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ninaemsaopaulo · 11 months ago

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Undone

Se você pudesse voltar no tempo, qual destino mudaria? Evitaria guerras, faria Jesus Cristo viver mais tempo, faria com que determinados países jamais fossem colonizados? Ou apenas aproveitaria momentos como o Woodstock, assistiria todas as Copas do Mundo em que o Brasil venceu e faria questão de ver ídolos falecidos na sua infância ou mesmo antes de você nascer?

Se eu pudesse voltar no tempo, escolheria um momento muito íntimo que não vivi: quando meu pai descobriu, por acaso, que tinha sido adotado. Sei que ele já era adulto e tudo mudou a partir dali, pois deixou de ser uma pessoa confiante e que confiava nos outros. Por conta desse evento, convivi com meu pai sem jamais conhecê-lo, ele nunca conseguiu ser um pai completo e afetivo. Meu pai foi um "pai ausente" dentro de casa — a personalidade dele saiu para comprar cigarro e foi substituída por um homem incapaz de demonstrar afeto.

Para Alma, todos os dias são iguais. Como se estivéssemos numa peça de teatro, mas apenas ela soubesse que está atuando, enquanto os outros cumprem papéis que acreditam que devem seguir. Mais perto dos trinta, entra naquela crise comum dessa idade em que, para algumas pessoas, as possibilidades ficam mais estreitas. Ela namora e vê a irmã, Becca, ficar noiva. Mas sente medo de pensar nesse destino e lembra de sua avó paterna - que casou, teve filhos e terminou a vida com o diagnóstico de esquizofrenia, internada em um hospital psiquiátrico. "Não foi o casamento que deixou ela maluca, ela tinha uma doença mental", argumenta Becca. No que Alma responde: "mas se você sabe que tem uma doença mental, por que envolveria outra pessoa nisso?"

Logo no primeiro episódio dessa animação exclusiva da Amazon Prime Video, Alma sofre um acidente de carro. Mas esse acidente não acontece apenas porque ela está alterada emocionalmente. Alma vê alguém no trajeto. Se surpreende e se distrai da direção. Alma vê seu pai, falecido anos antes em… um acidente de carro.

Quando no hospital, entra num loop infinito no qual seu pai reaparece constantemente e tenta lhe explicar o que está fazendo ali. Ele conta que Alma possivelmente tem o dom ancestral de promover mudanças nas linhas do tempo, viajando por elas. Por isso, pede sua ajuda para voltar ao dia do acidente, evitando a própria morte.

Undone é uma série em animação de apenas duas temporadas, mas a história é completa e não perde o fôlego de uma temporada para outra — qualidade pouco vista em produções da Amazon Prime. Protagonizada por Bob Odenkirk (Better call Saul) e Rosa Salazar (Alita), esses dois interpretam pai e filha em todas as linhas do tempo possíveis. A série é culturalmente muito rica, pois Jacob, o personagem de Bob (de origem judaica), se casa com uma mexicana e tem duas filhas. Alma perdeu o pai no início da adolescência, o que desencadeou consequências profundas: como ter ignorado a própria inteligência abandonando a faculdade, até cortar os próprios pulsos. Alma tem uma relação difícil com a mãe e tenta convencer Becca de que as mulheres da família não têm dom para a felicidade, pois o estigma e a sombra da loucura acompanham todas elas.

Já a segunda temporada é focada na amplitude da família. Capaz de viajar no tempo, Alma descobre um segredo de sua mãe e a possibilidade de salvar mais um membro da família, de um passado muito remoto. A cultura xamânica ainda é bastante presente nessa temporada e todas as pontas são muito bem amarradas rumo ao desfecho. Undone questiona se pessoas tratadas como esquizofrênicas são de fato loucas, ou apenas capazes de ver e ouvir além, mas incompreendidas pela maioria de nós. Ao mesmo tempo, a redenção aparece com um sutil “abrace sua loucura”, quando confiar em si mesma torna-se a maior necessidade de Alma, quando ela precisa salvar uma parte de si que ficou para trás.

Kate Purdy, uma das criadoras da série (também um dos nomes responsáveis por BoJack Horseman, grande sucesso da Netflix), se inspirou em um colapso que ela mesma teve no ano de 2012. Buscando por tratamentos alternativos, foi convencida de que existem diferentes formas de enxergar uma doença mental, e o despertar é uma delas. E quis passar todo esse sentimento e percepção em Undone, que acaba sendo uma produção visual mais complexa do que parece, é bem o tipo de série que nos faz refletir por dias sobre o que estamos fazendo de nossas vidas, quais traumas nos define e como afetamos quem está ao nosso lado. Por isso, é uma pena que Undone não seja tão comentada quanto muitas outras séries que não merecem metade da fama que essa produção deveria receber.

Rosa Salazar é de um carisma que merece destaque. Tão bem construída é sua personagem que, apesar de se declarar deprimida e anti-heroína desde o começo, é impossível não se identificar com ela. Os anseios da juventude estão todos ali, mas surpreende a falta de esperança em alguém tão jovem. Em várias cenas, tive a sensação de olhar para o espelho quando via Alma. A personagem brilha de amadurecimento quando percebe o próprio poder, é ela quem dá a guinada e torna os episódios mais interessantes e viciantes: você senta para assistir Undone e quer terminar no mesmo dia, pois tudo se concentra no olhar de Alma. Isso é magnetismo. A relação de Alma e Becca me tocou ainda mais, por despertar em mim a saudade que tenho da minha irmã e o fato de sermos órfãs recentes de pai. Penso que Undone atingirá cada pessoa de uma forma especial e única, pois a série fala de um tema universal: como lidar quando perdemos alguém.

Undone é uma série original da Amazon, disponível em streaming. Possui uma técnica bem legal, chamada “rotoscópio”, quando se redesenha ou se traça um quadro usando o anterior como referência. Você consegue enxergar facilmente os atores nos desenhos e entra naquele universo múltiplo como se estivesse assistindo em tecnologia IMAX. A série inteira é uma experiência imersiva. Obra-prima é a palavra que melhor define.

#blog #televisão #amazon prime video #undone #bojack horseman #kate purdy #rosa salazar #bob odenkirk #viagem no tempo

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eruden-writes · 2 years ago

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Scent Match - Part 6 (Augustine x Amber)

lycan x human celebrity x non-celebrity contemporary fantasy chapters: 6 of ??

(Note: Started with an anon asking for the phrase prompt, “Oh. Oh.”)

Summary: When Amber Dyer decided to attend a Creator Con, she never expected to run into Of Wolf and Blood lycan hearthrob, Augustine Prime.

But, there he was, stooping over her table, asking to buy the unflattering drawing of his character. Valuing integrity over taking money from a celebrity and running (though she was sorely tempted,) Amber finishes the sketch and delivers it to Augustine.

However, he continues to doggedly pursue her and entwine their lives.

All because of her scent.

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“So, think he’s gonna show up today?” Addie grinned as she carefully dropped the crate of supplies to the floor, nudging it beneath the table.

Last night, Amber and Addie had a long discussion about the situation. As excited as Addie had been, she also was a voice of reason. There had been a back-and-forth, a list of pros and cons, and even a little research concerning celebrity marriages and legalities. It wasn’t until Amber’s head throbbed with information and her eyes burned that the two decided to crawl into their respective beds. Even then, she and Addie spoke about the unforeseen turn of events until they both mumbled off to sleep.

“I don’t know. He’s probably busy or tired,” Amber shrugged after placing her own crate of supplies and her bag down on the floor. Taking the banner they hung on the front of the table, she carefully affixed it as she had done the other two mornings. “He did mention a charity thing he had to do, so he’s probably getting prepping for that? We probably won’t see him again.”

Amber focused on her table and the bustle of other vendors around her in an attempt to ignore the conflicting feelings roiling in her chest. Did she want to see Augustine again?

Maybe she did, Amber admitted to herself. Their short time together hadn’t been terrible, even if she found his attention odd. The attention was just weirdly endearing, she supposed. Maybe even flattering, if his feelings were as genuine as he said.

So focused on her task, and pushing away curious thoughts, Amber didn’t notice the other figure standing opposite her at the table until he spoke, “That event isn’t until this afternoon. My morning’s completely free.”

Amber jolted and her eyes wheeled to the other side of the table. Augustine stood there, his scruffy beard that had grown over the course of the other day gone. By the evening, his jaw would be bristly again, she suspected. Or maybe not, since his wolfish ears and tail were nowhere to be seen. Amber found herself wondering if he was more prone to hair growth when half-shifted.

Like his clean-shaven chin, he also wore clean-cut clothes. A light blue button-up - with the top two buttons undone - fit snug to his torso and paired with black slacks with dress shoes. Laden on his arms were a few bags, either from a nearby store or checking out the other stalls already set up.

Augustine grinned as Amber obviously looked him up-and-down, before she averted her gaze. He had agonized for a good part of the morning over what to wear, going so far as waking his castmates with a video call for advice. She was dressed much like yesterday. The same hoodie, a new pair of jeans, and a fresh tee-shirt with a graphic from some show Augustine had yet to watch. Unlike yesterday when her hair was down and loose, today Amber sported a ponytail.

“Good morning! What’s all that?” From Amber’s side of the table, Addie stepped forward and smiled brightly at Augustine. Today, she was dressed in yet another cosplay, though Augustine couldn’t put his finger on what exactly. Some sort of ninja, he thought, but excitement quickly took over observation.

“Oh, I brought some breakfast!” Eager to please Amber, he sidled around her table without invitation and set the bags on a spare chair behind her. He missed how Amber’s eyes flicked from him to Addie, quietly exchanging an apprehensive look. “I got some breakfast sandwiches and donuts and-”

“We, uh, already had breakfast. At the hotel,” she interrupted him, an awkward lilt to her words. She tried to ignore Addie’s amused grin, which world counter to Amber’s own assessment of Augustine’s appearance and treats.

He paused, his attention jumping to her. If he had his wolf ears out, they would have drooped. “Oh.”

“Pfft, you mean that piece of cardboard they called toast and the water with a hint of orange that the hotel tried to pass off as orange juice?” Addie chuckled as Amber shot her a look, but she ignored her friend as she peeked at the offerings. The longer she looked, the wider her eyes got and brighter her words glowed with excitement. “I’ll have one of those sandwiches and- ooooh is that a chocolate-filled croissant?”

Buoyed by Addie’s reaction as she started going through the offerings, Augustine shot Amber a grin and motioned to the opened containers. “Want to look, at least?”

As well as Addie had pepped him up, Amber managed to deflate his hope. She quietly ignored him, continuing to piece together her table with merchandise and price placards. As she carefully stacked books and prints, placed pins on display, and configured her money box for the day, Addie sat to her right and ate.

Well, ate was debatable, Amber thought. The other woman was moaning and groaning appreciatively at the food to the point others glanced over curiously and Amber felt her own self flushing from secondhand embarrassment.

“These are delicious.” Addie wiped a stray glob of chocolate glaze from her chin, licking it off her thumb. “Where are these from?”

“The Glaze Phase. They had tons of stellar reviews,” Augustine answered as he returned from grabbing yet another extra chair from a pile not far away and settled to Amber’s left. The bakery in question came highly recommended by Camry and Delilah, as well. While the average reviews were fine, in his experience, he felt better having someone he trusted vouch for the food.

Along with his clothing choices, the others had given him some ideas of what to do to woo Amber. Or at the very least get on her good side. Hopefully. The fact she was refusing his food offerings made him wonder if everything would be for naught.

“I heard that place is, like, the ambrosia of the gourmet bakery world!" Addie turned to Augustine's target of affection, holding out a half-eaten and an equally half-devoured pastry. "Amber, you need to try some of this! When else can you eat such luxury?”

For a silent moment, Amber stared at her friend and the food she held aloft. It was true. When else would they be able to sample so many high-end breakfast options? Just looking at the food still sitting in the boxes, Amber could smell the quality wafting from them.

She hazarded a glance at Augustine, fending off the sensation of being flanked by friend and potential admirer. His gold eyes were wide and attentive, a hopeful smile curled on his lips. The intensity of his expression made her head duck down. “No, thanks. The cardboard and OJ from this morning was fine.”

Addie groaned, leaning closer to Amber. “It was not! Why are you being so stubborn?”

Amber cast her a withering look from the corner of her eye. She knew exactly why Amber was putting up distance. Last night, she had made her concern about his genuineness clear. Even if she wasn’t entirely sure it was a valid excuse anymore herself. Augustine still had a chance to be flighty or insincere in his schemes and Amber was going to protect herself until the very end, until he couldn’t back out.

With a frustrated sigh, Addie turned back to the treats before plucking one up from the masses. She raised a light pink pastry in Amber’s direction, offering the other woman an encouraging smile. “Here, just try one of the scones. I think it’s cherry and almond and I know you love cherry and almond.”

“I said I’m fin–mmfh!” Amber's words muffled as Addie shoved one of the scones into her mouth. She threw her friend a dirty look, swatting her hand away before resignedly taking hold of the pastry and finishing the bite.

There must have been an enchantment involved, Amber thought. Bright tart sweetness and nutty depth danced over her tongue, drawing an unexpected mmm from her lips. surprised by her own reaction, she desperately glanced at Augustine, hoping he hadn't heard.

No such luck for Amber. Excitement suffused the man's features, making his eyes bright and smile wide. Like a kid who got just the birthday gift he had hoped for. His heart even jolted wildly at the sound she made, very not-child-appropriate thoughts hedging at the edges of his mind. He wanted to hear more of that, hear more of her enjoying herself thoroughly.

“See, they’re good," Addie crowed, pointing at Amber's face.

Amber averted her face away from the grinning man, her own heart pattering. Ignoring how her cheeks warmed, she grudgingly admitted, “They’re alright.”

Addie's expression pinched, her nose wrinkling at her friend's little fib. “You moaned in ecstasy after that first bite.”

“I was humming while considering its taste," Amber shot back with a glare, her face snapping to her friend as heat rose further in her cheeks. She leered at the scone, feeling ridiculously betrayed by a baked good.

Amber’s cheeks only burned warmer as Addie snorted, “Bullshit.”

Thankfully, Augustine seemed oblivious to the exchange between the two women. Instead, he excitedly leaned to the pile of goodies and withdrew another box from the hoard. “If you like sweet breakfast stuff, I have muffins and donuts and other stuff too.”

Of course, he was showing off his wealth, Amber thought bitterly. Ooh, look at him, providing nice treats from a gourmet store. Isn’t he such a catch? She barely stifled a roll of her eyes.Still stinging from Addie’s little call-out and her own embarrassment, Amber sighed heavily, “What didn’t you buy?”

Her tone cut through to Augustine’s excitement, making his smile dwindle and the delighted gleam in his eye soften. Looking from Amber to the food, his shoulders slumped. “I guess I did buy a little of everything.”

He now realized it was a lot of food, especially for three people. If he was being honest, Addie hadn’t even crossed his mind, so it was mostly for him and Amber. He was more than willing to share with his castmates or even people who came to her table, though.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d pushed her patience too far. Something he was prone to doing with everyone. Augustine laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “It is kind of a lot. I just got excited about bringing you food. That silly old ‘providing’ instinct.”

Watching how Augustine deflated sent a guilty pang through her. Oh no, he was giving off the air of a kicked puppy. Try as she might to retain her frown and hardened demeanor, Amber couldn't last. Grudgingly, she held her hand out and mumbled, “Fine, give me one of those donuts.”

Unlike last time, pure delight didn't entirely flip Augustine's demeanor. Though he did brighten enough to smile, Amber couldn't help but feel she had messed up. He held the open box up to her. “Any preference?”

There were too many options laid out before her and Augustine’s excitement wasn’t helping her think straight. WIth a wave of her hand, Amber sighed, “Surprise me.”

With a sigh and grudging smile, Amber accepted the donut from Augustine.

She didn’t even think to consider fillings as she chomped into the end of the long john. Cool custard squirted from the pastry and Amber jerked, a startled squeak leaving her.

“Dammit,” she hissed, checking her shirt to make sure nothing splattered over her clothes as her free hand cupped under her chin. When she found no stray splatters, she hurriedly swiped the cream into her mouth with fingers and tongue, before gratefully accepting a napkin from Addie.

Another wave of embarrassment washed over Amber, remembering who else was present. Gods, what a great impression for a second day, huh? First, being standoffish. Now, being a slob. Not that it should matter, Amber reminded herself. But it did matter… a little.

Hesitantly, she hazarded a sideway glance to Augustine. He just stared at her, an expression on his features she wasn’t ready to actively parse. Between the flush at his human ears and how intently he stared at her mouth, Amber subconsciously understood what had him enthralled. She ignored how her stomach twisted under his gaze, taking in the rest of him.

In his hand, he had a donut poised to enter his open mouth, but his fingers had twitched or clenched. Red filling oozed from the end of the pastry, pooling in his palm and down his arm.

She watched the jelly creep further down his arm, waiting for him to notice. When it became clear he was too far gone in his head, she cleared her throat awkwardly. “Uh, your donut is oozing, Mr. Prime.”

“Oh?” Augustine only vaguely heard her words, his brain preoccupied with sudden inclinations. It took an additional beat before her words registered and he felt the filling dribbling down his arm. “Oh! Shit.”

Bringing his arm to his mouth, Augustine licked the wayward drizzle of jelly off, completely unaware of the wandering eyes of others.

Another warm sensation lanced through Amber, catching how his tongue swiped up the jelly. Brief and unwelcome thoughts flared through her. She tore her gaze away, focusing on her own donut as Augustine cleaned himself up.

On her other side, Addie's smug smirk did little to help Amber cool down. In an effort to ignore the heat, Amber finished her donut and fiddled around with her displays. At the far end of the hall, she could hear the loud doors finally opening to let in the non-vendors of the convention. From the last two days of experience, Amber knew it would be another few minutes before any customer would wander on by her table.

Like clockwork, Addie rose from her chair just as potential customers started milling in. “Well, I’ll leave you two to it. I have a cosplay contest to win!”

Amber squinted at Addie, frowning in mock contempt. She had already known about the contest and that Addie’s presence would be brief in the morning. Given Augustine’s sudden appearance, Amber had hoped her friend would stay a little longer. “Mhmn.”

“Hey, I know when I’m a third wheel, Amby-cakes,” laughed Addie, bending down to give Amber a jostling, one-armed hug. “Have fun.”

Silence fell in Addie's absence. Well, as much silence as a convention hall could garner. In the lull, Amber pulled out her sketchbook to distract her attention from the man beside her. Noise in the hall slowly blew into the air, excitement buzzing from the entering crowd.

Aware of the oncoming con-goers, and knowing conversation with Amber might be limited with such an audience, Augustine broke the quiet between them. “I am sorry if all of this put you off. I really was just trying to be nice.”

Her eyes flicked to him, warring thoughts fighting in her head. It was a nice gesture. If it had been from someone else with less fame and wealth, she would have more gracious. Knowing Augustine wanted to marry her while also knowing he could back peddle up until a marriage certificate was signed and certified, made her heart feel jerked in two separate directions.

So Amber fell back into joking sarcasm, hoping the wards didn't come with too much of a bite,“You were providing me sustenance, like a good alpha.”

Augustine choked on his water. Thankfully, he was turned away from her products and only made a mess over the carpet he leaned over. As he made a quick recovery, his cough turned into a laugh. “Why do you make that sound so bad?”

“What?” Confusion creased her brow and she made the mistake of looking at her companion. The lopsided grin on his lips made her heartbeat catch.

“Being an alpha. Do you have a problem with that?” One of Augustine's eyebrows arched as he carefully watched Amber. Humans had varying opinions when it came to alpha dynamics. Though more recently the concept had climbed into the "daddy" or "sir" territory. And there were plenty of fans that gushed over alpha!Montos or presuming Augustine's own "alpha-ness" in bed.

Uncertainty colored her words as she tilted her head curiously to the side.“Isn’t the whole alpha/beta/omega thing, like, a myth or misunderstanding?”

“A little bit. Some lycans do have hierarchical structures similar to that, though.” He gave a half-shrug while scratching at his jaw. The faintest hint of a five o’clock shadow was beginning to form.

Amber quietly gnawed on that information, wondering if his own family was the same. It would be good information to know. Would Augustine's family even accept Amber as part of the clan? Further, was this some act of rebellion on Augustine's part? “Does that include your family?”

“Not especially,” Augustine chuckled, quietly elated at her interest. Though his excitement dimmed a little as a wryness tightened his smile. “Although we do hold Grandma Ginger’s opinions in high regard.”

Amber blinked, instantly recalling - thanks to Addie's obsession with celebrity gossip and history - who he referred to. Ginger Bailey. Mother to Augustine’s own mother, Imani Bailey-Prime. A pioneer in her prime decades earlier, forcing the entertainment industry to see the worth of lycan and other non-human ancestries in the business.

The slight dampening of his usual sunniness was not missed by Amber, either. There was something, some sort emotion that nettled at him, being left unsaid. Before she had the chance to probe at the curious reaction, a flock of Augustine’s fans rolled in.

“Oh my gods, Augustine? What are you doing here?”

“Did the charity auction already happen? I could have sworn it was later!”

“Can I take a picture with you, Mr. Prime?”

“Can you sign my Montos figurine?”

Just like that, his sunny disposition returned full-force. Amber quietly watched as every lick of anything other than charm dissipated in his demeanor. He fielded questions, offered uneaten pastries, took pictures, and autographed an assortment of trinkets.

The attention didn’t solely fall on him, either. Many of the people drawn by his presence perused Amber’s offerings. Whenever someone asked what her relation was to Mr. Prime, Augustine would swoop in with a diversion or a vague answer. He’d even redirect their attention to Amber’s goods, throwing out some charming - canonical - tidbit of her own story.

Even if Amber didn’t realize it, Augustine was driven to be useful to her.

There were few lulls between the fans, but when they had a moment to breathe, the two would exchange light conversation.

Amber had to admit that having him sitting behind her table the whole morning certainly helped push her product. She couldn’t help but be a little thankful, even if part of her felt bitter knowing her art and comics only sold thanks to a celebrity endorsement.

Whatever, it was money.

Plus the more people that saw her stuff - or Augustine’s social media - meant more people saw her webcomic and art. Even if her time with him was short, his posts had wide reach, especially the longer he kept them live on his feeds. And if he did delete the selfies after this weekend, there were tons of fans that wouldn’t. They were taking selfies with the man himself or attempting to take sly candid shots of Amber and Augustine.

As the morning crept into noon, Augustine’s phone started to buzz incessantly. He’d give it a dirty look, tap in a reply and set it aside, but it’d soon buzz angrily again. More than once, Amber shot his phone with a curious look, but Augustine never elucidated.

By the time he had to excuse himself to go take a call, most of Amber’s goods were sold. When he returned, a dourness pinched his voice as he flopped into his chair he had planted his butt in all morning. He thumbed toward the exit with a sigh, “Hey, Amber, I gotta go get ready for the charity auction.”

“Oh, the thing where whoever wins you gets a date?” She glanced up from her sketchbook, which was carefully angled away from the actor. The last thing she wanted was him realizing she was taking the opportunity to reference his physical presence for sketches.

Even if Augustine suspected she was drawing him, the dismal fact he had to leave her was distracting him. His shoulders slumped further as he slouched in his chair. “Yeah, I gotta go.”

She didn’t even pause to consider how disappointment prickled her thoughts. Amber just nodded and returned her attention to drawing. “Alright, well have fun.”

The quickness with which Amber responded had Augustine narrowing his eyes. If he could wriggle out of the engagement, he would. Anything to stay near Amber. He thought they’d had a good time chatting in-between customers and fans.

There was another concern hovering in his thoughts. Leaning forward, elbows bracing on his knees, he asked, “You sure you’re not going to get jealous?”

“No, I’m not going to get jealous.” She rolled her eyes, Augustine’s tone and expression somber, before a thought struck her. Casting a suspicious look at him, her eyebrow ticked upward a little. “Do you want me to get jealous?”

“I’m just used to partners getting frustrated about this aspect of my career.” Again, he shrugged and scratched the back of his head. Though he had been close with many of his previous lovers, he didn’t actually care too much if they wound up jealous. Given how distant Amber was, Augustine did admit to himself that he would have liked if she had been a little more possessive. Then he’d know that this wasn’t aimless, even if he just liked being around her.

Despite herself, Amber found the corner of her lips twitching upward into a smile. Augustine was on the verge of pouting, eyes averted, and obviously a little bummed by her answer. But she had to be realistic. With a shake of her head, she gave a half-laugh, “We barely know each other and I don’t have any right to stake some sort of claim on you.”

Augustine’s eyes snapped to her face, making Amber’s nerves jump. There was that intensity again. Earnest and seemingly sincere and so strong, it made her heart thrum. “You do have that right, though, since we’re going to get-”

“Shush! That’s not decided yet.” Amber lurched toward Augustine, her hands immediately pressing over his mouth. Fearful someone had heard, she scanned their surroundings. Thankfully, the closest bystanders were across the aisle at another booth.

It was only when Augustine’s grin kissed her palms she realized what she was doing, realized where exactly her hands were. She jerked her hands away from his mouth, palms tingling as she jerked back in her seat.

The smirk that had brushed her hands remained firmly intact on Augustine’s face, even as Amber turned away from him and hunched over her sketchpad. Heat licked over her cheeks as she tried to busy herself with drawing, only to freeze as Augustine’s knuckles gingerly brushed down her cheek.

Hesitantly, Amber peered up at him from the corner of her eye, her blush burning hotter as she registered his expression. Fondness had softened the amused smirk. Even the look in his gaze could have been described as loving. Which was absolutely ridiculous. He didn’t know her!

“Besides, you might find someone whose scent you like more than mine,” Amber heard herself say, tearing her gaze from him as she waved his hand away from her face. She meant her words to sound practical but, for some reason, it came off teasing.

“Not likely.” She wasn’t able to argue back as Augustine leaned over, nose close to her neck as he inhaled deeply. Amber’s eyes wrenched shut, fighting down the flurry of butterflies as Augustine’s contented breath ghosted over her skin. “Nothing can compare to you, Amber.”

She couldn’t pull away. Didn’t want to pull away. Her fingers clutched tightly at her sketchbook, nails digging into the cardboard back as she acknowledged her own lack of desire to distance from him. Not ready to address the feelings buzzing through her, she turned her face from him and groused, “Shut up and go get ready for the auction, Mr. Prime.”

“You’ll call me Augustine one of these days,” Augustine retorted, his breath still teasing along her throat as he inched away. His tone dipped low, so only she could hear. “Even if I have to get you to groan it.”

A strangled sound escaped Amber as heated shock struck her. Turning swiftly toward the man, she smacked her sketchbook against his shoulder as he jumped up from his chair. Some part of her kept her voice low, knowing the wrong ears could turn her words into a PR nightmare, as she held her sketchbook to hide her face from the view of those passing by. “That is sexual harassment, Prime.”

“I never said it’d be a sensual groan.” Thankfully, Augustine followed her lead, keeping his voice quiet even as giddiness swelled in his chest. Amber’s cheeks were the reddest he had seen yet. That had to mean she was flustered by him. And that meant she had to like him a little, right? He leaned over her, that insufferable shit-eating grin on his lips. “That’s your inference.”

A renewed heat claws across her cheeks. She lightly smacked her sketchbook against his face, hiding his expression from her view as she pushed him away. “Just go already!”

“Fine, fine,” he sighed, gently shoving her sketchbook away to view her again. As he straightened from his stoop, he still watched her, finding it hard to pull himself away. She had gone back to her sketchpad, dutifully ignoring him. Or trying to, at least. He wanted her to look up at him again, flustered or pouting. But she didn’t.

Stifling his disappointment, Augustine bid farewell and made his way to the exit. Halfway to the door, his phone angrily buzzed with yet another call. He answered it, unaware of Amber’s gaze following his retreat.

—

It was a miracle that Augustine managed to retain some sense of presence during dinner after reading Amber’s first - and as of yet only - text to him. While sitting at her table in Artist's Alley, he had badgered her all day for her contact information, but she had completely refused. She had said they wouldn’t need to text and if he needed to contact her, her business email was on her business card.

And yet she had texted him. Simple and straightforward, but the short message lodged itself in his chest and made Augustine’s heart race with delight.

Hi. It’s Amber Dyer. Text me when you’re done with your date.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

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#monster lover #monster fucker #werewolf #lycan #monster x human #exophilia #exo writing #werewolf x human #lycan x human #scent match #augustine #amber

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diceriadelluntore · 10 months ago

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Storia di Musica #311 - Weezer, Weezer (The Blue Album), 1994

Nella classifica di artisti che hanno intitolato i loro lavori con il proprio nome, vincono a mani basse per quantità: in 17 anni di carriere ne hanno pubblicati 6 (che poi spiegherò come si distinguono). E questa decisione rientra nel loro modo alternativo e irriverente di fare musica, in un momento di passaggio che grazie a loro diviene quasi spartiacque. Rivers Cuomo è un ragazzo a cui piace tanto fare musica: ha 18 anni quando fonda il primo gruppo, gli Avant Gard, che era anche un modo per trovare nuovi amici dopo essersi trasferito da Los Angeles al Connecticut. Dopo un po', Cuomo incontra il batterista Patrick Wilson, che gli presenta il suo amico Matt Sharp, anch'egli musicista. Si trasferiscono a Santa Monica dove Sharp incita Cuomo a scrivere, e proprio in questo periodo, siamo a fine 1991, nascono le prime idee che confluiranno nella loro prima band insieme: Weezer (dal nomignolo che il padre di Cuomo gli aveva dato da ragazzino) insieme a Jason Cropper, che va alla chitarra. Il primo concerto come Weezer è a supporto della band di un giovane attore cantante destinato al successo mondiale, i Dogstar di Keanu Reeves. Diventano ben presto un gruppo con la nomea di grandi live, e se ne accorge anche Todd Sullivan, che li segnala alla Geffen che dopo aver ascoltato dei demo li mette sotto contratto nel 1993. C'è solo un problema: il loro stile, un power pop con echi punk, irriverenti e testi molto ironici era un bel po' diverso dal nichilismo grunge imperante. La Geffen li mette sotto le cure di Rick Ocasek, ex membro de The Car, una delle band più importanti della scena New Wave Americana, che li porta agli Electric Lady Studios, di New York, il leggendario studio di registrazione fondato da Eddie Kramer per Jimi Hendrix. Ocasek ha una intuizione geniale: decide di far cantare Sharp come coro di Cuomo, secondo un particolare stile a cappella (che negli Stati Uniti ha il nome curioso di barbeshop style), un'ottava più alto, così da riuscire meglio a integrare il suono di basso e chitarra, straniando ma allo stesso tempo enfatizzando la caratteristica "simaptica" della loro musica sin dagli esordii. Nel Frattempo licenziano Cooper, sostituito da Brian Bell, e registrano una quindicina di canzoni, di cui 10 faranno parte del loro primo lavoro. Che intitolano Weezer, uscito il 10 maggio del 1994 perchè, disse Cuomo, non "ci veniva niente di meglio da proporre". Verrà ricordato come The Blue Album per la copertina perchè succederà qualcosa in seguito che lo renderà "difficile" da ricordare come "Weezer". Cinque settimane prima, come una bomba atomica, era arrivata la notizia del suicidio di Kurt Cobain, e questo disco segna il passaggio, straniante e traumatico, da un'estetica all'altra.

Se ne volete una prova, il primo singolo, e successivamente canzone mito, era titolata semplicemente Undone, ma siccome è stata una delle prime scritte da cuomo e portata sul palco sin dai primi concerti, i primi fan la iniziarono a chiamare come The Sweater Song, perchè appunto parla di un maglione: If you want to destroy my sweater\Hold this thread as I walk away (Undone - The Sweather Song in verità è una metafora di tristezza rispetto al rapporto con le altre persone spesso prevaricatrici). Un muro di chitarra, echi di punk, i coretti che a volte sembrano quasi fuori posto, una musica che verrà definita "emo" ma che si rifà anche al periodo d'oro del rock. Come non citare in questo senso Buddy Holly, canzone diventata famosissima anche grazie al meraviglioso video di Spike Jonze (che vincerà decine di premi per il mondo) in cui la band è trasportata sul palco del Drive In di Arnold di Happy Days a cantare "Ooh-wee-hoo, I look just like Buddy Holly\Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore"; Buddy Holly è stato uno dei primi grandi cantanti del rock, tragicamente scomparso in un incidente aereo, insieme a Ritchie Valens, quello che scrisse La Bamba e ai The Big Bopper (a questo tragico incidente Don Mclean scriverà American Pie, "the day the music died"); Mary Tyler Moore è stata invece una attrice di cinema teatro e Tv tra le più famose degli anni '60 e '70 negli Stati Uniti. Il disco è ricco di canzoni stupende: Say It Ain't So (altro classico), nato nella testa di Cuomo quando si "autoconvinse" che il matrimonio dei suoi stava finendo per colpa dell'alcool, My Name In Jonas, ariosa e fresca, dedicata al fratello di Cuomo non risarcito dall'assicurazione dopo un incidente in auto, Only In Dreams, su un ragazzo che non riesce a dischiararsi alla ragazza che adora e così continua a vivere la loro storia d'amore "solo nei sogni". Manifesto del loro modo scanzonato e irriverente di fare musica è In The Garage: I've got an electric guitar\I play my stupid songs\I write these stupid words\And I love every one\Waiting there for me, yes, I do\I do\In the garage, I feel safe\No one cares about my ways\In the garage where I belong\No one hears me sing this song.

Il disco all'inizio è abbastanza incompreso, ma con il passare del tempo acquista sempre più rilevanza sia commerciale (venderà quasi 10 milioni di copie) che critica, stabilmente nelle liste dei dischi più importanti degli ultimi 30 anni. Sharp lascia dopo il secondo disco, Pinkerton (che mostra una evoluzione musicale ma perde un po' di slancio ironico rispetto all'esordio) dedicandosi ad un progetto particolare, i Rentals, con cui suona musica molto retrò dal gusto a volte kitsch. I Weezer lo rimpiazzano con Mikey Welsch. Ci metteranno 4 anni per ritornare ai dischi, con un nuovo album Weezer, conosciuto come The Green Album, perchè in una foto simile a quella del Blue c'è uno sfondo verde, e così succederà con Weezer (The Red Album, nel 2008), Weezer (The White Album 2016), Weezer (The Teal Album, 2019) e Weezer (The Black Album, 2019, dove almeno hanno delle tute orribili di latex su sfondo gotico di luci viola). Anche per questo vanno ricordati.

#weezer #weezer (the blue album)#1994 #recensione

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krixt667 · 1 year ago

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basically from what i've been able to piece together, amazon prime itself leaked a specific clip from s2 as part of a teaser (you know like the background videos that play when you hover over a tv show on streaming sites? that.) and it spoiled something quite big, so people are rightfully angry about it. add to it the fact that gaiman is very strongly supporting the wga strike in the states... idk, it seemed strange to a lot of people that this scene would be leaked in this specific climate (that's just speculation though)

It really is weird for such a huge corporation to make such a mistake, especially right now :// Even though this can't be undone I hope Neil makes some legal moves against them because this is completely unacceptable and should never happen again.

#good omens

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thevindicativevordan · 2 years ago

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How waa 2022 for non-Superman DC comics?

Running through the other major Leaguers and a few others:

Batman - Unusually for Batman it was a mixed year. Film wise he of course did great, The Batman kicked off a new cinematic incarnation to widespread critical approval and solid commercial success. Multiple spinoffs set in that universe are in the works for HBO Max. Comics wise he (or his extended supporting cast) has a book for everyone and they run the gamut of great to crap. Shockingly his The Caped Crusader animated series instead of Superman's is the one that got sent on the road to find a home elsewhere, instead of on HBO Max and CN as originally planned. It looks like Amazon Prime will likely be where that lands but no official confirmation yet. Video game wise Gotham Knights flopped hard, getting mediocre reviews and even worse sales from what I've seen. There's also that terrible CW show of the same name still coming.

Wonder Woman - Historia carried her hard, being a truly legendary story that I think easily deserves to be the definitive origin for her and the Amazons. Outside of that her comics were mediocre, and of course WW3 got cancelled. Jenkins is finished and it looks like Gadot will be too, with her cameos in the movies coming this year serving as her swan song. At least the Monolith video game is safe for now.

The Flash - Adams' Wally book remained good and Barry's role in Dark Crisis was fine. Barry really shone in the Voidsong mini, I'd love to see that creative team do more with him, Miller of course made headlines but I expect most people didn't notice or care and that it won't really negatively impact the upcoming movie's box office performance.

Green Lantern - I enjoyed Thorne's GL run but man did plenty of people hate it. Still between Thorne and the Dark Crisis tie in issue, I think John had a good year. Hal came in second with decent usage in Dark Crisis. Jo came in third with her half of Thorne's book using her well. Rest of the GLs didn't get shit and Thorne's big massacre of the GLC got promptly undone, which even as a fan of Thorne I'm fine with because the GLC being on the verge of extinction is a plot I don't want to see anymore.

Aquaman - Probably his worst one since the Johns reboot. Attempts to push Jackson and Black Manta into the lead roles flopped hard. Neither the Jackson nor the Black Manta minis sold well, and the Aquamen mini it was all leading up to didn't even debut in the top 100 issues sold for the month it launched if memory serves me. I don't know what DC editorial, Brandon Thomas, or Chuck Brown were thinking but man did they totally shoot themselves in the foot. At least Aquaman & The Flash: Voidsong by Lanzig and Kelly ruled, that was Arthur's only comic win. Oh and WBD took the Aquaman: King of the Seas miniseries off of HBO Max, either to sell it to Amazon Prime or use it as a tax write-off.

Titans - They were terrible as always. Titans Academy ended with a whimper as yet another bold new direction for the franchise failed to take off.

JSA - Hey they finally got a new book!.. which is far more interested in Hypertime, Watchmen, and Huntress/Batman bullshit than it is in the actual JSA so far. Oh and it's been hit by delays too because it wouldn't be a Johns book without those! Least they had a great showing in Stargirl, both the show and the comic.

Black Adam - Hahaha oh Lord what a fucking disaster his push ended up being. The Rock indeed helped facilitate a change in DC's hierarchy by tanking at the box office, and making it easy for Gunn to cut ties with him. Priest's Black Adam was the only good thing to come out starring him, which is half a great character study on what a monster Adam is and half whatever the hell Priest is doing with Malik. Series lost it's star artist in Sandoval the minute it became clear the movie was a bust (not that I'm complaining), and Dark Crisis hilariously ended with an explicit Rock homage. Unless Johns once more fishes his boy from the wreckage after Priest's mini wraps up, I think Adam is due a benching for a while.

#year in review

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deadlinecom · 3 days ago

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silkenseductress · 3 months ago

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"Oh That Well. Um. You Know How Useless Algorithms Can Be, These Video Platforms Are Getting Worse And Worse By The Day" she mutters, hastily pulling her palmhusk out of where it was nearly vacuum sealed against her body in her shorts pocket and furtively tapping "sign out from all devices" on the app form of what Sollux was scrolling before more of her secret shame was discovered.

She only watched that olive blooded, video game menace to make fun of him, she swears.

Once that very important matter was done, she shashayed passed Sollux and straddled the lounge chair, slowly lowering her bulk into with a relieved sigh of finally getting to relax. The great grey domes of her ass slid into the deep canyon of the chair- and notably overflowed it a fair bit, leading to her lounging being a bit more horizontal than was probably intended.

Her meaty stomach was just ahead and to the right of Sollux, with the rest of her body disappearing out of view- so he didn't see her fiddling with something after laying back. He did hear a satisfied There We Go~", timed perfectly with the sudden impact of a soft avalanche to his unprotected side and back

If he looked over, he'd see that what had happened was kanaya had undone the tie of her bikini top, letting both heavy, soft breasts free to rest more naturally, flattened and somewhat separated, leading her stomach and chest prime real estate to stretch out on - topped by a smug, black lipped smile

"There We Go Darling- Now That Strap Shouldn't Get In The Way Of You Laying Down. Feel Free To Get Comfortable" she said, reaching over to grab her tremendous bowl of icecream

and the way y0u abuse security clearance

Are You Accusing A Member Of His Most Holy Inquisition Of Acting With Anything But The Utmost Professionalism

#rp #contaiinedarmegeddons2

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interactiveterm1bk · 1 year ago

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Rotoscoping Animation.

Rotoscoping is a process in which pictures and or videos of a person is used as a base for an animation. Each of the frames will be drawn over and then a smooth animation is created. This was often used in sequences of 30's/40's animation when there was a sequence that required a lot of motion and so it was easier to have a guide then free-hand.

This dance sequence is rotoscoped, the character has been drawn over the footage of the man dancing. I think its a innovative way to add complicated movements in animation for the times limited technology.

This method is still used today in media such as Cuphead, A Scanner Darkly and Undone.

How Cuphead's Most Notorious Boss Was Made - YouTube

The tower in the background is rotating during this boss fight in Cuphead. The tower was a model which they recorded all around then illustrated over to match the art style.

A Scanner Darkly (2006) Official Trailer - Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr. Movie HD - YouTube

I really like the style of A Scanner Darkly but seeing A-list actors like Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr and Woody Harrelson in this art style makes it kind of uncanny.

Undone - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube

To me the style looks like a video game, specifically Life is Strange.Though similar to A Scanner Darkly, its more realistic and less stylised so I prefer A Scanner Darkly more as clear style is being portrayed.

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fata-cu-palarie-neagra · 2 years ago

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Mediawan Pictures Acquires ‘Undone’ Producer Submarine

Fresh off its acquisition of Plan B, the French media conglomerate has purchased the Amsterdam-based developer and producer responsible for the Prime Video series and Richard Linklater’s ‘Apollo 10 ½.’ from AWN Headline News https://ift.tt/JCfGvVT

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uykulupsikolog · 2 years ago

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Mediawan Pictures Acquires ‘Undone’ Producer Submarine

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mariacallous · 2 years ago

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More than three years after malign fun-fur mascot Boris Johnson first gibbered out the catchphrase, we finally have incontrovertible evidence of what “levelling up” actually is. For its duration, Johnson’s government had a flagship policy that it couldn’t have defined even if it hadn’t been drunk on the contents of a wheelie suitcase. Levelling up now turns out to be a sort of inter-constituency Squid Game, in which MPs who voted for various stripes of self-harm are now forced into trial-by-combat against each other in the hope of appealing to the caprices of shadowy gamesmaster Michael Gove. Arguably there’s an ironic wit to the format – a sort of handout for the anti-handout party, designed solely to inadequately mitigate the effects of cuts made largely by that same party. The players seem quite upset about it now, but are of course free to terminate the game if the majority votes to do so.

Or as one Conservative MP who missed out fumed yesterday: “I’ve got shops without roofs and whole streets of boarded-up houses and some people are getting cash for adventure golf.” Which is, by coincidence, exactly the picture in the political glossary next to the phrase “sunlit uplands”. Another Tory MP described the policy delivery as “a fuck-up of epic proportions”, casting it as the Stalingrad of not securing a planetarium for your northern marginal.

Having attempted to sell this policy round the country during a somewhat excruciating day yesterday, luxury menswear influencer Rishi Sunak is apparently facing a law enforcement probe for removing his seatbelt to film a video for his Insta, as part of the police’s ruthless commitment to rooting out trivial wrongdoing so that people mind less when another one of them is revealed to be a rapist. I haven’t got a huge amount to add to that sentence as an indicator of where we are on various fronts. Still, if Sunak does pick up a fine, it’ll be his second inside a year, suggesting he is on a pathway of reoffending and should submit to personal rehabilitation lessons with justice secretary Dominic Raab, who is himself facing an investigation on eight formal complaints of bullying. Again, we are where we are.

You have to wonder if Sunak makes the most credible salesman for the specific allocation of cash in this second round of disbursement, given that he took the sensationally odd decision to be filmed during the leadership campaign in July last year telling Tory members in Tunbridge Wells: “I managed to start changing the funding formulas to make sure areas like this are getting the funding they deserved. We inherited a bunch of formulas from Labour that shoved all the funding into deprived urban areas and that needed to be undone. I started the work of undoing that.”

Yesterday found Sunak in only marginally less politically imbecilic mode. I can’t personally get over-exercised about senior politicians making travel time-savings that the rest of us should obviously avoid. But Sunak’s private jet usage has got plenty of backs up, and on a political level feeds unfortunately into the impression that he is what he is: a man who can use private jets. Labour accused the prime minister of behaving “like an A-list celeb” for flying to Blackpool – something A-list celebs are forever doing, of course. I believe Sunak’s RAF flight was kept in a holding pattern while The Rock was given runway priority to hasten his latest trip to play the coin pushers on the Central Pier.

“I travel around so I can do lots of things in one day,” Sunak shot back when pushed on his arrangements. “I’m not travelling around just for my own enjoyment, although this is very enjoyable, of course.” Mm. Spoken like a man whose high-end Santa Monica residence is located in a complex that includes a pet spa. (I haven’t fully checked the levelling-up fund payouts for pet spas, but assume Guildford was successful in its bid for one.)

In general, though, do you care for Sunak’s tone? He seems to have just the two speeds: dewy-eyed prefect delivering a supposedly inspirational speech to much, much younger children; and high-financier unable to fully hide his impatience that he should be required to answer questions from lesser mortals. Neither seems immediately obviously likely to endear him to the British public. Perhaps he’s slightly helped by being up against Keir Starmer, who delivers every statement like his next one is going to be “And had you thought of a preferred wood for the casket?”

Any more pratfalls left in the tank on the PM’s day out and about? At least one, with the PM explaining he wanted to cut taxes but couldn’t, as his audience knew. “You’re not idiots,” he breezed. “You know what’s happened.” “Besides,” he went on, “when I was chancellor I also really preferred it when the prime minister didn’t comment on tax policy.”

Unfortunately for the “idiots”, the chancellor isn’t talking about tax cuts either. Instead, Jeremy Hunt could be found this week leaning fully into the latte-sipping insult his side have long weaponised, by making his own painful social media video in which he explained inflation to the masses via the medium of him ordering a flat white. Is this necessary? I know Jeremy likes to think of himself as one of Britain’s most advanced entrepreneurial brains – he ran a course-listing directory in civilian life – but we must at least consider the possibility that British people currently get a hard lesson in inflation every time they do a shop.

Anyway: on to the idiots. Only in this climate of palpable executive inadequacy could we be reading seemingly bi-weekly stories that comebacks are being planned not just by Boris Johnson, but also Liz Truss – or at least by what we’ll kindly call Liz Truss’s “ideas”, with a parliamentary group established this week with the express aim of the advancement thereof. Truss herself and her former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng have both set up firms to manage their next steps, while Jacob Rees-Mogg is said to be joining GB News to host his own show. Johnson is being Johnson, and seems well on the way to persuading far too many MPs to give their abusive relationship with him another chance.

Behold, the architects of some of the most short-termist and self-harming policies of recent times (tough field), somehow sailing on regardless to further enrichment while everyone else lives in their mess. As for their various supporters, you have to marvel mirthlessly at the capacity for some serially imploding factions of the Conservative party to believe that their destructive ideas have simply not been done properly yet. The Tory tankies are on the march; do batten your hatches accordingly.

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