#yes i am thinking about the marilyn monroe dress

[grey-sides]

Since we've all collectively realized Billy's jeans were like super tight in the first scene he was in, I have had a thought.

Billy getting sewn into a perfectly form fitted jumpsuit just for Steve. Handing him a stitch ripper, letting Steve undress stitch by stitch, watching the fabric slowly but surely fall from his body. One inch at a time until he's completely naked, no underwear to ruin the illusion and his dick just springs free as soon as Steve gets to it. Aching, ready for attention but Steve still has some stitches to go!!

[genericpuff]

The Derivative Fashion Sense of Lore Olympus

So I'm usually out here going Gordon Ramsay on Rachel's ass about her writing and art, but for this unsolicited essay I will be wearing a different hat.

Yep, we're going Miranda Priestly today. Specifically the Miranda Priestly who talks fashion, not the Miranda Priestly who abuses employees lmao (though rest assured, I'm gonna have a lot of curt words throughout this).

Disclaimer: I am not at all an expert on fashion, these are just my thoughts and observations from studying fashion styles as part of my own artistic journey, so as always, take what I have to say with loads of salt. I also realize the irony that I am addressing the derivative nature of Lore Olympus when I, myself, am creating a derivative retelling of Lore Olympus.

Alright, enough small talk.

There's this general misconception in runway fashion that all those "impractical outfits" are meant to be worn by the average person, people such as myself who see these outfits and go "what the fuck do you mean Lady Gaga wore a dress made out of meat?!" When we see these crazy fits, our first impression is often "Why would anyone wear that?"

Well, because they aren't outfits. They're art pieces.

And not only are the outfits themselves art pieces, but the people wearing them are the canvases. These outfits aren't designed for just anyone to wear, especially not your average Joe, they're designed both with the artist's vision as well as the model in mind. A lot of thought, expression, cultural influences, and personal messaging is sewn into these designs.

Think about it this way, you couldn't take that aforementioned Gaga meat dress and put it on Taylor Swift. Not only would it not be physically tailored to her, but it wouldn't align with Swift's brand of music. Gaga, at the time of wearing that dress, was making a statement that came about from a collaborative effort between herself, the canvas, and her fashion designer, the artist. The meaning would be lost if you put Swift, Katy Perry, or any other musician into it, because the fact that Gaga is the one wearing it is part of that meaning.

What would happen if you did take the meat dress and put it on someone else? Well, that's how you get the controversial 2022 Met Gala when Kim Kardashian wore the sequin dress that Marilyn Monroe wore for JFK back in 1962.

Not a replica. Not a re-interpretation. The actual literal dress that Monroe once wore. This was a very bold - and in my opinion, reckless - move on Kim's part, because not only was she forcing herself into a dress not tailored to her (and yes, there has been deliberation on what damage was caused to the dress on account of this) but rather than working with a fashion designer to come up with a fresh new interpretation of the same concept, she just went "yeah I'm gonna wear the exact dress", in what many interpreted as a disrespectful power move to artificially put herself on the same level of prestige as Monroe. But she still isn't on that level of prestige and it speaks volumes that she thought carving out her own legacy would be as simple as just taking someone else's. The wolf wore the sheep's clothing with the intent to fool the sheep, but it was still a wolf.

But okay okay, WHAT does this have to do with Lore Olympus?

Well, Rachel released a new interview clip.

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A post shared by Rachel Smythe (@usedbandaid)

I will say, these seem to have all been recorded at once probably when she was back at NYCC and they're probably going to be released daily leading up to the free release of the finale. Why they're hyping up the free version rather than hyping up the FastPass version that actually generates income, I have no clue, but I digress.

As always, the transcript is as follows:

"I really like looking at like, uh, vintage clothing and silhouettes that are... y'know, timeless. I mean, obviously it's really hard to future-proof work that's set in the modern setting because of course the times are gonna change, like, rapidly and there's not a lot you can do about it, but in terms of, like, fashion, there are just some silhouettes that are always going to look very classy, so... I try to put things that will not age. Like, I think there was a chapter recently where she [Persephone?] had like a very vintage Dior look which I really liked, um... and I feel like that will always look nice, like in 10 years time I'll be like, 'She looked good'. But there are some outfits which are more modern where I'm like, 'That probably won't look good in 10 years time'. But, y'know, we still got the inspired vintage Dior outfit so that's good, that's safe."

There isn't much to say about the actual transcribed text itself, but I do think it's very telling that Rachel tries to upsell her sense of fashion sense in LO when... much of it is just flat out derivative. At best she's often referencing real life people (mostly Hollywood celebrities) and at worst she's usually just grabbing stuff off Pinterest inspo boards without any consideration towards the influences or who she's putting into them.

That said, I do think she told on herself quite a bit in that final line of the interview clip - "that's good, that's safe."

I can understand wanting to play it safe in terms of knowing your limitations and not wanting to create something that would be dated in a few years.

But fashion... isn't about playing it safe. Because ultimately, how something ages in the long term isn't something that you, the artist, can control, and like many art mediums, you need to be focused on what to create next, not on how well your old art pieces still hold up in the present where they've been removed from their original context.

And I think this rings true for a lot of Lore Olympus, beyond just the fashion. It's all just a little too safe. We see it in the fashion, we see it in her uncommitted writing decisions, we see it in how often she's willing to retcon things just to write herself out of corners.

And I think that's really Rachel's biggest weakness as a creator at the end of the day. As much as she's tried to put on the persona of "screw you, I'll do what I want", her actions are always the opposite of what she says. She says that the fashion in LO is very vintage, but I can count on one hand how many outfits were actually vintage. The vast majority of them are a lot more modern, with a lot of Western influences, and sometimes with a boob window thrown in.

Case in point, the most recent outfit of Persephone wearing a practically-nude sparkle dress?

That's Rihanna's Swarovski dress that she wore in 2014.

Now, to Rachel's credit, she did find a way to personalize this to Persephone by removing the cap and giving her a rose-shaped bun, but the outfit itself is still just copied directly from Rihanna. Not only is there not a whole lot of Persephone's influence beyond her being literally made out of roses-

-but there isn't anything calling attention to the fact that this is a Greek myth retelling. And this isn't just a problem with the Swarovski dress callback, this is a problem EVERYWHERE.

And of course, that's not even touching on the fact that Hades and Hecate are forced to wear suits constantly. Because, according to Rachel, the fashion inspiration for Hades and Persephone only went as deep is "he's the groom and she's the bride"-

Rachel plays it safe by sticking purely to the inspirations she consumes from modern American media. The "modern twist" on the myths in LO is literally just "it's Greek myth but it's set in Los Angeles". She doesn't seem to want to put herself out there and actually consume Greek content any deeper than what she can find on Google, and it shows in how little Greek there is in this Greek myth comic.

There is, ironically, as I've been told by community members in ULO, a fashion collection called Persephone created by Paolo Sebastian, and in it you can see the actual Greek influences in these outfits far more than what you see in even Persephone's most visually stunning outfits:

These are dresses and yet Paolo uses them as an opportunity to tell the story of Persephone, somehow even more faithfully than an actual written adaption of The Hymn to Demeter. Because fashion, too, can tell a story - and Lore Olympus' fashion, like its writing, has no story to really tell, at least not in Rachel's hands when she's just pulling whatever she can find from what she treats as a pile of "stuff" on Google.

And that's not even getting into how the writing plays it safe much in the same way as the fashion influences and artistic choices. A good example is that S3 premiere sequence, in which Hades and Persephone are pulled away from each other so that... they can get washed down by their family and peers.

Rachel doesn't really do anything to re-contextualize this reference for the context and setting and circumstances of LO, she just goes "I liked that bath scene from Beauty and the Beast so I'm going to put it in LO."

And of course, it doesn't work as effectively as it did in Beauty and the Beast, because the whole original point of that scene was to showcase the big and scary Beast being washed down like a dog by his servants-turned-into-furniture while he stresses over how he's going to win over Belle. It's a comedic subversion, artistically by showing the ferocious beast reduced into a wet dog, but also on a narrative level by showing through his dialogue and actions how nervous he is to impress Belle because his own fate - as well as the fates of his servants - depend on her falling in love with him. He can't afford to mess this up.

But in LO, it's two naked people who we already know love each other and are committed to each other, we've already seen countless scenes of them being sweet on each other and showcasing that they're into each other, and by all accounts they've already gotten their happy ending, so it makes no sense for them to just be like "OMG SHE LIKES ME?? I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE LIKES ME!" "should I seduce him?!?!??" because this seems like a no-brainer and there's zero actual stakes riding on this the way that there was with Belle and the Beast. Plus the people washing them down aren't their servants who are in the same situation as them, they're random gods from the Pantheon whose affiliation ranges from "family" to "never even had a conversation before". One of the women washing down Persephone has literally never spoken a single line of dialogue to her; another one of them was literally dumped by her partner because he wanted Persephone more than her. Who are these people and why are they enthusiastically appearing to give her a bath? Why is Hades being given a scrub down by his own brother?

And that's really the most striking difference between inspired references and derivative ones. Undertale was a game created by a guy who was in love with retro games like Earthbound and Megaman. Stardew Valley was a game created by a guy who loved Harvest Moon and used to play it with his girlfriend. Content that's built on the foundation of another is natural and the basis of inspiration, but you have to go further with it than just going "yeah this thing existed and I'm taking it", otherwise you miss the purpose of why those inspirations were created the way they were.

And when you don't actually explore how you can re-interpret those influences and add your own voice into them, that's how you wind up writing like Rachel whose writing is about as inspired as a cheap character swap cutaway gag from Family Guy.

Rachel's great at referencing, but that's not at all an impressive thing to do as proven by Peter Griffin. She's not at all re-contextualizing or expanding on what inspired her... but she still claims that she's exactly what she's doing because she calls Lore Olympus a "deconstruction". But her deconstruction only ever goes so far as "well what if Aphrodite left Ares for Hephaestus instead of the other way around?" and then just showing that question and never answering it or delivering on the potential of what that could cause. At best, she'll ask a "what if?" but then never actually show us the what if, it begins and ends with the question and the question itself doesn't provoke any thought deeper than "huh, yeah, that would be neat I guess." Episode's over, next scene. What if we showed that clip of Bill O'Reilly freaking out on set, but like, replaced it with Stewie Griffin and changed nothing else about it except for that? That's the joke, next scene.

I know, we're digressing hard off the fashion here, but the fashion itself is just a symptom of a much bigger problem that expands even beyond Lore Olympus - Rachel plays things way too safe. Even her responses in her interviews are painfully subdued, often resorting to the same tired answers that we've heard 823190589320 times before to the same hand-picked questions that are undoubtedly chosen ahead of time to ensure she doesn't have to answer anything too complicated. And when she does say "I have thoughts about xyz" she never actually... expresses her thoughts. She just says she does and then moves on without any further elaboration because she can't wholeheartedly commit to whatever thoughts she has going on.

Granted, I'm sure that part of that is owed to the fact that she might feel like she can't say anything while the critics are breathing down her neck. I can understand that. But it's gotten so chronic that it's now bleeding into the work itself and it's led to even more criticism of her work. Need I remind you that this is the same person who copy pasted the definition of "xenia" from a first result Google search into her comic instead of naturally writing it into the script:

Rachel played it so safe that she basically treated her own audience like kindergartners by explaining what a scene meant even after explaining it in the text:

As true as it is in fashion, writing stories and making art takes risks. That doesn't mean you have to completely throw caution to the wind, but if you don't take risks, you do yourself the disservice of writing something that can truly be called unique and special to you. If you don't use your influences wisely, if you don't analyze and re-analyze what's influenced you over the years, you're going to wind up losing a lot of subtext in those influences and missing out on the opportunity to add your own voice into the re-interpretation. Rachel does take a lot of risks in LO, but they're not calculated risks, they're not risks that actually have any meaning behind them, she's sort of just throwing stuff at a wall and seeing what sticks, and worst of all, when it doesn't stick, she herself doesn't stick to it, she backpedals, she cowers away from the decisions she's made.

Rachel expressed her worries about depicting fashion that would become aged, but Lore Olympus is already aged through her own inability to commit to her decisions, take risks, and find her voice. It's aged itself through its poor interpretations of the myth, it's aged itself through its reliance on Tumblr tropes that have already been replaced tenfold, and it's aged itself through Rachel herself riding off the initial innovation of creating Lore Olympus and then never continuing to challenge herself or raise the bar for herself.

It proves true the discussion around why Lore Olympus became popular - at the time, it was groundbreaking, drawn in a style that we hadn't seen much of before, with fresh new takes on the myth; now, in 2024, its 'takes' feel tired and half-baked, and its art style has become a corporate-scrubbed shell of what it once was. And yet, Rachel is still rewarded for it all the same, so settling for comfortable mediocrity has become the name of the game.

Rachel may be trying as hard as the Disney life action remakes and Kim Kardashian to put herself on the same pedestal as the greats of yesteryear simply by copying what they did, but in playing it this safe and refusing to find her own voice out of the voices that influenced her, Lore Olympus isn't timeless. It's soulless.

[icanseethefuture333]

A reading on

Marilyn Monroe

Channeled messages:

"I prefer to be called Norma."

"Being Marilyn was devastating for me."

"I was enriched with the pleasures and joys of the world, but I could only be Marilyn, not Norma."

"I created an identity to escape my sufferings, but only to be faced with more."

"I miss my friends dearly."

"My beloved ___ (she doesn't wish to state who)."

"It's just a dress. She (Kim 💀) did me a favor by ripping that old thing."

"I appreciate others caring for my memory, but they can honor me differently (she's saying don't be weird fr)."

"I have plenty of other dresses that are far more beautiful."

"I actually didn't care for dressing up that much, I preferred to dressed casually and comfortably!"

"At first I was hurt by the movies they made about me, now I just laugh, they are obsessed with me, it's ridiculous."

"Oh, yes... *grins* (I asked is she at peace now that she's passed)."

"I am finally a happy old lady with wrinkles! I'm glad!"

Marilyn's past life lessons

Norma was a master manifestor. She had a powerful subconscious mind and was able to visualize her desires into her reality. Norma wanted change and she got it. Creating a new reality for herself as "Marilyn Monroe", when she previously used to be "Norma Jean". "If I could go back I would have healed first before focusing on pursuing my dream." By manifesting her dream as an actor, this also expanded her consciousness to a higher level. Norma was highly intelligent and spiritual. When she made it to the top, she had regrets regarding her past, her choices, and her loved ones. "I abandoned someone dear to me and I miss them so much, my heart aches for my babies." I think out of everything Norma regrets was her miscarriages or inability to be pregnant full term, she very much so wanted to be a mother but it just never happened. Despite this not being her fault, she feels to a point it was. "I had to mourn the loss of my children and the person I loved the most, I was not well." Her health decreased greatly in her acting career (mentally and physically). "I was being treated worse than a dog. Everyone only liked me to laugh at me, to fantasize about me. At least a dog had a place to go home to, what did I have left? Nothing." Towards the end of her life, she took it upon herself to take many risks and challenges. "I was going to get my freedom whether other people liked it or not. I am in control of my life, no one else." There is some sort of building that's significant or needs to be addressed, but I am unsure of what that place is or what it means 🧐. The events leading up to her death 😳...

I'm just gonna leave this here for interpretation 🙋🏽‍♀️

Marilyn's passing - what is her goal for the afterlife?

Norma does have plans to reincarnate. "I want to be reunited with my children." For her next life, her life lessons will be to learn how to trust others, discover what makes her happy, and to be more disciplined. "I can say I have done things I have shouldn't and I am terribly sorry for. I want to make it up to the people I care about if they will let me." Norma will live a more simpler life and as a way to give her a break from her past life's suffering, the universe could provide her with a happy and healthy family, or she will have to take the steps to get that wish fulfillment, but I do believe it will be possible. She will have to take responsibility for her actions, do something that is a good cause for others, and be empathetic to those surrounding her. I believe in Norma's next life she could work with children, perhaps a teacher? Or participate in a cause that helps with children. If she is unable to have a full term pregnancy, she could resort to adopting kids or being a foster mother. Norma will be more accepting of the challenges that come with this next lifetime and is already aware or prepared for it. "The past is the past and I am ready for my future."

[cornishkat]

Midnight Kiss

Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x F!Reader

Warnings: None just pure fluff

Summary:  A fancy dress New Years Eve party and a red dress might just get you a midnight kiss with Hangman.

Notes:  Juts a quick fluffy little New Year one shot.

The Hard Deck looked great, shining and sparkling with decorations for New Years Eve.  You were looking forward to seeing in 2023 with the other Daggers and also seeing the back of 2022, it had be a hard year, but the past few months back at Top Gun with the Dagger Squad had made it better.  You were looking forward to all of you being able to cut loose after the last mission and just enjoy yourselves knowing that you had at least the next few days off.

Payback and Fanboy had called fancy dress and you didn’t even mind that, it had been fun going to find your costumes with Phoenix.  You were also looking forward to seeing what everyone else was going to turn up wearing, though you couldn’t even begin to imagine what Mav would turn up as.

Phoenix had gone with a Great Gatsby flapper dress, and she looked stunning, you had thought about doing the same but then you had seen a copy of Marilyn Monroe’s red dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  The red sequins glittered and shimmered and you had stared at it so long that Phoenix had made you go and try it on.

“Oh, my good you look amazing, you have to wear it”

Turning around in the mirror you looked at yourself from all angles, it was so beautiful, but it was also slit all the way up to the to the middle of your thighs and neckline plunged down to almost your waist.

“I really don’t think I can pull this off”

“Believe me you can more than pull it off and I can’t wait to see Hangman’s face when he sees you in this dress”

“I have told you before, Hangman is not interested in me.  He flirts with everyone, I’m nothing special”

“He may flirt with everyone, but he doesn’t look at anyone else the way he looks at you”

“Quit it Phoenix, I am sure he will find himself a stunning woman to kiss at midnight”

“I am willing to bet money on the fact it will be you he is kissing at midnight”

“You can make that bet, and I will be more than happy to take your money”

“$100 says I’m right”

“I’ll feel bad about taking your money, but you’re on”

Now as you stood in the bar you were starting to regret your choice of attire, you felt like a million dollars, but you also felt nervous as the rest of the crew had never seen you in anything other than a flying suit or sports kit.  And no matter how much you had protested to Phoenix earlier you were wondering how Hangman would react.  You couldn’t deny your attraction to him, but you were also well aware he could have his pick of women and there was no way you could measure up.

Before you could consider further if you had chance to go home and change into something less conspicuous before anyone else arrived you heard a low whistle from behind you.

“Phoenix, Merlin looking hot”

Turning you saw Rooster walking across the bar in a full Elvis jumpsuit with Payback and Fanboy behind him rocking very cool pirate costumes.

“So, I take it the fancy dress call was just so you two could live out your pirate fantasy?”

“Hell yes, but Merlin it was also worth it so see you in that dress, you are looking damn fine, who knew you could scrub up so well”

“I’ll take that as a compliment I think”

“Ok make away the drinks are on the King”

“Why do I think that costume is going to be an excuse for you to start singing later Rooster”

“It’s Now or Never”

Groaning you all moved to let Rooster to the bar, that was not going to be the last Elvis song used in a cheesy line tonight by him.

“Anyone seen Coyote or Hangman?”

“Properly still doing their hair and waiting to make big entrance”

“Well, it isn’t easy to look this good all of the time”

Peeking out from behind Rooster you saw Hangman and Coyote sauntering over to the bar.  They had both gone full cowboy, plaid shirts, jeans, finished off with waistcoats, cowboy boots and hats and gun holsters slung on their hips.  

“Looking good Hangman”

“Feeling good Rooster, you getting the drinks in?”

“On it”

As Rooster stepped to the bar, he cleared the path between you and Hangman.

“Holy Shit Merlin, that is one hell of a dress”

“Well allegedly gentlemen prefer blondes”

“Yes, we do”

“Hangman are you classing yourself as a gentleman?”

“Sweetheart for you always”

Despite your initial nerves as the drinks flowed and the music played you were really enjoying yourself. Everyone hit the dancefloor and Rooster had jumped onto the piano and given his best Elvis rendition.    As you leant again the piano you looked out at the rest of the squad enjoying themselves and your heart swelled.  Smiling as you saw Penny and Mav at the bar dressed as a Pink Lady and a T-Bird.

Hangman couldn’t take his eyes off you, that dress was positively sinful, and you had gotten every detail perfect from the red satin shoes to the way your blond curls formed a shining halo around your face.  He needed to be kissing you at midnight, come hell or high water his lips needed to be on yours.  His stomach flipped as he watched you leaning up against the piano, you were radiant.  He knew his feelings for you had been developing over the last few months but his usual confidence with women seemed to desert him when it came to you.  And he didn’t want to just turn on the charm and get you into bed for one night, he, Jake Seresin actually wanted the whole world with you, all of it.  Tonight, was going to be the night, fortune favours the brave and with you looking like that he couldn’t afford to wait around for some other guy to sweep you off your feet.

As Rooster finished singing and the music was put back on you felt someone come over and stand by your side.

“So, Marylin, do you have a dance for a cowboy”

Looking across Hangman was stood next to you in a mock bow holding his hand out to you.

Smiling you placed your hand in his and let him lead you to the dancefloor, as he swung you into his arms you caught sight of Phoenix dancing behind him, smiling she winked at you, and you rolled your eyes back at her.  As the song ended and a slow song began neither of you moved, he pulled you closer and swayed you gently against him.  As you felt his body against yours and rested your cheek on his you felt like you had come home, and you never wanted the dance to end.  But eventually the song ended, and he released you.

Hangman glanced at his watch, there was five minutes until midnight, and he needed to make sure he was with you.  When he had danced with your earlier and held you in her arms he knew his fate was sealed.  Scanning the bar he searched for you, he could see Phoenix and Bob over by the bar, but he couldn’t find you.  He could feel his heart sink as he scanned back around the room,

“You ok man?”

“Coyote, have you seen Merlin?”

“Ahh, getting ready to make your move at midnight?”

“Not if I can’t find her”

“Last I saw her she was over at the bar with Mav”

Hangman swung around again and there you were, laughing with Mav.  As he started to move his way across to the bar, he heard the countdown begin.  He strode across the bar; his only thought was to get to you before the clock struck midnight.  

As you took the glass of champagne offered by Phoenix you couldn’t help but look around for Hangman, the thought of your dance echoing through your mind and as the countdown began you realised, he was the only one you wanted to be kissing as the new year began.  You saw him making a beeline for you across the bar as the countdown continued and you could feel the smile spreading on your face as he grew closer.  Your eyes met with his and the look of determination on his face made you smile even more.  He didn’t seem to even notice the women trying to get his attention as he moved through crowd and you realised, he only had eyes for you, and it made your heart soar.  He came to a stop in front of you as the countdown finished, five, four, three, two , one…

Cupping your face with his hands he pressed his lips to yours, gently at first but has he felt you respond he deepen the kiss.  There might as well not have been anyone else in the room in that moment, just you and him.  As you eventually broke apart to catch your breath,

“Happy New Year Merlin”

“Happy New Year Hangman”

The rest of the squad surrounded both of you,

“About time”

“Thank god, I thought they were never going to get there”

“Merlin, you can keep the $100, it was only an incentive to give you a little nudge”

Hangman looked at you with a quizzical look,

“$100?”

“She bet me $100 that we would kiss at midnight, as she seemed to think you wanted to kiss me” “Well she had that right, sweetheart I have been wanting to do that for months”

“I never thought you saw me in that way”

“Are you kidding me I was in love with you even before you wore that dress”

“Well cowboy best you take me home tonight or lose me forever”

“Yes Ma’am”

[wishforchaos]

Sanders Sides HCs: things that I own that I think they'd wear.

Bc I am diving back into my childhood medias so I can slightly heal from the HUGE traumas that are about to come my way family-wise.

ANYWAY-

Patton:

Light blue GAP sweater: super soft and casual, with a soft V-neck. Could be paired with a cute skirt or pants, with either ankle boots or nicer tennis shoes.

Floral sundress: it's flowy, it's inner slip is soft, and the flower print fabric is sheer. This is based SOLELY off of vibes, but it fits.

White Beret: a souvenirs that I got in France. Could pair it with either of the aforementioned items.

Mary-Jane heels: my first pair of actual heels. Wore them to my first Homecoming. Holds sentimental value. Also I think he'd like the sound they make on hard floors.

Roman:

Sophomore year homecoming dress: it's shimmery, it's pink (i don'town much red, it doesn't look very good on me in most cases) , it's also flowy. It's a wrap dress made of very soft...satin? I think? Not really sure but I got it in Francesca's at the mall, and curled my hair to look like a brunette Marilyn Monroe. Has a bit of tragedy hung on it, as I left homecoming crying that year.

Red Christmas dress: one of the few red things I own and looks good on me. It's sleeveless, high necked, and is made out of velvet. Its a cooler red, hits about knee length, and has a dropped waist. Like down to the bottom of the dress where there's soft like....ruffles? Pleats? Idk ask Calvin Klein. Got it at TJ MAXX for really cheap though.

Red and white striped swater: super cute, REALLY SOFT LIKE OMG, and another red thing that looks good on me! Yay! Pair it with jeans or a black skirt and it looks nice. Oh! It's cropped too. It was a Christmas sweater, before I came to terms with being nonbinary and started to wear feminine stuff again. Super fluffy and warm.

Burnt Orange (?) Maxi skirt: long, flowy, and makes you feel like you're in a medieval town. I got it in a cute little boutique in a smaller town in my state. Got a warm yellow top and felt like Dolores Madrigal. However it can be paired with a plain black or white top. I personally pair it with a black spaghetti strap bralette, easiest way to describe it.

Mary-Jane Heels: "But Wish!" I hear you say "those are listed under Patton!" And you would be absolutely right! They are, aren't they? Well I left a part out about these heels. They're also my theater shoes. My character shoes! I did my first high-school show in them! Oh it was so fun! I found out I can full on sprint in them too, while doing theater! Memories, memories! Danced all night in them. I even wore them to homecoming again with the aforementioned pink dress!

White Beret: another thing from Patton's list, yes. But it's from France, it's stylish, and could work very well within Roman's wardrobe! I actually bought it in Paris! How fun that I bought it in the city of love! Roman would very much enjoy that I feel.

Logan:

Freshman year homecoming dress: shorter, tighterfitting, and dark blue. Nothing to snag, get caught on, or trip over. Practical, and you look good while doing whatever you so choose to do in it. I also met my boyfriend in this dress! He stopped me from maiming a guy who was harassing my friends in it! How fun! It's shimmery too by the way, for a bit of flair.

Knee length black skirt with lace and a strip of ribbon: practical, more conservative, yet still looks good. Got it at St. Vincent's (a thrift store) and was so glad I did.

Black worn leather bag: a hand-me-down from my great-aunt to my mother, who in turn let me have it after I expressed interest in it, it's a messenger bag-esque style purse. It has space to store pencils, id's, wallets, sanitary items, even some books! Very fun and stylish, while also functional!

Black heeled ankle boots: another staple in my classier shoe wardrobe (which is mostly boots, accompanied by three pairs of tennis shoes, one pair of flats, and two pairs of sandals), and made of suede, pretty sure they're also a designer brand that I got for cheap. They are designer, just not Luxury brand, how fun! I think Logan would enjoy the minute I just spent googling about that.

Virgil:

Ghostface graphic tee: got at Hot Topic, it's Ghostface in a car with the text "get in loser! We're going to watch scary movies!" And I found it funny so I bought it. I just think Virgil would vibe with it.

Demonia Ranger 301s: my fist pair of Demonia platforms! I wear them the most out of all my boots haha. They're very simple, only two-three inches and overall just complete a vibe.

Plain purple hoodie: self explanatory, really.

Grey plaid hoodie: also self explanatory.

Grey and white Fall Out Boy hoodie: one of the first hoodies that I wore religiously. I think Virgil would appreciate the band, and also the fact that at one point, I could fit my whole body into it.

Remus:

Hand cropped tank top: the most risqué article of clothing I own. It was made out of stretchy fabric, something I didn't take into consideration when I marked where I wanted to crop. So when I cut it off, and put it on, it barely covered my chest. Needless to say my parents were NOT pleased, but they let me keep it because I liked it and I MADE it. I tend to layer this under a mesh top that I own. I would list it, but the color scheme doesn't fit Remus at all. It's black.

Black miniskirt: a pleated black miniskirt that I own. If I had my way, this item and the cropped tank would be an outfit, but my parents wouldn't let me out of the house, so that's a not for now. It's mid thigh length.

Fishnet thigh-highs: the man would wear fishnets. You can't tell me otherwise.

Jean jacket: it's a lightwash, but it's covered with pins and is overall going to be very alt fashion once I'm done with it. I think either Virgil or Remus would wear this tbh.

Leather jacket: I have two but this one is big, bulky, and is real leather. A hand-me-down from my aunt, I LOVE this thing and I'm sure Remus would too. It's perfect for riding on a motorcycle.

Janus:

Leather Jacket: my other one, slim, classy, but still has edge. It's got cool stitching on some of the panels too.

Midi-length yellow skirt: it sits just below my knees, and is a dark golden yellow color, pair it with a button down, tights, and heeled boots and it's very classy.

Yellow and white checkered dress: a similar yellow to the skirt, the dress has one sleeve, and a cutout on the side. Very interesting but also very flattering. If I remember correctly, it also has pockets and a slit. Over all, very classy.

Knee length boots: they're my motorcycle boots when I don't wear my platforms. No seriously, that's what they're made for! They're Harley-Davidson. They've got lacing on the side, a small heel, not even an inch I don't think, and a H-D logo on the faux strap on the top.

Sorry that this was so long, but I hope you enjoyed!

[strxnged]

@theradiac why thank you for asking. i feel noticed and heeded.

my current tumblr theme is currently inspired by kpop girl group (g)i-dle's latest title track, "nxde," which is a partial tribute to marilyn monroe and partially to banksy's shredded painting. the personal significance of this is, as someone who tends to be more literally modest in my dressing but more importantly modest in my identity, taking encouragement from the lyrics of the song to embrace my personality and giftings. ms. monroe is mainly known for her fantastic work in the sexual liberation of women in her time, but also for pointing out how sad it is that she was often reduced to just that. the shredding of the painting, of the "luxury nxde", is the conviction to "think outside the box," to imagine my human experience as deeper and more "genuine" (hence the nxde, which has more than one meaning) undertaking. i'm fucking tomboy — i am who i am, regardless of my appearance, and yes, i'm nxde — i am striving for mental presence and genuinity. "how do i look?" i don't care about your answer, baby, i'm happy to be me

[mimiatmidnight]

I posted 865 times in 2022

That's 576 more posts than 2021!

338 posts created (39%)

527 posts reblogged (61%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@jechristine

@harryandmeghansussex

@mmarkle

@theiconicmeghanmarkle

@gallarie

I tagged 624 of my posts in 2022

Only 28% of my posts had no tags

#✨️.zip - 101 posts

#fashun - 89 posts

#taylor - 35 posts

#meghan markle - 33 posts

#🎃.spk - 27 posts

#met gala - 19 posts

#interiors - 15 posts

#oscars - 13 posts

#prince harry - 11 posts

#cannes - 11 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#just kidding i will be using their hydrating cleanser until i die 🥰 i love you la roche posay 🥰 i never spoke ill of you la roche posay🥰

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

She looked stunning and fresh in this gown 😭😍 so pretty!

Fresh is totally the right word. She looks like she rose straight from the natal seas of Aphrodite herself. Christopher John Rogers's design is PHENOMENAL

See the full post

73 notes - Posted February 27, 2022

#4

Your post about Kim's failure to wear that dress reminds me of the usual convo around perfection and how looking flawlessly perfect is boring. But even then that dress was iconic because of Marilyn, Kim looked like a fashion nova sponsored influencer from ugly tacky heels to horrible hair color and style. Idc that idiots want to act dumb to defend rich people doing whatever they want but preserving fashion *is* important and spoiled brats shouldn't risk ruining pieces because they want attention

Yes, I very briefly touched on those topics in my original tags. I didn't expect that post to get quite as much reach as it's getting right now, but if I had, I would have explored those ideas more fully within the post itself. Regardless, you are so right that there is so much more to making a look work than just the dress itself. They had NOTHING interesting going on in her makeup, and just as boring was the same old tired slicked back bun (and am I correct in understanding she was not blonde before this event? Meaning this was her lackluster attempt at some sort of homage to Marilyn? Jesus.) I believe the statement they believed they would be making is that it's all about Kim's silhouette. Let her curves do the talking, and what not. Nevermind that we've been staring at that same silhouette, willingly or unwillingly, for well over a decade at this point, and it's been copied in several hundreds of other celebrities and influencers alike. She needed . . . so much more. I took her shoe choice as a personal insult, I must say. Absolutely atrocious. Also, I suppose this can't be helped, but the color of the dress was also totally wrong against Kim's skin tone (well, it can be helped by leaving the dress to only be worn by the woman for whom it was specifically created).

And most insulting of all, of course, are the greater implications of the stunt. This self-declaration that she is the Marilyn Monroe of our time. Because all Kim understands Marilyn as is that she was a sex symbol. And so she thinks she's naturally got that covered. As if Marilyn herself was not deeply disturbed by the reduction of her personhood to the mere appearance of her body. It's a sickening dishonor to her memory. I don't know this woman or her family personally, but my impression of them is that they are a deeply uncurious people. That video of Kourtney being asked about her outfit and what the gala's theme means to her, and her replying "I honestly didn't really think about it." Like 😐 Ok thank you for being honest I guess, now please never come back here again. And of course, how this whole thing has displayed the utter lack of respect for the sanctity of historical artifacts and the appalling entitlement to our culture's shared heirlooms. The whole thing is just so . . . upsetting.

81 notes - Posted May 5, 2022

#3

I would like everyone to know that this tweet was how I found out the news.

96 notes - Posted September 8, 2022

#2

Class reductionism is so funny because it will bring you a socialist saying full-heartedly, "Stop defending that Black woman from racism. Don't you know there are people who are underpaid!!" Like I'm dead this woman actually said, "Guys this is Not A Good Look™ 😕"

Grace, my comrade . . . people have the ability to care about two things at once. And no, economic violence against poor white women is not any more important than racist violence against wealthy Black women.

Disrespectfully, shut the fuck up <3

112 notes - Posted September 22, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

It's so true like they really just don't compare, but I can't really explain to myself why? Like the dress just looks so uninteresting on kim, but it was so different in the original on MM

Besides all the complex intertwining external factors we've been discussing, purely on an aesthetic level, I think the difference you're feeling is the effect of shapewear. Part of the Kardashians' whole brand is pushing the limits reality to achieve their definition of (or really, the illusion of their definition of) perfection. I think of Khloe's infamous breakdown a little while ago when a candid photo leaked of her looking human in a bathing suit. She was thrown into an actual panic. It was honestly devastating to watch. And here, with Kim's look, she has her body so smoothed and corseted and shapewear-ed into an image of some alien figure that just looks . . . like nothing. I look at her and I feel absolutely nothing.

The magic of Marilyn's look was that she was not trying to hide ANYTHING. You could practically see her entire body beneath the dress. She was showing off every single dip and sag and roll and dimple. You look at her and for a split second you think she's standing in front of you completely naked, until you look again and you notice she's actually covered in crystals. Like . . . that is so iconic I can't even fully verbalize it. She is unapologetically imperfect and you cannot take your eyes off of her. Like I talked about before, everything Marilyn wore was about how she looked in it, never how it looked on her. And that is something you simply cannot replicate.

233 notes - Posted May 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[sunthony]

truly hate the sudden burst in popularity for running up that hill and that its become just another passing consumable fad that will be beaten to death with netflix and tiktok's tire irons while it's overchewed and spit back out. not in an ageist way (i have no legs to stand on here, i am only 24 and have heard the song maybe 3 times total before This Godforsaken Trend) but in an i cannot stand the way we treat anything we enjoy at this point way, and an i hate that the song will forever be associated with stranger things for the rest of the entire generation that is 17 and younger right now way. and mainly in an i hate that nothing lasts anymore kind of way. like yes the song is from the 80s and its good for Ms. Kate Bush that it's gotten traction again but i am Sick thinking about the lifecycle of anything popular right now and that running up that hill is about to get the same treatment. like nothing is sacred! we will take music and art from any time period and completely and irrevocably mar it as we shove it into whatever current bullshit is being pumped out with our clumsy little fingers in our next big cash grab. kim kardashian marilyn monroe dress but for music/tv.

[jiejie-eonni-onee-sama]

I’d put a crown at your feet... (Part I)

For the dearest @marilynmonroefanfics​ 💝👄

Hope you’ll like the story.

TW: mentions of smut

June 1972. Castle of Balmoral.

Walking through the Scottish lands, Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, was in a foul mood. 

He felt like his life was falling apart for two years. Or maybe for more years? 

He did not remember when it went sour, but for sure, he knew that his life was a complete mess.

First of all, his marriage was falling apart: he and Elizabeth grew distant from each other. Farewell, the sweet romance of the beginning! Even the birth of Edward, their last child, did not manage to patch things up between them.

Secondly, his “dear” wife did not show any maternal love for their children. She cast Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward away, often scolding them for their mistakes and barely complimenting their efforts or successes. 

Philip had to admit that he was not really present for his children, but he was not at ease with them. Moreover, Elizabeth took perverse pleasure remembering his royal duties.

But the final straw was when he discovered that his spouse enjoyed the company of other men, to say the least.

Amazing! And he was the one the press accused of being a cheating husband! It is a topsy-turvy world!

As he was brooding over the disaster of his personal life, he did not hear the sound of a four-wheel-drive coming near to him until a familiar voice called him:

"Hello there, dear brother-in-law!"

He turned around and saw Margaret at the wheel of her vehicle, a slight smile on her face.

"What are you doing here?"

"Invading Scotland! Seriously, I'm escaping from my sister's boring sycophants! They were wasting my day!"

Philip smirked: his sister-in-law was the best person to understand how he felt in this oppressive world. Even if they did not have the same character, Philip and Margaret managed to get along. Especially since they had to tolerate Elizabeth's obnoxious behavior for some years.

"If you talk about the Daniels and the Furlingtons, you took the best decision! I would do the same!"

"Is it not what you're currently doing? Escaping from my dear sister at long strides?"

The prince shrugged.

"Maybe..."

"I see... Fancy a ride?"

"Is it risky?" joked Philip.

"Oh, don't be such a coward! Get in the car!"

"How could I refuse such a lovely request?" said her brother-in-law with irony as he climbed in the car!

Soon after, they were driving into the Scottish countryside, enjoying the view at every turn. Philip admitted that his legs needed some rest after his long walk.

After half an hour of driving, Margaret stopped the car, and they appreciated the point of view.

"Well, I have to tell: you are an excellent driver!"

"Oh, I had a good teacher! Dad and I used to drive there when I was younger!"

She sadly smiled.

"I remember his laugh... He told me how bold I was!"

"I wish I could have those kinds of memories with my own father!" answered Philip.

"Sure, you were not lucky!"

Both stayed silent, watching the calm landscape until Margaret spoke again.

"If Dad were among us, he would never let Elizabeth behaving that way with you or the children!"

"You're probably right. Unfortunately, I don't know what your mother thinks about it!"

"Don't worry about that! She often criticizes Lizzie for her lack of maternal love! She said that the monarch of Great Britain should never forget both their royal obligations and their parental duties!"

"Regrettably, your sister does not really care about it!"

Margaret scoffed.

"You bet she did not listen! My dear sister repeats that her children are more a burden than a blessing!"

She turned towards Philip.

"Speaking of that, make some effort, damn it! It looks like you're trying to avoid them at any cost! Don't you love your children?"

This question hit Philip like a punch!

"What are you talking about? Of course, I love my children!"

"Then, act like it! They are craving affection, and they cannot count on their mother for that! They need their father, and if you don't do anything to rectify the situation, you will regret it!"

The Duke of Edinburgh sighed.

"I know that it's not an excuse, but nobody taught me how to be a father. I tried my best, but I only witness the disaster I've created!"

"Don't be so pessimistic, or you're going to make me depressed! Sincerely, between you and my sister, you are the better parent! You just have to improve it, and it's not too late!"

She frowned.

"But I can't even believe Lizzie dared cheat on you with this jackass!"

"You know the name of her lover?"

"The most recent one? Of course, I know his name... and you know him too!"

"Who is it?"

"You won't like it... But it's Roger Acherville, one of your squires!"

Enraged, Philip struck the dashboard.

"DAMN IT! THIS RASCAL BOWED AND SCRAPED IN FRONT OF ME, BUT SHARED MY WIFE'S BED!"

Margaret bit her lip: she wished she never had to tell that news to her brother-in-law, but she must tell him the truth, even if it hurts like hell!

"I'm sorry, Philip. I'd prefer never tell you this..."

He interrupted her.

"No, you were right. You did well to tell me who my wife is cheating on me with right now!"

Philip was upset. How could Elizabeth do such a thing to him, after all they have been through together?

"But now I don't know what to do ..."

He turned to Margaret and saw that she was wearing a big, mischievous smile.

The kind of smile that announced that she had an idea behind her head and that didn't promise well.

"What are you going to tell me again as a twisted idea?"

"You know the law of retaliation: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth..."

"I know this motto, indeed. And then?"

"Well, what I mean is... I allow you to get your own back on my sister!"

Philip opened his eyes wide: he thought he hallucinated? Did Margaret just authorize him to cheat on Elizabeth? 

Years ago, she would have torn his eyes out if he ever imagines that possibility!

But now, the circumstances were different, and she was his best ally in Buckingham Palace.

Moreover, the idea of finding solace in someone else's arms was not unpleasant... 

He nodded.

"Alright! You convinced me!"

"Really?"

"Yes! After all, why my dear wife should be the one having fun?"

"That's the spirit, dear in-law! Before you start finding a lover, do you know what would make me happy?"

"What?"

"Shave that goddamn beard! You look like a caveman!"

The prince consort laughed: he almost forgot his bushy beard!

"What is the problem with that? It looks nice to me! People would think that I am an explorer! Or a Viking: after all, I am a Danish prince! Or maybe Socrates, as I am a Greek Prince too!"

"Of course, and I look like the lost twin of Marilyn Monroe!" she taunted the Duke while playfully punching him on the shoulder.

The two royals laughed and spoke for a long time, far from their daily issues. After all, this day was the beginning of a new journey for Philip Mountbatten...

Two months later. August 1972

Philip adjusted his bow tie: he hoped he wasn't doing anything stupid by accepting Margaret's invitation to one of her parties. She had promised him that he would not be bored and that he might find the perfect person.

He sighed: he knew he was running a risk looking for a mistress. 

If ever the press caught him in the arms of a woman, his reputation was gone! And his wife would not hesitate to put him down!

Straightening his chest, he gave a satisfied smile and got ready to join his sister-in-law when his son Andrew entered the room:

"Good evening, father ... Oh, you are very elegant!"

"Thanks, Andrew."

"Are you going out tonight?"

"Indeed, yes. I'm accompanying your Aunt Margaret to one of her parties. According to her, I am the guest of honor."

The 12-year-old boy nodded.

"Does ... Mother approve of this?"

"I have to. At least, your father will stop my sister from doing something stupid!" answered a familiar voice.

With these words, Queen Elizabeth entered the room. Dressed in a pearl gray satin dress, she had put on her most exquisite jewelry. She looked stern, almost disdainful. 

"Good evening, mother. You are beautiful tonight!"

The queen ignored the compliment and turned to her husband.

"Can I count on you so that Margaret doesn't end up dead drunk in another man's bed?"

"I'll do my best ... And you, what have you planned tonight?"

"I'm attending a reception at the Indian Embassy. As for Mother, she spends the evening with her lady-in-waiting, and Edward stays with them."

"And what about Charles and Anne?"

"I have no idea, and I don't want to know!"

Philip raised his eyebrows.

"I thought every parent should be worried about their children's nighttime activities!"

She replied in an annoyed tone.

"Oh, don't say such nonsense! They are old enough to fend for themselves! Besides, I have other priorities!"

She glanced at the clock that sat quietly in the back of the room.

"If you have nothing else to tell me, I'll leave you! I have to go to the embassy! Have a good evening!"

She turned on her heels and took off at a brisk pace, leaving her husband and son alone.

The Duke saw the sad look on Andrew's face and felt pain for him: how many times has he witnessed his wife ignore their children's words?

He tried to cheer his son up:

"Come on, it's nothing. I'm sure your compliment made your mother happy!"

Andrew replied:

"Don't bother too much about it, father. She does not care what I tell her. And she does the same to Charles, Anne, and even Edward!"

The young boy turned his gaze to his father:

"Even you, she snubs you all the time!"

"Well ... let's say that between adults, things can get more complicated!"

"Well, that doesn't make you want to be an adult!"

Philip laughed at the clear opinion of his third child.

"Don't worry, it won't be like this all the time! I'm sure you'll find someone you get along with!"

"I hope so too..."

Changing the subject, Philip asked:

"So what about you? What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm staying with Grandma and Edward. At least, I am sure to have a good evening!"

"I think so too. Well, I have to leave you: if I arrive late, your aunt might strangle me!"

"What are you waiting for? Go ahead!"

"I'm going! See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, father!"

Philip kissed his son on the forehead before heading outside the palace, where a limousine awaited him.

He got into the back of the vehicle and ordered his driver:

"We can go, Henry! Let's go to Princess Margaret's residence!"

"Right away, Your Highness!"

And the vehicle set off, taking the prince to the place of the party.

A few minutes later, he arrived outside Kensington Palace, where several luxury cars were already parked in the driveway.

With a steady step, he entered the house where a butler greeted him with deference:

"Welcome to Kensington Palace, Your Royal Highness."

"Thank you. Could you tell the Princess that I have arrived?"

"She's in the main living room, Your Highness. If you please follow me, sir ..."

The Duke of Edinburgh followed the servant into a large room with dancing music and laughter.

Philip spotted Margaret, in her best dress, chatting happily with her guests.

The butler walked up to his employer and announced:

"Lady Snowden, His Royal Highness Duke Philip of Edinburgh has arrived."

"Perfect! He's coming at the right time! Thanks, Howard!" Margaret exclaimed before going to greet her brother-in-law.

"Good evening, Philip. I see you dressed up… But you still haven't shaved your goddamn beard! What did I tell you?"

“This must be my rebellious side…” smirked Philip.

This remark amused the princess, who grinned.

"You got the point!"

She took his wrist.

"Come on! I have some lovely people to introduce you to!"

And so Philip became acquainted with singers, actors, dancers, musicians, artists, and other socialites of good English society.

Suddenly, he noticed the presence of a young man who was talking to some artists.

Although he tried to stay focused on the conversation, he found it difficult to take his eyes off this mysterious young man.

The latter had dark skin, raven hair, and intense ebony eyes. Dressed in an elegant black suit, he was rather slender and had elegant hands.

Philip saw that he was wearing light makeup that showed off his face. 

Margaret saw that her brother-in-law seemed hypnotized by the young man. She smiled:

"Tell me, Philip, would you like me to do the introductions with that handsome brunette over there?"

"What? Come on, Margaret, you don't have to ..."

"No way! Follow me!"

Letting out a long sigh, the Duke followed the Princess, who addressed her guests:

"So, are you having fun?"

"Absolutely, Maggie! This night is awesome!"

"I am delighted about it!"

She turned to the man who accompanied the mysterious young man.

"Jonathan, you nasty little secretive! You did not present me this delicious young person who accompanies you!"

"Where are my good manners? Margaret, Prince Philip, let me introduce you to Piero De Angelis! He is a model of your husband Anthony!"

"I should have guessed! Anthony has always had an eye for beauty!"

The British princess turned to the man named Piero.

"And you, my dear, how do you like this evening? Are you having fun, I hope?"

"Oh yes, Your Highness. I'm having a great evening!"

The prince noticed that he had a voice that was soft enough for a man.

"I am delighted about it!" smiled Margaret, who nudged Philip lightly.

The latter, having understood the message, cleared his throat before asking:

"Like that, your name is Piero? Like the character from commedia dell'arte?"

"Not quite, but I admit it sounds like it! My name is spelled P-I-E-R-O, while the character is spelled P-I-E-R-R-O-T. That is all the difference!"

"I see ... When you take a closer look, you look a bit like him!"

"Oh, really? Do I look melancholic?"

"No, but your makeup is as subtle as his!"

His sister-in-law slapped her forehead: she feared Philip might bring out one of his sharp sense of humor. His jokes tend to upset those involved. 

However, she did not expect Piero to respond maliciously:

"Beware, Your Highness: appearances are often deceptive. For example, when I look at you, I can say that it must be several centuries since you last saw a shaving foam!"

This gibe amused Margaret, who gave a fit of laughter, while the other guests gasped in horror: how dared this young commoner speaking to the prince consort with such poor manners?

As for Philip, he was taken aback: no one ever ventured to respond to one of his jokes. But he had to say: Piero had some spirit, and he liked that!

He laughed:

"Well played! I appreciate people with some character!"

Philip offered his hand to the young man:

"I know when I lost the game."

Smiling, the young Mister De Angelis shook hands with the prince:

"It was an honor verbally sparring with a member of the Royal family!"

At the second their hands touched, Philip felt like electricity went all over his body. He thought it has been years since he underwent such emotion... 

As for Piero, he was mesmerized: he always found Prince Philip attractive when he saw him on official pictures, but now, the young man could affirm that the prince consort was handsome, to say the least. 

The young man also observed that Philip's piercing eyes hid something else, but he could not tell what: sadness? Or melancholy? Hope? 

Yet, he was sure that the Duke of Edinburgh was not as happy as he seemed.

When they stopped shaking hands, Piero bowed respectfully before Philip:

"It was a pleasure speaking with you, sir."

"The pleasure was mine, Signore De Angelis."

Amused, the young man slightly bowed his head before he turned his heels and walked away.

Philip smirked: this young Piero was the most interesting man he ever met so far.

He glanced at Margaret, who smirked slightly. Looks like she had something in her mind...

"What?"

"Nothing... I just confirm that you find your match!" she muttered as she sipped her glass of Martini.

Rolling his eyes, Philip answered:

"Please, do not make overly ambitious plans!"

"What? Do not give me that stern look!"

Shaking his head in disbelief, Philip glanced at the young man with a sly smile on his face: he had the feeling that Piero would have an intriguing role in the future...

Two weeks later, at Kensington Palace.

In the main living room of the palace, Philip and Margaret talked about many gossips and their respective marriages.

"I'm glad to hear that you and Anthony are on better terms!"

"Yes. I would not lie, it was struggling. But, in the end, it is worth fighting for!"

The prince nodded before sighing:

"I really hoped that things would get better between Elizabeth and me. Unfortunately, I have to certify that it only worsens! She avoids me most of the time, and I am sure she pretends to have different appointments to be with this Acherville!"

His sister-in-law puts a sympathetic hand on his arm.

"I am sincerely sorry for this, Philip."

"Thank you, Margaret. But, my hardship only strengthens my desire to see someone else... Someone who can love me for who I am!"

An impish smile came across Margaret's face.

"A little bird tells me that you have a specific young man in your mind, am I right?"

The Duke of Edinburgh raised his hands in defeat.

"There's no fooling you!"

The princess squealed in delight.

"I knew it! I saw this little sparkle in your eyes that says a lot about your feelings!"

"Wait a minute... Are not you upset by the fact that I may be romantically involved with a man?" 

She shrugged.

"As if I care! Choose whoever you want to sleep with, as long as it gets on Lizzie's nerves!"

"I recognize your open-minded character!" chuckled Philip.

"Indeed."

"Speaking of him, what can you tell me about this Piero De Angelis?"

"Are you reading on my mind? I was about to tell you what I know so far!"

"Go ahead!"

She cleared her throat and answered:

"Well, I asked my best friend, Lady Anne Tennant, to give me some pieces of information about him. According to her, he was born in a middle-class family who fled Italy during World War Two. Loving parents, close relationships with his siblings. A nice life, to sum up. 

He is six years older than Charles. She also told me that he graduated from Oxford, but he prefers modeling. He sometimes worked as a tutor for children of noble families. I approve of his model career: he has such good looks! It would be a shame not to take advantage of it!"

"Sure... What about his temperament? His hobbies?"

"As far as I know, he is an artist: he loves drawing, sculpting, dancing, taking artistic pictures, painting, acting, and singing! A perfect artist, I tell you. Those who know him say that he is patient, charming, cultivated, smart, polite, and humble... He has some humor, but you have already noticed it. Ah, I almost forgot! He has some... unusual tastes!"

Philip raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't imagine something scandalous! It's just that he loves good fashion, jewels, and perfumes."

"He has a fondness for feminine things..."

"Exactly. Is it not a problem?"

"Oh, I would handle... At least, I'll have someone to give those kinds of presents!"

"That's the Philip I know! I might add that he currently lives in the area of Westbourne, in the neighborhood of Notting Hill... which is not far from here!"

"You planned everything, did not you?"

"I learn to anticipate, dear in-law! He lives in a small house, so you won't be disturbed by potential housemates."

Philip smiled before saying:

"Alright. So, am I supposed to go there, and ask him out?"

Her grin confused the prince consort.

"Oh, dear... That won't be necessary!"

As Philip was about to ask what she meant, a butler appeared:

"Your Highness, Mister De Angelis is here. Shall I let him in?"

"Perfect, just in time! Let him in, Howard!"

The prince could not believe his ears:

"You invite him?"

"Of course, dear in-law! Like this, you would get to know each other better!"

At the same time, Piero entered the room, escorted by the butler. Margaret gave her warmest smile towards the young man:

"Piero, caro mio! What a pleasure to see you! How are you since the last time?"

"I am fine, thank you. I did not expect an invitation from you..."

He noticed the presence of Philip and bowed:

"Your Highness..."

"Mister De Angelis..."

Suddenly, Margaret stood up from her place and said:

"Well, you know what? I'll pop over Lady Anne and picking some pastries, while you two have a nice little conversation. I would not be too long..."

"What? But..." started Philip.

"No protest in my house! Alright, see you later!"

She turned her heels and walked out of the palace, followed by her butler.

The two men stood silent, looking at each other. Piero broke the silence as he tried a joke:

"I see that you finally shaved your beard..."

The prince chuckled:

"Yes, indeed. As you can see, my interview with the shaving foam went well."

"I hope my joke didn't offend you."

"Absolutely not. I'm fond of that kind of blunt humor, and I was pretty happy to find someone to share it with!"

"You see me honored, Your Highness."

Philip shook his head negatively.

"No formalities with me: we are not at Buckingham Palace! You can call me Philip!"

Piero was surprised by this inquiry but didn't really pay attention:

"However you like, Philip. In that case, you can call me Piero. Or Peter, if you prefer."

"Understood, Piero."

The young man asked:

"Did your wife ask you to shave?"

Piero regretted asking that question because he saw a glimmer of sadness in the Duke's eyes.

The latter sighed:

"No, I was the one who took that initiative. And to be honest, my wife doesn't really care about my hair choices. In fact, she doesn't really care about me at all!"

This revelation surprised Piero: he did not expect Prince Philip to make such a confession to him about his married life!

"You ... are you arguing?"

"If only that was all that! But unfortunately, there is also indifference, contempt, and estrangement!"

"I am sincerely sorry for you, Your Highness. But you know, all may not be lost: things will surely work out ..."

Philip laughed bitterly:

"How I would like to be as optimistic as you! But when the person you love goes to seek passion elsewhere, you no longer have any illusions!"

"Indeed, seen from that angle, it is a bad start to save a marriage ... But why are you telling me all this? You do not have to tell me these things."

With these words, the prince approached the young artist and replied:

“That's right, I'm not supposed to tell anyone about it. But I've been looking for someone for so long who could listen to me and understand me. I'm tired of feeling isolated… Nonetheless, ever since I met you, Piero, it's like the light has returned to my life. Yes, I know we barely got to know each other, but I've always trusted my instincts when it comes to people I meet, and I've been right every time. "

Piero began to understand where the duke was going and panicked:

"Huh? Oh no! No, no, no, and three times no!"

"What do you mean?" Philip asked, confused.

"I can see exactly what you want to ask, and I refuse! I don't want to be a simple consolation prize! I saw what it was like to be the lover of a king or a prince, and it doesn't make you want to be one! "

He continued in a calm tone:

"I have no doubt that you are a handsome man with many qualities, but I cannot accept being just a passing lover until the day you reconcile with the queen. I do not like the idea of being a simple shoulder to cry on that you give up as soon as everything is better. "

Philip was speechless: he expected everything but that! However, he should have waited a bit before declaring his love. But the tension in his relationship was so unbearable that he despaired finding someone he could love unconditionally.

And this young Piero was the person he needed ... he still had to accept!

Philip dropped to his knees in front of the young man, and took his hands between his while looking at him with pleading eyes:

"I swear Piero: if you were to become my lover, it's because I feel like no love exists anymore between Elizabeth and me. I suffered from abandonment when I was just a child, and I know only too well the harm it does. I would never do this to a person who is dear to me..."

"But get up, damn it! If we were seen like that ..." Piero stammered, panicked.

"I don't care! I know you are suspicious of beautiful promises, but I swear to you that I will never disappoint you. You will always be showered with gifts ..."

"Hang on! I'm not a materialist!"

"I know, I know ... I will make sure to spend time with you, I will call you regularly ... I will be the most devoted lover that can exist!"

The young man laughs lightly:

"Please, it feels like a Barbara Cartland novel!"

"Thank you for this unflattering comparison!" grumbled the prince, who smiled.

Philip stood up and asked:

"What are you going to decide?"

Piero bit his lip: to tell the truth, he was torn between two feelings. On the one hand, he was scared to become the lover of the Duke of Edinburgh. He did not want to betray the Queen and being the next prey of the press!

But on the other side, he had to admit that he was always fascinated by Prince Philip and his magnetic charm. And then there was this vulnerability in this man that the young man found irresistible.

After a few minutes of thought, he replied:

"I admit that this somewhat surprising declaration of love took me by surprise. And even if I do not want to be an accomplice in adultery, I want to give you a chance!"

Reassured, Philip dared to kiss the young man's tanned forehead and replied:

"I promise you won't regret it! How much time do I have ahead of me?"

"Two months. I think that will give me time to see if I can give it a go or not."

"And that will be more than enough to convince you!" Philip laughed.

10 months later. May 1973

The spring sun sneaked through the curtains, caressing Piero's sleepy face.

The latter woke up slowly and opened his eyes, a smile on his face.

He turned and fondly looked at his sleeping lover. 

The young man smiled when he saw Philip so appeased: he was happy to have accepted the prince consort's proposal.

At the same time, the latter succeeded in his probationary period: he was a considerate, loving, affectionate, and caring boyfriend. 

Piero had never had so many presents in his life: the number of beautiful clothes that filled his wardrobe was impressive. And what about the magnificent jewelry that Philip brought back from his official trips?

All this had convinced the young man to become Prince Philip's lover, but also his confidant: it was to him that the Duke of Edinburgh told of his marital misfortunes and his doubts about his ability to be a good father for their children. And Piero felt privileged to be one of the few to know Philip's emotional wounds.

But what made their relationship so intense was when they had sex. Although the prince was a middle-aged man, he was an experienced and vigorous lover. The first time they had sex, they took their time to get to know each other's bodies better and to have fun.

The other times, the antics were more intense, even passionate ... as was the case last night, when they "celebrated" Philip's return from an official trip to America.

He remembered the feel of Philip's rough yet gentle hands on his body, their bodies moving against each other, their cries of pleasure filling the air... It was a pleasant experience, even if it was the umpteenth time they made love.

Of course, the two lovers would like to see each other more often, but they had to be discreet so as not to attract the attention of the media, let alone that of the Queen.

But hey, that didn't bother Piero who was delighted not to become the new darling of London.

Suddenly he felt Philip stretch and wake up. The prince turned to his lover and smiled at him:

"Hello, mein Liebe. You are very early."

"To believe that I took your bad habit!" the young man smiled.

"But it's not a bad habit to be early in the morning. On the contrary, it gives me more time to enjoy your presence ..." the duke replied before kissing his lover.

"Speaking of having time to spare, wasn't it today that you promised Charles to have lunch with him?"

"Damn, I almost forgot!" Philip exclaimed, hopping out of bed before rushing into the bathroom.

"What a scatterbrain!" Piero laughed while getting dressed.

"I heard you!"

"That was the goal, amore!" replied the young man, teasingly.

5 minutes later, the Duke comes out of the bathroom, ready to return to his obligations.

"Am I presentable?"

"Honestly, you are still handsome!"

Smiling, Philip kissed his lover's cheek:

"I'll call you tonight, I promise."

"I will wait impatiently for your call ... Come on, go join your son!"

"I'm going right now. See you tonight!"

"See you tonight!"

As the Duke left the house, Peter lay still on his bed, a thoughtful smile on his lips.

He was glad that the relationship between Philip and his children had improved, especially thanks to his advice.

Piero had relied on his life with his parents and siblings to empower his lover to be a more present father to his children.

Speaking of which, Piero would love to meet his lover's offspring: seeing how Philip talks about it, they must be very nice young people.

He would love to talk about the arts with Charles, who seemed to be very passionate about it. 

He would also appreciate being able to walk with Anne and talk about lots of things or reassure her about her future as a young bride. 

He would love to give fashion advice to Andrew who was already paying attention to his appearance when he was only 13 years old.

 And he would be happy to spend time with Edward, the youngest of the siblings. 

This boy worried his father a lot because he was silent and always seemed sad...

Suddenly the phone rang, interrupting Piero's thoughts. 

He picked up the phone:

"Hello?"

"**Dear Piero, how are you?**"

"Oh, hello, Margaret. I'm fine, thank you. How about you?"

"**Oh, it's okay. As much as I wish I hadn't had tea with Sally Frodenborough! This woman is so boring, I thought I was going to fall asleep!**"

The young man laughed.

"Now do you understand why I politely decline her invitations for tea?"

"**You'll tell me so much ... But let's forget about it! Tell me instead about your relationship with my esteemed brother-in-law! How is it going?**"

"It's a fairy tale, I can't say better!"

Piero knew he owed it all to Margaret: she was the one who introduced them at that party at Kensington Palace. Since then, she had become an ally and a friend of the couple and did not hesitate to invite them to her home so that they could meet again.

All this with the benevolent complicity of her husband, Anthony.

Over time, the princess and the young artist became good friends, and she often invited Piero to have tea at her place.

"**Glad to hear that, darling. Besides, I have to say that your relationship is very positive for Philip. He is happier, more serene, and closer to his children. You did a great job!**"

"I only encouraged him, he did the rest!"

"**Don't be so modest! However, I think my sister is suspecting something!**"

Hearing this, Piero felt a chill run through his spine: if the queen ever learned that her husband was cheating on her with a simple artist, he feared the worst!

"When you say she suspects something, do you mean she suspects Philip of adultery?"

"**No, I wouldn't go that far. But she can see the change in Philip's mood and she knows it's not her responsibility. She's not really trying to find out, but let's be careful!**"

"You're right ... But, I admit that there are times I wish I could spend more time with Philip. I understand he's doing his best without raising suspicion, but ..."

"**I see what you mean, and I understand you ... Oh wait: I just got an idea!**"

"Again? But it never stops"

"**My dad always said I was the most imaginative of the family. Okay, here's what we could do...**"

A week later, at Buckingham Palace.

In one of the palace rooms, Queen Elizabeth was having tea with her mother, Queen Mum.

"But what is Margaret doing? She should have been here since 10 minutes ago!" the sovereign said impatiently.

"Don't be so harsh on your sister, Lilibeth. I've heard that traffic in London is a bit chaotic right now. If so, she got stuck in a traffic jam."

"Maybe ..." Elizabeth replied.

Suddenly a servant entered the room and announced:

"Her Royal Highness, Princess Margaret, your Majesty!"

"Finally, here she is! Let her in, thank you!"

The servant shifted and let Margaret in, accompanied by a dark, smartly dressed young man.

"Hello, my dear sister! Hello, mom! Sorry for the inconvenience, but there was an accident near Piccadilly Circus which disrupted all traffic. I thought we would never get there!"

"You see, Elizabeth: I was right ..."

"Indeed, mum. But tell me, Margaret, who is this man with you?"

"I was just going to explain it to you: you see, I thought back to your history of tutoring for Andrew and Edward. And it turns out that this young man, Piero De Angelis, worked as a tutor in very good families. Here, I have some letters of recommendation from them. " she said, handing out a few missives.

Elizabeth took the letters and read them in silence. After reading it, she said:

"My word, your former employers are heap praise on you, Mr. De Angelis. They compliment your pedagogy, your intellect, as well as your patience with children."

She gave a slight smile.

"Since my sister seems to find you suitable for her nephews, I think we can take you on for a trial period."

Piero respectfully bowed while giving the monarch a hand kiss.

"It would be a great honor for me to serve you, Your Majesty!"

"This young man looks very pleasant to me. In my opinion, your sons will be in good hands!" said the Queen Mother, amused.

"Thank you for placing your trust in me, Your Excellency!" Piero replied, giving a slight bow.

At the same time, the door opened and Philip entered the room.

"Ah, Philip: at the right time! I present to you Andrew and Edward's new tutor."

Seeing who it was, Philip thought he was having a heart attack: but what was Piero doing here? It was too risky!

When he saw Margaret by his side, it didn't take long for him to realize that she had yet come up with a completely crazy idea.

Straightening up slightly, he cleared his throat and politely said:

"Welcome, sir ..."

"My name is Piero De Angelis, Your Highness. It is a huge honor to meet you in person!"

The duke refrained from smiling: he had forgotten that his lover was an excellent actor. And he had just proven his talent in front of everyone!

"And how did he convince you to hire him?"

"He was warmly recommended to me by several high society families. All were satisfied with the work of Mr. De Angelis. It seemed logical to me to have a competent person to supervise the education of your youngest sons."

"Sounds perfectly fine to me!" replied the prince consort.

Satisfied with her husband's response, the Queen said:

"Perfect. Then maybe you could introduce Mister De Angelis to his future students?"

"But of course. If you will follow me, sir ..."

And as they were about to leave, Margaret followed on their heels:

"I'm going with them, just to make sure Philip would not terrorize the poor schoolmaster!"

"Hey, I am not a monster!" scoffed Philip.

The three left the room. The duke waited to be far from his wife to scolding his lover and his sister-in-law.

"What's got into you? Did you ever think about the risk of being caught?"

"Oh, don't be such a coward! I thought you would be pleased to have your lovebird here!" whispered Margaret.

"And I thought it would be easier for you if I work here. You won't have to find excuses to see me... Besides, I wanted to meet your children."

The prince consort raised an eyebrow.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me: I wanted to meet your children. You talked about them since we started dating, that I aspired to know them better."

Philip pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed: it would be a miracle if Margaret and Piero did not drive him crazy. But, at least, he would manage to spend quality time with his sweetheart. So, why not take the risk?

"Fine, you convinced me. But, we have to intensify our discretion. Otherwise, we will be doomed!"

"I'll be careful, don't worry!" promised Piero as he gently held his lover's hand.

"Aw, you are so cute!" mockingly cooed Margaret.

"Please, Maggie: stop killing the mood!" grumbled the prince consort, rolling his eyes.

4 months later. August 1973.

"How do you find my drawing, Piero?"

"Let me look at it... Oh, it's beautiful! You have some talent, Edward!"

The young boy happily giggled: he really appreciated his new tutor. Unlike his predecessor, Piero was kind, patient, funny, and really interesting. Thanks to him, the little prince quickly understood his lesson by heart, and his grades improved. The same evolution can be noticed for Andrew: the teenager preferred learning with Piero to listening to his teachers at school.

"You think I am talented?"

"Absolutely! And for who you draw this?"

"For Anne! It would be her present for her wedding!"

"That's absolutely sweet, Edward. I am sure that she would love it!"

Speaking of the princess, she entered the room.

"Good afternoon, Mister De Angelis! Hello, Eddie!"

"Hi, Annie!"

"Good afternoon, Your Highness. How are you today?"

"Fine, thanks. I just come back from a horse-riding session with Mark!"

"Oh, lovely. How it went?"

"It went nice until it started raining. But we finished fast, so I would not soil the clean wooden floors of Buckingham Palace!" snickered Anne.

"Annie! Look what I've drawn for you!" cheerfully exclaimed Edward as he handed his drawing to his sister.

"Oh, thank you: I love it! I will show it to Mark: he would be impressed!"

"Can I draw something for him?"

"Why don't you ask him when he will come back?"

"Alright, I will wait!"

At the same time, Andrew entered the room, dressed in a nice suit.

"Good grief! I thought Mr. Brownsfield would never let us go!"

"Watch your language, young man! If your mother hears you, you will end up being lectured for hours!" gently advised Piero.

"I know, I know... But I am so relieved to be here!"

"I have noticed!"

Anne lightly cleared her throat.

"Piero, can we talk... in private with Andrew and you?"

"Of course! Edward, could you go with your grandmother? I have to discuss some important topics with your siblings."

"Are we finishing the lesson?"

"Yes, indeed. You can go!"

"Alright!" nodded the young boy as he exited the salon.

Soon as Edward left, the young man asked:

"What do you want to talk about, Anne?"

The princess sighed before answering:

"Well, it's about Charles... He is not well."

"Do you mean he is ill?"

"Depressed would be more accurate!"

"Oh, dear! And what depress him?"

Andrew explained:

"Well, his ex-girlfriend got married in July! And he did not really cope with their separation, months ago!"

Piero nodded: he knew that Charles was heart-broken since Camilla Shand, his former sweetheart, ended their love story last year. But he did not expect to be downcast to this point.

"And do you want me... to have a conversation with him?"

"Anne and I thought it would be helpful. After all, you are close to his age!"

"Mark tried to cheer his mood, but it did not work well!"

"Mh, I see... Fine, I will see what I can do!"

The two princes seemed relieved.

"Thank you for your help, Piero."

"That's what I am supposed to do. Where is he?"

"In the gardens. He needed some air..."

Thanking Anne and Andrew, Piero walked downstairs to the gardens where he found Charles, wandering like a lost soul.

"Charles?"

The Crown Prince looked at the schoolmaster and the latter saw deep grief in his eyes.

Slightly sighing, Piero kindly asked:

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I... I don't know."

"As you want. Perhaps it would take a weight off your mind..."

The prince breathed before asking:

"Could you walk with me... please?"

"Sure, of course."

The young man joined Charles, and they started walking through the gardens.

"I don't know how it happened... I should have known that she favored that Parker-Bowles over me! But I still clung to the last straw of hope until I heard of their engagement!"

"I'm sorry for your heartbreak, Charles. But that was another life lesson, even though it hurts..."

The Prince of Wales sadly sighed.

"And as if it was not painful enough, Mother still pressures me to find a suitable bride... Even Father worried about it!"

"You are only 25 years old: you will find her, I feel it!"

"If only my dear parents were as optimistic as you, Piero. But no, they repeated all day long that Father married Mother when he was my age, and I'm exhausted hearing it all the time!"

"What does your grandmother think about it?"

"She says that I should not hurry to find my future wife, because a hasty marriage would inevitably end in a disaster!"

Piero nodded.

"Your grandmother is right, Charles: if you only follow what your duties command, you will bitterly regret your decision for the rest of your life. Of course, you have to find your future Queen, but you must love her as much as she loves you!"

He saw tears forming in Charles's eyes.

"I know but... I feel like everything I do is not enough for my parents. Am I just a good for nothing?"

Instinctively, the young artist knew that he would break the etiquette... but who cares? So, he did hug Charles in a comforting embrace, gently stroking his back.

"It's okay, Charles. I am here."

The prince did not cry, but he felt relieved that someone finally comforted him, so he hugged back Piero.

"I know this is not very formal, but I thought it would help you!"

"To hell with formality! I needed someone listening to me..."

They stopped the hug and Charles stated:

"I understand why Andrew and Edward appreciated you, Mister De Angelis: your patience and your kindness are helpful for the four of us!"

Piero shrugged.

"I just... do what I think is the best for everyone!"

"And I am glad that someone like you ensures our well-being..."

The young man smiled.

"You have no idea how much I am honored to have your trust, Charles. Listen: I will talk with your parents about it, and we will sort it out!"

"Thank you, Piero."

Unbeknownst to the two men, Philip was looking at them from the window of his office. The Duke of Edinburgh smiled while seeing his lover bonding with his son: indeed, he was happy that his four children appreciated Piero. Even though neither of them is ready to tell the princes the truth about their relationship: they have to wait...

In the evening...

"Do you want your son going bonkers? Stop pressuring him about his love life!"

"But he is still unmarried! At his age..."

"Yes, yes, I know the story: at his age, you were already married to Elizabeth!"

Philip pinched the bridge of his nose: Piero and he argued about Charles's single status. His beloved artist thought that his eldest son would go down into depression because of the familial pressure.

"Piero, I understand your concern about Charles, but he knows his duties..."

"Oh, please: don't start lecturing me about duties! If you were that meticulous about duties, you would never choose to cheat on your wife!"

"Don't muddle up things, would you? She started the war!"

"Don't change the subject, would you? We are talking about your son, in case you forget it!"

Piero sighed.

"Charles believed that he felt like a failure towards you. And he can't count on his mother to dismiss his fears! For God's sake, be more supportive of your son!"

"But..."

"No buts! You have to admit that your eldest son is not your carbon copy!"

"I admitted it! But people start talking: he is unmarried, had no official girlfriends, and he prefers attending parties! Rumors are spreading all around the kingdom."

His lover gave him a dark look and said with a cold tone:

"Let me ask you this simple question, Philip of Edinburgh: what matters the most for you? The public image or the well-being of your son?"

Philip stayed silent, much to Piero's displeasure:

"Fine, I see... You know what? You have all night to think about it."

He turned his heels and walked away.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Did you really think I will spend the rest of the night with someone who does not listen to my advice? I really want to help you, Philip, and especially because I love you. But if you don't pull your weight, there is nothing more I can do. Good night!"

As he watched his lover walking away from him, the prince stood, desperate and worried. He messed up everything with his children, and now he messed up his love affair!

Philip sighed: why everything was so complicated? But, he had to acknowledge that Piero was right: he went back to his wrong habits, once again. 

And if he wanted to save what mattered the most to him, Philip had no other choice: he had to repair his faults...

14th November 1973.

The Westminster Abbey bells happily rang in the air. Indeed, the United Kingdom celebrated the wedding of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. A joyous day for the kingdom, and also for the royal family... Well, almost for Philip. Of course, he was so proud to walk his daughter down the aisle: what kind of father would not be happy for his child on this special day?

But what saddened the prince consort was that Piero barely talked to him since their argument about Charles. He could not blame him: the young man cared more about Charles, Anne, Andrew, and Edward than their own mother. 

As he watched his lovely Anne and Mark exchanging their vows, the prince spotted Piero, sitting near the Duchess of Gloucester. 

He knew that his wife allowed the presence of the young man at the ceremony to look after Edward, who was the page boy of his sister.

Piero was dashing in his pearl-grey suit, his white gloves, and his perfectly combed dark hair. Philip never ceased to be amazed by the angelic beauty of his lover. If only they did not argue 4 months ago, the prince would have already told the young artist how amazing he was.

But the young man was not inclined to speak with him yet, and this situation saddened Philip. 

Meanwhile, Margaret saw the two lovers with a sad smile: she hoped that this argument between Piero and Philip would not last long, as she feared it would break her brother-in-law's heart. She knew that the young Mister De Angelis was the only one for Philip, and she could not let this match made in heaven falling apart. 

Margaret smiled as she got another idea: the wedding reception will be the perfect occasion for a reconciliation...

Soon as they reached Buckingham Palace for the wedding lunch, Margaret whispered to Philip:

"Please, I know that you suffer, but talk to him!"

"I want to, but every time I look in his eyes... I only see anger and sadness. And I am the one who upset him!"

She gently patted his shoulder.

"You know what? Weddings are the best occasion to prove our love... or heal a relationship."

She winked before walking away, congratulating the newlyweds. As he thought about Maggie's musings, Philip smirked: after all, he learned to never give up what he held dear. And he would never give up on Piero... 

Later that day, as the guests were too busy dancing, gossiping, or enjoying food, the prince slipped away from the crowd and wandered in the corridors when he spotted Piero in a room, retouching his make-up. 

Smiling, Philip entered and said:

"Oh, dear: you do not need to change anything. You are already beautiful!"

Startled, the young artist stammered:

"What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk, I think.

Piero raised an eyebrow: 

"Really? About what?"

Philip closed the door behind him before answering:

"We need to talk about us. It feels like years since I hold you in my arms..."

"And why you do not hold me in your arms, precisely?"

The prince sighed.

"Because of my stubbornness, we are apart. And I regret it every second since that night. You were right from the beginning, Piero: what is the purpose of your help if I did not listen to your advice? I should have known that you're the right person since you only wanted the best for me. My words might sound hollow, but I will be grateful to you for being here when I felt alone!"

The young man sighed before looking at his royal lover with a sheepish smile:

"I had to confess: at first, I did not speak to you because I wanted to be sure you learned your lesson. But then... I took pleasure letting you stew for a moment."

Philip was shocked.

"Are you bloody kidding me?"

"Not at all. Besides... I already forgive you, my stubborn Viking!"

The prince smirked:

"And they said Arlequin is the trickster in chief... Looks like they underestimated Pierrot!"

"And you love it!"

"Oh yes!"

Piero laughed wholeheartedly. Then, he stated:

"So, you said that you missed the sensation of holding me..."

He opened his arms:

"Why don't we make up for lost time?"

Philip did not need to be asked twice and rushed into his arms, kissing him feverishly. Their hands rediscovered their bodies, every touch drawing breathed moans of pleasure from the two lovers.

"I love you, Piero."

"Ti amo, Philip."

And while the kingdom celebrated the wedding, the prince and the artist rejoiced in their reunion. 

June 1975. Balmoral Castle.

The summer went well for the royal family, and everyone appreciated the peacefulness of the Scottish countryside. For Piero, it was like discovering another place. He was amazed by the soft colors of the countryside and the calm surroundings, far from the lively Londonian life. 

To be honest, he did not expect the Queen to invite him to spend some days at Balmoral, but apparently, Edward insisted, and she accepted. How could he refuse the opportunity to be closer to his dear Philip? 

However, they both tried to be careful as he did not want to be caught by Elizabeth or the Queen Mother. 

But everything changed one day, as Elizabeth left with some of her friends for a horse-riding stroll with some of her friends, and her dear Mister Acherville.

It did not bother Philip, as he took advantage of her absence to spend some time with his dear artist. Once his wife went away, he looked for Piero until he found him in the gallery room, looking at the different pictures hanging on the walls.

Coming near to him, the prince gently held the young man from behind and said:

"Are you judging the quality of the paintings?"

"Well, I have to be honest that the painters were talented. Your wife should add your own paintings!"

"Seriously? She said it would look out of place... Besides, you are far more talented than me!"

Piero chuckled:

"You flatterer!"

"It is the truth! You're my perfect little Da Vinci!"

The young man turned around and put his arms around Philip's neck:

"And you're my handsome Saint John the Baptist with a mischievous smile!"

"You like my mischievous part of me!"

"No, I don't like it... I adore it!" chuckled Piero before kissing his lover.

Amused, the prince answered the kiss with the same passion... until they heard a collective gasp of shock!

They turned around and saw Charles, Anne, Mark, Andrew, and Edward who stood near the door, astounded and silent.

Horrified, Philip stammered:

"I... I can explain everything..."

"You better explain, yes!" said Anne with a cold tone.

Mark closed the door behind them, preventing any gossiping from the staff.

"Now that we are alone, can you explain what happens?"

"This scene does not really need an explanation..." smirked Charles.

Ashamed, the prince started to explain:

"I guess that we do not have the choice. As you have noticed, your mother and I do not have a good relationship for some years. I thought that it would improve, but she decided to spend some time with another man. I was so desperate, and I neglected you - and I am sorry for that. And then, your aunt Margaret introduced me to Piero..."

"Auntie Maggie and her plans!" snickered Andrew.

"You got the point, Andrew. And so, at the very moment I knew Piero, I felt like something changed... To be honest, I felt that I fell in love again. I would be forever grateful to Piero for everything he did for me."

"Was it your idea to hire him as Andrew and Edward's tutor?" asked Charles.

"No, it was again Margaret's idea. And I saw how you felt better since he spends time with all of you!"

"Do you plan to tell us the truth one day?" asked Andrew.

"We aspired to, but I do not want you to see me as an intruder in your family. But I can assure you that I deeply love your father as he loves me!" explained Piero.

The five young people looked at each other before Edward answered:

"You know, Mister Piero, I don't mind if you are in love with Papa. Besides, you love all of us more than Mum does. So, I am happy to have you here with us!"

"He is right: at least, you listen to us and you try to encourage us, unlike Mother!" added Andrew.

"I do not really care about my parents' affairs, as we all know that their marriage is doomed. But now, let's be honest, Piero: you made him happy, and it matters the most for us!" stated Charles with a genuine smile.

"I have to confess that this is quite unusual... But, my dear Anne has a high opinion of you, Mister De Angelis, and so am I. Don't worry, we won't tell anyone about your affair!" smiled Mark.

"You see, Father, we all support you, and we are happy to have Piero with us at Buckingham Palace. So, there is no need to worry." grinned Anne.

The two lovers sighed with relief: at least, they accepted their relationship. 

"Thank you very much!" breathed Philip with a slight smile.

"You're welcome, Father. But, the next time you want to show Piero your affection... Try being discreet!" laughed Andrew.

"He takes that from you, dear!" chuckled Piero.

"I guess so..." sighed Philip, even if he could not help smiling.

It looked like, after all, that they gained new allies... 

27 August 1979.

In his house, Piero was dozing on his couch, reading a collection of poetry works by Oscar Wilde while he listened to some trendy music on the radio.

Suddenly, he heard the voice of a journalist interrupting the music:

"Ladies and gentleman, we interrupt our program as dreadful news has just been released by Buckingham Palace: today, Lord Louis Mountbatten, Admiral of the Fleet and former Viceroy of India, has been killed by a bomb planted aboard his fishing boat while he was spending his holiday with his family in his summer home in Mullaghmore, in the north-west of Ireland. 

We deplored also the tragic loss of his grandson Nicholas Knatchbull and Paul Maxwell, a young local crew member. The remaining people present on the boat when the attack happened, suffered from serious injuries and were transported to the closest hospital..."

Piero dropped his book, troubled: it could not be! He rushed to his phone and dialed Philip's number. After a few seconds, he heard his lover's voice:

"**Hello?**"

"Philip, it's me! I have just heard about your uncle! Is that true?"

The slight sobbing on the other side of the phone answered his question:

"**They... They murdered him, Piero! They killed him! And they took his grandson's life! How dared they?**"

"I am terribly sorry for your loss, my love. I know how much he was a loved one to you..."

After all, Louis Mountbatten was not only the uncle of Philip: he was his paternal figure, a role model he praised so many times. Piero could not imagine how his lover suffered from this tragic loss.

"My condolences, amore mio. You are in my prayers, you and your family. I hope that the injured will recover soon."

"I hope so... Thank you for your call."

"You're welcome. How are the children?"

"Charles is deeply upset, Anne is crying, Andrew cannot believe it, and Edward tried to cope with this tragedy."

"I imagine... Don't hesitate to comfort them."

"I will... I am sorry, but I have to quit: Elizabeth required my help to organize the funeral. I'll call you later."

"Don't worry, it's fine. See you later, my love."

"See you later, angelo mio!"

As he hung up, Piero felt bad for Philip: his lover endured so many hardships in his life that the young man wondered if he can handle this new tragedy... 

5th September 1979.

Sitting in his living-room, Peter watched the funeral of Louis Mountbatten on television. He watched the royal family, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her husband Denis, and some major figures of the kingdom attending the obsequies, all dressed in black and showing a sad expression on their faces. 

The young man wished he could attend the funeral, just to be here for Philip and comforting him. But it was the mourning of a family, and he did not belong to this family...

Later that day, he heard a knock on his door.

"I don't remember to entertain someone today..." muttered Piero as he opened the door.

Much to his surprise, Philip stood there.

"Philip? But what are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you... Because I have something to tell you. May I come in?"

"Of course!"

The young man stepped aside and let the prince enter the house. Then, he closed the door behind him and asked:

"Do you want something to drink?"

"No, thank you."

"Alright. May I know what are doing here?"

He noticed that Philip held a large box under his arm.

"Hm, what is this?"

The duke sighed before explaining:

"Since the murder of my uncle, I thought about everything that happened in my life, both good and bad memories. And then, I thought about us, and I realize how important you are to me since we started our relationship. I wish I had met you sooner, but there we are. This tragedy casts light on the most significant person in my life: you."

He opened the box, revealing a golden crown before he put the ornament at Piero's feet. Then, he gets on one knee and said:

"You deserve everything, Piero. And moreover, you would be a wonderful consort. That's why I wanted to put a crown at your feet..."

"Wait for a second: it looks like a proposal... But you are already married!"

"I know, I know. I cannot divorce Elizabeth, and I think you understand that. But it is my way to say that I will belong to you, and you only for the rest of my life. And I wanted to know if you feel the same..."

Piero nervously chuckled.

"Oh Lord, that was unexpected!"

He kneeled near Philip and replied:

"I won't ask you to nullify your marriage, because I know what are the consequences. But I am moved by your gesture, and if you want to know, I will never look at someone else the way I am looking at you. I love you, Philip Mountbatten, and it won't change..."

"I love you too, Piero De Angelis." smiled Philip, relieved, before he kissed Piero.

As they tightly held each other, the two lovers felt like the sadness was less oppressive. They had the impression that nothing could tear them apart and they will surpass everything together.

October 1979.

"So, tell me more about this charming girl. What is her name, already?"

"Her name is Diana. Diana Spencer."

"What a lovely name! Is she the daughter of Count John Spencer?"

"Exactly."

Walking through the halls of Buckingham Palace, Charles and Piero were talking about the Crown Prince's new girlfriend, the young Diana Spencer.

"I know that you're dating her for perhaps one month, but how is your relationship?"

"Quite good, to be honest. She is calm, smiling, quite smart... Of course, she had different hobbies than mine but... I guess it's alright."

"I would like to meet her. I can invite both of you to my place if you want."

"It would be a pleasure."

A servant arrived.

"Mister De Angelis."

"Yes?"

"Her Majesty The Queen requires your presence in her office. If you please follow me..."

Piero was intrigued: why would the Queen want to see him?

"Alright, I arrive. See you later, your Highness."

"See you later, Mister De Angelis."

Piero followed the servant until they arrived in front of the door. The man knocked at the door before he announced:

"Mister De Angelis, Your Majesty."

"Perfect, George. Good afternoon, Mister De Angelis."

"Your Majesty," replied Piero.

The servant left the room. 

The young man politely said:

"Your Majesty, I renew my condolences after the tragic loss of Lord Mountbatten... I shall say that I share your pain."

The Queen answered in a neutral tone:

"Thank you for your consideration, Mister De Angelis. However, the pain is not the only thing we share..."

Puzzled, Piero asked:

"May I know what are you talking about?"

She looked at him with contempt:

"Don't you dare think I am a fool, Mister De Angelis? I have learned that you have an affair with my husband!"

Piero stared in amazement: how could she know about it? He was sure none of the children told their mother, neither Margaret nor Philip. So, it must be a servant...

"I am astounded by such accusations, Your Majesty. Your husband and I have only cordial relationships, and that's all!"

"Stop spreading your lies. I know that you are the mysterious person my husband comes to see almost every day."

She came closer to him and snarled:

"I gave you my trust, I even left my children with you, and this is how you thanked me?"

Usually, the young artist would have lowered his head and being ashamed. But this time, he stared defiantly at her and said with a cold tone: 

"Maybe I would be the rudest man in your kingdom, Your Majesty, but I can't stand such hypocrisy. Especially when it comes from someone who hurt her children and cheated on her devoted husband..."

"How dare you?!"

"I can ask you the same. You did not expect that I knew your dirty little secrets, am I right? After all, your lover was not really careful: he put his latest love letter in my office. What a big mistake!"

He restrained himself from smiling as he saw Elizabeth grew pale.

"But, I am a gentleman: I won't tell the media about your romance if you let us alone. Otherwise, the entire Commonwealth will hear about his adulterous Queen..."

"You have some nerve to threaten me as you do, Mister De Angelis..."

"I don't threaten, I warn: this is all the difference. After all, you would not have hesitated to destroy my life. Let's say that we are on equal terms for now..."

Suddenly, Philip and Margaret burst through the door.

"Ah, right in time, Philip. I have just tell Mister De Angelis that I knew about your affair."

As Philip was shocked, Margaret raised an eyebrow.

"And then? It's not like Philip was the only guilty!"

"You were supposed to support me, not to defy me!" snapped Elizabeth.

"How am I supposed to do that, as you enjoy belittle all your family members - it is a miracle that Mother is the only exception. And you deserve what happened..."

"Should I understand that you are behind this?"

"Absolutely, and I won't regret anything I did! And I am so glad that Philip has someone who did what you are supposed to do!"

The Queen fumed as she understood that her sister and her husband joined forces against her.

Philip added:

"You see, Elizabeth: you throw me away, but I won't running after you anymore. I finally find love again, and if you dare to mess up everything, I would not mind telling your friends about your relationship with Acherville."

Seething, Elizabeth raised her head in an arrogant gesture and declared:

"That is not going to happen for long, Philip. You know where your place is, and you will give this entertainer up!"

"I don't think so, dear wife. I am not the one who gives up so easily..."

He smirked.

"Now that you know everything, shall we leave you?"

"You're dismissed. Now, go!" she replied with a short tone.

The trio left the room, a relieved smile on their faces. However, they won't drop their guard, as they knew how embittered Elizabeth can be.

But it looked like she lost the war. Now, it was Philip and Piero's turn to conquer Buckingham Palace... 

To be continued...

N.B: This request is written like an AU and changed many things from the characters to the events. 

Please be kind and comprehensive and don’t snap about it!

Anyway, I hope you liked the story and I am waiting for your requests.

See you soon! 😘😷😍🥰💖

[moviegroovies]

confession time: for someone who (semi) actively runs a movie blog, i really haven’t seen a lot of classic movies.

(i know this comes as a shock for those of y’all who have been subjected to nothing but my half-baked thoughtpieces on bad 80′s horror for the past couple of years, but bear with me.) 

to be honest, even this review doesn’t REALLY represent me making an active choice to remedy that so much as it does me pulling a long con where i endear myself to marilyn monroe by watching her movies to get myself excited to watch the miniseries blonde (2001), for abnormally pretty, young jensen ackles purposes*, but let’s not dwell on all that. the practical result is the same; i watched some like it hot (1959). now, i hope y’all are ready for a few some like it Thoughts™:

first, idk how much attention y’all have been paying to the loose bits of personal lore i occasionally scatter within my reviews, but one thing about myself that i feel i’ve been pretty open about is the fact that i’m trans. this being so, and knowing not a whole lot about the movie beyond the very basic premise “1959 extended man in a dress gag,” i can’t say i went in with the highest of expectations. imagine my surprise, then, when the gender aspect of this movie was... actually pretty good? i mean, full disclosure, it’s not exactly gender studies, but it’s passable! it’s tolerable! there were even a few moments where i felt inclined to say the words “oh, GENDER?” out loud!

perhaps most impressively, i’d say the Cis Creator Cringe Factor of some like it hot was actually impressively LOWER than a lot of modern moves with genderswapping premises tend to be. like, i know that one definite explanation for that would be the fact that trans experiences are more widespread today, so modern filmmakers don’t feel comfortable playing with ideas like this without at least giving lipservice to them, while the era that bore some like it hot didn’t face the same “pressure,” but, okay. listen. compared to another movie i watched recently--freaky (2020), in which a teenage girl swaps bodies with serial killer vince vaugn, featuring one incredibly anvilicious scene where, upon being informed by a gay boy that she’s in the men’s bathroom, the girl’s best friend retorts, “she [vince vaugn]’s got a dick in her hand, and you’re wearing chanel no. 5. i think we’re past labels.”--some like it hot, a movie older than my father, was wayyyy easier to watch**. actually, you know what? yeah. listen to me. cis content creators? movie producers? i’m talking to you. DON’T EVEN BRING GENDER (or gender “identities”... which is an incredibly gross term, anyway) UP IF YOU’RE NOT PLANNING TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT. sincerely, this particular bad taste corner of the trans community :).

...anyway.

some like it hot, by contrast, did it right. YES, the premise of the movie was two presumably cis men in disguise as women. i’ll put that in the open. however, there was a certain... i don’t know if “respect” is the right word, but there was an avoidance, at least, of the usual predatory tropes. in fact, the worst behavior by far from either main character comes when joe manages to take off his female disguise, donning another, male persona and using things that sugar (marilyn’s character) confided in “josephine” to create a nonthreatening, desirable “millionaire” in order to trick her into sex. okay, like i said, it’s not gender studies, but, the humor in some like it hot comes from generally the right place. joe and jerry don their female disguises in a matter that in quite literally life and death for them (and it’s more than the creators ever thought of, i’m sure, but there IS an interesting analysis to be had of them needing to pass to live), which to a degree removes the usual pitfalls of male to female crossdressing as a gag; they’re neither doing it for lecherous reasons, nor to parody the female experience. this being a comedy, there is a degree of humor found in the situation, but it’s directed at jerry and joe, the characters, more than their disguises. the general assumption is that they both pass without question, as long as they’re wearing their ladies’ clothes; jerry once comments that he’s “not even pretty,” but it’s never an issue to contend with. 

wrt the crossdressing, the worst moment for me, personally, was a scene on the train when jerry prepared to take off the disguise in order to sleep with sugar, and even this ends up comedically averted at jerry’s expense.

and speaking of jerry.

jerry is actually the most compelling part of the movie for me, especially viewing it through the lens of gender. while joe, who gets the girl and manages to spend large chunks of the latter part of the film in his second, male disguise, never thinks too much about what they’re doing beyond the survival aspect of it, jerry is the one who, erm, “gets into character.” joe’s female name is simply josephine; before they get on the train with the woman musicians, it’s assumed that jerry will be going by “geraldine.” however, when they give their introductions, the duo becomes josephine... and daphne. 

as the movie progresses, this distinction grows more pronounced; when joe has to remind a smitten jerry on the train that he’s a girl, referring to their disguises, jerry miserably repeats the affirmation: “i’m a girl. i’m a girl. i want to die. i’m a girl.” later on, however, as joe’s relationship with sugar develops, “daphne” becomes acquainted with local horndog millionaire osgood, who he at first dislikes, but comes around to after being forced on a date as part of joe’s plan to trick sugar. after seeing jerry excited by the prospect of marrying osgood, a bewildered joe has to remind jerry why it’s an impossibility, and in the same miserable tone as before, jerry/daphne muddles through a new affirmation, one that definitely didn’t ring false to my trans ears: “i’m a boy. i’m a boy. i want to die. i’m a boy.” 

hm. actually, now i’m thinking about a trans male reading of joe. he was the one at first resistant to taking the job (with the all-female band), when they only needed money, and not a place to hide from an upset mob boss, but also the one who seems to know more about the role when it comes time to get into character. while jerrydaphne gets increasingly comfortable with femininity as time passes, joe never performs it in anything but a perfunctory, necessary way, and sloughs the costume EVEN WHEN the danger of being found out has not yet passed, because pretending for such a long period of time is just untenable. something about passing for female being a safe haven and a burden for both closeted (re-closeted, in this case) trans men and out trans women?

anyway. by the end, though both osgood and sugar do find out the truth about the disguises, sugar seems to instantly forgive joe for his treacherousness (again, referring more to his actions as the shell millionaire than his escapade in drag), while osgood appears unbothered by daphne’s truth, leading to an ambiguous ending for the futures of the characters, and any realizations that might come later.

no, it’s not the “real transgender experience.” it (thankfully) never claims to be. BUT, being trans myself, there were some moments that made me feel linked to our protagonists, and relatively few, if any, that made me feel alienated. all in all, that’s a lot more than i hoped for going in, so that’s what i’m happy with.

watch some like it hot, y’all. it’s a good movie in a timeless way, and, as modern movies appealing to short-lived trends that will feel outdated next week (if not by the very time of their release) will show you, that’s more than it needed to be. 

*since my original draft of this post, i DID watch blonde, and i don’t know if that’s technically fair game for this blog (not exactly a movie) or what, but 6/10. fairly well done piece of art but just BEATINGLY tragic, so proceed with caution. jensen ackles literally is THAT PRETTY though, so the jackles cut i give a strong 11/10. i am a homosexual.   **i would like to clarify that this isn’t me telling you not to watch freaky. yes, some of the dialogue is tragically riverdaleian, but there’s also a scene where vince vaugn makes out with a teenage boy. so,

[the-fiction-witch]

Blind date p2

REAL LIFE

COUPLE TBS X READER

RATING ADORABLE AF

"And I'll pay for the popcorn" 

"Alright love" he smiled we paid the bill and we headed outside, he held my hand and lead me down the street a little until my eyes met a beautiful vintage car clearly in the middle of restoration

"Is this your car?"

"Yeah, I thought about bringing my motorbike but then I'd have gear and… I wouldn't be able to take you home" he smiled

"It's beautiful, are you restoring it yourself?"

"I've had a little help here and there but yeah"

"That's amazing, it's so nice" I smiled

"Yeah well. I like nice things" he smirked squeezing my hand which made me blush he opened the door for me so I climbed in, he went and got I to the driver's seat starting the car up "so before I drop you home how about we go get some desert?"

"Oh? What where you thinking?'

"Maybe a little ice cream?"

"I could go for some ice cream"

"Okay, ice cream and then I'll drop you home" he says as he drove off down the dark London streets, 

"Maybe we could go get some good after the movie tomorrow? As we won't be to late"

"Yeah that sounds lovely" he smiled

"And then maybe after we could go to your place"

"To my- oh.. uhhh" he blushed 

"Something wrong?"

"Oh no, no"

"Would you not want to? Sorry it was a little sudden I know"

"No, no it's alright. I'd love to" he smiled "but. Maybe we go to your place"

"Why?"

"Uughhh…. It's hard to explain" he says so we got our ice cream and park up to eat it 

"Well explain it" I giggled

He smiled and got his phone out his pocket fiddling with it a moment "my house is kinda a construction site right now, it's a beautiful house I bought it years back but I'm getting like the whole place redone" he says showing me some photos of drawings "this is what it's gonna look like" he says showing me the impressive drawings

"Did you draw those?"

"I did, yeah. But as all this is going on at one time I've basically just moved out the house, and I am uhhh living with my mother. And sister" 

"Ohh."

"Yeah not that I wouldn't want you over it's just you know"

"I understand" I giggled

"But I promise as soon as my house is done I'll happily have you over then, maybe then you can uhh stay over in my finished house" 

"Okay" I smiled giving his cheek a kiss "I'll hold you to that" I giggled "so? Mine?"

"Of course yeah" he nods starting the car back up and he drove me back to my little house "I had a really good time with you tonight y/n,"

"Yeah I had a great time with you too Thomas" I smiled "did you want to come in? For a cup of coffee?"

"No, no it's late. You get to bed, I'll see you tomorrow"

"Yeah I'll see you tomorrow, thank you for such a lovely evening"

"Your very welcome, thank you for.. coming out with me at all,"

"It's okay, I wanted too." I smiled "thank you for driving me home"

"Your welcome atleast I know you got home safe"

"Text me when you get back home"

"I will, have a nice rest of your night and, I'll see you tomorrow"

"See you tomorrow Thomas" I smiled moving and giving his lips a little kiss he happily kissed me back, it was short and sweet but lovely all the same I blushed hard and he smiled widely "bye" I giggled as I climbed out the car giving him a wave 

"Bye" he laughs waving at me too. I went to my door shutting it quickly hearing the car drive off I kicked off my heels and got undressed laying in bed with my phone 

Thomas : 

Just got home, I had a wonderful time tonight, I'll pick you up at your place tomorrow for the movie goodnight love x 

I smiled widely 

Y/n:

Good you got back safe, I had a amazing time too, see you tomorrow goodnight Thomas xxx

Just then I got another message

Luke :

So how'd it go?

Y/n:

Really good, I really like him and we have another date tomorrow night, I'm so excited!

Luke:

Yes!! I told you you'd like each other! I probably shouldn't tell you this but I already asked him how it went?

Y/n:

Oh?

I was worried, what did he say to Luke about how it went.

Luke then sent a photo to me it was a screenshot of another text conversation I could see some earlier conversation from before I left home about the restaurant, and where he would be waiting one made me giggle 

Thomas:

How am I even meant to know it's her?

Luke:

Thomas, she dresses like marilyn monroe trust me you'll know it's her.

And then just at the bottom made me smile and giggle like a school girl 

Luke:

So how'd it go with y/n tonight?

Thomas:

Honestly?

Luke:

Give it to me straight the good or bad

Thomas:

 I'm in love <3 

Then like messaged again

Luke:

So I think it went well. 

I smiled and got cosy in bed but I grabbed my phone again

Y/n:

Thomas are you still up?

Thomas:

Yeah y/n is something up?

Y/n:

Oh nothing, nothing. Just, love you too x

Thomas:

Luke told you didn't he?

Y/n:

Better he screenshotted the texts

Thomas:

Well...fuck. I did mean it though.

Y/n: 

And so did I, see you tomorrow Thomas love you x

Thomas:

Love you too y/n Xxx

[jesangel1503]

30 Day Challenge:Day 3 Topic

LET´S TALK ABOUT FRIENDSHIP

I can see this is a quite interesting but a bit sensitive topic for me. I just needed a time off to clear my mind so I can be able to cogitate on this familiar topic for everyone.

Let´s go straight to some few facts about friendship? Where did this word even came from?

So I browsed in and found out that friendship is a word of Germanic origin has existed in the English language since its founding in Old English. Back then, ‘friend’ existed as ‘frond’ which was the present participle of the verb fron, ‘to love’. The root of the verb was ‘fr-’ which meant ‘to like, love, or be affectionate to’. We can still see the remnants of this verb every day of the week- Friday or ‘day of Frigg’ is devoted to the Germanic goddess of love Frigg.

Source: whitesmoke.com

So much for it´s root word, let´s do some more researching. Many famous people have shared their thoughts about what friendship is for them. Now, maybe we can get some friendspiration from them!

Helen Keller

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light."

J.K. Rowling

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

Abraham Lincoln

"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?"

Eleanor Roosevelt

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart"

Bob Marley

“The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for”

William Shakespeare

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”

Jennifer Lawrence

‘‘No matter how tired I am, I get dinner at least once a week with my girlfriends. Or have a sleepover. Otherwise my life is just all work.”

Marilyn Monroe

“Experts on romance say for a happy marriage there has to be more than a passionate love. For a lasting union, they insist, there must be a genuine liking for each other. Which, in my book, is a good definition for friendship.”

Drew Barrymore

“What’s helped me is having really good friends I know I can rely on. Cameron Diaz is one of the greatest friends anyone can ever have. She has so much love to give.”

Selena Gomez

“Every single problem I ever have is healable by Taylor Swift. If I ever I have an issue, Taylor has gone through it – she gives the most thought-out answers. And what I love about Taylor is that she does believe in the whole love story and Prince Charming and soul mates. Because of her, I haven’t lost faith.”

Emma Watson

“My two best girlfriends are from secondary school. I don’t have to explain anything to them. I don’t have to apologise for anything. They know.”

Jennifer Aniston

“We come from homes far from perfect, so you end up almost parent and sibling to your friends – your own chosen family. There’s nothing like a really loyal, dependable, good friend. Nothing.”

Oprah Winfrey

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.”

Ariana Grande

“The best part about having true friends is that you can go months without seeing them and they’ll still be there for you and act as if you’d never left!.”

Whew, they are really inspiring isn´t it? But lemme give you bits of how I view and value friendship. So I´d like to answer some of these challenging questions I have found and that maybe can help me dig in to what´s really coming to my mind about this topic. As you read along, you are free to answer on your own and find out? Well, this is a writing therapy for me. I thought it might be nice to put my thoughts into writing and share it with you ( Well, only if you are interested to do so) But yes, this is entirely my thoughts. Some of you might disagree about my answers and what I have been writing in this little writing space of mine, but I don´t really care! As I have said, this is my therapy. If you judge me based on my thoughts, it´s totally on you and if that amuses you, well IT WILL BE MY PLEASURE :)

QUESTIONS ABOUT FRIENDSHIP

Can you describe one of your closest friends.

It´s so hard to choose which one of them that I particularly should talk about. All of them are special to me in their unique ways. But let me describe you one of my bestfriends, whom I met when I was an aupair in the first town I lived in here in Denmark. It´s funny though because this friend of mine, came to me by fate and the first time we met, we just click, you know. Like she´s that angel from heaven, who´ve brought me and would bribed me with food to keep me from not ditching school, because for her, it would be boring without me, and that she’d prefer me than the other filipino ones at the school. She would just call me and say, “Hey, wake up and get dressed. We´re off to school,and ahh uh don´t even say a word because I am already here, parked outside your house waiting for you. And, I´ve brought us Dinuguan and Pancit for lunch! Hurry!”.. So hard to refuse right? Oh yes, she is that kind. There are no other negative feeling around her, around us everytime we were together. We got along well so fast even at the very first day we´ve met. Since then, we hang out a lot. Sometimes cutting classes and going off to the second hand shop in town together or hit the mall, or just eat out in our favorite eat all you can Asian Restaurant. It´s just pure and honest friendship. I could sense she feels the same way too. It was never hard to be myself when I am with her. You know that feeling where you can´t feel any insecurities at all and you don´t feel that you are judged whenever you are sharing sensitive moments with her. I could say that is one of those few and rare friendship I have that I truly treasure the most. 

Do you have any childhood friendships that are still strong today? Tell us about them.

I have a childhood bestfriend, and we have shared plenty of childhood memories together. I have been born in a family with no sisters so she is like a sister to me. Back then, she was living with her family in a house just a few walks from our house. I always spend time with her at their place when my parents were not home from work and she would come for a sleepover at our house during some of the weekends.. During my trip home last 2017, we were able to spend time together for a week. And still it´s as if things between us haven´t changed at all. She is still that friend who turned into family, and we assured each other that we we´re still gonna have each other´s back no matter what. Up until now, we´re still able to catch up, though I could say only through online. We both think we´re okay with the LDR thing. Haha! 

Do you have any long distance friends?

I have, in fact, so many of them! As I reside now in Denmark, so the only communication we have is the internet. The first one I talked about she lives in the UK and my childhood friend lives in the Philippines. Most of my other closest friends are residing in the Philippines, UK, US, Australia, Canada, Japan and a few ones in the Middle East.  

Do you think it is a good idea to borrow money from a friend? Why or why not?

This is a quite sensitive topic for me. But I do have views regarding friends and money matters. You know, in my entire life, I have tried to avoid situations involving friendship and money. I just don´t. I mean, I cherish people so much, and to ruin a relationship and lose a cherished friend because of money issues is a bit awful for me. I’d rather NOT. Just NO. 🙏🏻

Do you make friends easily?

I can make friends easily. And I do have a loud mouth. I am so excited to meet new people and talk with random people on the street and just smile and say hi. For me, it´s a bit of heartwarming when people comes to you, say hi, talk to you and get excited to know you. So I often think people would also want that. But given the fact that many people are too reserved, I also know my boundaries. It´s only when I feel like people would also wanna chat. I mean, like saying hi to the old lady beside me in a bus full of busy people. It could be lonely to be old, I think. Not many people are interested in talking to them. A few old people I met and talked with, they were all excited and thrilled to talked with me about their day, about their lives and jobs before and what life meant for them. For me, they have seen a lot and experienced a lot from all those years living in this world. It´s just compelling to learn from them! 

Has a friend ever let you down?

I have experienced it many times. But based from it, I always try my best to understand them and listen to them more. Humans as we are, we often make mistakes. And that includes letting a friend down. May it be a small or a big deal, but friends that are meant to last, are the friends, who still thinks of how to mend things up than to make things worst. So a friend´s apology and forgiveness is always the best ingredients to make things last.

If the trust was broken, and there is no way you can bring back what you both have had before. I just let go and pray for them. In life you will learn who you should trust and it´s always gonna be the ones who will still be there for you despite the odds. You will learn a lot by gaining and losing friends. 

Have you made any friends over the Internet?

I do have a plenty of them, with a few true ones though. But I do treat them as rare jewels that have helped me with my sanity being away from my family. I find it peculiar at first, but I have developed such strong bonds online, to take note that we haven´t even met yet! How cool is that!? Knowing and learning from a person you never met, sharing various experiences, thoughts, opinions are quite an overwhelming experience. When you get to know someone online, whom you can confide feelings to especially the things you can never share with anyone from your family or friends personally, was such a great help for me. During my first few months in Denmark, I have suffered a lot from a breakup plus the difficult adjustment phase I was going through by then. Living in a foreign country was quite a challenge for me. Even though I have my cousins and some few friends, but it was not enough by then. Because at the end of a tiring day, alone in a room, it was nice and comforting to have some people online, listening to your rants and cheering you up and helping you get your mind off the negativity and mind bugging thoughts and worries. I could say they are the ones I´d like to keep and hoping I can personally meet some of them someday too!

How do you maintain a good friendship?

I always make time to let them know that I still think and care about them. And of course, to never ever forget each of their special occassions!

How many people do you consider your "best friends?"

4 bestfriends; One is a bestfriend from my childhood years, one bestfriend from highschool, another one from college, one bestfriend whom I met in Denmark. 4 online bestfriends, one of which I already met. 

What is a best friend?

For me, a best friend is a special connection between 2 people, where there is mutual understanding of each other, where there is a bond of trust, openness, willingness to care and look out for one another, despite the distance and circumstances. Where two people feel there is no need pretending, where they can both be themselves when they are together and where two people thinks of each other as their own PERSON to run to, and be comfortable with.

What is the longest friendship that you have had?

My childhood friend; we have been friends since we were so little. So maybe that´s what you call a friend for a lifetime. 

What qualities do you think are important in a friend?

When you don´t get judged by the person and when they don´t talk negative things behind you and without you knowing.

What things should friends never do?

For me, I don´t like to compare myself with my friends. They have their own skills, talents, and own beautiful and unique lives. So maybe that is what a friend should watch out for. Insecurity and jealousy are both destructive in so many ways. Just be happy for a friend´s success and achievements.

Do you think it is possible to have a best friend of the opposite sex without becoming a girlfriend or boyfriend?

Oh, I do have a lot of friends from the opposite sex. I do happen to have one really close to me, so from a certain time, we were calling ourselves bessies. But, it did not last long. We both have jealous partners by then, so to respect each others partners, we agreed to have boundaries and thus avoiding conflicts as much as possible. 

I also often get cringey whenever a male friend of mine that´s close to me, then we´ve had our bond, and then he gets a girlfriend, and i often get jealous, but not that I have feelings for the guy, but as a female friend, I just get jealous and often felt bad about lack of attention from him afterwards. So I tend to not get too close with male friends because I know it will just turn me nuts! But I am improving myself to just be understanding and to wish all the best for them! It is the best thing I could maybe offer to a close male friend of mine if ever.

Do you think it would be possible for you still be friends with an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend?

Of course, but only if all issues were resolved. So it´s totally okay and possible for me to still be friends with my exes. I mean, they were also a part of my life and we´ve shared some good memories together too! I am teaching myself not to be bitter with the past you know. It´s good not to hold grudge on anyone especially when they were once the people you cared most and loved you as well.

Do you believe your parents should be your friends?

My parents are my friends. And so as my brother. It´s been like that in my family. It always feel better when they are ones comforting you than anybody else.

What do you like best about your best friend(s)?

They are still there for me, even if they are far away, and if I see them again, it´s still gonna be the same, no insecurities, no pretendings and no negativity. 

What are some ways your best friend has influenced your life in a positive way?

One of my bestfriend´s view about God inspired me the most. We have the same thoughts and often go late to sleep talking about a lot of stuff about life and religion. That means a lot to me.

What do you do when you have a misunderstanding with your friend?

If it was my fault, I often offer an apology. And if it´s the other way around, I always show that I can listen and try my best to understand their reason and forgive if necessary.

What type of people do you get along with best?

I don´t prefer any types actually. I just sync in with them. I think when people are meant to have a lasting impression on you, they just do. Because I think the universe conspires the people whom you will meet. Some will come and stay, some will just go and maybe leave something for you to learn. So for me, I just blend in when someone comes along and get on with the flow. I always follow the positivity flow. If i can sense a negative vibe, I tend to not fully entrust myself. Though I give many chances to people, for I always believe that sometimes the people I met and how they are, if they mean or like that negative, is because of what they have been going through in life. May it be a bad experience or a childhood trauma. We should always shed light to these people and give room for them to be understood.

What quality do you admire most in people and which one do you find the most objectionable?

If I happen to met someone who´s mind is just as beautiful as their face or personality, and then it´s just natural for us to have a good conversation in a way that´s not awkward and trying hard. Then it´s my type of person..  I don´t care if we have different views, I am bound to respect all of them. It´s just when a person knows how to choose the right words and right thoughts in that certain moment, then I am going to be rooting for that person. 

Tbh, I don´t fancy people who praises themselves a lot and think that they are always right all the time. And also, even when in an argument, no matter how big or small the issue, it´s always the tone of voice that matters to me the most.  How you say something affects what you say.  

Is getting along with others a natural ability from birth or does it have to be learnt?

For me, getting along with others is a continuing learning process. I mean up to now, I am still learning and developing my skills every day because I love to keep people who are worth keeping. And I believe there is no such skill that one can be born with a natural talent for getting along with others. It must also first be taught at home. The family is the necessary factor to develop one´s values of friendship and we will just continue to learn more and hone it as we venture out into the big world.

How important is forgiveness in human relationships?

I have been taught that it is an essential thing for us to grow and be matured. Forgiving is accepting one´s offering of peace and understanding that he or she have made a mistake and is willing to make up for it. And so as asking for forgiveness. We often commit mistakes and hurt people, that´s how human we are. So it´s important to lower one´s pride and ask for forgiveness, no matter how hard it may be. Accepting one´s own mistakes is an act of maturity, and i can say it´s also not easy but it´s necessary for human´s social growth and behavioural adaptability in the society.

Do you tell your best friend everything?

It´s funny because each of my bestfriends have their own unique qualities; one is better at the whole education and knowledge thing, other one is good at the practical thing and wise things, the other one I can confide some sexual issues and other emotional things and one I can have a good conversation about God and life. So basically, I don´t tell everything to each one of them but I go to one where I need their expertise and where they can also relate from.

Where is a good place to meet a new boyfriend/girlfriend?

I don´t think there is such a good place to meet a new bf or gf. It will just come to you as if the universe worked on it so he or she will get to where you are and bump into you. You just need to be patient. And if there is no one, just be your own gf or bf. What´s important is you love yourself and happiness is from, within you. You can still be happy without someone. You just need to unleash that thought in your mind often.

So much for this friendship thing, I hope I don´t bore you too much. Well, write to me if ever you have other thoughts about what I wrote! Ciao!

[harrypotterhogwartshitpost]

not hogwarts mystery but- 

so I’m in college now, and it’s weird getting dressed for class and not having to get pants or leggings on an 80ºF day. there’s not really a dress code. (well, apparently you can’t workout in just a sports bra at the rec, i learned the hard way, but that’s it,) which means I can wear shorts, which I could not do in high school. The reason i could not do this in high school is because All shorts had to come past your middle finger when you put your arms down. Yes everyone found it annoying, but it only really affected two groups of girls, tall girls and thick girls. Now I’ve already mentioned on here how i’m 5′2 (132cm) so obviously i don’t fall in the tall girl category. Shorts just did not fit me in a dress code compliant way. Even if they were long enough when I put them on within two steps they would ride up. The only ones I could wear were like the 8 inch inseam ones, and i would rather die than wear those. The one time I did try wearing shorts during my junior year I was called a whore, and I was wearing a long sleeve shirt with them. Sure she could have just been jealous because she’s built like a stick bug and I was blessed by the midsized gods to have Marilyn Monroe’s hourglass figure, but it wasn’t a necessary thing to say in front of my entire AP Language class at 10:27 in the morning. I hit her with a snappy comeback about her on-again-off-again boyfriend and then continued about my business ignoring my teacher and playing 8-ball over iMessage with the exchange student i was flirting with. However I didn’t wear shorts again, not because I care what she thinks, or anyone for that matter, but I was already subject to enough dress code violations that they rewrote the dress code around my crop tops and collar chokers, and I couldn’t afford to not get into college over denim that rides up my thighs. Now typically I’m a size 8 (an american size 8) but a size 8 to where I can downsize to a 7 in juniors instead of upsizing to a 9. A size 8 to where I can wear a size 6 on my waist as long as it’s loose on my thighs. So i’m definitely not a ‘big’ girl, again i’m 5′2 so i’m actually rather tiny. However my high school treated me like I was fat. Staff and students alike. It’s come to my attention since then that I am hot as fuck, and boys who bullied me in high school try to hit me up now, to which I have the joy of ghosting them. I have the peace of mind of knowing that I’m single not because people don’t want me, but because I can afford to have high standards. 

And if you’re wondering how this ties back to shorts and high school dress code, all i have to say is; don’t let an old white man with a superiority complex and the ability to print a handbook tell you you’re not good enough. 

[mimiatmidnight]

Your post about Kim's failure to wear that dress reminds me of the usual convo around perfection and how looking flawlessly perfect is boring. But even then that dress was iconic because of Marilyn, Kim looked like a fashion nova sponsored influencer from ugly tacky heels to horrible hair color and style. Idc that idiots want to act dumb to defend rich people doing whatever they want but preserving fashion *is* important and spoiled brats shouldn't risk ruining pieces because they want attention

Yes, I very briefly touched on those topics in my original tags. I didn't expect that post to get quite as much reach as it's getting right now, but if I had, I would have explored those ideas more fully within the post itself. Regardless, you are so right that there is so much more to making a look work than just the dress itself. They had NOTHING interesting going on in her makeup, and just as boring was the same old tired slicked back bun (and am I correct in understanding she was not blonde before this event? Meaning this was her lackluster attempt at some sort of homage to Marilyn? Jesus.) I believe the statement they believed they would be making is that it's all about Kim's silhouette. Let her curves do the talking, and what not. Nevermind that we've been staring at that same silhouette, willingly or unwillingly, for well over a decade at this point, and it's been copied in several hundreds of other celebrities and influencers alike. She needed . . . so much more. I took her shoe choice as a personal insult, I must say. Absolutely atrocious. Also, I suppose this can't be helped, but the color of the dress was also totally wrong against Kim's skin tone (well, it can be helped by leaving the dress to only be worn by the woman for whom it was specifically created).

And most insulting of all, of course, are the greater implications of the stunt. This self-declaration that she is the Marilyn Monroe of our time. Because all Kim understands Marilyn as is that she was a sex symbol. And so she thinks she's naturally got that covered. As if Marilyn herself was not deeply disturbed by the reduction of her personhood to the mere appearance of her body. It's a sickening dishonor to her memory. I don't know this woman or her family personally, but my impression of them is that they are a deeply uncurious people. That video of Kourtney being asked about her outfit and what the gala's theme means to her, and her replying "I honestly didn't really think about it." Like 😐 Ok thank you for being honest I guess, now please never come back here again. And of course, how this whole thing has displayed the utter lack of respect for the sanctity of historical artifacts and the appalling entitlement to our culture's shared heirlooms. The whole thing is just so . . . upsetting.

[girlontheinternet12]

Out of the Spotlight

Today, I am posting another story. This ones a sequel to my story In the Spotlight. Blake and Noah take over as the performers for the rest of Brenna’s tour, so they go all over Europe. After Brenna reads an interview with Blake and Noah in a magazine, she gets concerned that fame is going to Blake’s head. 

Chapter  1

We went to London to do some recording after Paris, but after that we went back to New York for the Holidays. Blake and Noah had been signed to my label. Blake and I were at what was now our loft. He had Christmas music playing. We were drinking wine. “I can’t wait for the Christmas party.” Blake said. Our record label was having a Christmas party. “Me too, I can’t wait to spend our first Christmas together.” I said. He leaned in closer to me. His dark eyes looking back into mine. His lips lingering before he kisses me. My phone buzzed interrupting the moment. “It’s just Joan reminding me about my photo shoot tomorrow.” I said. Joan had booked me a photoshoot in Times Square. After, Blake was going to take me to the Tenth Bar where he and Noah previously worked. Buttercup and Peanut were sleeping next to each other next to the record player. I was also going to meet The new keyboardist for the backup band. “Why don’t we end the night like we always do.” he said, taking my hand. We started dancing. Noah still thinks we are bad dancers. The next day, when I woke up I put my earbuds in and played Starman by David Bowie as I started getting ready. Blake was still asleep. For makeup, I didn’t need to wear any, since I’ll be getting my makeup done at the photo shoot. All I needed to do for my skin was to wash my face. The makeup artist will handle everything else. I put my hair up in a messy bun. I wore a nice outfit, since I was going to the bar afterward. “G’morning.” Blake said as I walked into the kitchen. “You’re up.” I said. “Yup, want a pancake?” he asked. “Sure.” I said. I sat at the bar and ate breakfast with Blake. “Okay, I have to go now.” I said. “You can’t stay for another?” asked Blake jokingly. “If I do, I’ll be late.” I said, kissing him. My hand was touching his curly brown locks. “Okay, but you know I’ll miss you.” he said, jokingly. I walked to the elevator. “I already miss you.” I said in a fake sweet voice. Blake laughed. “Bye.” I said as I got on the elevator. I got outside the building and Gary was there waiting for me. “Hey Gary.” I said hugging him. “Good to see you again.” he said. “It’s good to see you too.” I said. I put my earbuds on again as I got in the car. I put the song You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall and Oates on. I smiled as I thought about Blake. He makes my dreams come true. We arrived in Times Square quickly. I got into hair and makeup. Joan was there. Gary walked in and accidentally bumped into Joan. “Oh, Sorry Joan didn’t see you there.” Gary said. “Oh, it’s okay Gary.” she said. I could feel that it was something more than just an accidental bump, it was their meet cute. A meet cute, is the part of the story or film where the couple meets for the first time. The shoot was for a magazine. I had already done the interview. “Great Brenna.” the photographer said as I posed in Marilyn Monroe- like white dress. The shoot took a few hours. I changed into my nice outfit I had on earlier.“Before you leave, let me introduce you to Crystal, the backup band’s backup band’s new keyboardist.” Joan said. Crystal had dark skin, a half shaved head, and dark eyes. The half that wasn’t shaved was dyed blue and braided. “Hey Crystal, I’m Brenna.” I said. “Hey, nice to meet you.” she said. Blake met me at Times Square. “Blake, this is Crystal, the new keyboardist.” I said. “Nice to meet you, Crystal.” said Blake as she shook her hand. Crystal smiled. “Ready?” he asked me. “Yep.” I said as he took my hand. We walked over to the Tenth Bar. Noah was already there. “Hey.” he said. “Hey man.” said Blake as he fist bumped Noah. “Hey.” I said. The bar was nicer than I imagined. It was actually pretty high class. The stage where the band performed was huge. My eyes were caught on a face across the room. A guy with short dark red hair up in a quiff, pale skin and blue eyes. I walked over to him. “Harrison Ackridge, is that you? I said. He turned to me and took a second to recognize me. “Oh my gosh, Brenna Young. I haven’t seen you since freshman year in high school in Florida.” he said. Before I moved to California, I lived in Tampa, Florida. Harrison was my best friend. We had been since we were 4. We were inseparable, that is until I moved to Los Angeles. We hugged. “How are you doing? How did you get to New York?” I asked. “I’m doing great! I actually work for Vogue.” Harrison said. “That’s awesome. I assume you know what I’ve been up to.” I said. “Of course, I’m your biggest fan. I’m sorry about your parents.” he said. He looked toward Blake and Noah who were watching us. “Oh my gosh, is that Blake Edwards?” asked Harrison. Since Blake signed to my record and started putting videos on YouTube, his fame has skyrocketed. “Yep.” I said. “You are so lucky that he is your boyfriend. I mean he’s gorgeous.” Harrison said. “I know right.” I said. “Here let me give you my phone number.” said Harrison. “How’s your love life?” I asked as we traded phone numbers. “Not great, I seem to attract crazy guys.” said Harrison. Harrison came out to me before I left Florida. Blake and Noah had walked over. “So are you going to introduce me?” Blake said, putting his arm around me. I laughed. “Blake, this is Harrison, we were best friends before I moved to California.” I said. “Nice to meet you.” said Blake. “You guys seemed to have rekindled the friendship.” said Noah. I smiled. “I’m glad I found another friend besides these goobers.” I said. “I thought we were more than friends.” Blake said, jokingly as he kissed my cheek. “Of course we are.” I said returning the kiss. “Me too.” Harrison said as he hugged me. “I have missed you so much.” he said when Blake and Noah were out of earshot. “Let’s perform again for old time sake.” Blake said to Noah. “Yeah.” Noah said, already heading towards the stage. They went on the stage, while I stayed and sat with Harrison. They performed Just Like Heaven by The Cure. After they finished performing Blake walked to me. “Brenna, you should perform.” he said. “No.” I said. “I want to see you perform.” said Harrison. Blake went on stage. “Ok, who would like to see my friend Brenna Young perform?” he said to the audience. The audience cheered.   Then after Blake, they started chanting my name. Noah banged his symbol with the beat of the chant. “Ok, fine.” I said walking on stage. “What do you want me to perform?” I asked. “How about Blondie’s One way or Another?” asked Blake. “Sure.” I said. As I started singing Blake smiled at me. I hadn’t had that much fun on stage in a while. When I walked off stage Harrison ran up to me. “That was great.” he said, excitedly. After a few drinks and songs later, Blake and I went back to our loft. We were a little drunk. Okay, we were very drunk. We were very giggly. We were at the point where you’re so drunk that everything is hilarious. When we got back to our loft, Blake put on Cradle of Love by Billy Idol. He walked to me and put his hands on my waist and kissed my neck. He started unbuttoning my shirt. I pulled his shirt off. We took our pants off and kissed each other again and again. Before we knew it, we were naked on the couch having sex. “Let’s move this to the bedroom.” Blake said. He grabbed my hand and led me to our bedroom. I don’t remember anything after that. 

Chapter 2 

The next day, Blake and I both woke up with horrible hangovers. I spend most of the morning with my head in the toilet. I walked back into the kitchen. “Here, you’ll want some water.” Blake said. “Thanks.” I said. We spent the day in our loft. We put the Christmas tree up as well as other decorations. Later that night, Noah came over. “I’m surprised you guys aren’t more hungover.” Noah said. “You should have seen us earlier.” Blake said, turning the fireplace on. My phone rang. I looked at it. It was Crystal. “Hey.” I said. “Oh no, yes, you can stay at Blake and I’s loft.”  I said. “Okay, see ya.” I said. “Crystal’s flight back to L.A was cancelled because of the snow. I told her she could stay here, is that okay?” I said. “Of course.” Blake said. “Who’s Crystal?” asked Noah. “Crystal is the new keyboardist for the backup band.” I said. I heard the buzz of the doorbell. “Can I come up?” Crystal asked. “Yep, I’ll buzz you in.” I said. I pressed the button to let the elevator know she can come up. The elevator opened and she walked in with her bags. “Hey.” she said, hugging me. ‘Hi.” I said. “You remember Blake and this is Noah.” I said. “Hey.” said Blake. Noah was speechless. “We don't have an extra bed, but you're welcome to sleep on the couch.” Blake said. “Trust me, it’s a really comfy couch.” I said. “I’ll take your word for it. Thanks, by the way.” she said. “No problem.” Blake and I said at the same time. “Jinx.” I said. Then, Blake kissed me. “There’s one thing we like to do before bed to end the night on a good note.” Blake said. “Please don’t dance.” Noah said. Blake went over to the record player and put on We Didn’t Start The Fire by Billy Joel. Blake and I started dancing. “Are you going to join us?” I asked Crystal. “Hell Yeah.” Crystal said. Noah started leaving. “Come on, join in the fun.” Crystal said. For once, Noah danced with us. “I think someone is developing a crush.” said Blake when Noah was out earshot. I laughed. Noah decided to stay night at our loft. He slept on the couch with Crystal. The next morning, Blake made pancakes. “These are delicious, Blake.” said Crystal. “Thanks.” said Blake. “Pancakes are about the only thing he can make.” I said. “Hey.” said Blake in mock offense. Crystal and Noah laughed. After breakfast, Blake and I took a walk in Central Park. Central Park looks pretty in the snow. At lunch we had a meeting with Joan to talk about the next half of the tour next year. So after our walk, we went to meet Joan at her office. Gary was waiting for us outside the building of our loft. “Ready?” he asked. “Yep.” I said. Blake nodded. In the limo, Blake played Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede and we sang along all the way to the office. Noah was already there when we got there. “Hey.” Noah said. “So, tell me, what’s this crush you have on Crystal?” I asked. “What? I don’t have a crush on Crystal.” he said, not doing a good job hiding his feelings. “Dude it’s obvious you like her.” Blake said. We walked into Joan’s office. “Hey Joan.” said Gary, awkwardly. “Oh, hello Gary.” said Joan, blushing. “Looks like someone else also has a crush.” I said, looking at Gary and Joan. Blake laughed. “Okay, so what are we going to do about the next half of the tour?” asked Joan. “I was thinking maybe Blake and Noah could take over my tour, They could perform some of their cover songs.” I said. “I’m up for it.” Blake said. “Me too.” said Noah. “Okay, I guess that 

Chapter 3

 A few weeks later, it was time for the company Christmas party. Which was a big deal, there many stars and big record producers there. Crystal’s flight was going to be a while, so she just decided to spend the holidays in NYC. Noah let her stay at his place, so she wouldn’t have to sleep on a couch anymore. Blake and I were waiting for Hair, Makeup, and Wardrobe to come and help us get ready for the Christmas party. They finally came. “Your hair is amazing.” Blake’s hair stylist, Ashley, said. “Hey, don’t flirt with my boyfriend.” I said in mock offense. “Sorry, you're so lucky you get to be with him.” she said. Blake laughed. I wore a long, white sleeveless dress with a silver wrap. I had a nude brown, sparkly eyeshadow on with a pinkish-nude lipstick. I wore my dark hair straight. Blake wore a black tuxedo with a black bowtie. “Wow.” Blake said. “Wow yourself.” I said. “M’lady.” Blake said with his arm out. I took his arm and we left the loft. Gary was waiting by a stretch limo outside the building. He wore a suit. “Looking good Gary.” I said. “Thanks, you two look great.” he said. “Thanks.” Blake and I said. “Jinx.” Blake said. I laughed and kissed his cheek. Gary opened the limo door when we got to the party. We got out and saw cameras flashing everywhere. There was a lot of screaming. We walked the red carpet and let the paparazzi take photos of us. Noah and Crystal were ahead of us. Crystal looked amazing in her red sleeveless dress with a black wrap. Noah looked great in his tuxedo identical to Blake’s. We even got a picture of all of us. Joan was already in there when got in the building. Her red hair which was normally up was down and she wasn’t wearing her glasses which made her eyes pop. She wore a light blue long sleeved dress. She looked amazing. “Joan, you look amazing.” I said. “Thanks.” she said. Gary came in and his jaw practically dropped when he saw Joan. Blake, Noah, Crystal, and I went around and talked to different producers. Joan had said to do that. After the Christmas Party, Blake and I went back to the loft and watched It’s a Wonderful Life. We ended up falling asleep on the couch. The next day, I met up with Harrison to catch up with him. We met at a cute cafe. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe that’s how you and Blake met.” Harrison said, as he sipped his coffee. “I know.”  I said. We went back to Harrison’s apartment. His apartment was small, but it was adorable. It was one bedroom and one bathroom. His apartment building was right next to mine and Blake’s. “I’m so glad we found eachother again.” Harrison said. “Me too.” I said. I told him everything that happened with me and Blake over the last few weeks. “Wow, I can’t believe you  almost died.” Harrison said. “I know.” I said. I continued telling him about Blake. “You said his dad died of cancer, what about his mom?” asked Harrison. “He said his mom became depressed after his dad died. She also started hallucinating stuff. Blake just couldn’t help her, so he checked her into a mental hospital.” I said. “He still sees her pretty often, although with his career just getting started he may not see her as often as he’s like.” I said. “So what’s happening when tour continues?” asked Harrison. “Blake and Noah are going to take my place, but I will still be doing my meet and greets.” I said 

Chapter 4 

We celebrated Christmas with Crystal, Noah, and Harrison at our loft. We sat on the couch and exchanged gifts. “Harrison, I love this shirt.” I said. “I knew you would, these aren’t even in stores yet, but I got special access thanks to my friends at Vogue.” he said. I hugged him. I handed Harrison a gift. “Sorry mine is not as good as yours. You are hard to shop for and it was last minute.” I said. “It’s fine, darling.” he said. “Oh my gosh, I thought you would have forgotten my handbag obsession.” He said. I laughed. “How could I forget.” I said. He looked at the brand of the bag. “Ooh Prada.” Harrison said. “You’re not the only one with friends in high places.” I said. We all laughed. “It’s my turn.” Blake said, handing me a gift. I opened it to find a beautiful silver heart locket with a ruby in the middle. It also had “Blake and Brenna” inscribed on it. “It’s beautiful.” I said, looking at the necklace in awe. Blake kissed my head. “Merry Christmas.” he said. He helped me put the necklace on. I got Blake a vinyl record that he had been wanting. After we finished opening presents, Blake got up and put on some music. I stood by the floor to ceiling windows and watched the snow fall. Blake stood next to me. He wrapped his arms around me. “Merry Christmas.” I said. “Merry Christmas.” He said. Noah jumped on the couch behind us and held up mistletoe. “MISTLETOE.” he said, dangling it between Blake and I. We looked at each other, shrugged our shoulders and kissed. Everyone else laughed. Then we watched as New Your City got covered in a blanket of snow. We didn't do much between Christmas and New Years. On New Years Eve we went to Times Square, except we weren’t in the large crowds, we were in a V.I.P area. We were not performing, but we were talking with important people. People who can help make our music known. We also talked with reporters. We went back to our spot as we prepared to watch the count down. “10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… HAPPY NEW YEAR!” we said. Blake and I kissed. Noah and Crystal looked like they wanted to kiss, but they didn’t. “We don’t need to kiss do we?” Noah asked. “Not unless you want to.” asked Crystal. “I mean if you want to.” said Noah. “It’s fine, we don’t have to.” Crystal said. They both blushed and turned away.  The next day, Crystal flew back to L.A. She was going to meet us at the next tour stop: Berlin, Germany. We were leaving for Berlin in a few days. We were hanging out at our loft with Noah. He looked blue. “I think Noah misses Crystal.” I whispered to Blake. “Cheer up, dude, you’ll see Crystal in a few days.” Blake said. “What makes you think I miss Crystal?” he said. I rolled my eyes. Blake sighed. “Dude, your crush on Crystal is so obvious.” Blake said. Noah's shoulders slumped. “Ok, Ok, I like Crystal.” he said. “Tell her how you feel.” said Blake. “Well, do you think she likes me?” asked Noah. “Well, you did both want to kiss on New Year’s.” I said. “Yeah, but that was New Year’s, does she really like me?” Noah asked. “The way to find out is to ask her out.” I said. Blake nodded. “Fine, I will ask her out in Berlin.” said Noah. The next day, Blake and I went to New Jersey to see Blake’s mother. This was the first time I was going to meet her. We arrived at the hospital and went to the front desk. A young girl in nurse’s scrubs with brown hair and brown eyes greeted us. “Hey Blake, here to see your mom?” she asked. “Yes, Kaitlyn. Sorry it’s been a while, my music career is finally taking off and I leave for Berlin tomorrow and I wanted to see mom again before I left.” Blake said. “I get it. Hey Anna, can you check if Madge is in her room?” said Kaitlyn. “Madge? I thought your mom’s name is Margaret.” I said to Blake. “It is, but she goes by Madge.” Blake said. I nodded. “Madge is in her room, you can go in.” said Kaitlyn. “Thanks, Kaitlyn.” said Blake. We walked to Blake’s Mother’s room. “Hey mom.” Blake said, opening the door. “Blake, it’s good to see you again.” she said, hugging him. “Mom, this is my girlfriend, Brenna. Brenna, this is my mom.” Blake said. “It’s nice to meet you.” I said. “I’m sorry about your husband.” I said. “Don’t be. I see him everyday.” she said. I looked at Blake. “She hallucinates him.” Blake whispered to me. Blake and I sat down on the chairs by the desk in Blake’s mom’s room. “So I leave for Berlin tomorrow for tour.” Blake said. “I’m so proud.” his mom said. “Thanks-” Blake said. “Sing for me.” his mom said. “Okay, Brenna, sing with me?” Blake asked. I nodded. I sang backup vocals for him as he sang George Harrison’s Dark Sweet Lady. Blake’s mother closed her eyes and immersed herself in the music. “Thank you.” she said as she held Blake’s hand. “I love you, mom.” Blake said. “I love you too.” she said. “I have to go, we have an early flight tomorrow.” Blake said. He looked at her concerned. “I’ll be fine.” his mother said. “Ok, I’ll see you in a  few months.” said Blake, hugging her. “Why Dark Sweet Lady, of all songs? I mean, not that it’s a bad song.” I said after we left the institute. “Dad sang that to her when they were dating. He even sang it at their wedding.” he said. 

Chapter 5 

The next day, we woke up at 5:00 am to get to the airport at 6:00 am and get on our flight which takes off at 8:00 am. We met up with Noah at the John F. Kennedy Airport. “So are you going to tell Crystal how you feel when you see her?” asked Blake, as he took a sip of his coffee. We stopped by the Starbucks in the airport. “Yes.” Noah said, also sipping his coffee. I wore one of Blake’s sweatshirts over a vintage ACDC t-shirt with a pair of black leggings. My hair was up in a messy bun and I didn’t have a stitch of make-up on. Blake also wore a sweatshirt over a Knicks t-shirt with jeans and a beanie. Noah wore a white t-shirt with black jeans. “How do I tell Crystal that I like her?” asked Noah. “It’s not hard, just say “I like you, do you wanna hang out sometime?”” said Blake. A girl in a red sweater with short brown hair and brown eyes came up to us. She looked about 16. “Oh my gosh, your Brenna Young and you’re Blake Edwards and Noah Pently! I love your music. Can I get a picture with you?” she asked. “Sure. What’s your name?” asked Blake as stood up. “My name is Hannah.” the girl said, grabbing her phone. Hannah handed Blake her phone and we stood together as Blake took the picture. “Flight 33 leaving for Berlin is now boarding.” said the airport intercom. “That’s our flight. Nice to meet you Hannah.” said Blake. Hannah blushed with excitement. After Hannah left us, we boarded the plane to Berlin. After 10 hours we landed in Berlin. We had to go to the concert venue immediately for sound check. Since I wasn’t performing, I stayed backstage to watch. They performed Your Love by The Outfield. They sounded great. I went to hair and make-up afterward to get ready for my meet and greets. “You look fantastic!” said Joan. “Thanks.” I said. “You always look fantastic.” said Blake. “And you smell.” I said. “Wash up.” Joan said to Blake. “You get ready for your meet and greet.” said Joan. I nodded. “Are you going to be okay?” asked Blake. “I’ll be fine.” I said, as I kissed him. I went over to the meet and greet area. “Hi Gary.” I said. “You ready?” he asked. “Yes.” I said. “If it gets too crazy, I’m right here.” Gary said. “I know, let’em in.” I said. The fans came in herds. It was a lot, but I handled it. I was finishing up with the last few fans when Blake came in. The fans went crazy. “Woah, woah.” Blake said. Gary went over and pulled the fans away and led them out. “Well, that was crazy.” Blake said. “I know.” I said. “The show starts in half an hour.” he said. “Are you guys ready?” I asked. “Yep.” Blake said. “Blake, you have an interview after the show.” Joan said. “Okay.” Blake said. Blake and I walked over to where Noah and Crystal were sitting. “So, Crystal-” said Noah as he looked at Blake. Blake mouthed “Tell her.” to him. “Crystal, I really like you, would you want to go out with me?” asked Noah. “You want me to be your girlfriend?” as Crystal. “If you want to be.” Noah said. “Does this answer your question?” asked Crystal. Then she kissed him. “So that’s a yes?” Noah said. “Yes, you dummy.” said Crystal. Blake and I applauded jokingly. Crystal and Noah laughed. “Get on stage, 5 minutes til showtime.” said Joan. We all stood up. I turned towards Blake. “Good luck.” I said. Then I kissed him. “Thanks, I’ll see you after the show, I love you.” he said. “I love you too.” I said. I went over to the edge of the stage and stood next to Joan. “What’s up, Berlin?” said Blake to the audience. “Let’s get the party started!” he said. The first song they performed was Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones. The audience loved the performance and so did I. The audience was on their feet the entire show. “Goodnight Berlin! We love you!” said Blake. Then he ran off stage and kissed me. “Blake, you have an interview.” said Joan. “I know, I’ll be there in a second.” he said. “I’ll see you on the tour bus then.” I said. “Okay, see you later, love you.” he said, kissing me on the cheek. I went back to the tour bus with Crystal. “So, you and Noah.” I said. “Yep, he’s my boyfriend now.” Crystal said. I laughed. “I’m happy for you both.” I said. “What’s the next stop?” asked Crystal. “I think we are going to Rome.” I said. I looked out the window and saw Noah and Blake coming to the tour bus. Gary was in front of them. Noah sat next to Crystal. Blake sat next to me. “I’m excited to go to Rome tomorrow.” Blake said. “Stay seated, we are leaving now.” said Gary. “You were amazing tonight, Blake.” I said. “Thanks.” he said. “It makes me kinda miss performing.” I said. “If you want to perform on stage with us, I’d be cool with that.” he said. He looked at Noah. Noah nodded. “It’s fine, I don’t want to confuse my fans.” I said. “How was the interview?” I asked. “ It was great.” said Blake. We  talked for a few more hours then we fell asleep. Before we knew it we were in Rome. “Wow.” I said. “I know, Rome is so pretty.” said Blake. We looked out the windows in awe. Once we arrived at the concert venue, Blake, Noah, and Crystal went to sound check. I went to see some sights in Rome. Gary came with me. After visiting the colosseum, I went to the local mall to get something to eat. I noticed a magazine in one of the kiosks and it had Blake and Noah’s interview. So I bought one and read their interview. I could not believe some of the things they said Blake said. “This does not sound like the Blake I know.” I said. “Are we sure he actually said that? Maybe they twisted his words?” said Gary. “I really hope that’s the case.” I said. Gary and I went back to the concert venue. We decided not to say anything about the interview. Blake, Crystal, and Noah were getting ready to go on stage. “Good luck, I love you.” I said. Blake kissed me and went on stage. He didn’t say “I love you too”. Which made me more concerned about the interview. The first song they performed was Second Hand News by Fleetwood Mac. After a few more songs, Blake went to play some more songs on his acoustic guitar. So Noah and Crystal went backstage. Crystal sat on the couch while Noah used the bathroom. I sat next to Crystal. “Hey Crystal, while I was out sightseeing I found a copy of the magazine with Blake and Noah’s interview and well you have to read it yourself.” I said, handing Crystal the magazine. “That does not sound like them.” said Crystal. “I know, but I don’t know if they actually said that.” I said. “Although, based on how Blake acted tonight, I’m concerned they did say that. I mean he didn’t even say “I love you too.” he always says “I love you too.”” I said. “Let’s not jump to conclusions, anyways I’ve got to get back on stage.” said Crystal. “Ok, But let me know if they are acting weird on stage.” I said. Crystal nodded. The last song they performed was Jump by Van Halen. After that, Blake and Noah met Crystal and I on the tour bus. We were going to the airport for a quick flight over to Barcelona. I sat anxiously waiting for Blake and Noah. “Hey- are you alright.” Blake said, confusedly as he sat down and put his water bottle down. “Yeah, it’s just I found A copy of the magazine with your interview and did you actually say these things.” I asked, showing him the magazine. I looked at Crystal nervously. She looked at Noah. He moved next to Blake and read the magazine over his shoulder. “By the way you said it, I thought they had really twisted our words, but they really didn’t.” Blake said. Noah nodded. “So you did say that stuff?” I asked. Blake and Noah nodded. “Pretty much.” said Blake. I looked at Crystal. “I need to be by myself for a moment.” I said. “What’s wrong?” asked Blake. “Nothing.” I said. I went to the bedroom at the back of the bus. I grabbed my computer and video chatted with Harrison. I showed him the magazine with the interview. “Oh my gosh, he  actually confirmed he said that?” asked Harrison. “Yes.” I said. “What do I do?” I asked. “Talk to him.” Harrison said. “You're right, but it’s late. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” I said. “Good Luck.” said Harrison. “Thanks, talk to you soon. Good night.” I said. “Good night.” said Harrison, as we hung up. 

Chapter 6 

We arrived at the concert venue in Barcelona at 8:00am. We slept on the tour bus for a few hours. After, we went to the concert venue for sound check. “Good job, Get some rest and be ready for the show by 6:00pm.” said Joan. I went to the dressing room and texted Harrison. Blake came in. “Hey are you OK? you seemed anxious last night.” Blake said. I sighed. “We need to talk.” I said. Blake sat down next to me. “Why did you say those things in that interview? I mean that doesn’t sound like you at all.” I said. “Why do you care about what I said in that interview?” asked Blake. “Because you sound like a jerk and I don’t want fame going to your head.” I said. “Oh so now that I’m famous, you can’t be happy for me?” said Blake, standing up. “No I-” I said. “You're just jealous because everyone has already forgotten you.” Blake said. I stood up too. “I’m not jealous, I just don’t want you to forget who you are. I don't know what happened to the Blake I love, but you are not him.” I said. I left the dressing room as Blake just stood there. I sat down on the couch backstage. Crystal walked towards me. She sat down next to me. “Did you talk to him?” asked Crystal. “Yes, but it did not go well.” I said. “It ended up with arguing?” asked Crystal. I nodded. “I’m sorry things didn’t go well.” said Crystal. “10 minutes til showtime.” said Joan. “I gotta go.” said Crystal. “Go, I’ll be fine.” I said. I stood next Joan at the edge of the stage. “What’s up Barcelona?” said Blake. The audience cheered loudly. “The first song we are going to perform is You Give Love a Bad Name by Bon Jovi.��� said Blake. “That wasn’t on the setlist.” said Joan. My heart sank as Blake looked at me as he played the first chords. “Shot through the heart and you're to blame, you give love a bad name.” Blake sang. I could feel my heart rate rising. I began to sweat. And my hands began to shake. I looked at Crystal who looked at me. “Are you okay?” asked Joan. “No.” I said panting. I ran with Gary following behind me. I ran to the tour bus and locked myself in the back room of the bus. Gary knocked on the door. “Brenna, I’m right out here if you need me.” he said. “Thanks Gary.” I said panting. I grabbed my computer quickly and video chatted with Harrison. “Are you okay?” asked Harrison. “No.” I said. “You’re having an anxiety attack, aren’t you?” asked Harrison. I nodded. “Just breathe, tell me everything that happened.” he said. I took a few deep breaths and told Harrison everything that happened today. “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe he did that.” Harrison said. “Harrison, I just want to go home.” I said. “Don’t, I have an idea. Go to the airport tomorrow and wait by the baggage claim, text me when you're there. I will give you further instructions.” said Harrison. “Okay.” I said. “Until then, I’ll see if Gary can take me to a hotel to sleep in tonight, I just want to get as far away as I can from Blake tonight.” I said. “Okay, be careful, see you soon.” said Harrison. “Thanks, Harrison, bye.” I said. I closed my computer and grabbed my bags. I unlocked the door and approached Gary. “Gary, can you take me to a hotel nearby?” I asked. “Yes, is everything okay?” he asked. “Yeah, for now.” I said. “Okay, I’ll tell Joan we’re  not going with them to Portugal.” said Gary. “I just need you to take me to a hotel, I can take care of myself.” I said. “Are you sure?” asked Gary. I walked towards Gary. I put my hands on his shoulders. “You don’t have to worry about me, Gary and they need you here.” I said. “Fine, let’s go.” he said. An hour later, we got to the hotel. Gary helped me carry my stuff up to my room. “Are you sure, you don’t want me to stay with you?” Gary asked. “Yes, I’ll be fine Gary. I love you.” I said, hugging him. After Gary left. I ran myself a bath. My phone rang, when I saw that it was Blake, I turned it off. I had already posted to my fans in Portugal that I didn’t feel good and was not going to be able to do my meet and greets. After my bath, I went to bed. The next morning I got up at 7:00 am. I checked my phone and I looked at my texts from Crystal. She said that she was sorry about what happened and would talk to them about it. I didn’t reply. I turned my phone off again. I decided that the only person I would text would be Harrison and I would avoid the internet at all costs. I got a taxi and went to the airport. I walked to the baggage claim and texted Harrison. He said to go to baggage claim number 5. When I got there I saw Harrison standing there with two suitcases and he even had Peanut and Buttercup. “Harrison, I can’t believe you actually came here and you brought my dogs.” I said. I hugged him and pet my dogs. “I figured you needed me in person.” said Harrison. “Come on, let’s go explore Spain.” he said. I smiled at him and I turned my phone off. We stopped by my hotel room so Harrison could drop his stuff off. We explored all around Barcelona. We even went to the beach. We ended up at a mall doing some shopping. We walked past a group of girls. The girls turned and chased after us because they recognized me. We ended up losing them when we ran into the bathrooms. “Whew, that was close.” I said. “Seriously, we could have been maimed.” said Harrison. “We have to find a way to get around without me getting recognized.” I said. Harrisoned smiled at me. “It sounds like you need a makeover.” he said. He gave me a hat and sunglasses to wear for the time being. He took me to a hair salon. We turned my hair from long dark brown wavy hair to straight medium length blonde hair with a streak of lilac. After that we went and got my eyebrows done and we bought some color contacts. My brown eyes turned Grey. Then Harrison bought me some new clothes that were different from my usual style. I looked completely different. We were both confident that no one would recognize me. “You look amazing.” said Harrison. After that we went to a Karaoke bar. “Do you think anyone would recognize me by my singing?” I asked. “I highly doubt it.” said Harrison. “Great.” I said. “What song are you going to sing?” Harrison asked. “I was thinking of revenge.” I said. “What do you mean?” asked Harrison. “You’ll see.” I said, standing up. I walked to the DJ and told him what song I wanted to sing. I decided to sing I Hate Myself For Loving You by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts. I watched the door open and Crystal, Noah, and  Blake walked in as I sang. Blake looked at me in shock. I looked at Harrison, who looked at me in shock too. Blake left after a few minutes. Noah went with him. Crystal sat down next to Harrison. After I finished performing, I sat down next to Harrison. “What are you guys doing here?” I asked Crystal. “I talked to Blake and Noah. Blake wanted to come talk to you, but I guess that’s not happening now.” said Crystal. “By the way, you look great.” she said. “Thanks, I thought you were supposed to be doing a show in Portugal.” I said. “We were, but Joan delayed the show, because she’s worried about you and she doesn’t want Blake doing something stupid like he did yesterday.” said Crystal. “I hate the way Blake and I left things, as much as I’m angry at him.” I said. “So you want to fix things.” said Crystal. I nodded. “Well we’re performing our show in Portugal tomorrow.” She said. “And Blake is planning on playing Sweet Child O’ Mine as their opener.” said Crystal. “I think I have a plan.” I said. “Crystal take us to Joan, I need to talk to her.” I said. “What about me?” asked Harrison. “I want you to come too, after all I did say “Take us””. I said  

Chapter 7 

A few hours later, we arrived in Portugal. “Let’s get inside.” I said, when we got to the venue. “Woah, woah.” said Gary. “Gary, it’s me, Brenna.” I said. “Oh, I didn’t recognize you.” said Gary. “It’s okay, I need to talk to Joan.” I said. He opened the door for us and we went inside. Since it didn’t matter if people recognized me, I stopped by the bathroom and removed my contact lenses. “Joan, how much longer till showtime?” I asked. “Brenna, what are you doing back?” asked Joan. “I want to make things right with Blake.” I said. “There’s 10 minutes left till showtime.” she said. I told Joan my plan. Harrison followed me to the dressing rooms, along the way we ran into the bassist for the backup band, Rocky. Rocky wasn’t able to link up with us on tour until the show in Portugal. Up til tonight, Crystal had been playing his parts on the keyboard. “Hey, Rocky.” I said. He and Harrison instantly made eye contact. Rocky had black hair that was pointed in a quiff. He also had dark eyes, a goatee, and pale skin. “Rocky, this is my best friend Harrison.” I said. He and Harrison shook hands. “Nice to meet you.” Rocky said. Harrison was speechless. After Rocky had gone to the stage, Harrison turned to me. “Who was that?” he asked. “That was my bassist, Rocky.” I said. “He’s hot, do you know if he is straight or not?” asked Harrison. I shrugged my shoulders. Once we got to the dressing room, I gave Harrison some tickets to the V.I.P lounge and a backstage pass, so he could watch the show. I hid in the dressing room til Blake and Noah went on stage. Then I blended in with some stage hands. I heard the first few chords of Sweet Child O’ Mine. Then I jumped in on the first verse. Blake looked shocked, but he couldn’t stop. “Brenna, what are you doing?” asked Blake between one of the breaks in the song. “I want to make things right. We’ll talk more after the song” I said, before going into the second verse. After the song ended, Blake put his guitar down and walked towards me. “So?” he asked. “I’m sorry if I haven’t been clear, but after I read your interview I was scared that you were letting fame go to your head. I just don’t want to lose the Blake I fell in love with.” I said. The audience awed when I said that. “I’m sorry too, I thought about what happened, and what I said during the interview wasn’t right. I just said things I thought people would want me to say.” said Blake. “Don’t let people decide who you want to be, just be yourself.” I said. Blake smiled. “I love you, Brenna. Thanks for looking out for me.” Blake said. I smiled too, then we kissed. “One last question though, will I ever get to sing Sweet Child O’ Mine or are you going to keep interrupting me?” he asked. Everyone laughed. “We’ll have to see.” I said, flirtatiously. “Do you want to sing on stage with us?” Blake asked. “Can I always sing on stage with you guys?” I asked. “You mean form a band?” Blake asked. “Yes, I finally realized what I want to do with music, I want to perform with my friends and boyfriend.” I said. “Good, I was worried you were calling me just your friend.” Blake said. Everyone laughed. “What song do we sing next?” I asked. “Whatever you want.” Blake said. “How about I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett?” I said. “Sounds good.” Blake said. We ended the show that night with Surrender by Cheap Trick. “That was great.” Joan said, when we walked backstage. “Is there any way to publicly apologize for that interview?” Blake asked. “You just leave that to me.” said Joan. “Okay.” Blake said. I turned towards Crystal and Noah. “Are you guys okay?” I asked. “Yeah, we worked things out.” said Crystal. “Honestly, during the interview, I was just following Blake’s lead. I didn’t expect him to say that stuff either.” said Noah. “Yeah, I’m sorry, we should have talked about what we wanted to say before the interview.” Blake said. “It’s cool.” said Noah. Harrison came backstage. “I’m glad everything worked out.” He said. “Me too.” I said. Harrison got up to use the bathroom. Rocky walked past us. “Hey Rocky, I have a question.” I said. “Shoot.” he said. “I have a friend who is interested in you, so are you straight or gay?” I asked. “I like men.” He said. “Then my friend will be very happy.” I said. Rocky pulled a chair up and sat backwards on it. “Can I have your friend’s number?” he asked. “Sure.” I said. Rocky left by the time Harrison came back from the bathroom. “I have something for you.” I said to Harrison as he sat down. I handed him the paper with Rocky’s number on it. “No way, you got his number for me.” Harrison said, excitedly. “Not only that, but I gave him your number.” I said. Harrison was so excited he could barely speak. That night, we all went back to the airport. We were going back to New York for a few days before going to Japan for the Asian leg of the tour. Our flight took off at midnight. We arrived in New York at about 8:00 in the morning. Blake and I got back to our apartment. “Do you want to listen to some music?” Blake asked. “Sure.” I said. Putting my bags down. He put on Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison. We danced the whole morning. 

The End

Epilogue

 The next day, I felt a little nauseous. I had also skipped a period. So I decided to take a pregnancy test. Blake was not home; he went to do an interview on Good Morning America. I watched his interview while I waited on the test. Buttercup and Peanut were resting next to me. I pet them anxiously. After the show ended, I walked back to the bathroom. I looked at the test results. My heart rate sped up. I thought about the drunken night after we went to the Tenth Bar. My hands shook as I looked at the pregnancy test in shock. “Brenna, are you okay?” Blake asked as he came into the loft. I looked at the pregnancy test and wrapped it in toilet paper and threw it in the garbage. I walked out of the bathroom. “I’m fine.” I said.    

To find out more read The Return to the Spotlight (coming soon).

[bigfan-fanfic]

Halloween Celebration (Multiple x Male Reader)

Written for @just--another--daydreamer​ ‘s Halloween Celebration! Thanks for your awesomeness! 

Whoo! Just in time for Halloween! I decided to do all three of the prompts, using three of my most popular pairings! Hope you all like!

Prompts: Going trick-or-treating together, scary movie date, and wearing couples’ costumes.

“I’d Just as Sooner Kiss a Wookiee”- Ironkid Reader x Peter Parker

“Pete. Peter. Peter, no.”

“Peter yes.”

“...Did you just meme me? Seriously?”

“...maybe...”

It was a hard-fought battle, but Peter got you to go trick-or-treating with him. Mr. Delmar always had the best candy, he said, and he knew exactly who always gave out king-sized candy bars.

Who can say no to that, right?

Pepper said she’d allow it - as long as you took Morgan with you. You were still Pepper’s responsibility, even if you were a superhero, and she knew Morgan would be as much a chaperone for you as you would be for her.

Peter, of course, has been spending weeks on his costume, saving up to buy parts and repurposing others. So when you and Morgan arrive at May’s, he’s dressed as an impressive rendition of Han Solo. Morgan insisted on the three of you matching, so you’ve had to dress up as Chewbacca while she gets to be Rey. 

May’s dressed as a vampire, with a cape and fangs and everything, and she compliments you all on your costumes. Ned and MJ arrive as well. Ned came dressed as Kylo Ren - he even has on an awful wig for the hair, and MJ came without a costume, since “You know Halloween is just an appropriation and heartless commercialization of the festival of Samhain and Dia de los Muertos, right?” but she didn’t seem to have a problem accompanying all of you.

You all stick together, knowing that safety is the most important on Halloween.

Morgan came up with a shtick where she pretends to Jedi Mind Trick on you (”you will give me all your candy”) and you do a Chewbacca growl, but halfway through the night your voice gives out. Peter saves you (“sorry, kid, but you gotta let the Wookiee win.”)

After everyone’s tired and has full bags of candy (Peter and Ned are the kind of people who brought their pillowcases), Peter apologizes that you didn’t get much time together.

“That’s okay. I had a great time anyway.”

Peter chuckles. “I know it’s not canon... but could Han Solo maybe kiss Chewbacca?”

You smirk. “Been reading fanfiction, Mr. Parker?”

He blushes. “Shut up.” 

And you two kiss.

“What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie?”- Male Reader x Percy Jackson

A lot of Percy’s dating advice comes from Paul and Sally.

It’s Paul who suggests the scary movie date.

“It’s classic, and foolproof. You get some snacks, put on a scary movie, and you sit with your arms stretched out on the seat. When it starts getting good, your date’ll curl in and bam. Cuddling.” Paul said, grinning.

So, with the Stoll twins’ help, Percy smuggled a TV into camp. And a DVD player, because Camp Half-Blood has really bad signal of all kinds.

He invites you over to watch a scary movie

and sits really awkwardly on the bed, a bowl of popcorn and blue gummi worms balanced on his legs, his whole plan ruined because you started out cuddled next to him.

But he enjoys it.

He had put on Scream, which, let’s face it, isn’t very scary. You end up laughing more than screaming, and you two make snarky comments the whole time.

But each time you snort at one of his dorky asides, you cuddle closer, and he keeps his arm around you.

When it’s over, neither of you wants to move.

“Did you like the movie?” Percy asks finally.

You lean your head on him. “Yup.”

He kisses the top of your head. “Good.”

You lay like that for a moment more. Percy nudges you. “The Stoll Twins are gonna prank the Athena cabin with fake spiders. Wanna go on the deck and watch them get revenge?”

“Poor Conner and Travis...I am so there.”

“A Family Effort”  - Batdad Reader x Batman

“Do we have to go?” Bruce asks you, getting as close to whining as he ever does.

Ollie and Dinah are throwing a big Halloween party, and as the other famous rich business couple in the U.S., you kind of have to show support. 

It’s a Jane Austen type situation, as everybody knows Bruce and Oliver (or at least, their public personae) don’t like each other, but it would be a whole “celebrity feud” type thing if they were to show it by something as obvious as skipping a party.

And it’s a costume party.

Bruce really would rather not.

You asked the boys their suggestions for couples’ costumes you could wear.

Jason snickers and says you could go as Green Arrow, and have Bruce be Black Canary. “Bet he’d work those stockings, right?”

You smile sweetly at your son. “Why don’t we just go as Green Arrow and Red Arrow?”

“Ewwwwww. Not cool.”

Damian suggests you two go in some Batman suits, not really getting the idea.

Tim thinks you ought to go as Frankenstein and his monster, but then you’d have to decide which of you is the monster and endure Oliver’s teasing about it.

Dick is the one to come up with your costume.

You two show up dressed as a pair of vampires, makeup making you look all drained of blood, fancy embroidered silk vests and linen shirts under fancy black cloaks. It’s fun and more than a little sexy, which fits the brief for the party.

Oliver and Dinah are dressed as Marilyn Monroe and a bodyguard, and Dinah complements you on your costumes. Ollie stays silent, not seeing anything to make fun of Bruce for.

“You two look very dashing.” Dinah grins. “How’d you decide on your costumes this year?”

“It was a family effort.”

Dinah smirks.

“We were going to dress as Green Arrow and Black Canary, but then one of us would’ve been stuck carrying around a bow all night for no reason... much like the original.” Bruce teases. Oliver huffs.

Bruce looks a lot happier at the party after that, and you two go to show off your costumes.