#slightly older brian may

[bibliophilesince2003]

Transformers One In-Depth Review

Transformers One is a must watch.

I’m tired of seeing a bad review go towards a movie that is actually extremely well done, especially if the reviewer hadn’t taken the time to watch it or considered the trailers enough content to draw a review from.

Seriously, it was so refreshing to see a new take on a franchise that has been around for years. In my personal opinion, it’s better than re-makes that offer even less room for creativity.

I am a huge Transformers fan. I grew up with Transformers Prime, and when I was older, I watched the movies. I’ve watched other shows here and there, and while I may not be a complete expert, I know the lore well enough to have been heavily, emotionally impacted by Transformers One.

I’ll start with the "non-spoiler take" followed by the "spoiler take” which will be “hidden” for those who do not want to be spoiled.

"Non-spoiler" take...

Peter Cullen’s voice is legendary. Chris Hemsworth himself acknowledged this in an interview, mentioning that the goal was to “re-create” and “do something new.” He intended to represent a “youthful, brash, and cocky version” of Orion Pax before he was known as Optimus Prime. This is a realistic representation. In Transformers Prime, Ratchet states that Optimus Prime was more like Jack in his youth. For those of you who don’t know, Jack is a strong-willed, selfless, but slightly impulsive teenager, as all teenagers should be. It is clear that Hemsworth has evaluated “hints” that other movies and shows have provided. Hemsworth wanted to “lean into” a more serious voice towards the end of Transformers One. He insisted “he wouldn’t dare mimic Peter Cullen.” I highly respect his choices, and he does not deserve the amount of hate thrown at him. Now, Orion Pax also comes across as a humble, soft-spoken character in other movies and shows. However, I can see why they would lean into his impulsiveness to better highlight and contrast the relationship between Orion Pax and D-16, especially as D-16’s true colors show. More about that in the “spoiler” section, though!

No, it would not have made sense for Orion Pax to have a deep, majestic voice. That comes with experience; that comes with hard decisions. Quite honestly, Hemsworth is pretty close to what I had imagined Orion Pax to sound like. It’s still slightly deep, and very soothing.

The character development in this movie? Oh. My. Word. Guys, as a writer, I can say that subtle character development – the best kind – is not easy to do. In Transformers One, it flowed naturally. It made me smile. It broke my heart. If you’ve seen other Transformers movies and shows, brace yourself. If you haven’t, still brace yourself. Again, more about that in the “spoiler” section.

The humor in the trailers has been re-posted so heavily I think it’s beginning to lose its effect and people, not knowing the context, are quick to judge. Yes, Bee is funny. It’s Bee. He’s supposed to be lovable, humorous, loyal, and powerful. I found no issue with most of the humor coming from him. There is more humor that is not mentioned in the trailers that is really worth chuckling over.

Finally, the fight scenes were clean, the animation was captivating, and the incredible Brian Tyler produced musical masterpieces for most every scene, some of it connecting to other movies and shows.

"Spoiler" take, now!

I expected to dislike Elita. Really, I did. I knew she was the “love interest” for Optimus Prime beforehand and expected big things from her, because Optimus Prime never struck me as having a “love interest” in the past. Not only that, but I expected her to be the female character I seem to find everywhere these days who strives to be better than everyone else without a lick of experience, complaining about the male figures in her life.

Elita, however, is ambitious. She leads. She doesn’t have to prove anything; she’s simply willing to work hard and do her job. Understandably, she gets upset with Orion Pax and the others when they interrupt her progress, though I can’t help but be amused by Orion Pax’s shy attempt to get her attention and adored his subtle acts of kindness. Sure, she’s a tad bit aggressive – she did punch Orion Pax, after all – but I really enjoyed seeing her adapt. When Orion Pax was feeling hopeless, she was there to encourage him. If she had stopped talking immediately after saying “I’m better” I would have been frustrated. Orion Pax and D-16 are the main characters in Transformers One, after all. She didn’t stop there, though. She highlighted the most important aspects of Orion Pax; his good heart, selflessness, and bravery. She told Shockwave and the others to shut up and listen to Orion Pax when they doubted his plan. She encouraged him to speak louder when others couldn’t hear him. She leaned towards the pit when Orion Pax fell.

Not only that, but Orion Pax was incredibly patient with her. He woke her up when she was unconscious and immediately took a punch to the face like a champ. He gently, subtlety smiled at her when they traveled to the surface and Elita announced "it's beautiful." He cried out her name and pushed her out of the way to save her during a battle. He listened to her. He told her to beat Arachnid “gently” when Elita managed to detain her, proving he fully understood Elita’s personality.

I’m sorry, but this kind of relationship takes the cake. If they’re meant to be a couple, I can see the signs. I love how well they work together and build each other up.

Bee is an icon. One of my favorite scenes is him eagerly saying to Orion Pax “I’m going to go cut these guys up, watch! C’MERE!” It’s like a proud kid trying to get their parent to watch. I love how loyal he is to Orion Pax right off the bat.

While they changed some lore in Transformers One, they included everything that was important. Orion Pax and D-16 are miners, but it seems Orion Pax may have been a clerk beforehand. When he broke into the archives, he seemed to know where he was going. When he ran, I can’t remember exactly, but I believe he was muttering numbers? I don’t mind the small twists and can see how they were necessary for the story; key details are kept.

Jazz and Ratchet mention! I was so excited to hear their names. Kind of wish they had shown Ratchet, maybe shouting “I needed that!” to a fumbling worker. Sorry, Transformers Prime reference.

Arachnid had an incredible design.

Sentinel is a well-written, hate-worthy villain. I… did not expect D-16 to rip him in half, though.

Also… can I just mention how epic that particular scene was? The switch from D-16 reaching his peak character development – showing no mercy – while Orion Pax reached his – making the ultimate sacrifice to preserve life and do things the right way; receiving the Matrix of Leadership. The music, the animation, the slow-motion… everything was incredibly cinematic.

Obviously, D-16 took things too far. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t just wake up one day and decide to be evil. It took time. It took motivation. Obviously, any sane person would stand with Optimus Prime, though he does make mistakes from time to time, but it was incredibly neat to actually appreciate D-16’s insight in the beginning, then notice the shift and feel every bit of emotion Orion Pax felt.

People say the ending is rushed, or that D-16’s change came too abruptly without any good motivation. Sure, the ending may be a little rushed, but movies are typically structured this way. Falling action does not have a set speed; it just needs to be well done. Bad things happen in a rush, and this leaves ample opportunity for the “good guys” to react a little too slowly. As for D-16’s motivation… even a person can take their worship of an item or figure too far. Megatronus was someone to look up to in D-16’s eyes. He agreed to Orion Pax’s plans, or at least tolerated them, but his admiration for Megatronus was his own interest. Orion Pax threatened that vision. D-16 wanted to kill Sentinel to satisfy his own needs and desires, not to liberate others. Sentinel deserved death after committing murder, yes. He didn’t, however, deserve a public execution, especially as he tried to get away and was relatively defenseless. Remember, Sentinel told D-16 and Bee that he would execute them in front of everyone. We can acknowledge his promise as brutal, so shouldn't D-16's actions be considered brutal, too? No "reason" could ever justify it.

When D-16 let Orion Pax drop, he proved he no longer cared about loyalty. The least he could do was hoist Orion Pax’s body up or break down after losing what he once called his best friend, but he didn’t.

It’s ironic… D-16 said “I’m done saving you” when in reality, Orion Pax was trying to save D-16 from doing something he knew D-16 should have regretted doing. Normally, yes, D-16 is the voice of reason, but not in this case. For once, this is where Orion Pax’s true personality shines through. His spark – the spark of a Prime – is in the right place. Orion Pax puts joking aside when serious matters arise. It seems D-16 didn’t really know his friend after all. The actions D-16 committed, my friends, are not actions you want to celebrate.

I really, really hope Transformers One gains more attention. We need the sequel! Transformers fans, tell your friends. Give an honest review, which are of more value than the reviews given by those who didn’t take the time to watch it. Hype it up and roll out!

[good-to-drive]

Re: your post about that tweet saying the Beatles were around the first time women were allowed to be horny,

I feel like arguing they were sex-symbols only tells half the story. Other artists like Elvis were marketed on their sexuality, but they were also seen as dangerous by the older generations, which the Beatles weren’t. Largely by Brian’s design, the Beatles were made to be almost entirely non-threatening (not entirely, because he also made the choice of them getting the mop top hair cut and the Spanish heeled boots to show they had a mischievous/slightly dangerous side).

My step-dad grew up in the Beatles generation and has said multiple times he thinks the Beatles had a larger political impact than, say, Bob Dylan, largely because their non-threatening aspect allowed for girls to explore their sexuality in a way they hadn’t really before, completely changing the way the music industry works. Elvis was censored for swinging his hips on live air, but in the early years the Beatles most explicit lyrics were about holding your hand. Obviously some songs like “Please Please Me” had implications of something more, and we know girls were horny for the Beatles but it wasn’t in the overt way others before them were. Even the medias portrayal of the smart/cute/quiet/friendly or funny one allowed girls to explore what qualities they liked or at least thought the would like in a boyfriend. The Beatles really did create youth culture! The 60s are basically the first time in the more modern day girls were given social power, because it was their attention and money radios were suddenly catering to.

However, I also don’t think saying the 60e were the first time women were allowed to be horny - although I do think it’s important to keep in mind there was a sort of movement at the time of the 60s being the time of the “modern woman.” Frank Sinatra was causing excitement in the 40s much in the same way the Beatles were. There are tons of shows of his that had to be cancelled halfway through or were shut down because of rioting by the youth who was attracted to him. Even before that, when cigarette companies were trying to cater to women there was a bunch of pseudo-science pushed regarding female sexuality and how cigarettes were vaguely phallic.

All that to say, no the Beatles weren’t the first thing to ever cater to women’s sexuality, but they were very unique particularly in how they were marketed.

This is SO interesting, thank you so much!! (For those who are curious, this is the tweet in question.) I think some comments were also getting at this idea that while it wasn't entirely new for women's sexual appetites to drive consumption it was new/unique to market to female sexuality in the exact way that the beatles did. It feels like their sex appeal was part of the product but it was packaged in a way that was safe and nonthreatening, which by extension makes the force driving that consumption feel safe. So interesting to think about that in regards to political impact and how establishing the insane marketing force that is appealing to young women relates back to social power and having a voice. Establishing young women as an extremely lucrative demographic and how this may shape what's seen as viable or desirable for a mainstream media product, which by extension may shape culture....

Thank you for the info, this is great!!

[crepesuzette2023]

Your account is honestly such a blessing. I’ve found so many good Mclennon fics because of you it’s actually insane. Now for my ask, what are some good AU Mclennon fics ?

Thank you for asking! I already listed a few AU stories in my overall faves post, e.g., under J/P without the Beatles—but I didn't really focus on fully realized, different-time-different-place-different-everything-AU stories. Here are a few I loved:

in our house we never get bored (@backbenttulips): The Beatles live in a polyamorous marriage à la sedoretu (Ursula LeGuin). Enchanting and enchanted. Soothing.

a great threat (@pauls1967moustache). Yoko is a woman and an artist, and so is Paul. Theirs is the superior battle for John Lennon's apple. A battle for each other, really. I can't overstate how much this works for me. They compete for fame and artistic collaboration, not for anyone's half-hard dick. This feels like the real Paul/Yoko dynamic in many ways.

@saint-mona: You Gave Me the Word. 1958. John is troubled after his mother's death, and befriends Paul, a bookstore owner who shares a past with Julia. Paul and John become friends—and more? Sensual and tender. Younger John & older Paul are good for each other.

snugglesweaters: You Might As Well Arsk: Hilarious, uplifting, and profound epistolary/email modern AU, with excellent (written) supporting turns by Ivan and George. It does take a fucking village.

@dailyhowl: Sleeping Sand, Morning Moon : On the other end of the tonal spectrum, this is a long, dreamy and wintery novella about grieving London playwright Paul and Scottish village eccentric John, and their long, slow way to each other. Set in 1966. Contains a surprising core of Paul & Brian, and very interesting memories of Paul/Ian.

Only a Northern Song (@stonedlennon): 1963, Liverpool: Paul works in a record store (yes, for Mr. Brian), and John is a dock worker and poet. They find each other. A long, long time after reading this, I can still 'hear' the two of them talking to each other.

Thank you @javelinbk for pointing me to and why the sea is boiling hot (madamboogie)—a reincarnation fic set starting in the late 90's. I'm only a few chapters in, but it's interesting and different!

Speaking of: @javelinbk also wrote many great AU's: John and Paul as the two nice men at the flowershop (Double Fantasy), Paul as wealthy business man, and reluctant #1 son, with John as his hot mess driver (The Life of Riley), John and Paul as stepbrothers after Jim gets married to Mimi (Brother Dearest with the follow-up I love even more, because it's melancholy and romantic and complicated, and it has Mike McCartney: Father and Son)—but a recent favorite is Our Version of Events, in which John Lennon is introduced to Beatles fan fiction by May Pang, and has questions for Paul. Set in '71. I love how this one is both an ode to fan fiction and a damn good story (with a non-tropey ending).

I also enjoyed many AU stories by @unchaineddaisychain. For instance: You've Got to Pick Up Every Stitch (Halloween! Modern AU, Paul is John's boyfriend for the night to stick it to John's ex, very sweet morning after), We are Stardust (Brit Paul and NYer John meet at Woodstock in '69, and it's so fucking romantic), and These Nights (modern AU, slightly jaded rock journalist John unexpectedly spends a night with rising pop star Paul. Cold shower, please!)

[stwritings]

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 & 𝑯𝒂𝒕𝒆

𝑹𝒐𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓!𝑬𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆 𝒙 𝑭𝒆𝒎!𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 - 𝑫𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒚 𝑱𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 & 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒊𝒙 𝒂𝒖

𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑰 - 𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒚

𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: 𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.

May, 1988

The sun beamed through the chipped windshield of Eddie's 1971 Chevy as he made his was through the city of Chicago. Taking quick glances at his map every chance he got, his eyes honed in on the big red pen mark circling his new address.

Truth be told, Eddie wouldn't have believed it if he were told a few months back that he would be uprooting his life one state over. He wasn't much of a plan kind of guy, so this move was rather spontaneous. The town of Hawkins no longer felt like home but a prison, it's tight shackles a reminder of the simpleton lifestyle he was bound to lead if he stayed in this godforsaken place. He dreamt of a bigger life, for it to have meaning. And if he couldn't attain it in Indiana, perhaps Illinois was the place to be.

He finally pulled over to the side of the road next to a dilapidated building. He put the car in park and glanced at his map once more, then back at the rough looking structure. Eddie caught a glimpse of a golden plate on the brick wall reading '242' and sighed. The number, unfortunately, corresponds with the address on his lease. He could only hope for a nicer interior as he climbed out of the driver's seat and walked towards the building.

Upon entering his new residence, his prior optimism was shattered by more unfavorable characteristics. The building had a distinct smell that Eddie couldn't quite place, but it certainly wasn't a pleasant one. It reminded him of his great aunt's home that reeked of cigarettes and peppermint, only so much worse. He tried not to think about too much, making his way up the flight of stairs. As he came to his apartment door, he noticed a small note taped to the door. He squinted as he attempted to read the scribbled writing:

'See 87 for key' the note read.

Assuming this was the work of his landlord, he began looking for the number eighty seven. The apartment was relatively easy to find, given that the building only had 2 flights of stairs. Eddie noted that his landlord lived directly above him before knocking on the door. He took a step back as he waited for a response.

A few seconds passed, then a whole minute did and still... No answer. Not wanting to seem too eager, he decided against knocking again. This decision was forfeited once 2 minutes elapsed without any sign of life inside that apartment. Eddie knocked once again, this time more forcefully which, luckily, yielded results. An older gentlemen with large bi-focal glasses opened the door, smiling, though he did look a tad frazzled.

"Can i help you?" he asked, pushing the bridge of his glasses up his nose.

"I think so... Uh, i hope so." he nervously chuckled. "I'm moving into 82...." he trailed off, pointing at his feet in reference to the vacant apartment below them.

"Oh, yes. Eddie, is it?" the man asked, eyeing him up and down curiously.

Eddie nodded, feeling slightly uneasy under his landlord's inquisitive gaze.

"Brian, pleasure." the old man extended his hand while smiling.

They shook hands and Eddie was taken aback by Brian's strong grip, especially considering his small stature. He handed Eddie the key and gave him the rundown of the building. Despite it's dodgy appearance, this appeared to be a great place to live. Rent was affordable, his landlord was nice and the interior of his bachelor pad was newly renovated.

After two hours and several tedious trips up and down the stairs, Eddie was finally settled in. He sat on the window seat overlooking the city, feeling excited for the morning to come. When it eventually did, he embarked on then next task at hand; finding a job. He figured it wouldn't be too difficult in a city this size, and began wandering the streets, walking into all shops and bars in sight within walking distance from his home.

Eventually, he found a shoe store that was hiring. Now, this wasn't the kind of excitement he was hoping for, but given his circumstance and dire need for cash, it would have to do for now.

_

Following a closing shift one Saturday night, he decided to venture down the bustling street, figuring a night out on the town would lift his spirits. Luckily the shoe store wasn't strict on attire, so Eddie rolled out of there wearing his nicer pair of jeans along with a Van Halen band tee and his trusty leather jacket. He eventually stumbled upon a small rock junction with a flashing neon light reading 'LIVE! SHOWS! EVERY! SATURDAY!'

Obnoxious advertising aside, he was intrigued, and decided to give this place a chance. He felt right at home once her entered, noting that it was very clearly a dive bar similar to the one he used to play at with his former band back in Hawkins.

Given it's size, it didn't take much time for him to find the bar and order himself a beer. His usual go to of Pabst Blue Ribbon was anything but his favorite, but it was the cheaper option. He thanked the bar tender and found a spot to stand within the small crowd gathered near the stage. Eddie noticed almost instantly the lead singer's inebriated state as he swayed and screeched the lyrics into the mic. Eddie quickly took a large sip of his beer in an attempt to hide the grimace forming on his face. He hoped that maybe after a few drinks himself, the drunkard would sound better.

He didn't.

The band carried on for another 10 excruciating minutes, the crowd filing out of the bar as they tried to escape the horrendous performer. Eddie stayed put though, amused yet feeling sorry for the rest of the band mates who looked absolutely horrified.

Without warning, the man hurled the mic down to the ground, causing a shrill ring to blast through the sound system. He then stumbled off the stage, yelling words at his bandmates that Eddie couldn't quite make out before stumbling out the back door.

Eddie downed the rest of his beer, placed it on a nearby table waiting to be bussed and headed out the front door. Once outside, he leaned against the brick wall, sighing as he looked for his pack of cigarettes.

'What a night.' he thought to himself.

His attention was diverted to the front door swinging open and an agitated woman storming out. Eddie avoided eye contact, trying to mind his business and not irritate her further.

"Got a light?" she blurted out, staring directly at him.

Eddie froze at the sudden interaction, eyes widening. He quickly snapped out of it, hurriedly digging in his pocket to retrieve it. He pulled out the small blue lighter, flicking it before the cigarette placed between her lips.

Once he successfully lit it, they stood together quietly, Eddie not daring to speak a word. From experience, he knew better than to try to feign encouragement to make someone feel better about a clearly shitty situation. The antsy woman paced around for a bit, before turning to face him once more.

"You don't happen to know any available front men, do you?"

Eddie chuckled at her desperate, unexpected plea. "Uh.. none that you'd be interested in". he responded while putting out his cigarette.

She perked up. "What do you mean by that?"

"None in the city, i mean..." he quickly corrected himself.

"Shit..." she muttered under her breath, her disappointment very evident.

Eddie felt bad for bending the truth... He would be a front man, hell he was one once! But this band was different than anything he had ever played before, and he knew better than to try to live up to an expectation he knew he couldn't live up to.

"Well, thanks for the light." She offered a kind smile before retreating inside the bar.

"Good luck!" Eddie called out, truly wishing her the best.

_

June, 1988

It had been a month now since Eddie had moved to the city, and he had become quite comfortable here. He finally ditched the shoe store, finding work at a record store where he restored donated instruments, a gig that proved to be urgently needed given how many busted up Les Pauls' ended up in his care. He had yet to make any friends, apart from his co-workers, but that felt like plenty for now. Especially since his time off was mostly spent wandering the nearby shops or visiting friends and Wayne back in Hawkins.

The only real complaint he could think of was with his landlord, Marvin, who had a nasty habit of falling asleep at the drop of a dime. This would often result in the tap being left on causing flooding in his apartment. This, in turn, would lead to the flooding of Eddie's apartment as well.

Despite Eddie's patience and understanding for the older gentleman, he had reached his breaking point one morning when he was awoken by the uncomfortable feeling of damp sheets surrounding him.

"...what... the fuck..." he mumbled while sitting up from his drenched mattress. He instinctively looked up just as a droplet of water splatted on his forehead. "God dammit!!" he screeched, the covers flinging off of his body and onto the floor from the motion of him launching out of bed.

He hurried to his closet where he practically ripped his house coat off the hanger, shoving his arms through the sleeves and tying the loose belt around his waist. He stormed up the staircase and hurried over to apartment 82.

After knocking several times with varying amounts of force, the brass door creaked open. Marvin appeared in the doorway looking rather disheveled, wearing a similar house coat to Eddie's. The older gentlemen chuckled at the sight of his young tenant, not used to seeing him look so.. flustered. "I'm sorry Eddie, you know how i get after I've had tea." was all the gentleman offered as he looked at him apologetically.

Eddie often wondered if the tea in question happened to be laced with some type of sleep agent. Nevertheless, he no longer wanted to deal with it, deciding right then and there to look for new places to live.

His search for one bedroom apartments proved to be a challenge, as most of the places he was interested in were way out of his budget. He was forced to look for bedrooms to lease, even though he wasn't keen on the idea of having roommates.

After a slew of disappointing visits to sketchy buildings with even sketchier people, he had but two ads in the paper left to respond to. One was on the far side of town, and the other was a room a few blocks away from his place. He figured he'd start with the further option since the description of the place sounded a lot nicer than the latter.

After a lengthy cab ride, the car pulled up to a building stained with light blue paint lazily applied onto the brick wall. He exited the cab after paying the driver and made his way into the building. Despite the unkept exterior, the lobby was very nice and even came equip with an elevator, something Eddie wasn't so lucky to have where he currently resided.

He eagerly got into the elevator, pressing onto the number four until it illuminated, signaling it's final destination before promptly shutting the doors. Finding the listed apartment was fairly easy given the small amount of homes per floor. He knocked on the door and waited patiently for his potential roommates to answer. He only had to wait a couple of seconds for the door to swing open, a stark contrast from how long it takes for Marvin to respond.

"No shit!" a familiar voice exclaimed.

'"Oh, hey!" Eddie replied, surprised to find the keyboard player from the bar standing before him.

"What? What is it?" came a muffled voice from another room.

"Just some guy i know." the woman responded, smiling amusingly. Eddie couldn't help but smirk at her response. 'Some guy i know' was generous given their brief interaction a month ago.

"Eddie." he said introducing himself.

"Well, Eddie, you come to see the place?" she began before extending her hand. "I'm Steph."

"Uh, yeah! I saw your ad in the paper..." he shook her hand in return.

"Why you moving, Eddie?" the voice called from afar. "You get evicted or something?" he questioned challengingly.

"Don't mind him." Steph responded while smiling warmly, a stark contrast to her annoyed tone. "He assumes the worst in people."

"Because people are the worst!"

She rolled her eyes in response. "Well, come on in! It's a two bedroom, but we converted the living room into a bedroom, which don't worry! Is not the room you'll be staying in!" she spoke rapidly while making her way through each room. Eddie followed along, though he struggled to keep up.

Steph guided him to the bedrooms, urging Eddie to enter the larger vacant one. "This is the master," she stated. "perks include more space and access to the fire escape!"

Eddie stepped inside to have a look. Although he liked what he was seeing, he wanted to make sure it wasn't too good to be true.

"And you said 200$?" he asked while inspecting the room.

"A month, yeah. Usually we'd get you to pay first and last's but... We're kind of desperate..." she admitted, trailing off.

"Desperate, huh? Well, when could i move in?"

"Tomorrow's good!" she eagerly responded.

Eddie raised his eyebrows, unable to prevent the chuckle from escaping his lips. Just then, a man appeared behind her, presumably the voice that rang through the apartment earlier.

"You're really dropping the ball here, Stephanie." he teased as he put both hands on her shoulders. She quickly shrugged them off of her, turning to glare. "Eddie, is it?" the man continued.

Eddie hummed in acknowledgment.

"Tom." he said dryly.

"Or Thomas if he's being a real prick." Steph chimed in, clearly retaliating for his prior use of her full name.

"Don't call me that." Tom said in a stern manor, pointing a threatening finger at Eddie.

"Noted, Steph and Tom." Eddie reassured, raising both hands up defensively. He had to admit, Tom's attitude was slightly off-putting and he certainly found his and Steph's dynamic odd, but amusing nonetheless. Despite this, Eddie felt that he was a pretty good judge of character, and apart from this small quirk, the lack alarm bells sounding off in his brain helped him make a decision.

He took a leap and agreed to move in, which in tern, caused Steph to leap as well.

Literally.

-

September, 1988

Despite everything that resulted in Eddie seeking a new apartment and Steph's eager offer for him to move in so soon, he chose to give Marvin a few month's notice out of respect. After all, he wasn't a bad guy, he just had a bad habit.

Luckily, there were no more incidents leading up to him leaving and soon enough, moving day came. Much to his surprise, his new roommates offered a helping hand, though Tom seemed less than pleased. What would have normally taken Eddie a full day, only took two hours.

Once all of his belongings were set in his room, Eddie walked around his new place, taking in small details he hadn't noticed before. For example, the collection of shot glasses neatly placed on a hanging shelf near the kitchen. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his face, the arrangement reminded him of his uncle's collection of mugs back at the trailer.

Steph appeared behind him, gazing up at the shelf. "Oh, yeah! Just a.. silly little thing i like to do." she stated, seeming proud of the display.

"My uncle's got a bunch of mugs he collects, too."

"Does your uncle steal them from bars and restaurants, too?"

Eddie turned to face her, eyes wide and fully invested in what he thought was just mindless chit chatting. He glanced back at the collection, then to Steph one more. He nodded, his lips forming into a pout while his eyebrows raised. "Impressive."

-

October, 1988

The trio had gotten closer in the small amount of time spent living together. Tom finally warmed up to Eddie, allowing him to see the good side of him that wasn't always snarky and judgmental. He opened up to Eddie one night following a smoking session, speaking of his tumultuous upbringing. The pair bonded over shared experiences, and realized that they actually had quite a lot in common. Thus, a friendship blossomed where Eddie didn't think it would.

As for Steph, they became close almost instantaneously, all thanks to her bubbly, in your face personality. Their banter, though not as intense as hers and Tom's, was always cause for entertainment. Unlike the men, Steph had lead a simple life, some might even call it easy. Her lack of trauma was almost unbelievable to Eddie, but it made him very protective of his new friend. In his eyes, if she was lucky enough to have gone through 24 years of life without experiencing hardships, now was not the time for that to happen.

Eddie as well as his roommates had varying work schedules, which often resulted in at least one person being left alone at the house.

This time, it was Eddie's turn for some much needed me time. He spent the afternoon reading and smoking in his favorite spot: the fire escape. Though, spending more than an hour at a time in there resulted in him being covered in dust and debris, most likely becoming airborne from the speeding cars passing by.

This slight annoyance caused him to cut his reading session short, heading inside in desperate need of a shower. With everyone out of the house, Eddie didn't feel as bad blasting his music through his stereo as he occupied the bathroom. He sang along loudly to the Black Sabbath album playing through the apartment without a care in the world. He lathered his hair in foamy shampoo, enjoying every minute of this warm shower when suddenly, the bathroom door swung open and a wide eyed Steph came gawking in.

"JESUS CHRIST!!" he exclaimed, quickly covering his bottom half with his hands.

"You sing?!" she shouted over the music still blaring, paying no mind to his naked body.

"Uh, yeah...Do you knock??" he blurted out, now blushing from her presence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she pushed on.

"Can we have this conversation some other time? Maybe when i'm not naked, THREE FEET AWAY FROM YOU."

Steph rolled her eyes, storming forward and pulling the transparent curtain aside causing Eddie to yelp. "Like this thing covers anything anyway. Besides, i don't care about that right now. Why didn't you tell me you can sing, you could have joined our band ages ago!"

"Because, you... Could you at least hand me that towel?" he asked pleadingly.

"No." she responded without missing a beat, causing Eddie to sigh.

"I didn't think you'd want me to join... Our styles are so... different. Plus, don't you need a bass player?"

"And a singer!" she corrected.

"Right... But i don't play bass, remember?" he asked rhetorically, knowing Steph had seen his guitar hanging up on his bedroom wall.

"I know, jackass." she said, throwing the towel at him. "But if we have you as our lead, it'll be way easier finding a bass player rather than someone who can do both! You've heard of two birds, one stone? Well this is one stone and you're the bird!"

Eddie paused, blinking slowly while trying to decipher her jumbled metaphor. "What...are you talking about...?"

"Forget it, can you just do me this one favor, and please join the band?" she pleaded, bringing her hands up to intertwine her fingers.

"If i say yes will you get the hell out of here?" he asked, wanting nothing more than for this interaction to be over.

"No backsies?" she urged, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah, fine!!" Eddie blurted out, growing frustrated as the foamy shampoo began trickling down his forehead and into his eyes.

Steph shrieked excitedly while exiting the bathroom. "Alright! Let's find that other bird!"

_

𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 2

[danganronpa96]

The most recent asks made me think of this.

How would the victims in 69 react to their Killers' execution? Same with 96, but cut out poor Bojack, for obvious reasons.

I assume by “most recent” you mean the slightly older asks by now (you can tell how long it has been and I will not stop apologising)

Now we can only hope no one who hasn’t read the fics comes across this post

DR69

Mr. Krabs (-> Mario): Krabs wouldn’t have appreciated being tricked with money like that, so going in he feels a little justified. However, upon watching Mario’s determination, and acceptance, he can’t help but feel a sense of sympathy towards his strength, especially facing death in front of his brother.

Dedede (-> Ashely): Dedede was pretty angry for being killed, especially by someone he deemed rather small. He was shocked when Red saved Ashley from falling, but a part of him felt bad once the two were both killed, their friendship reminding him of his own with people like Escargoon (and Kirby to a degree).

2D (-> Teto): As he didn’t see his killer (as that hand message was created by Miku), if we assume 2D thought it was Teto at first, he would be pretty devastated someone who he thought he could trust by proxy of Miku would do something like that to him. He’d watch her get executed, but he wouldn’t have much of an opinion. I say this because he often puts up with harassment from Murdoc, so he’d just be more or less speechless this is how things came to be.

(Bonus, Miku -> Teto: You know a bit of Miku’s reaction at the end of chapter 3, but for more detail, she found it entertaining but a little depressing. Even if she knew the execution was fake, a part of her didn’t want to see Teto partaking in it).

Peter (-> Sans): Peter wouldn’t really know why Sans was in a giant hall, or why the bear kept multiplying like a sci-fi clone movie, but it was a bit cool to watch, to say the least. That was, until the weirdo stepped in. If it was early seasons Peter he would be more sympathetic to the situation is all I’ll say.

Fluttershy (-> Brian): Hopeful their plan would work, only to see it cause another death did hurt Fluttershy. However, as Brian exposed himself to protect Parappa, she understood the sacrifice. She definitely cried a lot when Brian was being approached by the car, and a small part of her knew he was going to do something with the gun I believe, from what she knew previously.

DR96

Walter (-> Hiroshi): Walter Hartwell White pours himself a whisky and takes a big sip in lawful justice… sorta. He was pretty mad he was bested by some young man he hardly knew, and didn’t feel all that bad watching him die. Maybe it’s that idea that he would be okay with poisoning a child but that hasn’t happened so what does he know (dripping in sarcasm).

Retsuko (-> Kaidou): Retsuko was pretty upset dying so young, especially with a close call in the past. However, she can’t really bring herself to hate Kaidou, and got a bit teary at the end of his execution when Saiki showed up. She doesn’t know if she can entirely forgive him, but she feels horrible about the punishment he faced.

Yuri (-> Mai): For ruining her plans, Yuri is pretty peeved at Mai. She feels as if it was an “I told you so” moment as she gets executed par the death game cycle. Even if so many of her friends were affected. Although… No. No change of heart here. Those final moments were just human instinct.

(Bonus, Ena -> Natsuki: I feel like Ena would handle death quite differently from most people, being pretty indifferent towards their killer. Considering the circumstances as well, Ena is happy Natsuki wasn’t executed.)

[darkforze]

Hey mootie, may I ask some oc lore pretty pls? Also permission for this silly beginner artist to draw your oc?

Thank you so much for asking! I'm really flattered that you would like to draw one of my characters. If you do, feel free to tag me cause I'd love to see it!

As for the oc lore? I generally don't like to do lore dumps cause I know it can be a lot to read through. Since my characters have so much lore I'd be here for a while if I tried to write most of it down lol. Usually I prefer to reveal info organically over time through art and comics since I'm planning on doing things with them in the future.

I'll give some basic info though! Warning that the ref sheets don't really reflect my art now, since I made them at the start of the year.

This is Vean, one of the two main characters in the story. After spending some time in a hospital, Vean is ready to step into the world of adulthood and responsibility! He moves into a quiet neighbourhood and gets a job at the local retail store. The other neighbours quickly take a liking to him, as Vean is very cheerful and does jobs for some of the older people like painting their fences and taking out their trash. They all say that while he's a bit of an odd looking fellow, he's wonderful once you get to know him! He'd never hurt a fly!

...Right?

Here's Brian, the other main character. He moved into the neighbourhood a couple of years ago. Even though the neighbours are often nosey, none of them have really been able to learn anything about him. He even keeps his face hidden with a hood and scarf when he's out, so nobody has ever gotten a good look at his face. He keeps to himself, but can get aggressive when someone keeps trying to talk to him or knock on his door. People never hear him be as outspoken as he is when Vean moves in. Brian says the guy is odd, that he can't understand why everybody is being so trusting of him. How could he say such a thing? Vean is such a lovely young man!

Brian himself is genuinely confused why people trust Vean so much even though he just moved in. It's so obvious to him how fake Vean is. Something changed in the air when Vean showed up. It feels so thick and sickeningly sweet, it's almost suffocating. However Brian is the only one who seems to notice it. He's determined to find out why.

The story takes place over three years, so this is the basic premise of year one. Brian is 23 and Vean is 18 when they meet. Brian looks slightly different from the ref sheet at the beginning of the story. His hair is a mess and you can tell he doesn't look after himself that well.

[madsworld15]

The next part of my Asexual Rep AU (that I need to come up with a title for)

Tagging my pals @winderlylandchime and @maryp50 so they can see I have posted the next chunk of this fic. I’m so grateful for the advice I've been getting from them as I write.

Over the next week, Justin saw Brian daily. Sometimes he was alone, and sometimes, Debbie’s son was with him. But every time, he insisted on Justin serving him. Justin couldn’t help but laugh at the seemingly absurdity of it. Especially considering Debbie’s warning about the man. 

On Thursday night, close to 10 pm, Brian stumbled in alone. He was still wearing his business attire minus a suit jacket. As he sat down at the counter, he loosened his tie and snapped at anyone who’d listen.

“I know this is a big ask considering the establishment, but could I get some decent service?” Bitchy business queen was back like Justin had never seen before.

“I know it’s a big ask, considering who you are, but could I get a please or a thank you tacked onto the end of that?” Justin snarked right back as he flipped a coffee mug over and poured Brian some coffee.

Brian cocked his head and considered Justin a moment before he replied. “You know, most people find my rudeness charming.” 

Justin snorted, “Only because they want in your pants.”

He paused and watched Brian’s eyes run the length of his body, clearly assessing him. 

“Oh yes, I’ve heard all about the great Brian Kinney. In fact, I’d say most of my customers love you and hate you in equal measure.”

“You know,” Brian grabbed Justin’s wrist, keeping him in place, “it would seem you aren’t one of them. What’s wrong with you? Are you even gay?”

“Well, for one, money doesn’t impress me. I came from money. It doesn’t bring joy.” Justin pulled his hand away, slightly annoyed with Brian for the first time since they’d met. 

“For two, as charming as you may think you are, sex isn’t everything in life.” He pulled out his order pad and poised his pencil, waiting for Brian’s order.

“Ah yes, you are so flush with cash you just work here for kicks.” Brian’s words had a bit of bite to them, but Justin wasn’t phased.

“Also, whoever says sex isn’t everything clearly isn’t having it or can’t get any. As attractive as you are and as much as the clientele here look at you like a piece of meat, I can’t fathom how you’d fall into either category.”

Brian paused briefly before he added, “Turkey on whole grain with lettuce, tomato, and no mayo.”

Justin put Brian’s order in the kitchen without another word to the man. Under the surface, he couldn’t believe the audacity Brian had to say the things he did.

“Or maybe…” Justin came back to Brian and picked up their conversation in a huff. “I just don’t want casual sex.”

Brian put his tongue in his cheek and smiled. “You’re young. You’ll soon learn that relationships just cause hurt.”

Justin took a deep breath and turned toward one of the booths to avoid really going off on Brian. He barely knew the guy, so it wasn’t worth it. 

Then why do I want to kiss that smug look right off his face?

He took the order and cleaned up the booth next to them. Then he gave the order to the cook and grudgingly picked up Brian’s order.

He set Brian’s plate down with a bit more force than was necessary. As much as he didn’t want to be, Justin was still irritated by Brian’s assumptions.

“One more thing!” Justin gave Brian a steely look, demanding his attention. The older man leaned back slightly and grinned like he was amused by Justin’s frustration.

“I said I came from money. Not that I still have it.” And without another glance, Justin walked away.

He made himself busy for the next half hour and didn’t approach Brian’s spot at the counter until the man had left. On his empty plate sat two twenties. Justin truly didn’t understand this man. He was snippy and rude but then left extravagant tips. Justin knew Debbie had said he was generous, but Justin had a sneaking suspicion that Brian was even more generous with him.

He was still just standing there when Emmett came traipsing in with Ted at his elbow. Justin had met Ted about a week ago and still didn’t know much about the man except that he was an accountant and Emmett’s best friend.

“Hey, baby!” Emmett’s grin lit up the place, which was currently in a lull between nighttime rushes. 

“Hey, Em.” Justin pocketed the tip and placed Brian’s payment in the till. He then started to do his end-of-shift routine as he waited for Emmett and Ted to get settled at a booth toward the back. 

They appeared to be in a heated discussion. Justin didn’t want to interrupt them, but they were his last table of the night, so he had no choice. As he approached the table, he heard the tail end of whatever disagreement they were having.

“I’m telling you, Em. He’s changed. Things are different now.” Ted looked distressed but firm in his assertion.

“Right, the twinked-out twinky changed his spots just like that.” Emmett scoffed and gave Ted a disgusted look.

“What can I get you guys?” Justin butt in just as he was sure Ted was going to bolt in frustration. His words stopped the man, and he turned his attention to the menu.

“Advice.” Emmett turned himself slightly to face Justin fully and gave the young blonde his most charming look.

“I’m sorry?” Justin was thoroughly confused. What kind of advice could he possibly offer the well-seasoned gay men before him? He barely knew Ted, so there wasn’t a chance he even knew anything helpful. Why would Emmett want his advice on whatever was going on?

“You don’t know this, but about 6 weeks ago, Teddy here went home with a young man named Blake. Blake convinced Ted it was a good idea to try out some substances. Teddy ended up in the hospital and almost died. Now, Blake has come crawling back, and Ted is just letting him live with him, no questions asked.” Emmett paused to take a breath, and Ted jumped in.

“Way to air out my dirty laundry to strangers, Em!” 

“Oh, hush. Justin is hardly a stranger.”

“No, he’s just one of your strays. Which makes it a bit hypocritical of you to judge me for helping out Blake.”

Emmett then turned back to Justin and asked, “Justin, my dear, do you think Teddy should be using his well-earned considerable nest egg on helping some twinked-out twinky with housing and food?”

Justin threw up his hands, “I am not getting involved. I can’t have an opinion on this.”

“Thank you!” Ted gave Justin a kind look and then turned his more serious, slightly murderous one onto his best friend. “I’ll take my usual.”

Emmett huffed and rolled his eyes dramatically but then responded, “And I will take a burger with fries. Tomato and lettuce on the side.”

Justin chuckled as he wrote down their orders and then headed toward the kitchen to place them. He shook his head and grinned. He loved Emmett dearly. Of all the people he’d become familiar with since getting this job last month, Emmett was the only one who was interested in Justin not just as the sad, lonely queer kid but also as the artist. 

In the last few weeks, he’d been dragging Justin around to various gay establishments. They mostly stuck to Woody’s whenever Emmett wanted him to go out for drinks, and Justin couldn’t find a good enough excuse not to. He knew of all the best shopping establishments to frequent for the best deals. Hell, Emmett had even managed to convince him to purchase a crop top that hugged his shoulders in a way that Justin would never have the confidence to wear in public. He greatly appreciated Emmett’s kindness and Southern charm. He was very much into casual sex, but he never judged Justin for not being interested in taking strangers home from the bars.

As he grabbed their plates of food, Justin glanced at the clock. If he played his cards just right in five minutes, he would be walking out that door. He heard the tinkle of bells, signaling the door had been opened, but one glance showed it was Tad the waiter who would be taking over for Justin. Justin smiled at him and placed Emmett and Ted’s food down.

“What are your plans tonight?” Emmett cocked his head, looking up at Justin. 

“Going back to mine and Daphne’s to study for my exam next Monday.” Justin staved off what he was sure was going to be an invitation to go out with Emmett and Ted.

“You should join us for a night of fun at Babylon.” Emmett clapped his hands and bounced excitedly. “It’s the Wet Willy Competition tonight!” 

“What?” Justin had no idea what Babylon or a Wet Willy Competition were.

“Babylon is the hottest dance club in Pittsburgh,” Ted said lazily, evidently not matching Emmett’s excitement about the prospect.

“All the hottest gays go there!” Emmett gave Justin his puppy eyes. “You’ll fit right in.”

Justin blushed at the idea that he was amongst ‘the hottest gays.’ But he also couldn’t deny that the thought of dancing sounded energizing. Something he would need if he planned to study or draw at all before his classes tomorrow.

“Do you have a membership?” Ted, ever the pragmatist, asked, finishing up his tuna sandwich.

“Oh, hush. I will be able to get him in using mine.” Emmett grinned and waved his hand in front of Ted.

Twenty minutes later, as they walked down Liberty Avenue toward the club, Emmett reassured Justin once more. He wrapped his arm around the teen and pulled him in close.

“Don’t mind, Teddy. He’s just upset at me about the whole Blake thing.” Emmett’s eyes were blazing with sincerity, so Justin believed him.

“As for Babylon. Prepared to be amazed! The music and men are always on fire. And the thumpa thumpa breathes life into any tired ole queen.” Emmett twirled in front of Justin and Ted with joy emanating from his every pore.

“Look, kid.” Ted grabbed Justin’s wrist and his attention. “Emmett is always so rosy about these kinds of things because he’s never experienced rejection. In all honesty, sometimes it can be too much.”

Justin linked his hand with Ted’s and squeezed. “I’m not worried about rejection.”

“No, of course not,” Ted mumbled.

 “I’m just excited to meet more people and find out what a dance club is all about. So, loosen up and have fun!” Justin grinned and quickened his pace to catch up with Emmett a few feet ahead.

“Theodore, loosen up? Don’t count on it.” A familiar voice sounded from behind Justin. 

He turned in time to see Ted roll his eyes at Brian and sidestep out of the shoulder drape Brian was aiming for.

“Brian, be nice.” Michael chided from the brunette’s elbow.

Justin wanted desperately to say something, anything. But his brain was currently rebooting after seeing Brian in what he assumed were the man’s club clothes. He wore a tight silvery black buttoned top and pants that looked painted on him. It made him even more gorgeous than his typical suits seen at the diner.

“You know Brian, from what I know about you. I’d say you’re the one who needs to loosen up a little.” Justin smirked and gave the older man a challenging look.

“Oh, my, my.” Emmett flounced up behind Justin and wrapped his arms around the blonde’s shoulders. “Seems to me this young thang has your number, Brian. And he ain’t callin'.” 

The two looked at each other and grinned before turning back to see Brian rubbing his hand across his jaw. Emmett planted a soft kiss on Justin’s temple before they approached the bouncer, leaving the rest of the group behind. 

“Is he going to be mad at you?” Justin leaned into Emmett to shout into his ear once they were inside amongst the too-loud music and crowds.

“Who? Brian?” Emmett shook his head, amused. “Nah. He actually appreciates people who knock him down a bit sometimes. Keeps him humble.”

“Brian? Humble?” Justin wasn’t sure it was possible. 

“At least it’s better than being a stalker.” Brian’s voice tickled Justin’s other ear. “Why are you here?”

He didn’t respond until they were situated at the bar with a drink in hand. Then he turned to Brian and told him, “Emmett invited me. Plus, it’s a public establishment. I have just as much right to be here as you.” 

Then Justin pulled his t-shirt off and tossed it at Emmett. He walked onto the dance floor half-naked and found the experience to be exhilarating. He loved the way the sound waves from the music felt on his skin and how the other men danced so close he could feel their heat. Justin threw back his head and let the music and magic consume him. This is what being gay was supposed to feel like. For the first time ever, Justin felt entirely one with his mind, body, and spirit. He was meant to live this life of unadulterated happiness.

Before long, he attracted a couple of beefy men who obviously worked out often. Their muscles rippled as they moved their torsos closer and closer to Justin’s bare chest. He didn’t care that they were obviously aiming for sex. He just wanted to know what it felt like to have another man find him attractive and appreciate his body in an artistic way. He was finding that on the dance floor of Babylon.

Suddenly one of the guys reached for the fastener of his jeans, and Justin fumbled backward. But, being surrounded on both sides, his movement only made matters worse. He tried to shove both men off of him, but they didn’t seem to take the hint. It was as if his movements were egging them on. Justin could feel panic starting to rise in his throat.

And then, like a silent angel, Brian was there. Without a word, he shoved his arms between each of the guys and Justin’s body. The businessman’s arms were now bracketing Justin, boxing him in, but this time he wasn’t afraid. Soon enough, the other two men moved on to other guys further along in the crowd. Justin closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

While he recalibrated, Brian adjusted himself so that he stood facing Justin and his arms lay limply but possessively on the blonde’s shoulders. They continued to dance, Brian silently reassuring Justin by never moving his arms away. 

*****

They didn’t speak of that night the next day or any day after that. In fact, Justin and Brian’s “relationship” returned to snarking at each other over the food Justin served daily. It was as if Babylon hadn’t happened at all. In time, even Justin stopped constantly thinking of how Brian had protected him each time he saw the guy.

One particularly stressful Wednesday night, Justin was rushing around the diner trying to keep all the patrons happy when Brian, Emmett, Ted, and Michael all showed up for dinner. Justin motioned to Emmett that he would be there shortly. Then, he went over to Debbie at the counter and heaved a sigh.

“What a day! I’ve only been here two hours and already I’m exhausted.” Justin grinned at the woman, but his eyes reflected his true feelings.

“You said it, sunshine. Today has been the busiest day we’ve seen in a long time. I better go deal with them.” She motioned toward the table where the group sat. 

Justin patted her shoulder, “Don’t bother. I’ll handle it.” Then in a small whisper, “Besides, you know Brian is going to ask for me anyway.”

“I don’t understand that man.” Debbie looked toward her son and his best friend fondly.

“He definitely is an enigma.” Justin agreed before he trudged over to their table.

“What can I get you guys?” Justin tried to hold back a yawn, but it escaped anyway.

“Tired, baby?” Emmett commented, the concern dripping from his voice.

“Don’t worry about it. Just a long day. Had classes until 5, and then my shift here started at 6. I’m used to it.” Justin shrugged off Emmett’s concern and gave them a pointed look with his order pad ready.

The others at the table were busy giving Justin their order, so they didn’t notice the way Brian’s eyes turned soft as he looked Justin over. But Justin did. It was the first time since that night a few weeks ago that Brian seemed to show any interest in Justin outside of being his waiter.

“I’ll have turkey on…” Brian started to order, but Justin finished it for him.

“Whole grain. Tomato and lettuce with no mayo.”

“Word perfect,” Brian responded gently. There wasn’t his usual snark. As Justin walked away, he realized he missed it.

He was still distracted by Brian’s behavior a few minutes later. Debbie came up behind him and gently held the back of his head.

“What’s got you thinking so hard you don’t even hear me?” She smacked her gum and smiled at him.

“Sorry, Deb. It’s nothing.” Justin shook his head. He avoided bringing up Brian around Debbie as much as he possibly could. He knew she had mixed feelings about him, but even now, a few weeks into his tenure on Liberty Avenue, he knew most of her negative opinions on Brian were misguided.

Thinking better of it, Justin made an executive decision. He needed to get outside and breathe some fresh air. Clearing his head of his confusion over Brian was in order considering how flustered he currently was.

“Actually, Deb. Could I ask you a favor? When their order comes up, could you deliver it? I need to step out for a quick break.” Justin gave his best tired eyes, knowing they would work on the motherly woman.

“Sure thing, sunshine. Take all the time you need. Just be back in 15.” She winked at him with a chuckle.

Justin grinned, took off his apron, and then stepped through the back door to the alleyway. He paced back and forth between the door and the dumpster. He couldn’t figure Brian out, and that confused him. Up until now, Justin had prided himself on never having complicated feelings or emotions about anyone in his life. The closest he had ever come was with his father, but their recent exchange cured him of any love he had left for the man. No, Justin was someone who could look at a person, get to know them, and have a strong sense of who they were. But not with Brian.

The back door opened suddenly, and there he was in his tight black tee and jeans. Ready to go to Babylon with his friends. But instead of his usual snark or disdain, Brian had a face of concern.

Justin stopped his pacing and took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you snap at me or make a rude comment? I need you to make a rude comment!” 

Brian chuckled and licked his lips. “All this time, you’ve been begging me to be nicer, and for once, I didn’t give you a snide comment about finishing my sentence like we are some married couple, and you flip out.” 

Justin started to pace once more. He couldn’t stand still, and he couldn’t look at Brian for longer than a few seconds in fear that he might do something rash and impulsive, like kiss the guy. So, instead, he paced. 

“I really don’t understand you. You are the only person within the confines of Pittsburgh who acts like they detest me. So much so that I start to question whether or not you’re even gay. Because who doesn’t want this?”

“Because I don’t want to immediately jump in your pants, you assume I’m not gay or that there’s something wrong with me? Could it be that you just aren’t my type?” Justin paused his pacing to give Brian a challenging look.

“I’m everyone’s type.” Brian shrugged.

With that, all the confusion and fight left Justin’s body, and he laughed. He shook his head at the profound conceitedness that was the Brian Kinney and full-on laughed. Justin laughed so hard he cried, and then he walked past Brian’s befuddled expression and went back to work. His confusion over the man was all but dissipated the moment he’d asserted his assumed godliness.

[shatteredhope123]

Brian interacts with Jeremy

After a week of training with Brian, she was enjoying the training, Brian had met with Vesper to report Lavender's progress "Vesper she's doing well with my training" Brian told him "I'm glad that my daughter is doing well with the training, seven is the perfect age for this training because she's still growing" Vesper said as he read some paperwork, he was getting frustrated at the paperwork which Brian noticed but didn't comment on it "you may go now Brian" Vesper said quickly so Brian immediately nodded and left, he wasn't willing to incur Vesper's wrath, it was still early in the morning which gave Brian time to go for his morning run with Tim, he leaned on the wall while waiting for Tim, Tim finished eating his breakfast then got ready with Brian. The two went for their morning run they didn't mind being the second youngest members as they were still teenagers. After the morning run Tim went to his room while Brian started making breakfast for himself, Jeremy walked into the kitchen "A kid like you shouldn't be in a place like this" Jeremy told Brian "It was either join this hell or have Vesper kill me" Brian said as he was cutting some vegetables to make an omelet for himself. "Just try to keep yourself safe, Vesper is an abusive man with a bad temper who tends to take his attitude out on us," Jeremy said, he felt that Brian needed at least some of the same care he gives Lavender "I'm not some child, I don't need anyone looking out for me or caring for me" Brian looked up to glare at Jeremy, he didn't need anyone looking out for him especially not Vesper's right-hand man. "I can care for myself, no one was there for me when I was kicked out from home after my older sister died, no one was there from me when I got hurt while learning how to steal to survive" Brian said defensively, be didn't trust Jeremy at all "look kid you're part of Vesper's team and as a member of his team you have to get along and play nice, we care about each other so you are just going to have to deal with that" Jeremy said as he was slightly annoyed with Brian. Brian sighed a bit "I'll get used to it but I won't like it" Brian watched as Lavender came out of her room to make herself breakfast, Lavender tried reaching for the cereal but was too short so Jeremy got it down for her, she happily got a bowl and poured the cereal in then she happily walked away with the bowl of dry cereal, she was going to watch cartoons in the living room. Brian looked at Jeremy then looked at Lavender "what's with little miss no talk and her dry cereal?" He asked Jeremy "she can't have any dairy products as it makes her sick so she eats dry cereal and has to be kept away from cheese as it's her favourite thing" Jeremy told Brian, Brian nodded "want me to make you an omelet as well?" Brian slightly trusted Jeremy as he realized that Jeremy wasn't that bad if he cared for Lavender "An omelet sounds pretty good, I'll help you make it" Jeremy and Brian worked in comfortable silence after that to make two omelets, Brian thought that maybe he might fit in after all, maybe he could let Jeremy care about him in a similar way to the way Jeremy cared for Lavender.

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

In honour of finally getting a date for the new Taskmaster season, here's a clip of John Robins' approach to pointless games.

It's from a radio show feature called Made Up Games, which they started doing a few years into their radio show. At first they did Winner Plays On, a competitive quiz feature that was my favourite thing about the first 150 episodes, but they did eventually have to retire it as they were running out of topics. They replaced it with Beta Bet, a word game that I found great fun while it lasted, but they had to retire that because Elis was so bad at it (and John was quite good at it, but mostly Elis was bad at it) that John kept winning so easily. So because every good show needs some kind of competition, they replaced that with a feature called Made Up Games, which is a direct rip off of the Bored Games feature from the Russell Howard + Jon Richardson radio show, though those features were played nine years apart and I guess no one has a patent on the concept of inventing games so it's fine.

Basically, listeners write in with the little games they've made up, John and Elis play one per episode. In this episode, the game is to put a pile of coins on a receipt, and try to pull out the receipt without moving any coins. Most of the games they feature are less visual and therefore better radio than this one, but I cut this one out because it seemed so much like the sort of thing they do on Taskmaster (it's almost exactly the same as one of the season 6 tasks), and the way John handled it is so much the way I'm hoping he'll approach every task on Taskmaster.

I don't know what John Robins will show up on Taskmaster. I am currently immersed in the radio show circa 2018, and I realize I am familiarizing myself with the John Robins of the past, whom I hear is quite different than the current John Robins, a man who has quit drinking and maybe got his shit together. I have also expressed that I quite like the John Robins who was bitter and annoying, so I hope he hasn't changed too much, and we still get a bit of that on Taskmaster.

Having now tried to spend some time not drinking alcohol myself (and... not perfectly succeeding, but mostly succeeding, still keeping it up), I've got to say I'm pretty sure that not drinking alcohol doesn't necessarily make a person less miserable or less annoying. Quite the opposite in my personal experience. You can stop drinking alcohol and still be really really annoying.

And the level of annoying in the clip I posted above is really quite tame. I know it's too much to hope that Taskmaster John Robins will reach Winner Plays On-Brian May-gate levels of annoying. He'll probably have more restraint than that, being older and wiser. But I'd still be happy with the lower, more manageable "I beat you at this pointless game and need to make sure everyone noticed that I stared right at you while I did it" levels of annoying. I think that's a reasonable level of annoying to expect him to reach on Taskmaster.

This is actually an episode in which later on we got a very rare instance of Elis James slightly losing patience with the levels of annoying to which he's subjected on a regular basis, which I found quite funny, and I cut out and uploaded the clip before realizing it's not funny out of context. It's only funny if you've listened to Elis be unbothered by a million little annoying Robins comments over several years (Elis James is a saint, by the way, he's an all right comedian but deserves to win a Chortle Award in the category of Extreme Patience), and then this one fairly innocuous little gripe gets him to finally push back. But here it is anyway since I've already uploaded it.

I actually find it a bit weird that I'll be watching John Robins circa 2023 in a couple of weeks - I've been carefully going through all his stuff in chronological order (not just the radio show, but trying to listen to his other podcast appearances and watch his few TV things alongside the radio chronology), and I'll suddenly jump forward in time by five years. I just hope he's still competitive and snippy and annoying. Overly, pointlessly competitive, to the point of sacrificing making entertaining TV. I want everyone on the special secret little internet forums to fucking hate him. That's the kind of Taskmaster I like to see.

[dustedmagazine]

Lifeguard — Crowd Can Talk/Dressed in Trenches (Matador)

Dressed in Trenches by Lifeguard

Lifeguard, from Chicago, makes a blistering post-hardcore racket, channeling chaotic, noisy energy into rigorously disciplined forms. This extremely young trio—guitarist Kai Slater, bassist Asher Case and drummer Isaac Lowenstein were all in high school when they started playing together—have a firm grip on rock history, bringing the irregular architectures of Fugazi, the unruly blare of Unwound and the blinding guitar skree of pre-Daydream Sonic Youth together in an arresting way.

Lifeguard records quickly and frequently, laying down singles and EPs typically in a day or so. For a band birthed during the pandemic, it was the only way to keep track of how their sound was evolving. They made a full-length cassette, Dive, in 2020, then three EPs in 2020 and 2021. This recording, their first on Matador, combines their most recent EP, Crowd Can Talk, with the five news songs from Dressed in Trenches. Though the songs span a bit less than a year, you can hear these artists in the process of figuring out their sound.

The (slightly) older material favors the noisier elements of their art, the screech of guitar feedback, the decaying buzz of bass pushed into the red, the thwack, thwack, thwack of unadorned drums, the clangor of two boys shouting cryptic phrases at each other. Yet there’s a form to these onslaughts, an undeniable sense to the way they’re put together. “I Know I Know” is violent but tinged with aching tenderness. “Fifty Seven” chops up phrases into oddly shaped, math-y portions, yet slips some poetry into the way Slater’s voice intersects with bristling aggression. To me, “Typecast,” sounds the most like Fugazi, exploding in off-kilter, unexpected bursts of drum and guitar; the two bands have a fierce complexity in common.

The new songs tilt more anthemic, albeit in a minimalist way. “17-18 Lovesong” runs itself continually into a wall of noise, guitars pulling up as they crash into cement. Its chant of alphabet letters (“C-N-S-A”) has a desolate dystopian vibe, but the instruments rain bright, nearly giddy fire around them. You may have heard that Asher Case’s dad is Brian Case from FACS, and in this one, you can definitely hear the family resemblance. “Tell Me When” pumps up the density of Lifeguard’s sonics, drums rumbling in continuous panic, guitar tones prisming in rainbow arcs of distorted sound, the bass nodding underneath, satisfied with what has been done. Here’s where you can hear the clearest echoes of Sonic Youth, though, Lifeguard has its own intensity and timbre.  

This is an impressive statement from a band that’s still forming itself. Its sound is distinctive and compelling, but still audibly shifting as they go. It’s hard to imagine where they might end up ten or even five years out, but my guess is it’ll be someplace cool and very different from where they are now.

Jennifer Kelly

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #630

Top Ten Chocolates

Well, there’s chocolate. And, there’s chocolate. But! Only Wonka makes your confidence sky-rock-a-let. So put your hand into your pock-a-let, grab yourself some Wonka chocolate!

Ahem.

The problem being, of course, that Wonka Chocolate doesn’t actually exist. Well, okay, there’s something called Wonka Chocolate, but let’s face it, it doesn’t make you fart hummingbirds or whatever. Sadly, proper Wonka Chocolate remains the province of tall tales and masterful musicals that shockingly didn’t even get nominated for a single Oscar, despite having several of the best songs of the year.

Yes, even better than I’m Just Ken.

Where was I?

Oh yes, Easter. A celebration of renewal, of springtime, and of course the inspiration for the classic film The Life of Brian. So in a moment of spiritual solemnity I’m going to focus on the true meaning of the season by writing a list about chocolate.

This is no hifalutin list of blends and flavours; oh no sir. I did consider that, but then I thought that sounded both like a lot of hard work and also a bit pretentious. No, this is just chocolate products that taste really nice. Not cakes or anything though; basically bars. Chocolate bars. And stuff.

And that’s all there is to it. Now let’s all eat like we’re in the Ironic Punishment Division.

Dark Chocolate Orange: I like dark chocolate, I like orange-flavoured chocolate. There’s also something about the size and heft of the Chocolate Orange slices (segments?) that gives them a bit of gravitas; they’re small enough to have a few, if you feel like it, but also substantial enough to feel like a decent bit of chocolate on their own. Essentially, they tick all the boxes.

Dairy Milk: it’s classic, right? Now, generally speaking, I do prefer dark chocolate; I love those sexy Lindt bars and even a Bourneville. Those aren’t on this list though, but take it as read: they’re great. However, you really have to hand it to the simplicity and verisimilitude of Dairy Milk; it goes with everything. Snapping off a square from a big bar is one thing; but Easter eggs. Is there anything nicer than the shape and consistency of Dairy Milk Easter egg chocolate? I don’t care what comes with the egg, just give me several enormous Cadbury’s ones.

Starbar: going onto actual chocolate bars now, and I do like a bit of something in it. Starbars are great because they are soft but substantial; chewy, crunchy, and really jut have a lot going on. They feel light enough that you don’t get post-choc guilt attacks, but they also have their own bit of weight and substance regardless.

Cadbury’s Caramel: don’t give me any of that “Dairy Milk with Caramel” nonsense. This is its own beast. Dairy Milk chocolate, yes, but with really nice caramel within. Simply the best choc-and-caramel combo; sorry, Galaxy. And does anyone else miss the curiously sexy bunny?

Maltesers: I think I’ve become more and more drawn to the simple elegance of a Malteser as I’ve gotten older. The chocolate may not be Cadbury’s, but it’s sweet and light, and the soft, sugary sensation of dissolving one in your mouth borders on the sublime. I could probably eat a boxful if I allowed myself.

Peanut M&Ms: the connoisseur’s cinema snack of choice. There was a time when my wife and I could not be caught dead without a pack, either at the flicks or just in the car. However, they’re kinda expensive and very sweet and also the kids might have choked on them. But maybe they should make a comeback.

Crunchie: a thick, sturdy block of delightfully sweet honeycomb wrapped in a thin layer of chocolate. One of the most enjoyable chocs to eat due to its combination of subtlety and lightness and also it’s chonky boi energy. Can be soft, can be sharp, always tasty.

Boost: lower down the list than perhaps it really deserves. I really love a Boost, but they are superficially similar to the rather lighter and slightly more flavoursome Starbar. Their comparable heftiness can be what you’re after, and they are tasty. Plus – let’s not forget – they’re slightly rippled with a flat underside.

Reece’s Pieces: I struggled with how to rank these, because the actual Reece’s Pieces – the M&M-style things that Elliot feeds E.T. – aren’t that exciting and have that fake US chocolatey taste. But the other stuff they do – the bars and peanut butter cups and all that jazz – are amazing, probably the best synthesis of peanut butter and chocolate. So taken all together they rock. Despite being American.

Mint Aero: just pipping a Toffee Crisp at the post, because I couldn’t not have mint chocolate. I love mint chocolate, but it is something to be savoured, not an everyday delight. Whilst there are nicer chocolates and better incorporations of a minty flavour, there’s something about the softness and airiness of an Aero that makes it compelling.

Just bubbling under: Viscounts, Rolos, Munchies, and Kit Kats. And, of course, the aforementioned Toffee Crisp. Who’s hungry?

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 11th June

We're in an instrumental mood, it seems, this summer. Not that I'm complaining, this week. Because the instrumental we've got here couldn't be more different from those of Russ Conway and his ilk. Plus, it's an instrumental with pedigree!

Guitar Boogie Shuffle - Bert Weedon (peaked at Number 10)

I'd never heard of this song, but it's a cover, it turns out, and a surprisingly old one - the original Guitar Boogie was written all the way back in 1929, based on more traditional boogie woogie piano music. It was then turned into something quite different in 1945 by a certain Arthur Smith, at which point it became a huge hit, spawning dozens of sound-alikes with the same so-called "hillbilly boogie" style, whcih sounds by all accounts like it was basically rockabilly avant la lettre, with maybe a stronger emphasis on making a guitar-led version of traditional boogie-woogie piano tunes.

It was enough of a hit that numerous rock and roll covers of it came out throughout the 1950s, leading to this version by Bert Weedon. And indeed, it sounds exactly like you'd expect a 1959 song called "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" to sound. You've got a strummy repetitive 12-bar blues chord pattern, shuffling along apace, while Bert noodles along on the top a bit, with this slightly audible picked style that's very appealing. The whole thing's got that echoey guitar effect that I've been hearing for a while, too - a sound that you do start to get more and more in these instrumental guitar rock songs of the era, and that definitely makes its way into surf rock, as that genre comes together over the pond. You can absolutely hear the roots of groups like the Beach Boys, here, you know?

That said, Bert himself was a Brit, and had grown up in the 1930s, fronting groups such as the Blue Cumberland Rhythm Boys, and then, with an even better name, Bert Weedon and His Harlem Hotshots, before breaking out and embarking on a solo career. In between all this, he kept the lights on as a member of the ensemble in both Ted Heath and Mantovani's bands. So we might actually have heard Bert's work already - interesting to see this new style of instrumental music sort of coming out of the older-fashioned instrumental stuff we were seeing much earlier in the 1950s! Plus, he was a session artist for the BBC, accompanying a bunch of the early British rockers and rollers in their many TV appearances. So yeah, a real chameleon, with fingers in a lot of pies, it seems!

All this experience means he was a good person, in 1957, to write a guide to guitar playing, which he called Play in a Day. In it, he focussed primarily on the importance of tone control, drawing inspiration from American jazz guitarists like Les Paul. You can kind of hear this in his style, and it absolutely influenced the Shadows, too, helping them develop their distinctive style. So we've also got Bert to (kind of) thank for some Cliff hits, it seems. Plus, the guide is also cited as influential by literally dozens of other legendary guitarists, including but not limited to Eric Clapton, Brian May, three out of four Beatles, Pete Townshend, Keith Richards, Sting, Mark Knopfler and Jimmy Page. Not bad going, Bert!

I honestly had no clue. We've got this guitarist who influenced literally a whole generation of British guitarists, and has links to charting artists going back to the Mantovani days. And all of it tied to a song that's fun in and of itself, a nice little slice of boogie woogie guitar work. That said, it's definitely one of those songs where a bit of research into the artist improves the experience - you can't help but listen for traces of of everything else that's linked to it! What a wild find.

Favourite song of the bizarrely influential boogie woogie bunch: Guitar Boogie Shuffle

[the-idealist-dreamer]

I THOUGHT SHE KNEW ft. *NSYNC

July 2024:

I am at the crossroads (a familiar rap tune comes to mind and now, the Britney movie) in terms of how I felt about your band. I'm starting to believe that I won't be able to witness THE tour. Yes, you may have ruined the world tour, JT. Get it? May?

Now, I do not question how to start this post. Because I am sure that my time exploring several aspects of your career pre- and post-hiatus - from the HD MSG concert to the 240p Reel *NSYNC video, made me happy. I do not doubt that this is only an era or a phase because life happens and all of us are not exactly young anymore. But starting March this year, you took us to a Better Place with your new music. The five of you evolved in the era of social media while maintaining your low-key private lives (the unicorn may have overdone it a bit but I may have understood when you were burned by the thing you love, big-time). While I love a story of Paradise in a form of a reunion, it is important to me that I tell this so I can look back and smile at the craziness and joy you leave in this world, still do. This story is in the form of a Pros and Cons list I might (or might not) present in my 30-minute talk.

Title: An *NSYNC Reunion - Here We Go or no go?

Now Playing: Deep Cuts

Pros (in order of *Band History, "History", *slams the piano*):

Chris - The founding father. The crazy one. The one with the pineapple hair and braids. The only one who would sign off a video of him spinning on an empty airport floor because "too much sugar". I stand by what I said that he became the most normal one after the h-word. With his current Pop2000 Tour, he proved that having a platform for bands like O-Town and BBMAK is a fun way to fill the nostalgia for pop music of that period. I find that honorable and loyal when he said that the reunion will happen if all 5 members are in. Maybe it's the experience and roots, he was able to see the big picture and remained his feet on the ground. I might say he is already contented with his side of the world. Name Drop is becoming one of my favorite podcasts (it did help that I'm listening to the episodes while writing this) because he has a way to make the conversations interesting yet authentic. And because Brian cannot sing/harmonize the sh- out of their name. He might be the purest of hearts among the band. And this is saying, it might be more than JC who cared about the brand so much his perfectionist head gets in the way (now, who does that remind me of? oh i know, myself). It doesn't hurt that he maintained his "class clown" persona around the boys, ever so slightly threading into cancellable territory but maintained that line he cannot cross. If this is your first time encountering *NSYNC and Chris, watch the Hot Ones episode to see what I mean.

Justin - The narratives written around this person blows my mind because he has the makings of a successful artist - talented, trained at a young age, not traumatized by the adults growing up, has a great team, can sing, can dance, not sure about the acting, and personable. Up until recently, I think he is the lucky one because he is not screwing it and taking it for granted. Thankful he is one initiating the conversation about the reunion and has the means to do so. His entry might be longer in the Cons section.

JC - Oh, unicorn, you. This is also as long as the previous bullet point just because I wanted to remember him in his prime and he might feel the same way. But I will say this, his songwriting, his ear for music, is very much the thing lacking in today's music. I still believe he can bridge the older generation who studied music theory and the younger generation with adult money and access to the internet through the songs he writes and produces. I am looking forward to this man winning or having a more sustainable win in his life. Or maybe he already won in his private life.

Joey - The hammy one whose dancing pops more than his harmonies. A true baritone who may have missed his calling on Broadway because he has such a soothing, straight tone, and good technique. The people are correct in saying he is charismatic and a good dancer. When you see him, he makes you want to move. A Legendary Night tour with AJ of BSB is an exciting way to spend the night with live music and boy bands! He is not ashamed to say he has gone to several varied tangents after the h-word and a bit good in everything. You can see he misses the band and can bust out the choreography. He seems to also have a good relationship with the rest of the band and fans. Those meet and greets are one of the tickets I'd like to have. I love an active, unproblematic boy band member.

Now, Lance - What is about you that drew me in? Is it your bass voice and cute face which does not match at all? Or you being the #1 *NSYNC fan and social media manager that kept the fandom alive? Seeing you in all the places made my new fangirl life not missing out compared to the #DayOnes. Because I honestly did not grew up with pop culture. I had to do catch-up and you made it easy to remain. I think what made me different from the people of a certain age is that I don't have the experience of a person being ghosted since 2002. I would totally be okay with no reunion if it means he gets to remain active in all the side-quests he does - whether be in business, charities, podcasts, scary children's books, literal children to raise, being king of boyband Tiktok (sorry Chris), or going to space (it's not too late!). Now we have all the auditory experience with the podcasts - fan made or not to go back to when I am looking for my "Girl, were you alone?" fix. It really was kismet, stars aligned what happened with the band. And we wait for it to come again.

Cons:

Chris wants all 5 members to be involved

That means 5 different management, production, band, dancer, fanbase teams to be involved

Justin is currently on tour and after *that day* might need 2 years to recover

JC's perfectionist and protectionist mind

Joey and Lance's growing list of health concerns (non-threatening, of course but they are not peak-*NSYNC anymore)

Chris and Lance's apparent beef (sorry JC, you were used as a pawn)

Being Justin Timberlake

Time. It keeps moving forward when we don't move.

I cannot agree that JT is correct to leave the band as it is. But the moments already uploaded in the Internet is how some people remember. I hope we the next generation do not dismiss or make the music irrelevant or its members reduced to memes and occasional "working at McDonald's" jabs (punching down, people. not cool). This is how some people move forward.

Love, a Lance girlie, H. (Kahit hindi kami talo, as we say in Manila)

P.S. I still feel alone in this fandom until I remembered there are literal Ate's who are fans in your heyday. So here's to a JC girlie, Ate Vivien and a Chris girlie, Ate Mary.

[norirosewrites]

Indie Bookstore Adventures: Austin Edition

Yesterday was my birthday (I have officially upgraded to version 3.1!). When my partner asked me how I wanted to celebrate my new revolution around the sun, I told him that I wanted to spend the day going to my favorite independent bookstores in town, as well as some newer ones that I hadn’t yet had the chance to visit!

If you know anything at all about the indie bookstore scene in Austin, you have probably at least heard of BookPeople – as you should! Not only is BookPeople the largest independent bookstore in the state of Texas, it’s also a cornerstone of the literary community in Austin. (They also make very yummy tea lattes and Italian sodas in their coffee shop, FYI.) And don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely one of my favorite places in town. But for my birthday, I wanted to venture into some new(ish) territory with some of my city’s more hidden gems for book lovers. I was not disappointed.

Titan Moon Comics (Cedar Park) I had visited Titan Moon Comics once before and loved it so much that I definitely wanted to return for my birthday! This little treasure of a comic shop is tucked away in a shopping center in the suburb of Cedar Park. They have an amazing collection of classic and contemporary comics and graphic novels, as well as a decently-sized manga collection. It’s an all-ages comic shop that carries comics that are appropriate for kids and teens alongside no shortage of selections for adult readers. Something that I really appreciate about them is that they carry a lot of selections from women and LGBTQ creators. They also host RPG and CCG events for both kids and adults. They have plenty of D&D supplies, a store membership program, and a comic book club, as well as incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff. It may require a bit of a trek, but it is absolutely worth it if you’re a comic book lover.

Snags: Labyrinth: Beyond the Goblin City. This is a collection of side stories based off of the classic Jim Henson film told in graphic novel form, with contributions from a variety of artists and writers. As an avowed Henson and Labyrinth fan, there was no way I was going home without it.

Saga: Volume 2: Brian K. Vaughn’s Saga is one of my favorite series. I read the first two volumes in college for a class on graphic novels and promptly proceeded to devour as many volumes as I could get from the public library. Now that I’m older and have (slightly) more disposable income, I’ve decided to start adding them to my home collection. I picked up Volume 1 on my first visit to Titan Moon, and naturally had to acquire the second on this trip.

Black Pearl Books

Black Pearl Books is a Black owned, family-run bookshop, and you absolutely must give it a visit if you’re in the area (or take a look at their online store if you’re not!). They carry titles in every genre and for every age level, as well as some really cool crafts from local artists. They also have a community book exchange where you can take a book for free and leave one in its place! The staff was so sweet and welcoming, and they even gave us a tour around the shop since it was our first time visiting.

Snags: Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury: This is a thriller told from the perspective of two young Black women in alternating timelines who both have a mysterious – and haunting – connection to the “Miracle Mansion” and a host of horrors that lurk within. But it’s not simply a tale of a haunted house: it’s a story about facing the monsters that hide in plain sight, which – unfortunately – are often the people closest to us. I know that it’s going to be a heavy read, but as a survivor myself, sometimes it’s cathartic to read about the darker parts of the human condition; while everyone processes their experiences differently, I know that I personally enjoy reframing survivorship in an artistic way because it’s a way to take control of the narrative of your experiences, which is sometimes the only thing we can do to heal and move on. I’m looking forward to seeing the approach Sambury takes in this book.

First Light Books

This is a new indie bookshop that opened up this year in the Hyde Park neighborhood. The building it occupies was formerly a post office that was an important staple of the neighborhood, and the owners of First Light wanted to ensure that the new bookshop remained a community-centered space. It’s an incredibly cozy shop complete with a book nook and a tiny coffee shop and cafe area, as well as patio seating outside (there’s also a walk-up coffee window that’s open to the public). For being a small bookshop, they have a pretty good selection of titles and some cool gift items as well. They’re also very receptive to community feedback: I signed up for the membership program (because of course I did) and within a day was sent a welcome email with a survey for what sort of books and events I’d like to see at the shop. I especially recommend stopping by if you happen to be around the UT campus, as it’s not too far of a trek north of the Forty Acres – though far enough away for some peace and quiet. Snags: We Have Always Lived in the Castle and Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson: I’ve always enjoyed Shirley Jackson’s short stories, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle has been on my TBR list for ages, so no time like my birthday to get my own copy. I also got my partner a copy of A Clockwork Orange because he’s a fan of the film but has never read the novel.

Kinokuniya

Okay, I’m cheating a little with this one: Kinokuniya isn’t technically an independent bookstore. But it is one of my favorite bookstores in the world, and since my partner had never been, I insisted that we visit for my birthday.

Kinokuniya is a magical wonderland for manga lovers, with a huge selection of notable series as well as more obscure ones, in every genre and age category. (Don’t worry, all of the, um…mature manga are sealed to keep the young’uns at bay.) They also carry manga in both English and Japanese. But it’s not just a manga shop – they have a huge selection of English language books, ranging from literary classics to cookbooks to graphic novels to contemporary YA, and everything in between. If, like me, you are of the witchy inclination, they even have a sizable collection of books on witchcraft and Paganism, as well as a nice selection of Tarot cards. They also have plenty of anime collectibles and a fabulous selection of pretty stationary. Oh, and a sizable section of Studio Ghibli merch complete with a lovable huggable life-sized Totoro plushie, naturally.

Snags:

The Secret History of Christmas Baking: Recipes and Stories From Tomb Offerings to Gingerbread Boys by Linda Raedisch: I.Love.Baking. I detest cooking large meals, but I will happily bake enough cookies to feed an army. And I’m always incredibly busy baking around this time of year to celebrate Yule (the winter solstice). Moreover, I’m a history nerd and I love learning about the obscure or overlooked origins of even the most mundane things. And man, has this book delivered on that so far. The history of so many beloved Yuletide dishes we enjoy in the western world is fascinatingly complex – and sometimes disturbingly dark – interweaving cultures across thousands of years, from ancient Egyption bakers to the medieval confectioners of Baghdad to the pagan Samnites of southern Italy who were cooking up a rudimentary form of nougat in their sacred walnut groves in the time of the Caesars to the interior European Celts to – naturally – the peoples of Germany who gave the English (and, later, us Americans) the modern tradition of the Christmas tree. The book also includes plenty of tasty recipes and fun table crafts to enjoy on the tour, of course.

I also got a special dual-language edition of Winnie-the-Pooh that has the original British English text on one page side-by-side with the Japanese hiragana translation on the other. I have adored Winnie-the-Pooh since childhood (I have an omnibus collection of the original books) and languages are one of my special interests. I already own a Greek copy of Pride & Prejudice, so I figured that this would be another great collectible to add to my tiny multilingual book collection.

Vintage Bookstore & Wine Bar

Yes, you read that right. Vintage is both a bookstore and a wine bar, and it is undoubtedly one of the most gorgeous bookshops I’ve ever been to. This family-owned shop is housed in a beautiful old building downtown with the bookstore and wine bar on the first floor and seating on the first and second floors, along with a small yard outside. They carry fiction and non-fiction YA and adult books (they even have a separate room devoted entirely to fantasy and sci-fi) and the wine bar carries a variety of wines, beer, and mocktails along with some bakery treats. They also have a small market-style refrigerator where you can purchase charcuterie supplies to create your own spread. We definitely hung out here and enjoyed ourselves here for a while (and I recommend that you stop by and do the same).

Snags:

In the Shadow of Perseus by Claire Heywood: Let’s be real: most if not all of the classical Greek “heroes” were no heroes at all. Nevertheless, I have always loved Greek mythology and I never can pass up a retelling of the myths, especially when it includes a feminist reframing. (Case in point, Lore Olympus is my favorite comic. Ever.) This is the story of Perseus as seen through the eyes of the three most prominent women in his myth: his mother Danae, his victim Medusa, and his wife Andromeda. Their stories all intersect to create a very different narrative than the one you’ll find in the classical texts.

The Dressmakers of Auschwitz by Lucy Adlington: I don’t often purchase non-fiction books – if I’m in the mood for non-fiction, I usually prefer to check titles out from the library or borrow from a friend. But this one really caught my eye. It’s a little-known history of the Holocaust centering on a group of 25 female prisoners in Auschwitz who were chosen to sew beautiful garments for the elite wives of the SS guards and officers and used their sewing talents and bonds of found family and friendship to resist the Nazi regime and survive the horrors of the death camp. It even includes an interview with the last surviving seamstress. When we learn about the Holocaust in school or discuss it in conversation, we usually only focus on the fact that Hitler and the Nazis lulled millions of Germans into either supporting their cruel agenda or at least turning a blind eye to the evils of the Third Reich. It’s less common that we hear about the widespread resistance movements from people across Germany (and beyond) – both from targeted groups, and from Germans who did choose to fight back and protect their neighbors. And it’s critically important that these stories get told as well, especially in this day and age when so many of the horrors of the past are reemerging; they remind us that we can fight back against injustice, even in the smallest ways, and we can win.

Honorable Mentions

While they didn’t make my birthday bookstore-hopping list this year, these are some other fabulous local book and comic shops that I recommend: Bookwoman. This is Austin’s home-grown feminist bookstore, celebrating the work of women and queer authors. They carry books in all genres, and they even have a small children’s book section!

Malvern Books. Located near the UT campus just off Guadalupe Street, this is one of my favorite little bookstores in town that primarily carries work from local and regional authors.

Austin Books & Comics. Called “the library of Alexandria of comics” by the Austin Chronicle (and inducted into their “Best Of” Hall of Fame), ABC has been serving the fandom needs of nerds across Central Texas since 1977.

Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy. This local staple has been in business for 35 years, and has since opened four locations outside of Austin (including one all the way in Columbus, Ohio!). It’s a one-stop shop for all things D&D, CCG, RPGs, board games, comics, miniatures, collectibles, and more!

I hope you’ll check some of these bookshops out if you’re in the Austin area. I plan to do more posts like these whenever I have the opportunity to visit new independent bookshops (though they might be a bit scattered since I don’t travel much). Until next time!

[rocksanddeadflowers]

I have some thoughts because I love this!!! Firstly Gaston Marius is perfect I can definitely see it. (Also short Marius for the win he's a short and completely hopeless romantic-fuckboy to ME.) I think at the end there's less dramatic death (less being either none or not permanent/fatal) and more him coming around ghibli antagonist style. Like "Welp my antagonist stuff didn't work out but y'all have a great thing going so I won't push anymore. But um. Can I maybe stick around?" Bonus treat for Marius if one so wished: Lyf is included in the servants in the castle (maybe with some dramatic backstory on how they got there) and Marius's attention from our resident Belle does a complete 180 onto Lyf. Shenanigans and romance!

Onto the meat of the story. Jonny as the beast!!! Perfect!!! (I feel like Beast may have had some kinda rich boy royalty syndrome to kick off his narrative which I don't see Jonny having but that's irrelevant.) the anger issues? The self-centeredness? Creature Jonny??? Also also after the antagonist analogy I'm seeing Howl's Moving Castle tidbits mix in. Like when Jonny is eventually saved from the Beast thing it's less movie "No more psychically being a monster!!" And it's truly just "He's a better person because when he fell in love he had to become a better person as to protect and not harm.". ("He just has slightly less hair than before" hilarious brilliant love it. He pouts and wants it to grow back but understands it's symbolic for the narrative flow .....)

Also I'm completely bias for Two of Hearts and that narrative foil feels perfect for the Beauty and The Beast plot that I cannot deny it. (Metaphorically and possibly physically) Jonny being heartless and Brian being nothing but heart? I'm. A heart is a heavy burden. One Brian bears much and one Jonny thinks he abandoned long ago. Also Belle's father being an "inventor". ... I do think we can keep metal Brian in that scenario. Somehow. Also I think Belle being named that way and referred to as "Beauty" is bc of the term Southern Belle meaning "A Beauty" in a Southern way. Which is mostly irrelevant except that I adore Southern Jonny.

One more tidbit! There is the whole thing with the roses that grow around the "abandoned" castle (I've forgotten much of the original/older versions of Beauty and The Beast but I think it's either Belle's father picks one to take home to her as a gift and pisses off the Beast in doing so OR we skip straight to Belle trying to take one to cure her father of a aliment, again pissing off the Beast) which feels important because of Brian's little rose in his hat. That's it. I just will never stop thinking about Brian and his roses......

I keep trying to figure out which mechs should be which servants and I can't pin any down for certain. I do think it'd be hilarious that, if you did want Lyf to be a servant, Cogsworth feels like the best choice of the main cast. I just think all the mechs causing chaos and trying to get Brian and Jonny together while Lyf is the only one who actually seemed worried about things and sticking to the rules. That doesn't last obviously but they make a solid attempt. Of course for an AU like this it's easy enough to just make up entirely new categories, like not assigning Disney movie characters to each Mech and instead making up their own versions.

I'm a sucker for Beauty and the Beast aus......

Beauty and the Beast, but it's the Mechanisms.

Jonny must be the beast because feral Jonny and the whole heart thing... prove me wrong.

Tim or Brian is Belle.

Rest of the Mechs are the servants in the Beast's house. With an exception for Marius as Gaston cause I can totally fucking see it. He would suck at it though because it's Marius. And also, short Marius HC.

This is probably not new. But it's been brewing in my head for a good few months, ever since I put my Mechs OC in the iconic Belle dress.

[misterbrianmay]

Brian May - 21 Firsts

Warnings/possible triggers: smut, mentions/descriptions of past sexual abuse, periods/blood, vomiting, pregnancy/children

A/N: 12.4k words | I know this is long but please bare with me! These are 21 first times you experience with the wholesome angel that is Brian May, starting with the time the two of you first meet. Any kind of feedback is much appreciated - enjoy! 

1. First meeting

You first met Brian in 1967, back when he was still studying mathematics and physics at Imperial College and before Smile was even formed. At the time you were studying veterinary medicine at another college, which is actually how the two of you met. 

You worked as an intern at one of London’s many veterinary practices when he came rushing in one day. Brown curls all over his face, a small hedgehog in his hands. 

“Excuse me, Miss?“, he asked, his voice wavering slightly.

“Yes?“, you stepped out from behind the receptionist’s desk and approached him, “How can I help you, Sir?“ 

“I- I stumbled across this little guy on my way home. He just laid still on the ground, I think one of his legs is broken. I know a hedgehog is not what you’re usually treating here but I…I couldn’t just leave him there on the street.“

“No, of course not“, you assured him, “you did the right thing. Let me take a look at the little guy.“

The hedgehog was well taken care of, and only two weeks later you were able to release it back into the wilderness. Brian had given you his number to call him about any progress. After telling him the good news, which seemed to be genuinely excited about, he invited you out to a pub where he and two mates of his, Roger and Tim, would be hanging out later. He said that he wanted to celebrate you saving “a precious little life“. You agreed immediately.

2. First date

When you entered the pub that night you had no problem spotting Brian immediately, thanks to his tall frame and recognizable hair. You approached him shyly, straightening the dress you had spent almost two hours picking from your clost. His gaze met yours before you could say anything and he gave you a big smile. 

“Hello! It’s so nice to see you again! Come on, sit“, he said while he set one of the chairs in place for you before placing himself on the one to your left. He then pointed to a young, blonde man with a cocky smile and another one next to him.

“These are my mates, Roger and Tim.“

The two waved their hands at you, Roger giving you a not-so-subtle smirk. 

“So you are the one Brian’s been talking about for the last two weeks. I have to admit, you’re just as pretty as he said.“

Both Brian and you began to stutter furiously and he jumped to his feet.

“Do you want something to drink? I-I’ll get you something“, he stated, not even waiting for your answer. 

As soon as he was out of sight Tim leaned over the table, batting his eyelids coyly.

“Sooo…are you just as smitten with our Brian as he is with you?“

By the end of the night you were a little tipsy and had also learned that Brian not only studied a subject you weren’t even able to comprehend in the slightest, but that he also played the guitar, hand built one of those instruments himself at only sixteen and even thought about forming a band with Roger and Tim. Tim had been right, you were smitten with him, he fascinated you more than anyone ever had before. And he seemed to be very interested in you, too. At least judging by the amount of questions he asked. Between the two of you there seemed to be an endless pool of topics to discuss and things to be learned about one another. Sadly a glance at the old clock above the entrance door told you that it was time for you to go home, and you began to excuse yourself from the table.

Being the gentleman he was Brian insisted to walk you home. He even lend you his thick coat, which he placed over your shoulders gently. The two of you continued talking until you were standing right before the front steps leading to your small flat.

“I had a lot of fun tonight, Brian“, you started.

“I did, too…“

Neither of you wanted to part yet and the silence was almost unbearable, when he suddenly leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to your cheek. 

“Was that alright? Do you…do you want to go out with me again?“, he mumbled.

“Yes! And yes“, you giggled, “I’d love to go out with you again, Brian.“

“Great! Great, that’s really…I really like that. How about tomorrow night? I’ll pick you up here at 7? We can go have dinner, if you want to. In a real restaurant.“

“That sounds great, Bri“, you affirmed before standing on your tiptoes and kissing his nose, “See you tomorrow, then.“

3. First kiss

Brian had picked you up as promised the next day. And another two times after that. For your fourth date the two of you had decided to have a nice little picnic at a beach a little over one and a half hours away from London. You had everything packed and ready to go when he rang your doorbell, coming up the stairs with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. After you placed them in a vase on your table, next to the two other bouquets he had given to you before, you naturally put your hand in his and together you left for the train station. 

Once you arrived at the beach you laid a blanket down and began to get out the snacks you had packed, all vegetarian of course. After eating most of them you laid down onto your back, which Brian took as an invitation to subtly wrap an arm around your shoulders. By now your heart was hammering against your chest. You were definitely enjoying the affections he gave you, but you also craved more. Every time he had walked you back to your place you had hoped for a kiss, a real one. But you were also too shy to make the first move. Until now, that was. 

Gathering all of your courage you leaned up again and turned around to face him. You were now holding yourself up on your hands. 

“I…I really want to do something, Brian“, you announced. 

Without awaiting his response you bent down to press your lips against his. At first he didn’t react, which almost made you pull away, but then he kissed you back ever-so-slightly. His tongue begged for entrance to your mouth, which you gladly gave him. Soon the kissing grew more and more heated - until you heard a prominent cough beside you. You pulled apart from each other to discover an elderly couple standing next to you, shaking their heads disapprovingly. 

“This is a public beach, you two. There are children around for Christ’s sake! Keep it down, please?“

With that they turned around and left, leaving Brian and you in a fit of giggles while you comprehended what had just happened. God, you hoped that this had been your last first kiss.

4. First time you stay over night 

After another two hours at the beach you decided to head back home, both excited and giddy. Instead of Brian walking you home tonight he invited you to his place for a cup of tea. You immediately agreed and were excited to see where he lived. 

His place, which he shared with Roger and another man called Freddie, who were both out for the night, was everything you had imagined it to be. His room was full of music equipment, the Red Special he had told you so much about catching your eye immediately; books over books about astrophysics and mathematics; different kinds of drawings, mainly scientific things you couldn’t really grasp; and a weird-looking camera. 

While he prepared the tea you made yourself at home on the couch, the distinct smell of him lingering in the air. You felt nervous about what was to come, you really, really liked Brian, but you also didn’t want to rush into anything. Your train of thought was interrupted by a steaming mug being placed in front of you. 

“Your flat is lovely, Bri. It’s like…like looking into the depths of your personality. It’s really great“, you started.

“Thanks, that’s a very nice thing to say. Do you know what’s also lovely?“, he grinned sheepishly.

“No, I have no idea“, you teased.

“You, love. You are one great person, you really are.“

You felt a rush of confidence rush over you when you crawled onto his lap, continuing where you had stopped at the beach. 

“I like you, Brian. Very much so“, you stated in-between kisses. 

“I like you, too“, he smirked. 

That night you continued to make out until far after midnight. When you finally realized how late it had gotten he offered you to stay overnight. No dirty thoughts in mind, simply because he didn’t want you to go out again at such an hour. He gave you a shirt of his to sleep in, which covered you down to your legs due to the enormous size-difference, and told you to sleep in his bed. He wanted to spend the night on the couch, but you brushed the suggestion off immediately and made him sleep next to you instead. He had his arms wrapped around you the entire night. 

When the two of you emerged from his room the next morning you were greeted with whistles and hollers from his roommates. Explaining to them that nothing had happened proofed to be difficult when you were stumbling over your words, but the slight heckles were definitely worth the night before. 

5. First time having sex

Sleeping over at Brian’s became a thing from then on, and you were soon considered the fourth roommate. Freddie and Roger had grown very close to you very quickly, and you spent more and more time with them. 

Brian and Roger had founded a band with Tim not too long after your beach date, and Freddie and you would come to every one of their gigs to support them. Tonight was no exception and you found yourself sitting next to Freddie at the bar. He was commenting on the band’s outfits, which he had picked out for them, but you weren’t really listening. Instead your full attention was fixed on Brian. He looked extra-handsome tonight, playing the guitar with so much passion and grace. 

Despite all the time you were spending at his place nothing more than some naked kissing the occasional tigh-riding had happened yet. Usually this was due to the other two boys accidentally interrupting or catching you in the act, but you also couldn’t shake the feeling that he was very shy and held-back when it came to sex. You were determined to change that tonight - the urge growing inside of you slowly becoming too strong to ignore.

When the last song was over and the three of them bowed to the cheering audience you rushed backstage to catch Brian. Soon enough he emerged and widened his arms for you to hug him.

“You were so good tonight, Bri“, you beamed, “so sexy.“

His face grew crimson at your last statement. 

“Th- Thanks, love“, he spluttered.

“Will you take me home?“, you whispered in his ear, “I’d like to have you for myself a bit.“

“I-I…well, yes. Of course I will. Do you want to go to my place or yours?“

You didn’t have to think long about that question. As much as you loved his flat - privacy was only guaranteed at yours. 

“Mine“, you smirked, hoping he would get the hint. 

Apparently he did because he grabbed your hand and lend you out of the pub as quickly as possible, after ordering Roger to take his guitar home for him. His mate seemed to know what was going on immediately because he gave you a cheeky grin and thumbs up. 

Once you arrived at your place you locked the door before pressing Brian against it, which turned out to be quite difficult with the difference in size. You jumped into his arms and attacked his face with kisses. He responded by lifting you up, hands steady on your waist, and carrying you into the living-room. 

“No“, you panted, “bedroom, please.“

He swallowed down a lump in his throat and nodded. When he sat you down onto your bed you took his face in your hands. 

“Brian I…I want to sleep with you.“

Silence hung in the air like a thick blanket after your confession and you grew increasingly worried. 

“Say something Brian, please. I didn’t mean to pressure you into anything, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. If you don’t want to that’s alright, honestly. I ju-“

“No“, he let out a little huff of air, “no, I definitely want to. You just surprised me, that’s all.“

“Good, good. I was just unsure because…well you never insinuated anything, and I wasn’t even sure if you even want to…do it with me.“

“Listen, listen“, he reassured, “I want to sleep with you more than anything else. I just didn’t want you to think that I was using you, or that I was only interested in your body. You have the most extraordinary mind, love. And I like you for that first, everything else is secondary to me. I want to know that.“

“I do, Brian“, you whispered with teary eyes, “now make love to me, Mister May.“

He was sweet from start to finish. He took his time undressing you, worshipping every part of your body he could reach. His long, slender fingers worked your most sensitive spots expertly and by the time he finally entered you he had already brought you to orgasm twice, with them and with his tongue. Your fingers were clutched in his locks when his length entered you fully and after a bit of adjusting you were able to move your hips in a steady pace. He pounded into you with all he had, holding your gaze the entire time, hoping to convey all of his feelings non-verbally as well. You could tell once he was close from the way his thrusts began to grow erratic and uncoordinated. Being the considerate man he was he brought his lips close to your ear, whispering: 

“Love, I am close, will, will you - fuck - will you come with me?“

“Yes, god yes, Brian“, you exclaimed, being even more turned on by just having heard him swear. 

You both reached your highs together, shouting each others names and clawing at each other’s bodies. 

“I- I“, he started.

“I know, Bri“, you laughed, clearly on a post-orgasmic high, “me, too.“

6. First time you realize you’re in love

Looking back you weren’t sure if it was that night you realized you were in fact in love with Brian. How he had looked you deep in the eyes, how he had given you pleasure like no one else before… 

Perhaps it had even been before that, when you had felt the energy radiating off of him from the stage. 

Anyhow, when you woke up the next day, still embraced in his arms, consumed by his warmth and clouded in his wonderful unique smell, it was like the scales fell from your eyes. Sometime in the last few months you had fallen in love with Brian May. Astrophysicist and lead-guitarist of Smile. Hedgehog-fan and photography-enthusiast. He made you feel save and secure with as little as a kiss to your forehead. You didn’t know how or when yet, not wanting to ruin such an important thing by planning it out poorly, but you knew you were going to tell him. Soon.

7. First time they realize they’re in love

Love was a strong word and Brian had not felt it often in his life. The love for his family and friends, for music and his other passions, sure. But nothing like the wave of emotion that had surged through him upon first entering the veterinarian practice you were working in. Never before had he seen such a beautiful person who cared for an animal - even a hedgehog - so deeply. You hadn’t laughed at him when he had approached you with the small creature, seeing the focus in your eyes, the determination to save the small thing, had released the butterflies in his stomach. He later admitted that he had given not only given you his number to be informed about the hedgehog’s wellbeing but mainly to keep in touch with you. When you had agreed to go to a pub with him he had apparently made jumps of joy. Going on more dates with you, kissing you, having you around in the flat and sleeping with you were milestones that only cemented his affections for you. For many people love at first sight was impossible - for Brian it was reality since the day he had first seen you. But despite how sure he was of his feelings…he just couldn’t gather the courage to tell you…yet.

8. First time saying ‘I love you’ and 9. First time defending each other 

The two of you had been dancing around your feelings for quite some time now, both wanting more from the relationship while being afraid to ruin what you currently had. 

Until one day, when you accompanied the band to one of their concerts again. This time without Freddie, since he was deep into designing some sort of coat. You were standing in front of the stage, shooting loving glances in Brian’s direction and rocking out to one of your favorite songs. It was all great fun until you felt a hand creeping up your backside. You spun around to face whoever it belonged to, which turned out to be a middle-aged tall man with drowsy eyes and breath that reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. He winked at you in a way that made your stomach curl up. When you turned around again, hoping that ignoring him would make him lose interest, he instead touched you again.

“C’mon“, he slurred, “don’ act like you don’ wan’t it. Such a cutie…all by yourself.“

“Listen up, Mister“, you grunted annoyed, “I am not your cutie and I am not by myself. I am not interested, got it? Now leave me alone!“

His eyes darkened dangerously and he stepped even closer to you.

“Now who do you think you are, little whore? Don’ you dare talk to me like that ever again, or else I’ll fucking-“, he was interrupted by the music suddenly stopping. Sounds of confusion filled the room when nothing but Brian’s voice sounded through the speaker.

“Hey, asshole. You get away from that lady right now, security will gladly help you with that“, he waved at one of the broad man standing in front of the entrance, who immediately came up to escort him out roughly. Brian then took off his guitar before leaning towards the mic one more time.

“The show will continue in a few moments, everyone. I just have to make sure my girl is alright.“

With that he rushed off the stage and towards you. He wrapped you in his arms tightly, murmuring into your ear.

“Are you alright, love? Did he hurt you?“

“No…no“, you croaked, “he just scared me, I guess. Thanks for…for saving me. Who knows what he might’ve done if you hadn’t intervened…“

“Hey, don’t think like that. I’m here, I’ll always be here. I…“, he took a deep breath, “I had a whole thing planned out to tell you this, but I just can’t keep it in any longer. I love you. From the bottom of my heart, since the moment I first met you. And seeing that guy all over you was just…sickening. I won’t allow anything to harm you, ever. I promise.“

“Brian May“, you croaked, emotion and tears evident in your voice, “I love you, too.“

He let out a relieved breath and bent down to press a sweet kiss to your lips. At this point the audience was cooing and clapping around you, some even screaming in excitement. Your heart did felt like it was going to explode, your pulse racing at a million miles an hour. This was definitely one of the best nights of your life. 

10. First time talking about a relationship

After that night becoming an official couple felt just natural. As soon as the concert was over Brian had rushed you home, not letting his hands leave you for even a millisecond. Once you had arrived he sat you down on his lap and told you that he wanted to spend his life with you, that he wanted to be able to tell people you belonged to him. You had agreed, of course, and become his girlfriend in the early morning hours. 

Being able to tell your friends and family that you were in a committed relationship now, that it was not just dates and sleeping with each other but that real feelings were involved, made you the happiest girl in the world. You couldn’t wait for what the future had in stock for the both of you.

11. First time they take care of you

You didn’t like to admit when you were in need of help, you never wanted to seem whiny or weak. But soon after you became Brian’s girlfriend you couldn’t hide being in pain any longer. 

Before the relationship you had always managed to stay alone in your flat during that time of the month. Your period had always been a struggle for you, especially the first three days. They were usually filled with cramps, aches all over your body and heavy nausea, and the only thing you could do to get some kind of relief was a hot water bottle, herbal teas and trying to sleep the pain away. 

This time around you had somehow not payed enough attention to your cycle because when you woke up next to your boyfriend that morning, luckily in your own bed but still not as alone as you wished to be, you were awoken by a flash of pain cursing through your lower half. You involuntarily let out a deep groan and tried to turn around, only to be greeted by the clammy feeling of wetness all over your thighs. Brian sleepily opened his eyes to face you, clearly awoken by the noise you had made.

“Are you alright, love?“, he murmured.

“Yeah…“, you panted, “don’t worry just go back to-“, you sucked in a sharp breath, “sleep.“

“You don’t sound alright“, he stated and sat up with a bewildered expression.

“No, I’m fine I promise“, you tried to reassure him, but the pain was now clearly evident in your face. 

Brian was upright now - and to your horror he tried to pull the blanket off of you. 

“You’re clearly not, love. What’s the matter, are you hurt? Let me help, please.“

You sighed in defeat and propped yourself up as far as you could, which wasn’t very far.

“It’s nothing serious, Bri. It’s just“, you hesitated. He was going to be disgusted, he had to be. Your previous boyfriend had been, after all… This wasn’t something a man should have to deal with. This was your business and yours alone. Surely he would bolt right out the door at the sight of the bedsheets you had bloodied thanks to your lack of mindfulness. But on the other had you didn’t really have another way out of this…

“I…I started my period over night. And I am cramping now, a lot. But it’s really not as bad, you don’t have to worry. It happens every months, I’m used to it. Just please…can you just leave the room really quick? So I can“, you gulped, the next part made you want to cry from embarrassment, “change my clothes and…the bedsheets. Because I am very sure I got some…some blood on them.“

At first you couldn’t read his expression. Was ist disgust, anger, aversion…or could it be…worry?

“Why would I do that?“, he asked. 

“What? B-because…it’s disgusting. I’m sorry I didn’t warn you or anything, I really just want to get rid of the mess and-“

“Disgusting? What about periods is disgusting, my love? They are only natural, they show that you are healthy and strong. You said that you were in pain, right?“

“Well yes, but it’s not that bad.“

“From the way you groan and wrap your hand around your stomach I beg to differ. Come on“, he got out of the bed and stood next to you, pulling the blanket aside carefully before scooping you up in his arms. Immediately you felt the urge to flee.

“Brian, Brian let me down. I’m making a mess, what are you doing?“, you shrieked, mortified.

“I am going to run you a nice hot bath, love. Growing up my mother had similar symptoms and the only thing that ever really helped her were baths. You don’t have to be embarrassed, it’s nothing that can’t be cleaned up.“

You were rendered speechless by his kindness and compassion. Never before had someone cared for you in such a private and affectionate manner. 

Once in the bathroom he removed the clothes from your body carefully before sitting you down on the edge of the tub and turning on the water. Every now and then he pressed soft kisses to your face while continuously rubbing firm circles on your lower stomach. When the tub was filled with warm water he helped you inside of it and you released an involuntary moan of relieve. Why hadn’t you thought of that before? 

While you were bathing he not only changed the sheets and bedding, he also laid down a new set of pajamas and prepared a cup of hot cocoa, which he set down on your bedside table. You willed yourself with not to cry from the sheer cuteness of it all when you re-entered the bedroom. 

“Thank you, Bri. How did I deserve you?“, you whispered.

“I ask myself that same question every day, love. No more being embarrassed in front of each other, alright? I’ll always take care of your pain, I promise.“

12. First secret you share with each other and 13. First time they see you cry 

A few days after your period had subsided again you were laying on top of Brian on your sofa, snuggling against him while watching some mildly entertaining program on the tv. You could tell that something was going on in his mind by the way he shifted and his mouth as if to start a sentence, just to refrain from doing so ever so often. After some minutes of feeling the tension you gave him a quizzing look. 

“What’s going on in that big ol’ head of yours, hm?“, you inquired.

“I…“, he began, clearly unsure how to vocalize his thoughts, “last week, when you were on your period, you said something - and I really don’t want to pressure you with this, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to - you said something along the lines of…being disgusting. And it was like you expected me to walk out and just leave you because of it. And I just wondered if…if you maybe made some experiences in the past to make you think that way“, he lowered his gaze to where he took your hands in his, “and you really don’t owe me an answer. I just…I want to make you as happy as possible. And if there is anything I should know or anything that I should pay extra attention to…I’d just like to be aware of that. I just wouldn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable…“

During his speech your heart had sunken in your chest. You never wanted for Brian to find out about the issues in your past relationship. Before him you had only been with one other man, or boy rather, and that hadn’t really ended well…Why the hell did he have to be so attentive anyways? 

You let out a deep breath. You already trusted him with all of your being, but this? You had never told anyone about what had happened back then…

“You’re right“, you whispered, tears already prominent in your eyes, “you’re absolutely right, Bri. I…I have never…shit“, you cursed when you felt the first tear running down your cheek. Brian immediately engulfed you in his arms, pressing you even further into his warm chest. Your tears were now dripping onto his bare skin, but he didn’t seem to care. 

“It’s alright, love“, he shushed, “you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. It’s alright, I understand.“

“No, no“, you shook your head, “I want to tell you, Bri. I love you with all my heart and I want to answer all of your questions… it’s just that…I’ve never told anyone before. Not my mom, not my best friends…no-one. And…I’m scared.“

“You don’t have to be, my love. Never with me. I am here for you, I want you to remember that“, he assured. 

You swallowed down the lump in your throat and closed your eyes. This was going to be easier if you didn’t have to look at anything. Especially not at his shocked reaction which you were sure was to come. 

“I will…“, you promised, “and I’ll start at the beginning, I guess…“

He gave you a reassuring nod and started to run his hands over your back in a soothing manner. 

“Before you I’ve only been in one other relationship. I met him when I was still in school, year eleven to be exact, and he…he was so different than all the other boys. He was not as childish, very mature for his age actually, made me laugh a lot and used to give me cute little presents ever so often“, you scoffed at your own previous misjudgment, “stupid, I know. But at seventeen I thought that’s what love looked like…I really believed that he loved me, and I was convinced I loved him back. We grew closer and closer…we even made plans for moving in together once we finished school. And we did. As soon as we were accepted into two colleges in London we moved down here from the north. He had a few friends here already but I…I didn’t know anyone. Not a single person beside him and the occasional conversation with fellow students or co-workers. I guess that’s what started his…his change. When he noticed how much I relied on him he…“, you had to stop for a moment. All the emotions you had suppressed so hard for so long now came rushing back all at once.

Brian noticed your hesitation and he kissed the top of your head sweetly. You felt how his heart began to beat faster just like yours did.

“…he began to treat me…differently. At first it started out quite harmless. He started coming home late and drunk, which usually involved slurring things at me as well. How I always looked like I hadn’t even made and effort or how my cooking was so bad he wished he could just throw it all up again. I blamed it all on the alcohol and did my best to not think about it too much…but then he started telling me those things when he was sober as well. He made rude remarks and comments all the time - mostly about my appearance and…and how I was awful in bed. How I was a liability and not even worth the money he had spent on me. I just shrugged it off, what else was I supposed to do? I had adapted to it quite soon, I was able to live with the constant indignities…until he…“, you stopped. You just had to. Singular tears had turned into a constant stream by now and sobs continued to wreck through your body. 

“Love“, Brian interjected, “love it’s alright. You’re here now, you’re here with me.“ 

By now his voice had become thick with unshed tears as well.

“He started to..touch me, Brian. When I didn’t want to. And if I told him to stop, he’d just…He was so soft in the beginning…so considerate and nice. And then…he suddenly didn’t care about me at all. He used my body whenever he wanted to. God“, you croaked out, “I woke up hurting almost every day… and the period thing…he used to be so disgusted by me. Those few days were the only ones I was safe from him…physically at least. I endured all that for about half a year…when I entered my second semester of studying he went on a vacation with a few of his friends. He didn’t want me to come with him, said I’d only be a killjoy, and left me behind. I packed all of my things as soon as he was out of the door and rented the cheapest apartment I could find. I didn’t even leave him a note - just got up and left. God, I was so scared he’d find me. I even transferred to another university. That was a year before I met you, Brian. When I got the paid internship at the veterinary practice I was finally able to afford a better place and when you came in…my life turned for the better again.“

Your sobs had subsided by now, but you still couldn’t see through the wetness in your eyes. 

“I…I don’t know what to say, my love“, your boyfriend admitted, emotion deeply evident in his voice, “I just want you to know that I will never treat you with anything other than the deepest care, respect and love. I want to have your consent, always. I cannot imagine what you’ve been through you…God, you’re so strong. You are the strongest person I know and I love you!“

He lifted your chin up gently and kissed you, conveying all of his emotions through the soft touches The stains of your tears had wetted his cheeks and your heart slowly began to find its normal rhythm again. 

“And“, he added, his voice now dark and fierce, “if I should ever see this guy, this scumbag who made you feel inferior, who dared to touch you without your consent, who…who fucking raped you“, you winced at his choice of his words. He was right, of course, but admitting that to yourself hurt almost as bad as the action itself, “I’ll fucking kill him. I swear.“

“Bri…“, you were at a loss for words.

“But even if I don’t - you’ll never have to be afraid again. And I am so thankful that you trust me enough to share this with me. I love you, and I will continue to do so until the day I die. I promise.“

14. First time meeting the family

You had spent the night at his place, as you did most of the time now. As soon as you woke up, feeling a pleasant kind of soreness all over your body, chest and neck full of hickeys and your hair ruffled, you decided to take a shower. Brian was already in the kitchen preparing breakfast for all four of you, Roger and Freddie sat on the couch and bickered about some insignia Freddie had drawn up for Queen, the band that had been formed a few weeks ago, after Tim had suddenly quit. You had only heard Freddie sing once or twice before but you were sure he was going to be the perfect frontman. Brian seemed to be enthusiastic about the whole idea as well, which only furthered your belief that they boys had made the right choice. 

You didn’t even stop by the kitchen to greet your boyfriend, you were too focused on your mission to get rid of the smell of…well, sex, that lingered all over your body. 

Once in the shower the warm water relaxed your muscles and made you feel completely at ease. Humming to yourself you soon forgot about the time and the three men who were waiting for you in the living room…

When you finally emerged again, one towel wrapped around your hair like a turban and one covering you body from just below your collarbone to your mid-upper thigh, you headed straight to the kitchen. The hunger had taken over you and you hoped to grab a bite before getting dressed for the full meal. As soon as you entered the kitchen, however, you stopped dead in your tracks. 

There at the table sat Brian, Freddie, Roger…and a couple you had never seen before in your life. Judging by the woman’s hair and the man’s facial structure a terrifying suspicion crept up inside of you. They were Brian’s parents. And now they were turning their heads in your direction, mouths opening slightly at the sight of your half-naked, hickey covered and still wet form. 

The singer and drummer did everything they could to keep from breaking out in fits of laughter, your boyfriend blushed a deep shade of red before starting to grin slightly.

“So“, the older man cleared his throat, “who might that be?“

“Mom, Dad“, Brian giggled, “this is my wonderful girlfriend. Love, these are my parents, Harold and Ruth.“

You were completely mortified and didn’t know whether to step into the room fully and act casual or flee the scene. The decision was made for you when Ruth stood up from her chair and offered you her outstretched hand.

“Well hello, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. For the past months Brian has never talked about anything other than you or the band, now we finally have a face to match all the stories. If my son can be believed you are one hell of a woman“, she smirked. 

You were blushing furiously by now.

“U- uhm…thank you, M- Mrs Ma-“

“Please, call me Ruth“, she interjected.

“Well, thank you Ruth. It’s good to finally meet you, too. I- I am so sorry for my…my…lack of…“

“Brian“, his father interrupted, his voice low and somehow un-assessable, “your girlfriend is dressed a little…unfitting…for this occasion, isn’t she?“

“Yes sir“, you bolted out of your trance, “yes, you are completely right. I’ll go change immediately!“

With that you turned around on the spot and rushed towards the bedroom door, the last thing you heard was Mr May saying: “And what in the Lord’s name happened to her neck, son?“, to which Freddie and Roger responded with ringing laughter.

You put on a blouse with the highest turtleneck you could find - luckily most of your clothes were at Brian’s place by now -, dried your hair as best as you could and put a little bit of make-up on before re-emerging into the kitchen. By now everyone’s plates had been filled and they were all waiting for you to join. You sat down on the small bench next to Brian, opposite of Ruth and Harold. The embarrassment still cursed through every fibre of your body, but you did your best in acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. 

It turned out that Brian had forgotten that his parent’s were going to visit, his mind too preoccupied by the changes in the band.

While you were getting along swiftly with Ruth, who you fell into conversation with easily and who struck you as a very friendly and lovable character, Brian’s father, who insisted on being called ‘Mr May’ and refused to address you by your first name, turned out to be everything but happy with his son’s choice of living. He gave off some kind of coldness you couldn’t quite grasp, and when the two of them left to head back to Middlesex in the early afternoon you couldn’t help but let out a relieved breath. Freddie and Roger went out as well, apparently to listen to someone who had applied to play bass for their new band. As soon as the door closed behind them Brian was all over you, peppering light kisses to your skin. 

“I“, kiss, “am so“, kiss, “sorry“, two kisses, “that you had to meet them this way“, one big kiss to the top of your head, which he reached without a problem. 

“It’s alright“, you sighed, “you didn’t forget it on purpose…and your mum’s a real sweetheart. You dad on the other hand…“

“I know, love. I’m sorry he acted so cold towards you. I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately, he wasn’t always like this…“

“Maybe it’s just all the change that’s happening. His only child has moved, joined a band and lives together with two…well…maniacs now. All of that could be a bit too much for him.“

“I hope you’re right“, he whispered, “now…what do we say we make up for the lost time and pick up where we left last night?“

“I say that’s a bloody brilliant idea, Bri“, you giggled and grabbed his hand to lead him towards the bedroom.

15. First time you move in together

Shortly after that morning Queen found their new bass player, a lovely young man named John Deacon who, as quiet and shy he appeared to be at first glance, charmed you with his wit and humor immediately. He also played brilliantly and took care of the band’s finances, which started to grow steadily. 

By 1972 you had completed your studies, worked as a fully certified veterinary surgeon in a London practice and were Brian’s partner of five years. Queen were recording their debut album and had signed with a record company. You were incredibly proud of Brian, and with the money from his gigs and your steady income the two of you were now able to move into a flat of your own. You had found one relatively easily, it wasn’t too far from where the two boys still lived and very spacious. It had enough room for all of Brian’s guitars and equipment and even included a guest bedroom. 

On the day you were moving neither you nor your boyfriend could stop grinning, and when the last box had made it to the third floor you fell onto your queen-sized mattress exhaustedly. No more than five seconds later Brian plopped down next to you.

“Are you happy, love?“, he asked. 

What a ridiculous question, of course you were happy. Instead of answering you just turned over to look at him and pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose. Apart from the mattress and some kitchen-supplies the flat was still completely unfurnished, but that didn’t stop you from what you were planning on doing. Despite being somewhat tired you hoisted yourself up and straddled Brian’s waist, supporting yourself on your knees. 

“Very much so, handsome. In fact…why don’t I show you how happy I am?“

You moved down slowly and opened his trousers as you went along, pulling them down together with his underpants. 

“Love“, he choked, “you do- don’t have to do this…we could- aaah“

You made him shut up by wrapping your hand around his member, which stiffened immediately. Once his trousers were fully discarded onto you also bent down to kiss the tip and lick a soft stripe from the head to the base. 

“Well, if you say so…I guess I’ll stop…“, you teased. He reacted by gripping your wrist lightly and shooting you a pleading look. 

“Please don’t tease, love.“ 

If keeping on pleasuring him hadn’t been your intention from the beginning it definitely was now - Brian’s beautiful hazel orbs gave you a very convincing puppy-eyed look. 

“You’re lucky you’re so sweet“, you grinned one last time before bopping your head down, swallowing all of him at once. He involuntarily jerked up his hips, making you gag slightly.

“Oh God, sorry love, I’m so sorry, are you alright, are you-“, he rambled, but was immediately silenced by you continuing with your mission. 

You bobbed your head up and down, sucking and licking alike. One of your hands was placed on you lover’s hip, the other caressed his balls. His hands were buried in your hair and he created a gentle rhythm for the both of you. Every now and then you pulled off of him completely to jerk him off with the hand that had previously been on his hips and to press hickeys and love-bites on his hips, v-line and thighs. You began kissing the tip of his penis and gave soft kitten-licks, which made him mewl and groan under you. His musky scent filled your nose once he was down your throat fully again. Pre-come started leaving his member and you knew he was close. The tight heat engulfing him became too much to hold back any longer and he tugged at your hair. 

“Love, my love…I- I’m gonna come- I“

You swallowed him down impossibly deeper and gave a sharp tug to his balls. He came with a strangled cry, long ropes of semen shooting into your mouth. Instead of pulling off of him you relaxed your muscles and swallowed down every drop he had to offer. 

Once he came down from his high he looked at you with awe and pulled you up for a deep kiss, undoubtedly tasting himself on your tongue. 

“Did…did you?“

“All of it“, you smiled, knowing fully well how much that turned him on.

“God, you’re incredible…and now I get to spend every day with you by my side“, he mused before grabbing your hips and turning you onto your back, “now, let me make it up to you.“

Needless to say you slept incredibly well that first night in your new flat…

16. First vacation you go on together

That same year, as soon as the boys had finished recording for Queen, Brian decided that it was time for the two of you to go on your first real vacation. You had taken trips before but they had never been longer than three days and always within the UK. Now, since you had both saved up for a little while already, he had booked two Concorde tickets for a flight to Paris, France. You had always wanted to go there and now the time had finally come. Brian and you would be together for ten days - completely cut off from all the turmoil and excitement of the past months. 

The flight was shorter than you’d anticipated - you had never flown before - and you were looking out of the window the entire time, gently rubbing your boyfriend’s hand with yours. 

The hotel was nothing too extravagant but very cute nonetheless. The rooms included an en-suite bathroom, a queen-sized bed and a small balcony.

Once you had stashed your bags you went off to explore the city. You ended up in a small restaurant and sat outside near the sidewalk, holding hands over the wine you shared and your freshly ordered meals, just gazing across the busy street and taking it all in. When you were done Brian insisted on paying the bill by himself and you took off to your hotel once again. Neither of you wanted to go to bed just yet, so you decided to go outside on the balcony for a little while. You were leaning on the railing, standing as close to another as humanly possible. Since the balcony was on the highest floor you were able to enjoy an unimpeded view onto the Eiffel tower, which was beautifully lit and basked in a soft glow. 

After some minutes of enjoying the comfortable silence he took a deep breath and turned towards you, gripping your arms gently. You furrowed your brows at the sudden change shot him a confused look. 

“My love, I have known you for five years now. I fell in love with you the moment I first laid eyes on you…but you already know that“, he chuckled nervously. 

A warm feeling began to spread through your stomach at his loving words. But…where was he going with this?

“When you agreed to be my girlfriend I thought I couldn’t be any happier, but I was wrong. Because every morning I get to wake up next to you I am happier than I was when I went to sleep. Every single day I get to spend with you is a day filled with perfection and excitement. I still get flutters in my stomach when I kiss you, I still melt when you look into my eyes…all“, he took a deep breath, “all the songs I’ve ever written are about you. I…I keep drawings I did of you in my nightstand, I drew them years ago but never wanted to scare you off by just casually bringing that up. Kissing you, touching you, feeling you all over - those are privileges that mean more to me than anything else. I trust you with my life, my love. And I’d give up anything if it would guarantee your happiness. I’d give my life for you - and I mean that. I want you to feel safe and secure, always. And I want to be with you until the day I die. Being able to call you my girlfriend is an honor, but love“, he sank down onto one knee and pulled out a little red velvet box. All you were able to do was gasp, your mouth agape in shock. Butterflies had started to erupt at the beginning of his speech and the sensation was only growing stronger now. Tears filled your eyes while you were buzzing with anticipation, was this going to be…

“Being able to call you my wife would be the biggest honor of all. So will you“, his voice was shaking slightly when he addressed you with your full name, “do me this honor and become my wife. Will you marry me?“ 

You were dreaming. You were one hundred percent sure that you were dreaming. Your head felt like it hung in the clouds, the tears in your eyes hindered your view and you hastily wiped them away. Brian opened the box, exposing the most beautiful ring you had ever seen. You nodded franticly while struggling to press out the words you were so eager to say. 

“Yes!“, you croaked out eventually, “yes, yes, yes! Oh God, a hundred times yes!“

Brian beamed like you had never seen before and placed the ring on finger in one swift motion, before you let yourself fall to your knees and knocked the air out of him with the force of your kiss. When you pulled apart in desperate need of oxygen you were full-on crying. 

“I- I can’t believe this…where…where did you even get this ring? It’s so beautiful, it’s amazing, I, I love you too, Brian. You know that, you are my favorite person on the whole planet, you are my everything, you, you“, you burst out laughing at your own rambling, breathless and happy from head to toe. 

“Calm down, fiancée“, he grinned, “the ring belonged to my grandmother, she gave it to me years ago on her deathbed. She said ‘Brian, if one day you find the right girl, give her this ring and make her yours with it’. My grandpa and her were married for 67 years before he passed away…I hope we can do that, too.“

“Oh, we definitely will, Mr May. You won’t get rid of me ever, now.“

“Well, I certainly hope so, Mrs May-to-be“, he laughed while wrapping his arms around you, burying his face in your neck.

This was definitely your best vacation, yet. 

17. First time you take care of them

Two years later, in 1974 when you had been Brian’s wife for little over six months, he decided to quit preceding his PhD and focus solely on Queen’s skyrocketing career. You supported him with all of your heart, seeing how happy the music made him. 

His father on the other hand didn’t take the news well. Brian had called him early that morning to tell him the news and was now devastated. His father had screamed so loud you had been able to hear him from where you were standing next to Brian. He had called his son stupid and selfish for ‘throwing away his education like that’. Said that he was blinded by the money and fame he thought was to come but ultimately would learn that the world didn’t work like that and that he’d be left with nothing one day. He even started to pull you into the matter, accusing the both of you of being immoral for having lived unmarried for so long and even saying you were an…easy woman, to put it lightly, because of how you looked when you had first met Harold. At that you had gripped Brian’s hand tightly, he was searing with anger by now. Having inherited his father’s stubbornness meant that he threw some unkind words around as well, but you could understand why he was furious.

When the phone call ended Brian hung up with as much force as possible and started pacing around your living room. 

“I can’t believe this!“, he yelled, “What the hell kind of father says something like this to his son - his only son at that?“

“I don’t know, Brian. I really don’t know why he said those things, they are inexcusable-“

“Yes, yes they are!“, he barked, at which you flinched visibly, “sorry…sorry my love“, he exhaled, “I shouldn’t be screaming around like that, especially not at you. You are the one person who actually believes in me…“

“Hey Bri“, you bent down to where he was now sitting crouched on the sofa, “look at me, my love. I am not the only one who believes in you - tons of people do! Roger, Freddie, John, all of your fans. There are so many people out there who believe in you, this will all work out in the end, I promise. You are so good at what you do there’s no way you won’t be successful. And you can always come back to your studies later, you know that. You’re not throwing away your education, you’re making way to fulfill your dreams!“

He looked up at you through pained eyes and took a deep breath. 

“Thank you, thank you so much. I know that this is what I want to do, it’s just…I want his approval so badly. I always have. When you came in my life he at least held himself back a little because he knew how happy you made me…but this…“

“I know, my love, I know. But he’ll come around eventually. When he sees that it all works out he’ll apologize, I promise.“

“You don’t know him like I do. He’s just as hot-headed as I can be, he won’t apologize even if Queen ends up becoming the world’s most famous rock-band“, he sighed and looked to the floor.

“Listen here“, you said intensely, gripping his chin lightly to force his gaze up, “you’re right, I don’t know him like you do. But I happen to know myself fairly well, and I’ll guarantee you that I’m going to stick with you through all of this. No matter if Queen makes million’s and million’s of pounds or if you continue pursuing your PhD, I’ll be there for all of it. You are my husband, Bri.“

“You’re right“, he whispered, “thank you for always being there for me, wifey.“

“It’s my privilege, hubby“, you grinned, happy that you were able to comfort him. 

The clinch between Brian and his father would continue for three more years, in fact. For the next two years after the phone-call the two men wouldn’t talk to another, neither one ready to budge. In 1977, when Queen were playing the Madison Square Garden, Brian flew his parents out to watch the show. Later his father clapped him on the shoulder and said ‘I get it now, son’. After that it was like a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and even if it had taken a long time you were happy that the two of them had finally made up.

18. First anniversary 

Your first wedding anniversary, which happened to fall on a Saturday in the year 1975, started anything other than romantic. You woke up to Brian bringing in a tray filled with various breakfast foods, which normally would have been nice, but as soon as the smell hit your nose you felt your stomach clench together tightly and a wave of nausea wash over you. Completely ignoring Brian’s confused gaze or how he worriedly placed the tray on the bed you rushed into the bathroom as quickly as possible, slamming the door shut as you went. As soon as you lifted the toilet seat you couldn’t help but empty the contents of your stomach into the bowl. Your husbands hands were on your back in an instant, rubbing smooth circles up and down your back. You tried to wave him off with one of your hands, not wanting him to see you in such a state, but it was to no avail.

“Shh, it’s alright“, he cooed, “just let it out, don’t be embarrassed in front of me.“

Since you didn’t really have a choice you did as he told and continued vomiting. When you were finished you felt quite dizzy and Brian helped you stand up before handing you a paper tissue.

“Do you feel better, love?“, he inquired and you shrugged your shoulders. 

“I don’t know…I still feel a little…woozy…I didn’t even feel sick when we went to bed last night“, you mumbled.

“Must be some kind of stomach bug, one of those overnight things perhaps“, he theorized while he led you back into the bed, making sure the food was in safe distance. 

“I’m sorry for ruining our first anniversary, Bri“, you mumbled, “we were supposed to spend the day in bed for other reasons…“

“Don’t worry about it, we still have lots and lots of anniversaries to come. And once you get better I’ll make up for the lost time“, he smirked while planting a kiss on your forehead, “but for now let me make you a tea and perhaps get you some medicine.“

Over the course of the day you felt less and less sick, and by noon you were already having dinner with your husband again. During the meal you could hardly keep your hands off him and the two of you swapped the dessert for a long and intense session of lovemaking. 

The next morning, however, you woke up feeling awful again and the whole ordeal started all over. Both Brian and yourself only grew more confused when the exact same thing happened the following three days as well. Feeling like you were about to die from lack of fluids left in your body in the morning, being your usual self and feeling on top of the world in the evening. 

On day five you are so tired of it that you made an appointment at you doctor’s office. Brian insisted on driving you there, even though you had promised him that you were going to be absolutely fine. 

Upon your arrival you were annoyed rather than nervous and expected to be prescribed a light medicine to get rid of whatever bug you had caught. When you were called from the waiting area your husband kept a tight hold of your hand and lead the way to the examination room. A few minutes later a kind-looking middle-aged doctor entered the room and stretched out her hand. 

“Mrs May, I presume?“, you nodded in confirmation before taking her hand. 

“My name is Doctor Smith. What brings you in here today?“

You began telling her your symptoms, Brian adding small details here and there. Once you were finished she just looked at you knowingly. 

“Mrs May, Mr May“, she glanced between the two of you, “I think I know where your symptoms are coming from. I have to run one or two tests, of course, but I have a strong suspicion.“

You both looked at her with raised eyebrows, suspense clear in the room.

“Well, what is it Doctor?“

“Mrs May, I think you are pregnant.“

After another twenty minutes of tests you had the confirmation - you were indeed pregnant. You were sent home with a sonogram picture, which showed the little life that had been growing inside for you two and a half months already, a few pamphlets informing you about all the changes that were about to happen and a small notecard with the date of your next appointment. During the whole time Brian hadn’t been able to stop smiling, he had even started to shake slightly. For the whole time he hadn’t stopped holding your hand, and now he was leading you to your car more carefully than you had ever seen before. He came to a halt right in front of the passenger door and gripped the back of your head carefully, pressing his face into your hair. 

“Love…my love“, he whispered, “what did I do to deserve this?“

“Bri-“

“I got to marry the love of my life and now she’s pregnant with my child“, he cut you off, his eyes glistening with wetness, “I thought I couldn’t get any happier but now…you just made me the happiest man alive. I love you, god, I love you so much. Are you happy, my Mrs?“

“Are you joking?“, you laughed, already crying with all the emotions flooding through your body, “Of course I am happy! I get to carry your child, Brian. We are going to be a family, we’re going to have a child running around that’s half you and half me, we…“, a happy sob made its way through your throat, “I’m sorry for crying so much, I’m just so…hormonal I guess-“

“Even if you continue to cry for the next seven months I won’t care“, your husband giggled, “as long as they are happy tears. I promise now that I will never let any harm come to you or our child, I vow to always protect you. I love you, both of you, more than anything.“

“I love you too, Brian.“

“Let’s get home and tell the others, then“, he announced before opening the door for you. Even if it had come a few days late - this was definitely the best anniversary gift you could’ve wished for. 

19. First time you see them cry 

The first time you saw Brian cry was exactly 31 weeks later, when your sweet little baby girl was finally placed onto your chest after nineteen excruciating hours of labor. Brian had been there through all of it, holding your hand, wiping sweat off of your forehead and enduring the screams and profanities you hurled at him. Now the room was calmingly quiet, except for Brian’s and your sniffles and your baby’s subsiding cries. A few of your husband’s tears trickled down onto your shoulder when he leaned in from behind to brush his index finger over her soft, squishy cheek. She had already been cleaned up, weighed and measured and was now on the verge of falling asleep. 

“She is so beautiful“, you whispered, “she’s got your eyes and hair.“ 

The later was indeed a dark shade of brown and surprisingly full already, which you absolutely adored. 

“But lucky for her she get’s everything else from you, love“, he hummed. 

Her complexion and facial features did indeed match yours more than his, even though it was hard to tell with her being not even an hour old. 

“I can’t wait to go home with her“, you murmured. Over the last months Brian and you had moved into a nice house in Kensington. It was a lot bigger than the flat you had lived in before and offered lots of space for you and your newest addition. The nursery was already completely decorated and right now you wanted nothing more than to show it to your little girl, even if she would not be able to comprehend the beauty of it yet, before snuggling her close and falling asleep in her father’s arms. 

“You should be able to go home the day after tomorrow, Mrs May“, one of the midwives promised reassuringly, “Now we are going to bring you into your private room and then you can get some sleep, is that alright?“

You nodded weakly, the adrenaline slowly wearing off and making way for the tiredness you had had to suppress. 

“Are you going to stay?“, you looked up at Brian with weary eyes, “Hold her for me when I fall asleep?“

“Of course, my love, of course. I’ll stay for the rest of your lives, I’ll hold her close for as long as she lets me“, he grinned. 

The confirmation was enough reassurance for you to finally give in to the urge of sleeping, knowing that when you woke up again you would be greeted by the most precious sight in the world.

20. Specific bonus first one: First words

When you entered your baby’s nursery you were greeted with an image that nearly made your heart explode. Your little girl, who was only one month away from her first birthday now, was sitting between her father’s legs. His Red Special laid before them and she was reaching out to touch the strings excitedly, trying to copy whatever melody Brian strummed to entertain her. When she saw you standing behind the door she started to brabble excitedly and pulled herself up to her legs. She couldn’t walk yet but she bounced up and down to show you she wanted you to come closer.

“Hey baby“, you cooed, “did you have a nice day with daddy?“

She babbled in agreement before Brian sat up and hoisted her on his hips.

“A wonderful day, in fact“, he mused before meeting you halfway and kissing you longingly.

“So I take it your daughter will follow your footsteps and become a guitarist, then?“

“I certainly hope so“, he looked down at the small child, who stared back up at him with wide eyes, “do you want to be a guitarist like daddy? Yeah? Like daddy?“

“Or maybe“, you interrupted, “she wants to be a doctor just like her mom? Does that sound nice, honey?“

She just giggled and paid no mind to her parents musing about what the next decades had in stock for her. Instead she reached up to pull on one of Brian’s curls, making you laugh and him wince involuntarily. 

“Hey, that hurt“, he mock-cried, at which her expression turned into a frown.

“Dada?“, she asked.

“Honey…w-what did you just say?“, you asked, completely baffled. 

“Dada“, she repeated happily and pulled at the curl one more time, “dada, dada, dada!“

Brian looked at you with wide eyes before kissing his daughter on the top of her head.

“Good job, little lady! You’re such a smartie, aren’t you?“

She grinned from ear to ear, picking up on the wave of joy she had just created, and snuggled closer to his chest. Hearing her speak properly for the first time was one of the many cherished moments with Brian you would never forget.

21. Specific bonus first two: First time getting caught

By the time your daughter was one and a half years old she was running around the house like a whirlwind, which meant that you were now in a constant state of alert. But all the new action and trouble that came with it was definitely worth the rewarding moments you experienced with her every day. 

Today Brian had come home from the studio earlier, saying that their newest album, Jazz, was nearly finished and that they had decided to take some days off for themselves. You had eaten dinner with your little girl, afterwards Brian had taken her upstairs and miraculously got her to fall asleep in less than five minutes. When he came back down he entered the kitchen, where you were currently washing the dishes in the sink, quietly and wrapped his arms around you from behind. 

“I’m so glad to be home“, he breathed out. You leaned back into his embrace and closed your eyes. 

“Me too“, you sighed.

“What do you say we do something nicer than the dishes, hm?“, he hummed into your ear before turning you around to face him. 

“I say that’s a splendid idea, Mr May“, you smirked up before jumping up to wrap your legs around his hips. You could already feel him stiffen underneath his pants and he immediately got the hint and began carrying you upstairs. You started to kiss and giggle like two lovesick teenagers when you were halfway up the stairs, your hands now firmly buried in his hair. 

“Shhh, shhh“, he warned, “we don’t want to wake her up now, do we?“

“‘Course not“, you smirked up at him, “I am in desperate need of some alone-time with her daddy.“

As soon as you had finished speaking Brian opened your bedroom door with ease and laid you down on the bed. He wasted no time in pulling off the light dress you were wearing and discarding it to the floor. You began undressing him with the same eagerness and soon you were both completely naked, your hand wrapped around his stiff erection expertly. He was bucking into your hand in no time before shuffling down between your legs. 

“As much as I enjoy your hands, love“, he panted, “I can’t come yet…not without showing you just how much I missed you first.“

He began to move his tongue up and down your wet folds eagerly, two fingers finding their way into you. You hadn’t been able to properly feel each other for quite some time now and it definitely showed. Your hips soon bucked up and down, searching the friction of his digits on your clit. He hummed happily when he felt you tighten around him before suddenly stopping his admissions and coming back up to press a deep kiss to your lips, his tongue sliding into your mouth quickly. You moaned into his mouth at the sensation. 

“Ready, Mrs May?“, he asked smugly.

“Yes! Yes!“, you responded desperately, the friction in your body already making you feel like you were on fire. He entered you in one smooth motion and came to a short halt, his forehead pressed against yours, his breath hot on your already sweaty skin. You urged him to move by starting a fast rhythm, your legs pressed firmly to his back. He pulled out almost all the way before slamming back inside in a raw, primal way, hitting your g-spot perfectly. You couldn’t suppress a moan.

“Bri- God, Bri…I- I- fuck - I need you so…so bad. ‘ve missed you inside me, missed feeling so good…so ah-“, you were interrupted by another buck of his hips and his groan into your ear.

“Missed you, too. God, so much. Thought about…god…thought about you every day. About pushing into you like that, hearing you moan underneath me, feeling your-“

“Dada?“, a soft voice came from the hallway. 

Brian pulled out of you and grabbed his pants at the speed of light, and no three seconds later the door to your bedroom swung open slowly. The small toddler was standing perfectly still in her nightgown, her favorite teddy bear clutched to her chest tightly.

“Hey Princess“, her father beamed, not having caught his breath quite yet and eyes still weary. You wrapped the sheets around your body in an effort to cover yourself up, and if you weren’t so panicked about your daughter having caught you in the act you would surely be laughing at the ridiculousness of the whole situation. 

“What’s the matter?“, Brian asked softly.

“Dada“, she repeated, her lower lip now wobbling slightly. Your husband picked her up and pressed her head to his chest soothingly.

“Poor thing, did you have a bad dream?“

She only shrugged her shoulders, not fully able to answer his question yet. 

“Should daddy bring you back to bed?“, he inquired further, but she shook her head frantically at that suggestion. By now you had left your bed as well and stood next to them. 

“Or do you want to sleep here with us tonight, hm? With mummy and daddy?“

She nodded her head eagerly, brown curls falling into her eyes, and looked at you with the sweetest puppy-eyes you had ever seen. They were enough to make your heart melt and Brian obviously thought the same because he laid her down in the middle of the bed immediately. You wrapped her up in one of the blankets and cuddled close next to her, Brian’s arm underneath your head.

“We might have to make her bed more secure, I didn’t know she was able to climb out of the thing already…“, he whispered into the darkness.

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea…and Brian?“

“Yes love?“

“What do you say we ask John and Veronica to watch her tomorrow night?“

“Agreed“, he giggled, “sounds like a brilliant plan to me“.