then their eyes meet and she sees the warmth and familiarity that was once there years ago. Everything seems to blur out around the both of them, they may as well be the only two people in this large arena as they look at one another.

But then reality hits her - they are not alone. Yeonghwa snaps out of her daze, remembering that they are surrounded by thousands of fans and cameras that could capture this moment. As she looks away, Yunho gives her a subtle nod and slight smile, causing her heart to race with emotion.

Yunho tries to suppress a wide smile as she looks away shyly from him, the same way she always did when he made her flustered. Even after all this time, the words that had been said, the heartbreak he endured in the aftermath - he can still see her.

<m.list> ⋆ <next>

[blackghostm2o]

New "Phantom Ramblings" post (oh wow!)

I'VE FINALLY WATCHED PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE!!!

The soundtrack is really good, i really enjoyed its songs (listening to the soundtrack rn, haha)

It is really fast paced and chaotic (especially when Winslow hasn't become the Phantom yet), not a bad thing I just wasn't expecting it, but it works well.

This version is really distant from it's original, however its aim is not being a PotO adaptation, but more of a critique towards the music business while using the PotO story to convey its message.

Yk... With predatory contracts, getting to perform only because you sold your body to a powerful mf, the unhealthy relationship between the performers and the public, the constant search for sensationalism (like when Swan wanted to kill Phoenix, or when no one batted an eye when Beef died), prioritising everything else but music (with greedy execs that change the whole soul of a song to make easy money), etc...

Leaving all of this sad stuff behind, heh... Spoilers ahead.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WINSLOW!!!! (Already on the 15 min mark I was "I love him sm") SWAN DID HIM SO SO DIRTY!!! NOOOOOOO!!!! Not only he took his music, but then he got also HIS VOICE (thus taking his soul, even tho he literally takes his soul with a contract, but I digress). Swan being: "Plugged here you can sing" while giving him a robotic voice to talk was really cruel >:(. Here idk if we can say that he is in love with Phoenix... He did want her to sing... Ok, now that i think about it he rewrote his songs with her in mind and was destroyed when he saw her sleeping with Swan... Yeah he loved her, but in a totally different way from the original. The way he got his music stolen and got disfigured while trying to destroy copies of his work (here Faust iirc) is really similar to what happened in the '62 PotO movie. The Phantom's design here is really cool, I like it (but also so fucking hard to draw rhaaaaa). Also him tryng to stop Phoenix for going to Swan's house T.T THE WAY HE DIES!!!! NOOOOO!!!! *sobs and cries*

FUCK SWAN that mf sold his soul to remain always young (obviously takes inspo from Faust, but made me also think of Dorian Gray, especially because of the whole tape thing and eternal beauty). Acting a lot like your typical phantom, talking from behind mirrors, having hidden passages, asking for THE VOICE of Chr- ahem Phoenix.

Ngl I loved Beef, he didn't really deserve to die, he just did what he was asked to do, he even wanted to go away... Ohh! I just realised that he is this movie's version of LaCarlotta (sorry guys, I'm dumb). He was such a DIVA, haha.

Loved Phoenix's singing, such a beautiful voice <333. A bit sad to see her being lured by Swan, but I don't really blame her... Imagine receiving so much praise and attention for the first time... Obviously you will want more. Fortunately she ended up unscathed from this whole deal (thanks to Winslow).

Btw the movie is really fun, I highly suggest watching it :)<3

I'll try to draw THE SILLY, wish me luck. We need more potp art around here, ngl.

[alairmena]

FKA Twigs Striptease(MV) fanart

Ever since I heard this song, I've been listening to it on repeat. The music video is one of the greatest I've ever seen.

I just really feel like yapping so lemme tell you what I see in this music video and song, skip past this if you ain't gonna read all that

In the song Striptease by FKA Twigs, nothing is about actual striptease imo. It's a song about the pure need for human connection.

Lyrics go as follows, and I will give my attempt of dissecting them:

In this song, she does not want anyone to physically desire her - but rather, to let her open up to them. She wants to find connection through a conversation and her thoughts. This is shown clearly with lyrics such as "I got a birthmark on my mind, I think you'll like it" - when someone teases about a birthmark on invisible parts of their skin, they're usually asking to have an intimate time with the person they're talking to, but FKA Twigs says specifically "on my MIND", teasing the person she's talking to (even us, the listeners of the song) that they can be intimate with her through her mind alone.

Through the song, she doesn't only ask the audience to listen to her open up, but even speaks in a way that sounds like she's trying to convince us that there's something special to experience when listening to her opening up. "Opening me feels like a striptease" - this line sounds almost as if she's saying: "just talk to me, let me show you who i am inside, and you'll see how cool i am".

The next lines shows us her need to vent, to share her pain with anybody: "Silk for my tears, and lace for my fears". Girlie yearns for basic human connection at this point, for anyone who will listen, and she confirms how easier she will feel afterwards with the next line: "I'm stripping apart 'til my pain disappears".

Now the MV is genius with how precisely it points out the meaning of the song itself.

She's coming from somewhere awful, clearly distressed out of her mind after experiencing something traumatic, on the middle of the highway going through a tunnel. The tunnel highway is a perfect representation of a place where everyone is out for themselves - you drive your car, usually very high speeds and you don't care who you pass by. And that's exactly where FKA Twigs dances seductively and rips out her dress, trying to catch anyone's attention. It resembles how it feels looking for love in cold places where everyone only cares about their business - endlessly and painfully asking for just anyone's attention, begging people to just listen to you. To get to know you. "I am really worth it, just give me a chance!"

Her performance in the video is astonishing. You can clearly see the painful yearning in her eyes. Especially in the climax of the song, when she painfully yells out "I'm borderline, it's getting late, I feel alive, I wanna show you, I-I-I-I-I, I've got a birthmark on my mind, I think you'll like it!!!" once again, still calling for anyone's attention.

What happens in the weird part of the music video (anyone who watches it will know what I mean - the place where experimental electronica enters) is what I would interpret as the way of the artist. Very often, we artists just really deeply want to be heard or listened to. But nobody has the time to listen. Which is why many of us make art - it's our way of opening up to the world, and making anyone out there care to experience our minds. In that part of the music video, she opens up to the void, showing the depth of her being to nobody in particular. But at that point, a child sees her from the car window, and we can clearly see that the child identifies with FKA Twigs' struggles. That child understands her. They saw their own heart in FKA Twigs' art.

🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

Not sure if anyone will read this far, but I really needed to share my thoughts on it. It's a song that touched me on a special level, and someday, I hope my own art will mean this much to somebody out there. I find it strange and a little bit sad how many things can be changed for the better with just a little more attention. That might just be the most poorly distributed resource on planet Earth.

KeY's UnWiLLinG asSistANt cOmIng SoOn (follow on my blog for updates)

[radianceholy]

Owlcatober 2024 - Invisible

Arueshalae and Sosiel having a chat about art and love. No cws to speak of this time!

“It’s like a game, then, isn’t it?”

“…Some have made the comparison, yes.”

“Then… It's really only a step removed from a lie. Or, at best, another kind of performance… it's something that's real, but only as long as the performance goes on.”

“That is one of the conundrums at the heart of Shelyn’s faith, it’s true. Love is to be celebrated as a liberatory force. The ultimate expression of the beauty our hearts can conjure,” his voice rang out with a clipped grandeur. He’d heard those words hundreds of times too many, perhaps, and the meaning had long since drained away. “But it is a feeling ruled over by transient emotions, and but for the blessings of the gods, there are more tragedies than triumphs. Poetry and song work to conjure an image of the world far sweeter than we will ever know.”

Arueshalae’s lips twitched. She had to suppress the urge deep in her belly to pry her claws into a gap in his armor he’d so foolishly exposed, as a different kind of despair washed over her in its place. The walls of Drezen Citadel were damp and cool, and the cloud cover was thick enough that sunlight didn’t pierce through. She had come up here for the same reason he had: it is quiet, it is far from others, and it is easy to see everyone down below. He was avoiding the distraction and she was avoiding the very same, but nonetheless, she’d found it. She let out a sigh. “It’s no different, then. It’s just a comforting lie…”

Drezen was a rather cold and gray place. She often took comfort in the high stone walls and indifferent cobbled streets, the certainty of knowing where each road led and what each building held. She’d acquainted herself with every stray cat and memorized the routines of the soldiers in the barracks and she even knew a few of the faces personally– or as close to it as she let herself get with anyone, outside of the privileged few within the Knight Commander’s trusted inner circle. Anevia always seemed to spot her in her lonesome rooftop wanderings, catching her eyes with a sly, knowing grin, and she could sit in comfortable silence beside Arsinoe. Those two were rare exceptions.

Sosiel’s paintbrush was as much of a liar as she was, she thought, though it was hard to call it singularly ‘beautiful’ in the manner of the Silken Shadow. His artwork depicted things that were all rather common and plain. Ten-to-a-copper mortal lives, going about their business in a street whose colors seemed all the more vibrant than they had any right to be. She peered down from the parapets, and what she saw certainly didn’t live up to the brushstrokes. He cared to show a bit of green growing between the cobbles, or an unusually fancy brooch on a woman wearing rags. He saw so many more details than she, beneath a bright blue sky that they rarely ever enjoyed so near to the Worldwound.

“I’m not quite wise enough to have pierced through one of the oldest and most contentious riddles at the core of my faith,” he chuckled, a good natured smile on his lips, “that alone has caused schisms, even leaving aside the heretical cults and apostatic movements.”

She frowned, her tail lashing sharply.

“…What I mean to say,” he continued, noticing her impatience, “is that it’s an act of faith.”

“Of course. That kind of faith is a weakness all mortals share,” she murmured sadly. “Why would they believe in the promises of a demon, if not out of blind hope?”

His brow knitted, and he shook his head. “…The act of love itself is an act of faith in itself, I mean to say.”

“So it’s an act, a game, it comprises faith itself, and it’s a series of fickle emotions…?”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she could hear the finger-wagging in his tone. “That’s probably only scratching the surface. Shelynites have spilled gallons of ink contemplating the nature of beauty and love.”

“And the poetry? The declarations of love? The… courtly romance, with all of those grand gestures and heroic feats?”

“We exist apart from one another,” a stroke of his brush. She crept closer, moving on her toes silently as though her footsteps might break the spell of his inspiration. “Our hearts are hidden to one another. You said once that you felt like you understood mortals, as a succubus, but no longer.”

He seemed to follow her gaze, stepping aside and gesturing her closer to look. A little wave of his hand, in that flourishing, graceful way he tended to move. His brushstrokes were deliberate, and she could identify each and every one, now that she was standing before his canvas. From far away, it was a delusion. Up close, it was an act of careful construction. She wasn’t certain what it meant, even knowing that much. Their hearts must be quite well hidden, indeed. “You rarely seem like you’re lying.”

“…It’s not a virtue in the eyes of the Eternal Rose, to blind ourselves to the truth, nor to disguise it from another. I’ve failed her and myself both, but I’m not proud of those lapses. I wish to stay true to myself.”

Her shoulders sank. She wanted to see. She wanted to see it. Why wasn’t it there, yet? No matter how she stared, the Drezen he saw and the Drezen she saw were irreconcilable. “It’s not as though I don’t understand. You’re grasping blindly at something you know to exist, yet can’t describe. Poetry, art, music, dance… you pull them out of your heart, and you hope that they’re seen.” She felt herself reaching towards the painting, as though she might sink right into it. Even as she said it, she could feel her own skepticism in her voice. How can you do it? How can you trust them to see it?

“It’s alright, you know. Art isn’t meant to be understood immediately.”

She closed her eyes, letting the city as she knew it disappear. If it was like a dream… if Desna and Shelyn truly lay together as lovers… maybe she could have this, too. A bright, beautiful, lively Drezen. Full of life, and the chaos that follows life. Stray seeds pack into the cobblestones and grow into flowers, and anywhere else in the world, they’d be weeds. Here, they’re a welcome spot of color and beauty, like each mortal life that found itself at the edge of the Abyss by circumstance…

She sighed, opening her eyes. The sky was still gray.

She’d hoped to see something different, but at least she could see it wasn’t a lie. Maybe that’s all she could hope for, right now.

[saebeau]

Perfect Marriage Revenge is already my comfort drama and will be put on repeat frequently. These 2 virgins made my 2023!

As a person who finished the novel and, currently, is reading the webtoon, i aprecciate that they didn't change much of the story while doing the drama, honestly i'm even in awe that they put many interesting details that make the scenes more rich.

To me, all of this helped a lot for the better understanding and enjoyment of the drama, and of course, filled many non answered in-between parts left open in the novel and it's sooo refreshing to see, honestly!

I'm here today just give some facts till' today's episode, from the novel and the webtoon, that yall might find cool. I'm going to try to put in order ok?! NO SPOILERS AHEAD!

1 - Yi Joo dies hit by a car right after hearing a very "heartfelt" conversation between her husband and sister on their 1st wedding aniversary. She even buy a cake for that piece of shit! I liked that they put the detail of her husband covering her sister eyes on her dying spot.

2 - Yi Joo's paintings and art are pretty much on the drama, either the novel or the webtoon, they don't pay much attention to it. Yi Joo mostly wants just WJ Retail from her family in the story, period. Personally all the thing around her art gives her way more motives to get revenge and i love it!

3 - Se Hyeok is pretty much annoying both the novel e webtoon but is getting more lines on the drama. His motives are pretty much the same. Yoo Ra.

Se Hyeok is a "long time friend" of Yi Joo (everything being set by her stepmother). Yi Joo marries him not because of a "affection" like in the drama, it's much more like he is her safe haven, a person she trusts and can live peacefully (even at the cost of being in-laws with his shitty family). There is no love, romance or anything. They just live together living their lifes apart, interacting as friends. Her life with Se Hyeok looks a lot like the beginning of her life with Do Guk, no eating, sleeping or doing things together. In the drama looks like that too but with Yi Joo pinning over him a little bit but he doesn't care. Yi Joo romantic life does not exist before Do Guk.

4 - As Yi Joo dies by an accident, she does not know much about her stepmothers plans so, her rage is much more driven by the betrayal of Yoo Ra, Se Hyeok and all the lies and manipulations around her life, of course, things escalate as she keeps discovering everything. But the part of her stepmother unpluging her support machine is *chiefs kiss* and confessing everything was well made and put, and i give that a applause because makes Yi Joo more hurtless.

5 - I just wanted to point that this is Yi Joo's first kiss, maybe Do Guks too, i'm not sure, i'm gonna search it. In the novel and webtoon, if i'm correct, there's is a whole conversation about kissing on the altar on their wedding day, which they do and that's Yi Joo first kiss. Saying that pretty much explains her whole relationship with Se Hyeok.

6 - For Yoo Ra, some of you could have a glimpse of her future until now. She is much more driven by her mother ideas, plans, feelings and her own obsession on being better than her sister in everything, as Do Guk pointed out, which worked until now. But well, you all saw the ridicule she passes when she makes her own decisions and is driven by her envy and hatred for Yi Joo. Man, it will get worse, just wait and see.

7 - SHOUT OUT to pretty much everything else being as much alike as the novel and even the webtoon than i thought it would. The actors and actresses and doing a fantastic job, much love to SUNG HOON AND JUNG YOO MIN for their amazing performances that bought to life life the perfect Do Guk and Yi Joo that i was expecting.

Much love guys!