#cover boy lin-manuel miranda

[nogooddeetz]

best underrated lines in npmd:

•”…this project’s on thermodynamics, what the fuck are you talking about?”

•”had to sell your bowtie to feed your fucking family”

•”i think i’m in love with you?”

•”am i reading as ghost or lin-manuel miranda?”

•”no, he thinks the ghost is real, he’s just really fucking brave”

•”we can’t have a party here, this place is hella haunted”

•”i’m gonna strip him down!” “why?!”

•”you smell like an open asshole right now”

•”my dad sells women’s shoe. SHOES”

•”does your phone plan cover calls to hell?” “hell?” “she’s bisexual and dead, where else would she be!”

•”i’ve done so many terrible things!”“dismembering a body?” “well we all did that”

•”don’t comfort her, she’s fucking weird”

•”i don’t get you kids! popping tide pods like they’re fucking candy”

•”think you two can stay out of trouble tonight?” “i make no promises!” “what the fuck did you just say to me!?”

•”i took 4 years of tap. mom said it would help me make friends. boy was she wrong!”

#i watched npmd 4 times. here’s the result. #npmd spoilers #starkid #npmd #nerdy prudes must die #hatchetverse #stephanie lauter #peter spankoffski #grace chasity #ruth fleming #richie lipschitz #max jägerman #hatchetfield

[melrosing]

MBO Robert's Rebellion: Episode 10

sorry for the accidental seven month hiatus 2023 has been foul but we are back. rounding off “season 1” with Harrenhal, then I’m gonna take some time to finish mapping out what the second half of the series looks like. but have done most of that already so shouldn’t be too long?? (famous last words)

btw this one feels like the longest I’ve written so let’s just imagine it’s a movie length finale or something idk

SEASON ONE: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9

SEASON TWO: Episode 1

title for this one: watch this age like milk when the harrenhal play reaches the stage

We find a slight, almost sickly looking young man in a green cloak, stepping delicately around the roots of a woodland - he looks a bit lost. Suddenly the sound of hooves as a young girl races through the trees crying with laughter, followed shortly by her three brothers, all ahorse. Seeing the young man on foot, the girl circles back and asks if he’s looking for the tourney of Harrenhal; the young man says that he is, but he’s lost his way. Brandon Stark, joining them, notes that this is Howland Reed, of a house sworn to House Stark - he should join their train. On cue the vast Stark train emerges through the trees

Panning through the trees, we now overlook a valley in which vast numbers can be seen travelling towards an immense castle in the distance. Howland how the fuck did you miss that 

Opening creds

Aerys in his covered litter, travels through the gates of Harrenhal; Varys sits opposite him, watching passersby with interest. They hadn’t thought he’d come, Aerys tells Varys, but Rhaegar isn’t king yet, so why should he take the limelight etc. Varys agrees, noting it’s conspicuous that Lord Whent should have such vast sums as to host a tourney such as this - and leaves the rest to Aerys’ imagination. Varys then notes the absence of Tywin Lannister, who spurned the tourney that would invest Jaime into the Kingsguard; Aerys notes he has his eye on Tywin, too

Aerys steps out of his litter to applause from the assembled lords and ladies. He scrutinises them all. Rhaegar emerges shortly afterwards on horseback, and the cheers are twice as loud. Behind him, Ser Lewyn Martell helps Elia from a litter, shortly joined by Rhaegar; Rhaegar enquires after Elia first, then the baby - she is with child again, but it seems to be taking a toll. Oberyn Martell rides up to scowl at Rhaegar and take his sister’s arm

In Lyanna’s room at Harrenhal, where we find her elbowing Benjen out the door. As soon as she’s alone, she pulls a chest from under her bed, opening it to reveal a sword and armour. She picks up the helmet and considers it

A feast @ Harrenhal. Elia has taken to bed after her travels, so Rhaegar attends alone. He’s got his harp out again and sings a sad, slow song (does he know any others lol). Lyanna, sat at a nearby bench, weeps to hear it - it seems to strike her more than anyone in the room, though even she seems unsure why. Rhaegar looks up and meets her eyes. Just as they do so, Benjen Stark starts cackling at Lyanna’s tears, and Lyanna upends a flagon over his head

DANCING 🕺🏼 💃🏻 Ashara Dayne sits talking to her brother Arthur, whilst Ned looks on wistfully. Refusing Brandon’s urges to ask her to dance, Brandon decides to ask Ashara on his behalf and some spark passes between them etc etc it’s like that scene from Hamilton in which Ashara Dayne is founding father Alexander Hamilton. from now on please picture Lin Manuel Miranda as Ashara Dayne

Ashara, smiling at Brandon’s request, agrees to dance with Ned, and talks sweetly to him as they turn about the floor; however, it does not escape Ned that Ashara’s gaze often fixes on Brandon :/

Aerys with Barristan Selmy, watching the floor. He asks Barristan what he thinks of Jaime Lannister, soon to be a brother of the Kingsguard. Barristan thinks Jaime’s too young and naïve for such duty - and this boy does not look to him like a young Tywin Lannister. Unfortunately that was exactly what Aerys wanted to hear so you fucked that up Barry

Meanwhile, Elia sits with her brother Oberyn, unable to manage much food. Oberyn, worried, says he’ll fetch Rhaegar. Elia says there’s little point: the prince is always so distracted of late, hardly seems to see what’s right in front of him. Oberyn looks furious, and Elia, regretting she said anything, says there’s little and less she wants of Rhaegar - he plays for Rhaenys sometimes, but he’s no comfort to her, and she suspects she’s little to him. Whatever is going through that guy’s head, Elia can never coax him to share it. Elia tells Oberyn that he, on the other hand, is plenty of comfort to her, and should tell her something to make her laugh

Jaime gets his main character moment; Aerys summons him to the front of the hall. Jaime has accumulated some misgivings about this whole venture in recent weeks, but they fall away as he approaches the Kingsguard. Arthur Dayne watches on, expression inscrutable. Gerold Hightower swears Jaime in, and there’s a big ole cheer: Jaime beams, and for a moment he feels like a hero. Aerys beams as well until the crowd starts chanting ‘the young lion’. Well shit he’s just invested Tywin Lannister’s son hasn’t he. Aerys exits the hall and gnawing at his fucked up fingernails with Varys watching on

Drinking outside Harrenhal; Howland Reed is wandering about trying to find a meal. Three squires approach him angling for a fight, and begin to deliver blows when Howland won’t rise to the occasion. THEN! The Starks arrive led by Lyanna, who tackles the squires herself. The squires flee and Lyanna declares that Howland should stay in their quarters

Meanwhile, the King summons Jaime. Jaime arrives looking buzzed from all the attention and adulation, but Aerys looks less than pleased. Aerys asks Jaime to swear again he would die for his king, will he always obey? Jaime, perturbed, agrees he would. Aerys looks unconvinced, and after a moment, orders Jaime to King’s Landing to watch over Rhaella and Viserys. Jaime attempts to argue, but Aerys demands again that Jaime swear he would always obey. Jaime is forced to swear again, and abandon the tourney. Aerys tells Ser Gerold Hightower he doesn’t like the look of insolence in the boy’s eyes. Ser Gerold says he’s only a kid, and anyway he’d be happy to trade places with Jaime?? Aerys declines, wishes to teach Tywin Lannister’s son the humility his father never knew

In the Starks’ quarters with Howland. Lyanna inexpertly wraps a bandage about Howland’s injured arm; Benjen tells her she’s doing a shit job, Lyanna challenges him to do better. Brandon tells Howland he ought to learn to defend himself, and Lyanna tells him not everyone can - that’s what knights are for. Brandon tells Howland that Lyanna fancies herself a knight: Ned adds she might be better at swordplay than Brandon himself. Brandon seems surprised at this minor insolence from Ned of all people. Ofc, Ned is still smarting at what he saw between Brandon and Ashara

Jaime Lannister riding alone down the dark Kingsroad, looking more like a hedge knight than a member of the kingsguard. Reduced to angry tears, he shouts out into the dark in rage

NEXT MORNING! Tourney scenes!! Like that S1E1 joust scene from HOTD except without the ridiculous levels of gore lmao. We find Robert in the stands, still flushed from his own jousts, sat beside the Stark men. Robert has his Estermont cousin on his other arm, but asks Ned where he might find Lyanna. Ned says they’ve not seen their sister since the night before. Robert says they ought to keep an eye on his betrothed with so many men about; Richard Lonmouth, Robert’s drinking partner (yeah I forgot this guy existed too), leans over to suggest it’s Brandon they might keep an eye on instead - word’s got around he’d been wandering about the castle last night… Ned looks to Brandon, and Brandon won’t look back

Suddenly, some murmuring: a mystery knight has arrived!! Their armour is mismatched, sporting a weirwood tree, and they’re on the short side: a few laughs. Ned chews his lip - we can see right away that he knows who this is, and now we know too. Tense moment as the Knight of the Laughing Tree jousts, surprise (and Ned’s sheer relief) as they win almost effortlessly. Richard Lonmouth says he’ll place a bet on the Knight of the Laughing Tree’s next joust, Robert decides to bet against him 

Some kind of montage of the KOTLT’s various jousts. At one point, they’re almost knocked from their horse, and they cry out. Ned jolts in panic, and Rhaegar’s head swings up - has he clocked who this is as well??? KOTLT recovers, and wins the joust. Aerys looking on, perturbed - has Tywin’s son returned is mismatched armour to spite him? Ser Gerold is sure that Ser Jaime is taller, but Aerys is already full on pizzagate on this notion, wants to seize KOTLT. Varys, at his side, advises he does not - look how pleased everyone is by this mystery knight. Not great PR for the crown to just grab the guy

Final joust. The Knight of the Laughing Tree demands to joust one of the champions of the previous day, i.e. one of Howland’s tormentors. Suitable tension etc, and the KOTLT wins comfortably. Robert groans, now deep in debt to Richard Lonmouth. The commons doing some kind of Masked Singer chant for the KOTLT to de-mask. Robert is descending the steps insisting he’ll do it himself. Ned panics, trying to grab his arm, when suddenly!!! Rhaegar stands up in the royal box (or whatever idk) to say something about tonight’s feast or whatever, and amidst the distraction, the KOTLT darts off behind the stands

It’s night. Lyanna has ridden into the woods, and removes the last of her KOTLT armour beneath the trees, grinning to herself. Then: cliché twig snap in the background someone’s followed her oh no!! Lyanna draws her sword - whoever it is has seen how she can fight, so she advises they don’t try her. Rhaegar emerges, and agrees that he has - though he’d be eager to see if they were a match for one another some other day. He notes that she’s the Stark girl; Lyanna says she’s not. Rhaegar laughs - it’s the first time we’ve seen him do so. Lyanna frowns and says she knows who he is. Rhaegar says he supposes no introductions are necessary then

Back at Harrenhal: another fuckin dance. Robert wants to ask Lyanna for a dance, but Ned has no idea where she is - he’s worried now, and suggests to Brandon they ought to go look for her. Brandon seems to be searching for someone else, agrees he’ll come look for Lyanna later. Meanwhile, Aerys is looking for his goddamn son where is that freaky kid. Robert meanwhile grabs at a serving woman

Back with Lyanna and Rhaegar. Lyanna wants to know why Rhaegar followed her. Rhaegar says she heard his song. Lyanna says everyone heard his stupid song. Rhaegar says no, you heard it. Lyanna like right ok whatever that’s supposed to mean. But she’s intrigued. She changes the subject, says she understands he fights well - why don’t they test each other now? Rhaegar tells her he didn’t bring a sword. Lyanna says that was stupid. Long look between them, sizing each other up

Quiet scenes over Harrenhal….. cut to Brandon and Ned in the halls of the Stark quarters preparing to raise the alarm for their missing sister. Perfect timing, Lyanna’s back whey. Brandon demands to know where she’s been. Lyanna says walking. Brandon scolds her, reminding her that a young woman should not be wandering in the dark unaccounted for!! Lyanna counters ‘and supposedly it’s fine for you to do the same?’, storms off to her room. oooo

Rhaegar returns to his room with Elia. She has not slept, and sits at the window reading. She does not ask him where he’s been. After a long period of silence, Rhaegar asks if she is well, and Elia answers monotonously that she is fine. Rhaegar asks after the child. Elia doesn't answer

FOLLOWING AFTERNOON: final joust!! Rhaegar jousts Arthur Dayne, and it’s suitably tense. Imagine a joust in ur head i’m not gonna write it. Ashara Dayne has joined the Starks in the stands, and cries for her brother’s victory. Brandon laughs and drinks to that. Lyanna looks tense, and Ned looks at her questioningly. Ofc Rhaegar ultimately wins, and Lyanna jumps for joy. Benjen tries to rib her, but she’s not paying attention this time. Applause is deafening all around them

Aerys spitting in the stands. This tourney was Rhaegar’s idea, he knows it, he’ll get to the bottom of it etc - no-one is listening.

Rhaegar is named the winner back on the ground to great applause, and is presented with a crown for his Queen of Love & Beauty. He stares at it for a long moment, like he’s unsure what to do w it

We find Elia in the stands, waiting for Rhaegar to turn to her with the crown. But Rhaegar seems to be searching the stands for someone else. Confused, Elia rises shakily to her feet to draw his attention (surely he knows where to find her).... just as Rhaegar finds the Stark girl in the audience. The crowd’s cheers go quiet, and Oberyn rises to stand beside Elia. Men have risen around Lyanna as well, daring Rhaegar to do what he seems about to

Rhaegar offers Lyanna the crown on the point of his joust, and Lyanna, looking flabbergasted, takes it in her hands

season one done we did it joe

#sparknotes robert's rebellion #asoiaf

[bi-lullaby]

So I really loved the PJO show. I wish we get a second season, and a fourth and so on all the way through heroes of olympus because it’s just so good. If you feel like reading my (NOT spoiler free) rambles:

- Percy’s loyalty and dedication to his mom is just so integral to his character and they RESPECT THAT.

- I really like what I’ve seen mentioned about how both casting wise and storyline changes wise there have been some adaptations that were less “lol lets change it” and more to connect better with today’s audience and cultural paradigm. Like Annabeth being blonde because of the stereotype of “the dumb blonde” that was so prevalent in the era the books were released versus her being Black showcasing the extreme undermining Black women go through instead, or Luke being less 00s/10s boyband boy looking and more tiktok softboy looking now, but also Sally being less 100% perfect and more active in the story and upbringing of Percy as both a hero and a demigod and Luke being less cool and detached and more… Sweet? Emotional?

- I did feel pretty meh about a few changes: Zeus immediately accepting that Kronos is scheming and is a threat (Ik they couldn’t know if they’ll get that far but it cuts the stakes of the third book by a lot if there’s no pressing time limit to get Artemis back to Olympus to convince the Gods into action if they’ve been Doing Stuff for two years now, and even the second book loses a little in regards to the behind-the-scenes political climate that leas to it being what it was). Luke going to every length not to kill Percy is such a 180° from the books it was a little jarring and I feel it cuts out how much of a Menace he was and how bitter/jealous he was of Percy. Like we could have seen their bonding and even Luke trying to recruit him but I’d still have liked to see the scorpion scene so the betrayal and anger and wariness Percy feels is that much deeper and bitter and personal like in the books.

- I’m of two minds about the entire Gabe arch. Like on one hand I do understand toning him down (including his demise) for the public’s intended audience, I even think it kinda goes along the adapting to new times by showing that the useless, insensitive, disrespectful aspect of a bad husband is harmful just as the “darker”, more explicitly abusive/exploitative and mean drunk book version, but on the other I feel like he had such an impact on Percy in the books (he’s literally the Oracle’s “mirage” for his prophecy, he thinks of his smell in tartarus), and I really had loved the line “you’ll fail to save what matters most in the end” coming true because Sally saves herself - although the post I’ve seen about his fate showcasing how his lack of respect was his doom did make me appreciate it a little more.

- The only castings (or maybe it was the directing and styling of them more so) that I can’t really get behind are Hades and Hephaestus. Hades felt like they were going for the Disney’s Hercules comedic relief one in a slightly toned down costume. None of the gravitas and intimidation, he didn’t feel like a god at any point. And Hephaestus was just… So different. He’s supposed to be a deeply secluded, antisocial, gruffy mechanic who’s self sequestered by his inventions and forges. The show version looked like an eccentric professor more than anything imo. Which I feel could be one modern retelling of Hephaestus in another series, but isn’t the one we had and, imo, doesn’t go as well with the rest of the vibe. Which is a shame bc I do feel like Timothy could have been used in a way that would work fantastically for those vibes.

- Lin Manuel Miranda’s, acting actually shocked me. I never really had a Hamilton phase but I am on tumblr so I was expecting something cringe and honestly, I thought it was good (and to bring it back to Hades: Hermes in sweats and a hoodie actually gave me the feeling of “this is merely a cover to a deep well of power” than Hades in his suit and dark colors ever did)

- Meanwhile, perfect Ares casting. Yes this man is beefing with (and losing to) 12yos but he’s also an ancient force that revels in bloodshed and carnage.

- Annabeth from the show encapsulates the character so well while also bringing her own notes to it. Like as time went on back in my peak pjo days I felt she got “Hermionified” by the fandom too much? And I lost sight of how fond I was of her but the show (and having reread the books) really rekindled that and made me remember why she is a force to be reckoned with and also someone that must be protected at all costs. I cannot express enough how much my fondness was reignited.

- Like I feel this could be a whole post but basically I feel the books showcase the “ideal” characteristics the gods and their kids could have versus how they wind up twisted into something else (Percy’s sea-like indomitable spirit vs several of his brethren’s ruthlessness and disregard for what’s good) and Annabeth feels like, beyond amassing knowledge for it’s sake… She wants to actually Learn, and in the show maybe even to a deeper degree than in the books and it is endearing and very enthralling.

- On that note, Leah, Walker… This is supposed to be a SLOWburn goddamit. Like in the books you can see where it’s headed but in the show they have such silly crushes I can barelyy stand it. My children.

- Speaking of Walker that kid IS Percy like you cannot convince me otherwise. Disney farmed him for this role.

- I actually really loved Poseidon having a british accent? Idk, something about england and nautical exploration and it feeling older and more… Powerful? Like the ocean

- And Zeus had all the “I’m the god amongst kings and king amongst gods” that I’d have expected from him. He was crackling with power and that was beautiful to see. What a tragic loss.

- Grover is my precious child (although I do wish we had gotten the silly, goat like details of him like eating cans and making the bleating noises). And since the last book I finished rereading was the Battle of the Labyrinth (where I cried like a baby at Pan’s death) watching this sweetheart getting all excited with his literal flower searches license? Made me wanna weep.

- Overall most of my criticisms that came to mind besides the alterations I cited came from being hushed because of too few eps and those being too short. Really really hope the next season (fingers crossed) we’ll get like, 15+ eps (and/or at least longer eps) so we can really sink into the meat and potatoes of it all.

#percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #pjo #pjo show #my thoughts #text #spoilers #pjo spoilers

[mascindulgence]

somebody pointed out harry stands exactly like LMM in the cover art for the game and it evolved into theexpression.jpeg 

image description under read more:

[Description. A series of three images the first showing harry du bois from video game disco elysium. He is standing in an awkward pose with his knees pressed together with an attempt at a smouldering expression. He is wearing one armoured glove that is stiffly shoved into one pocket, the other hand holding his suit jacket over his shoulder. The jacket hands over both shoulders and wraps around the opposite arm, dangling behind him like a cape. He has particles floating off of him in an imitation to the cover art of the game. The second image is clearly what the first is referencing. An image of lin manuel miranda standing in a similar pose except with both hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets. The Third image shows harry biting his lip awkwardly with one eyebrow raised in an attempt at a seductive expression. Behind him is the skill ENCYCLOPEDIA speaking through blue text in a black box. It reads: “ENCYCLOPEDIA - Maybe you thought some of the stardust would rub off on you? Maybe it did? Either way, it’s all gone now. Only the grimace remains.” Behind him is also a faded image of lin manuel miranda wearing the same expression. End ID]

#disco elysium #de #harry du bois #harrier du bois #hdb #art #my art #zaum #listen none of these were actually originally my idea so do NOT blame me #blame my twitter mutuals

[osha-noncompliance]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

Hay Burner—Count Basie

The Real Slim Shady (trumpet cover)—Oli Parker

One Last Time—Christopher Jackson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton OBC

Out There—Patrick Page, Michael Arden

It’s a Sin—Pet Shop Boys

#noncompliant information centre #favourite of three favourites? I feel so special

[soulgreys]

Nathaniel rateliff backup singers

#Nathaniel rateliff backup singers code

This bit from Paste Magazine’s ‘10 Reasons Hamilton Dominated 2015 and Will Own 2016, Too’ doesn’t sum it up perfectly, I don’t know what would:įamously, composer/actor Lin-Manuel Miranda (who wrote the music and lyrics for In The Heights, which ran on Broadway from 2008–11) was on a beach vacation nearly a decade ago, read Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography of Hamilton, and was shocked that no one had yet turned it into a hip-hop Broadway musical. It’s not that I wasn’t at least tangetially aware of the musical’s existence, I just never thought about it at the right time to check into a recording. I have a predilection for musicals, particularly those constructed around a modern musical style, so the surprise here is not that I like Hamilton, but rather that it took six months after its release for me to realize the recording was out there. Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) ‘Joy Rides’ is a great lead-off track, ‘Monument’ is a steady hit, and I love ‘Vitals’, ‘Used To’, and ‘Best of Intentions’.

#Nathaniel rateliff backup singers code

I spend about 25–30% of my time at work writing code and this album sets a great tone for that work. Does this mean I’m totally new to Mutemath’s music? Of course not, it just means I’ve never binged on it like I have the last couple of weeks. Vitals is the first MUTEMATH album that’s ever found its way into my library (thank you, Apple Music). Vitals by MUTEMATHĪccording to Wikipedia, Mutemath have been making music together since 2003. The ACL performance linked above and this Tiny Desk Concert performance should be plenty to help you decide if your in the mood for some Night Sweats. As they often do, NPR Music has you covered for a great raw introduction to an artist. That’s quite a lead in – and I’m not saying Nathaniel Rateliff is in that company, but good lawd that boy can sing. In her glory years, Aretha Franklin musically conversed with her family of backup singers, the Sweet Inspirations Otis Redding upped his own unbeatable energy in dialogue with the Memphis Horns. One of the central musical relationships in soul music is between a band’s lead shouter and the other voices supporting her or him. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (self-titled)Īnn Powers, where are you taking me right now? The album starts out in hyperactive, but the pace slows a bit once it hits ‘A Change of Heart’ without becoming a complete drag a shift that appeals to me but be forewarned if that’s not really your thing. The genuinely accomplished If I Believe You finds Healy’s loneliness climaxing in an understated sax solo. People listen across genres, argues Healy, so his band ought to deliver that breadth.Ĭonsequently, I Like It When You Sleep tries to do it all – not just brash 80s funk and pop-house chant-alongs (The Sound, a withering look at a relationship), but shoegazey dream-pop (Lostmyhead), mawkish piano ballads (Nana, about Healy’s departed grandmother and the nonexistence of God) and gospel-tinged slow jams. With his mop of Michael Hutchence hair, his semi-ironic leather trousers and slight air of Johnny Borrell, singer Matt Healy makes no apologies for the band’s prettiness, their pop ambitions, their self-aware derivations, or the sheer variety of the 1975’s latest output. Kitty Empire, writing for The Guardian, sums it up pretty well: It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I was immediately struck by the Eighties nostalgia that flows throughout the entire album (much in the same way as Haim’s Days Are Gone and the recent CHVRCHES release, Every Open Eye). On a whim, I decided to spin it up one day at work and I was actually quite pleasantly surprised. I wasn’t particularly anxious about the release of this album, only vaguely connecting The 1975 in my foggy memory with one of their breakout hits, ‘Chocolate’, from a couple of years ago. Anyway, I spend a fair amount of time in Apple Music and there was a lot of hype surrounding the release of this album within the app, primarily because there was an exclusive live concert streaming on Apple Music. I’m going to go all When the Dawn … on them and just call it I like it … from here on out if you don’t mind. I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it by The 1975 Here it is, my co-opted reviews of: the new album from The 1975, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Vitals by MUTEMATH, and Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording). Rather than try to spit out a thousand rambling words about the four albums that I’m currently obsessing over, I thought I might go all linked list on you and just pull out a blurb from my favorite review on each album.

#Nathaniel rateliff backup singers

[thesomethingguy]

#Bruno #Disney #Encanto #Luca #MsMarvel

[purelintrash]

Made the cover (see more)

#lin manuel miranda #oscars 2017 #oscars #oscars 2017 nomination #cover boy lin-manuel miranda #the hollywood reporter oscars 2017 guest column #b&w #the hollywood reporter #hats #the hollywood reporter oscars 2017 feature

[entity-of-the-opera]

The Feminization and Fetishization of John Laurens in the Hamilton Musical and its Fandom

In this I will be talking about a few things:

The whole “turtle boi” thing

His role in the musical

The feminization of him in the fandom

The fetishization of him (and his relationship with Hamilton)

The shredded bits of personality he has in the musical

His historical personality being taken from him and instead added to Hamilton’s character

I will not be putting any art of him in here to respect the artists’ privacy, but if you’ve been in the Hamilton fandom or at least heard of the issues I’m talking about, you’ll probably know what drawings I mean. Also, no hate to anyone or any artists who I may indirectly mention, or to anyone in the Hamilton Musical fandom. I understand that not everyone in the fandom is like this, but I will just be using the broad term “the fandom” for simplicity. 

[cw: mentions of alcohol and alcoholism]

“UwU Turtle Boi John Laurens”

This image of him likely stemmed from the one drawing he did of a softshell turtle. But how the fandom took that and blew it up into him being obsessed with turtles and other sea creatures is beyond my knowledge. A lot of art depicts him with turtle stuffed animals or riding turtles or just general turtle-lover stuff. Not only are these wrong, but they’re also pretty weird. They often tie into the strange feminization of him, which I will discuss later.

His Role in the Musical

Laurens in the musical acts like Hamilton’s sidekick. He follows him around most of the scenes where they are together. He is almost always at Hamilton’s side, and when he is not or he is at the side of another character, he ends back up at Hamilton’s side fairly quickly. This seems like it makes sense, right? Hamilton is the main character, of course, everyone else is going to be behind him or beside him in some way. But it feels very forced, like Lin-Manuel Miranda purposefully made it so Hamilton was above everyone, no matter the cost. Laurens’ character suffered from this, and any kind of standing or power he held just from his personality alone was gone. What he is to Hamilton is like what Patroclus was to Achilles; a sidekick, overshadowed by the other’s glory and popularity. 

An example of this is the Laurens-Lee duel scene. Historically, Laurens was the “trigger happy” one. When the first shot was fired between himself and Lee, he wanted to go again. Hamilton was not very happy that the duel was happening. When both sides (Hamilton and Laurens, Lee and his second Evan Edwards) arrived, he and Edwards tried to get Laurens and Lee to just apologize and be on their way. Laurens refused. When Laurens wanted to shoot again, Hamilton prevented him from doing so. In the show, however, the roles seem reversed.

The Feminization of Him in the Fandom

In almost every Hamilton musical fanfic or story I have read (and I have read quite a bit from my time in this fandom) Laurens is so feminine-- especially in lams fics. He acts feminine, he dresses feminine, he is described in the fics as feminine, he carries around his cute uwu turtle stuffie wearing his cute feminine uwu turtle pyjamas. It’s sickening. John Laurens was a brave soldier and a talented artist and this is how the fandom sees him? As some freckled gay baby twink?

Not only is this disrespectful to John Laurens, it is also disrespectful to Anthony Ramos, who played him in the OBC. 

The Fetishization of Him and His Relationship with Hamilton

This, the feminization of him and the “UwU Turtle Boi” character are all very similar. You could argue that this and the “UwU Turtle Boi” character are the same, or that this and the feminization of him are the same. You wouldn’t be wrong; they are all very similar and overlap a lot. Because I covered the “UwU Turtle Boi” character already and have no more to say here about it, I will talk about how the fandom treats his relationship with Hamilton.

There are two very opposite sides of the “was lams real” spectrum: “it was not real, shipping founding fathers is gross,” and, “they were gay!!! Laurens was gay for Hammy!!! Read the letters!!!!” Both sides’ beliefs are valid; you are allowed to think what you want about this topic. It is a somewhat controversial topic that has no clear answer, and therefore is always being discussed. However, just because your belief is valid, doesn’t mean that the way you chose to phrase it is necessarily okay. I get that most of the people who say the second opinion tend to be young girls who may not know better, but the way that something is phrased is very important.

Read these two different phrasings of the same opinion, and think to yourself, “Which one sounds more fetishize-y?” 

“I believe that Hamilton and Laurens were in a relationship based on evidence from the letters they sent each other.”

“Hammy and Laurens were gay! Read the letters! He says ‘I love you!’ They were super gay!”

Too many fangirls have called Laurens things like “gay boi” or “smol gay cinnamon roll.” I’ve also seen a very concerning amount of people call him their husband or hubby or dead boyfriend. I don’t think I need to explain how disgusting that is.

His Terrible Personality and Character

His entire character can be boiled down to “tyranny bad, alcohol good.” He’s loud and rowdy and a very boisterous person, shouting and running around and causing a ruckus. It is unlikely that the real Laurens was like this. Seeing as he came from a family of wealth and standing, he would have likely been taught to behave properly and be polite. He was rash at times, especially during battle, but other than that he seemed very professional. His rowdiness makes sense in some scenes when he’s in the war, but other than that part of the show, it doesn’t fit him.

Alcohol is a very big part of his personality for some reason. In his first (real) scene in Aaron Burr, sir, he’s talking about alcohol and drinking and even bragging about how much he drinks. At the very beginning of Satisfied, he’s offering drinks to other people and is very clearly drunk. As far as we know, the real Laurens was not a heavy drinker.

His lack of character can be explained, though. While writing the personalities of the characters, whoever was doing it took Laurens’ historical personality and gave it to Hamilton instead, leaving Laurens with almost nothing.

His Historical Personality Being Added to Hamilton’s Character

I’ve already talked about the Laurens-Lee duel, but I have yet to bring up what happened after it. In the show, Hamilton is brought into Washington’s office and Washington gets into an argument with him, which ends in Washington sending Hamilton home. Besides the fact that the timeline of these events is incredibly off, this is not at all what happened. After the duel, Hamilton wrote up a report on what happened to be given to Washington either the day of or after the duel. When Washington found out what happened, he was furious. Not at Hamilton, but at Laurens. Lin-Manuel Miranda took this from Laurens and changed the story so that it was Hamilton who got chewed out because Hamilton is the main character, not Laurens.

Conclusion

Lin-Manuel Miranda just tore up Laurens’ personality, leaving him as a rowdy alcoholic who eye-fucks Hamilton for the entirety of Act I. The fandom then took this empty shell of a character, combined it with random historical facts about him, and created a turtle-loving twink. Disgusting. Everything about this is so gross.

#achilles speaks #achilles writes #disclaimer: this is all my opinion #john laurens #hamilton musical #musical john laurens #hey babes #look what i did #i had to look up uwu turtle boi art for this rip #pls dont let this flop i had to watch the musical again for this and i stayed up til 4am writing most of it #hamilstans pls dont come for me

[therealabby2015]

A ✨ friendship ✨ playlist heavily relies on the Luberto friendship vibes

· Two Voices, One Song - Barbie and the Diamond Castle OST

· Way Back When - Grizfolk, Mr. Peabody and Sherman OST

· Photograph - Ed Sheeran

· Hold My Hand - Jess Glynne (the songwriter behind the hit, Rather Be)

· Beyond These Walls - Arlo the Alligator Boy OST (this reminds me a lil bit of Luca)

· Follow Me Home - Arlo the Alligator Boy OST (okay, entering gay banter now)

· Beautiful Together - Arlo the Alligator Boy OST

· Wonderful Life - Matoma ft. Yeng Costantino

· Especially for You - unknown original writer but it was covered by MYMP (yes, I'm including this filipino-english covered song in which IDK the original singer, don't discriminate me)

· You Changed My Life - Janie Fricke (there was also an OPM version by Sarah Geronimo. Now thinking of this song since it's a banter between a life changing summer)

· Inside Your Heart - Gloria Estefan (now, I know this is an another Netflix song, but damn, can you please give me an Alberto as a musician AU?)

· Keep the Beat - Lin Manuel Miranda and Yinairaly Simo (I think it might fit Luca and Giulia in here, but this is the only song that I could think asides Alberto in the mix)

I'll gonna be adding more as I go along though. Even if some songs would still give me vibes though. Feel free to add some!

#pixar luca #writers #playlist #inspiration #barbie #mr peabody and sherman #arlo the alligator boy #jess glynne #ed sheehan #matoma #oldsongs #netflix animation

[maybedefinitely404]

Day 2: Roceit

@tsshipmonth2020

Day 2: There is a timer that counts down to when you will meet your soulmate

Content warning: vague neglectful/bad home life mentions, liquor store mention (no drinking), implied past parental death.

Word count: 2.6k

When they first met, they didn’t like each other. Would they go so far as to say they hated each other? Probably not. But it was no secret that Roman and Janus didn’t get along, even if they traveled in a mutual friend group. If the two interacted at all, it was in snide remarks and gripes that had everyone else in the group groaning in annoyance. They just wanted five minutes of peace, that’s all. Just five minutes.

Roman was too preppy, Janus said. He was loud and abrasive and presumptuous and arrogant, an annoying theatre boy with too much energy. Other’s feelings came second to his dramatic and overplayed grievances. 

Janus was too self centered, Roman retorted. He was untrustworthy and creepy and a compulsive liar, a loner with a mysterious backstory. Everything about him was kept hidden under a mask of indifference.

These things were true to some extent, but the group still loved them both too much to reject either one. So they both stayed, bothered by the other’s presence and unwilling to admit that maybe they disliked the other because they were so similar. They were both extravagant and theatrical and burdened with concealed insecurities, points that all of the rest of the group brought up regularly and they both vehemently denied. 

It all changed one morning during school, on a regular Wednesday with average weather after an uneventful English class, when Roman got overly excited at the cast list for the newest show being put up and dropped his art bag. Without a second of hesitation, Janus crouched to help him collect the supplies that had flown across the hallway. That was when Roman’s sleeve slid up, as he was reaching for a paint pen that had rolled up against a locker, and Janus nearly choked.

00:00

He blurted out his accusation before he could stop himself.

“You said you haven’t met your soulmate! And you call me secretive?”

Roman snarled almost animalistically, covering his completed timer back up and grabbing the now full bag off the ground.

“If you must know, my timer’s always been like that. I don’t know when it ran out; too young to remember. I don’t even know if it was ever counting down in the first place. Defective.” He flicked the numbers on his wrist.

“Does anyone else know?”

Roman narrowed his eyes at the uncharacteristic sympathy in Janus’ voice. “Just Remus.”

“Why haven’t you told them?”

“Why all the questions, Fibber on the Roof? Since when do you care about anything I do?”

Janus was quiet, breathing out a frustrated breath before folding down the bottom of his gloves, the same gloves that Roman taunted daily for making him look like every single Disney villain, the same gloves that made Roman turn to the rest of the group and insist that the guy was hiding something. Turns out he was right.

“My timer’s out too. I was too young to remember as well.”

Roman wasn’t able to respond, and Janus was surprisingly relieved. The silent solidarity in the other’s eyes was enough of an olive branch, just another thing they had in common. It was a pain the others didn’t understand, a frustration that couldn’t be fixed. So if from that point on, the bickering lessened and they finally allowed their shared interests to overlap, they surely wouldn’t be the ones to bring it up.  

That’s how they found themselves, almost half a year later, sitting on the swings of a musty playground near Janus’ house, watching the sunset in an unspoken agreement to put off going back until absolutely necessary. It was just another thing they had in common; shitty home life. They didn’t talk about it much, because they knew how much it sucked to discuss, so they let the facts stand at the forefront and the nitty gritty emotions and smaller mental repercussions stay healthily buried. What did it matter? Their parents were awful, ‘nuff said. 

“I just think it’s ridiculous, the amount of time he spent writing it.”

“He wrote and composed an entire play single handedly, J! Not a single word of it is dialogue, and it all rhymes! You try doing that in seven years.”

“I’m just saying, doesn’t it come to the point where you have to admit it’s too much work? Did he even know for a fact it would be successful?”

“He made it work, didn’t he? That’s what faith is for.”

“I wouldn’t have done it.”

“That’s what makes Lin Manuel Miranda a god, and you, a worm.” 

Janus gasped and raised a mock hand to his chest, drawing a loud laugh from Roman. While the shorter of the two still wore his gloves daily, the other had slowly gained the confidence to wear short sleeves and display his empty timer, though god help the fool who asked him anything about it. The conversation with the group had gone well, though Jan hadn’t admitted that his situation was the same. They hadn’t known him as long, and they both agreed that it was a sensitive topic. Roman didn’t push him. 

“The sun’s setting.”

“I had no idea,” Janus smirked, although the implications of the fast approaching darkness made a pit settle in his stomach.

“We don’t have to leave yet. I just don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“I don’t really get in trouble that often,” The shorter murmured, kicking his feet in the dust under him, “She’s more just... forgetful. Ignorant. I’m not even sure she fully knows I exist all the time.”

Roman raised an eyebrow at the first bit of information he’d learned about Janus’ home life, besides knowing it was just ‘bad’. He was debating between quietly prodding him to continue or to just let it sit when Janus made the choice for him.

“The other day she asked me to go to the liquor store for her and literally didn’t believe me when I said I’m only eighteen. Then again, she’s forgotten my birthday for the last, what, ten years? So I guess she just lost track, got ahead of herself. I don’t know.”

“When’s your birthday?” It was the only response Roman could think of. 

“August seventh,” He whispered, almost like it was a dark secret he was scared to admit.

“Wait, actually?”

Janus turned to him, eyebrows furrowed, “Yeah?”

“You’re joking. This is a joke, right?”

“I can probably find my birth certificate if you need proof. Why are you losing your shit?”

“That’s my birthday too!” 

Janus matched Roman’s face splitting grin with one of his own, his worries slipping away. They’d all been irrational anyways, so good riddance. He quickly settled his face into a more neutral one, the unusual expression hurting his cheeks. A calm air settled between them as their eyes locked, almost in a trance, before Janus snapped out of it and turned his attention to the pink hues of the dimming sky.

“What are the chances?”

There was a lot Roman didn’t know about the newest member of the friend group, he realized after dropping Janus off at home and starting the walk back to his. Usually he’d pop in his earbuds, taking the longest back roads and detours to put off arriving even more, but today his head was lost in his thoughts. What else didn’t he know about the blond boy he was so infatuated with?

Two weeks later, Janus edged the front door of his house open, calling out a tentative “Mom?” before pushing it open all the way and pulling Roman in. There was no answer through the empty halls so he yanked the taller boy upstairs, praying that his mom wasn’t home instead of just ignoring his call. It wasn’t until he shut his bedroom door and leaned heavily against it did he remember to breathe, meeting Roman’s eyes shakily.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I get it. Parent’s are…”

“Yeah. It’s better if she doesn’t know you’re here.”

Roman nodded, finally looking around the room. One wall was completely adorned with old records, some cracked in places or missing pieces entirely. He found himself drawn to it, running a finger down the closest one to him as Janus collapsed on his bed, ruffling the yellow blanket beneath him. He took a moment to pull off his gloves, revealing his soulmark, a secret that only Roman had the honor of seeing. An old jukebox stood proudly in the corner, covered in a fine layer of dust.

“You definitely have an aesthetic,” Roman hummed, taking notes on the implications of the dust and not approaching the old machine. If Janus didn’t touch it, neither should he. Instead he sat down at the other’s desk, spinning himself lazily in the chair.

“It was all my dad’s old stuff. He loved music and antiques a lot. The record player was his, too.” 

He followed Janus’ gaze and nodded, overly tempted to take one of the records from the wall and trying to play it, but knowing that would only end badly. The record player was covered in the same thin sheet of dust. 

“Holy Hera, is that a baby picture of you?” His mind, apparently unable to stay on one topic for more than ten seconds, had decided to focus on the framed picture on the bedside table. He crossed the room and sat next to Janus on the bed, leaning closer to the photo but not daring to touch it. He inspected the woman, who could only be Janus’ mother, holding the tiny bundle and smiling weakly at the camera, her eyes tired and hair tied in a messy bun.

“Yeah,” Janus rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “That’s the only picture I have with her. She hates cameras, always said she was self conscious and shit. It sucks that the only one I have, I don’t even remember taking.”

Roman knew he should respond to the surprisingly vulnerable statement, but his eyes had zeroed onto the still slightly slimy, wrinkly baby in the photo. Its little fists were tucked against his face, eyes closed peacefully, a moment of bliss that time forgot. That’s not what caught his attention, though. He squinted, edging just that much closer to the photo.

“You were born at Jacob Banks Memorial Hospital? I thought you lived in Chicago before you moved out here.” The tiny golden embroidery in the edge of the blanket was just focused enough to make out, as if he didn’t have an identical blanket at home, stashed under his bed in a box of other memories that were too special to throw away. He’d run his finger over the stitching a hundred times, reread the words and committed the blanket to memory, just for that high of simple childhood. And now, here was Janus as a baby, swaddled in the same blanket.

From the same hospital.

From the same day.

“Yeah. My parents were visiting relatives in town when my mom went into early labor. We didn’t end up actually moving here until a couple years ago.” Janus didn’t seem to notice the gears turning in Roman’s head as he reached forward, plucking the picture off the table and bringing it closer to his face. He tapped the glass, just above baby Janus’ arms.

“Right there, my timer. It’s just a few minutes left. I met my soulmate as a baby and no one cared enough to check who it was.”

“Janus.”

“I called the hospital as soon as I was old enough to comprehend, but they said they couldn’t help me. Didn’t have a record of anything to do with soulmates. Some help, huh.”

“Janus!”

“What? I’m trying to be melodramatic, Roman.”

“That’s the same hospital I was born in.”

“Okay? It’s the only one in town, I’m not overly surprised-” The lightbulb went off, and his head jerked up. “Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘oh’.”

They both were quiet for a moment, like the whole house was holding it’s breath, before Janus finally spoke, his voice a choked whisper. “Imagine with me, if you will,” he murmured, taking the picture and inspecting it closely. Not so much for sake of searching for details he wouldn’t have missed the hundreds of hours he spent inspecting the photo, more so just to avoid looking at the person beside him. “Two babies, born in the same place on the same day, put into the same small hospital nursery. They see each other, and click, their timers are out. Except both their parents don’t give a flying rat’s ass-”

“And so they never realize they met, and live their entire lives shrouded in mystery,” Roman finished quietly, suddenly terrified of the new ice they were walking on. 

“Hypothetically, of course.”

His head snapped up and the spell was broken, meeting Janus’ pale eyes and jumping to his feet, flapping his hands to dispel his nervous energy. “Okay. Okay! That could… that could make sense! All signs point that way, right?” He began to pace the length of Janus’ room, head tilted towards the ceiling, “And I mean, god, I’ve liked you for how long now? So I’m definitely not upset!”

“You’ve what?”

“Alright, so we can call the hospital, or go there, or something! I’m sure they can tell us how many babies were born that day, that doesn’t seem like confidential information, right? And if it was just us three, you, me, and Remus, then that’ll settle it!”

“Wait, no, Roman, stop!”

Janus launched himself at Roman before he could click the call button on the Google search of the hospital, already dedicated to his plan. He ripped the phone from his grasp and tossed it onto the bed after pressing the power button, grabbing Roman’s hands tightly.

“Jan, what the hell? That’s the only way we’re going to know for sure if we’re-”

“But what if we’re not?!”

The two settled into silence after the outburst, searching each other’s faces intently. They both shared scared expressions, eyes wide with excitement and nervousness, the possibility of years worth of questions finally being answered. The promise that their two soulmarks weren’t dysfunctional, weren’t broken, and fate that had led them together one way or another. 

But what if they weren’t?

“What if it’s a coincidence? What if you find out that your mom checked out before mine even got there, or our paths never could have crossed, or there were twenty babies born that day and there’s no sure way to know that we are each other’s soulmates? What if you find out that your soulmark said two years and mine ran out with someone else completely?”

“You’re starting to sound like Virgil,” Roman said quietly, almost fondly, a gentle smile tugging at his lips.

“Roman, if you’re my soulmate, I’d be elated,” Janus’ hushed tone matched his, “But I don’t know what I’ll do if I build my hope and then find out it’s not true.” They were quiet again, and Janus was suddenly hyper aware that he was still holding Roman’s hands, a furious blush rising to his cheeks. He fought the urge to look away, look anywhere other than Roman’s bright eyes, because this was the closest they’d ever been and he was scared one flinch might break the charm they were in. 

“We don’t have to check,” the taller whispered, “If you are, I’m content just… believing it.”

“You always were a cheesy romantic.” The phrase was meant to be cutting, but the uncontainable grin across his face greatly lessened its impact.

“I’m a Disney lover, what can I say?”

Janus snorted, dropping his head on to Roman’s shoulder, his heart nearly stopping altogether when the taller boy wrapped his arms around him and pulled them a step closer together. “So we’re agreeing on this? That we’re soulmates?” His voice was muffled against Roman’s shirt.

“As far as I’m concerned, yes. Fuck the system, right?”

“Overthrow the government. Commit arson in the name of anarchy. Society is a prison.”

“Dramatic, and that’s coming from me,” Roman drawled, rocking them back and forth slowly, dancing to unheard music, “Hey, Janus?”

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss you?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” 

#tsshipmonth2020 #lywrites #roceit #roman sanders #janus sanders #virgil sanders #sanders sides #ts soulmate au #soulmate september #soulmateseptember #tw abuse #tw neglect

[ramp-it-up]

Christmas in Hollis

DJ’s 10 Days of Christmas

Day 9:12.23.2020

Christmas in Hollis x Run-DMC

Pairing: Lin-Manuel Miranda x Reader

Word count: 3.6 K

Warnings: This is pure Fluffy Christmas in Hollis. Tiny bit of angst.  Some cursing. Some kissing.  Snotty little brothers.

A/N: I am not a New Yorker, so I apologize to those of you who are.  I tried, lol.  Also this is kind of mixing AU’s but I had an idea, and went with it.  I hope you like it.

********************

December 23, 2007, NYC

The guy got on with you at Fulton. Earbuds in his ears, backpack strapped up, notebook and pen in his hand.

You watched him scan for seats and made eye contact with him. Your heart had a crazy beat and you swore you could hear it beating.

There was something about this guy. You pegged him as a decent person. And this kid was harmless. And kinda cute. Nice face, lips. Those eyes.

Damn your white boy with nice eyes fetish.

This dude looked like he needed to be on the A train though.

He scanned the car for a seat and you felt bad that you were hogging two.  You would break your rule and let him sit next to you. 

You had your mace and could scrap with the best. You nodded at him and he rewarded you with a smile.

You felt some kinda way, got your bag and scooted over while relief washed over his face. He quickly took the seat and mumbled thanks, not keeping eye contact too long. 

You put your nose back into your book. Your thesis research was not going to do itself.

He took an iPod out of his pocket, fiddled with it, put it back in his pocket, and closed his eyes.  You thought he was going to sleep.

********************

Lin was tired. He had a full day on his day off from the show. He had a cultural alliance meeting at Metro Tech for some bigwigs who could help fund future shows.

He was headed back to Manhattan, getting off at Fulton when he saw you walking along in front of him. 

He wasn’t just tired of work, he was more drained because he couldn’t write anything.  There was no inspiration. He felt he couldn’t top what he was doing now.  It sucked big time.

He looked up from the ground and saw your ass, looking away when he started appreciating it. What a creeper, he thought, but he couldn’t help his eyes when they came back to you. 

You had on tights under your professional pencil skirt, your shapely legs ending in cute little Timbs. 

You wore a dope leather jacket lined with shearling, and a thick knit headband that covered your ears helped contain the dense curls at the top of your head.

You turned and said goodbye to your friend and he saw the cutest dimples in your brown wind chapped cheeks. Your voice was so cute the way you yelled.

“Goodbye Jennifa!” Your laugh was contagious. “Merry Christmas, heffa!” Your smile again when you hugged your friend goodbye as she split off for the southbound J.

Then he saw the thick ass book you clutched  to your chest.  You were perfect.

He was about to go to the A train but he followed you to the F. Which was the complete opposite way that he was going, but why the hell not.  

He could go on an adventure, get some inspiration for his writer’s block, go back to Manhattan later and stay up late writing.  There was nothing else to do this week but wait for Christmas.

The subway platform was crowded but you didn’t notice him trying to lowkey watch you, as you put your nose in the book, taking a highlighter out of your back and getting to work on it.  Gotta love a book broad.  

Lin smiled to himself.

He stood back a little and let you get on the train first. Of course when he got on, all the seats were full, except for the one next you in which you had placed your bag, your attitude daring anyone to say anything about it.

Lin looked around the car, circling back and making eye contact with you. He smiled and your lips twitched back. He could see you relenting.

You nodded your head imperceptibly, and watched as he approached, only moving your bag when he was right in front of you, so no one else would get the seat. 

He sat down, smiled and murmured a little thanks.  You just smiled and nodded again, returning to your book. The smell of coconut overtook him and he smiled wider.

The title and voluminousness of the book fascinated him.  He did not want to be too much of a stalker, so he took his ipod out and fiddled with it, turning up his music, closing his eyes and getting lost in the beat of Mobb Deep.

********************

You went back to your book, and the dude got in the zone, bopping to his music, which was kinda loud. And familiar.

I know that ain’t what I think it is, you think.

You gave him a side eye. 

“Yeah, to all the killers and a hundred dollar billas,”  

He rapped under his breath. You’re shocked as shit. His flow was just a little bit forced but you liked his tone.

That’s Mobb Deep, and one thing you know, is this cute ass bougie dude ain’t from Queensbridge. You try to lean over on the low to see what he’s writing.

********************

This excitement he felt, the smell of you and the dopeness of the music was inspiring him.  He opened one eye and glanced at you.  You could be his muse.

Lin got his notebook out. He scribbled down a few lines of rhyme, while he felt you move a little closer to listen to his music and he saw out of the corner of his eye you leaning over with raised eyebrows see what he was doing.

It was now or never, he should take his shot.

“I’m writing a rap musical.”

You looked at him like he was crazy.  So much for taking his shot.  He just laughed nervously and went back to writing.

“You gotta be kidding me? Deadass?”

Your voice was like music.  He couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah, I can’t believe no one’s thought of it sooner!”

Your face changed.  Then you gave him a playful smile.

“Then you might not need to be talking to me.  I might steal your idea.”

Lin smiled back at you. 

“Then you might need to give me your name and number so I can track you down and sue you when I see your production.”

Your laugh was a great reward for him.  He couldn’t believe his game was working. Usually it fell flat.

He watched your lip as you bit it, considering what he’d said. Then he made eye contact with you. Fuck. You were going to be trouble.

********************

You looked into his eyes, getting lost.  Then you realized that the train had stopped and you looked away.

“Fuck!” You jumped up and grabbed your bag. You looked back.

“Yo, it was nice talking to you. Good luck with your hip hop thingy.”

You hurried out of the doors.

********************

Lin just looked after you, then at your empty seat.  Your book was still there. 

Without thinking, he grabbed it and dove out of the doors just before they closed.

He couldn’t believe it.  He stood on the platform a minute and then recovered, making sure that he had everything.  Then, he started running after you, keeping your curly puff in sight.

“Ay! Ay YO! YO YO YO! You forgot your book.”  He couldn’t believe that he was doing this shit.

********************

You almost missed your stop fucking with that dude.  You couldn’t believe it.  You were hurrying to make the next train when you heard someone yelling.  Of course you ignored it and kept going. 

You got on the train, standing room only, made even more uncomfortable when someone squeezed in the door at the last minute. 

You stood up and looked over your shoulder, shocked as shit to see the dude from the last train.  You knew you were staring at him, but what the hell?”

He squeezed in between people, trying to be polite, and just moving past people who wouldn’t move.

He handed you your book.  FUCK!  

“Fuck!  Thanks, for getting it back to me.” You smiled at him. “That was a lot of trouble.”  He was a decent person. You were right about him.

“You’re making me work today, I chase you onto two trains….” he trailed off, his eyes wide, realizing what he’d said.

The smile faded. Another creep. You put the book in your bag and moved away from him a little.

********************

“Shit, I mean, I happened to be on the same train, followed you that way.  I’m not really a creep…..”

He just kept rampling, watching the back of your head as you tried to keep still, then shook it, then lower it to your hand, trying to stifle a laugh.

Finally, you turned around.

“You know, you talk a lot, A Train.”

Lin was relieved that you decided to talk to him again. But he was fucking confused.

“A Train?”  

“That’s my name for you in my head.”  

The way your head was cocked to the side, was so cute. You’d let you call him anything.

“Bets.”

“No, I don’t gamble.”

Your laugh was absolutely captivating.  Lin felt like you were the only two in the car.

“You are MAD dumb yo.”  You smiled at him again. “Bets is my name.”

“What a unique name. Bets.”

“Yeah, it’s short for Elizabeth.  My mom tried to call me Betty, but as soon as I could talk I was not having that.  Gelly always called me Bets, so I became Bets. The rest is history.”

“Gelly?”  

“My big sister. Angelica.”

“Your family has some dope nicknames.”

“You smiled at him again. My family is dope.  I have a big one. There’s Gelly, then Me, then Gari, our little sister, then Pip, my wack ass little brother…”

Lin listened as you told him all about yourself.  He was helplessly under your spell.

When he could finally get a word in edgewise, he told you his name.

“I’m Lin-Manuel. But you can call me Lin. Nice to meet you.”

********************

You could not believe that you invited this random stranger home for dinner. You must have lost your damn mind.

But you just could not stop talking to him. He was so fucking easy to express yourself to. You told him so much about your master’s coursework in Applied Psychology.

“You know that book I was reading.  I’m going to do my thesis on him.  Analyze why he did what he did.  I mean. He did a fucking lot, and he was full of contradictions.  I’m going to do a complete psychological profile.  I wonder why no one has done it before.”

He gave you a playful smile.

“Then you might not need to be talking to me.  I might steal your idea.”

You two walked down 104th Avenue, you grinning like an idiot.  You came to a stop at the corner. You just stood there, smiling at this man you met a little over an hour ago.

“Ay yo, Bets, what up?”

Tommy’s lanky ass appeared out of nowhere, Jimmy lurking behind him.

“Nothing that you need to be concerned about, Tommy. Step off.”

“Who this little white boy? You bringing white boys to Hollis now?  You must not care about his health.”

Tommy looked Lin up and down. Jimmy came up behind him, his lackey. 

“Speak the wrong words homie and you will get touched.”

Lin responded. “If I die, I couldn’t choose a better location. Getting closer to god in a tight situation.” 

You stood in between them, tired of Tommy’s bullshit.  

“Fuck off Tommy, leave me and my friend the fuck alone. And Jimmy, get a fucking life, you mutha fucking, janky ass fuckboi.”

Tommy glared at you both and backed off.

“Always loved that dirty mouth of yours, Bets.  You kiss your family with that?  I remember what you used to kiss… Tell your Gari Merry Christmas for me…”

You dragged Lin into the bodega, so your people wouldn’t embarrass you further.

“Sorry, that’s my ex.”

********************

That was an experience.  Lin got his bearings and smelled the bodega coffee.  He went to the counter and ordered some.  

He turned to you.  “You want anything, Bets?”

The man behind the counter raised his eyebrow at him. 

“This guy with you Bets?”

“Yeah, George.  This is Lin.” She turned to you.  “Lin, meet George.  He owns this bodega.”

“Nice to meet you George.”  The tall man evaluated him and grunted.  

“Nice to meet you.  Where’d you meet our Bets?”

Lin looked at you.  You came to the rescue.

“He’s helping me with my thesis, George.”

George raised his eyebrow.  “Oh, so you’re at Queens College, too?”

“I am very interested in the implications of a case study of historical figures psychology.”

“Good.  So you’re…”

“Professor Miranda, at your service.”

“Proud to have you in Queens, Dr. Miranda. Bets, take him home to your Auntie Nelia’s good cooking. And tell her hi for me.” 

George winked as you and Lin made it out of the bodega, barely without bursting out laughing in front of him.

He’d almost forgotten about Tommy and Jimmy, but remembered as soon as they were back on he street.  He got ready, but they were long gone.

“Lin-Manuel Miranda.  Dr. Lin Manuel Miranda.  Sounds like I should know that name?”

Lin just smiled at you.  

“I’m not a doctor, I just play one on TV.” 

That made you laugh and he was relieved to have dodged a bullet.

Lin followed you down the street. 

“This is going to make for quite a story.” The night was already epic.

 ********************

The inside of your house was alive with music and noise.  It seemed that everyone was there, and it wasn’t even Christmas Eve yet.

Everyone was gathered in the living room and kitchen, the guys in the living room and the women in the kitchen. 

That killed you, but you kept your feminist rhetoric to yourself.  You entered the door, pulling Lin behind you.  

The guys were talking shit at the Knicks game on the tv, which was between a 6 ft Chrismtas tree placed in the front window and the fireplace. 

Everything stopped when the screen door slammed behind you.

“The fuck?”  Pip’s mouth was hanging open.

“Hey guys!”  You tried to be as bright as possible while clearly telling them with your eyes to be on their best behavior.

“This is Lin. He’s… helping me with my thesis.”  You pointed to the stranger you met on the subway.

“Lin, this is Jacky, Gil, and Herc, my cousins. And little Phillip ”  

“Pip the Pimp,” Phillip shouted, mad at how you’d characterized him. 

You flipped the 13 year old off. “I thought you were on timeout for your disrespectful mouth.”

“Disrespect deez nutz.” he grabbed himself and ran out of the room as you jumped at him.

The other guys paused for a minute and then gave Lin dap, and each other looks.

You pulled Lin to the kitchen, to get the rest of it over with.

The kitchen was bright with light and laughter. That stopped when you and Lin walked in, too.

You cleared your throat.

“Hey.  This is Lin, Lin, this is my Aunt Cornelia, that’s Gari over there, and finally Gelly.”

There was a huge silence for about 30 seconds, then the kitchen erupted with everyone greeting Lin. 

You stood back and watched as they all sized him up.

********************

Lin was overwhelmed by beautiful women.  He could see where you got it from.  Everyone came over and shook his hand, with Gelly giving you a hug.  She was intense.

Aunt Cornelia further welcomed Lin.

“Welcome, Lin.  Dinner will be ready in a minute, make yourself at home out there with the boys.  Bets, help us get this ready.” Her eyes were telling another story.

“Right, have a beer.” Gari shoved a Modelo into Lin’s hand. He heard you protest.

“But Nelia, he’s my guest….”  

Lin found himself face to face with four sets of eyes sizing him up as he went back in the living room. 

“How ‘bout those Knicks?”

********************

You were trapped in the kitchen with your sisters and aunt for 20 minutes while they grilled you. 

You were not about to tell the truth, but soon they were satisfied by the cobbled together story you related to them.

They knew you too well to believe it all, but they finally left it alone, as it was way past time for dinner.

The table was set and everyone wanted to sit next to Lin, the women smitten and the guys in full bromance mode.  Jacky was most excited. 

“You’re a real mutherfucker.”  Jacky was monopolizing Lin’s conversation.

Lin laughed nervously.  This must be how you felt earlier.  He glanced over at you and saw you smiling.

“So. You fucking my sister, or what?”

Your Aunt Cornelia moved so fast, grabbing Pip by the ear, pulling him from the table and throwing him in a room down the hall. 

Everyone could hear him wailing, but everyone ignored it.

“So Lin, tell us about yourself. Your name is familiar…”

“Well, I’m a writer by trade….”

********************

By the time dinner was over you were in shock.

You’d heard of In the Heights, sure, but you never picture what the composer was like. 

Certainly not someone who you’d randomly meet him on the subway and bring home for dinner at Christmas time.

You had fun laughing and talking with the whole family group, who seemed to love Lin like he’d grown up in Hollis, but didn’t really get a chance to talk to him one on one.

He didn’t even notice when you slipped away for a few minutes.

Soon, it was almost midnight, and Lin would need to get back to Manhattan.

You were walking down Jamaica Avenue, not quite knowing what to say.

“Hey. You mad?” You didn’t know him well, but he sounded anxious.

“Why would I be mad?”

“You’ve been awfully quiet since I told you who I was, I mean. Am.” 

 You had stopped and were looking at each other under the clear December sky. 

“You are who you are.  I just can’t believe I brought a famous composer over to my house for chicken and collard greens.” 

You laughed, wondering if you felt embarrassed at your family’s antics, or by your sudden feelings for this stranger.

Lin smiled down at you. You felt warm even though it was cold, but you wanted to get closer to him.

“I’m really glad you came over though.”

“I’m glad you invited me.”

Lin raised his gloved hand and caressed your cheek.  Then he leaned down and gave you a peck on the lips.  You pulled back a little, looked him in the eyes, then kissed him again.  Then, you reached your arms up around his neck and pressed yourself to him, while you shared a long kiss.

********************

“Mmmmmmm. That was nice, Bets.”  

Lin leaned his forehead against yours. Your breath steamed and mingled in the air between you.

You smiled up at him. The night was pretty perfect.

You were half a block from the subway stop. 

He didn’t want to leave; it had been a pretty perfect night. But it was getting late.

“I guess I better get going. Tonight was everything.” Lin didn’t want to let you go.

“Yeah. Quite a story.” You smiled at him. Which brings me to this.

You reached inside your jacket and pulled out the book you were reading on the Subway.

“I saw how interested you were in it when we were talking about it earlier. Merry Christmas.”

“Bets, I- I can’t take this.”

“Shhhhhh. Take it.  I have two other copies, that’s actually only my 2nd best copy. I have another here and another at work…”

You were so fucking cute. Lin couldn’t stand it.

“Ahhh, another obsessive bibliophile.  It’s seems we’re….” 

Lin didn’t finish that statement. This was insane.

“I mean, your family brings out a different side of me… I’ve never felt so…”

For once, Lin was at a loss.

You stopped his rambling.

“Dr. Miranda, If we never see each other again, this will be one of the best Christmases I’ve ever had in Hollis, Queens.”

You kissed him again.

“Now go, you have a musical to write. Merry Christmas Lin-Manuel.”

You let him go and then turned around and started walking back toward your house.

Lin just let you go.

“Bets!”

You turned around and looked at him, smiling.

“Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!”

You waved at him and turned back around.  Walking home with your head held high.  You had a wonderful night. And it was now Christmas Eve. 

Pretty perfect.

********************

Lin sat on the subway train and thought about the wonderful night he had with you and your family.

He got his head out of the clouds and looked at the book in his hands.

Ron Chernow, he’d seen his books before.

He opened the front cover of the Alexander Hamilton biography.

Lin-Manuel,

I hope the story of tonight is an epic one.

I hope to see it in the theater one day.

--Bets 718-555-3645

“Shit she gave me her number!”  

He told the guy sitting across the aisle from him.

“I don’t give a fuck!”

“Exactly!”  Lin yelled, and jumped up at the next stop.

“And when our children tell our story, they’ll tell the story of tonight.”  Lin was singing a new song as he ran back toward your house.

********************

Let me know how you feel about it!

Tagging:  @theatrenerd86​ @sillyteecup​  @commandersmiley​ @ohsoverykeri-blog​  @theselilwonders​ @sebastianabucknettastan​ @imatyoursurrvicesurr​ @riiyy​ @ivycomet​ @lonelydance​ @jbrizzywrites​ @id-do-it-for-free-babe​ @summerofsnowflakes

#DJ's 10 Days of Christmas #Ask DJ #lin manuel miranda #lin manuel #lin manuel miranda x reader #lin manuel miranda imagine #lin manuel miranda x ofc reader #Hamiltonfiction #Hamilton #hamilton au #ron chernow #alexander hamilton

[codename-adler]

Kevin Day and his Oblivious Literature Lover, pt.IV

In times of college finals, aftg is my coping mechanism of predilection. hope it helps some :)

>> Table of Contents,TW and other parts here!

i’ll let you guess what Kevin and Juliet chose for their project

oh, yes

the letters of Hamilton, Eliza and John + Hamilton: The Musical

i will fight you on this

at first, when Juliet suggests it, Kevin stares at her so hard bc really?? a musical??

but then she lends him the 50$ leatherbound official book of the musical (you know the navy blue and beige one? you know what i’m talking about, right?) and reads it all in one evening and wow

lin-manuel miranda? genius. ron chernow? Genius. alexander hamilton? Dumb Genius.

oh yeah and Juliet? Absolutely mind-blowing genius.

as Andrew & Neil grow closer and the match agaisnt the Ravens rounds the corner, Kevin finds himself looking more and more forward to the time spent at the library with Juliet

she is just so focused on their project and so oblivious as who he really is and doesn’t really care if sometimes he is more anxious, if freaks over everything to be perfect, if he babbles on&on&on&on about any bit of history he discovered

she’s just there, smirking, stiffling her laughs and asking for more

they’ve exhanged phone numbers and she installed snapchat on his, and although he never sends her anything, she always has a short video and a funny caption that pop up from time to time; they’re that little reminder that the world goes on outside of exy and that he exists outside of exy

she introduces him to funny videos and he didn’t know absolute dumb shit could make him snort??

his favorite is the peanut butter baby

at first the Foxes give him this judgemental look when he ugly-snorts in the locker room or at Eden’s, but eventually they just get that glint in their eyes as if they were in on the jokes

sometimes, Juliet’s so focused on writing down bullet points in her notebook, peeling the skin off her lips, so unaware of Kevin’s personal hell of a life, that he just wants to spill out everything

although he’s not sure if it’s because he wants her to know him and stay, or because he wants her to reject him and therefore spare himself the trouble of getting attached...

she takes the decision for him

on a Thursday afternoon, on their planned study session, she doesn’t show up

she doesn’t answer her phone either

he even tries out a completely blacked out snap with “r u alive?” in caption

no answer

he gives her space, sending her occasional cat videos he thoroughly researches

if she watches them, she doesn’t say anything

on Monday afternoon, she doesn’t come to class

that’s when the panic Kevin’s been reigning in just... bursts

what if it’s Riko? 

what if it’s the Master?

what if it’s Ichirou?

what if, somehow, it’s the Butcher’s people?

that afternoon’s practice is hell for the Foxes, Kevin is ruthless and an asshole and very agressive

Dan waits for him outside the boys’ locker room as all the other Foxes leave (not even Andrew and Neil want to wait for him)

“Spit out your goddamn problem before I tell Coach to bench you next game”

oh, how Kevin wants to cuss her out

and then he looks  at her face, ready to vomit words, when he sees her worrying her lips

just like Juliet

it shouldn’t be enough to make him tear up, but it does

he still manages to keep as much of the truth to himself as he possibly can

“My EAL partner isn’t responding to my messages or my calls and she didn’t even come to class today and it stresses me the fuck out and what if it’s like with Neil, Dan?” he says in one breath, trying to tear out the net of his racket

Dan recomposes her face and gets that very serious look, the one she usually gets when someone touches her family

“It’s not, Kevin. That’s over. We got Neil back, we got you back, you got Jean back. The team didn’t even know who that person was. The most info we’ve gathered is what you just told me now. Yeah there are some bets but it’s mostly for funsies, nothing even remotely serious. You wanna look for her?” she soothes him.

“I don’t even know...”

“She lives on campus?” she asks.

“I don’t- I don’t know, Dan. I spent months with her and I can’t even vaguely say where she lives! How fucked up is that?” Kevin yells.

“It’s not even remotely fucked up, Kevin. You should know that. Does she have instagram? twitter? Or like, facebook?” she questions some more.

“God, I don’t know. She only sends me stupid fucking videos and I never even respond like the goddamn asshole I am...”

“Shut up. We’re all assholes at the end of the road, ‘kay? You ain’t better or worse than others. Now she sends them to you in text or somewhere else?”

“Sometimes texts... Sometimes the yellow app, the chat one. Why.”

“Oh great, that’s great. We can locate her, with snapchat, if she forgot to turn off the sharing. And if you’re comfortable with that, too. I know you’re not a creep like that. You’re creepy sometimes, don’t get me wrong. But, not a creep.”

“Gee, thanks, Dan.”

“Hey, shush. You down or what?” she says, arching an eyebrow.

“Okay,” he answers, unable to make the fear go away without knowing for sure.

And so it turns out Juliet’s location is, in fact, knowable. Dan grabs one of Kevin’s shoulders as he leaves the court, squeezing her affection into her grip; he nods emotionally in her direction, as far as emotions can translate unto his face.

he doesn’t even know what he’ll do once he finds her, his brain is solely focused on the animated map that brings him closer and closer to Juliet

the more he progresses, the more he realizes he is far from Fox Tower, on a campus area he has never even seen

he stops before a decrepit building, old and moldy-looking

Jackie Kennedy Hall

student dorms? this shabby? she can’t possibly live-

except that she can, because there isn’t another building close and the map has brought him here, and he doesn’t really know her...

so Kevin straightens his shoulders, inhales deeply, and goes inside

he could go on and on and on about everything that is just wrong with the place, from the smell to the decoration, but he makes a beeline for the front desk (he’s lucky there’s even one)

he asks for a way to contact someone, flashes his press smile at the women behind the desk, gives up his ID in exchange for the room number

Juliet Grier, 418

stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs

heavy door, right, 412, 414, 416...

418

what, now?

Kevin hesitantly knocks once, twice

no answer

he knocks again and decides to speak up, in case she didn’t hear

“Juliet? It’s Kevin. Day. From EAL? Can I speak with you?”

still nothing

maybe she isn’t home... no, the map says she’s here. maybe she’s sleeping...

he decides to try one last time

“We really should finish that project, you know? I think we could both use the free time...” he says without his heart into it.

without surprise, no response still

he decides to take a loose paper from his sachel and writes down some words

Greetings Hi,

My friend Dan helped me look for you, but you don’t have to worry about your privacy; it’s because of the yellow app. You should turn that off if you don’t want other people to be nosy. 

You weren’t in class today. I’ll share my notes if you want them. But, you should come to class, it’s better. For learning. 

I’ll wait a few in case you’re asleep. 

Text me or call me or whatever when you’re ready.

- Kevin D. (your partner from EAL)

quick, efficient, to the point

Kevin slips the paper under the door, and waits

he refreshes the map too many times, to see if her location changed or if somehow there was a glitch

it stays put

he ends up sitting on the hallway floor, his back sliding down the wall

he catches up on a book for another class, checks exy stats and watches many, many videos of Jeremy Knox on the court and in interview

some students pass him with a nasty look, eyeing the lack of earphones on his phone

some other students walk by him and will themselves to keep going, because holy shit it’s Kevin Day in Jackie Hall

it’s at least an hour and a half before the doorknob slowly and quietly starts to click

Kevin was absorbed deep into whatever move Knox was making before scoring

the 418 door opens

Kevin gets up in one move, all things Jeremy Knox and exy forgotten

she’s loosely holding Kevin’s paper in one hand, the other clutching a large scarf that covers up the majority of her body

from what he can see, though, she’s wearing sweats from head to toe; her hair’s tied on the top of her head, but most of the curls escaped and it looks unwashed and her curls, dry

her skin’s turned pale, dark circles under her eyes, a haggard look in them, her cheeks stained with dry tears

Juliet looks terrible

“Hi...” Kevin attempts

she finally looks up from the paper and gives him a bored look that could rival Andrew’s

with a rough voice strained from cries and many days without speaking, she asks, “My EAL partner?”

“Well, yes. In case.”

“In case of what.”

“I-”

“I know who you are, Kevin.”

and isn’t that both his most ardent wish and his worse fear?

with that, she turns around and goes back to her dark room, leaving the door open behind her

is that... an invitation?

Kevin’s never been to another person’s place, apart from the Columbia house, Abby’s and Wymack’s

he reminds himself why he came in the first place and decides it would be a waste to leave now, right?

the small studio is a mess, much like its occupant

there are clothes everywhere, on the floor, on a chair, on the bed, on the desk

all the curtains are drawn, no light is on, the only source coming from Juliet’s laptop somewhere amongst her bedsheets

it’s like she made herself a nest and hasn’t moved from there for a long time

maybe even since last Monday, the last time he saw her

Kevin doesn’t understand the scene he has before his eyes

he’s never seen such apathy in someone that is not Andrew

and at this point, apathy is pretty much Andrew’s default state of being

not Juliet’s

Juliet is a soft glow, toothy grins, wild curls, countless jumpers, dumb jokes and references, color-coded notes, an organized mind, unwavering focus and determination, flowing words and warm, kind eyes...

so what is this?

then Kevin realizes he spoke aloud

and Juliet can only chuckle sadly, almost mockingly

“This? This is why I don’t have friends. This is why I don’t mix with people. This is why I’ll never amount to anything in life. This is my dirty laundry, both metaphorically and literally. This is it. That’s... That’s it. This is what I get,” she answers flatly

Kevin’s mind is spinning

he doesn’t understand

he needs to understand, though

“Explain it to me,” he says

Juliet looks at him like a brick just hit him on the head and made him speak Swedish

“Why.”

“Because, surely there’s a way to work with it.”

she laughs

it doesn’t reach her eyes, nor her lips or her cheeks

it’s just a desperate sound

it makes him think of Andrew again

and that gives him an idea, a gut feeling, if you will

“Can I try something out?” he asks

“Kevin... I can’t- I’m tired... It’s not a good idea... I’m tired, Kevin,” Juliet responds, pain noticeable in her voice and her movements slow

“I know, I- I know. Someone I know... He plays this game. It’s really not a game, it’s more like a communication thing. He calls it “A Truth for a Truth”.  In exchange for something I tell you, you tell me something. And in exchange for something you tell me, I’ll tell you something else. It’s made me... work through some things... before,” Kevin explains calmly

Juliet keeps on observing him from her bed, silent

“Look, can I just stay here to do homework? I have nowhere to go right now,” Kevin asks, almost blurting out “Please” before Andrew’s ghost caught it in his throat

she lies back down, burries herself in her covers, a silent “yes”

Kevin ends up falling asleep sitting on the floor, books open, head resting at the end of Juliet’s bed

he wakes up around 2 AM

he’s got multiple texts from Aaron and Nicky, one from Andrew, and one from Dan

“told everybody you spent the night at Coach’s. take care.”

he silently vows to thank her later

now he either really goes to Wymack’s to finish his night there, or... he stays exactly where he is

Juliet is still sleeping soundly

in a haze, he palms for a pillow or cushion, pulls his hoodie on and lies back down on the carpeted floor

he’s only awaken in the late morning when he brutally gets stepped on

“What the shit?? Kevin! How...???” Juliet yells

“Um, ow? No, no, don’t apologize so quickly. You just, you know, crushed my lungs and a couple of ribs, no worries, Jules!” Kevin groans

“Ju- you know what? I’m not sorry. Right now I gotta pee, so you better have a damn good explanation when I get back,” she replies and leaves her room to go to the bathroom at the end of the hall

instead of dread, Kevin feels calm about the upcoming conversation

he doesn’t prepare lies, doesn’t run away, doesn’t resort to assholery

he just stays put where he is on the floor, snuggles deeper into his hoodie, and waits for relief, for the truth

he waits for Juliet

#wow that was longer than expected #should i keep this going? #doesn't feel worth it #but i love kevin so much #anyways lemme know #kevin day #aftg #all for the game #the foxhole court #the raven king #the king's men #tfc #trk #tkm #nora sakavic #kevin day x oc #kevin day x juliet #kevin day x juliet grier #bi kevin day #bisexual kevin day #dan wilds #aaron minyard #andreil #andrew minyard #neil josten #david wymack #coach wymack #kevin day fic #kevin day headcanon #kevin day hc

[oneweekoneband]

i didn’t though

When I was twenty and tractable I listened to “Treacherous” and I believed Taylor Swift was telling me something, because “I’ll do anything you say / If you say it with your hands”, is not content meant for straight people, even though legally they, too, are allowed to hear it, and they do generally have hands. When Taylor Swift drank beers with Karlie Kloss at a Knicks game in 2014, I believed she was telling me something even more forcefully, because, really, why be at Knicks game if not just to kill time politely before fucking whoever you’re there with. When reputation was released and it contained “Dress”, a song about buying a certain item of clothing to look good for a person you love specifically not “like a best friend” so that after “all the pining and anticipation” they can remove it from your body and you can drink wine together in the bath, I believed Taylor was screaming a confession at me, and I was more than ready to receive it. When I heard from multiple sources just last year, amidst the aggressive rainbow-deluge of the Lover promo cycle, an ultimately false rumor that said Taylor was going to come out in a Rolling Stone cover story I, somehow, incredibly, brain as smooth as a baby’s ass, believed that too.

I have believed a lot of things. And it’s a nice diversion, to believe like that. But, more recently, I’ve found that the detective in me has turned away from this one. The only facts I’ll ever know about Taylor Swift are those she wishes to share, and speculating about what secrets she may or may not be hiding is a distraction from the real, joyful work of appreciating all these already literally, unequivocally, very gay songs. I’ve found, well, that I just don’t care anymore, which sucks, as I detest the squirmy idea that I might be growing as a person. But the truth is one really can write extremely, objectively homoerotic love songs yet be, for all intents and purposes, terminally straight. And like that poignant tweet about Lin Manuel Miranda tells us, you can seem gay, because of, like, your whole deal, and then it turns out you’re just annoying. You can even have a torrid love affair with your one-time supermodel best friend and in the end just want to marry some guy from The Favourite (Allegedly from The Favourite. I have seen that film three times and could not pick that man out of a lineup if my life depended on it.) and maybe there’s nothing to announce to anybody about it at all. Sexuality is complex and personal, and Taylor’s own sexuality doesn’t much matter to me, outside of how I always think it’s nice to know there’s yet another bisexual white woman out here in the world being even more irritating than me. (I say this strictly in terms of labeling; it ought to go without saying that Taylor’s various psychosexual obsessions with things like Amy from Gone Girl, and The Kennedys, and her house in Rhode Island matter to me immensely.)  It doesn’t matter because it has no bearing on the fact that she keeps dropping queer classics.

Anyway, yeah, most good Taylor Swift songs are gay, just like most good things, generally, and there’s a number of viable picks on folklore, except not “betty”, no matter what the collective banshee’s wail of the Internet tells you. The gayest thing about “betty” is that it’s Taylor putting herself in the mind of a skateboarding teenage boy, which, yes, admittedly, is a big homo vibe, but nowhere in or around this song are any people of the same gender identity smashing bathing suit parts together, or even thinking about doing so, and when there are so many better options available, I feel it is prudent that we have just the barest hint of standards. As queerness itself is malleable, wonderfully, painfully individual, and comes in no one standard format, so too is determining which song on a Taylor Swift album is the most gay a singular, complicated calculus we all must do for ourselves within our own hearts, and, of course, there are no wrong answers, unless it so happens that your answer is not “the 1”.

“the 1” made me lose my grip for a moment. A cool lament, calmly wrenching, right off it was sucking out my bone marrow and I wasn’t able to name why. (Well, except, obviously, that the twin unit of, “You know the greatest films of all time were never made,” and “You know the greatest loves of all time are over now,” is pure, not from concentrate, peak embarrassing & devastating & all the more embarrassing for being so devastating Swiftian lyricism.) Finally, weeks after the release, out walking the streets of Los Angeles midday, masked and fractious, lower back sticky, brain a little mean, buying a soda at the gas station just to talk to someone, it came to me that  “the 1” is a spiritual sequel to Red’s drum-heavy forever banger “Holy Ground”. The Taylor of “Holy Ground” reminisces frantically about a lost love, some near-miss from youth. That drumbeat is a racing heart. The animating nervousness of “Holy Ground”, the way you can almost hear the narrator’s limbs flapping wildly against her body when she says that she’s dancing, has from the beginning marked this song to me as a story of looking back on some sort of formless and magical teenaged queer encounter. “Holy Ground” is looking at a precious memory like it’s a firefly in cupped hands—small and special and easy to lose—being not entirely certain what the memory means, since whatever it was that happened back then, you never really talked it out. “Holy Ground” is about a love that for all its vitality did not work out, but it is appreciative rather than sad. “But sometimes I wonder how you think about it now,” Taylor sings, “and I see your face in every crowd.” 

“But we were something, don’t you think so?” asks “the 1”, imploring an ex to confirm her version of events, to agree that she’s remembering it right. Taylor has not ever struggled in her work with place and the self and matching the two against one another on the wriggling timeline of the human life. I was there I was there I was there. The question here is something else. Not was it real, but was it real to you, and do you remember now what that was like. Do you remember who I was then? What we were? The truth as it pertains to the heart of another is guesswork at best, and a troublesome kind. Memories break and bend, or weren’t even recorded right to begin with, every brain a dirty liar, and for two separate, imperfect creatures to share the responsibility of preserving one history together is a disaster. The hard facts then are grounding. Essential. “I thought I saw you at the bus stop / I didn’t though”.  Everyone has past romances that they still ask questions about, yes—I am not practicing my virulent heterophobia today—but none of my queer friends are without at least one were-we-or-weren’t-we in their past, a clinch with another that was incandescent and unnameable, long over but dangling forever there loose outside the neat boxes of friend or lover. To be a queer person is to exist already beyond and without the organizing structures of heterosexuality, and this can be difficult, dangerous, but in liminality there is freedom, and in years of painstakingly debating whether I wanted to be or bang so many various somebodys I have, along the way, put the pieces of myself in the order they fit best. So then there are loves where you aren’t sure if that’s technically what it was, if it’s what they’d call it, too. Or loves that were undeniably real, only we were too busy back then with trying to turn into ourselves to keep it. And loves from the very start, from walking together on colt legs, exuberant and unprepared, and the memory is a blessing, and the memory is guilt.

 “the 1”, to the ear, is softer and slinkier than “Holy Ground”, but the lyrics are dismantling. “Holy Ground” says, “And darling, it was good / Never looking down”. Full of longing, but cheerful and sure. “the 1” is older, resigned. On “the 1” Taylor mourns a love not only because it has ended, but because she can sense, from the safety of time’s remove, that it was a love which deserved better, could have been better, if things had been only a little different, if they’d felt brave enough to try just a little more. In this version of nostalgia, the golden haze of “Holy Ground” is ribboned by a vaporous shame, a regret. The song relates a story of a love that is farther out of reach and meant more than what the little girl of “Holy Ground” could have dreamt. “In my defense I have none / for digging up the grave another time / but it would’ve been fun / if you would’ve been the one”.

#taylor swift #folklore

[all-that-tmnt-jazz]

The Boys as Songs in a Playlist Called “AHHHHHHHHHHHHH”

Warnings: None.

Incarnation: Bayverse

Extra Info: This is a list of songs I suggest. No denying it. Not sorry.

Leo:

Wait for It- Leslie Odom Jr., "Hamilton"

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story- The Original Broadway Cast of "Hamilton" 

Raph:

Mad World- Originally by Michael Andrews; Covered by Pentatonix

Better- Ben Platt

Donnie:

Hurricane- Lin-Manuel Miranda, "Hamilton"

Ease My Mind- Ben Platt

Bad Habit- Ben Platt

Mikey:

New- Ben Platt

In a World Like This- Ariana DeBose and Bobby Conte Thorton, “A Bronx Tale: The Musical”

#tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt headcanons #tmnt as songs #tmnt sfw #tmnt leonardo #tmnt leo #tmnt raphael #tmnt raph #tmnt donatello #tmnt donnie #tmnt michelangelo #tmnt mikey #tmnt as hamilton #hamilton musical #ben platt #a bronx tale the musical #pentatonix #tmnt pentatonix

[talk1about7seventeen]

𖡼.𖤣𖥧 Admirer 𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Summary: Patton gives each of the sides, including Thomas a Valentines gift to show his appreciation for each and every one of them! 

Warning: Wholesome-ness, Remus being Remus, every character just being themselves, blood and gore, happy boy Thomas, good vibes, slight cursing.

Characters: All! (Remus, Thomas, Janus, Roman, Logan, Patton, and Virgil.)

Word Count: 1847

Ship/ Pairing: Thomas + Logan + Virgil + Patton + Janus + Roman + Remus (DRLAMPT) (Platonic)

AU: Sanders Sides (Normal)

I hope you enjoy this (late) Valentine’s Special!!! (,,> ᎑ <,,)

✧ʚ .·:*¨༺♡༻¨*:·. ɞ✧

“Good morning Thomas!” Patton rose up, with his hands folded behind his back, hiding something from Thomas’ line of sight. “Oh, hey Pat, you look cheery today.” Thomas smiled at the side, wearing a graphic t-shirt of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s beautifully written and preformed, Hamiltion. 

“How couldn’t I be? Today is such a sweet and fantastic day!” He giggled, smile wide and bright. Thomas tilted his head to one side in confusion. “What’s so special about today?” 

“Aww, you haven’t forgotten already, have you?” Thomas thought for a moment, realization hitting him. “Oh! Valentines day.” His face lit up and then dulled as he fully took in the information. “Why so gloomy, kiddo?” 

Thomas let out a sigh, looking down at the ground. “Another year without a date...” He ruffled through his brown hair, feeling his heart sink. “Well, this year is gonna be different!” Patton bubbled. “How?” His eyes darted up to meet Patton’s gaze. “Ta-da!” He pulled a bag from behind him decorated in hearts and ribbons, colored pink, white, and red. 

Thomas focused on the bag, unsure of how this colorful bag could fix the rain cloud that poured over his mood. 

“Hello, my color-coded companions! What a perfect day to look so dashing~” Roman rose up, adjusting his emblems. “Princey!” Patton announced. “You always look good!” He told Thomas’ fanciful side. 

“You got me a gift!? How sweet!” Roman practically had stars in his eyes as he looked at the bag in Patton’s hands. “It’s actually for everyone, Ro!” 

“Logan! Virgil!” Patton called, summoning the other sides. Logan rose with a Shakespearean classic in his hand. Roman gasped loudly. “Romeo and Juliet! You’re finally reading it!” 

“Well, I took your argument stating why I should consume such literature into consideration. Mainly due to your incessant request. I figured the sooner I read it, the sooner you wouldn’t bother me about it.” Logan responded, without looking up from his book. 

Virgil appeared soon after, with headphones in his ears. “The gang is all here!” Patton giggled. Virgil took one side of his earbuds out of his ears and looked around him. “Why was I called? I was in the middle of something.”

“Like what? Listening to your, rock and roll, contemplating all the ways Thomas could embarrass himself by trying to ask someone out?” Roman retorted.

“For your information, Princey, I was listening to a compilation of Disney classic love songs, not that you would care.” 

“Before you two go on with your cute banter---” Patton started. “I wouldn’t call it cute.” Virgil muttered. “I got you guy’s a little something!” Patton held up the bag for everyone to see. 

“I thought instead of focusing on what we don’t have, I thought we could spread a little love and focus on what we do have, each other!” Opening the bag he began to pull out various items. “For you Roman!” He handed the side a box wrapped in pink wrapping paper covered in sparkly hearts. 

“Oooo~!” He tore away the paper and opened the box to find a heart themed painted mirror. “So you never forget how beautiful you are, Roman!” 

“This....is...AMAZING PATTON!” Roman ran over and wrapped his arms around the side, pulling him in for a warm hug. “Exactly what I needed.” He walked back over to his side of the room, admiring himself in the mirror, smiling at the little hand painted decorations on the reflective surface.

“Logan,” Patton turned to the side. Logan closed his book and looked up, making eye contact with his good friend. “Here!” 

Logan grabbed the present which was a thick DVD case with a shiny red bow on top. “A copy of all four seasons of Mark Gatiss’ Sherlock! I hope you like it, Lo.” Logan’s eyes widened and a smile crept onto his face as he stared into the gift. His smile dropped as he realized they were all staring at him. “This is...” He looked up at Patton and cleared his throat, trying to maintain composure. “This is satisfactory.”

“Virgil!” Patton turned to the rather anxious side, who jumped at the mere mention of his name, not expecting it due to the loud music blaring in his ears. Patton handed him a five inch purple Squishmallow. Virgil’s eyes lit up as he took the adorable plushie in his hand. “You got me Brenda the Butterfly.” Virgil said in disbelief. “I thought you could use a cuddle-buddy if you got lonely.”

“Squishy....” Virgil mumbled as he held the stuffed toy close to him. “And Thomas!” Patton looked toward Thomas who had a huge smile on his face. Patton handed Thomas a pink colored book which read in multi-colored words on the front: “Sanders Sides famILY”

Thomas opened the book gently, his eyes fixated on the various pictures of each side as well as hand written notes and drawings on the various colorful pages. “Patton....this is wonderful.” Thomas gushed. “I’m so glad everyone likes what I got! I figured we needed something to cheer us up.”

Everyone in the room was mesmerized with their gifts. Everyone except....the dark sides. “Hey uh, kiddo!” He looked to Thomas who was enveloped in his book. “Yea?” 

“I’ll be right back! Don’t have too much fun without me!” Patton gave a little smile and sunk into the floor, traveling to the darkest part of Thomas’ mind.

---

“Good morning Dee!!!” Remus announced as he walked up to Janus who was reading something. “I got you a lil’ something.” He snickered. “If it’s another one of your dead animals, I don’t want it.” Janus said coldly. 

“Not at all! I’m giving you something live today!” The scaley side looked up at Remus, whose eyes were filled with mischief. A knife appeared in Remus’ hand and with two hands he jabbed the metal object in his chest and began to slowly drag down to the middle of his torso as blood squirted out of the opened wound. Janus stared at the intestines that wriggled inside Remus’ body and held back a gag. Without looking away, Remus dug one of his hands under his rip and yanked out his beating heart, still attached to the rest of his system. “See? I’m finally giving you my heart, Dee~” He threw his head back and let out a maniacal laugh.

“I said, I didn’t want anything dead.” Janus set down his book. Remus reared his head back in front of Janus. “It’s obviously still beating.” The veins on the fist-sized organ were prominent. “Wow, exactly what I wanted.” His voice was heavy with sarcasm. 

“Uhm....hello...” Both heads turned to see a rather shy Patton standing in the room with them. His hands shook as he held onto his bag tighter. “Well, look who it is~!” Remus licked his lips. “Is that...a real heart?” Patton couldn’t look away from the blood covered thing in the demented side’s hand. 

“Ignore him, he’s barely house trained.” Janus stood up and walked over to the nervous boy. “My question is,” he started, peering over Patton. “Why are you here?” he emphasized his words. “I uh---I....” Get it together, Pat! He told himself. “I got s-something for you!” He hid his face, holding out the bag. 

Janus and Remus looked at each other with confusion. “....why?” Remus asked, his expression twisted with questions. Patton looked up and swallowed the lump in his throat. “It’s Valentines day....! And I thought I could get everyone a little something...”

“Everyone...including us?” Janus looked at Patton’s face and then to the bag. He grabbed the bag as gently as possible and opened it. His eyes widened as he pulled out a yellow sweater with multiple sleeves. “I thought you might want to keep warm since Logan told me snakes can get cold in the Winter.” Patton explained, trying to place how Janus was feeling.

“Oooo!!! What’d ya get for me, glasses?” Remus pushed his heart back in his chest, the wound closing up like a zipper. Patton pulled out a tray of assorted candies in the shape of different body parts, both human and animal.

“Wow! This gives me a great idea!” Remus snatched the tray and ran into his room.

“Uh...thanksss...” Janus blushed. “I didn’t think anyone else thought of us like that.” Patton gave a little happy sigh. “Happy Valentines day, Janus.” 

---

At the end of the day, Patton returned to his nostalgic dream-land of a room and noticed the door to his bedroom was open. As he walked in he noticed gifts piled in the center of the room.

He pulled out LED lights with a note on it that read, “I thought this would be an adequate addition to your room.” ~Logan Sanders. His hand writing was as neat as can be, not a mark out of place.

Next was a bouquet of red roses and a box of assorted chocolates. Patton smiled to himself, Roman...

He knew the one to follow was Virgil’s present right away. It was a hand stitched stuffed animal of a cute frog with a little sky blue bow tie. Patton also knew it was from Virgil since there was a little letter with the list of love based Disney songs he was listening to earlier in the side’s messy and dark handwriting.

Lastly, there was the Polaroid from Thomas of all five of them that they took earlier that day with everyone’s initials on the bottom as the words, “To our favorite dad, We love you Patton!” Tears started to swell in his eyes at all the love he had from his dear friends. 

As he stood up and went to close his bedroom door, he noticed a plain cardboard box that had randomly appeared in the doorway. He picked it up, closed the door, and walked over to his bed, setting it down gently

He unfolded it and his eyes widened. The first thing his eyes landed on was a bloody Ziplock bag with Remus’ heart in it. Attacked to the clear bag is a letter that read, “Here, have this, I got exstra anywayz!” ~Remus. There was smudges of what looked like pen ink, chocolate, and dried blood on the note.

Next was a letter that could only be from Janus. “Thanks for the gifts, it was really nice of you. (No this isn’t sarcasm) Also ignore Remus’ spelling, bitch barely passed Kindergarten.” ~Lord of the Lies.

There was another Ziplock bag with a dissected frog with it’s limbs and other body parts scattered inside of it. There was a final note attached to it, “I didn’t know what to get you so Remus got you another gift. It’s called, Sort The Frog. You essentially have to put the frog back together and when you do, you win a prize. Have fun with that. (This is sarcasm)” ~Janus Sanders.

Even though their gifts were exactly what Patton expected when it came to the dark sides, he still smiled. Today was truly a wonderful Valentines day.

#sanderssides #fanfiction #fanfic #remussanders #thomassanders #virgilsanders #janussanders #romansanders #pattonsanders #logansanders #wholesome #valentinesday #writing #oneshot #sander sides fanfiction