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riddlegecko · 3 years ago

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Prompt- Hannahs been wandering through the woods chatting with her tree friends and runs into perkys buds and now Emma and ziggs are dealing with this post child talking to trees

What kind of conversations do these two have while high?

If you remember that one fic idea I proposed like a week ago- the one about Hannah's Nightmare Time journal, then this is kinda connected to that idea. It alludes to some ideas I have for that fic, though I'm still not sure if I'll ever write that whole thing. Also, dog. Enjoy!

Ziggs sat in a chair on the porch of Emma's farmhouse, watching as stars began to appear in the evening sky. That was one of the nice things about living out here, away from the city, the lack of light pollution to blot out the stars. Emma was inside, preparing veggie wraps from a recipe Ziggy had shown her for dinner. Crickets chirped, a gentle breeze shook the leaves of the Witchwood's sycamore trees, Emma's dog Velvet laid at Ziggs' feet. Yep. Another lovely night in paradise.

Shutting their eyes, Ziggs allowed the crisp evening air to wash over them, clearing their mind. Honestly, they might've drifted off for a moment had Velvet not suddenly sprung up and padded away.

"Hm?" they hummed in surprise, watching the collie trod off towards the woods. "Velvy, where ya going, girl?"

Knowing full well how often people got lost in the Witchwood, Ziggs stood up to go follow Velvet before she wandered too far. Thankfully, she stopped at the wooden fence, staring out into the forest and flicking her fluffy tail back and forth. Ziggy crouched down beside her, gently patting her back.

"What's out there, girl?" they asked. "Whaddya see?"

Velvet made no noise, simply sitting down with her gaze still fixed on... whatever it was she was looking at. Thinking that Velvet had just heard a chipmunk or something, Ziggy was about to get up and usher the collie back to the house.

"You're sure this is the place?"

Ziggy froze, startled. Velvet began barking. That... was definitely a human voice. So either a camper had wandered close to the farm, or Ziggs was about to get fucking murdered. They stood back up, awkwardly gripping the fence.

"Hello?" they called out over the sound of the dog's barks. "Anyone out there?"

Silence. Then, the sound of footsteps, coming closer from the woods. Ziggy flinched. Shit, should they have grabbed a pistol first? But before they could consider bolting, Velvet quit barking and the figure emerged from the shadows.

...It was a kid.

A young girl, probably around fifteen or sixteen years old. She was clad in a red striped shirt and a pair of overalls, with a thin yellow flannel covering her arms. Her dark brown hair was styled into twin braids. Ziggs relaxed their grip on the fence, and looked down at Velvet.

"Velvy, go get Emma, girl," they told the collie, gently scratching behind her ear. The dog took off towards the house, and Ziggs looked back up at the mysterious forest child. "Um... Hey?"

"Hello," the kid greeted them, her voice soft and polite. "Is this Perky's Buds?"

Ziggs wasn't sure how to respond. Did this kid just spookily emerge from the woods to ask for weed? They weren't allowed to sell to minors... Unless, this girl was just older than she looked?

"Yeah, this is the place," Ziggy replied. "So, um, who are you?"

The girl held out her hand. "I'm Hannah," she said. "Hannah Foster."

Ziggs awkwardly took her hand, shaking it. "I'm Ziggy, friends call me Ziggs," they introduced themself. "So, what brings you here so late?"

"Just investigating," the girl- no, Hannah responded. "May I come over the fence?"

Investigating? Was this kid a fucking narc or something? But before Ziggy could ask about that, Velvet's bark rang out once more, followed by Emma's voice.

"Slow down, girl!" she called out. "I'm comin', I'm comin'!"

Ziggy whirled around to see Velvet eagerly bound outside with Emma following a foot behind. Emma soon noticed the stranger on the other side of the fence, and approached curiously.

"Ziggy, what's going on?" she asked. Her eyes darted towards Hannah for a second. "Who's this?"

"Hannah Foster," Hannah answered. "I came here to investigate something. May I come in?"

"Investigate?" Emma echoed skeptically. "What, are you an undercover narc or something?"

Ziggs bit back a snicker. Hannah smiled softly and shook her head.

"No," she said. "I just wanted to document a few things."

Emma turned to look at Ziggs, who simply shrugged. They were as clueless as she was. After a moment of contemplation, Emma turned back to Hannah and nodded.

"Sure, knock yourself out, kid," she replied. "Just don't go sneaking the product while our backs are turned, 'kay?"

Hannah smiled wider. "Thank you," she said, climbing up over the fence. She pulled a pen and what looked to be a book bound in white leather out of her flannel. "I'm just gonna take a few laps around the area, then I'll be outta your hair."

Ziggs and Emma shared another confused glance, before following after Hannah. Velvet eagerly padded alongside the girl, who gently patted the dog's head as she surveyed the crops.

"So, um, Hannah?" Ziggs piped up. "Were you... talking to someone out there?"

"Mhm," Hannah hummed in response. "The trees. Freed them, Webby says."

Ziggs blinked in confusion. That was a... loaded sentence.

"Freed them?" Emma repeated in bafflement. "Who? The trees?"

Hannah nodded, scribbling something into the book. "Uh-huh," she said, looking at Emma with respect in her gaze. "Set their souls free, the ones you cut down anyway. They called you a savior."

Ziggs grumbled softly. If there was one thing they'd disagreed with Emma on about this business, it was how many trees she'd cut down to make room for everything. But this kid was saying that she'd... freed them? What? This was so fucking bizarre. And based on Emma's utterly puzzled expression, she was probably thinking the same thing.

"Marijuana, not tinder..." Hannah observed in a hushed tone as she eyed the crops. Gee, how astute... She nodded, once again scrawling something down in her book. "That would explain the smell, and their demeanor..."

"Wh- demeanor!?" Emma sputtered, almost a little offended. "What's that supposed to mean, huh?"

"Not yours, technically," Hannah calmly explained. "The scarecrows'."

Ziggy tilted their head to the side. "We only have one scarecrow," they told her. "And I'm like ninety percent sure he's not alive."

That seemed to catch Hannah's attention. "Where is it?" she asked with intrigue.

Without a word, Ziggs rushed forward and gestured for Hannah to follow, which she did. Velvet tailed along eagerly, with Emma a few steps behind. Within moments, they'd arrived at the farm's scarecrow. A chill fellow, clad in some old clothing of Emma's- namely a worn-out flannel and some ragged jeans, and Ziggy's beanie. To top it all off, a jack-o-lantern-esque face drawn on a burlap sack they'd found in the barn.

"Here he is!" Ziggy exclaimed proudly. "We had a bit of a Nighthawk problem early on, so we made this guy to scare 'em off. His name is Todd."

Hannah eyed Todd up and down, her expression unreadable. "Huh..." she said. "Looks different from the ones in Nightmare Time..."

At this point, Ziggy just wasn't gonna question the kid. No matter how she answered, they'd be left more confused than before. Hannah surveyed the scarecrow for another several minutes, before continuing on her merry way around the farm. Curious, Ziggy sneakily peered over Hannah's shoulder, just to see what is was she was actually writing.

"CROPS

Nightmare Time = Tinder Crop

Real World = Marijuana Plants

DOG

Nightmare Time = Timberwolf

Real World = Collie (Border?)

OWNERS

Nightmare Time = Scarecrows

Real World = Human (presumably)

Actual scarecrow (Todd) looks nothing like NMT scarecrows (no Grateful Dead tee, no skunk tail)"

Once again, Ziggy decided not to ask.

After another several minutes of following Hannah as she observed the farm, the kid finally stopped at the entrance. About time, as the sun had now fully gone down, with only the lights on the fence and the stars overhead illuminating the area.

"Alright," she said. "I think that's all I wanted to see."

"Well, I, uh..." Emma stammered, sounding unsure. "I hope you found what you were looking for?"

Hannah nodded, looking satisfied. "I'd best be going then," she declared. She looked to the two farmers. "Goodbye, Emma. Ziggy."

Hannah spun on her heels and started down the path, but Emma rushed forward, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a second, kid!" she exclaimed frantically, stopping Hannah. "Are you planning on walking home from here?"

"Yeah, it's like, late," Ziggs added on, equally surprised. "W-we can give you a ride home, it's no trouble, really!"

Hannah smiled gratefully. "No thanks, I'm fine," she declined politely. "Webby can lead me home."

With another farewell- and a quick scratch behind Velvet's ears, Hannah left through the main entrance of the farm, disappearing into the night. Silence. Then, the two farmers turned to each other.

"Emma?"

"Yeah, Ziggs?"

"What the fuck just happened?"

#nightmare time #nightmare time spoilers #hatchetfield

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disasterdeacy · 6 years ago

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Too Much Love Will Kill You Chapter One

A/N: Okay, so a few of you seemed to like the prologue, so here is Chapter One! I’m not too sure how I feel about this one, it took me a few days to write, and I am not the best at dialogue. If anyone wants to message me and bounce some ideas for the story with me, I would really appreciate it! I am super excited for this fic, and I hope y’all are too!

Pairing: Brian May x OC Disclaimer: Any mention of Chrissie in this fic is completely fictionalized for plot purposes, I personally love Chrissie, and I will never purposefully write her in a negative way!

Word Count: 4.9k

Warnings: cursing, mentions of alcohol, married man flirting with a younger lady (sorry guys it has to happen for ~plot~)

Time Frame: 1985

13 July 1985, 9:00am

Saturday.

A day of recovery, a day of rest, a day when all of humanity intends to stay in bed until their bodies can no longer handle being useless. Charlotte Jones’ Saturday, however, wasn’t going that way at all. Currently the 21 year old was sat in the backseat of her uncle’s Royce, sunglasses slipping down her nose as she stared holes in the blond man beside her. An hour previous, her loving uncle had burst into her flat, sang “God Save the Queen” at the top of his lungs while yanking her tall frame from her incredibly comfortable bed, and into the cold air of her Pimlico flat. David noticed the look of disdain that his niece was giving him over her wayfarers, before chuckling and flicking her exposed knee. “Chin up buttercup, you’re going to have a great time.” Charlotte winced at the sharp pain, before laughing as she shoved her uncle into the door. “I know Dave, I know, some warning just would’ve been nice.” Her uncle laughed, and pulled Charlotte tight against his side, squeezing her much like he had when she was much younger. Charlotte was born when David was only 17, and ever since he held her for the first time, the two were inseparable. Seeing as how her parents weren’t really in the picture, David was mom, dad, brother, uncle, and best friend all rolled into one for the young woman. Had it not been for the curly haired woman flush against his side, David didn’t know where he would be. Lottie was the one who had given him the strength to stay alive and get sober, knowing that if he didn’t straighten himself out, his niece would have nobody to take care of or love her. She was the single most important person in his life, save for his son.

While Charlotte was acting annoyed at her uncle, she knew he meant well with this day. She had always loved music, especially her uncle’s. So, when David had burst into her apartment 3 months earlier, spouting off about this insane concert set up by Bob Geldof, she was unbelievably excited. The chance to see some of her favorite bands in one place, for a good cause above all else, was something that she was definitely interested in. However, with her thesis presentation happening on 12 July, she didn’t know if she would be able to attend, or want to depending on the results. But, the previous day had gone very well for Charlotte, her MA in Astronomy being awarded to her that very afternoon. Once her uncle heard, he immediately burst into her apartment, something she was beginning to realize he did an AWFUL lot, and the two spent the night listening to records and eating take away. This also meant that he was going to drag her to Wembley as early as possible, even though the concert didn’t start until 12. “Why did you drag me out of bed 4 hours before the first band performs? I could’ve gotten at least another hour of sleep out of this hangover.” Charlotte knew he had a reason, but he hadn’t revealed it yet. After all, he had even told her last night that he didn’t have to be at Wembley until close to 11:15. David looked down at his niece, something he wasn’t too used to as she was an inch or so taller than him, and smirked. “That my darling niece is a surprise.”

Charlotte took of her sunglasses, rolled her eyes and pushed herself away from her uncle, staring him down with her light brown eyes. “C’mon Dave, don’t play coy with me, you don’t arrive anywhere early unless you have a reason.” David rolled his mismatched eyes at Charlotte before putting his sunglasses on, his niece was a persistent little thing, but that was probably his own fault. “PLUS, you’ve made me dress like I’m going to be meeting the bloody queen David, we’re going to a concert not a garden party.” Charlotte was right about the way she was dressed. Where she normally would’ve been wearing high waisted jeans paired with a short sleeved printed shirt and a pair of converse, her uncle had forced her into a sleeveless grey and pink horizontal striped dress, with a matching sweater over top; and the shoes, the bloody shoes. Her uncle had managed to somehow force her into a pair of cream kitten heels she didn’t even remember buying, something she absolutely hated. One thing Charlotte was the most self conscious about was her above average height, and anytime that was accentuated, she felt like all eyes were on her. Her uncle knew this, and still insisted on the heels that added an extra inch to her already 5’11 height.

David opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the car stopping and the driver announcing that they had arrived at Wembley. Charlotte groaned at the interruption, and David laughed as he thanked Anthony and exited the car, attempting to pull his niece with him. “I got it I got it!” Charlotte shook her uncle’s hands off of her arms, grinning slightly at his enthusiasm. “Then come on Lottie! We’re holding up traffic” David placed his hands on his thin waist, staring down at the brunette in the car below him. He wasn’t wrong, the car line at the back of Wembley was steadily growing, and the sound of overpriced horns filled the air as Charlotte placed a heeled foot on the sidewalk below her. The blond man had completely abandoned his niece, tired of waiting for her to exit his car, and figuring that a woman smart enough to have a MA in Astronomy could figure out how to inside a building. Charlotte rolled her eyes at the sound, this is why she hated these events, her uncle’s friend’s were tolerable, but most celebrities she had had the misfortune of meeting were overgrown children with god complexes. Still, she knew this would make her uncle happy, so with a deep breath, exited the car fully, shutting the door completely behind her. Anthony playfully honked the horn as he drove away, giving Charlotte a small wave as she attempted to steady herself on the sidewalk. Once she was steady enough on her feet to walk, Charlotte made the short trek to the door where her uncle stood, cigarette hanging lazily from his lips. “Took ya long enough doll. I think you’ve managed to piss off half of U2 and you’ve only been here for 5 minutes.” He was right, of course, as she reached her uncle, Charlotte turned her head to face the car line she had been holding up. Sure enough, Bono and Adam Clayton were huffing and puffing as they exited their car, staring daggers into her. Charlotte rolled her eyes and thumped her uncle in the forehead, pushing past him and heading into the building. “I thought you stopped smoking.” David smirked and threw the butt to the ground, stomping out the remaining embers and following his curly haired niece. “I thought you were going to get a haircut.” Charlotte continued walking, only sticking a single finger up behind her at her uncle’s words. Her hair was something that she had always been self-conscious about growing up, it was dark, thick, and insanely curly. She could vividly remember the hours that she had sat in the floor of David’s various hotel rooms as he attempted to control the mop that sat atop her head, and try as he might he could never do much for the young girl. Even though his own hair was curly, it was nowhere near as thick as his niece’s, and to be honest he had absolutely no idea how to fix his own hair much less a young girl’s, but he was a quick learner. Eventually he had figured out the proper concoction of products to use on Charlotte’s hair, but not before she had been teased for it in school. As if the teasing for not having any parents, or being too tall, or being too smart, or being the niece of Ziggy Stardust wasn’t enough, the girls at her boarding school had to tease her hair and tease her she did. Poodle was a personal favorite insult of the girls in her class, but when she finally grew it out past her shoulders, the weight of the mop finally began to pull the curls down with it; not that it did much good, in fact it only made her curls more unruly. It was only in the past few years that she had grown to appreciate the curls she had, thanks to the sleek styles of the previous decade going out of style, and the very people who had once teased her hair were paying hundreds of dollars on perms to get their hair to look even a fraction like hers. It made her laugh every time she thought of it, there was no way in hell she was doing anything to her hair, it gave her far too much satisfaction

David laughed out loud at Charlotte’s obvious display of love and affection, picking up his pace to catch up with her. Her legs were longer than his own on any normal day, and with the added benefit of her heels, she was fully booking it down a hall in the opposite direction that she needed to be heading, and didn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. She turned a corner and was soon out of his sight, causing him to sigh and follow her more.

Charlotte had absolutely no idea where she was going, and the hustle and bustle of the backstage area not helping her sense of direction in the slightest. She could take one look at the night sky in London and tell you exactly how to get to Cairo, but her sense of direction in everyday situations was honestly abysmal. However, there must have been some god above looking down on her in pity, because as she rounded the next corner, a door came into view with the words “ROYAL BOX AUTHORIZED PERSONEL ONLY” printed in large red letters across the surface. Throwing her hands in the air in thanks to whatever god had led her there, Charlotte hobbled to the door, her feet screaming for relief from the confines of their leather prison.

“Fucking heels.” She winced before propping herself on the door, moving to open her purse to pull her backstage pass from inside, knowing whoever was inside would more than likely want some sort of ID. Charlotte had just managed to free the laminated object from her purse when the door she was propped against opened, startling her and knocking her off of her feet. She clenched her eyes shut, partially resigned herself to her fate of completely busting her ass, accepting the fact that her lack of coordination was going to bruise more than just her ego. However, the only thing she felt as she fell backwards was a pair of arms wrapping themselves around her, preventing her from hitting the hard ground. Charlotte immediately dropped everything in her hands, wrapping them tightly around the shoulders of the saint who had managed to prevent her from embarrassing herself any further, her eyes wide and mouth agape in shock at the abruptness of the whole ordeal. The brunette looked from the ground, which had once been approaching her at a fast rate to the person who’s arms were completely wrapped around her waist, stunned to find herself looking into the most gorgeous pair of hazel eyes she’d ever seen, gorgeous eyes that she would know anywhere. “Are you alright love? Almost took a nasty fall right there.” Charlotte was struck dumb at the soft voice above her as she stared up, mouth slightly agape, into the very eyes that has stared back at her from the poster on her bedroom wall for the past 10 years of her life. Brian May hadn’t planned on being early to the royal box that day, in fact he had planned on spending a good 2 hours trying to convince John to join both Roger and himself in the box. However, John had staunchly refused the invitation, saying that if he was going to embarrass himself in front of the Prince and Princess of Wales, he was going to do it on stage in front of the entire world as well. Freddie was chatting with Elton, Roger was napping, Deacy was tuning his bass, and Brian was sipping a cup of tea in a patterned chair which sat on a horrible false grass carpet. He was incredibly bored, and if he didn’t do something soon, nobody would ever poke fun at his hair again, because there would be none left. This boredom left Brian with the choice of either sitting backstage alone for 2 hours, socializing with various celebrities, or finding his way up to the royal box to get settled before the chaos arose. He chose the latter, his legs begging to be used. Which is how he managed to stumble upon the young woman leaning against the door to the royal box. She was very tall, that was the first thing that Brian noticed about her, sure she was in heels, but even without the extra bit of help, she had to be at least as tall as Deacy. Brian stopped at the end of the hall, watching as the woman cursed as she fished though her purse. Her face was obscured from his view by a thick blanket of long curly hair, hair that he was immediately intrigued by. He had never seen a woman with hair that rivaled his own, even in recent years as the perm began to take over, he had yet to come across a woman with hair as gorgeous as the one that stood before him. He hadn’t realized that he had actually been walking towards her at a slower pace until he was only a few feet away from the mysterious woman, his hands in the pockets of his powder blue blazer. He was about to make a cheeky comment, when the door to the royal box suddenly swung open, knocking the young woman off her feet and her purse to the ground. Brian didn’t even have a few seconds to react, and before he even really knew what was happening, there was a woman in his arms. A very very beautiful woman.

The impact had knocked her hair away from her face, sending the thick curls flowing behind her. This allowed for Brian to get his first good look at the woman, and what a look it was. Her light brown eyes were wide, obviously in shock at the turn of events, her pale skin was flushed, more than likely out of embarrassment, and her red painted lips were parted just slightly, the whole sight caused something to stir deep inside him, something he hadn’t felt in years. “Are you alright love? Almost took a nasty fall right there.” The words came out soft, as if he were afraid he would scare her away, not that she could exactly go anywhere, his arms were still around her preventing her from falling to the ground.

Charlotte’s hands loosened on Brian’s shoulders as she shook herself from her shock, and Brian regretfully loosened his own grip on her waist, slowly placing her back on her feet. “Um, yes. Thank you Mr. May.” While Brian’s own eyes were staring at the woman before him, a smile lighting up his face; Charlotte’s eyes were staring holes in the floor. She had never been this embarrassed in her entire life. Of all the people in the fucking world that could’ve witnessed that abysmal incident, it had to be Brian May. Bran. Fucking. May. The man who she had been head over heels in love with for 10 years. The man who her uncle teased her relentlessly about for years, she still hadn’t forgiven David for the whole “Under Pressure” incident. Charlotte was 100% positive that she was as red as a beet, a combination of her embarrassment at her fall, and the shock that she was meeting her idol, who also happened to be the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her entire life. He was dressed to the nines, a powder blue blazer and pants suit fit his tall frame perfectly, his infamous hair styled to perfection. It was honestly almost too much for her to handle, and when he crouched down on front of her, gathering the contents of her purse, she almost lost her balance again.

“It was absolutely no problem Ms..” Brian trailed off, hoping that the brunette in front of him would get the message and supply him with her name, but a voice from the other end of the hall beat him to it. “Charlotte Margaret Jones! I have been looking bloody near everywhere for you.” David was stood at the end of the hall, hands on his thin hips. The sight in front of him caused the blonde man to choke back a rather rude chuckle, Brian May was on his knees in front of his rather red faced niece, hands full with various pens, tampons, lipsticks, and Charlotte’s wallet, obviously there was a story here that he really couldn’t wait to hear. Brian almost dropped the items in his hands when he heard the unmistakable voice of David Bowie, and before he knew it the thin white duke himself was stood directly in front him and the young woman, Charlotte he now knew. Charlotte sighed, placing her hands on her own hips, ones that were far far wider than her uncle’s, he really had a thing for timing didn’t he. “Well Dave, if you would’ve told me where I needed to go before you abandoned me on the sidewalk, we wouldn’t be in this predicament now would we.” “Well Lottie, if I had done that, I highly doubt that you would have Brian May kneeling at your feet.” Charlotte gaped at her uncle, mouth and eyes wide at his insinuation. “DAVE!” David simply laughed, moving to ruffle his niece’s hair, immediately regretting the action when his rings became stuck in the wild mane that was Charlotte’s hair. Brian couldn’t help but blush at David’s words and laugh as the two struggled, throwing out curses at one another as they struggled to free David’s hand from Charlotte’s hair. He had finally managed to collect all of the belongings which had previously inhabited Charlotte’s purse, so Brian pulled himself off of the ground and decided to offer his services in detangling the rings. “Goddamnit Dave! How many times is it going to take you fucking up like this before you realize that its literally impossible to run hands through this mop, OW fuck! David, Just stop fucking struggling!” Charlotte had both of her hands wrapped around David’s wrist as the two struggled, wincing in pain as her uncle yanked and pulled. “Well sorry Lottie, its just so tempting.” David was chuckling at his niece’s annoyance, watching her curse and be annoyed at him was his favorite pastime.

Charlotte was too caught up in getting her uncle’s hands to notice the lanky man who had come up behind her, so she was rather surprised when she felt a cool pair of nimble fingers join in the fight for her hair’s freedom. “Can’t tell you how many times my little ones have gotten their hands stuck in my hair, its particularly bad when there’s a small car involved.”

Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh at loud, partially at the joke, but even more so at the sheer hilarity of the entire situation. Brian paused his ministrations at the sound that fell from Charlotte’s red mouth, her laugh was one of the most beautiful sounds he had heard in 38 years of life on Earth. “I understand, whenever I used to help Marion watch Zowie, he was so obsessed with my hair. This one time he managed to get an entire jar of peanut butter into it while I napped. Smelled like a bloody primary school lunchroom for a week, no matter how hard I washed.” Charlotte laughed at the memory, she had only been 13 at the time, her younger cousin only 6. The two little Joneses had laughed and laughed once Charlotte had realized what her little cousin had done, and they still laugh about it today, especially when they see a jar of peanut butter. Brian and David both threw their heads back in laughter at the young woman’s story, and the fact that Brian was the only one who was attempting to detangle the duo. Charlotte had long since given up on her quest to free herself, fully resigning the safety and health of her hair to Brian’s expert fingers. Even though she knew that his fingers were only in her hair to remove her uncle, whenever they would softly graze her scalp, or push a rogue curl from his view, her heart would pound like she had just ran the bloody London marathon. He pulled a little too hard, and Charlotte winced, turning her head slightly as Brian whispered a raspy apology into her ear. She could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck, and before she knew what was happening, Brian’s free hand had come to rest on the small of her back. Charlotte froze, her breath freezing in her throat. He was just trying to steady himself, get a better hold on her uncle’s hand. At least that’s what she told herself.

“That’s just the luck us luscious locked individuals have my dear, as beautiful as our hair is, it might as well be a goddamn hoover with as much as it picks up.” Brian was intently concentrating on the garnet ring that was keeping David tied to the woman, his other hand resting on the small of the young woman’s back. He hadn’t meant for that to happen, but it did, and if he were being honest, he didn’t mind in the slightest. “I know right? I can store bloody digestives in there if I try hard enough.” Charlotte felt a slight tug on her head again as Brian whispered a soft apology, and then suddenly she was free. David breathed an overdramatic sigh of relief, kissing his newly freed hand. “Oh thank you for freeing my favorite hand Brian, how will I ever repay you.?” Brian and Charlotte both rolled their eyes, giving David identical looks of mild annoyance laced with amusement. “Well, you could start by introducing me to this lovely young lady who you seem to have assaulted with your gaudy hand.” Charlotte glanced over at Brian as she attempted to fix her hair to the best of her ability, his words making her face turn red once more.

David gauged his niece’s reaction, and smirked. “Well Brian, if you must know, this lovely young lady is my niece Charlotte.” David threw his arm around Charlotte’s shoulders, pinching her cheek as she winced and attempted to push him off of her. “I was planning on introducing the two of you after we got settled in the box, but someone,” he threw Charlotte an annoyed look, “had to run off and find you herself. Shouldn’t be too surprised by that though, after all she’s had a pos..” David didn’t get a chance to finish his statement before Charlotte had slapped a hand over his mouth to prevent anymore of his overexcited words to come spilling out. “Thank you Dave, I appreciate the introduction, but that’s enough now.” Charlotte slowly removed her hand from her uncle’s mouth, shooting him a glare that had the power of 1,000 suns behind it. Brian May would never find out about that damn poster. Brian laughed at Charlotte’s reaction, sticking his large hand out in front of her. “Well Charlotte, its very nice to officially meet you. I’m Brian.” Charlotte grinned at the curly haired man in front of her, taking his hand in her own, reveling in his cool touch. She genuinely couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. “Oh I’m very well aware of who you are Mr. May, and please call me Charlie, all my friends do.” She sent him a wink, her smile growing as a slight pink flush overtook his face. The young woman’s confidence was obviously rising, and Brian really liked it. “She’s been a fan for as long as you four have been pumping out music, still hasn’t forgiven me for not telling her about Under Pressure.” David had picked Charlotte’s purse up from the ground and began to place her discarded items back inside, completely oblivious to the interaction going on behind him.

If he had had any idea whatsoever of the events that were going to occur in the coming months, he probably would’ve grabbed Charlotte by the collar of her dress and locked her in a dressing room as far from Brian May as humanly possible, but for now he was simply oblivious to the burgeoning relationship that was taking place before his very eyes. Brian’s eyes were still locked on Charlotte’s, hazel boring into brown, an intensity in them that had not been there for quite some time, he knew it was wrong. This young woman was no older than 21, absolutely beautiful, and in just the few moments he had known her, had made him feel more alive than Chrissie had in years. He needed to stop, to walk away, and think about the consequences that the thoughts in his mind could have, but he couldn’t. There was just something about her, something that made his blood boil in the best possible way. He was just about to say something to the young woman when David interrupted yet again, this time to inform the two that they needed to head into the box. Charlotte stood frozen in place at David’s words, she had to meet Diana. Fuck.

“Dave, there is absolutely no way I can meet Princess Diana, no way dude. No fucking way.” She took her purse from David, placing the lanyard with her clearance around her neck. David rolled his eyes, something he always seemed to do whenever his niece was in his presence. “Well tough shit Lottie, you’re going to. Now c’mon, we have seats we need to take before people start crowding.” He lit another cigarette as he sent Charlotte a wink as he brushed past her, heading to the very door which had caused her so much grief. Brian looked over at Charlotte, his eyebrow raised in questioning. She just sighed and reached into her purse to pull out a tic-tac pack, popping it open and shaking as many of those little orange bastards into her mouth as she could. He could only laugh at the actions of the young woman in front of him, surprised by the sheer amount of tic-tacs she had just dropped into her mouth. “Any particular reason why you don’t think you can meet the Princess today love?” The term of endearment slipped from his mouth before he even knew what had happened, and he hoped that Charlotte was much too occupied with her tic-tacs to notice his little slip up. He was in luck. “I’m not cute enough to meet Diana today Brian, not cute enough any day to meet someone as gorgeous as that. I mean, how the hell is someone that pretty?” Charlotte was shoving the case back in her purse as the two made their way to the door of the box, groaning in dread at the thought of embarrassing herself “And, I just KNOW I’m going to do something dumb, like call her the wrong name, or forget to call her your highness, or something stupid like that and then fucking Princess Diana of Wales, future queen of fucking England is going to hate me for the rest of my natural life.” They had reached the door, and by this point Brian was thoroughly entertained by the woman before him, his conflict growing every time she opened her mouth to speak. Before he even knew what he was doing, he opened his mouth and began to speak. “Well dear, I think you look absolutely stunning, the Princess will be in very good company today with someone as beautiful as you near her.” He immediately regretted his words as Charlotte whipped her head over to him, one single perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised as if questioning everything he had just said. It was only when she smiled, her red lips parting to allow a clear view at her beautiful teeth, that Brian knew he hadn’t overstepped any boundaries. “Mr. May, if you keep flattering me like that, I might never let you leave.” She winked again, heading through the door of the box, security checking her lanyard as she went. He didn’t respond, he only swallowed the feeling of elation that overtook his body at her words, and followed her steps, taking a seat beside her. This was going to be a long day.

TAGS: @coveredinpostcards

#brian may fanfiction #brian may x reader #queen #queen fanfiction #brian may imagine #brian may x oc #brian may x you #bohemian rhapsody #gwilym lee #gwilym lee x reader #david bowie #roger taylor #john deacon #freddie mercury #bohemian rhapsody fanfiction #bohemian rhapsody imagine #my writing #fanfiction

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chromium-siren · 5 years ago

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Armie Stardust

@huxloween

(It won’t let me submit on desktop, which is weird)

Prompt: Makeup, wigs, and disguises.

“How much do you want to bet Phasma’s going to be a flapper this year?” Hux called out, finishing the dramatic makeup that transformed him into one of the world’s most famous Martians- Ziggy Stardust.

Kylo brushed out his hair and put on the fake walrus mustache he was to wear with his hippie costume. He and Hux were invited to Phasma’s decades themed Halloween party, with both of them representing the 70s- made obvious by the striped jumpsuit and red platform boots Hux proudly donned. His red hair was hidden by a scarlet mullet wig, and a golden sun was painted on his forehead as he channeled one of his musical idols (besides Stan Getz and Beethoven)- David Bowie.

“Probably ten bucks. So, Armie Stardust, where are the Spiders from Mars?” Kylo asked teasingly, putting on an old love bead necklace he found at a thrift shop.

“You know I can’t stand them- spiders, that is,” Hux said, adding some glitter he borrowed from Phasma to give himself a more futuristic look. “Well, I would ask some other guys to be the Spiders, but I figure I shouldn’t be ordering them around now. So I figure I’ll just ride solo for the night.”

“Thank God you didn’t shave off your eyebrows,” Kylo said with a smirk, noticing the incredible way that Hux made his eyebrows seem to disappear. That again was help from Phasma- and a YouTube video. “As for the hair, you decided to go with a wig, I see.”

“Look, I love Bowie, but I refuse to shave off my eyebrows,” Hux said with a smirk. “You know, originally I was going to do the Thin White Duke or The Man Who Sold the World. But Ziggy’s less obscure, and that might give me a shot at winning the costume contest,” he said, admiring the finished makeup job in the mirror. “Also, I would use hair extensions, but it would look hideous. I think the wig would make it look slightly better and much more professional. Shall we, Jim?” he asked, smirking slightly.

“Indeed we shall,” Kylo replied. The couple both went downstairs and headed off into the night to Phasma’s house party. When the couple arrived at the party, they were greeted by Phasma, who was clad in a silver dress covered in fringe and sequins. Platinum blonde hair was styled in a perfect Marcel wave, and her blue eyes were lined in kohl- which made Hux think she looked a little bit like a raccoon.

“Well, don’t you two shieks looks swell!” she said, getting into character with a smile. “Come on in, boys, I’ll get you something to drink.” In the end, Kylo and Hux were the proud victors of the costume contest thanks to their seventies disguises, which both boys rewarding the other with a passionate kiss.

#huxloween

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bowieandqueen11 · 6 years ago

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Hiii! I’m the anon who asked you about a ship with Bowie. Would it be too much if I ask you for one - and thank you! I’m a girl and usually hate to talk about myself and would avoid attention at any cost. I’m also pretty oblivious when it comes to love and flirting although usually I’m really good at reading people. I live mainly in my head and love daydreaming while listening to music. I love being alone but I also like being in company. Love to make jokes and sarcastic comments. Very kind 😘😘

Hello love thank you for this! And honestly for a second I thought I wrote this it sounds exactly like me

I ship you with: Ziggy Stardust!

Ziggy’s fingers dance across the guitar strings like the little scuttle of spider’s legs as you gaze up at him, wonder covering your face and a small smile growing on your face as you read him, your eyes travelling and following the path of his thin lips as he sings, your eyes slitting as you see the passion and joy flow off this alien man in waves. The TOTPs studio is stuffy and humid, shoulders bouncing against yours as you duck your head slightly, turning up only to watch this strange man bop on the spot, his red platform boots tapping on the cold stage as his glittery makeup shines underneath the burning white lights, falling lightly onto his striped spacesuit like confetti. When your parents gave you tickets to go to the BBC studio for your birthday, you had no idea this was the way it would go. David catches your eye, his fingers stumbling softly over themselves as he winks at you, and you’re unsure if the glowing blush on his cheeks that swirls like supernovas is from the lights of your intense connecting gaze as his lips turn upwards, unable to draw himself away from you as if an invisible string tugs between your hearts.

He would find your love for daydreaming so cute, whisking you away on weekends to various beautiful and gorgeous foreign countries, buying you new records with bright grins as he hands them to you, a blushing look making him gaze down at his feet as your fingers brush over your outstretched hands. You two would spend afternoons lying by wide babbling brooks, the leaves of the shaking willow tree hanging down above your heads, throwing slight shade over your frames as the unforgiving sun beats down upon your already flushed bodies. Your head would rest upon his chest, his heart beating abnormally as he lies down slowly, his red cap falling off his head and landing underneath his flowing auburn locks as you lie upon his chest, his jacket scratchy but comforting as his hand comes up to entangle in your hair. The two of you just revel in each other’s company, making up silly stories filled with childish giggles as you gaze up at the clear blue sky, watching the clouds puff along like little flowing star ships.

He would be so understanding about your love of being alone, spending the hours when you want to just sit and enjoy your own company outside in the garden, humming gently to himself as he tilts his head, staring at the beauty of the world, the flowers that kiss up to the sky and birds that sing and dance in the wind that he constantly sees reflected in your eyes. However, when he becomes too needy and desperate for your love, his lanky fingers tired and pricked from his time stroking the rose petals blooming by the dewy grass, you’ll hear a soft thump by the door as he collapses onto his knees in front of it, a slight grin on his face as he pushes little peonies underneath the door with light airy giggles.

He would be so enamoured with your love for love for jokes and constant sarcastic comments, his heart swelling to find someone who could finally keep up with him, adding a splash of excitement to his home life. It’s just an extra little bonus for him, his arms wrapped tightly around your waist as if he’s scared to let go as you both stand underneath the dim lights of the bar, his forehead crinkled slightly as his tall lanky frame leans against the sleek black bar, toothy grins and hoarse laughter bursting from his throat as he sees you quip with Lou and Mick, devotion shining from his eyes like burning stars.

#bowie #bowie imagine #bowie x reader #david bowie #david bowie imagine #david bowie x reader #bowie ship #ziggy stardust #ziggy stardust imagine #ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars #david bowie ship #ziggy stardust ship #ziggy stardust x reader #glam rock #glam rock imagine #classic rock #classic rock imagine

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macymooreuca · 6 years ago

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David Bowie

David Bowie was an English singer, songwriter and actor. He was a leading figure in the music industry and is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His clothes and fashion style were undoubtedly a form of self expression for Bowie and were a way for him to secure his identity.

Bowie would use music and fashion as a means of self-expression through his personas like Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke.Early in his career, Bowie was experimenting with theatrical makeup, dramatic hair and groundbreaking styles. His earliest theatrical appearance was as a mime in “Pierrot in Turquoise” in 1967 at the Oxford New Theatre.

In 1972, Ziggy Stardust, Bowie’s alien androgynous alter ego, came onto the scene with a red bob, a tight striped body-suit and a constant swagger, becoming a queer icon. His style did not find an immediate audience, entering pop culture at a time when androgyny was still transgressive to many people, which Carolyn G. Heilbrun pointed out in a 1973 article for The New York Times. “The idea of androgyny apparently takes a little getting used to. First responses tend either toward bewilderment or hostility,” she wrote.

As he grew in popularity, Bowie’s looks began to influence the catwalk of high fashion. Alexander McQueen, another designer whose work blurred gender lines, designed Bowie’s 1996-97 tour. Jean-Paul Gaultier and Tommy Hilfiger would also take style cues from Bowie. In the past 10 years, designers from Miu Miu to Givenchy have released designs drawn directly from Bowie’s album covers and videos. His 1973 bodysuit was inspiration for Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2013 show.

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sportarobbie-shorties · 8 years ago

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CX - Don’t Ever Stop Hating Me

Sportarobbie Fanfiction - The 110th Shortie

;)

Warnings: Nope, none at all :)

Summary: This is it. It’s Robbie’s and Sportacus’s wedding day. In the beginning there’s a lot of fuss, and the couple is actually quite nervous, surprising themselves, but in the end, they all are happy about the marriage of Mr Rotten and... Mr Rotten.

Sportacus is up in his airship, battling with his bowtie, trying to tie it neatly around his neck. Bessie was helpful and made a tiny pocket to the bowtie so Sportacus could still have his crystal with him safely. He sits down on the edge of his bed, careful not to rip the fancy, white suit, and takes a deep breath. This is it.

Robbie is down in his lair, lying in bed. He stares at the ceiling in silence, even though he knows he should be getting into his dress. The merge between a suit and a dress Robbie made himself is all laid out on the orange chair, waiting for the moment Robbie pulls himself together. But now’s not the moment - not quite yet. Robbie listens to the sound of people fussing around right above him, and sighs. Here it goes.

“What do you mean ‘the lights aren’t working’?” Stephanie shrieks, squeezing the flowers in her hands. Pixel fiddles with the sleeves of his pastel green suit and stutters: “I-I don’t know. If I did, I would’ve fixed it already.”

Stephanie takes a deep breath and shakes her head. “Can you handle it yourself? I’ve really got a lot of stuff to work on.” Pixel nods. “Good.” Stephanie shoves the forget-me-nots and purple penstemons to Trixie, asking her to take care of the rest of the decorating.

“Does anyone know where uncle Milford went?” Stephanie asks, wiping her brow and sighing. “He forgot his cheat sheet at home. He’s getting it right now”, Ziggy answers. He follows everything around him, sitting on a bench and holding his basket of flower petals portectively. Stephanie has managed to convince him not to eat a lollipop at least before the ceremony, so he won’t get his baby blue suit all messed up.

Bessie’s dark blue dress drags on the ground as she gets to the billboard, carrying the big wedding cake. She’s just about getting to the table where the cake is supposed to be placed, as Stephanie shouts: “Bessie, look out!” Suddenly Bessie trips on wires over the ground, and everyone stops in horror as the cakes fall off her arms. Luckily, Trixie slides to rescue, catching the cake.

“Oh my goodness... Thank you Trixie!” Stephanie helps her get the dirt off of Trixie’s peach suit, and they get the cake to its place safely. Milford finally returns, wearing his best orange suit, all ready to officiate the wedding. Stephanie sighs in relief as she sees everyone is there, and Pixel tells her the lights are all fixed, but then Stingy, grabbing the hem of his pale yellow suit aggressively, pipes up.

“Where are the rings? I can’t be the ring bearer without the rings!” Stephanie groans and sits down on the ground - still careful not to get her pretty, light pink dress dirty, though. She wraps her arms around herself, touching the lace sleeves, and whines: “I don’t know. I didn’t even think about the rings. I forgot all about them.”

Trixie kneels down next to Stephanie and puts her hand on her shoulder. “Hey, Pinky. There’s no need to stress out so much. Relax for a moment, everything’s under control.” Stephanie smiles at her. “Yeah... Thanks, Trixie. I really should calm down a little”, she chuckles. Trixie hugs her before helping her get back up. Pixel smiles, and states from his little light and sound booth: “You know, I think Sportacus should have the rings. It’s all under control.”

They all continue to put up the lights and decorations, putting some of the extra flowers in front of the billboard. Eventually, Robbie appears from his lair, wearing his white suit-dress with thin, purple stripes. He looks around, staring at the white, blue, and purple ribbons, the forget-me-nots, the purple penstemons, and the people doing finishing touches on everything.

“Hello.” Everyone suddenly turns to Robbie, surprised, and welcoming him with big smiles. “I like your dress”, Ziggy compliments, and Robbie nods with a smile. Stephanie grins at him: “I see you put on blue eyeshadow. For Sportacus perhaps?” “Maybe.”

“Ziggy, won’t you quickly run to Sportacus to get the rings? We’re a little busy here”, Stephanie asks. Ziggy nods and gets running right away. Robbie sighs as he sees everything’s pretty much ready.

Sportacus is already on ground level, sitting by his airship’s ladder, when Ziggy runs over to him. “Sportacus! We need the rings!” Sportacus smiles, taking the rings from his pocket and giving them to Ziggy. “Thank you... The ceremony’s about to begin soon. Are you nervous?” Sportacus shrugs: “A little. But mostly excited. I can’t wait to see Robbie.” Ziggy smiles. He looks back over to the billboard. “You should probably wait a little longer. Then we should all be ready.” Sportacus smiles: “I’ll be there soon.”

Ziggy comes back running to the others, and gives Stingy the shiny rings. “Mine...” Stephanie frowns, legitimately exhausted: “Stingy, please.” “Alright, alright...”

Everyone gets to their places; Bessie, Trixie, and Stingy sit down on a bench, Pixel gets into his booth, Milford goes to stand on the stairs in front of the billboard, and Robbie stands in front of him. Ziggy waits at the beginning of the aisle for Sportacus to arrive, while Stephanie gets her camera ready.

Robbie takes deep breaths, and Milford looks through his cheat sheet, while everyone else just waits excitedly. Soon enough, Sportacus arrives. He smiles wide as he sees the place all decorated. Once he’s done being amazed, Pixel starts playing a pretty song on his electric piano, and Ziggy starts walking down the aisle, throwing the flower petals. He even throws some on the people sitting on the benches, and Stephanie chuckles at that, taking adorable pictures.

Once Ziggy has gone to sit down, Sportacus starts walking down the aisle slowly. He smiles wide at Robbie, already getting a little teary eyed. Though Robbie makes him laugh, as he signals to Sportacus: “If you do even one backflip walking down that aisle, I’m pre-divorcing you.”

As Sportacus has arrived next to Robbie, Pixel stops the music, and Milford starts speaking. He gets a lot of his words messed up, and Robbie and Sportacus smile at each other. Robbie’s eyeshadow matches Sportacus’s suit’s baby blue accents and his eyes perfectly. “I love your dress”, Sportacus whispers. “I love the fact that you didn’t do any backflips walking down that aisle.”

“Uh, Stingy. Can we have the rings, please?” Milford asks, and Stingy brings the rings hesitantly. Robbie puts on Sportacus’s finger the shiny ring, with five jewels; two blue ones, and a purple one in the middle. On the other side of the ring, there are three words, eight letters, engraved in cursive. “I hate you.” In return, Sportacus puts on Robbie’s finger the ring with two purple jewels, and a blue one in the middle, and on the other side, engraved in cursive: “I love you too.”

“You may now kiss!” They smile at each other for a moment before jumping into a kiss, and everyone starts applauding. They break away from the kiss and grin at each other again. A tear rolls down Sportacus’s cheek, and Robbie laughs at him, even though he can’t deny there are tears in his eyes as well.

Robbie and Sportacus cut the sugarfree cake together, and Stephanie keeps taking pictures. The final decoration on the cake is edible flowers, and on the top a small model of the couple, made with Pixel’s 3D printer. It’s Sportacus doing a handstand, and Robbie standing next to him, facepalming.

After eating some cake, it already starts getting a little dark. Pixel turns on all the lights around the place, making it even more magical, and Stephanie runs over to Robbie and Sportacus. “Hey, guys. Should you maybe have you first dance as a married couple? I think it’s a pretty good moment.” Sportacus smiles and gets up, and so Robbie follows.

The kids run over to Pixel’s booth, and they all grab instruments from their hiding places. Suddenly the kids have formed a band, with Stingy as the lead vocalist, and Stephanie playing the piano with Pixel, while also being a background singer. Meanwhile, Ziggy and Trixie both play the drums. They all start playing together, and Sportacus and Robbie dance.

“I actually took some more dancing lessons from Stephanie”, Sportacus states quietly, as they start dancing slowly. “Of course you did. What would you even do without that dancing girl?” “I really don’t know. We wouldn’t even be married if it wasn’t for her.”

Robbie laughs: “What?” Sportacus smiles: “It’s true! She was the first one out of anybody to notice our feelings for each other. I think she noticed even before me. And she was the one who convinced me to tell you. And she helped me make that scrapbook I proposed with. And even at that point, I would’ve probably backed out if she wasn’t there to push me over to you - literally.”

Robbie chuckles: “You really would be lost without her.” “I would be lost without you.” Robbie smiles: “Yeah, you would. Who would even fix your airship for you?” Sportacus giggles and rests his forehead on Robbie’s shoulder.

After the dance, the kids, Milford, and Bessie get on the ‘dance floor’ as well, and Pixel starts playing the song he and Stephanie have recorded earlier. Robbie and Sportacus on the other hand sit by the lit up billboard, holding hands.

“How does it feel to be mister Rotten?” Robbie asks with a grin. Sportacus smiles: “It’s amazing. And you are the best husband ever.” Robbie gasps: “Woah, calm down! We’ve been married for less than 24 hours, no rash decisions!” Sportacus laughs and leans on Robbie.

They spend a moment in silence, watching the others dance. Robbie then whispers: “I love you.” Sportacus grins: “I hate you too.” Robbie rolls his eyes, and kisses Sportacus deeply and passionately. “If this is what it’s like, don’t ever stop hating me.”

#lazytown #lazy town #sportarobbie #fanfiction #sportarobbie-shorties #fics #sportacus #robbie rotten #wedding #the kids #mayor meanswell #miss busybody

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cutshawsnidowoa · 5 years ago

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What It Means to Be a Tabby Cat

The post What It Means to Be a Tabby Cat by Sandy Robins appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

It’s common to talk about tabbies as if they represent a cat breed. But they don’t. In fact, the word tabby denotes a coat pattern. And they don’t represent just one breed; the pattern is common to many breeds.

The origin of the word tabby has an uncertain history. Some claim the name is associated with a type of striped, patterned silk called Atabi made in Attabiah in the Middle East. Others claim that it comes from the translation of the French phrase “striped silk taffeta,” the root of which is tabis, meaning “a rich watered silk.”

Tabby cat coat colors and patterns

Tabbies come in many different colors, including brown, gray and a variety of red shades often called orange, ginger or marmalade. Some have stripes and others spots and many a combination of the two. You can tell what color a tabby is by looking at the color of his stripes and tip of his tail.

The tabby pattern is determined by the agouti gene, which causes the individual hairs to have bands of light and heavy pigmentation, and the tabby gene, which denotes the type of tabby patterns, namely stripes, blotches or spots of hairs of solid color.

Research done by feline geneticists Carlos Driscoll and Leslie Lyons at the beginning of this millennium confirmed five genetic clusters, or lineages, of wildcats from various parts of the world (such as Africa, Europe, China, Central Asia and the Middle East) and dating back some 10,000 years to be the ancestors of today’s ubiquitous domestic tabbies. And, it’s easy to understand how a coat with stripes and spots could camouflage well into natural surroundings.

4 tabby coat patterns

1. The classic tabby coat, sometimes called blotched, has wide, dark stripes curving over the flanks and the shoulders and three large stripes running from the shoulder blades to the base of the tail. It’s often likened to a marble cake.

2. The mackerel tabby has either continuous or broken stripes running perpendicular to the spine, like a fishbone.

The spotted tabby cat. Photography by Tierfotoagentur | Alamy Stock Photo.

3. The spotted tabby has distinct round spots against a background of lighter fur.

4. The fourth tabby coat pattern is called ticked or agouti. The coat on the body has almost no stripe. However, the legs, tail and face sport very thin stripes.

Facial features of tabbies

A feature common to tabbies is their facial markings that include a distinctive M on their foreheads and expressive pencil-thin striped markings around the eyes, affectionately referred to as “eyeliner.” Photography by Casey Elise Photography.

Another distinguishing feature common to tabbies is their facial markings that include a distinctive M on their foreheads and expressive pencil-thin striped markings around the eyes affectionately referred to as “eyeliner.”

This is where legend pushes genetics aside with these intriguing notions as to how these markings came about.

The prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was an acknowledged cat lover. It is said that the M marking on the forehead of the tabby cat was created when he rested his hand on the brow of his favorite cat.

Christians believe that when newborn baby Jesus wouldn’t stop crying, a cat climbed into the manger and started to purr, sending him off to sleep. In gratitude, the Virgin Mary marked the cat’s face with the first letter of her name.

A non-religious version suggests that the M is a set of frown lines, the result of a cat staring at a mousehole in concentration, waiting for a mouse to emerge.

Tabby cat personality traits

When it comes to personality traits, tabbies are considered friendly, happy-go-lucky cats, intelligent, sassy, very affectionate and wonderful companions. Red tabbies, often called orange, ginger and marmalade tabbies, can be feisty and bossy. But this trait is linked to coat color (as in fiery red) and not to the tabby pattern.

No matter the science behind tabbies, if you’re a cat person, you’ve undoubtedly been enchanted by a tabby cat, whether it’s your own fabulous feline, a tabby that “works” in a local store or even a cartoon tabby such as Garfield who identifies with the very human trait of hating Mondays.

Famous tabby cats

Garfield. Photography by Carlos Cardetas | Alamy Stock Photo.

1. Garfield is the world’s most famous cartoon orange tabby.

2. The first Algonquin Cat was an orange tabby that hotelier Frank Case named Rusty. The cat was a stray and had wandered into the hotel seeking refuge from the rain. He was renamed Hamlet by actor John Barrymore, who had played the Danish prince on Broadway. All the male Algonquin cats since have been named Hamlet, and the current feline is Hamlet VIII.

Orangey the cat in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Photography by Ronald Grant Archive | Alamy Stock Photo.

3. Orangey was the orange tabby that starred with Audrey Hepburn in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

4. Tabby cats feature in a myriad of advertisements on TV endorsing their popularity as beloved family members.

Winston Churchill loved orange tabbies. Photography PA Images | Alamy Stock Photo.

5. Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, loved orange tabbies. It was his dying wish that a marmalade-colored tabby with four white socks and a white bib and named Jock should reside in perpetuity at Chartwell, his ancestral home in Kent, England. The incumbent cat at Chartwell is Jock IV and visited by ailurophiles from around the world.

6. Morris, an orange tabby, became the world’s first spokescat for 9Lives cat food and has been one of the most recognizable tabby faces in the United States since 1969. The current spokescat is the fifth to represent the brand.

Tell us: Do you have any tabbies? What types of tabbies are they?

Thumbnail: Photography by Casey Elise Photography.

This piece was originally published in 2017.

About the author

Ziggy and Tory “work” as feline muses for Sandy Robins, an award-winning multimedia pet lifestyle expert, author and pet industry personality. They like to disrupt the workflow by playing fetch with wand toys and directing food operations in the kitchen. Learn more about Sandy at sandyrobinsonline.com.

Editor’s note: Have you seen the new Catster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting area of your vet’s office? Click here to subscribe to Catster and get the bimonthly magazine delivered to your home.