Tumgik
#just assumed she had a musical career as some actors do
fan-a-tink · 16 days
Text
Young Royals S3 thoughts
EP5
Even just hearing this scene’s echo was horrific. It must have been so much worse to actually go through it. 
It must be so hard for Wille to reconcile how he knows Erik which what he now knows about him. And he is not here anymore to defend himself. Uuuurgghhhhh!
Please talk to Simon. Please talk to him. Shutting him out will not make anything better.
Sara and Felice doing desserts together, that’s the best idea anyone has ever had :) A chance for them to talk, yay!
This Micke is starting to be a dad too good to be true. This is sketchy behaviour. He is too happy, this is going to spiral out of his control. Oh Sara I am worried for you….
Ok, I am just going to say it (even 2021 me would judge me so hard for this) but August „redemption arc“ is working. Like I honestly believe that he is trying to be a little bit better as a person. I want him to be alright. And yes, I am shocked that I think this. 
Whose locker is number 60? Is that Sara’s? 
Wille once more calling his parents because he needs support. And his dad once more not stepping up. Nobody is perfect, not even Kronprins Erik….!
Edvin Ryding, the actor you are…
This episode it’s Wille’s turn to look as if his soul has left him. 
Oh shit this will be the music room fight. I am not ready. I am not ready. No no no no no noooooooo.
RIP Wille in the choir. Those scenes in episode two were worth it though :)) 
It is so typical for Simon to think that he has done something wrong. Simon, my love, you are not ‚difficult‘ for asking questions!! You are wonderful. 
Wille, those are your thoughts, not Simons. They are your fears, your doubts, your anxieties. And they are completely valid. But please don’t put words in Simon’s mouth and push him away like that. „Maybe he gave in to peer pressure. What do you know?“ Like, Simon is trying to help you here, he’s trying to talk it through with you and help you out. Nooo, don’t walk out on him?!!!
Simon being left behind in the music room is just as devastating as Wille being in there after their fight last season. I am done with this music room. 
The 36 on Simon’s locker is now always going to remind me of that fan exam :)) I was sooo unsure about that question haha
So she takes the letter, but is she reading it? Should we assume she read it? Or is she just not going to read it? I am confused…
Oh no. Micke has forgotten. The hope and desperation in her voice that she’s trying to conceal while leaving these voice messages for her dad is killing me. Also, ruuuuuun! You can still make it :) 
Why is Wille only ever with Felice when he’s had a fight or something with Simon? Like, when they’re good, he never hangs out with her. 
I also do believe he would have accepted and embraced Wille’s queerness. But I guess it’s the fact that we’ll never know that is so hard to deal with.
Purple nail polish ✨ slay :)
Sara made it :) But also, it’s stressing me out that she just puts her id back into her bag and doesn’t close it properly. It could fall out!
That is so heartbreaking seeing that Micke is falling back into the habit of drinking with his friends. And the worst possible moment for Sara to find out, mid-driving test, in the middle of the road. 
Linda giving Simon the long overdue hug and telling him he’s not doing anything wrong. YES!
„Love shouldn’t be this difficult“ - Linda, I trusted you!!! Don’t give Simon ideas.. 
Sara turning up at the house, breaking down. Simon hugging her. Forgiving her. I am in actual tears now. Can’t handle it. I’m sooo glad he is forgiving her. This was soooo necessary. Finally some healing…. 
That’s a decent apology text, Wille, I’m proud of you :)
The nail polish looks sooo good!!
And its off 😂 That was shorter than Wille’s career in the choir..
The Happy Birthday Song Scene will forever be my favourite Wilson scene. I am crying my eyes out because I know it’s all going to go wrong soon, and this might be one of the last moments of happiness. And it is SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!! 
Also I am sooo glad the ‚Is everything ok between us?‘ line happened here and now was immediately answered with a ‚yes‘ - that takes away one of my biggest fears from the trailer… 
Also, he made him a sandwich? Asjdnä oajbef lskdfb .sjdnfsldnf lsdn 💜
I like Farima. Also her green suit is gorgeous :) 
They are holding hands in the car !!!!
„Maybe it was stupid to tell you that thing about Erik. I get that it must’ve been tough to hear.“ Yeah, no shit, August.
Simon is just chilling, living his best life eating cake :) 
„Cause there’s a risk of poisoning.“ Oooff. Simon’s expression is golden :))
I think Simon will never get used to having staff to take care of everything. And to Wille being absolutely ok with that and not even noticing it. 
Spotted Lisa Ambjörn, hihiiiii :))
Please make Simon feel welcome. Please. 
Why are they all pretending like everyone’s happy and fine? 
August is just so happy to be near Sara, it is actually adorable. 
Felice and Sara working side by side. I have so much hope that they can find their friendship again. Like, they are both loving being in each other’s company..! And Felice wanting to be a chef? I am here for it!!!! That whole little scene was beautiful :))
That is the most awkward dinner conversation ever. Poor Simon. Poor Wille. And they really don’t make it easy for anyone just bringing everything back to Erik. Like, that just adds so much pressure on Wille, and also this is such a vulnerable topic for him right now… 
Class Bad Boy. Lol
I love that he hates the title. Like, season 1 August would have loved it! That is GROWTH, ladies and gentlemen!
„It’s not very long. I’ll read it to you“ - dude, she can read, she just didn’t want to! 
His voice breaking up a little while he reads the letter. Malte is really on the next level this season…
The way he leans his head into that hug…! I have so much hope for them…. Please, please, please!
Yes, I can see that from Frederike’s point of view this looks bad. But you don’t know anything about the situation. And you’re just going to cause problems. But of corse she runs straight to Felice. Uuughhh, and things were just starting to look like they could be friends again someday. 
Wille playing a bit of the school song. Is that the only thing he remembers how to play, because he taught it to Simon? 
Wille, you’re being unfair. Yes, it’s hard for you. But Simon is also allowed to find it hard. And he is only trying to support you.
I’m sorry, but Wille’s parents could not be more useless right now. I am so glad Wille is finally speaking his mind. Maybe the delivery is not the most productive, constructive, diplomatic, but a child should not have to beg for his parents to be there for him. And they should not just leave the room when he does. Like, I understand that you are ill and struggling and that it must be absolutely terrible to deal with your eldest son dying tragically in a car crash, but Wille is right, you still have a son, and he needs you!!! 
The way Simon looks horrified and genuinely scared when Wille smashes the gifts. Like, he looks kind of scared of Wille. I bet he witnessed these kind of violent outbursts from his dad when he was younger. Oh Simon….
There it is: „Love shouldn’t be this hard.“ And it hurts just as much as I thought it would. 
Wille’s cheek is so wet, he must have been crying a lot already. 
Simon’s voice cracking when he says „Maybe it just can’t work.“ - he is breaking his own heart admitting this. 
The lyrics just before the cut „I got addicted to a losing game“ - KILL ME NOW!
I am in tears. Like, I knew they were going to come to a point like this, but that doesn’t mean it’s ok!!!
40 notes · View notes
maria-eve-falcon · 10 months
Note
I think she understood his anxieties, you can hear in her songs over the years and I think just from what we know of her as a person... I think she got tired of waiting for him to do something and decide what he wanted in his life... And you can say that him not deciding has to do with his anxieties, but I think she understood him and just waited as long as she could...
sorry I didn't answer early.. I had this answer in my mind but I was(am) to0 tired.
precaution : it's gonna be long and there will be out of this particular topic disclosure because idk why a box inside was opened by this
so.. while I get people when they say she waited too long (bit skeptical) we can't blame anyone (this is making me cry wow parasocial much?) and:
they both of mental issues as we know . god knows what was their position in times. normal people without any issues (almost everyone has issues cause 'perfect' is just not a thing) can't commit easily , famous people with issues having a hard time is really normal. commitment is big. it's not just a piece of paper (imo)
I can't blame joe at all here. cause look at the position he was in. his career kickstarted and he was with her. something very unsimilar with her other exes. so, he doesn't have a career close to the people that debuted with him / close to the time he did i.e liz debici (they won a chopard together ) . he doesn't have enough press (lmfao billy lynn had the record for most press(if not collectively) with him until recently ), nominations and stability what so far judging that he is a decent actor (you can disagree for sure but he IS a decent actor objectively (even when miscast) )
I understand he doesn't want fame and hoards of money doesn't mean he doesn't want a stable career ( while tay's is 740 million a year! that's a load even after paying for everyone and everything! (idk why I pointed this out) )(acting is not a stable career choice it self but I bet he wants to have some kind of stability before at least marriage) AND he has to calculate his every word and action since the beginning .
this is gonna sound mean but do you think tay's position screams suitable for marriage and babies? I'm sorry but she is the position (was before the tour too!) where she literally is on top of the world ! ( yeah I wrote this after the people's article so I'm angry) to get married now and gain a load of attention FOR IT, is sure to be overwhelming for an actor like joe who grew up pretty normal. posh , but normal. I'm sorry but she hasn't step down at all! (not her fault but.. not his either)
considering everything I just pointed out lame excuses (this is gonna get ugly so buck up) what about her picking fights? (when you are in love, you fight but don't pick them?! ) for example afterglow, false god. she even said she knows it's her fault but wants HIM to apologize first. (i'm a person who used to always apologize first and boy, at a point you don't care and distance yourself from those who keep making ya do that (that's how my rtl with my 8 year long bestie ended, fucking exhausting I tell ya) ) ALSO when SHE broke HIS heart first! sorry but my man is human!
ok , fuck all I said . even judging by ylm , I'm assuming with pressure to work on his career or not he couldn't read her mind cause surprise! he is human! they just needed to talk about where they were or what she actually wanted but clearly she didn't understand that.
also about letting go. do you really think a woman who is still writing songs about jm (something that happened 13 years ago) AND INDICATING ENOUGH THAT IT'S ABOUT HIM KNOWING WHAT HER FANS ARE LIKE , going as far to dress up like she was in the vma's literally a decade ago and announcing her new album on the bday of some guy's ex wife (who every one is done dragging for the last 3 years) on mtv music awards is letting go? that thing icked me soo hard . what is growing up is confusing to me since midnights announce. she needs to stop these little clues to diss people that are perfectly fine with their lives and don't care at all! it just shows she loves dragging things and can't let go or be cool about it after soo many years!(nothing else!) and worst part is she makes it obvious that it's about them. now it has come to the point where it is just a stupid topic for everyone to make fun of. her pain surrounding jm and kanye has been dragged for soo long by none other than her and her fans that either people just roll their eyes and move on or it's just a joke atp!!!!!!!!!!!!
tl;dr : I just made 7 points of why joe might have not proposed to her and was stressing about doing so.
38 notes · View notes
house-of-lovin · 11 months
Note
To my dear house-of-lovin:
I have a series of questions about Legally Binding bear with me, this is all merely speculation and possibly too much all at once so I apologize in advance.
Cherry-pick from this ask if you have to!ᵕ̈
How young was R when she’d been forced to start acting and singing?
I read somewhere on your page that you answered early teens! And you referenced Zendaya so I’m assuming she got her big break at possibly 14 and before that moderately small acting gigs?
R definitely seems to have a passion for music but how often does she get to produce?
She also seems like the type to make music more for herself than to share with the public given her history, I think not only something she really enjoys but uses as an outlet to cope with things.
Can you give us a few songs as reference to what music R’s produced?
I’m interested in listening to them from R’s POV! Personally, I thought of Never Felt So Alone by Labrinyth. I have no fucking clue at all what song R’s creating right now and I’m assuming since it’s for Coachella it has to be upbeat but might I suggest thinking about Good News by Mac Miller. Pfft or even The Spins by Mac Miller, fun, cocky and memorable like R.
Is there someone else in particular besides her family that made her start to think of everything she does in public from a ‘business standpoint’?
What character in the MCU does R play?
For me the first character that came to mind is possibly someone from the Spider-Verse! I mean why not bend some truths and pretend there’s one Spider-Verse comic that fits R’s description? I think it would align with the fact that R’s been an actor since her teen years and by now if a few movies have been released; her Spider-Verse character has got to be aligned with her age!
Hmm so I’ve read through someone else’s asks and you mentioned not having enough time to look up tv shows and movies aligning with R’s age. I was thinking for some of them, why not just have R’s character in said projects be someone that doesn’t necessarily exist in the current adaptation but is popular anyways?
For other fandoms you say? Is what you wrote still lurking on those platforms I’m curious! Your daydreaming keeps us supporters taken care of.
What kinda music do you play/listen to? I listen to just about everything under the sun except Heavy Metal, too much shouting and I’m already losing my hearing as is lmao.
(I love to trespass abandoned building/areas, for the first date just run when I do and we’ll be good but that’s at night, can and do you like swimming? If you say yes then during the day we’re exploring open waters/pretty nature on a jet ski (safe waters dw)
Am I possibly also picking the first activity to be be held? Ahem HEARSAY you can’t prove that)
Cordially,
Specter
I think yes early teens like 13 or 14 possibly. I think somewhere in my head Justin Bieber was lowkey a reference for R's character.
R gets her big break as a teen and does roles for smaller movies that gain her critical acclaim until major studios recognize her. (Sorry to Hailee but maybe Edge of Seventeen as one of those movies LOL) Before def small roles. (Idk what good movies have a 13 or 14 year old soooo)
I don't have a list of songs for R but with all the asks its def building. I'd love to hear what you guys think? But like I answered before, I see slow & modern R&B. Like SZA (cussing songs LOL), Frank Ocean, Omar Apollo, Yebba. BUT OMG I LOVE MAC.
I feel like with R's family background & starting so young it made her grow up faster than most. So I think over the years, she's just built a wall around herself around people in the industry giving her that 'business standpoint' mentality. I mean come on, there's no way she's had a whole career w/out getting burned by someone. It happens more often than ppl think.
I think her MCU role is def a spider-verse role too! Maybe there's a version of her a Spider-Gwen in the MCU movies LOL IDK.
There's a fic or two on AO3 for a totally unrelated fandom but its a couple years old so idk its kinda cringe LOL. (I also have a Kate Bishop unfinished series that I've just never posted LOL)
I play the guitar so I listen to a whole variety of genres! I like/am open to most music except heavy metal too lol. But I love R&B, Soul, Jazz, Rap. I like older music too so I listen to a lot of 50s, 60s and 70s. EVERYTHING. I WANT TO LISTEN TO EVERY SONG EVER MADE LOL. (but same my hearing is shit lol)
I CAN swin (somewhat) I just can't tread water (ik ik disgraceful) but jet ski you say👀
(I'm indecisive af so I need ppl to plan things for me LOL)
ENJOYED ANSWERING THIS <3
15 notes · View notes
vanessagable · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
Full name: Vanessa Renee Gable
Nicknames: Van, Ness, Nessa
Age: 31
Star sign: Aquarius (January 29th)
Hometown: Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Occupation: Bass guitarist for Submergence
Pronouns/Gender: She/her, cis female
Time in town: 11 yearsish, with some gaps in LA mixed in
@aurorabayaesthetic
bio contains mentions of divorce and cheating, please proceed with caution if topics are triggering
vanessa was raised by her single mother in a small beach-side cabin on the coast of the gulf of mexico. van never knew who her father was and honestly didn't care much or ever have any real questions about it. she was always realistic about it and didn't ever have any grand delusions about finding her father or thinking he'd come back to connect to her. (if he wanted to he would, he didn't)
her mother was an eccentric of sorts and always treated van as more of a best friend or tiny roommate than daughter. for better or worse, van grew up with a lot of freedom and was hell on wheels in her youth. eventually she ended up being homeschooled by her mother (which allowed her a lot of time to explore artistic expression) for most of her grade school years and attended the public high school when the time came.
while she received above average grades and a diploma, van skipped her high school graduation as she had already taken off out of town with her boyfriend (puppy love and first one ever). the two took his beat up car and made their way east, getting married in vegas on their way.
her husband was an aspiring actor and van helped as best she could for him to achieve that dream. while he went out on auditions she picked up odd jobs to try to cover rent. (jobs included: nanny, singing telegram, go-go dancer, award season seat-filler, wedding singer and bartender) eventually (after several failed pilot seasons and sparse commercial work) he got a role on a soap opera and became a fan favorite.
helped co-found the band 'submergence' with some friends during a pilot season in LA. after doing so much side hustle van wanted something that could just be fun and creative and hers and thats what the band was.
the band starting gaining traction at the same time as her husbands career. as the band was starting to gain momentum, he left soap acting and landed a popular netflix show. the same week the band got signed to a label her husband announced that he was leaving her for his co-star. since there was no prenup and he could afford better lawyers he essentially got everything and van landed on her ass
that was roughly two years ago. she spends most of her time on her music now and collecting various hobbies -- such as constantly redectorating her studio apartment
fun facts.
collects vinyl records. while most people would assume it to be vintage rock, it's actually mostly old broadway musical soundtracks.
actual fiend for donuts. always buys two -- one for now, and one to keep in her bag for later in case she starts feeling kinda bummed.
expert cocktail mixologist. her favorite is a pink squirrel. enjoys ordering it in bars purely for the look on people's faces. (also queen of tequlia shots)
once went viral on tiktok for the face she makes while playing bass solos. now it's just a thing and she does it every time because the crowd goes wild.
sunglasses indoors kinda gal just for the vibes really.
tries to convince everyone to cancel their netflix subscription.
fluent in french and italian.
current connections.
bandmate and girlfriend of @xaviermattthews
ex sister in law of @luckylewis @lemielewis @lorelailewis
half-sister of @ulyflynn, cousin of @jordanmitchell
friends with @bradley-banner, @kaylatullz, @ecchs
wanted connections.
always down for friends! she needs people to have deep convos with
someone she knows through eccentric hobbies. she picks up something new every other week.
could possibly explore the potential for half-sibs down the line!
8 notes · View notes
samethyst01 · 10 months
Text
A Mother's Love: Chapter One
“—and I really do think that is, uh, the measure of a real actor, you know, someone who can… not only understand the director’s vision but understand their character as well and imbue it with a sense of— of purpose and realism, right?”
Coraline had long since stopped listening to the radio. It was on in the background, and playing at a subtle volume, but she hadn’t actually paid attention to what it was saying for a few hours. She was far too lost in the piece, her brush-strokes far more deliberate and reflective of the whole idea, rather than moving of their own accord in time with her wandering mind. That’s usually how she’d do it when she was bored – keep the radio on and listen to whatever nonsense she found tolerable, letting her body move the brush wherever it would.
But this time was different, this time she had fallen into a far more focused motion, her entire being centred around getting this image, this idea, perfect. Her tongue gently parted her lips as she worked, an idiosyncrasy she had apparently picked up from watching Wybie at work. With one hand she adjusted the easel slightly and with the other she added some subtle discolouration to the clouds, unsatisfied with their greyness. They weren’t perfect enough. She needed them to be perfect.
In the years since she had moved back home, Coraline had become something of an artisan. She had always known art would be her career of choice, or at the very least, known it for a while. Gardening was her parents’ thing, and while she assumed she might one day just fall into the routine of it, as so many did with their parents’ line of work, she found herself growing more averse to the idea as she matured. The days spent back in Ashland were filled with exploration and a sense of wondering, about life and about death and about how much she wanted to express it all in her own way.
With a gentle flick of the brush, the last distant bird was added to the sky and it – the entire idea – was finished. She adjusted the easel once again before stepping back and admiring it, the sound of the radio providing a nearly imperceptible soundtrack.
“Well, look at that…”
She murmured to herself, gently biting the tip of her thumb.
Before she could fully process the reality of what she had drawn in her focused yet entirely unfocused state, her phone buzzed with a message. She reached down and grabbed it, working on autopilot, reading an alert for an appointment in thirty minutes. She inhaled deeply, holding it for a few seconds before exhaling and grabbing her coat, sliding it on and grabbing her keys from the desk. Without turning back, she headed out the door.
It was a slightly gloomy, overcast day, so Coraline didn’t feel too uncomfortable wearing her coat. In fact, it was just the right temperature for it, not so warm that it was unnecessary and not so cold that it wasn’t enough. It was… perfect. She trotted to the edge of the sidewalk and held out her hand for an oncoming bus. It screeched to a halt in front of her, and as she was getting on she looked across the street and watched a stray cat disappear around the corner of a building. Its fur was jet black.
With her headphones in, music dancing into her ears, Coraline sat back on the bus and gently played with her phone, rolling it around between her fingers. It was just another ordinary day, of course it was, in every sense of the word ‘ordinary’, and yet something felt strange. It was a different motion, an off-centre kind of thing, a vague alteration to the very specific routine she had become accustomed to over the years. But try as she might, Coraline couldn’t figure out why, or what it was that had begun bothering her so much.
Before she could formulate an idea, a proper one, she had arrived at her stop and without thinking much else, she promptly got off the bus. As she was crossing the street she could swear she saw the cat again, staring at her from the window of a high-rise or watching her from a coffee shop. There it was again, a stray black tail here, a pointed ear there, the shine of a dark blue eye in the reflection of her phone screen. At the very least, this eye was more like a marble than a button.
Coraline reached the familiar door rather quickly, gently pressing the buzzer next to it. She held herself close, wrapping her coat around her chest and stealing glances around the street. Maybe she was just tired. That had to have been it, there was no way that—
—that he was back.
The thought secretly terrified Coraline. Because if he was back then so was everything, so was all the horror she has become convinced no longer scared her, so were the ghosts and the buttons and the eyes and—
“Hello?”
A husky voice escaped from the door’s intercom. Coraline was jolted out of her sudden daze, taking one last look around the street before turning back to the door. She cleared her throat before speaking, pressing a different buzzer in order to do so.
“It’s Coraline… is that you, Ingrid?”
She tried not to look, but she couldn’t help it. She could see him now, clear as day, sat in the middle of the road as cars just drove on past him like he didn’t exist, like they couldn’t see him. There was a reply from the intercom but Coraline couldn’t hear it. All she could think about was the black cat sitting in the middle of the road, staring at her…
…and how it had no reflection.
******
“So. Coraline.”
Ingrid folded her hands in her lap as she sat across from her younger patient, her long black hair tied into a messy bun. Glasses were perched on her face and she had a prominent scar running across her left cheek. Coraline tried not to focus on it when the two of them first met, three years ago, but she was always so fascinated by the mystery of it. She had never been so rude as to ask where it came from, the idea of embarrassing her therapist smothering her desire for knowledge.
“Tell me about the past couple of weeks. How it’s been going?”
There was a pause before Coraline spoke. She had taken some time to muster the words, wondering about how she’d phrase them. Would it come off as convincing as she’d hoped?
“…good. Yeah, it’s been good.”
The sentence came out slightly unconfident, but the hesitancy was balanced out by an earnest undertone. Ingrid nodded, already prepared to grapple with her patient for some honesty.
“And your art? Are you still painting?”
Coraline laughed.
“Well of course I am, it’s my passion. I actually finished a piece this morning before I got here.”
This was the moment.
“Oh, that’s great. May I ask what it is?”
The young woman’s smile faltered and she looked down, biting her lip. She hadn’t fully processed it herself, and it felt like a bullet was slowly being driven into her chest. Not a knife – the pain was small and localised. It was just a gunshot wound that took minutes to arrive.
“The… Pink Palace.”
It was hard to get the words out, but she managed it, a heavy breath escaping her lips as she did, one she had no idea she was even holding in. Ingrid sat forward with intrigue. She knew Coraline had been hiding something but she wasn’t aware that it was this. The young woman had spoken about her trauma only once before, during their first meeting, and only in the vaguest of terms, as if it were something so terrible that even the mere thought of it was too painful.
But the truth was that Coraline knew nobody would believe her.
“I remember you mentioning it the first time we met, actually. Our first session. You said something about it being hard for you to talk about.”
With a slight glimmer in her eyes, Ingrid slowly sat forward and pressed her two index fingers together. Coraline tried not to meet her gaze, her eyes flitting from the bookshelf on her right to the ragged plant on her left, and then to the window, but like a magnet it began to attract her eyes back towards Ingrid’s. She stared at her therapist for a good few seconds before letting out another withheld breath.
“Nothing I say would make you believe what really happened.”
She sat back and folded her arms, deep in thought. Pursing her lips, Ingrid considered her words for a moment before deciding to pluck on this particular thread some more.
“And… what did really happen, Coraline?”
The young woman thought about how she’d tell it. She had fantasised about it many times before, in fact. She pictured herself on late night television talk shows, or podcasts, telling her story to the world. She imagined herself relaying every detail, from the moment she and her parents arrived in Ashland, unpacking their things and exploring the Pink Palace. The mist seemed constant, the air always thick and heavy, the sky dark, rain constantly either dripping or pouring.
They’d met the neighbours next, the strange gymnast Bobinsky and his imaginary mouse circus above, and the two retired actresses Spink and Forcible below. Coraline spent the first few days just missing her friends back home, and when she wasn’t moping over that she was exploring the grounds and the garden. She remembered that day clear as crystal, the day when all her dull and regular moments washed away in the wake of something far more terrible.
But she couldn’t have known it, couldn’t have known that cat would drag her into such evil! She had also met Wybie that day, the boy who would quickly become her best friend. So it wasn’t all bad, right? No, it wasn’t. But the full context almost swallowed the shining light that Wybie was. If she took just a second to consider the rest of the story, she’d remember everything that came after that. The mice at the foot of her bed, the door in the living room, the tunnel, the other place – all its secrets and horrors with it – and worst of all—
“Coraline?”
Ingrid’s voice jolted the young woman back to full focus and she coughed awkwardly. She’d been spacing out. Her therapist sighed softly and leant back, coming to accept the fact that this particular memory was going to stay hidden for the foreseeable.
“We don’t have to talk about that. Not if you’re not ready.”
At her words, Coraline gave her therapist an intense look, one filled with a kind of desperation she hadn’t felt in years. It was as if she was trying to muster the courage to let it all out, only now coming to terms with the monstrous nature of it all. The nightmares spoke volumes. She was still scared of that place, and its occupant. Oh, and that occupant. How she wished she could forget it all. But it was time for her to remember.
“I dreamt of her again.” She whispered.
2 notes · View notes
pr1ncessm00n · 2 years
Text
okay y’all… i was gonna do a poll but that’s too much work. so i want to start a new series, but i’m unsure which one! so comment below your pick of these WIPS! (please note, im not guaranteeing i’ll choose the top pick, im just wondering what the general consensus is 😭)
also notice: i might begin writing nsfw! with that being said, that means some work will have to be 18+. unfortunately that means i will have to either limit interactions with minors (not that i do, but i DO have sfw work u are welcome to see) but that some work will not be available if you are underage.
connie mini series : fender bender (18+)
after cornelius springer crashes into your car from behind, you’re left with no choice but to deal with him and the aftermath. he swears he can make it up to you, but can he really? you start to question if trusting him was the right choice as your feelings for him begin to deepen…
featuring: a latino connie, and a potential latina reader!
eren full series : starstruck
an Actor!AU. you’re a popstar, a world record breaking artist and fairly well loved. you suddenly find yourself in a media frenzy when the main star of Attack on Titan confesses he likes your music (and possibly you). after what your manager decides would be a great collaboration if you were to work on the AOT soundtrack, you end up closer to the cast than you imagined…
jean full series: fair game (18+)
an office au?
jean kirstein thought he had his career planned out. he would graduate with the hand picked degree the success coach he had since he was 12 selected to best suit his personality, he would gain experience in the internship of his choice, and then become the CEO of a future Fortune 500 company. at least, that’s what he thought. and when he so arrogantly assumed this life for himself, he never thought there would be one seemingly small hiccup in his plan… being rejected for said internship. now a college graduate and harboring a sense of impending doom, jean is desperate. if he doesn’t secure experience before the fiscal year is over, he might as well kiss his career goodbye. seeing no other choice, he applies for the one internship he’s certain to get : the fashion magazine. little does he know that you’re his main competition, and you’re a tough one to beat. when the Executive Director reveals she can’t choose between the two of you just yet, she offers you both the opportunity of a lifetime- vie for not just the internship, but a full time position at the magazine. now you’re both thrust into the world of office politics, midnight coffee runs, and worst of all- competing against each other to prove who is the best after all. but surprisingly, there seems to be room for romance amongst it all…
33 notes · View notes
indiaalphawhiskey · 2 years
Note
You made some interesting points. Especially about Hollywood being so different from the music industry (unrelated but the level of abuse is much higher in Hollywood than the music industry.
I think the director of MP saying recently that Harry pursued him is important/interesting, because it was likely the same with DWD but of course for different reasons. Shia LaBeof gets kicked and there’s an opening, Florence is in that It Group of young actors that are making a new generation of cult films, Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, and obviously Chris Pine is very famous. Some assume that they’d be tripping over themselves to have Harry but there’s an endless supply of classically trained a actors out there. He wants to be in this film, he doesn’t have the power in this industry like he does in his own, he has to pitch himself to the director, Olivia, and if she asks for a little extra sprinkled in for herself then that may be the condition for taking on a new actor who will bring a fan base, but who wants this chance enough to compromise on certain things. (I’m sure there’s wayyy more to it but one thing to remember is that it seems Harry was the one asking for roles not the other way round which sets the power dynamic).
I’m not really sure how the music industry and Hollywood compare in terms of gravity of abuse (hearing Rebecca Ferguson’s accounts, plus Ke$ha’s experience, plus Liam mentioning how they were basically locked up like prisoners to keep them in line makes me wary of saying any one industry is worse than the other, I think they’re both horribly vile), but I do believe stunting and closeting and such serve different purposes depending on the situation.
And yes, I take your point about Harry. While we don’t know if he is doing the approaching or people are approaching him specifically for each situation, we do know that he obviously has aspirations of making it in Hollywood, and the competition is quite steep. Aside from his name and fan base (which do matter of course), he’s an unknown variable as an actor and has likely had to capitulate in Hollywood negotiations in ways he doesn’t have to in the music industry.
It’s easy to forget that, but just because someone who’s already famous wants to make a career transition doesn’t mean they’ll be able to do it successfully, and studios aren’t going to blindly gamble based on someone’s success in an entirely unrelated craft.
10 notes · View notes
billiambabble · 1 year
Text
Goncharov - a lunchtime film club memory
The first time I saw Goncharov (1973, dir. M.Scorsese) was at a school film club.  It must have been around 1988 (? I was 16-17).  The “Mostly Movies Club” was a cliquey lunchtime affair.  Some of the media studies students had found a way of ordering videos through the library - which was quite a trick because normally only staff could do this.  The downside of these county library tapes is that they were never quite like the ones you’d see in the video-rental shops, which often at least had the cinema poster on the cover and some blerb on the back, these had typed labels with indecipherably long dewey code numbers.  Sometimes they were copies of copies - an irony not lost on the ‘Movies Club which was trying be as elitist as possible about the content of those lunchtime viewings.  Due to lunchtimes being just under an hour, and time being needed to stack the plastic chairs at the end, it must have been shown in three or even four sittings.  There’s no guarantee that the tape edit would have been the same length as the original theatrical release, so I can’t be sure.  I remember that it was in multiple sittings because I missed the middle!  It was difficult viewing too.  It was a cramped, dusty study room - possibly locked most of the time because the trolly TV and player was actually left out and not kept in cupboard. We assumed the cleaners just didn’t have the keys to this room. That beautiful-ugly chunky TV on its black metal trolly was practically bulb-like with its curved shiny screen, the shapes of the thin window curtains reflecting off that screen, obliterating all but the brightest scenes.  We lost so much time to adjusting the tracking on that big top loading VHS tape player (the betamax player sat, also chained, on the shelf below it - how the science students loathed those black and white Open University recordings).   This copy of the film was ‘pan-and-scan”, so occasionally the camera would whip across a wide scene (the one in the city square for exampl), or the image was simply zoomed-in to fit the TV ratio, minus a cm or so.  If you hadn’t seen the film, this wasn’t much of a problem, but we had stills in magazines, so even I knew something was up when the famous pocket watch was half-cropped out in one of the three clock scenes. At another point, during the alleyway ambush, a hand gun held low was also cropped out!  It was absurd when you think about it. Even with the blur, Cybil Shepherd still looked amazing (or maybe it was deliberately soft focussed, I forget).  That dress was so memorable - I mean a year or so earlier it would have been a "formative" experience for me.  We only knew Ms. Shepherd from the TV show Moonlighting - although we did watch the Last Picture Show in the club sometime later.  I still get confused about the maths here.  She must have been young in Goncharov, the start of her career?  Robert De Niro’s acting presence was simply so electric, it’s almost a shame for the other talent-eclipsed actors (too many now-established names to mention here).  At least that’s how I remembered it at the time.  I mean it was easier to talk about the portrayal of Russian mafia hitmen, than to admit our crushes on Sofia and Katya.  I swear I heard an audible sigh from one of the media studies kids when Katya suddenly walks in, looking amazing, in the argument scene in the last third of the film.  Don’t ask about the music - those violins did not survive well on stretched tape.  In saying all this, it still felt that we were watching something special, something definitive, after which we could move on and greater appreciate all the films it had influenced.  Thank you  so much Mr. Scorsese!  And thank you Tumblr, for reminding me of a special moment from my past during a bizarre and complicated time.
4 notes · View notes
female-buckets · 2 years
Text
Q&A with Momoka
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Momoka was in a J-pop girl group for a decade. They started performing on TV as a hip-hop dance group called J☆Dee'Z when they were just 12. They became Jewel in 2018 and became the WJBL's first official promotional music group. Remember at the Commissioner's Cup last year when the WNBA got some weird nervous woman to sing during half time? Yeah, that was cringy. But Jewel was actually good.
youtube
Momoka's in the white suit. They'd do halftime shows, All-star games, and commercials for the WJBL...
And then the group ended suddenly last year.
Momoka made a post about her decision to go with Rui to DC. She talked about nutrition being one of the challenges Rui was worried about. Some of her more confused fans couldn't read between the lines and assumed she dropped everything to be a nutritionist. So she had to make some clarifications.
J-pop → Actor
Rui's nutritionist → Rui's girl
Maybe she'll find some interesting way to boost her career in DC. Someone should show her that 2021 Comissioner's Cup video. Maybe she could give Cathy Engelbert some advice on how to put together a halftime show lol.
We might have better basketball in the WNBA, but we don't have an official music group like the WJBL. Who knows? Maybe that's just the boost the WNBA needs.
2 notes · View notes
leonaluv · 2 days
Text
Mula
Nirruti- "Goddess of Dissolution, Calamity and Destruction who Lives in the Kingdom of the Dead and is associated with the Powerful Goddess"
Mula thread Moonbyul -Idol (Mamamoo) Postion-Rapper.Mula sag moon She prefers dressing more conservatively. Before debut she was training to be singer and leader of a group. She also acts (all girls project) and still became known as a singer. recently she said she doesn't mind showing off..
Tumblr media Tumblr media
her solo she took on more of male idol concept which hasnt been done. A songwriter she has under 57 songs . She also always writes her own raps. Know for her dancing skill as well.
Tumblr media
Jaekyung friend of moonbyul sun sag mula .She was class President rank 2 . very smart
Jaekyung Rainbow Idol leader Now she works as an actress and qas know for her dancing ability. Also for intelligence because she rank first in her school. She was competing with others on show call Genuis . I think she later became known for her singing ability thx to mask singer..
Lee nayoung - Actress moon sag mula she play as a transgender trying to secretly keep a job in lady daddy. In another role she plays work as maid for her male best friend secretly. Later became a writer after divorcing her inconsiderate husband.
Lee da hae
Actress
sag 🌚 She often plays the role of an inspiring career woman trying to dominate in her field. Trying to break free of gender bias going against her male peers. She is fan of mmm and close with 🐮 byul. On running man, she became known for her competitive nature.
She might have mula in her moon in sag Suzy Bae-Idol turn actress. She play as this reporter same as Lee dae . Singer. Suzy might have this pada 1 moon in sag mula. Cf queen and know as the nation first love. Hong jin-kyung- sun sag mula 3Model turn entertainer
Tumblr media
Debut as a model although she cross dress as a male dancer back in the days. She did do some acting and was part of an all woman cast show which at that time was unheard of call sister slam dunk. She dresses up as a male actor as a prank. Ppl assume she was a comedian.
Ra Mi-Ran
he became known for her entertainer thanks to sister slam dunk a show about living your dreams. Known to be a jack of all trades despite her age. I remember she was talking about her marriage how her husband gamble stuff away. She had to work while pregnant.
Tumblr media
Jessi- sun sag Mula 1 Singer Although people think she is just a rapper. She said interview how she wanted to be known for her music over her image. Honestly her moon sign shows up more in Revati . She prefers dressing more comfortably and outspoken nature.
Nicolas's cage, sun Sagittarius Mula, he always has to go fight his darkness. Underworld, deity.
just made it to hell. It's so funny because her Sagittarius Sun, Mula , the hell dogs , and other themes fit so well. with Kassadrane
Tumblr media
Lucifer Morningstar by Luke Cook Sun Sagittarius Mula 🌙 Moon cancer Punarvasu Rahu pisces revati 👺 Ketu Virgo Chitra
Tumblr media
The music used to hit so differently in Disney Idk what happen love the venoricas. (As Aqu P.bhadra, Sun Pisces , and Moon Sagittarius Mula-Amk) the 2000 era punk -pop era
Tumblr media
1 note · View note
everlasting-beg · 7 months
Note
What do idols even do when their groups go on hiatus for 1+ year and they don't have filming gigs or variety shows or commercials? Do they sit on their hands at home? Do they take up part time jobs if their companies pay them shit? Can your idol sell you burgers at McDonald's?
Hmm 🤔 well that's really just depending on which group really. I mean I'm not saying I like know 100% obviously, this is just me semi assuming. There are times though where some idols have mentioned things. Big named idols will either have solo music, variety shows, acting or whatever in between cycles, there's always festivals, foreign performances etc or they just get a few months off really. Plus modeling, fashion show appearances, being a radio DJ is a big thing, Minhyuk of BtoB, Eunji of APink were hosts on their own radio shows. Sometimes they'll do musical theater (if they can actually sing 👀) as well. JeA performs a lot in just small venues or concert halls, so they'll just make money from performing wherever they can.
In the case for After School, while the others acted or had solo music careers, E-young opened her own music school (she's a very skilled musician) and Kaeun became a DJ for clubs and stuff.
However on the topic 'Can your idol sell you burgers at McDonald's ' well 👀 the answer is yes, for either nugus or even semi known groups. Hyelin of EXID has mentioned taking jobs at an ice cream place to help provide for the members and other odd jobs. So some idols do take temporary jobs, open up their own cafe, or they'll make a YouTube channel/stream, especially these days.
Also sometimes they might not do a lot of work in between cycles 👀 in the case for miss A, Suzy was always booked and busy from variety shows to acting gigs however the other 3 got little to nothing but the way their contracts were set up at the time is that everything/profit is always split between them, including Suzy's solo work was split between the other 3 which I believe was eventually changed though I don't fully remember it's been years, but for some groups in nugudom/flopdom like Laboum they probably did rely on Solbin being a 'semi IT girl' to help keep stuff afloat for all the girls, so she would be working overtime for the other 5 but again that's me semi assuming. If an idol speaks English they would usually sometimes get jobs in entertainment and like interview foreign/English speaking actors when they come over to promote their films, Jamie (formerly Jimin) of 15&, The duo of JYP, took long hiatuses but she was fully employed by being on that English Korean program After School Club, there are other types of programs like that as well, i believe. Baek Yerin started her own band, The Volunteers. Dara who just came back with Festival is the CF queen but not just in Korea, she said she's been doing lots of CFs and such overseas/in other countries.
So I don't know fully, every group is different. I'm just assuming from my knowledge of what idols have said and what I have seen: some work, some get jobs, others just kinda wait it out...
0 notes
Text
This Week’s Horrible-Scopes
It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter.
Your musical tastes have you firmly rooted in the late 20th Century. That’s called A Rut. This week all inspiration is coming from THE FUTURE! Welcome to the 21st Century. 
Aries 
Look at you-u-u. Buckin’ the theme right from the gate. Instead of enjoying the theme you decided to look ahead to Spring Training by getting The Pittsburgh Pirates’ theme song, “Let’s Go Bucs! A New Pirate Generation” from 2011. Their first game is Feb 25th, so get ready to lose a lot of money. This week… stop gambling.  
Taurus 
Ok, this is starting to be a “Thing”. You’re supposed to get something from this century, not something from 1940! “Vote For Gracie” wasn’t exactly a toe-tapper, but it did get some people to write in Gracie Allen for President that year. Believe it or not she was way smarter in real life than she acted professionally. This week stop acting like you don’t know what’s going on around you.
Gemini  
Are you all conspiring to make a mockery of this week’s theme? Gemini? Your song only seems to have a pretentious title. “Outdoors at 7pm, Sunny Main Street”. I can’t tell you who the artist is but it’s from the Wii U’s version of “Super Smash Brothers”. The idea of cute little family-friendly characters in big-time beat-em-up gaming just says what we need to know about you. This week keep up your long-running streak of NOT kicking a puppy. 
Cancer Moon-Child 
Ok, now this is just annoying. Never mind that you’ve gotten “At This Moment”, originally by Billy Vera and the Beaters in 1986… but it’s a cover from 2009 by, of all people… Michael Bublé. Look, sure, he’s a great performer - pulling in full shows over and over again. But, look. Singers typically don’t have a successful career with albums 75% filled with covers. Unless your family name is “Yankovic”, just try to be original in your thinking.  
Leo 
OK, well… This is just getting sad. You don’t need to know what your song is, just that the band in question is called “Panic! at the Disco”. Well, it USED to be a quartet in 2004. Then they fired and replaced the bassist, then two left and were replaced, and finally it became, basically, a solo act - which will end its run at the end of March. This week stop being a prima donna.
Virgo 
(*SIGH!*) AnOtHeR CoVeR. You know what? Fine! The song is “Don’t Pull Your Love”, originally sung in 1971 by “Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds”, yes that’s the group’s real name. But your version came out in 2019 by voice actor extraordinaire Rob Paulsen. This week if your plans to take over the world fail, just remember - Rob had nothing to do with it going south! Take responsibility for your own failures.
Libra ()
You’re all gunna kill me. FINE! Libra - you get the original Broadway Cast recording from the musical, “In The Heights”. We’re going to assume you only speak English for a minute. If you listen to Latin American families yelling back and forth at each other, you’ll notice that they effortlessly slip between English and Spanish, and you will never lose one iota of context. This week start learning languages that sound angry; like German… or Klingon…  
Scorpio ()
Just… What the hell is with all these covers?! You’ve got the 2000 release of “Big in Japan” by Embraced. Yes, you will recognize the song and the melody and the lyrics, but… (*Pause*)  Be ready to gargle a lot of warm salty water to heal your throat after singing along with this version. This week, put Epsom Salt on your grocery list.
Sagittarius 
WELL, now! We finally get away from all these cover songs and get to an original song for a change! The song is 2013’s, “From The Future, Next Tuesday”. Which is obviously a tongue in cheek reference to the U.S.S. Enterprise-B’s launching in “Star Trek Generations” when everything was going to be installed “Tuesday”. The band for this one is… (*Beat Pause*) OH COME THE HELL ON!! “The Shake-Ups In Ponyville”?! This is My Little Pony Fan Music?! You know what? I give up! Congratulations, Sagittarius! You did what nobody else could - you broke me. Are you proud of yourself? Hmmmm?
Capricorn 
………. Screwit. I’m broken. Uhh… “Now is the time to try something new. 10% off on Ginger Pork with this coupon.” We got that one from Pagoda Village Kitchen up the street. They’re pretty good.
Aquarius 
You think we’re gunna be better than that for you? Nope. “Call your parents, kiss your pet, brush your teeth, and only drink fluoridated water this week.”
Pisces  
Someone wanted a Super-Naughty ‘Scope for you this week. It’s gunna wait for next week. You’re not getting any special treatment ‘til we recover from this damned set. 
And THOSE are your Horrible-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Discord.
1 note · View note
sapphicshart · 3 years
Text
my headcanon for trina vega, after high school. this is a fix-it.
trina dates sinjin for a while, and while the relationship doesn't make it past her freshman year of college, it drastically improves how she perceives and interacts with dating and her own self-image. it's also probably good for sinjin but that's a different story.
trina learns that simply being popular doesn't guarantee happiness, and that she can get much better results in life by being just slightly respectful to people. she goes to southern california college of acting (scca) and majors in performance, but to fill out her courseload she takes persuasive speech classes, participates in debate, and even takes a couple economics classes.
she gets involved with a group of students who run an underground theater troupe (jokingly named troupe beverly hills); at first because they always cast her but eventually she learns to love every part of their bizarre, experimental, and no-budget performances. she actually tells someone in the troupe about a casting call for a pilot that she thinks really suits him. he gets the part, and the pilot is picked up, and he jokingly refers to trina as his agent.
it turns out that being acknowledged in this way makes trina feel better than being cast as lead ever did, and she starts finding ideal castings for all the members of her college troupe. at some point, most of the original members of troupe beverly hills have left the troupe, happily employed in roles that trina found for them.
one of trina's former troupe-mates comes to her, at the end of her senior year of college, and asks if she knows of any available roles? the role trina had found for her has ended and she wants trina to be her agent, officially and for money. trina is flabbergasted and of course she agrees to help. she uses her commission to rent a little office space, and oops, she's become a real hollywood agent.
it turns out that she was BORN for this. not only does she have a knack for finding the perfect role for any given actor, she's bossy and annoying and pushy, so her clients actually GET every audition that she picks for them. she becomes a popular agent very quickly.
for the first few years, trina will sign anyone who comes to her, but eventually she has more clients than she can adequately represent, so she learns to become choosy with her clients. she attends every opening, show, improv, and high school musical, and develops a canny knack of finding the under-cast or poorly-utilized thespians, who she will approach with the offer of clientage. by the time she is 30, she's known as the best agent in hollywood, (and she's not unknown on broadway!) while having absolutely no application process. she chooses you, or she doesn't, and if you don't accept her offer, you'll never live that down.
sometimes actors complain about trina's choice of part for them; it's a small part, it's not the type of thing they want to do, etc., but trina does not back down from her clients, either, and they either take the role she suggests, or they find a new agent. only a few ever fire trina, but they wash out fast, while an oscar and a tony for two bit parts that trina forced clients into soon stop any grumbling on that subject.
so trina's professional life is an amazing success. but what about her personal life? let's be real here, trina is gorgeous, successful, and rich. she can literally pick and choose lovers. it turns out she doesn't really want one. occasionally she'll hook up with some hot up-and-comer (represented by someone else of course) but those flings rarely last more than a month and she has no patience for anything that distracts her from her work. she's arguably the best agent in the world, and her career makes her happy, and hooking up with hot people of every gender when she feels the need is plenty for her.
she has an amazing full-wall tank of tropical fish in her office, and while most people assume she hires someone to maintain it, it's actually her number one hobby. it turns out the pooka fish also satisfied some empty space in her emotional landscape, and now she spends hours carefully feeding, caring for, and even training her fish. she never shares her hobby with anyone, and her will sets up an endowment to pay for the monterey bay aquarium to care for them after her death.
she directs the rest of her fortune to be used to set up a scholarship that finds talented kids from all over the world and pays for them to go to scca, where troupe beverly hills has become a fixture of the acting scene. it remains a major locus of experimental theater. trina goes down in hollywood history as one of the greats, and dies happy, successful, and a role-model for people everywhere.
(PS) she absolutely trains up a protege in her techniques for finding exactly the right role for any performer, and co-writes a book about it, founding the 'vega school' of artist representation. over a generation, this DEMOLISHES the nepotistic model of hollywood casting, and leads to a new film renaissance.
188 notes · View notes
peaktotheocean · 3 years
Text
post-production
Pairing: Jaskier/Geralt ao3 link here Notes: If you ever watched the Lord of the Rings behind-the-scene discs and thought “I wish there was a 12K Witcher AU where Jaskier is the famous actor who buys a horse for Geralt the horse trainer” then you’re in luck
Jaskier knew that he would miss the stable the most. After weeks of filming on location, surrounded by crew and actors that Valdo had already poisoned against him, the stable had become a respite of sorts.
No matter the smells (the many, many smells), Jaskier would always remember the sun beams shining through the high windows and illuminating the dust and dirt to shine on the horses. Jaskier had tried and failed many times to capture the moment on his phone— to the point where he was convinced that it was impossible. He would just have to burn the sight into his memory.
Jaskier had just one more day in this stable and on set and then he could sort of what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
Certainly not acting.
Five blockbusters in four years and Jaskier's exhaustion knew no bounds. Not to mention people he thought were his friends just clinging to him for a ride.
He had meant for his career to be music and yet here he was on what he considered the wrong marquees.
Taking a small acting job offered by a friend in order to help pay rent had escalated into a full career and never worrying about rent again.
But then there was Valdo.
Jaskier had only started hearing about the rumors during the second week of the shoot. And by, then it had been too late. Valdo's charisma and charm took hold and Jaskier wasn't to be trusted. Was he a thief? A gossip? A drunk? A backstabber? It depended on which rumor went around that morning.
"Last day, darling."
"What?" The horsemaster's gruff tone was shorter than usual today.
"Sorry. I was--" Jaskier broke off. He didn't want to say it aloud. Which was silly because he had seen Geralt speaking to his own horse, Roach many mornings. Not to mention afternoons and evenings and any other time they were shooting scenes and Geralt was brought on set to stay with the horses. "I was just telling Pegasus that it's our last day with the horses. Or my last day, I suppose."
"Hmm."
Jaskier already missed the grunts. It was unclear if Geralt disliked him because of Valdo's rumors. But truthfully, the horsemaster hadn't seemed to have taken a shine to anyone over the course of shooting.  
Well, not any humans, at least.
He doted on all the horses. Roach in particular, and Jaskier couldn't blame him. She was a sweet mare and if Jaskier hadn't been assigned his darling Pegasus, he would have liked a chance to ride Roach as well.
But of course not. She was Geralt's favorite and Valdo's mount.
Not that the actor cared. The animals were more like props than living beings to him. Jaskier didn't like thinking about the amount of times he had seen Valdo curl his lip at Roach.
Just Jaskier's luck.
He had beaten out Valdo for a role which he hadn’t even known the man had wanted. And in return, Jaskier’s last few months had been lonely and uncomfortable and—
He set his forehead against Pegasus’s neck and took a breath to steady himself.
He could still feel Geralt’s presence. Lifting his head back up, he smiled at the man who showed no emotion in return. At least Jaskier knew that Geralt didn't like anyone else on the set either. In a strange way, it helped. Geralt was a part of his respite in the stables just by being impartial to the rest of the gossip of the set.
"Not the last day overall, of course. But I checked and I know we're moving on to another area for the next month or so. Granted, I guess you'll still be here if they want to do re-shoots, right? Can't go through the trouble of training so many horses over again."
Geralt had apparently decided that Jaskier wasn't even worth of his grunts anymore. As if Jaskier was the one who came out early to the stables to interrupt him and not vice-versa. Still, the actor had to admit that the quiet of the stable comforted him regardless. No one gossiping. No Valdo. Just him and Pegasus.
And Geralt, he supposed.
And Roach.
And the other horses.
Well, Jaskier supposed no moment was truly perfect.
----------------
Jaskier let his fingers run over the intricate chainmail of one of the many costumes from the film. Percival and his artistic team had done such excellent work. It was a shame that most of it would be auctioned off but with any luck, some would go into a production vault or even a perhaps a museum exhibit for film costumes. While Jaskier enjoyed the way his costume felt on him, purchasing it wasn't a priority for him.
“Percival!" He called when he saw the crewman in question. "This is for the auction, right? Do you know when it's actually happening?”
Jaskier hated how nervous he felt. He knew the horses were up on the auction block and he had a plan. Pegasus was the only good part of this filming and Jaskier didn't want to leave him behind. “For the horses,” Jaskier clarified.
“You interested?”
“Very.” Feeling much like the office was his primary school classroom, Jaskier stood up straight and put on his best serious face. “I’ve got the space and a neighbor who already shared the name of the veterinarian he uses for his farm.”
“Better prepared than most actors who make a snap decision at those auctions. Plenty of times I’ve heard of some bigshot selling off a horse after less than a month."
Jaskier couldn't tamp down the pride he felt at getting Percival's approval. Gods, he needed to leave this set. Just spend some time with Priscilla and not think about acting for a while. With any luck, he'd be spending time with Pegasus as well.
“How awful.”
“Can’t be helped. You’ll want Pegasus, of course?” Percival asked knowingly, poking fun at Jaskier's wide smile.
“Please. Send me the info and if I can’t be there and I’ll send someone else in my stead.” Jaskier couldn't help himself. “Truthfully, I’d take Roach too but I suspect the horsemaster has his eye on her.”
“Geralt?" Percival asked. He shook his head. "He can’t afford her.”
“You’re kidding.” What a shame. Jaskier had never met a horse and a rider so in tune with one another. He had just taken it as fact that Geralt would be taking Roach home with him. For the first few weeks, until gruffly corrected by Geralt, Jaskier had assumed that Geralt owned Roach and had brought her to set in the first place.
Though, looking back, it was a foolish thing to think. Roach and Valdo had been paired together for the duration of the filming and Geralt's stony glare anytime the actor mounted the mare...well, Jaskier would assume that if Roach had belonged to Geralt, he would have banned Valdo from riding her.
“Already asked him. I went to give him the info because I thought the same as you. Figured he’d be first in line but he didn’t even consider it. Poor fella. I didn’t want to push, you know?”
“Good man.” Jaskier stroked Pegasus and his eyes drifted over to Roach.
----------------
Zoltan's head poked through the door of office had housed the horse crew for the past few months. It hadn't become home, certainly, but the production team had put together a good group. Geralt would be keeping the contact information of more than a few riders and trainers in hopes of working with them again on future projects.
"You headed out, Rivia?"
"Almost packed. Just wanted to stop by the stables." The production auction had already happened but Geralt hadn't heard of any of the horses being moved out just yet. That kind of transport, especially if they weren't being kept local, took time to arrange. He had double-checked too. There was plenty of time for him to say goodbye to Roach. Give her a few extra treats, a good brushing down. The best sendoff a girl could ask for, really.
And she deserved a proper goodbye. Geralt had second-guessed himself, knowing how much it would hurt to say farewell but he couldn't help himself. Between the actors and the long shoots, all the horses deserved some post-production pampering. Geralt hoped the rest of them would get it once they were with their new owners and families.
"Surely you're doing more than stopping by."
"What?"
Zoltan gave him a perplexed look. "Roach, I mean. You're taking her with you, aren't you?"
"Can't afford her," Geralt said, trying not to grit his teeth. He had only said it aloud once before. When Percival had asked for his future plans. All of the horses were auctioned off at the end of the production, along with various bits and bobs that the studio didn't want to keep or store.
Roach was a prize mare, along with many of the other impressively bred horses in that stable.
Geralt would have loved to take her back to the ranch and shared stables that he ran with his family but it just wasn't in the cards. It was kind of the manager to even come to him and inquire. It spoke volumes about what Geralt had accomplished over the course of the shoot. At least with that gesture, Geralt knew he'd have a reference for future jobs. Perhaps not just for him but for the ranch too.
"But she's in your name. Isn’t she?"
"What are you talking about?"
Zoltan came into the room now, still looking at Geralt as though the man needed his head examined. He spoke slowly. "Geralt, I saw the finalized auction list. She's been paid for already and your name is on the front of her paddock."
Geralt froze. Surely Zoltan misread or even misunderstood. Geralt's name's was occasionally listed on paperwork as a handler if a buyer wanted to know more about a horse's temperament. But not as the owner or buyer.
He slowly backed away from Zolton and calmly headed towards the stables, and Roach's stall. He did not want to sprint eagerly or get his hopes up so instead, Geralt inhaled and exhaled every other measured step.
Roach's ownership papers were slipped in a plastic sleeve with a little metal hook attached so it remained securely on the nails of the stall door. Little dried stains and dirt covered the plastic and Geralt imagined Roach trying to get at her own papers.
Geralt von Rivia.
Undeniably, there in black and white. Geralt blinked, not believing his own eyes.
But still, there it was: Geralt von Rivia.
"Ah, Geralt!" The stablemaster came up to him, clapping him on the shoulder. "I had heard that you weren't able to bid. What a lovely surprise when I saw the name." Roach stretched as far out of her stall as she could manage, just reaching Geralt to nudge him. "And it looks like she agrees as well."
"But I didn't bid," Geralt said, confused. He stared at the paperwork for an extended period of time. He just couldn't believe it. Even encased in plastic that had corners peeling away at the top, it looked as officially legal as the other ones hangin off of the rest of the stalls in the stable.
"What?"
"I didn't bid. I told them that I couldn't. I didn't— I don't..." Geralt tilted his head and looked at the placard attached to the paddock. Geralt von Rivia and Roach.
How?
"I don't think anyone would be so cruel to play on a joke on you like this, mate."
"How can I check?"
The stablemaster pulled out his phone and held up a finger. Geralt didn't argue but watched the man dial a number and take a few steps away.
Roach stretched her neck again so her entire head came through the opening above the stall.
"Hello, girl." Geralt used both hands to rub at her face. He couldn't help it. Even if his name on the paperwork ended up being a cruel joke, he could imagine her at his family's ranch. She wouldn't take shit from the bigger stallion his brother kept and she'd teach their other mares to do the same.
"I talked to the production office. Said she's yours. The bid was placed anonymously."
"What? Anonymously?" Geralt looked at Roach as though she had the answers but the stablemaster continued to talk.
"They also included shipping costs as well as extra for feed, care, special needs, etc. A retainer essentially."
"Anonymous? How could they manage that?” Geralt leaned against the stall door, brain going into overdrive. He wasn't even sure where to start.
The stablemaster clearly could tell, and his voice softened, speaking as he would to any of the horses in the building. Geralt couldn't find it in himself to angry. It was a strange version of kindness that, in his overwhelmed state, he had no option except to accept. "It's all in the paperwork."
"Can I get a copy?"
"She's yours, Geralt, of course. Her and the paperwork."
Geralt looked at the paperwork attached to the stall and began to slide it out of its protective slip. He balanced his phone in one hand and the papers in the other as he slowly began taking photographs of each one. "I want to send the information to my friend before I— before I take her home."
"A lawyer, you mean."
Geralt nodded. "Just to double check."
“Smart man. Let me know if I can be of anymore help.”
Mercifully, the stablemaster left and Geralt let himself slide down the stall door. He knew he'd have to change pants before leaving now but he couldn't bring himself to care. He leaned his head back against the door.
He squinted at the sun through the windows as he struggled to hear the phone ringing amidst the breakdown of the rest of the set.
“Geralt.”
“Yenn.” Geralt couldn’t manage more than that. He took a deep breath to try again but Yennefer stopped him.
“Geralt? Are you all right? I thought you were still on location for that god awful film.”
“I am. I’m still there. I just. Something’s happened. I’m fine,” he added quickly. “It’s just strange.”
“Explain.”
"If someone bought you something anonymously, is there a way to tell who it was?"
"A gift? What kind of gift has you this shaken up? I am going to need so much more context, Geralt. Not to mention lunch and permission to laugh at you for whatever this is once you're back in the area.” Yennefer stopped talking and Geralt heard a few voices, none of them hers. “That is, I assume you're not back in the area yet. I just saw Eskel at the market last week. He would have mentioned it."
"No we— the film just wrapped. Everything was being broken down and there was an auction but." Geralt took a breath and gathered his words. "The horse I talked to you about."
"The smart one, yes." Yennefer's voice grew quiet and sympathetic in a way that would have surprised Geralt when they first met. But she knew what horses meant to him and respected it. They had both come a long way with one another. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted to buy her."
"That’s the thing, Yenn, someone bought her for me. I just received the paperwork. They paid for her, the board, and transportation back to the ranch. Not to mention a little more if needed. What could be needed?"
"Maybe they thought since you couldn't afford the price of the horse, you couldn't afford food, medical care, things like that."
"Oh." Geralt couldn't decide if that was insulting or thoughtful. Most people on set only saw him in his barn clothing so perhaps they couldn't be blamed for the assumption. He certainly didn't attend any social gatherings after the work day. The cost of Roach had held him back, not the care.
"You don't know who it could have been? Not a clue?"
"I'm...not exactly friendly to people on set," Geralt growled. “I certainly didn’t endear myself to that Marx asshole who rode her during filming.” He hated being on set but he was there to do a job and at least if he was there, he knew someone was protecting the animals.
"You do want her, right?"
"Of course I do," Geralt gripped the phone tightly. "I just want to make sure it wasn't some kind of mistake. Or strings attached. That she can't just be taken away at all in the future."
"All right. I'll look into it. Send me everything and give me a few hours."
"Thank you."
----------------
Geralt von Rivia.
Jaskier shifted all of Pegasus’ equipment to one arm so he could reach out and touch the paper. It felt good to see.
He looked around the stable to check he was alone before giving Roach one last pat. He kissed her on the nose and whispered, “Goodbye.”
----------------
Geralt’s entire afternoon had to shift. No longer could he throw his duffel bag in his truck and endure the long drive home. Instead he spent the day asking for another night in one of the spare rooms near the set. He went to ask after borrowing a trailer, only to find that it was one of the included costs with the purchase of Roach and far too nice for his truck.
Most importantly, he spent time with Roach. She was the last horse left at the end of the day. He had avoided people by hopping into her stall at some point, the stables full of agencies and buyers coming to collect.
A few people stopped to read the paperwork outside Roach and Geralt couldn’t stop his pride from rising. She was a star, great stock but even better temperament. And she was all his now.
Thankfully, by the time Yennefer called, no one was in the stables to hear a mobile phone start ringing inside one of the stalls.
“That was fast.”
“I’m very good at my job, Geralt.” Geralt wisely held his tongue. “Right so. Roach was bought and paid for by a Julian Alfred Pankratz."
Geralt blinked. He looked to Roach as though she could answer his questions. “I...I don't know a Julian-- whatever. Whatever name you just said to me."
Yennefer gently, "I think he's more commonly called Jaskier."
"Jaskier?"
"Yes, Jaskier. You know, one of the stars of the film series you've been working on the past few months."
Geralt bit back a growl. Yennefer was doing him a favor. He didn't need to be a twat. "I know who he is. I don't know why he bought Roach though."
He had certainly never been kind to Jaskier. If anything he had been a downright grump. Which wasn't much different from how Geralt treated most of the actors. Even the ones who had been nothing but kind to him.
He just couldn't risk it. The cast were a load of gossips and each week, Geralt heard something different about Jaskier and his coworkers. Geralt hadn't wanted to get involved.
It wasn't worth his time to be a notch in the bedpost for an actor who apparently had paramours throughout the cast and country, if the rumors were to be believed.
Clearly it hadn't mattered to Jaskier anyway.
"Bought and gave to you," Yennefer corrected. "Roach is in your name. I had to jump through some hoops to find this information. It wasn't easy. I don't think he intended on you ever knowing. He never mentioned it at all, correct?"
Most of the conversations Geralt had with the man were one-sided, or just corrections for his horse handling.
"Most of the actors left the day after the film wrapped. I haven't seen any of them save for a few who needed re-shoots with some of the sets we still had." His fist tightened around his phone. “I only told one person that I couldn’t afford Roach. He's not the type to pass around gossip.”
"I don't think Jaskier meant anything bad by it, Geralt."
"I just don't...understand."
"Me neither but unless you'd also like me to follow up, perhaps get in touch with his management?" She left the question hanging in the air and Geralt's face reddened at even the mention of talking to Jaskier again. It wasn't the man who had him worried but the whole process. Going through his team and agent just to ask why? What if he took back the gift?
Yennefer read his mind, as per usual. “He can't take Roach back, Geralt. I made sure of it but honestly, it looks like he is the one who made sure of it. No strings."  
"No strings."
"Do you want me to try and find out why? Have you looked at her teeth? Perhaps you might want to look a gift horse in the--"
"Yennefer," Geralt growled.
"Take Roach back to the ranch, Geralt. I'm sure your family will be excited to meet her."
----------------
"Is this my welcome?" Geralt hadn't even gotten out of his truck yet but he was tempted to make a u-turn and leave the ranch the same way he came in. He wasn't sure where he and Roach would go but anywhere would be better than his little brother giving him a suspicious expression the moment he pulled into the driveway. Eskel pushed Lambert to try and snap him out of his daze. "Well, are you just going to look at me like that or are you going to say hello?"
"Did we know you were bringing home a horse?" Eskel asked delicately while Lambert just continued to stare.
"I didn't even know I was bringing home a horse." Geralt slammed the driver's side door shut and caught Eskel in a hug. He snagged Lambert too even though the little shit tried to wriggle away after two seconds.
Lambert went through his fingers on a very short checklist. "Aiden was hoping you'd break your rule of no autographs for this one. But you didn't do that. And you brought home a horse."
"We've got a free stall, right?" Geralt looked towards the stables. They rarely had a full house unless they were hosting some kind of trail camp. Still, he hadn't even thought of calling home to check.
"She's staying?"
"She's mine." Geralt handed Eskel the paperwork and Lambert immediately hung over his shoulder to read through it.
Eskel's eyes widened at the sight of her lineage. "How did you afford--"
"I didn't. It's…a long story."
"You didn't steal a horse, did you? Someone is going to be looking for this girl."
"She's not stolen. Her name is Roach." Geralt ran his finger through his hair, pulling at the tangles from having the window open on the long ride back home. "Melitele, can we not do this now? Let me get her settled and then I'll tell you about it."
Eskel and Lambert exchanged a look and Eskel shoved Lambert off his shoulder. "Lambert, go tell Dad that Geralt's home. When does the trailer have to go back?"
"They bought that too."
"The trailer came with the horse?" Eskel waved his hand after seeing the pained look on Geralt's face. "All right, don't tell me. I know you don't want to explain it more than once."
He left Geralt to blessed silence. Silent as a farm could get, at any rate. He patted Roach's flank and coaxed her out of the trailer, leaving it unlocked and opened behind him. The ranch was isolated enough as it was and he'd be back for it soon enough.
"This is Scorpion. That's Kelpie," Geralt introduced Roach to each horse as he walked her by their stalls, finally coming to an empty one. He eyed up Scorpion, already thinking ahead. Eskel's stallion was of good lineage. It wouldn't be a bad match to think of for the future.
He hung around the stable as long as he thought he was able to. Just because one of his brothers hadn't been sent out to fetch him yet didn't mean that Vesemir hadn't already planned it. Geralt patted Roach one last time and headed out.
The farmhouse smelled just as he left it, like horse and his father's cooking. The first an unfortunate by-product of their lives but the second, a welcome back.
They didn't all still live in the house. Eskel had a cabin on the furthest edge of the land with a herd of goats that they rented out and kept for milk. Lambert and Aiden had just moved to another patch of acreage on the opposite side before Geralt had left for the film shoot. From what Geralt could gather from Eskel's texts, they swapped out more nights than one making sure someone was there to help Vesemir with the morning chores.
"Hey Dad." Geralt leaned in and let his Vesemir clap him on the back.
"Good to have you home." Vesemir's gruff voice washed over Geralt and he felt something in his shoulders settle. He took the offered bowl of stew and purposefully brushed against both Eskel and Lambert on his way to sit at the table.
"Good to be home."
Lambert, mouth full of beef stew, used his dripping spoon to gesture to the TV.
“You worked with him, right?”
"Who?" Geralt looked up from his bowl. There was an entertainment show on the television but it had gone commercial. Lambert rolled his eyes at him.
“Jackass. Jaskier. They had a whole segment on him."
Geralt swallowed and before he could overthink it, told them, "That’s the one who bought Roach. Bought her in my name, I mean."  
Eskel near choked on a beef chunk, "What?"
"Him?" Lambert's eyes widened. He shot a look at Vesemir. "Did you, uhh--" but he didn't get a chance to finish because Geralt threw a chunk of bread at his head.
"I didn't sleep with him, you ass. I don't know why he did it. I wasn't even supposed to know, according to Yennefer."
Geralt wished he knew why. It was an itch he couldn't scratch, though having Roach home and in her stall was a significant balm. He accepted another slice of bread from Eskel.
"She checked it out?" Vesemir asked knowingly. "Everything is all right?"
"The paperwork all checks out. No strings," Geralt echoed Yennefer's earlier words.
"Good lineage," Eskel added slowly. "There’s no issues with her health?”
Geralt nodded. "None that I know of. I'm going to call in Coën tomorrow to give her a full check-up and we'll go from there. I don't think there will be a problem though."
Lambert shrugged at Eskel who still looked suspicious. He eyed the door that led out closest to the barn as if he wanted to go interrogate Roach to find out more. “Oh. Well, I guess a person who buys a horse anonymously as a gift can’t be that big of an ass then like the papers say, right? Was he?”
“Was he what?”
“An ass. Was Jaskier an ass?” Lambert asked again.
Geralt pondered the question. He hadn't expected to think this much about anyone from the cast after production had set down. Definitely not Jaskier.
Truthfully, Jaskier had been the furthest thing from an ass. Sure, he had gotten to the stables earlier than the other actors but it was a strange thing for Geralt to complain about considering how late the rest of the cast were for their training sessions. He cared about the horses too. It had been sweet.
"What are you on about?" Vesemir grumbled.
Lambert, mouth full of stew, looked at Eskel imploringly, fighting to swallow. Eskel tilted his head towards the television. "The lad who bought Geralt his horse apparently got on the bad side of some folks. The gossip shows say they've been spreading rumors about him for months."
"Did he say that? Jaskier." Geralt's attention suddenly back on the television. The b-roll footage of a posh gentleman on the red carpet was not the same man covered in a dirt -covered costume after a ride or a long shoot, that was for sure. It still was Jaskier though.
"No one's heard from him. It's all come out now after the production's ended."
Eskel plucked a newspaper off of the counter and passed it over to Geralt who took it but kept it closed. Jaskier's face was on the cover or it would have been if his hand hadn't blocked the photograph from the view. "Wouldn't be surprised if he sued them for libel though. Judging by what they're saying in here, he's certainly got a case."
FALSEHOODS AND PRODUCTION WOES the newspaper headline shouted. Geralt ran through the first few lines of the article and felt the pit in his stomach begin to grow.
“I heard some of these.” He had been on more toxic sets in the past. With more difficult actors trying to make passes at him, sometimes aggressively. Thinking that crew should be lucky to get their attention. Television shows, soap operas had been worse. But this still hadn't been good. And Jaskier had been nothing but kind to him. Annoying, perhaps early in the morning but, certainly nothing like the rumors had suggested. Still Geralt had done his best to ignore him.
“No kidding? Maybe they’ll call you in to testify.”
Geralt leaned against the counter and stared the newspaper, hoping no one else heard the roaring in his ears.
Perhaps there had been another reason Jaskier was hiding in the stables each morning instead of by the breakfast tables in the craft tent.
Certainly Geralt had taken his solace in the company of animals before. Jaskier had clearly just been doing the same.
----------------
“You have more security out in the country. That’s the whole point of the privacy fence,” Priscilla argued. Jaskier had been sneaking peeks through the blinds for the better part of the morning. His face had gotten paler with each glance.
“I know you’re right.”
“I am. London will still be here when this all blows over. Or when a judge makes it blow over.” Jaskier sighed. Priscilla hated seeing him like this, curled up on the couch, phone turned off. Country life would be pleasant in more than one way.
“You can bond some more with that horse you’ve got. I’m sure he missed you.”
“I’ll just have to come back to the premiere,” Jaskier warned. “You won’t have the flat to yourself for too long.”
----------------
"Zoltan."
"You're going."
"Going where?"
"To the premiere."
"We're a little busy here." Geralt gazed around the quiet stables and winced at the phone in his hand. What Zoltan didn't know wouldn't hurt him. The last thing Geralt wanted to do was take the journey into London and be around people that he didn't even socialize with when he was paid to.
"All the crew is invited and the production team is insisting the crew come so they don't look like asshats. Please come keep me company," Zoltan near begged.
"Too late for that isn't it?" Geralt thought back to the television stories and the articles about Jaskier.
Sure, maybe Geralt had given into his curiosity and googled Jaskier's name a few times after his first night home but the man really had vanished. No photographer had been able to capture any images of him and his team weren't responding to any questions.
Geralt wasn't sure if it was Jaskier's team at work or someone in his corner but certainly he had read a few articles about instances of Jaskier's kindness. He had experienced that first hand and judging by the rest of the stories, he felt they had to be true. Most of Jaskier's generosity came anonymously but he hadn't always been as good at covering his tracks as he had been with Roach.
"Well, perhaps. Valdo made sure of that."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, I just meant. All those rumors he spread about Jaskier. Turns out this wasn't the first person who he had done this too. I heard tell that Valdo is going to be blacklisted in the industry and then sued for gossip. Defamation or something. I'm not too sure. It'll be out in the papers soon enough."
"Libel," Geralt murmured, thinking back to the articles he had read. "Even I heard gossip around the set."
"I didn't believe any of it, personally. Jaskier was always a polite fellow and some of it was nasty. Well, I'm sure you didn't either. Otherwise Jaskier wouldn't have done you that solid."
"What solid?"
Zoltan was quiet for a beat too long.
Geralt sighed. One more piece of the puzzle. "You mean Roach. I know he bought Roach for me. But how did you know?"
"Ah well..."
"I had to go through a lawyer to find out," Geralt added.
"I did the paperwork," Zoltan admitted. "He did want it to be anonymous but I thought that was just so production couldn't give him a hard time about buying two horses."
"He bought another horse?"
Zoltan paused again. "He really never mentioned this to you? He was in the stables near every morning."
"For training."
"Not just for training. Though I guess we know now that he was just trying to stay away from Valdo and his cronies." Geralt wasn't sure what to say to that. He had never been anyone's idea of a respite and his guilt at knowing he hadn’t made the time easier for Jaskier still weighed on his mind. Though perhaps Jaskier had just been after the horses. "He bought the one he rode. Pegasus."
"Oh."
Geralt hadn't expected that. He knew Jaskier had gotten along with the horse, of course. That had been easy enough to see, sweet even. But it was still a surprise. A pleasant one.
There was something about Jaskier buying a horse for himself and for Geralt. As if the man understood the responsibility and the importance. He wasn't just buying Roach as a gift for whatever reason, he knew everything the job would entail.
"The premiere is in London. Should be a good time so long as no one leaks the news about any legal cases beforehand."
Geralt rubbed his hand over Roach's nose and made a snap decision. "I'll meet you there."
"Really?"
"You owe me a drink."
"Should be an open bar, mate."
"Well, that makes it easy for you then."
----------------
Geralt wasn't exactly keeping up with Jaskier's story but Aiden and Lambert watched enough entertainment news for the rest of them. Gossip papers would be left out around the barn by visitors without issue. If Geralt just happened to see that Jaskier hadn't been heard from in a few weeks since production shut down then, well, that was just a fact that lived in Geralt's brain.
One that he definitely didn't overthink. Not with the premiere already on his mind.
"It really was Valdo," Lambert had told him one morning. "Apparently he wanted that role of Jaskier's so badly that he decided that he'd try to make sure the guy would never have any other roles again."
Geralt didn't let on that he had known. Still, he hadn't thought about the creep since Zoltan had brought him up.
Valdo. Like Zoltan had said, it was no wonder Jaskier had always signed up to be the first person at the stables with Geralt. Valdo Marx would never deign to get to the stables early in the morning, even when it was a necessity that he do so.
"Loads of other actors apparently apologized for listening to Valdo. They'd been giving Jaskier the cold shoulder for weeks now. But still, no one has seen him."
"I can't blame him for wanting to take a break from acting. Even now with the rumors out, I think I'd find another industry to work in all together." Aiden shook his head. He looked up at Geralt hopefully, nudging Lambert conspicuously. "You haven't heard from anyone from set talking about it?"
Geralt gave Lambert an exasperated look. "I know you had overheard that conversation. I'm not taking either of you to the premiere. I'm staying for one drink and then getting on the train again."
"Told you so," Lambert muttered. "Fine. Be that way."
“Poor guy,” Eskel murmured. “I’d hide too if I just had to spend months contractually obligated with people all poisoned against me.”
Geralt kept his eyes down, wishing the conversation would change. Wishing he hadn’t been such a fool. At least he knew why Jaskier had always signed up to be the first person at the stables. Not that the information helped Geralt’s newly-acquired nausea.
----------------
It would be fine.
That's what Geralt kept repeating to himself on the tube ride into London.
Geralt would go in, have a drink with Zoltan, find Jaskier, thank him, and then never have to think of the man again. A strange sense of closure for someone he never had a relationship with, platonic or otherwise, but it was the right thing to do.
Everytime he looked at Roach or rode her around the ranch, he thought of Jaskier. It wasn't guilt or anything owed to the man. Geralt believed in the actor's earnestness and no-strings gift.
He managed to find Zoltan right away, the two of them hiding in a corner of the hotel bar through the actual film and more when crowds finally came back.
"I had wondered if Jaskier was even going to come," Zoltan confided in Geralt, leaning closer to the bar and looking over their shoulders as their lobby filled up.
"Because of Marx?"
Zoltan nodded. "I suspect there will be a healthy number of people keeping them away from one another."
"For good reason." Geralt tried not to be too obvious in his glances behind them but Zoltan knew enough of the cause. "Why come at all, I wonder?"
"Contract," Zoltan told him, pressing his lips thin. He shook his head at the thought. "It's written in the contracts that they've got to do press and this counts as press."
"The red carpet beforehand, surely. But I can't imagine a party is." Geralt shifted uncomfortably. The bar was filling up and he and Zoltan were getting squashed to one side already. The gracious and well-tipped bartender had thought ahead and topped the two of them off before the rush began.
"You've been in this business for a few years now. Surely you're not that naive."
Geralt finally caught sight of Jaskier. In a plain blue suit, unlike such patterned clothing he had worn even after Geralt had told him he’d only get the fineries dirty.
Without turning to look at the crowd or see if anyone was watching him, Jaskier hurried up the side stairs to where Geralt knew there was another reserved space, a small but grand library room that hadn’t been alrered since the 30s. He and Zoltan had stumbled upon it earlier in the afternoon while hiding from cameras.
"I'm more naive than I think sometimes." Geralt nodded to Zoltan and held out his hand. Zoltan took it to shake instantly. “It was good to see you. Call if you’re ever by the ranch. We’d be happy to have you.”
Following Jaskier’s path and manners, Geralt also didn’t look behind him as he slipped up the same stairs, closing the paneled door after him.
Geralt allowed himself a moment to look at Jaskier. The man had his coat in hand and was staring out of the rather large window flanked by two bookshelves.
“I just wanted to—“ Jaskier spun around, hand to his chest. Geralt took a step backwards. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Geralt,” Jaskier finally said, even though his heavy breaths were still evident. He stood up straight and blinked a few times too quickly. Geralt softened his voice, hoping to ease his nerves.
“Jaskier. I just wanted to catch you to say thank you.”
Jaskier flinched, just slightly. He tilted his head and looked at Geralt as though he was the picture of innocence, furrowing his brow slightly to sell the confused image.
"For what?"
"Jaskier," Geralt chastised. He was in no mood. He had been around far too many people this night. Jaskier thought so too judging by the fact that he had left the main party room for this quieter one. Still, Geralt knew that wasn’t the only reason. "Thank you for Roach."
Jaskier's mouth opened a bit and then closed again. He seemed to be eyeing how Geralt was blocking the only exit out of the room. "How do you know?"
"Was I not supposed to find out?"
"Well, it was— anonymous. I thought." Jaskier's confused expression tightened as though he was trying to remember the legal jargon he had gone through when setting up Roach's purchase and fund.
"I--" Geralt felt his face go a bit red with embarrassment at that. "I wanted to make sure she really was mine. No strings or anything. I had a lawyer friend look into it just to double check."
"Right.” Jaskier shook his head, a few locks of hair coming loose from their coiffed position. “Yes, of course."
Geralt hated that Jaskier was agreeing with him. As if it was perfectly all right for Geralt to be suspicious of a gift and also of Jaskier himself. What a pair they were.
"Look," Jaskier held up his hands in front of him, "I know you don’t like me and I didn’t to it so you’d be— beholden to me or forced to pretend to like me or whatever. You weren’t supposed to find out. But that awful man from production was going to buy her and I couldn’t let that happen and I had heard that you were had turned down the opportunity which just seemed wrong. I mean, she’s clearly your horse and—"
"Thank you." Geralt said firmly. “Just...thank you."
"Oh. You’re welcome." Jaskier swallowed and chanced a look out the window again. Geralt watched him, very aware that he had done what he came to do. Still he couldn’t make himself leave.
"Are you planning on hiding here all right?"
Jaskier shrugged. "I haven’t decided yet.”
Geralt wasn't sure what to do with that one.
"Would you like to come visit Roach?" He tried next.
Jaskier still looked uncomfortable.
“Right now?”
Geralt remembered the early training calls, how quiet Jaskier was when other people began to come around the barn, the rumors he heard even his first week on set. How he had let them affect the way he handled being around Jaskier more than anyone else. Fuck.
"Where do you live?" Geralt asked suddenly, not realizing the strangeness of the question.
"What?" Jaskier seemed taken aback which was more than fair.
"I only meant— Here in London or LA or New Yo--"
"Here. England, I mean. I’ve got a little place a little ways outside of London."
That could be anywhere, Geralt didn’t say. Jaskier still looked uncomfortable. His shoulders were hunched and he was holding himself tightly with his arms straight down at his side so his hands could be shoved into his pockets.
It had been weeks since they had seen each other last and Geralt just. He had so many things to say now but couldn't make the right words come out of his mouth.
He thought about Jaskier every time he rode Roach around the farm. He wished that it was just the two of them at 6am on the training set again. Jaskier on Pegasus and Geralt on Roach, going through the obstacle courses.
He wanted a second chance to ignore rumors and laugh at Jaskier's jokes and flirt back at him. Geralt had that open Jaskier still in his mind, who was so pleased to see both Geralt and the horses even though it was barely past dawn and he had had a late shoot the previous night.
"Did you really buy Pegasus too?" Geralt asked, even though he already knew the answer.
Jaskier blushed. "I did. He's with me. Well, a stable near me. I know I'm not the greatest at care as you saw it but I visit him and ride as often as I can." His smile was soft just thinking about the horse and Geralt again ached, thinking about the morning dew, riding with Jaskier around the ring. The soft voice that he used for the horses regardless of who could hear him.
"You’re welcome to come see Roach anytime. Especially if you want to bring Pegasus. My father’s ranch is remote and private. Sometimes we get writers or other people stay for retreats in some of the smaller cabins."
Jaskier still looked uncomfortable. Upset, even. He had taken his hands out of his pockets and he was leaning backwards, clutching the window frame. Geralt wondered how much acting he did on a daily basis.
He really hadn’t meant for Geralt to find out about Roach.
"He's really fine. I promise," Jaskier said quietly.
Geralt swallowed his nausea at just how still Jaskier was holding himself. At how Jaskier thought Geralt only inquired after Pegasus because he assumed Jaskier couldn’t take proper care of him.
And that was Geralt’s fault. For listening to rumors. For being colder to Jaskier as the shoot weeks had gone on. The man had sometimes beaten Geralt to the stables in the morning and in return, Geralt had barely spoken to him.
"I have no doubt that he is enjoying your care. As well as you sneaking him too many treats," Geralt joked, trying to lighten the mood. He hadn't mean to imply that Jaskier wasn't taking proper care of Pegasus. That hadn't been it at all. He was just. He wanted to be near Jaskier. He didn’t want to leave him just yet.
He took his eyes off of Jaskier's and they fell to his long fingers. Even though he was facing Geralt, Jaskier’s fingers were clutching the window lip.
He hadn’t been looking out the window or catching his breath in an empty room.
Jaskier had been trying to get out onto the fire escape.
Of course.
Geralt sighed, he could feel a dull ache behind one of his eyeballs. Perfect. He had already caused Jaskier enough panic for one night and now a headache. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.
"Here is a card for my friend. She’s a fantastic lawyer and if you mention my name, she’ll take you on. She might laugh but she’ll do it. The laughing will mostly be at me,” he added. "You might not need her, of course. But she's the one who helped figure out it was you who got Roach for me."
Jaskier took the card from Geralt's outstretched hand and near cradled it in his hands. "Thanks."
"Do you want help opening the window that you were trying to escape out of?"
There was a spark in his eye that Geralt hadn't seen in months and he was willing to bet he wasn't the only one who missed it.
"Please."
Geralt used one hand to gesture for Jaskier to move out of the way and he did, with almost too much glee. There was a bounce in his step that Geralt was relieved to see. None of the tabloids or entertainment shows could see that when they talked about him.
He carefully examined the large window. The expansive sash was sturdy enough but Geralt was more than a match for its age. He reached up and unlocked the top before heaving under the lip.
It opened without issue.
“Thank you so much,” Jaskier gushed. He didn’t even wait for Geralt to move out of the way before climbing into the fire escape. He turned to look back at Geralt. “I really appreciate it.”
Geralt gestured again, this time for Jaskier to step back, further out the window.
"What are you doing?" Jaskier asked as Geralt had one foot out the window.
Geralt raised an eyebrow. “I opened the window. Am I not also allowed to climb out of it?"
"I guess." Jaskier looked bewildered. “There’s still a party downstairs.”
"I think you know me well enough to know that it’s not my kind of party.” Geralt enjoyed seeing the flush on Jaskier’s face at the possibility that the two of them might know one another at all. “I'm not letting you fall down the fire escape."
"Just because my upper body strength is lacking doesn't mean I've never climbed down a fire escape before," Jaskier argued even as he made for the ladder.
God, did Geralt want to know that story. He could do nothing but follow Jaskier.
Out of the window, down the fire escape, and to the ground, where Jaskier landed safely with a soft "Oomph."
"Thank you,” he told Geralt again. Then, before he could lose his courage, he added, “It was good to see you again.” He took off down the street, collar popped up around the lower half of his face.
Geralt wanted to call after him, invite him to get a drink, spirit him away before the cameras out front could find him. He imagined them getting the tube together and riding away all while Jaskier huddled closer to him, whether for warmth or so no one recognized him. Geralt fantasized the worst case scenario, with himself stepping in as the hero for Jaskier, blocking him from the cameras.
In the end, he watched Jaskier, hunched over himself in a foreboding navy coat, make his way around the corner. And then he went home to the ranch and told Roach all about it.
----------------
“Just like that?” Priscilla asked, graciously not mentioning the fact that Jaskier had put on her favorite sweatpants or that he had heart eyes whilst talking about this mysterious horse guy.
Jaskier shrugged, swirling a wine glass with one hand. “Just like that. I’ve gotten a new agent. A new lawyer seems like a good place to start.”
“And you trust him?” Priscilla held up the card. “He couldn’t afford a horse and yet has a friend who works here?”
“She’s how he found out I bought the horse for him.”
“Your funeral.”
----------------
"Geralt von Rivia," Yennefer's voice came through his phone. Geralt winced and so did Eskel even though he was near three meters away. Yennefer only used their full names when they were in trouble. "Did you give some twink my number?"
"Can you help him?"
"Yes, I believe I can. i just wanted to check his story."
"He bought Roach for me."
"Yes, the mystery-horse buyer. I remember." Yennefer's quiet voice used to grate on Geralt. He never knew what it meant. He used to think he was a fool but as their relationship developed, he realized that Yennefer's version of caring contained a lot of frighteningly quiet determination.
"I wasn't supposed to find out, apparently."
Geralt wasn't grumpy about the situation.
He wasn't.
He just wished that everything was different. That was all.
"Well, he didn't anticipate you having me for a lawyer." Yennefer paused and Geralt heard some paper rustling in the background. "Did you know about all this? His situation, I mean.”
“I’ve heard rumors.” Geralt didn't mention that he had been reading Lambert's discarded tabloids and doing some googling of his own.
“Rumors of the situation or the rumors being spread about him on set?”
“The latter,” Geralt mumbled, embarrassed. "Both, I suppose. Lambert reads the tabloids. So does Aiden."
“No wonder he talked himself in circles about you. His friend had to stop him twice from rambling on.”
Geralt wanted to ask about that but he knew Yennefer wouldn't answer. Or couldn't, with a confidentiality clause.
“Can you fix it?”
She scoffed. “Of course I can. It’ll be a bit messy but luckily, this isn’t the only lawsuit against this guy. Tons of evidence and witnesses too. He managed to get a new agent who hasn't been doing half bad of a job. Don't worry, Geralt. I'll protect him.”
"Marx?"
"Yes. It's not the first time he's done this either." Then, softer. "I'll help him, Geralt. I promise."
"Thank you."
----------------
“Jaskier!” One of the farmer’s son sprinted up to him, coming to a stop once he reached the stables. Jaskier had just gotten himself onto Pegasus for the day. “We had a man come round asking about you yesterday. Dad wanted you to know.”
“Here?” Jaskier dismounted quickly and looked around the farm to the tree line, expecting the press to come racing at him after the teen. "Take a breath, Matthew."
Matthew and the rest of his family had been nothing but kind to Jaskier since he had started boarding Pegasus at their farm. He hated to think they were being harassed by some reporters.
“One of those newspaper people. Had a camera and everything.”
Jaskier's heart sank but Matthew shook his head.
“Posh twat!” One of the farmhands yelled from the loft. “We ran him out!”
Jaskier didn’t bothering covering his mouth as he laughed along with Matthew. “He didn’t cause any trouble?” He asked earnestly.
“We said that we’d never heard of you," Matthew said proudly.
“Thank you so much.” Jaskier heaved a sigh of relief and leaned against Pegasus. He gave the horse a kiss and nodded to Matthew again. The boy, realizing just how close he and Jaskier were standing, blushed a bit before racing off.
----------------
It had taken Geralt a long time in his life to learn never to doubt Yennefer but it was a lesson that had stuck.
In keeping up with the news about Jaskier, Geralt had learned a lot about him. To the point where, when Jaskier’s best friend, Priscilla, was interviewed on the red carpet of her latest premiere and asked about the missing man, Geralt knew exactly who she was. It also meant that Geralt could properly appreciate her viciously telling the interviewer to fuck off.
Jaskier still hadn't worked on a film in weeks but Yennefer assured him it was for the best and that Jaskier was doing fine. Laying low was a part of the plan.
The successful plan as it so happened.
Lambert slapped the newspaper down on the breakfast table. Geralt and Eskel both jumped back.
"The guy who saved Roach has been saved!" He crowed triumphantly, dodging a spoon thrown by Geralt.
"Jaskier?” Eskel asked. “The trial went off all right?”
Lambert nodded towards the paper. “It says Marx was found guilty. So Jaskier and the other people he talked about are in the clear with any luck. Have you talked to him?"
"What?" Geralt looked up from the front page. Jaskier looked good in most outfits, of course, but the official black suit for court did nothing but match him to Yennefer, who was barely in the photograph, as the newspaper had tried so hard to cut her out.
"I know it says he won the case but he looks here miserable, mate.”
"Tabloid photos aren't real indicators of a person's well-being," Geralt said stiffly. Even though Lambert was right. Geralt kept picturing the animated Jaskier that he had been privileged to see for a whole thirty seconds at the premiere party.
"You texted him though, right?"
Geralt hummed. "Yennefer's helping him out."
Eskel and Lambert responded at the same time.
"That's not an answer to his question."
"That's not an answer to my question."
Sometimes Geralt really hated his brothers.
"You gave him Yennefer's name?" Eskel urged on.
“Must have,” Lambert commented, tapping on the partial shot of Yennefer buried under headline text.
"Her card." Geralt also remembered Jaskier's uncomfortable body language at the party. Curled in on himself, not meeting anyone's eyes and when he did, he looked right past them. Sometimes when Geralt closed his eyes he saw Jaskier's white knuckles against the windowpane, desperate to make an escape. Geralt provided that. He gave that to him. And Yennefer's information. "He seemed like he just needed someone in his corner."
"And now?"
"He's Yennefer's client right now. They're not friends. Yet,” he added. “Knowing Yennefer, it will depend on if she likes him or not."
Lambert turned back towards his breakfast but Eskel still had a knowing eye on his brother.
“Looks like it’s all wrapped up. He’s not her client anymore.”
"I don't have his number." Geralt admitted, just barely audible. “I never did.”
Eskel reached over and tapped on the screen of Geralt’s phone. "I bet Yennefer does."
----------------
Geralt: Do you have Jaskier's number? Yennefer: Finally. Yennefer: I can't give it to you. Yennefer: But I can give your information to him. Geralt: Thank you. Yennefer: He's sweet but skittish. Be gentle.
----------------
Yennefer: 033 0058 0058 Jaskier: What's that? Yennefer: Geralt's number.
Jaskier sighed and touched his thumb to Yennefer's name.
"You're calling the wrong number," she told him in lieu of a greeting.
"I don't know him," Jaskier argued. "We were never supposed to see each other again."
"I expect a gift basket after the wedding then."
"Shall I expect one for you and Priscilla?" Jaskier asked coolly. Thankfully, Yennefer laughed and he managed to keep going. "He didn't want to talk to me when we had to spend near every day together. I don't think I can manage a phone conversation if it's just me." He wasn't worried about being too honest. Not with Yennefer, not after the trial.
He'd woken up plenty of times in Priscilla's flat after an emotional night to Yennefer at the door with breakfast for all three of them.
Yennefer hummed and in a way, she sounded almost like Geralt. "You're right. Can I make another suggestion?"
----------------
Yennefer: Are you home today? Geralt: Yes Yennefer: All day? Geralt: Yes Yennefer: Good. Stay there. Yennefer: Or outside. By the driveway. Geralt: Why? Yennefer: Trust me, Geralt. It's a lovely day. Yennefer: Just enjoy yourself.
----------------
Geralt stuffed his phone back in his pocket and asked Roach, “What do you think?”
Roach just looked at him which was fair but Geralt’s heart started to race with the anticipation.
He couldn’t be sure of what was coming but he hoped. He left the stables and headed for the house. Sitting on the porch did nothing for Geralt’s nerves so instead he found himself standing in front of it.
Barely twenty minutes had gone by but still Geralt found himself picking the paint off of the porch railing.
An unfamiliar engine caught Geralt’s ear and he turned towards the front drive.
Then, there he was.
Jaskier.
In a shoddy little truck with faded red paint that was nearing pink. It looked as though perhaps Vesemir was only one old enough to have purchased it as new. He was towing a trailer behind him and Geralt would be willing to bet that he knew who was in there.
He also clearly didn’t know where to park. No doubt Yennefer had given him an address only. Geralt didn’t bother to hold back his enthusiasm, waving Jaskier towards the neat line of vehicles by the stables.
Geralt wondered if it would be too much to open the door for him but he remembered Yennefer’s words.
He's sweet but skittish. Be gentle.
Geralt could do gentle. He’d soothed plenty a horse in his time. So he hung back, just giving Jaskier what he hoped was an encouraging smile as he opened the car door himself.
"Um. Hello," Jaskier said shyly, a little nod of his head. With his priorities in place, he was already headed around to the trailer door. Geralt knew he was going to let Pegasus out but he couldn't help but feel as though Jaskier was trying to avoid contact with him at the same time.
He remembered how Jaskier needed to do something with his hands even on a good day, whether that was the infuriating clicking of the pen he used to make notes on his script or the constant twisting of Pegasus' leather reins around his fingers.
Geralt liked to think that this would be a good day but he knew how much courage it took for Jaskier to drive here with his horse.
Jaskier gave Pegasus a happy smile and guided him out of the trailer. It wasn't until the horse was solidly on the grass that Jaskier met Geralt's eyes again. Geralt could see that it wasn't just shyness. It was nerves.
Jaskier was biting at his lip and playing with the leather of the reins just like he had those mornings on set. "I wasn’t sure if the offer to visit was still there. Yennefer said—
"Yennefer was right," Geralt said quickly, beating Jaskier to the trailer door. He latched it shut, staring unblinkingly at Jaskier.
"Did Yennefer tell you to say that?"
“In my experience, it’s usually true,” Geralt joked. He took a step forward. "I'm...glad you're here."
"Oh. Oh, good," Jaskier sounded so relieved that Geralt wanted to convince him to stay forever. To gain confidence as Geralt did around his brothers, to be fed delicious meals by his father, and most importantly, to find peace with Geralt.
"I'm not...I'm not great over the phone anyway,” Geralt offered.
"I thought that might be the case,” Jaskier admitted honestly. “I wasn’t sure if I could stand to carry a whole conversation. Yennefer thought it would be easier for us just to..."
"Be together in person?"
"Well, I was going to say be with the horses. So we both have something to focus on if we need it." Jaskier lovingly stroked Pegasus and the horse nuzzled at him. Geralt had seen the same scene dozens of times over but that had been on set. Seeing it again here, on his family’s ranch was almost too good to be true.
"That works too." Geralt paused a moment and then urged Jaskier to follow him. “Come out to the barn. She’ll be excited to see you.”
Jaskier walked Pegasus through the stables. He let out the sweetest sigh upon seeing Roach again and Geralt never wanted Jaskier to leave the ranch again.
"Oh, hello, darling," Jaskier said quietly. Geralt took Pegasus' reins and Jaskier used his free hands to rub at Roach's nose. She leaned into the petting and Geralt wished he could take a photograph.
“I was a twat,” Geralt told him while Jaskier was distracted by a beautiful horse. “I’m sorry.”
Jaskier looked down and shrugged. “I’m sure you see all sorts on film sets. I can’t even imagine.”
“I bet you can.” Geralt stroked Pegasus. He unlatched Roach’s stall and gestured for Jaskier to lead her out. “You weren’t any trouble, you know.”
“I don’t know if you remember but you…you yelled at Marx one day. He was crowding me in the stable and Roach picked up on my mood and became irritated with him. You told him off.” Jaskier told all this to Roach and Geralt did him the courtesy of not commenting on it.
Geralt didn’t remember though. He had chased away dozens of actors from horses over the years. It didn’t surprise him that Marx had been one of them.
“I’m glad she was there to protect you. And I’m sorry I wasn’t more help.”
“I won’t say that it’s all right,” Jaskier said, with more strength than he looked. He swallowed and finally turned to Geralt. “It’s been…a long few weeks. Months, really. But we’re here now and—“
Roach nudged him again and he let out a little laugh. Some of the tension leaving him.
Roach nuzzled closer and Jaskier could tell she was eager to get out of her stall. “Yes, darling. I brought your old friend to come see you. I thought perhaps--" He looked at Geralt. "I thought perhaps we could go for a ride together? If you'd like."
"I'd love that," Geralt croaked, wondering how Jaskier could still be so brave after all this. That he was here and talking and asking Geralt to spend time with him. "Let me tack him up for you?" He asked, hand on Pegasus' flank.
Jaskier's brow furrowed. "I can do it."
"I know that you can. I want to do to it,” Geralt stressed. "Please," he added.
"Let's swap," Jaskier said, still lovingly petting Roach. "I haven't seen this girl in a while. It'll be nice."
"All right," Geralt agreed. He could see what Jaskier was doing.
It wasn't about a penance. Jaskier wanted them on some kind of equal footing. That was fair, Geralt supposed. Even though as of that specific moment, Geralt wanted to give Jaskier the world.
"Are you all right now?" Geralt asked, hesitating in a way that he hoped made an answer not necessary if Jaskier didn’t want to respond.
"Well, I don't know about 'all right,'" Jaskier huffed. His eyes were looking straight ahead. "Yennefer certainly settled some things. I'm not sure I'll be acting anytime soon. Or um, answering my phone calls. I've actually changed my number again. Remind me to give it to you."
"I'd like that." Geralt didn't mention that he never had Jaskier's number in the first place.
"It's not the press," he assured Geralt. "Just a lot of people trying to apologize or offering to support me. I'm talking to the same few who always believed me before everything, you know? Mostly just Priscilla and Yennefer right now."
Geralt didn't know. He was one of the people who...well, he's not sure that he believed the rumors. He wasn't someone to go around sets making friends regardless. But he had certainly heard the gossip, listened to it even.
He liked to think he made up for some of that but in actuality, Geralt knew it didn't matter. He'll always wish he had behaved differently when he first met Jaskier. He could have maybe had Jaskier in his life for so much longer. Could have supported him better during this shit time instead of just handing over Yennefer's card and begging her to take the case.
Geralt's mind was full of questions that he wasn't sure if he was allowed to ask. He wasn't even sure he wanted the answers either. What was Jaskier going to do now? Geralt knew that one was selfish because he so wanted the answer to include him.
They worked in silence to get the horses ready but it wasn’t a silence that Geralt minded. Especially not when it was broken every moments by Jaskier giggling whenever Roach tried to interrupt his actions. He watched Jaskier get up onto Pegasus before following on Roach.
“You could always keep Pegasus—“
"I was thinking maybe I could board Pegasus here? If you've got the room—"
"Yes!" Geralt said immediately, cutting off what he had started saying as well as Jaskier's nervous rant. He didn't want Jaskier to be unsure of himself ever again. Not where Geralt was concerned. "You could come by whenever you'd like. Hopefully...often," he let himself say, voice growing stronger as the sentence went on.
"Yeah?" Jaskier asked. Geralt couldn't look away from how his teeth trapped his bottom lip between them. He was grateful that they were both on horses, otherwise Geralt wasn't sure he could have stopped himself from taking his thumb and slipping the abused lip to safety.  "I don't live too far away. I hadn’t realized.”
Geralt swallowed. He met Jaskier’s big blue eyes and knew his own were rounded in vulnerability. “Please."
Jaskier finally, finally, smiled at him in such a way that Geralt felt his chest loosen. Jaskier nodded and Geralt felt his heart beating in his chest again. He grinned back at Jaskier and felt something swirl around them.
“Stay for dinner? My brothers would love to meet you. My father too.” Geralt was horrified at himself. He hadn’t rambled on like this in years. He couldn’t stop himself. He didn’t want to stop himself, not when Jaskier was giggling and trying to hide it with a hand over his mouth. “My brother Eskel’s horse is the one I’m planning to pair Roach with but I’m making him grovel for it if you’d like to help.”
“That sounds nice,” Jaskier laughed openly at him. Geralt didn’t mind one bit. “I’d love to stay, thank you.”
“Thank you.”
Geralt couldn’t help but sneak peeks at Jaskier as they mounted. It seemed Jaskier didn’t mind, snorting each time he caught his former horse master. And then he did the same, with Geralt trying not to preen too much in response.
Jaskier told him about Priscilla and Yennefer meeting and how he couldn’t go to dinner with the two of them alone again, Geralt, please.
Geralt explained how the farm worked and how much he disliked being on set away from his brothers, even when the money was good. How mercilessly they had teased him about Jaskier when he had returned.
They rode through the ranch, to Eskel’s farm, and Geralt found that both of them were becoming freer with their laughs by each trot.
The two of them had a strange beginning and a tumultuous middle but perhaps, if Geralt and Jaskier worked for it, they could have a lovely end.
----------------
ao3 link here
50 notes · View notes
missymurphy1985 · 3 years
Text
First Time
Cillian's a sweet, innocent 18 year old from Cork, who's about to move to Dublin to kick-start his acting career. His eyes are suddenly opened to a new world of opportunity and possibility.
Warnings - loss of virginity / smutty one shot
Taglist - @margoo0 @peakyscillian @queenshelby @janelongxox @noctvrnalmoth
"How are you doing Cill?" You walked into your best friend's house to find him at the dining table, looking through a handwritten list in his hands.
"Just checking I've got everything I need for the train in the morning - god I'm nervous!" You kissed the top of his head affectionately and squeezed his shoulder.
"It's going to be fine, okay? I know this is a change of direction for you, but you've already proved how good at this you are!" You'd seen him onstage at a local venue in Cork city the previous month and he'd blown you away with how good an actor he was. So confident, striking, and dare you say it, handsome..
"It's still performing, y/n, that's what I want. This feels right though. The music thing was fun, but this feels right. I wish you could come with me?"
"I have university, and you know my father isn't letting me leave Ballintemple anytime soon," you laughed. Your father, the local police chief, was incredibly overprotective, didn't want his daughter anywhere near the bright lights of Dublin city. Cillian's parents were much more easy going, and had welcomed you into their family almost as a third daughter, since you'd met in high school. "Think of the women you'll meet! All those city girls out on the town!" You saw his head drop slightly, and the smile vanished.
"Yeah.." he looked out the window.
"What's wrong?" You sat next to him at the table and took his hand. He'd never know what the touch of his skin did to you and that's how it would stay.
"Promise me you won't laugh, yeah? Promise me?" He held up his pinky finger to clasp it with yours. A ritual you'd had since the day you met.
"Can't break a pinky promise!" You laughed, as he quickly looked round to check the house was still empty.
"Okay.. I've never.. I've never done anything.. with a woman.." he was visibly nervous and his hands were shaky. You were shocked. Neither of you had spoken about your personal encounters with anyone else, you just assumed he'd had a few of the local girls - good looking guy, toned, slender body, confident.. this was a complete surprise to you and your face clearly expressed your shock.
"Well... Um..."
"You think I'm daft now don't ye?" He pulled his finger away from yours and fell back onto his chair.
"No. No I don't. I think.." you gulped, "I think I know what we can do.." his neck turned sharply to look at you.
"Help me? Y/n I'm not calling Marie..." His ex. She'd left him when she found out he was moving away. They'd only been dating a month or two but long enough for him to think she was actually the one he'd give himself to.
"No, god no, she's had more men than hot dinners Cill, you're well shot of her. The only thing she'd give you is something you'd need antibiotics to get rid of!" You both laughed at this. "Is anyone home?" He shook his head. His siblings were at school for another couple of hours, both his parents were at work and wouldn't be home until at least 5. You stood up and brought him to stand with you.
"You remember the pact we made? When we were 14?" You ran your hands over his shoulders. He took a deep breath and shook his head. There was a flick of recognition in his eyes, did he just want you to say it?
"We promised that if we were still virgins at 18, we'd take care of it together.. Well, we're 18 now..." You pulled him closer. You'd nearly lost yours the year before, but you didn't feel ready.
"You haven't...?" You shook your head. "We were just kids, y/n.. I can't let you do this -" your lips were on his in an instant. He was hesitant at first, before he gave in and returned the kiss passionately.
"I want to.. I've wanted to for a long time.. but then you got with Marie and I just figured it had already happened.."
"No.. just hadn't got round to it.. never felt right.."
"And does this? Does this feel right?" You took his hand and placed it on your chest. Moving it down, under your shirt and over your bra-covered breast. He gasped your name and you felt his hardness pressing into your stomach through his baggy sweatshorts.
"Yes.. this feels right.." his lips were on yours again before you pulled away to lead him up the stairs. Pushing open his door you turned to face him and lifted your t-shirt over your head slowly. His eyes watching your every move. He moved closer, his hands behind you unclasping your bra.
"Easier than they look those things..."
"Sit down on the bed yeah? I wanna try something..." He sat down, and you knelt in front of him, pulling his shorts down his knees. You gasped at his hard cock, springing up and already leaking a little. "You might have to guide me..." he smiled, and took your hand. Placing it around his cock, he moved it up and down. You carried on as he moved his hand to rest on your face softly.
"Jesus... Fuck that feels good.. bit tighter yeah?" You smiled, gripping him tighter. His hand moved closer to your mouth as you stroked him, and he brushed his thumb over your lips. You instinctively opened your mouth and his thumb moved inside, your tongue licking it slowly. You looked up into his eyes, the way his mouth moved as his breath became heavier was driving you crazy - you could feel wetness between your legs and a sudden need for him deep within you. You loved watching him moan. He pulled you closer, your face now inches away from his cock as you realised what he wanted. Nervously, you placed your mouth over the tip, and slowly started to move him further down into your mouth. You quickly found a rhythm, and began to bob your head up and down.
"Suck.. just a little.. please.." he gasped as your mouth took him. You complied and the throbbing between your legs intensified as his moans became almost primal.
"Shit... Oh... Slow down, Jesus..." Slowing down was NOT part of your plan. You wanted to taste him. Your mouth bobbing up and down quicker. "You need to stop... Fuck... Y/n.. aahh..." You felt his balls tighten as he shot deep into your throat, unable to hold back any longer. You swallowed down what you could, but the force of it made some leak down your chin. Your fingers swiped it off your face and you licked it off slowly.
"That was amazing... You taste good!" You moved your body up to kiss him, making him taste himself in the process.
"You're so beautiful y/n.. you know that?" You smiled, his compliment gave you goosebumps, made your heart soar. For years you'd wanted this, and now it was happening.. the night before he left the city, but still...
"I can feel this throbbing feeling down there... Wanna help me take care of it?" You pushed him down onto the bed and lay next to him, bringing his hand between your legs. He moaned softly feeling the warm dampness between them. You opened your legs and he leaned up slightly, exploring your body. Finding your folds with his fingers, he opened them, running a finger from the bottom to the top, noticing how you gasped when he reached a small bundle of skin near the top. You grabbed his hand and moved it down to collect some of the moisture leaking out of you, before bringing it back up to circle the little nub slowly. Your body started to writhe, your moans getting a little louder as he started to pleasure you, and your hand moved away allowing him to continue.
"That feels good.. don't stop..." He planted small kisses along your shoulder, gasping as he felt your hand curl around his semi-hard shaft again. "Feels so good... Oh god... Cillian...." You felt him shift down the bed, fingers suddenly away from you. You looked down to see him lay between your thighs, placing small kisses on the insides of them, moving closer to your core.
"What are you - oh!!" His tongue quickly found your clit again, running circles over it as a finger teased your hole slowly. You tensed in anticipation.
"Baby relax..." He continued on your clit and slowly eased a finger inside you. "Fuck you feel good... So fucking tight..." He could've come again just from this, but he held back. You threw your head back as your orgasm started to build. This was better than any orgasm you'd ever given yourself, his tongue working magic over you. You suddenly felt a second finger enter you, but you couldn't tense up, your body was in a state of its own now.
"Cill... Don't stop, I'm gonna cum.. please..." You sat up as the force of your orgasm swamped you. Your hips riding against his mouth as you came over him. You had to pull his tongue away before you alerted the neighbours to what was happening, but his fingers remained inside you, gently pumping away.
"I can feel you clenching me.. fuck that was incredible y/n.." he pulled his fingers away, and moved his body on top of yours.
"Do you have a condom?" He looked into your eyes hoping to God that you did, but knowing it was highly unlikely..
"No, but I've been on the pill for a while now.. and we're virgins, so we know we're both clean. Go for it..."
"You sure you wanna do this?"
"I've never wanted anything more in my life." He lined himself up against your entrance and pushed his way in slowly. Breathing hard, trying to control himself - he didn't wanna end this too soon. You both looked down to watch as his cock slowly began to disappear inside you. He stopped when he felt a barrier, he couldn't go any further.
"This is gonna sting... But it won't last long.. I'm right here okay?" He whispered in your ear gently. Despite his inexperience, he'd heard his friends talking about sex enough to know this part would be uncomfortable for you. You kissed his lips, and brought a hand down to rub your clit softly, relaxing you. "Jesus woman... That's one way to relax huh?" You smiled and brought your legs over his waist, urging him. He pulled back a little, and with a kiss to your lips he thrust inside, groaning deeply from the feeling of being buried in you, breaking the seal. You cried out, it did sting... And you felt tears in your eyes. Cillian paused, allowing you time to adjust, and softly kissed your cheeks. The pain subsiding now, you felt so full and warm.
"You can move.. go slow.." he began to ease in and out slowly, gritting his teeth at the glorious friction surrounding his cock, willing himself to hold on from exploding in you.
"You feel amazing... Fuck y/n... Oh god..." He picked up the pace, hips grinding into yours. You raised your hips to meet his thrusts, and the pleasure coursing through you took your breath away. He adjusted his angle slightly, and pushed in, when the amount of pleasure you felt from that thrust caused you to cry his name.
"I don't know what you did, but do it again... Right there!!" He moved again to find that spot that clearly drove you wild, finding it quickly and aiming for it with every thrust into you. His hands were either side of your head, gripping onto the bed sheets as he started to pound into you relentlessly. Your back was arching again, this feeling was so new, but so fucking good..
"I think... Oh god Cillian I think I'm gonna cum again..." Neither of you were expecting this, you had no idea a woman could orgasm from sex alone.. it washed over you quickly, your core on fire as he continued to fuck you.
"Baby... I can't hold it..." You lifted his face up from your neck, you wanted to watch his face when he came. His eyes scrunched closed, mouth falling open silently as he came hard and deep inside you. Your orgasm extended into bliss as you watched him, and heard his primal groan as he finished spurting, you could feel it lining your insides.
You held him as he rested his lips against the crook of your neck, both of you panting against each other.
"Fuck that was good..." He pulled out of you, coming to rest next to you on the bed. You leaned into him, his arm pulling you close.
"Come with me?" He lifted your face up to meet his, kissing your lips softly.
"You know I can't.. my Dad.."
"I'll talk to your Dad - he loves me more than you." You punched his arm playfully. Your Dad did think very highly of Cillian, that's for sure. He wouldn't if he knew what Cillian had just done with his only daughter though! "You don't start uni for a few months, I'll be gone for a couple of weeks and I don't think I can wait that long to do this again..."
"You want to do this again?" You were sat up now, stunned at what you just heard.
"I wanna do that to you every single day for the rest of our lives y/n.. can't do that if I'm in Dublin and you're still here, now can I?" You were in shock.. what was he saying?
"You mean, you want me? To be your girl?"
"Y/n, you've always been my girl - just never made it official did we? Be mine, yeah?"
"I've always been yours, about time you noticed." You brought him close to kiss him again, your whole future playing out in both your minds, and you couldn't wait to get started on it.
111 notes · View notes
teamsarawatshusband · 3 years
Note
Do you think there is a chance that WYB really believes in China's innocence in this? If people in China don't have all the information, then maybe he also doesn't know what is happening.
Okay, I’m gonna be very careful in how to answer this.
First of all, I don’t know him in person (obviously), so I can never know 100% what he does and doesn’t believe. Much like with any other celebrity.
My assumption on what he believes in this is based on what I know about his life and how that might potentially affect his thinking in matters like these. It is also based on what I know from my personal connections to Chinese citizens and what they have told me about politics and human rights affairs in the past.
Since Yibo is living in China, there is a big chance that he doesn’t have access to all the news regarding this specific political situation. So I do assume that he most likely doesn’t know the details of what’s going on in regards to the human rights violations and why exactly Nike spoke out against the government of his country.
However, he is very familiar with the business side of working with brands and he has had political situations affect career decisions in the past. So I can’t help but think that he knows things are fishy.
He must know that brands, especially big corporations like Nike, don’t make business-damaging statements against a whole country like this without global pressure. Let’s not forget, Nike like any other company, first and foremost has to think of their marketability and consumer’s trust. So, Yibo must know that consumers (not governments or political institutions but regular people) all over the world are watching the news and demanding that companies such as Nike take a stand. So, I’m assuming he knows that, in the eyes of the global population, based on their sources of information, the Chinese government is doing something bad.
Whether or not he believes this information to be true is a different question.
Now, if Yibo had lived his entire life in China, had grown up with the censorship and propaganda of the Chinese government throughout his life and not aware that this is different in other parts of the world, then I would assume he’d believe it to be false.
However, he has lived in South Korea for several years. So he did have access to a non-Chinese point of view on politics and life in general. He also has traveled to other countries professionally, both as a singer as well as an actor. He must know that independent sources of information are much easier accessible in other countries. He must know that the amount of freedom to publicly criticize a government or state personal opinions varies largely from country to country. I am convinced he is aware that censorship and deliberate spreading of misinformation is a common political practice in China. So, based on that, I do assume that he takes information from Chinese news with a critical mindset that doesn’t simply trust and buy into everything that is served to him.
He also has witnessed political situations affect his or other co-stars’ careers. He used to be in Uniq which, as all k-pop bands, suddenly wasn’t allowed to appear on Chinese TV anymore, even though they hadn’t done anything wrong. And a big change of course of action like that was kept all hush-hush in the entire Chinese media. He must know that this wasn’t fair, that they innocently fell victim to political agendas. An entire career, fanbase, performance platform simply taken away from all of them, one second to the next, and they hadn’t caused it and didn’t have any say in it either. Are we really assuming that they simply took that blow without wanting to speak out and fight for the success they had worked so hard for?
The 227 situation was very similar. The international success of one Chinese series brought so much traffic to AO3, that the Chinese government noticed it as public platform depicting values that they didn’t want China to be associated with. More importantly, a public platform with content that they couldn’t control. So they went and blocked it. And who had to suffer the blame? The government? Of course not. Xiao Zhan, who hadn’t done anything other that be an actor in the series. Because of this he lost so many marketing deals and job offers that people believed his career was over for good. All while doing nothing wrong.
Yibo, as the second main actor in the same series, 100% saw all of this go down. He knows that Xiao Zhan hadn’t caused any of it, knows that he was blamed unfairly. He also knows that remaining silent under those circumstances will only cause more harm to a career and public reputation. He knows that the only option is to say what you are expected to say, regardless of what you think.
And, I mean, based on all the situations that I have been in in my life, where I was forced to say something against my will, and based on knowing Yibo to be quite headstrong and having a competitive mindset... I just can’t picture him going, “Well, they make me say this. So, I believe it too.”
Now, based on what I have heard from people that I personally know IRL, I think some of the things that my aunt and uncle have mentioned left the biggest impression on me. My uncle is European but has lived and worked in China for decades now. My aunt is Chinese, grew up in China and only after meeting and marrying my uncle has traveled out of the country.
My uncle is very outspoken about life in China. When talking to him in person, he will tell you everything he personally experienced, including things like tax evasion, people avoiding police charges with hush money, countrywide blocking of messaging services and email providers, copyright frauds as legitimate business endeavors, illegal confiscation of items by police/border control etc. etc. etc. Basically, the gist of his reports is, “In China, if you are a regular person, you have to be aware of this, work around the corruption/unfairness and, most importantly, not make a big fuss about it. If you are somebody with money and powerful connections, you can buy yourself out of any situation. Unless if you stand in the public eye, then you’ll be used to make an example of  - under the guise of a just and law-abiding country.“ He will tell you all of this, while over here. Never when in China. Because he knows the consequences.
My aunt is a lot quieter on the matter. She never directly spoke out against Chinese politics and never directly called out the issues of censorship and corruption. But she often asked, “Are we really allowed to say this here? Back home we can’t.” And when I talked to her about specific political situations she confirmed a lot of things with small examples from her experience. While my uncle is mostly angry when speaking about those things, my aunt is primarily careful in her phrasing. She very clearly loves her country dearly (who wouldn’t it’s a beautiful country with wonderful people), and she is very pained by how it is governed, and how that governing affects both the people living there as well as how China is perceived in the world.
I have never spoken to them about celebrities or specific entertainment issues, but what I do know from them is, if somebody in China is a public figure with success and a bit of wealth, they will:
- most certainly be aware that their government’s actions are often unjust and based on corruption and personal gain
- be forced to side with said government or, if they refuse, forced to retire for good
- have to do propaganda related work. Either, if they (or somebody close to them) did/said some non-government-compliant things, for people in power positions to overlook those, or in return for specific freedoms they wouldn’t get to enjoy otherwise.
Especially the forcing of propaganda jobs on public figures, I can’t help not relating that to Yibo.
Just compare some of his songs... “無感 Wu Gan”, for example, with his recent “青春恰时来 - Youth Comes in Time”.
Wu Gan is musically progressive, sounds fresh and goes with the genres and types of music Yibo has shown to love before. And he officially wrote it himself. Youth Come in Time, which he released but was neither composed nor lyrically written by him, sounds like a polar opposite. Musically, it sounds like what you would hear in a 90s advertisement.
And looking at the lyrics, I mean... that song has lines like “strengthen the country”, “we stand in the front row”, “I am with my country”, “the Chinese stage is taking off” - how is that not propaganda?
Do we really, genuinely think that somebody believes in this, even though in the songs that he wrote himself, and has stated to be about his own personal experiences, he says stuff like, “don’t become a puppet whose feelings are manipulated by others”, “every day there’s someone going on and off stage - just remain emotionless”, “You’re famous but you have no works and the voices scolding you only get worse”, “I’ve trapped myself and I can’t make my goals distinct”?
Do we?
Really?
I’ll leave that up to you.
141 notes · View notes