#i feel like the wig wasn't. quite right.

[cannibalisticskittles]

BEHOLD

#i feel like the wig wasn't. quite right. #the pincurls took forever but they did make it way more secure #ill just. need to spend a long time doing it on the actual day. #the wig... showed my sideburns and idk what i could do to fix that #i feel like the side pieces are getting messier and messier #but i spent like an hour trying to wrangle my hair #and try makeup #and then one of the cats vomited big time so it was time for trials fo #to be suddenly over

[belladonazeppole]

The Many Suitors of Miss Fortune

"I fucking knew it!" Adam yelled while pointing at Husk, this asshole reborn as a sinner and didn't took him long enough to come to the hotel asking for a place to stay since it look that lot of sinners could recognizr him and they weren't happy.

Charlie, the bleeding heart that she had, accept him even if she wasn't excited of him be here but she believe that everybody deserve redemption even if that person was Adam who took a liking on Husk.

"You almost convince me that you were a dude!" For some reason Adam believe that Husk is a woman. Maybe it was his chest fur since Angel gave him a shampo that gave Husk more volume or maybe Adam is into woman with deep voices or he's just a fucking moron. "You look so hot that I can get over you having the bitchest personality in this dump."

"I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD YOU CAN'T BE THIS FUCKING STUPID! " Husk yelled angrily at Adam, he has this argument to many times and just fially he succed in making him see reason in that thick skull of his."I'M JUST IN DRAG!"

The fact that he comes from Adam just makes him lose hope.

Sadly he can't make this moron see reason but he was right in one thing, he look really good. Husk has to congratulate Angel for making his grumpy old ass look this great. Husk was wearing a golden-yellow backless dress with a slip on the side, golden heels to match, a short wig that was the same color that his fur. It make Husk remember his youth when he do some drag as "Lady Luck" but that was when he was alive.

"As crude and imbecile Adam can be, he is right for once, you look quite wonderful tonight, my dear Husker." Said Alastor while spawning out nowhere in the stool of the bar while glaring at Husk. That was actually kinda sweet from Alastor since after their deal was broken their relationship was.... weird. Alastor sometimes tried to treat still like his pet but now Husk could actually refuse.

Alastor still was a bitch in deer clothing but maybe they can move on from their owner/pet relationship, maybe even making Alastor see Husk as an actual person and not his cat.

"Thanks, Al. That—

"Your welcome! But I do have a problem while the dress fits you like a glove the color just don't see like the right one." He squints his eyes while looking at him up and down to then snapping his fingers making the dress changing from golden-yellow to red, "There! It isn't better? Red was always a color that look better on you, my friend."

Or maybe not.

"No thanks. This color fits me way better than red." He said with a smug smile while snaping his fingers and, return the dress from Alastor signature red to his original golden-yellow, which make one of Alastor's ears twitch.

"Just ignore them you can't deal with stupid or batshit crazy." Said Angel while not giving Adam or Alastor much of a thought, the first just flip him in return while the latter strains his smile, "Now give me a spin! I want to see all my hard work before your date ravish you!"

"DATE WITH FUCKING WHO?" Adam yelled now angry knowing that the hottie that he was trying to bang was gonna be bang for somebody else.

"Husker!?" Alastor was shocked that his former (pet) associate was having date he believe that he and Angel were going to one of their silly "going out" but that somebody was having interest in his oldest... friend. It make Alastor feel angry and possesive. Meanwhile, Husk just rolls his eyes and ignore the outburst of these dumbass but still does what his friend ask him, after all Angel did help him and looking like this-

"This is just a first date, Angel."

"Just do what I'll do."

"I won't do anal in the first date." He cringes at bit at the sound of radio interference but refuse to giving Alastor the attention, "Buuh you whore!" Angel said jokingly while Husk just snorted at him.

"There you are!" A new voice make himself know, that was coming from the TV, it was Vox, who succed in coming out of the TV before Alastor could destroy it. "Fuck you old fossil!!" He yell while giving the finger to the radio demon.

Ever since Vox saw Alastor defeat agaisnt Adam he become more bold in entering to the hotel to mock the other overlord and old rival much to everybody else annoyance. Even fake dating Husk to have more info but the dumbass become more invested in Husk.

He may become Husk unofficial sugar daddy.

They don't even fuck.

Vox just gaves Husk money like an idiot for doing nothing.

Again Vox is a moron.

"Are you gonna fuck a fucking TV instead of having me? The Dickmaster?" Adam asked in disbelieve, fuck he fall really hard in this one. "He looks soo desperate."

"Inded and needy." Alastor glare harder at Vox, "I would expect that you have a better taste than this, Husker." At hint of dissapointment was in Alastor voice. Vox, for the first time, didn't put a lot of mind on them, "And you two are better?" He asked while crossing his arms to them point to Adam, "You! A broke fallen angel that is so fucking desperate that come to the place that tried to destroy in the first place!" Now pointing at Alastor, "And you! A coward who escape in battle and treat him like a pet at best!"

Now looking smug, "While I'm a powerful overlord that has tons of money and can make any of his whishes reality."

"I mean he isn't wrong."

"True, but Husk has a date with somebody waaayy better than any of you guys."

"WHO?" The three of them ask in anger.

"Hoo Mama!"

The three sinners slowly begin to turn around to see Lucifer the King of Hell with a bottle of apple cider and his mouth wide open at the sight of Husk, so he was the date.

That motherfucker.

Lucifer seeing that there were more people watching him pulled himself together as best he could, failure of course, "I mean…uh- You look beautiful tonight Hu- I mean Miss Fortune, yes, that color suits you excellently." He said hurriedly as he handed the bottle of apple cider to Husk who only smiled at his reaction.

He hands the bottle to Angel, "Thanks, Duckie." He laughs a little as the redness in his cheeks appears, "But you have Angel to thank, he's the one who made my geezer self look this awesome."

"Uuhhh, thank you Angel." He said a little awkward as with the use of his magic made another bottle appear, "A thank you for making Husk look amazing…I mean more! More amazing than you normally look, you always look good but now? I almost fainted…"

He really was Charlie's father.

The same verbal diarrhea when they're nervous.

It was adorable if he was honest.

"I understand you look amazing today too, Duckie." He said once again using Lucifer's nickname which only made him smile more and more relaxed, "I'll wait for you outside."

"Thanks, Short King" Said Angel with the bottle in his hand and leaving to his room, "Have a good fuck you two!" He just waves his hand a bit awkwardly, "Don't worry I'll make sure Husk has a night he won't forget."

He was ready to leave until he sees the three sinners looking at him with daggers in their eyes, his awkward posture changes to an arrogant one while he flashes them the finger, "You three want to be me so badly right now."

"Adam, looks like third time's the charm after all. Alfred I'm sorry for not being able to stay for a conversation but I have date right now…. and who are you?" He said the last while pointing at Vox but shakes his head nonchalantly, "It doesn't matter if I'm honest. I have go to my date with Miss Fortune and if I'm lucky it will soon be Mrs Fortune." He said while sticking his tongue out between his fingers.

"Toodles!" He cheerfully as he leaves the three of them alone.

The King had a date and felt really lucky if he is honest!

(This takes inspiration by a small convo that @adyophene and I had it was too good for me not write.)

#hazbin hotel #husk hazbin hotel #husk #husker #hazbin hotel alastor #alastor #hazbin hotel lucifer #lucifer morningstar #lucifer magne #hazbin angel dust #angel dust #vox #hazbin hotel vox #hazbin hotel adam #adam hazbin hotel #royalflush #royalflush / lucihusk #lucihusk #vox x husk #voxhusk #catvideo #radiohusk #So I decide that Lady Luck was Husk drag name when alive #And Miss Fortune as a sinner #Lucifer is super smug about dating a hottie #everybody else is super salty #except Angel #he is just supporting his friend #Husk deserves to be take out to fancy places #MissFortune!Husk

[marzipanandminutiae]

DOLL

this is Laoise (LEE-sha), a porcelain BJD by Leah McClellan of Meowness Dolls. she was custom-made, inspired by my favorite childhood doll, Princess of Ireland Barbie. she just came home, and I'm absolutely in love

This doll is INSANE. Her bisque feels like satin, she poses like a dream, and she's so tiny- a bit smaller than a Barbie actually. the artist does a lot of fantasy, fae-inspired dolls, hence the spindly stylized body and diminutive size. Her wig is silk-soft alpaca, held on with a magnet, and she's mostly spring-jointed with the exception of elastic in her head and torso. she poses like a dream, and she was quite reasonably priced as porcelain BJDs go, especially for a fully custom doll.

I AM a bit concerned about how I'll restring her when the head elastic wears out, but hopefully that's years and years down the line

I have one other lovely porcelain BJD, but I've never had one that gave me that enraptured, breath-taking moment right out of the box. There's always been some catch that wasn't visible in the pictures online. Well, the only catch here is that she's even more lovely in person and I can't stop staring at her long enough to plan her outfit

#dolls #bjd #artist doll #leah mcclellan #meowness dolls #laoise

[demilypyro]

Something I didn't think about was how well the clown make-up and wigs hide who they are. when they first talked about it being for their secret identity, I didn't think anything of it (and i'm one who feels the thick brimmed glasses superman wears would work most of the time) but it didn't really hit me how well it works till you see binky without his make-up on. if it wasn't for his son being on the same page I might not have known it was him right away. The clown make-up is so thought through and I love it.

There's something about the way Clown Corps uses the clown makeup that makes it feel like armour.

These are, essentially, their superhero costumes, and we only ever see the characters without them when it's important. It's always a moment where the characters are laid bare. Mustard is first seen without her makeup at her sister's grave. Fuchsia removes her makeup to try and connect with McBell more personally. Oats removes her costume to blend into the crowd after she's almost killed, and she appears in front of the chief shaken and vulnerable. Binky is only shown without makeup after quitting his job, having given up on his purpose in life.

Without their makeup they stop being clowns. They are just people. And I think that's very much intentional.

This is a really good comic.

#clown corps #clown corps spoilers

[goosedoes-fics]

Missing

Spiderman Noir x Reader

Content warnings: alcohol mention, no use of y/n, first person (reader pov)

Notes: if you look closely you can see the exact moment that I lost all inspiration to actually finish this oneshot!! anyways yea I was gonna have it from Noir's POV but it would be harder for the reader to be gender neutral if that was the case

~~~~~

The young shamus' office was colder than a summer night in Antarctica. A single light dangled overhead, dimly illuminating the room just enough that the corners were pitch black, but everything else was a bit visible. I had heard tales of the hard-boiled gumshoe, the only private eye in New York to wear a mask. It was pretty dang smart, really. Protecting his identity and all that jazz.

His feet were propped up on his desk, clad in worn leather boots that seemed to have dirt caked in from his many adventures. His fedora covered where his eyes would have been, had he not been wearing a mask that already concealed them.

I took notice of the bottle of moonshine on his desk, picking it up and inspecting the label. "Bit ironic for a detective to be drinkin' hooch, ain't it?"

For a moment, I thought he wouldn't respond, as he didn't look up nor tilt up his hat, but he leaned forward slightly as he addressed me. "Don't blow your wig, pal. You can't convince me ya haven't stepped into a speakeasy a few times."

His retort earned a quiet laugh out of me as I placed the bottle back in its original spot.

The private investigator finally took his feet off the desk and looked up at me. I could only imagine his piercing gray eyes inspecting me. The thought somehow got me flustered, subtle heat rising to my cheeks.

"You got somethin' to say, or are you just gonna stand there gawkin'?" He eventually asked, snapping me out of my stupor.

He reached into a drawer on his desk and took out a cigar, lighting it and putting it up to the fabric of his mask where his mouth would be. "Usually people come in here for me to solve a mystery."

"Oh!" I laughed nervously. Had I been staring at him? Idiot. "Right. Yeah."

Reaching into my back pocket, I retrieved a small photograph, sliding it across the table like an 8 ball in a game of pool.

"My grandma." I tapped the photo. "Y'see the necklace? It's been in my family for decades. And today, it wasn't in the safe."

The detective's interest seemed piqued, at least from what little I could deduce from his body language. "Touched it lately?"

"Not since two months ago. It's only for VERY special occasions." I shrugged, taking a glance at the nameplate on his desk. "Mr. Noir... can you find it?"

The silence was thicker than 5 year old expired eggnog. Golly, how I wished I knew what he was thinking. The only thing I could decipher was a bit of curiosity from the slight tilt of his head.

I hadn't even realized I was holding my breath until I started getting dizzy.

Eventually, he spoke up. "The question ain't can I, toots. It's will I. And the answer is yes."

A small smile spread across my lips as he stood up, handing me back the photograph with a slight tilt of his head.

"Thank you, sir."

The apartment I lived in was quite small, and hardly luxurious. Despite our family heirloom being one of such high worth, we weren't a wealthy family. But I managed to get by. Even if it wasn't large, it was cozy.

"This is your place?" His body language betrayed no thoughts. It was really quite frustrating how little I could infer from him, with only his voice and movements to determine what he was feeling.

"...it's not much," I admitted carefully, "But I do like it."

"And you never thought to sell the necklace?"

"No, sir. It's too important to our family."

Noir hummed softly, inspecting the safe when I pointed it out. He dragged a gloved finger over the surface, a thin layer of dust now coating his fingertip like ash from a fireplace. The motion somehow made me nervous, as if he was convincing me I had something to hide.

Noir looked up at me after a moment's pause. "...Listen, if you can't pay, I can-"

"No." I cut him off. "I can pay. I wouldn't have hired you if I didn't set aside some money."

The vigilante didn't respond. He merely turned back to the safe, closing the door of it before standing up straight again. He looked down at me, and I could practically feel his eyes burning into me.

"...I can't take your money, darlin'."

Frustration boiled inside of me as I took a step forward. "Yes you can. I don't need pity, detective."

A small sigh could be heard through the fabric of Noir's mask. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from having an outburst.

In a swift, almost imperceptible movement, Noir took one of my hands in both of his. The investigator's huge gloved hands dwarfed my own. "You don't understand. I know what happened with yer necklace, I can't ask you to pay me for such a quick job."

It was hard for me to choke out any words. "But-"

"No buts."

"I have to pay you. This is your job," I protested.

Noir was quiet for a moment before cupping my face in his hands. I was aware of heat rising to my cheeks. If he noticed how flustered he was making me, he didn't say anything. "You really wanna pay? I'm not gonna bump gums with you about this."

I nodded stubbornly. Perhaps I didn't quite understand the implications of his words, because after lifting up his mask just above his nose, he kissed me square on the lips.

The light pink on my cheeks doubled, turning my face red as I slowly began kissing back. My mind clouded, halting any racing thoughts and focusing only on the gentleness of his lips.

When he finally pulled away, it felt too soon. I couldn't squeak out any words as he took a step back from me, tilting his hat by the brim with a small nod.

My mind was still in a bit of a daze when he started to leave. "By the way, darlin'." I looked up at him as he spoke to me. "Check the coffee table."

And sure enough, there was the necklace, hidden from view next to a stack of magazines.

#spiderman noir #spiderman #spiderman noir x reader #spider noir #spider noir x reader #noir #noir x reader #into the spider verse #itsv #x reader #itsv x reader #into the spider verse x reader

[vikilinda]

A LITTLE FAVOR

pairing(s): Georgie farmer x fem!reader

Summary: Your roomie asks you for a favor that you charge him in a scene, and it ends up being the best favor of your life.

"Oh please"

"Nope!"

"You just have to put on the wig and no one will notice"

Emma, ​​your co-star and friend, begs you to cover her in a scene, the two had become friends when they were both in the final casting test, it cannot be said that both had gotten the role.

"Come on, you don't have to say any dialogue"

Emma had been begging you to cover her in a scene tomorrow, of course you had been telling her no all this time. Something interesting about both of you was how much you two looked alike, not enough to be twins but you do share quite a few similar traits.

"And why isn't Jenna covering for you!"

Jenna, who has been watching you fight Emma, ​​peacefully shakes her head as she continues to eat popcorn.

"I have scenes tomorrow, even if I wanted to I can't"

"Oh come on y/n, you're my only hope, if the scene doesn't shoot tomorrow they'll have to push everything back to January"

You deny.

"It won't be that someone is like this, it's because of her scene partner"

You quickly give Jenna a dirty look. As much as you wanted to deny it, Jenna was only telling the truth, if you accepted your scene partner, it would be Georgie, of course that wasn't the problem, the real problem came with the scene, which was a kiss between Enid and Ajax.

¡You couldn't kiss Georgie!

You and Georgie were good friends, spending almost every day on set together, even seeing each other for off-set dialogue practice quite often. But you couldn't kiss him, not after you'd tried so hard to drown out every little hint of any feeling for him.

"Is this all about Georgie? But if you guys are good- OH. MY. GOOD"

Emma, ​​who seemed to have understood the situation, looks at you with flashing eyes and open mouth. Apparently your little secret had been discovered.

"All the more reason you have to cover me tomorrow"

"I can't"

"Y/n this may be your best chance to find out if he has feelings for you."

"And in the worst case you'll have kissed your crush and you'll have the whole spring break to forget about it" Interjects Jenna.

"Oh thanks"

"Oh come on Y/n, Jenna's right, this is a win/win for you. Please"

You sigh. You were definitely going to regret this.

"Fine…i do it."

"YESS!"

Both girls jump on top of you to celebrate, the three of you end up on the ground laughing out loud.

"I'm going to regret this so much"

—

"And…Action!"

Your heart gallops when you see how Georgie finishes the short sentence of her character, your scene was the last one to shoot so when you turn around you see almost all your friends and setmates, that only makes you more nervous.

Georgie starts to get closer to you but you just freeze to the ground. Why can't you just be professional, kiss him and end this.

"Sorry"

You don't wait for an answer and you just run to the closest place you can find, of course it ends up being one of the corridors of the school set. Why couldn't you kiss him? Why did you have to run away? God, what is wrong with you!

"Hey…are you alright?"

You don't know if you are exalted by the shock of not knowing that you had someone behind your back, or by the specific British accent of that someone.

"Yeah, I just needed to get some air"

"Are you sure?"

You nod. You still had your back to Georgie but it didn't take much of a look to know that Georgie was far away from you, you felt how close her body was to yours.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Georgie, seeing that you wouldn't turn around, he does, you look at the ground but he bends down in search of it. Georgie knew something was wrong, he knew you perfectly, you never got like that for a scene, not even that time you had to jump out of a window; So seeing you in that state he can't help but worry.

"Is it because of the number of people? Because I can tell Percy to distract them while we record"

"It's not that"

Georgie was a very patient person, very few things managed to get on his nerves, this was one of the few things. You kept looking away while giving monosyllabic answers, was he the problem? Had you been angry with him and hadn't noticed? He hadn't brushed his teeth?

Georgie takes your face in his hands and gently lifts it up so you can look into his eyes.

"Is it me? Can't you record the scene for me?"

Your lack of response confirms it. The look in his eyes kills you and makes you feel like the worst person in the world, he had only cared about you and instead you just avoid because you can't admit that it makes you so nervous that all body heat runs out of you.

"I'm sorry, I never wanted you to feel uncomfortable. It's because of the breath, right? I never should have let Percy do the shopping."

You laugh and that makes Georgie feel better at least you're not mad at him.

"You don't make me uncomfortable and your breath is fine, I swear."

"And what is it? If you don't tell me I won't be able to fix it, y/n/n"

Here you were, if you were going to take out the bandage you were going to do it in one move.

"It's just… It's just that you make me nervous"

Georgio was a poem, you didn't know if he was confused, scared or surprised. Or if he at least had understood what you wanted to say.

"I can't kiss you because every time you got closer I felt like my heart was going to explode or run away. And I couldn't tell you anything because I didn't want to damage our friendship, although from your face you may not even understand what I'm trying to tell you…"

Georgie doesn't give you time to finish when he locks your body in his arms and his chest, making sure that this time you weren't going to run away anywhere. Join your lips with his.

You were kissing Georgie! After all they had ended up kissing and you had to admit that it was much better than you had imagined. When they separate, Georgie runs her gaze over your face, smiles.

"I was the one who asked Emma to switch scenes with you."

"What?"

Your eyes widened at her confusion, a smile beginning to escape from the corner of your lips. Georgie had planned all this.

"I couldn't leave without at least trying something. Those two months would have eaten my head"

"So you convinced Emma that she'll help you?"

"It was more blackmail on her part, but let's say yes. Are you upset?"

Emotions did not fit in you, how could you be upset? Georgie had gone to all the trouble to come up with a plan and blackmail your roomie just so he could kiss you.

"Y/n?"

You don't answer, not with words at least. You take her face in your hands and kiss it. Georgie takes a few more seconds to react, but when he does, he encloses you more in his arms, letting herself be guided by the dance that guides your lips.

They both smile when they see each other.

"How about we finish filming the scene, and after what it takes to get all this blood off of us, we go on a date"

"I'm lovin 'it"

#ajax petropolus x reader #Georgie farmer x reader #georgie farmer #fanfic #fanfition #wensday #ajax

[anghraine]

I decided to watch Rings of Power and I still like it! General thoughts on the first episode:

This episode does a lot of heavy lifting to introduce everything in a somewhat rough and often disconnected, but engaging enough way.

The voice-over exposition at the beginning is obviously echoing the PJ FOTR one, but it's more awkward and sort of generically high fantasy. I still like it better because a) no Númenóreans were harmed in the making of this voice-over, b) retaining the Finrod-Galadriel age gap while simultaneously leaning into their sibling bond is really cute, c) Finrod using a heavy-handed metaphor in which the greatness of SHIPS figures largely seems entirely in character and also very Telerin (Eärwen's son!!!), and d) the overall story of how Valinorean Elves ended up in Middle-earth is so highly editorialized that it feels like the self-serving Noldor version of the story, which amuses me.

I enjoyed the introduction of present-day Galadriel. She's clearly the most impressive and competent person in the company she's leading while also being kind of unhinged, which I appreciate in a female protagonist. Good for her.

And I like that she's clearly this ancient being and her fixation on FIGHTING EVIL FOREVER is, in part, a product of being old and immortal and stuck in a singular mode of being. However, she's also right and the comparatively young people around her are being condescending assholes (like Gil-galad, but especially that one guy who semi-mutinied against her and is prodding her on the ship).

(Oh, and she has great hair. I actually don't care if the entire wig budget went to her specifically.)

The only one who seems to really feel bad about their dismissive treatment of her is Elrond, which tracks. The hints that he isn't seen as quite an equal ("Elf-lords only") feels silly, but it's not a huge deal for me. And I like that he and Galadriel are bros alongside the tension in her relationships with basically everyone. S2 Celebrían plssss

I still think the complaints about costuming/hair, and incessant comparisons to costuming in PJ!LOTR/WOT/whatever are largely pretty absurd. I particularly liked Arondir's armor and how dissimilar it is from the aesthetic of the Lindon Elves, everything Galadriel wears, and the weirdness of the ritualistic armor removal as they approach Valinor. The Elves spontaneously bursting into unsettling song was odd but extremely on-brand for Tolkien, so it was fun to see it actually done onscreen.

I also think the show is quite beautiful in general and a pleasure to simply look at (no, not only because of the budget).

I don't like how heavily and visibly made-up the main female characters are, however, especially Bronwyn (who also has my least favorite costuming of any of the mains tbh). It reminds me a bit of how Padmé Amidala's heavy and perfect make-up in her death scene in Revenge of the Sith always distracts me from the pathos of the scene. God forbid she wasn't hot as she died, you know? I don't care about middle-aged and older men being cast as Elves, but I'd like to see more older actresses, too!

The Harfoot stuff has an interesting mixture of cuteness and underlying menace. It doesn't interest me as much as what's going on with Galadriel, Elrond, and Arondir/Bronwyn, but I like Nori quite a bit and the whole aesthetic they have going, so I don't mind spending time with them, even though it's kind of detached from what's going on everywhere else.

Speaking of Arondir, the Southlands stuff is interesting because there's so little to work with in terms of canon (even if they had rights to everything) and the canon that does exist wrt them is super racist. So having the textual racism towards Southrons actually be brought up in-story, and rejected by an Elf protagonist who is being played by a Black man, is like ... there's a lot going on there and other people are probably better equipped to talk about it.

Personally, I would have liked to see Arondir fall in love with Bronwyn rather than being presented with it as an established thing, especially with the conversation about how this almost never happens etc. His actor does a great job with what he's given, though, and I laughed at the other Elf who is like "do you know how rarely romances between Men and Elves ever happen? do you know they always END TRAGICALLY?!"

Arondir: mmhmm

Other Elf: THEY DIED, ARONDIR

Arondir gives off big "distracted by drawing hearts around Bronwyn's name in his Trapper Keeper" vibes in that conversation and, idk, it was just really entertaining to me.

Bronwyn herself is all right thus far. I did really like the moment when she's talking about how she's from the allegedly creepy village and the people there are her relatives and friends. By and large she seems the most normal person in the cast, honestly.

I also enjoyed how deeply ominous the "approaching Valinor" music was, lmao. A bit overkill by the end, but I rather like the idea of Valinor being scary if you're not supposed to be there.

ETA: cutting between the different plots via the Middle-earth map is a bit silly as well, but functional enough. Interesting to see Calenardhon on the map before Gondor even exists!

#anghraine babbles #long post #tv: lotr #rings of power #legendarium blogging #legendarium fanwank #finrod #galadriel #elrond #sw fanwank #elanor brandyfoot #arondir #bronwyn #pt critical #pj critical

[lovejosephquinn]

Hey darling, I hope you're having a great day. I love your work and your writing BTW.

Since I'm a big sucker for any FRIENDS TO LOVERS theme, how about you've been in a friends group with Joe for a few years now. After all this mayhem (aka rise to fame) that happened to him this year, you finally meet him again in your group. You reconnect, still the same flirting between the two of you.

I JUST NEED ALL THE FRIENDS TO LOVERS FLUFF RIGHT NOW (no need for smut though)

Since, a touch-starved anon ❤️

Thank you so much 🥰

Absolutely joining you in being a sucker for friends to lovers, it's my most favourite trope. I'm really not proud of this however and I think it could've been much better; but I'll let you all decide! 🥺

You know the saying? keep your friends close... That was exactly your life's motto, they were for life and the close circle that you'd had over the last few years got you through anything. It wasn't until 2020 that you suddenly learnt you could be ripped apart from the person you were closest too in such a brief moment. The day that Joe got the phone call, the one that changed his life forever. You'd always secretly had a thing for him, not wanting to ruin your chances in case he didn't feel the same, but you kind of wished you'd told him before he'd got on the plane to go to America just a few days later.

Then covid hit, it just seemed to be one thing after another. Yeah you'd all manage to video call every now and then from your homes but it wasn't the same as actually being around one another. You'd have brief encounters through your phone with your friends and singular late night ones with him as if you didn't have anything else to say, you'd ramble on together till the early hours. Joe returned months later back to America to continue filming and the calls and texts came few and far between, he was busy all of the time and it wasn't entirely his fault but you got worried that this was it; that he'd forget you especially and you'd never see him again the way you always had, just merely through a television screen instead. It was different when everything he'd done had been filmed quite close to home, so you knew you'd always find him back at his flat eventually, but not having him around hurt and it made the feelings grow evermore; painful yet sinful when you'd think about him in every way possible.

You'd lost count of the many times you thought of him, keeping him in the forefront of your mind at all costs, day or night, no matter what you were doing, wondering mostly what life will be like for Joe after Stranger Things aired. You had spent countless hours over the years telling him to be patient, comforting him when he almost gave up on acting. You promised him the day that he sent his audition tape that he'd make it big, that one day someone would notice his talent and he'd take off into the industry big time. He'd just smile at you the way he did, his dimples approving of your promise but the look in his eyes, sorrowful and scared told an entirely different story.

Surely enough, the day that Season 4 aired, you and your friends were sat in your living room watching it, you all cheered when Joe came on the screen, shouts of excitement and gasps at the look of your friend with a long haired curly wig, clothes that just were not him, for example the ripped black skinny jeans, that was entirely mesmerising. Your mind was boggled at the way it didn't even look like him anymore, it was only his chocolatey gaze that reassured you Joe was behind that get up. His acting was outstanding to you all, giving him a mental standing ovation that he was on his way to stardom through his new role, he shined brighter than you'd ever known him too.

He'd stayed in America finishing off bits and pieces for Volume two, he'd facetimed you one day in his trailer after not hearing from him for a month, you stared him down the second his face filled your screen as he was in costume, ready to go film the last scene before they wrapped up. He caught you gawking a few times, he'd have you stuttering in response.

"What're you staring at?" How did he realise that was the case? Prick.

"N-n-nothing."

"You got the hots for me in a wig?" Joe barked a laugh, you instantly threw yourself into self defence mode shaking your head, your cheeks flushing in confirmation which made his smile beam from ear to ear.

You even called him Eddie instead of Joe at least twice, embarrassing yourself deeply but the laugh that erupted from his throat made it more than worth it. It wasn't until you both said at exactly the same moment that you missed one another, your voices spoke in unison and the emotion came crashing between you in an instant was electrifying, but you shook it off quickly when he got shouted from the door of his trailer shortly after and the call was ended abruptly, a pout from Joe's lips, his little puppy dog eyes giving you an apologetic look that he had to rush off. You didn't have time to speak about your feelings, you'd planned it all in your head the second you got to talk to him, but it just never came about - you were grateful yet full of regret.

Some time later, the group of you re-joined and sobbed hard through Volume 2, all decided collectively that he seriously deserved an award for this role, especially from the fact he could make fully grown men tear up at their own friend dying on camera. Your promise of 2 solid years ago came true and exactly 24 hours later, your social media was bombarded with Joseph Quinn this and Joseph Quinn that. Eddie Munson had created your friend celebrity status in the matter of a mere moment.

It wasn't until the summer that you'd all taken the time out of your busy adult lives to throw a party especially in Joe's honour for returning home, a nail biting experience for you indeed. Your friendship circle wasn't the same without him so it wasn't often that you'd all get together anymore. You couldn't wait to see him, you couldn't wait to tell him how proud you were and above all, you couldn't wait till you could utter the words I told you so. You'd done a number on yourself, making yourself look as good as possible so that he might notice. Your feelings overtaking you a little too much, maybe understandable after you'd not seen him solidly for the last year and a bit, so you thought you'd make an effort.

You watched through your kitchen window whilst you stood outside having a smoke with your friend, the front door opened and a crowd of people huddled around. A rush of nausea hit you like it was the first time you were seeing him again, the eye contact that was made between you through glass when people moved around to return to their previous conversation.

As the old saying goes in a sea of people, my eyes will always search for you, that quote was circling in your head until eventually Joe came sauntering out of the back door and you felt his presence solidly stood before you, staring, almost teary eyed from the obvious confirmation that he'd missed you the most. He looked the same, but different, his hair was curlier, face looked skinnier and body less defined from the weight he'd had to lose especially for the show but the same in the way his eyes sparkled and spoke a thousand words without him having to open his mouth.

You dropped the cigarette that was perched between your fingers and ran into his arms like some sort of romantic scene, wrapping yourself around him, your face held in position into his chest as he swayed you from side to side. You caught sight of a few people looking your way that were situated in the kitchen, one of them even mouthed get a room, mentally flipping a middle finger their way; all you cared about in that second was that Joe was around you again.

"God I've missed you Joey." You cooed, your voice slightly muffled from your face smothered into his chest.

"Missed you too love." The happiness radiated from his voice and butterflies swarmed your stomach.

People had always noticed in the past the flirty exchanges between the two of you. People had always commented that you would look cute together, there were only a couple of people out of the entire friendship group that knew of your true feelings, they'd been sworn to secrecy on the matter that Joe would never find out. There were always talks between all 3 of you, they'd always confronted their beliefs that they were 99% sure that he felt the same way but he was too damn shy and too stubborn of a person to admit it. If that was true then that made two of you.

The girl who stood outside with you had disappeared to let you have some time alone with Joe, patting him on his forearm as a brief encounter as she left to go back inside. She was one of the people that knew of your secret and had only in these last five minutes been telling you that you needed to make a move before it was too late. That you couldn't watch from the side-lines forever, twiddling your thumbs and gawking at him from a distance.

Indulging in another cigarette together, not quite being ready to go inside and share him with the rest of your friends just yet, you playfully and skilfully caught up with him, finding ways to bring into the conversation that all you wanted was him.

"You know Quinn, you've really broke the internet with Eddie. He's everywhere." You muttered and he rolled his eyes, not quite believing you.

"Stop saying silly things like that." He laughed, you pulled out your phone, showing him some of the screenshots you'd taken and they rolled back around swiftly, his lips parting at the wonderful things people had said about his character, unsure what to do with all the strange love coming from random people he didn't know.

"Did they let you keep the wig by the way?" Joe frowned, looking back to you, putting your phone back into your pocket and folding your arms together.

"I knew you had a thing for Eddie." Joe smirked. Not Eddie. You you fool.

"The wig made you think that?" You laughed over dramatically.

"I saw the way you looked at me on FaceTime Y/N, you were down bad for me with long hair." He stuck his tongue over his top lip, his stare intense waiting for your admission.

"Correction, Eddie..." You threw him off his high horse. "Yeah well, what can I say? A sexy ass metal head is just my type." You joked. His eyes grew with your response.

"I'd better get it back then." What was that supposed to mean? Your mind was all over the place in just 6 short words. "I've already got the leather jacket." He continued.

"Phew, I was scared you were going to miss that out." Stifled and forced giggles fell from your lips, you were nervous from the way Joe looked at you differently in that second, something told you it was good. You stood in silence for a few minutes and Joe looked through the window to see the rest of his friends deep in conversation.

"You wanna get going back in?" He said anxiously before moving toward the door.

"I told you so." You belted out quickly, grabbing at his hand, holding onto his fingers as if your life depended on it, he moved back towards you, a look of confusion taking over him.

"Wait, what?" He chuckled.

"I promised you that this was it for you. I told you so." You smiled, mirroring the shyness on his face, he softened in seconds.

"Don't be daft." His hand wrapped around yours, reciprocating the grasp as he swung it side to side, not letting go, even if your palms were now sweating from the soft touch, this somehow felt right.

"Well I'll always be your number one fan." You winked and his lips pursed together in the most adorable way, smiling as he looked to the ground. His free hand came up to stroke your cheek and it was like all of a sudden you'd fell into a dream that was all too familiar when you were sleeping.

Without any forewarning, Joe leaned down, replacing his fingers for his lips and planted a kiss on your cheek, his mouth hovering still against the heat from your face after, unsure whether he should of committed an act like that. Then he did it again, giving your hand a squeeze in reassurance when he stood back in his previous stance, an exhale of relief that you didn't let go or just bolt from his actions.

"I had no doubt that you would be, my darling." Your mutual stare became something intimate, you weren't sure where this was going but you were pretty sure that from that one moment, he'd always felt exactly the same and had just admitted it in his own way. Nobody had ever looked at you the way Joe did tonight.

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[sebrrari]

need to find a lover that's gonna last

sebastian vettel/mark webber, au, 4.1k, rated r

aka, the drag au that no one asked for and that i wasn't fully able to flesh out, so i'm posting the dash/not!fic to get it off my chest. happy martian monday to the squad!!

_________

it’s august 30th, 2013, and mark has just signed the last page of the legal paperwork to buy himself out of his future engagements with infiniti red bull racing, effective immediately. they’re going to call up daniel from toro rosso, and mark is going to take the first plane going his way so he can be home in time to start licking his damn wounds before the news hits the press. 

christian shakes his hand and tells him to call if he changes his mind. 

he won’t. he can’t. the last few years took just about everything from him, but not his integrity. he’d never come crawling back to the machine that spit him out on track and let his teammate run him over. 

his phone starts buzzing as he’s crossing the parking lot of the factory - call from sebastian v. 

mark scoffs and swallows a burning feeling, then pops the battery out of the back of the phone and shuts the car door. the driver pulls out of the lot smoothly, and mark doesn’t watch in the rear view mirror as the looming building disappears. 

and, somehow, life goes on. 

_________

freeing himself means no more lavish lifestyle - not that he got quite as extravagant as some of the others when he had the chance. he does the shopping at night, just before the grocery closes, and sends out for most everything else so he doesn’t have to stomach any knowing stares. it takes a few months of skulking around his house (paid for, in cash, with a reasonable savings fund for improvements) and drinking a few too many beers alone before he finally gets back to living. 

there are friends he makes, and people he cuts off. hobbies he tries, old habits he tries his best to quit. and, one spring day, one of his gym buddies invites mark to a brunch where he’ll be performing down in canberra, and mark’s therapist talks him into going - he can leave if he wants to, but he should stay for a fry up, just for his troubles, at least. it’s a hell of a trek, but it’s something to do.

his performing friend ends up being phenomenal - after mark stops looking for his crew cut and tank top, and realizes he’s - she’s - the one in a meter-high blonde wig and impeccable makeup. she lights up the room and takes each proffered dollar out of her patrons’ hands with a wink and a smile. 

mark leaves after his friend bows and exits the lit up, glittery stage, but it’s with a bit of something simmering in his chest. the drive home is a breeze instead of an exercise in teeth grinding and measured breathing. 

he’s straightening up the kitchen after dinner and realizes - he didn’t catch a single person glancing his way or snapping a covert picture of him to tell their mates they saw an all-time formula 1 failure during their meal.  

he calls his friend up the next day, and asks him - her? - to lunch, where he’s enlightened on the culture of drag, and drag brunch, and gender identity. he feels… lighter, and like the world has righted its axis after years of wobbly spinning.

he’s also been kindly informed that he’s been a member of a gay gym in a gay part of town for going on six months now. that gets a laugh out of him, a sound so foreign to his ears now, and he can’t stop once he starts. 

once he’s recovered and paid the tab for them both, he tells evan that he’ll see him at their usual time for an extra difficult weight circuit tomorrow night.

“i’ll bring my sport mode heels, then,” evan says, and mark groans, and is pretty sure that isn’t a thing.  

_________

months later, after a lot of soul searching, and therapy sessions guiding him on how to try new things, and many a craft night with evan and some other local girls, tara rocco makes her debut at a bar’s talent show on a dare. 

it’s been a wonderful exercise in determination (drawing eyebrows on yourself is something that doesn’t come easily), endurance (dancing in a corset with stilettos while remembering lyrics should be officially on the iron man course, he thinks) and competition (a talent show, with a $50 prize, to be tipped to the bar staff when he wins).

his muscles awaken after years of being forced ramrod straight. his entire being stretches back into existence. it's delightful. the applause helps, too. he gets a pretty good round for a 9pm wednesday crowd.

“are you sure you’ve never worn heels before? like, ever?” ray asks while they’re stripping the glue off mark’s natural eyebrows with some kind of industrial solvent that stings like hell. 

“not that i can remember,” mark says, his mouth dry from some stiff drinks and from the makeup remover he got on his tongue. 

“well, love, you should think about wearing them more, because you’re a bloody natural. your proportions are to die for, and you’ve got rhythm. you’d be booking more nights than half the queens in the state on those credentials alone.” 

_________

ray is mark’s first call when he decides to do another talent show, no peer pressure needed. then another, and another, until they decide mark needs a signature look if he’s going to start “getting those bookings you’re entitled to with the way your arms look next to a black leather number like that corset you’ve picked up, mark.” 

it’s like unleashing the marvel within himself, the one he used to know - it’s just shaped differently. there’s prep meetings (to go over the set list, tweak any tracks that lagging or to add a specific song for an event or holiday), press (a few pictures for the venue’s posters and social media, all retouched a bit much for his liking, but he’s choosing his battles), practice sessions (blocking the routine in his open-concept kitchen and living room, with ray laying down post-its to serve as the stage dimensions and evan and his partner acting as an audience for mark to play to), then show time. 

and he’s never known anything but a full fucking send.

the rush feeds him like it always did, even with the stakes so low. he can’t really deny that he loves looking like this - beautiful, sculpted, powerful, in charge.

it’s intoxicating without being consuming, fun and adrenaline-inducing without the sour taste of loss when the lights go down.

when he takes the drag off and wipes his face clean, he’s just mark again - mark who ran, once, but who stands tall now, with a little help from some friends.

and god, his ass looks good in fishnets. it truly does. 

_________

aussie drag culture is insular and so no one really gets a whiff, and he lives pretty comfortably off his bar appearances and an occasional tour spot in peak months.

once every couple years, a promoter calls him up and sounds business-minded and not like they've just found his wikipedia page and intend to add a new section titled Downfall and Public Outrage to it with their fucking scheme. those are the people for whom he hops into a dance studio and gets a routine in shape to trot around a few states, and hey. his heels are shorter and his splits aren't what they used to be, but he still manages to put on a show. 

he keeps in touch with barely a handful of people from his old life, but seb's retirement announcement sends shockwaves big enough that he'd have heard about it if he was six feet under. something like hunger pangs through his core, hollow and longing for the gentle fall into glory and grace he was never afforded. 

but he's happy for seb. he's made his peace with it just like he's made his peace with the fact that red lipstick will never really suit his skin tone and he has to cheat towards purples. there are facts of life, after all.

one of the facts is that what goes around will always come around. at barely 8 am, knocking incessantly and ringing the doorbell for good (ungodly) measure.

he checks the front door camera feed, and thinks he's finally cracked.

but no, seb's really on mark's fucking doorstep, with the same smile on the same face but through layers and layers of time and a lot more facial hair. 

mark's not sure what he must look like - loose gym shorts that hit mid-thigh, smoothly waxed legs, a rumpled and mustard stained shirt from MARY'S POPPIN EST. 2016 ADELAIDE'S FINEST DEBAUCHERY. seb doesn't seem to notice - or care - in the least. he just asks to use the toilet. 

it's the first time mark's heard his voice in person since - since. mark's stomach roils and he can only nod and choke out the directions - down the hall, second door. seb thanks him and makes his way. 

mark goes back to making the coffee, dazedly pulls down a second mug from the cabinet and fishes the sugar out from the bottom shelf of the pantry. seb always took his sweet on early mornings at the track.

mark is just finishing up, kitchen towel in hand to dry a spoon for seb to stir with, when the soft squeak of seb's trainers on the tile snaps him to attention. the pot of coffee is full now - mark realizes just how long he's been waiting for seb to come back in.

he did say the right door, didn't he? he said the second door down the hall. he did. he did.

much like a cat, though, curiosity was always seb's weapon of choice.

"this must look absolutely delicious on you, mark," seb says, and it's a purr of victory to mark's ear, a predator’s grin before its jaw snaps shut around naive prey.

he doesn't want to turn around. he doesn't want to see the corset in seb's delicate grasp - the one that needs a little TLC after last weekend, an eyelet hanging loose off the leather from rough treatment during his finale. he doesn't want to see the laces hanging off the constructed garment, lifeless and boxy without something to wrap around. 

the spoon clatters in the sink. he realizes he’s holding his breath. 

how in the fuck is he going to explain to sebastian vettel that he couldn't fucking stand playing second fiddle and begging for scraps anymore, so he blew his bank accounts to smithereens, fucked off back home humbled and rough, and now he does drag twice a week and tours during peak season.

how is he going to explain to a four-time world champion of motorsport, someone who eclipsed his life to the point that he ran, that he even likes it. 

seb’s made himself his coffee like this is a hotel breakfast bar and not mark's life being turned upside down and shaken by the ankles. 

"i always knew," is one of the first things seb says after he's apologized and laid the corset gently over a kitchen chair. 

mark nearly chokes. "knew?"

"that you were, you know. i mean, it takes one to know the other? is that how you say it?"

"knew?"

"i'm - me too, mark. i'm gay. queer, if we're putting a finer point on it. not that crossdressing is-” 

seb sucks on the spoon, then lays it on a napkin and sighs. 

“oh, hell. mick gave me such a good talk about this, and i am putting my foot in my mouth. i really do mean to be better about this. i have so much reading to do, now that i have more time, i must sound so foolish. forgive me."

"you're gay."

"yes. and i thought-"

"you thought.” 

"i thought a lot of things, but then you were gone. i have no idea what you have even been up to. and now that i am here, i feel as though maybe that was on purpose.” seb takes another sip and swallows carefully. “i did not mean to just barge back in and-"

“but you did.” that's exactly what seb did - barge. mark can feel angry heat coil itself around his spine and get his pulse going. 

it gets tense at the breakfast table while they continue their stilted conversation, but mark susses out that seb thinks the corset is some fetish thing - he still doesn't know know.

small, twisted mercies.

seb leaves eventually, around lunch time. the hollow feeling is still floating heavy in mark's gut, but it's not as painful as he thought it'd be to accept the hug seb pulls him in for, to say sure when seb says they should meet up one more time before seb goes back to europe. he says he's in queensland for a month, some eco-vacation-caravan-docu-whatever that he hopes to invest in has him here to pitch him and let him get his hands a little dirty in the bush.

he trusts seb to not like, tell the fucking papers or whatever someone might do with this information (nando comes to mind, since mark is feeling especially bitey). but it’s not like it’s a secret, either. he’s just been lucky until now - lucky that he fell so far, so fast, that the bright lights and nosy pundits of f1 don’t stoop to his level.

it’s been a week and no one comes calling. no one emails him asking for a fishy interview. the publicist he still pays - a joke of a retainer, if he’s honest, bless her - doesn’t text him. 

he does his usual show at his usual regionally-famous bar, and gets his usual amount of not-as-much-as-you-might-think in tips.

he gets the mended corset back from his seamstress and hangs it up carefully in the closet next to the others, buttery black leather all lined up in a row.

there’s one pushed a little farther back than those in regular rotation, still shiny and hardly worn. it had seemed a little on the nose when he tried it on after buying it online one night, a few glasses of chardonnay too deep in his favorite leather website. 

it’s red for the bulls he couldn’t wrangle, for the misdeeds that put him out on his ass. 

he fishes it off the rack and caresses it, sets the laces right, then carefully tightens it around his waist and turns to the mirror.

and he knows, as he poses for himself, checks his silhouette, skims his eyes across the shoes laid in pairs on the floor against the wall, exactly what his opening number will be next week to kick off his summer tour.

what he doesn’t know is who is going to be sitting three rows back and dead center when the lights go down, the curtains part, and mark makes his hips swivel and sway to the opening synth hits of "little red corvette."

_________

seb is waiting at the stage door exit when mark comes through it, and mark tries to guess how long he must’ve been waiting here. he'd spotted seb in the audience during the third number of the evening, and like a true bred professional, he kept going. he didn’t run. he kept going. 

now, though, with the adrenaline worn off and his quads killing him, he just wants answers. 

“you-” mark stutters. “how did you know?” 

seb licks his lips and smiles playfully. it’s only because mark had known him for so long that he doesn’t mistake it for venomous. 

“well,” seb says, dragging the word out, “they do advertise your shows, don’t they? i saw it in the paper.”

“bullshit,” mark scoffs. “you wouldn’t buy a paper, it’s wasteful. why are you here, seb?”

seb kicks himself off the brick wall of the theater and steps towards mark - mark steps back just as nonchalantly, a dance in keeping his distance that he could do with his eyes closed - but seb doesn’t back down. he shoves his hands in his pockets and shrugs. 

“i wanted to see you.” 

“you could’ve called.” 

seb does scoff, then, the first hint of frustration mark’s seen out of him since old team meetings and press conferences. it hits a nerve, but it’s a dull pain that makes itself known then retreats. 

“would you have answered?” 

mark casts his eyes downward, caught in the truth. 

“i really enjoyed tonight, mark. you’re a true performer. i want to hear all about how you come up with these shows. can we go somewhere and talk?” seb asks, still pressing at the opening he sees. 

mark can’t suss out if seb really wants to know all that, if he’s really telling the truth. but he remembers how the world didn’t come crashing down after he let seb in the last time. he breathes - in for three, hold for three, out for three. 

“okay,” mark says, clears his throat. “alright. my feet are fucking killing me, though. let’s just go back to the hotel.” 

_________

they talk, sure. there was definitely talking - seb’s always had a way with words that unravels mark to a point no one else can. seb casts a lifeline with his earnestness and reels mark in with his humility and wit, and it’s like all the anger he thought he still had isn’t where he thought he left it. there are other, smaller jagged edges that need examining, but the big wound has closed up while he was assuming it still festered.

there were other things that led them to the position they’re in now, though- mark on top of seb’s bare body in a chain hotel’s queen bed, the mattress squeaking as they get comfortable.

he’s moving on instinct, all groans and animal desires. it’s been so, so long since someone’s gotten under his skin enough to bring him to this point - or maybe someone never left their spot there, buried just like he thought all his racing past was. 

he doesn’t want to think about that anymore, or to talk, though. he just wants. 

“i-” mark inhales deeply, gets the smell of seb’s lavender and pine soap, then something muskier underneath. he holds his breath, devours the scent like he’s starved for it. 

mark wants him. he wants seb so badly he’s on fire with it after denying himself for so long. 

“say it again,” seb gasps, and mark bites down on seb’s neck just enough to pinch, then kisses the spot wetly and makes his way down seb’s chest. 

“i want you, seb,” mark groans hoarsely, like he’s worked a sore muscle into relaxing. it’s an intoxicating hit of relief. he sags towards seb’s body, ruts his cock against him over and over again until he glides smooth with sweat and precome. 

“mark, you can-“ mark noses back up to seb’s throat and kisses his adam’s apple open-mouthed, rubs his lips against the stubble there until they’re red and tingling.  

“you should,” seb corrects, his voice thin but sure.  “you should fuck me. before this is over too soon, no?”

the haze in mark’s mind retreats a little. he blinks and gives a parting lick to seb’s pulse point, gets one more thrust of his hips against seb’s soft stomach before he lifts himself up, arms on either side of seb’s ribcage. 

he hasn’t fucked anyone in quite some time, and he hadn’t let himself really think- 

he needs to get out of the habit of thinking, it seems, when it comes to seb. because with him, he can just be. he can just trust, if what his gut is telling him remains true. 

he can just want. 

and he can have. 

he doesn’t ask seb if he’s sure - he’s smarter than that, at least. he knows now that seb goes after what he truly wants, only offers what he’s already been ready to give. 

he just cups seb’s face with a shaking hand and kisses him slowly, fire on his tongue and an ache in his chest, let’s the spark of anticipation charge up til it’s consuming him whole. 

“can i go slow?” mark asks against seb’s lips. “it’s been so long since… since.”

“we have all the time we need, mark.” seb bites his lip for a moment, then whines and smiles up at mark with the mischief that makes mark’s good sense go out the door. “but let’s get started, shall we?” 

_________ 

in the time between summer club season closing and next spring, there’s a whole book’s worth of development. there’s a journey of shame to acceptance for mark because he almost got away with seb thinking this was a fetish, and that fetishes are normal and okay and can be locked behind a door - when you actually remember to bloody lock it - but to mark it's so much worse. 

because it’s not a fetish - it’s his livelihood, and how does he even look millionaire activist and beloved hero sebastian vettel in the eye once he knows mark dances in a tight corset and a barely there skirt for money?

he does, though. he does. 

he can hold his own in 4-inch pumps against even the youngest queens because he lost a lot of things, but never his competitive drive or the muscle tone in his calves. and he didn’t think that could matter to a man like seb, who’s off to see the world and save it bit by bit with a dazzling, crinkly smile and a soft touch of kindness for everyone he meets.

but seb is there, telling him it does matter, simply because it’s mark. that it’s mark that seb’s here for, and the rest they’ll figure out. 

and they will, because they’re not ones to quit. not for something that truly, truly matters to their hearts.  

it's also about love and self acceptance and queerness and kinkiness and how mark looks hot and dangerous and masculine and divinely feminine all at once. it’s about how seb can't believe he ever let mark run away without telling him that he is enough to love in every form, and how mark grows to believe him in time, in his own shape. 

_________

and there's another side to the story, one that's waited patiently and knew to bide its time to be heard.

this side thinks that, if things were different, maybe seb wouldn't be treated to the sight of mark bent over the same kitchen table he was ready to lunge over just a few months ago. and how maybe mark wouldn't trust seb to smear his lipstick and untie his laces, to gently pull his tights down and off.

this side is about how, if he hadn’t called in a favor from jenson to get mark’s address after years of restraining himself from searching, seb might not have the absolute privilege of dropping to his knees and worshiping mark until they’re both full to bursting with something seb’s not sure he’s ever felt - even as fireworks erupted over his car in abu dhabi what seems like a century ago, even as he took his final laps in the kind of machine he spent his life trying to tame. 

this is something new, something precious and strong that seb wants to make bloom in vivid color. he could spend the rest of his days learning the taste of whatever this is. 

seb signs on as a producer for the ecological reserve’s new sustainable tourism and documentary project. he cancels his flights and books his rented, sensible bungalow indefinitely. 

he’s hardly there. 

because he’s with mark and he can’t get enough, even when it’s tough. even when mark spooks, even when he tests seb’s patience like he’s always done - seb wouldn’t rather be anywhere else than where he’s meant to be, and that place cannot be anywhere but with mark, and he knows it. 

because when seb watches mark onstage, with his smoky eyes and his long, mesmerizing legs, his mouth waters. he longs in a way he didn’t think he’d ever be able to again.

and when he meets mark backstage after opening night of this newly revamped show - rev tara’s engine on tour! - with a bouquet of red, red roses in hand, mark’s right there with his makeup half off and sweats pulled over his fishnets, and it makes seb’s pulse jolt. 

he’s real. what they have is shaping up to be, too.

he just has to go get what he's after, and something about mark has always made him relish the chase. 

mark catches sight of him in the big mirror he’s seated in front of and his eyebrows nearly hit his hairline, but he softens into a grin. seb smiles back, bites his lip.

“these are for you,” he says, and offers the bouquet. mark stands immediately, takes the flowers and sniffs them indulgently before depositing them gently on the vanity among his tubes of lipstick and eyeshadow palettes. seb was ready to feel silly for bringing flowers to a drag show, but mark takes them for the gesture they are and treats them like something precious, something greater than the handful they exist as. 

he rises on his stocking feet and steps up til he’s toe to toe with seb. there’s a shadow of eyeliner still clinging to his waterline, accenting the spark in his eyes as it smolders and crackles something electric. 

“thank you, i love them, sebi,” mark says, his breath skimming seb’s lips, and seb can’t let himself miss.

he steadies himself by the dip in mark’s cinched waist, and kisses him to unleash everything he’s been holding, lets his heart flow right out of his chest and through his lips. 

mark covers seb’s hand with his bigger one, his palm soft and warm and trembling, and receives the love seb has been waiting to give. 

___________________________

thanks @kritischetheologie @mwebber and @vetterrari and the other people who i made read this awhile ago!!!! love u all for being so encouraging and unhinged with me - you make this fandom what it is xxxxxx

this thing's google doc is titled "spreading you open is the only way of knowing you," a fine line reference but also something i'm finding to be a little too astute. count yer days harry if i ever see you in person i have my therapists superbill in my purse with your name on it.

#my fic #martian monday in pst still!!!!! so!!!!!! #mark webber x sebastian vettel #whether the medicine is enough #it's truly - in the tradition of old - a not fic. we go from full scenes to meta in a matter of seconds so just like be prepared lol #nsfr #drag mark au

[elwolfen]

Alfred Molinathon Day 9

Prick Up Your Ears (1987)

Kenneth Halliwell

His Role: Quite the perturbed man, huh? Both of them stuck in this seemingly never-ending toxic cycle. Kenneth being left to the wayside as Joe shines in the limelight must have been a terrible blow. As he said in the end, "In the way of circumstances and background I had everything an artist could possibly want. It was practically a blueprint. I was programmed to be a novelist or a playwright. But I'm not and you are!" In the beginning he had plenty of things that could go for him as he said, a novelist, a playwright even an actor. Yet overtime, he didn't continually presue them, possibly the time he spent in prison made it more difficult? His mental health took a deeper divot over the years? It could've been plenty of things. A cocktail.

While he had his extremes, I do feel deeply sympathetic towards him. I know what it's like at one point it seems everything is fine, and in order, it's all looking up and then the next something or someone could tip you off and you suddenly developed a heightened mania. You lash out, inappropriately so. A few minutes later, it's like it never happened because something else grabs your attention. Being with someone who seems unsympathetic to your mental blights, your needs, and your lack of direction can make you feel a bit deranged. To have someone excel and be successful at something you were once good at or something you taught them, while you just idle by and question what happened to that spark can be very dreary.

I do wish that he was able to have the help that he desperately needed. It would've also helped if he had more support too, but Joe wasn't that. Joe felt that this relationship was dying yet didn't feel the need to push the question of why or actually figure out what to do. What was he hoping for? For Kenneth to just up and leave? Get himself admitted? I don't know. I'm not saying Joe was the main problem. As I said, they were both toxic towards each other. Kenneth's extreme emotions and Joe's lack of empathy can make for quite a tumultuous relationship.

The beginning of their relationship was nice to watch, but knowing how it all ends... it's a little unfortunate.

Besides that, he's such dramatic and funny to watch, even though he doesn't mean to come off that way. It is a comedy, after all.

One of my favorite scenes (right after "have a wank"), it reminds me of my choir class... I will not elaborate.

Really, I could go on and on, but it's best I don't. I don't have the best writing skills and don't have a very sophisticated inner dictionary. So...

~~~

The Rest of the Movie: Joe himself. He was also quite funny himself and was oozing with charm. But as I said, his lack of care was a bit off-putting to me. Yet I still also relate to him. Trying to relate to people who experience sadness and anger always makes me quiet and unable to help quell or calm any of it. I don't feel deeply as I should. It's something I constantly struggle with and to watch a character who is always trying to charm people while unable to do much for someone he possibly cares deeply about's feelings, hits a bit close. But where we differ is that I try to understand and reason while he berates and ignores.

I mean, this man paid another guy to please Kenneth to boost him up and make him believe that the wig helped. Which, I didn't know if that was horrible of him or kind of him? And on the topic of the wig! Did he do that out of genuine kindness, or was he actually ashamed of Kenneth? Or perhaps he wanted to shut him up for a little while.

Outside of that, he charms nearly everyone he meets. I mean, look at his cheeky grin. It's hard not to be. He's can be sly when he wants to be. He can lie right through his teeth with authorities. This includes throwing Ken under the bus very hard during their time on prison.

Learning that he could write fourty words a minute and him not utilizing it and doubting his writing then to see him only write all the time was a fascinating climb to watch while Kenneth goes in the complete opposite direction.

I can't see much about his work due to the fact that we don't get to see what his shows are about in the film, just the success. Makes sense. If I wanted to, I could seek it out.

Again, I can go on and on about these two, but wording my thoughts is a difficult task. Why did I do this to myself?

~~~

Peggy isn't nearly as interesting to me personally. She just narrates sometimes, which makes sense due to the framing device of her being interviewed about her connections with the couple. She also has more insight than most thanks to her stealing Joe's diaries and claiming she lost them.

Mr and Mrs. Lahr were also uninteresting. It's not any of the actors fault at all. It's Joe and Kenneth's story, I'm more intrigued by that.

#Alfred Molinathon #Alfred Molina #Prick Up Your Ears #Kenneth Halliwell #I might add more later on but fit now I'm tired #Burned out so early eh?

[fireofjudgement]

Pretty in pink

Requested here

Fandom: All of us are dead

Pairing: Gwi-nam x gn!reader

Summary: You've never realised just how jealous Gwi-nam was, nor what the result of his jealousy would be.

Word count: 696

Warnings: established relationship, kissing, mentions of jealousy, slight angst but mostly fluff, ooc Gwi-nam

A/N: Good lord, this isn't my best work or my longest one but this past month has been quite bad and I didn't have the time, energy nor the motivation to write at all, but I also made this blog with the goal of posting at least one thing every month and I didn't want to break my streak so early on. I'm doing a little better now so I'll be writing more of the requests soon, hopefully 😌

--

"Gwi-nam, stay still! I swear to God.."

"But it buuurns, how am I supposed to stay still? You're doing this on purpose, y/n!" 

"It will burn even more if you won't stop moving, you silly! Are you trying to get it in your eyes?" You pretended to be annoyed with his impatience and childish behavior, but in reality you had to try really hard to contain laughter and focus on what you were doing. You didn't actually want to hurt him, obviously. 

It was still hard for you to believe he agreed to do this. You and Gwi-nam have been together for almost a year now and you could, with all confidence, say that you knew him better than he knew himself. And yet, never in a million years would you imagine he'd let you dye his hair. Pink. Pastel pink to be more specific. But, as unbelievable as that fact itself was, the reason why he asked you to do it in the first place was even more absurd. 

It was no secret that Gwi-nam was the jealous type, possessive even. You were his and he was yours, you knew it and he made sure everyone around you knew it too. You didn't know however that his jealousy went far beyond the people you surrounded yourself with, or so happened to meet in your day-to-day life. Oh no. But it wasn't till a few weeks earlier that you learned your boyfriend doesn't like for you to look at any other man. Not even celebrities you've never met before and most likely never will.

One of those celebrities, a young actor from a very popular Netflix show, posted a few pictures of himself with his new haircut and without thinking much about it, you made a comment about it to Gwi-nam. 

"You know, he kinda reminds me of you a little. Just with a way cuter hair color."

You didn't think he'd react so emotionally, an innocent remark apparently hurting him more than either of you expected. It took a few days of radio silence, countless unanswered texts and missed phone calls for him to finally talk to you again. And when he did, it wasn't what you expected. He wasn't mad. He didn't want to break up with you. Instead, he asked for you to.. dye his hair. It would be nice to try something new, he said. And you didn't ask any questions. You were just happy to have him back.

"Okay, I'm done! Now you have to wait about forty minutes, then we can wash it off."

"Wait, forty minutes? That doesn't sound right. What if it burns my beautiful hair?" He asked, pretending to be genuinely concerned. 

"Well.." You hesitated, pulling him closer to you. "..I guess I'll still love you. We'll just get you a pink wig." You couldn't contain laughter any longer when he tackled you, leaving a bunch of kisses on your face and neck. It was adorable how careful he was to not get the dye on you or any of your furniture. 

You spent the next hour cuddling, trying to pay attention to the movie quietly playing in the background, completely forgetting about the timer. It was nice to have Gwi-nam by your side again, it was even nicer to feel his lips on yours, your bodies complimenting each other perfectly. It wasn't until you tried to brush your fingers through his hair that you realised you still haven't washed off the dye, dark pink stains forming on his forehead and neck. You could only hope his hair has survived this unexpected attack.

"And?" Gwi-nam asked, nervously shifting his gaze from the mirror to your face. He was trying to keep his cool but you knew how much your approval meant to him. "Don't be like that, just tell me what you think?" 

"I think..Well, pink is definitely your color." You answered honestly, before giving him another kiss. You could feel him smiling against your lips, your next words only causing his smile to grow bigger. "You'll always be the most attractive guy I know, Gwi-nam. And I wouldn't want anyone else by my side."

#all of us are dead #all of us are dead netflix #all of us are dead x reader #yoon gwi nam #all of us are dead fanfic #yoon gwinam x reader

[icharchivist]

on one hand i think the Wall Market's vibes managed to stay the same while also being quite different from the OG to the Remake -- and it's not to say one is better than the other, it's just, drastically different.

But i think it's really fun to see how they adjusted to this different set up.

Like in the OG Wall Market... is really dirty. diy dirty. There is no moral nor even an actual defined hierarchy other than "Corneo is on top". When Cloud and Aerith decide to both enter the "new bride tournament for Corneo" they're basically scrapping by from anything they can find in town.

They help the drunk dressmaker from a failing business to want inspiration again by finding his calling in helping people crossdress. They get the help of a drag queen in a random gym to get a wig for Cloud. They have to buy stuff out of a vending machine until a tiara falls down. You help some guy find puking medication and he gives you some stuff to help you cross dress properly. You have to buy a specific meal to have access to a special prize you can use to make Cloud the perfect girl.

and obviously there's the Honey Bee Inn, by far the section that needed to be made less problematic, but who was a dirty place. None of the dancers liked being here, all of them talk about being harassed, you're supposed to get lace underwears for Cloud on there and the two options to get it are widely homophobic, but require Cloud pretending to be a client and going in one of the room to steal some underwear he could use. (in case it's not known the homophobic parts include a room where Cloud gets dragged into a communal bath and it's pretty much implied he's being groped by other men and Cloud is uncomfortable, or another room which is much more ominous since it's one of the first place Cloud can have a full mental breakdown that is impossible to ignore, but once he wakes up it's because a naked man is slapping his face on top of him and it's, once again, really uncomfortable for Cloud)

And the OG was all built around the fact that you had to do a lot of quests in Wall Market to scrap by all of that to be picked as Corneo's best girl as Cloud, otherwise Tifa and Aerith would be the ones getting picked, and you don't want that.

It feels more like battling a secret mafia than anything else. You're scrapping by with what you find, you know it's not going to be flawless, to get to perfection you just need to get lucky finding the right items. But everything is so dirty and disgusting and yet it's this macabre look into the city's vices that get interesting.

I'd say the OG still handle the crossdressing itself okayish (and i sure have heard a lot of people talk about how it was their trans awakening so i don't want to dig on a 1997 game for that) but yeah.

It was undeniable while getting into the remake that they had to fix some things without letting go of what the people loved. There was a line to walk between problematic (because the antagonist is problematic) and problematic (because we aren't being respectful of groups of people)

In the Remake, Wall Market is pretty much Vegas. It's big and loud and flashy in a way the OG wasn't specifically. Not that the game WASNT, but not to this extend.

Now there's a clear hierarchy and Corneo's fingerprints can be found anywhere. He controls the town, he's the king of it. And now his "Bride Auction" is less of a dirty thing done quickly by his underling, and instead, while still dirty, something that comes from a huge system with a trio at the top, just under Corneo, who monitor anything Corneo gets or not.

So instead of the DIY portions of the game, the whole quests become about impressing the Trio instead. You need to get the good graces of the elite in order to get by, it's no longer about how helping other people in the same misery you're in can give you some goodies by the end.

Now you count on the Trio to help you, while all the little quests from the OG are spread around like easter eggs or don't carry the same weight either. Deciding of the dresses everyone will wear depends on whenever you completed a certain amount of quests or picked the right dialogue options in chapters predating Wall Market, compared to the OG where it's really just your actions in Wall Market that gives you any outcome for Wall Market.

I think some of it is a little weird to scrutiny -- i totally believe in the dirty male centric mafia from the OG, while seeing Madam M, a strong dominatrix having to bow by the law of Corneo while being her higher adjudant, and Andrea the glam queen and definitely openly bi man, and yet all of them being directly involved in this bride auction is a little... questionable in some way, but i think it can work on the angle of, it's a bit like on the surface isn't it. Like how a dude like Reeve end up doing all the dirty work Shinra ask about because it's the system which is set in place and nothing can be done, but at least in a place of power you can mitigate damages. And for what it's worth Sam and Madam M both try to dissuade us.

But, undeniably, it makes the whole thing a lot more Glam. It's no lower a city by the sewer that's scrapping by, it's glamour, luxerious, like drowning the ugly truth under the bright lights.

The Honey Bee Inn stands therefore especially differently with how they changed it. Instead they go out of their way to show the dancers there love their work, genuinely see their work as art, and while the brothel aspect is still hinted at, it's with a lot more of a "everyone is very into it on here no biggie" ambiance than the OG where the women working there were disgusted with their work.

And obviously all the homophobic stuff instead are replaced by Andrea, Glam Queen of them all, who will encourage Cloud to embrace experimenting with gender, and instead respectfully explains that people are free to live their truth. it's honestly probably the best step up they could have done compared to the OG.

(though i am sad we're therefore losing one of the big "what the FUCK is wrong with Cloud moment" because this is one of my favorite scene from how terrifying and out of nowhere it is, and the fact it's optional and Cloud never mentions it again, and in the OG it's one of the real first time Cloud acts EXTREMELY WEIRD. The Remake kinda hammed it up a lot more imo (mostly because some subtle elements didn't come out as subtle in HD, but also bc they did such weird choices with them, re the scrapped knees scene) so in a sense i feel like this scene wouldn't have its place in the remake because it's just oh, another weird Cloud moment. But in the OG it's just SO GOOD.)

(but it's also something to say about how surprisingly the Remake removes any agency the player does have on Cloud, which is a shame because the OG does a really interesting metatextual thing by regularly facing you with choices that actually do alter some plotbeats or the way you experience the plot, to build up to the moment Cloud realize what's wrong with him and suddenly you no longer have a choice to control him, because Cloud is no longer controlable and everything. The Remake is so quick to make itself a story about how it's a timeloop the characters have no escape from, things replay the same anytime, but by removing the themes of agency that were in the gameplay at first. How can you say that the player is forcing the timeline to repeat itself while also removing the player's print on the gameplay? Especially since Cloud gets picked as prettiest girl no matter what in the Remake so it loses how much your choices change anything aside from the aesthetics changes. It becomes really superficial. i know it might seem weird to mention but the fact AC!Cloud took people by surprise because people played Cloud very differently and therefore had a different perception of him, really show imo how the OG managed to have you control him until he finds himself again. Like it's really weird that the remake has this subtext of fate and the characters being unable to change their fate (or are they?) when during this portion of the game the players could get alternative storylines depending on their choices and the way they decided to control Cloud. that was a tangent)

I do really like it, i don't actually have anything to say in the idea of "they missed the point!!" because no, i actually think i get it. The OG is a lot more scrapping by, but still with the idea Shinra secretly support Corneo's grip on this town. So instead really making it a mindnumbing town where Corneo's power is felt genuinely does work.

But there's definitely a real difference from going from the dirty DIY where you'll make it out in the dirt with the people in the dirt with you, compared to playing by the system's rules to get what you need.

Anyway actually the reason i started this post is that, because of this radical change, others things had to change, and mainly, the whole section where Aerith guides you through the collapsed sector is straight up haunted in the OG. That's where you run into the hell house originally, major haunted houses that attack you on sight. The point is that a lot of people died here and people are haunting the place.

but it would have been too gaudy to have the haunted houses there, and tbh i do think they completely dropped the idea of the sector being straight up haunted to just replace it with traditional shinra weapons, but it's whatever imo, there's the train graveyard scene later so i can imagine they didn't want the redundancy with this specific haunted part. (though considering what i've heard about the adaptation of the Shinra's Mansion in Rebirth it does strike me as a patern of the remake genuinely being scared to dip into some of the horror-atmosphere element of the OG. But i'll really judge that when i reach the Train Graveyard and the Shinra Massacre, as to me those are the others big horror moment in this section of the OG)

So, instead, using the flashiness of the new Wall Market, to have Corneo organize gladiator arena matches where you end up fighting one of the major Hell House? I think it's a fine compromise.

It does change a "horror inclined" moment into a divertisment moment which is eehhhh, but, i think at this point, the dices were set.

to make the Honey Bee Inn less problematic it changed Wall Market drastically and by result they needed to work around the new set up.

And, for all the complains i have there, i do think it's cool.

it's not in a "one is better than the other" but in a "the two of them tell their story very differently and there's two very specific image of Wall Market resonating from those changes".

It's an interesting bit of the game in term of Adaptation. What to leave in, what to upgrade, what can be added for the social commentary ect....

i'll miss the dirty DIY angle of the OG, but i'm having a blast with this glam explosion of vices in the Remake.

Different takes, both interesting in their own way. hell yeah.

#i ended up writing a lot more than i had in mind #anyway i paused the hell house fight for the past 30mins because i got lost in the sauce #but man. #still i miss the secret honey bee inn scene #ichablogging ffviirg

[hotmonkeelove]

My Anime Frontier '23 Odyssey

I probably shouldn't say it was an odyssey, as I was only there on Friday. It sure felt like one, though! First off, look who I stumbled upon:

Other than that, the only Black Butler stuff I saw were the Book of Circus and Book of Murder dvds (which I bought), the live action film dvd (which I passed on), and someone cosplaying Ciel in his female disguise. There might have been more stuff in the booths, but I was too anxious and in too much pain to browse more. So that was the only merchandise I bought. I did get a bag of chips and a soda for lunch, and refilled the bottle with water the rest of the time. The convention centre had those fountains that are specifically for that purpose.

I got to attend Steve Blum's panel and the Naruto cosplay meetup. I was the only one in a Boruto version costume and the only Anko. The majority there were Akatsuki. No one was mean to me, which I'm grateful for. A few actually asked for my picture and complimented my costume. I was also not the only disabled person there, so I didn't feel so awkward. Still, I was too shy to initiate conversations on my own. Being by myself and not knowing anyone there kept me in my shell. (I went to a con alone in 2017, but still ran into plenty of my old Rocky Horror friends.)

Anyway, here's my Anko cosplay. The bust on the dress was quite weird and we didn't have enough time to alter it correctly. The vintage bangles I bought won't fit over my right hand due to my arthritic knuckles (they fit the left, though), so we had to improvise with fabric and interfacing. Also, I had to get a second wig from a local shoppe, as I screwed up the first one.

I still had time before the uber was to fetch me, so I got Steve Blum's autograph and photos then. (By the way, he was incredibly nice and did an Orochimaru voice without me even asking him to!) Good thing, too, as uber cancelled my trip for Sunday morning, which was the last straw for me. The ride back on Friday night was nearly an hour late as the app kept glitching and wouldn't give proper directions or updates. I could see on my phone it was acting up, so I know it wasn't the driver's fault. But after that, the stress of finishing my cosplay n time, my wig being very uncomfortable, and being so sore from the walking, then another uber problem, I decided to spend Sunday at home.

But now for the kicker. While uploading my pictures with Steve Blum from my digital camera earlier this week, my laptop crashed and fried the memory card. I managed not to cry, but I was quite down. It was the whole reason I was attending the con! Fortunately, my partner (who is a saint!) was able to eventually recover them. So now I can at long last share them here!

And with that, I will likely spend a few more years on break from cons. Also, I'm kind of broke now.

#it's me- caro the blogger #anime frontier #cosplay #anko mitarashi #naruto #boruto #steve blum #convention #one hand discreetly holding my cane #sebastian michaelis #black butler #kuroshitsuji

[poupeesdecirque]

Travel Blog - HanaCon - 11/05/2024

It has been some time since my last travel blog entry. I can tell this one is shorter as I didn't stay at the con for long (just about 4,5 hours), but still I want to show you some impressions from the small convention.

As announced I wanted to wear the 3rd uniform again, I got new boots, had repaired a bit of damage and got a new wig to wear. Also first time with the Innocence.

As Hannover is just 1hr from here I got ready before I left home completely.

I arrived before the Convention opened, it was their first time so the organisation needs to grow and learn but I think they did a good job.

The location itself is cure and fitting but they were surely overwhelmed by the amount of people that came. You could tell they poured a lot of love into the details here.

As I felt terrible after an uber exhausting week at work I was looking forward to the con but the day it was I had quite hit rock bottom and just aimed to go there for a bit and head home again once I wasn't feeling it anymore. So my goal for now was to at least see a few of the events they had on the schedule.

The first started right after they opened it was a workshop about dynamic poses for Cosplay Photography and that one was surely interesting and I was able to answer questions and discuss, this was really good I like it.

It has been some time since I attended workshops but it was up to a great start.

While I sat in the workshop I noticed someone from the hallway recognized my cosplay and I hoped to see them later on again. Being recognized is the best.

I hopped right into the next one after that which was "Level up your cosplay" in which a lot of information was given about little tricks to enhance your cosplays, like how heavier wigs can be worn better, that a hand steamer can be really helpful and weathering your costume gives more depth.

Sadly I felt how I had trouble to focus more and more, therefore I kinda didn't pay attention at the end and didn't engage as much as in the other workshop.

I decided to enjoy my little lunch snack at that point. I did that outside, here are a few shots from the area around the building:

I went inside again to check the artist alley, the merchant room, the café etc.

The artist alley was quite small as well, about 6 artists were there and some items were already sold out as I went to the workshops first. The merchant room had 4 merchants, then you had a bring & buy (didn't take photos here) and at the 2nd floor there was the café with two more artists and the games area. Also the stage for perfomances. It was quite crowded and I wasn't really into the merch they had, therefore I didn't buy a thing.

I had planned to watch some performances later on but a bunch were around the same time as the workshops so I skipped. They even had a band from Japan for the evening, I had planned to see that too but as said I didn't stay that long.

Back outside I found the cosplayer from before again, to my luck there was only one Valentino from Hazbin Hotel and .... it was the Cross Marian from the Bookfair, now you know why the header image shows a Valentino and an Allen :') we didn't take photos together so I drew us.

We talked a bit about things, I explained how I made the Innocence and we just chatted along about plans for next conventions. Also if you are around me and you say you don't feel well I will start to pamper you, so, yes, Valentino used Tim as cushion. And pls for the love of everything try to drink more at conventions. I just drank a bit too little during the day and already felt it quite hard.

I have to say for the fact I wasn't satisfied with the make up as I left home I ... think the eyebrows came out pretty nice this time.

I went home around 14:40 again, I felt like it was about time. No cosplay photoshooting time time, as you can see ... I have selfies.

And I left my glasses at home which was a bad idea, I would have needed them.

#travel blog #cosplay #hanacon #dgm

[recreyover]

i'm sick and tired of this stupid haircut, but i can't find anything better.

brushes, scissors, and varied wigs lay strewn across my floor. i could've probably come up with a better way to try the cuts out, but i didn't want to ruin my hair if they didn't work out.

one wig is blue and only goes to my neck. i tried to cut the bangs to make it look more stylish, but it didn't work well in my favor. i regret trying to use that one anyways. it wasn't my thing regardless.

another wig is black and kinda reminds me of my current hair. i tried to make less dramatic curls, but it made it feel.. basic. the girl i was inspired by was quite the opposite, though.. i admire her intellect.

the last wig was pink and long, flowing down to my mid-thighs with ease. it was perfect-- at least, it should've been.

looking at myself in the mirror, it felt like it worked. my hair clip worked well with it, as did my bandanna, and i probably could've just gotten a new skirt if i really wanted to. but i couldn't get the thought out of my head that this wasn't right. it wasn't me. i was not staring back at myself in that mirror.

who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? who was she? w̶̪̤͇͋͌ḣ̸̼͚̬͒̽͜o̷̡̤̖̼͐̃̈̕ ̶̧̪̟̝͕̬̉̓͠͝t̷̍͋̓̃̅́͜ḣ̷̢̤͎̦͝e̶̼̹̘͒́̇̅̉ͅ ̶͈̟̠̫̱̞̽̒̒̈́̾F̵̧͂̉̈́̀̕͝Ṷ̵̎̀C̷̦̻͇̐́̇̌͜K̵̮̑͆ ̴͎͉̦̭̎͒̓̓͗ẁ̴̢̗̰̬̪͊ả̶̧̛̯̬̖͉͎s̶̹̻̪̀̾̈̋ ̸̼̫̥͈̒̏̇̚s̵̫̘͑̚͝h̷̬̃͒̈́͘ě̶͚͉͖��?̷̳́̊́̽͗͘?̸̯͎̍̃̒͗̓̚?̵̹̫̐͊͜͝

by the time i came back to myself, the wig was in pieces. i slowly took off the head cap, and brushed my hair before putting it back in two lovely ponytails.

there i am! hello, me. it's great to see you again.

..i'm sick and tired of this stupid haircut, but it's a part of me now. a part that i can't handle being without.

#recreyo #recreyo chan #gay person writes shitty fanfic of some anime girl #tw repetition #repetition

[starlene]

Assorted Moulin Rouge! Stockholm thoughts:

I think it was Thalia's guidance that led me to the front of the balcony in this performance. You see, I've never been a fan of Moulin Rouge! the movie (mostly because of the way it's edited – the music video kinda style is too fast for me; it already feels like that inside my brain all the time, I don't need any more of that in a cinematic format), and though I've listened to the Broadway cast recording a lot, I wouldn't call myself a fan of the musical either. And yet, when they announced the Stockholm production, I knew I had to go to see it.

So, thank you, Thalia, for your guidance and blessing. The show absolutely slapped all the way through.

However... as I said, I'm not a MR! fan, so this point has probably been made a million times and I just haven't seen it, but: the love story in this is... kinda awful, right? Like, I know it's the whole point that Christian is young and naïve and goes mad with love, but oh man, when he goes full young werther near the end and the dying woman has to talk/sing him out of committing suicide in front of a whole audience of people... dunno, I just think he could've handled Satine's rejection a whole lot better, right?

Also, to me, the story would actually be more touching if Satine wasn't dying quite so actively. I know it's an adaptation of La traviata, I know their use of the dying courtesan character archetype is very deliberate – but even so, to me, it would feel more tragic if Satine had to leave with the Duke in the end, living a rich but empty life as his mistress, with only the memory of her and Christian's song left of her true love. There must be fanfics like this, I gotta go read them.

Anyway, I'm not watching and loving this for the story, I'm watching and loving it for the vibes. And the vibes were 100% right in Stockholm. It's not a serious show or something to be taken seriously at all, it's just kitch and glitz and glamour and fun, but with just enough of a dark edge to keep it interesting to me.

Speaking of Satine, though: as @veilingofthesun wrote, Marsha Songcome was made for the role. I don't really have any insights about the character or the performance (it's hard to analyse perfection), I just want to point out that she was just right for the role.

I promised you Harold Zidler posting, so here goes: I'm in love with Morgan Alling in the role. Like. It's not very girlboss feminist of me, but can't help it, middle-aged musical men are my kryptonite. I knew this was going to happen, and here we are. Alling has such a kind energy somehow, and it suits the role surprisingly well! We're creatures of the underworld, we cannot afford to love my ass – he so clearly loves Satine, not romantically of course, but loves her nevertheless. There was something so real/human about the character to me. I gotta see this again just so I can analyse him further.

Also loved Alexander Larsson as Toulouse-Lautrec. What a voice! And Fred Johanson as the Duke of course – he does a great villain and his voice is to die for, just shame about the awful wig.

Currently, MR! the musical is running in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. They're not Broadway replicas, but they're all replica productions of each other, directed by Anders Albien (+ co-directors from Norway and Denmark, I think). Seeing how they've all premiered a couple of weeks within each other, I'd love to hear about the logistics of the thing – how did the creative team manage three simultaneous productions? (Also, why is Finland not a part of this so-called "Nordic production"? Or might we be getting our share later on? I've no doubt whatsoever that MR! is coming to Finland soon, but I'm curious to see if it'll be this production or something else.)

They sung in English but spoke in Swedish. I understand this musical must be an absolute nightmare to translate, and here, since both of those are foreign languages to me, it didn't bother me too much. But if they do the same thing in the eventual Finnish production of MR!, I think I'll have a bigger problem with it, since having to switch between my native language and a foreign language feels more awkward.

tl;dr: Moulin Rouge! Stockholm slaps and I have to see it again, who's coming with me?

#Moulin Rouge! #Nordic musical theatre